The regional structure of the southern Quebec Appalachians is redefined in terms of superposed Taconian and Acadian deformation events. Taconian structures and metamorphism dominate in Cambro-Ordovician rocks west of the Baie Verte-Brompton Line (BBL). The Taconian orogen is subdivided into a northwestern external zone, composed of fault-imbricated continental rocks displaying single-phase foreland structures, and a south-eastern internal zone of polydeformed and metamorphosed continental and oceanic rocks. The structural relationships of Cambro-Ordovician rocks astride the BBL demonstrate that the continent-ocean contact was deformed by both southeast-verging late Taconian and upright Acadian folds. East of the BBL, syn- and post-Taconian rocks were mainly affected by Acadian deformation. The Acadian external zone consists of Cambro-Ordovician and post-Ordovician rock units characterized by a single phase of folding. The zone is bounded to the southeast by the Riviere Victoria fault. The Acadian internal zone displays polyphase deformation in the easternmost part of the Quebec Appalachians. The Acadian deformation shows a significant overlap with Taconian structures and metamorphism, and structural windows of the Taconian orogen are found within both the external and internal zones of the Acadian orogen.


abstract:The confessional scenes in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight have long been sources of contention in scholarship. Critics are unable to reach a consensus on why Gawain hides the green girdle before his confession at Bertilak's castle, and on what significance the second quasi-confessional episode at the Green Chapel holds. Ideas about confession developed by the likes of Simon of Tournai, Alan of Lille, Thomas Aquinas, and John Duns Scotus can help to decode these puzzling sections of the text. This article contends that Gawain follows a standard penitential narrative outlined by canon law and scholastic theology, from an imperfect state of sorrow for his sins (attrition) to a perfect state (contrition). That is, after his initial confession, Gawain embarks on a penitential development that is completed only once he has faced the Green Knight and returned to Camelot, turning from attrition to contrition.


This article aims to analyse the cyclical behaviour of fixed investments in Turkey and then construct a Composite Leading Indicators Index (CLI) to forecast the turning points of investment. The cycles of investment and selected leading indicators are identified following the growth cycle approach. The series are detrended using the Hodrick–Prescott (HP) detrending filter. After identification of the cycles and turning points of the selected leading indicators, they are combined into a single composite index. Then a probit model is estimated to evaluate the forecast performance of the composite index. The results show that the constructed CLI is considered to be helpful in monitoring and predicting investment expenditures.


This paper describes the process of mechanical characterization of orthotropic materials. An hybrid approach based on the combination of phase-shifting electronic speckle pattern interferometry (PS- ESPI) and finite element analysis is utilized. Three-point-bending experimental tests are carried out. The difference between displacement values measured with ESPI and their counterpart predicted by FEM analysis is minimized in order to find the values of the unknown elastic constants.


We calculate in detail the expected properties of low redshift DLAs under the assumption that they arise in the gaseous disks of galaxies like those in the z ≈ 0 population. A sample of 355 nearby galaxies were analysed, for which high quality H i 21-cm emission line maps are available as part of an extensive survey with the Westerbork telescope (WHISP). We find that expected luminosities, impact parameters between quasars and DLA host galaxies, and metal abundances are in good agreement with the observed properties of DLAs and DLA galaxies. The measured redshift number density of z = 0 gas above the DLA limit is dN/dz = 0.045 ± 0.006, which compared to higher z measurements implies that there is no evolution in the co-moving density of DLAs along a line of sight between z ∼ 1.5 and z = 0, and a decrease of only a factor of two from z ∼ 4 to the present time. We conclude that the local galaxy population can explain all properties of low redshift DLAs.


Background A synergism has been reported between theophylline and corticosteroids, wherein theophylline increases and restores the anti-inflammatory effect of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) by enhancing histone deacetylase-2 (HDAC) activity. Several studies have explored the efficacy of low-dose theophylline plus ICS therapy on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but the results are discrepant. Method We conducted searches in electronic database such as PubMed, Web Of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase to find out original studies. Stata/SE 15.0 was used to perform all data analysis. Result A total of 47,556 participants from 7 studies were included in our analysis and the sample size of each study varied from 24 to 10,816. Theophylline as an add-on therapy to ICS was not associated with the reduction of COPD exacerbations (HR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.97 to 1.19, I2 = 95.2%). Instead, the theophylline group demonstrated a higher hospitalization rate (HR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.15, I2 = 20.4%) and mortality (HR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.25, I2 = 0%). Further, the anti-inflammatory effect of low-dose theophylline as an adjunct to ICS on COPD was controversial. Besides, the theophylline group showed significant improvement in lung function compared with the non-theophylline group. Conclusion Based on current evidence, low-dose theophylline as add-on therapy to ICS did not reduce the exacerbation rate. Instead, the hospitalization rate and mortality increased with theophylline. Thus, we do not recommend adding low-dose theophylline to ICS therapy in COPD patients. Trial registration PROSPERO Registration CRD42021224952.


In this paper, a simple reversible least-significant-bit (LSB) matching algorithm, which can completely recover the host images without any distortion from the stego images by utilizing the parity features of the host images and defining two embedding pairs. It embeds hidden message via LSB matching instead of LSB replacement, which makes it immune to steganalytical attacks utilizing the imbalance introduced by the LSB replacement. Multiple layer embedding is also allowed for the proposed method, and it won't decrease the PSNR of the stego images. The average PSNR of the stego images generated by the proposed method is 51.14dB. Experimental results show the proposed algorithm has better performance than existing reversible LSB modification in terms of distortion, visual quality, capacity as well as resistance against existing steganalytic detectors.


Objective

Long non-coding RNA MIR4435-2HG (MIR4435-2HG) has been clarified as a promoter in cancers, but its involvement in pancreatic cancer (PC) was not thoroughly probed.
Methods

MIR4435-2HG levels in PC clinical tissue and cell lines were analyzed. The relation between MIR4435-2HG levels with clinicopathological characteristics and survival of PC patients was evaluated. After transfection with plasmids altering MIR4435-2HG, microRNA (miR)-582-5p or glutathione peroxidase-8 (GPX8), the biological functions, glycolysis and tumor immunity of PANC-1 cells were observed. In vivo tumor growth was observed in nude mice.
Results

MIR4435-2HG was highly expressed in PC tissues and cell lines which was negatively correlated with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of PC patients. MIR4435-2HG or GPX8 inhibition or miR-582-5p elevation restrained the growth, glycolysis and immunity of PANC-1 cells. miR-582-5p down-regulation or GPX8 up-regulation reversed the effect of silenced MIR4435-2HG on PANC-1 cells. In vivo experiments further confirmed the in vitro results.
Conclusion

Our study highlights that MIR4435-2HG promotes glycolysis and tumor immunity in PC through absorption of micR-582-5p to target GPX8.


The ability of human lymphocytes to produce soluble mediator(s) with thrombocyte aggregating activity (TAA) was investigated in an in vitro technique. Isolated human mononuclear cells were stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin or purified protein derivative of tuberculin. The supernatants were investigated for lymphokine activity in a leucocyte migration inhibitory factor assay. Supernatants were then tested for their ability to aggregate human thrombocytes, and in contrast to the results of previous studies, we were not able to demonstrate any TAA. Most likely, lymphokines with TAA are not involved in the thrombotic processes seen in human cell‐mediated immune inflammatory reactions.


Welcome to the second issue of Volume 32, Journal of Modern Languages (JML). Here, we present six scholarly works that reflect the diversity and depth of current linguistic research. In the opening paper, The Development of Paediatric Malay Matrix Sentence Test (PaedMalayMST) Materials through the Construction of a Paediatric Malay Corpus, a collaborative team from Malaysia and New Zealand introduces an innovative approach to the development of a paediatric speech perception test. The authors detail the process of constructing a paediatric Malay corpus, which unveils the rich and intricate nature of Malay children's language use. This work illustrates a remarkable path to the development of tests that can more accurately assess the speech perception skills of children in Malaysia. The second paper, Female Sympathisers of ISIS as Muhajirahs in ISIS-Affiliated Media investigates the representation of women in ISIS-affiliated media. Through a well-structured critical discourse analysis, the authors explore the complexity of gender roles and dynamics within a politically charged setting. This research provides valuable insights into the portrayal and influence of women within extremist organizations. Shifting to the realm of audio-visual translation, the article Subtitling Strategies and Translation Accuracy in the Malay to English Translation of 'Ejen Ali: The Movie', assesses the quality and strategies of subtitle translations. This work represents a significant step towards understanding how translation strategies affect the accuracy of subtitle translations, a crucial aspect of global media consumption. The subsequent study, Characteristics of Exocentric Nominal Compounds in Berom: A Semantic View of the Noun-Verb Agentive 'mwat tabak' and 'mwat ha', provides an in-depth analysis of the agentive nominal compounds in Berom. It illustrates how meaning is shaped by the constituents and the context of usage, serving as a fine example of the intricate interplay between structure and semantics in language. The fifth study, A Study of Number Marking in Izere Nouns, offers a detailed examination of noun inflections for number in Izere. It underscores the importance of understanding the morphological processes involved in less-studied languages. Finally, our issue concludes with Representation of Social Class and Hierarchy in Bangla Address Terms: A Sociolinguistic Study, which explores the sociocultural significance of address terms in Bangla. It sheds light on the various socio-cultural factors influencing address term choices, and consequently, the reflection of social class and hierarchy in language. Together, these six papers demonstrate the profound diversity in language and linguistics research. As always, we hope this issue inspires stimulating discourse and further scholarly inquiry in the field of languages and linguistics. We extend our gratitude to all our authors, reviewers, and readers who continue to support and enrich our journal.


BACKGROUND
Metastatic gastric carcinoma (GC) is a typically incurable disease. The progression of anti-metastatic treatment is hampered because the underlying mechanisms regulating the metastasis of GC cell are not well illuminated.

OBJECTIVE
Therefore, further elucidation of the molecular mechanism behind the metastatic traits of GC cells is needed for optimizing GC treatment.

METHODS
The levels of GOLM1 and MMP13 in GC cells and tissues were measured by using qPCR assay. The growth of GC cells in vitro was detected using MTS and colony formation assays. The migration and invasion of GC cells was analyzed using wound healing test and Transwell invasion assay. The level of MMP13 in GC cell was measured using immunoblotting and the level of GOLM1 was measured using immunofluorescence staining. The role of GOLM1 on the distant metastasis of GC SGC7910 cell was analyzed using experimental metastasis assay. Transplanted tumor model was constructed to analyze the influence of GOLM1 on GC cell growth in vivo.

RESULTS
Here, we report that GOLM1 is over-expressed in GC and knockdown GOLM1 impairs the aggressive phenotypes of GC cell in vitro. Furthermore, downregulation of GOLM1 restrains the tumor growth of GC cell in nude mice. Nevertheless, upregulation of GOLM1 distinctly elevated the growth, migration ability and invasiveness of GC SGC7910 cell. Finally, GOLM1 increases the metastatic phenotypes of GC cell in a MMP13-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONS
Altogether, this investigation demonstrates the crucial function of GOLM1 in the progression of GC, which indicating GOLM1 as a potential target for GC treatment.


Background Roughly 10-30% of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients reportedly develop pulmonary complications. These patients are at increased risk of MTX or biologics-induced damage, which often becomes problematic for RA treatment. Abatacept (ABT) has been reported to have relatively few adverse events, and is often used in clinical settings in patients with pulmonary complications. Given the paucity of studies on the safety of ABT, however, accumulation of safety data under actual clinical settings is warranted. Objectives In the present study, we examined the persistence rates and treatment effects of ABT in patients with interstitial lung disease. Methods We divided 365 RA patients registered in the Tsurumai Biologics Communication Registry who used ABT for ≥52 weeks according to whether they had interstitial lung disease (ILD group: n=48) or not (N group: n=317). We then compared the continuation rates, incidence of adverse events, and disease activity between the two groups. Results No significant differences were found between groups with regard to mean age (ILD group, 66.7±8.6; N group, 64.6±12.4), disease duration (ILD group, 11.5±9.2; N group, 11.9±13.8), or concomitant dose of MTX (ILD group, 7.8mg/week; N group, 7.5mg/week) at the time ABT was initiated, but significant differences were found in the percentage of women (ILD group, 65.9%; N group, 81.4%), concomitant use rates of MTX (ILD group, 21.3%; N group, 52.9%), concomitant use rates of steroid (ILD group, 65.2%; N group, 51.8%), CRP (ILD group, 2.8±3.1; N group, 2.0±2.5), or DAS28-CRP (ILD group, 4.7±1.3; N group, 4.3±1.3). The continuation rates for 52 weeks were 79.2% and 80.8% in the ILD and N groups, respectively (Figure 1a). Adverse events occurred in 2 (4.17%) and 14 (4.42%) patients in the ILD and N groups, respectively (Figure 1b). No pulmonary complications occurred after ABT administration in the ILD group, but 2 patients in N group had interstitial pneumonia. Treatment was discontinued due to insufficient response in 7 (14.6%) and 38 (12.0%) patients in the ILD and N groups, respectively. None of these were significantly different by group. Mean DAS28-CRP significantly improved in both groups (Figure 2), from 4.7 at ABT initiation to 3.2 at 52 weeks in the L group (P<0.001), and from 4.3 to 3.0 in the N group (P<0.001). Achievement of those with low disease activity also increased, from9.1% at ABT initiation to 41.8% at 52 weeks in the ILD group, and from 10.7% to 45.5% in the N group. Conclusions The safety, treatment effects, and continuation rates of ABT were similar among RA patients with and without interstitial lung disease. Because of pulmonary complications, MTX concomitant rate of ILD group was significantly lower than that of N group. It was reported that the influence of concomitant MTX in ABT therapy is small. Thus ILD group would have been able to obtain the similar effects to N group. Use of ABT is beneficial even in patients with pulmonary complications, under close consideration of the risks involved. References Weinblatt M, et al. Arthritis Rheum 2006;54:2807-16. Wada T, et al. Jpn. J. Clin. Immunol 2012;35:433-8. Takahashi N, et al. Mod Rheumatol 2013;23:904-12. Disclosure of Interest None declared


Alloy carbides are of considerable importance in the design of steels resistant to creep deformation during service at elevated temperatures. Their formation in ternary or higher order steels involves the diffusion of both substitutional and interstitial solutes. Because these solutes diffuse at vastly different rates, there are difficulties in adopting the theory for diffusion controlled growth in binary alloys. The present work presents a method, developed in the context of molybdenum carbide precipitation in steels, for modelling growth with local equilibrium at the interface while at the same time accounting for capillarity effects. The theory is tested against published experimental data.


In the present study, 30 male rats (age 3 mos, Wt 128.6 +/- 3.7 g) were randomly divided into Control group (CG), Experimental group (EG), and Supplemented group (SG), 10 per group. An exercise protocol (3 hrs swimming per day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks) was followed in EG and SG, with no exercise in CG. In SG, alpha-tocopherol succinate was injected sub-cutaneously at a dose of 50 mg x kg(- 1) per body weight per day. After 4 weeks of exercise, significant diminutions (p < 0.05) were noted in somatic indices of testes and accessory sex organs; seminiferous tubuler diameter (STD); testicular (delta (5), 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase delta(5), 3 beta-HSD), 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 beta-HSD) activities; plasma levels of testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH); preleptotine spermatocytes (pLSc), mid-pachytene spermatocytes (mPSc), and Stage 7 spermatids (7 Sd); testicular alpha-tocopherol and glutathione (GSH) content; superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) activities in EG when compared to CG. Moreover, a significant elevation (p < 0.05) in malondialdehyde (MDA) was found in testes of EG compared to CG. No significant alteration was noted in body weight among the groups. Co-administration of alpha-tocopherol succinate restored the above parameters. Intensive swimming exercise-induced oxidative stress causes dysfunction in the male reproductive system, which can be protected by alpha-tocopherol succinate.


Six cases of laryngeal cancer have been examined by computed tomography. The findings were correlated with those obtained by laryngoscopy and in five cases by pathological examination of the surgical specimens. Computed tomography accurately delineated the extent of tumor involvement of the laryngeal and paralaryngeal soft tissues. The diagnosis of involvement of the laryngeal cartilages presents some problems, which are discussed.


A cross-sectional study was carried out on knowledge of and attitudes to family planning in male teachers working in the education system in Teheran. We found that 65% of the study population had acceptable knowledge regarding the issue. More than 95% of respondents reported having a favourable attitude towards the implementation of family planning programmes and about 90% believed that decision-making regarding use of contraceptives should be a joint process. To improve the planning and administration of family planning programmes, the main variables identified in this study should be further investigated in different population groups. Addressing men in family planning programmes may improve their success and lead to increased contraceptive use.


Lactic acidosis that is not secondary to tissue hypoperfusion or hypoxemia (type B lactic acidosis) is a rare but potentially fatal condition that has been associated with drugs like metformin, linezolid, and nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors in patients with HIV. We report the first case of type B lactic acidosis caused by overdose of the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, venlafaxine. A 55-year-old man with no significant medical history was brought to the emergency department after intentional ingestion of around 80 capsules of venlafaxine (a total dose of over 6000 mg) in an attempt to commit suicide. Complete blood count and comprehensive metabolic panel were unremarkable except for a bicarbonate level of 13 mEq/L and an anion gap of 22 mEq/L. An arterial blood gas revealed a pH of 7.39, partial pressure of CO2 of 19 mm Hg, calculated bicarbonate of 11.5 mEq/L, and a lactate level of 8.6 mmol/L. The patient was started on aggressive intravenous hydration with normal saline along with oral activated charcoal with sorbitol. Repeat laboratory work after 4 hours showed an improvement in anion gap (15 mEq/L) and serum lactate (5.6 mmol/L). The patient remained stable throughout the hospital stay and lactic acidosis resolved in 24 hours. In the absence of hypotension, hypoxemia, kidney or liver dysfunction, myopathy, malignancy, or use of other medications, venlafaxine was the most likely cause of lactic acidosis in our case. Rapid improvement of acidosis was probably related to clearance of the drug.


This paper deals with astronomical and geophysical considerations applicable to optical measurements made with selfcontained equipment in a space vehicle in order to determine its position and/or velocity. Various measurements made from the earth, their temporal variations and their accuracy as applied to space navigation are discussed. Information regarding stellar positions, magnitudes, spectra and frequency distribution is presented. A discussion of planetary positional ephemerides, diameters, phase curves, albedos and spectral characteristics is given. The advantages of using asteroids vis-à-vis planets are discussed. There are several problems in observing terrestrial occultations of stars from a satellite due to the presence of the earth's atmosphere. Pertinent atmospheric characteristics, such as cloudiness, absorption, scattering and emission of radiation are discussed in the above context.


Gel consistency data collected from various experiments in same location during 1988 to 1992 were analysed to clarify the degree of varietal and environmental variation in rice. Most of japonica and Tongil-type rice varieties were belonged to soft gel consistency, and average gel length of japonica rice was longer than that of Tongil-type varieties. Gel length of glutinous rice cultivars was extremely long, near 100mm. Year variation of gel consistency was recognized, but did not affect on varietal difference. Gel consistency of most rice varieties and pedigree lines tested varied slightly between different seeding dates or nitrogen levels, but gel length of two indica rice varieties were decreased with the later seeding dates or the higher nitrogen levels. Rice varieties belonged to extremely hard or extremely soft gel consistency showed less variation of gel length between different years, seeding dates or nitrogen levels compared with intermediate ones.


PURPOSE
The aim of this short-term study was to compare the clinical efficacy of 2 different methods to treat acute periodontal abscesses.

METHODS
After patient selection, 100 cases of acute periodontal abscess were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group was treated by supra- and subgingival scaling, while the control group was treated by incision and drainage. A clinical examination was carried out to record the following variables: subjective clinical variables including pain, edema, redness and swelling; objective clinical variables including gingival index(GI), bleeding index(BI), probing depth(PD),suppuration, lymphadenopathy and tooth mobility. The data was analyzed with SPSS 19.0 software package. RESULES: Subjective clinical variables demonstrated statistically significant improvements with both methods from the first day after treatment and lasted for at least 30 days(P<0.05), but the results of experimental group showed much better than the control group 1 day and 7 days after treatment. 30 days after treatment, there was no significant difference between the two groups in pain and swelling improvement(P>0.05), but the experimental group showed more improvement in edema and redness than the control group(P<0.05).On improving objective variables, the experimental group showed significant improvement in GI,BI,PD and suppuration 1 day after treatment(P<0.05).After 7 days, all objective clinical variables in the experimental group improved significantly(P<0.05) in the control group, there were significant improvements in GI,suppuration,lymphadenopathy and tooth mobility(P<0.05) but the four variables of the experimental group showed more improvement than the control group(P<0.05).After 30 days, all objective clinical variables improved significantly in both groups as compared to baseline, but in the experimental group, improvements were more significant regarding to GI,BI,PD,suppuration and tooth mobility(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION
The method of supra- and subgingival scaling was rapid and effective in treatment of acute periodontal abscesses.


With the rapid development of oil pipeline technologies, the length, diameter, construction difficulty, complicity and risks of pipelines in permafrost regions have been increasing steadily. Some key oil pipelines have to traverse extensive expanse of permafrost, which provide great challenges for engineering deign and construction. The key issues in the engineering stability of oil pipelines are frost heave and subsequent thaw settlement in permafrost foundations. Therefore, design and construction in cold regions have to carefully consider the impacts of topography and environments on frost heave and thaw settlement, and their impacts on the engineering foundations and the integrity of pipelines. The environmental movements since the 1960s have greatly influenced the design and construction of oil pipelines in cold regions, which further complicated the issue, but also facilitated the research programs on these issues. ;The success of the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline are attributed to the substantial investments in research and experiments, sufficient time for project evaluation, debating, and decision-making, as well as extensive participation of the public. The solutions of the permafrost problems include series of creative and innovative designs for reducing thaw settlement and environmental damages. The key scientific questions are focused on the impacts of the heated pipeline on the thermal and moisture regimes of permafrost, among which the most dangerous hazards would be potential differential thaw settlement and its impacts on pipeline deformation and integrity. The secondary hazards include the changes of micro-topography, drainage and vegetation after the construction of the pipeline, and the possible damages of the induced thaw settlement on pipeline stability and its ambient eco-environments. The 17-year observations on the temperatures, thaw penetration and surface thaw settlement within the right of way (ROW) regions and undisturbed sites along the Norman Wells Oil Pipeline indicate that the thaw penetration is still within the design predictions while the surface settlement in the trench in organic and ice-rich mineral soils has reached or exceeded design predictions in some locations. Along the Golmud to Lhasa ambient temperature product pipeline, frost heave and thaw settlement, as well as worn out, damaged or inadequate cathodic protection, and natural hazards such as strong earthquakes and flash floods have caused significant deformation of pipes and leaks many times during the past 28 years, necessitating a major renovation. Most of the frost heaving and thaw settlement occurred in ice-rich, fine-grained lacustrine sediments with shallow water table. ;The observations and unique long-term data sets on oil pipeline engineering have greatly increased the body of knowledge in geocryology. They have supported the modification of operations, mitigation of frost hazards, and formulation of emergency response measures. In these studies, permafrost researchers, cold regions and pipeline engineers and project decision-makers need to discover, fully understand and correctly forecast potential problems as soon as possible, through careful investigations, close cooperation and mutual trust. If designed properly and the construction closely followed the designed specifications, all these problems would not necessarily produce significant consequences.


The purpose of this paper is to present our results in developing a dynamic model of the Mitsubishi PA-10 robot arm for the purpose of low velocity trajectory tracking using very low feedback gains. The novelty of this research is therefore the development of a systematic algorithm to extract the model parameters of a harmonic drive transmission in the robot arm to facilitate model-based control. We have chosen the elbow pitch joint (joint 4) of the PA-10 robot arm for estimation and modeling purposes. We have done several experiments to identify the various parameters of the harmonic drive system. We conclude with a sample trajectory tracking task whereby the feedback torque required to do trajectory tracking with and without the parameter identification of the HDT is significantly different.


Base induced ring opening reactions of 2-(substituted)-4H-pyran-4-ones (R=H, Ph) gave the corresponding 5-(substituted)-3,5-dioxopentanals, which were in turn transdiazotized with 2-azido-1-ethylpyridin-1-ium BF4. The reactions gave 5-(substituted)-2,4-bis(diazo)-3,5-dioxopentanals and 4-(substituted)-1,3-bis(diazo)-2,4-butandiones, the latter being the deformylating diazo transfer products. A two-fold deformylation product (1,3-bisdiazo-2-propanone) was observed in the reaction of 3-oxopentandial, which was also synthesized from tosyl azide and 1,5-bis(N-methyl-N-phenylamino)-trans,trans-1,4-pentadiene-3-one in low yield. 4-(substituted)-3-diazo-2,4-butandieones also formed as side products. The reactions of 4,4-dimethoxy-3-oxobutanal and ethyl 2,4-dioxobutanoate with the same azidinium salt gave 1-diazo-3,3-dimethoxy-2-propanone and ethyl 3-diazo-2-oxopropanoate respectively.


Plant breeders realize that, up to now, there are only two effective ways to in-crease the yield potential of crops through breeding, i.e. morphologic improvement and heterosis utilization. However, the potential is very limited by using morphologic improvement alone, and heterosis breeding will produce undesirable results if it does not combine with morphologic improvement. Any other breeding approaches and methods including high technology like molecular breeding must be incorporated in-to good morphologic characters and strong heterosis, otherwise there will be no actu-al contributions to yield increase. On the other hand , the further development of plant breeding for high target must rely on the progress of biotechnology.


Persistent hypercalcemia after cervical exploration for suspected primary hyperparathyroidism is rare. In this retrospective review, some lessons and pitfalls have been emphasized--knowledge that should minimize this occurrence. There is no better lesson than experience. We concur with Van Vroonhoven and Muller that, in most instances, failure of the primary operation is unnecessary. This is supported by our review, in which 500 patients underwent exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism, 95 per cent of whom were rendered normocalcemic postoperatively, with minimal postoperative morbidity and an operative mortality of zero per cent.


A
structural identification in different geometrical shapes of gold particles is presented
here. Nucleation mechanisms of particles having geometrical shapes are
discussed here, which have never been reported before. Dimensional regularity
of particles in geometrical shapes incites a new insight. At electronically
flat solution surface, different zones have been found dealing with the developing
tiny-shaped particles in less elongation of atoms and more elongation of atoms.
Tiny-shaped particles in less elongation of atoms nucleate particles of one-dimensional
(1D) shapes due to developing in a zone consisting of regions rearward to north-pole
at solution surface. Tiny-shaped particles in more elongation of atoms nucleate
multi-dimensional (MD) shapes due to developing in a zone consisting of
east-west regions at solution surface. To assemble at a common point forming at
the centre of concave meniscus, structures of smooth elements at electronically
decreasing level solution surface experience force in immersing format. A force
exerting in the immersing format is related to the simultaneous actions of four
forces to a structure of smooth element coming to assemble. In addition to the acquired
orientation of an electron and the position of its atom at solution surface, a manner
of energy knot clamping to electron in an atom also varies exertion of force
for it. Particles of geometrical shapes show different structures in 1D and MD shapes.
On identifying structure, a mechanism of photon reversion is disclosed. In the
selected area patterns of particles, printing spots of reverted force in
photons reflected from the laterally orientated electrons of less and more elongated
atoms validates that photons are not carried by the electrons, so it is a
photon reflection instead of an electron diffraction.


The intermediate and long-term supports for suffered places of the Higashi-Nihon Huge Earthquake were discussed from the viewpoint of the community living and psychiatric rehabilitation. It might be useful to prevent from exacerbation of psychiatric disorders that gathering information, communication skills, relation with neighborhood, and joining training for disaster defense, and so on are acquired by persons with psychiatric disorders in the community living. If persons with psychiatric disorders are cared as disabled against disaster without empowering them with these skills, they cannot contribute to new society after disaster and worse estrangement from the society might appear. The Japanese Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation proposed two models of one-stop service combining psychiatric service, mental health, and welfare from the viewpoint to support the community living; multi-disciplinary outreach team based temporary psychiatric clinic focusing psychiatric services, and comprehensive community living support center focusing mental health and welfare. It depends on demands of the suffered places which model is better adjusted, and hybrid model is possible. The important need to build long-term support system for people of supporting suffered persons from this huge earthquake was mentioned.


Summary: The electromyographic activity of an upper airway muscle (genioglossus, GG) and the diaphragm were studied in 10 adult and three young anesthetized rabbits during progressive asphyxia induced by airway occlusion. Results were similar for both age groups. Peak inspiratory activity of GG muscle increased more than that of the diaphragm during both the hyperpnea and gasping (P < 0.05). The increase in GG activity during gasping was not significantly different from that during hyperpnea even though an important stimulus, arousal, was absent during gasping. During end stage asphyxia, as the strength of gasps grew weaker, the rate of loss of GG muscle activity was greater than that of the diaphragm. However, GG activity remained greater than that of the diaphragm at the time of the last spontaneous gasp. As asphyxia progressed, inspiratory duration and the inspiratory contour of integrated electromyogram activity of both muscles changed. These data indicate differences in the control mechanism of the genioglossus and diaphragm during acute severe asphyxia. Increased upper airway muscle activity seen during gasping should help preserve upper airway patency and facilitate autoresuscitation by gasping. These observations of coordinated changes in timing and activity of two functionally different respiratory muscles support the concept that gasping is a highly organized function of the respiratory centers.


Mice were given an intravenous injection of isotonic saline containing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as an ultrastructural marker in an attempt to determine the site of fluid leakage from the vascular space to the air space in the lung. The localization of HRP was studied by ultrastructural histochemistry. When injected in a small volume of saline (0.1 ml), HRP was confined in the vascular space. When the volume of saline was increased to 1.0 ml, the reaction product of HRP was found first in the intercellular junctions of the arterial endothelium and then through the arterial wall. The reaction product was traced from the arterial wall to the peribronchiolar tissue, bronchiolar wall, and the intercellular space of the bronchiolar epithelium. HRP was seen in direct contact with the air space in the bronchiole. It is suggested that in fluid-overload pulmonary edema, fluid leaks through the arterial wall to the peribronchiolar tissue and then into the intercellular space of the bronchiolar epithelium. Alveolar is probably a result of the backflow of fluid from the bronchiole.


Sediment transport and water quality are modified by human activities all along river courses. If research focuses only on pristine basins and large dams, little is known about the quality of the waters flowing to the sea. Most rivers around the world regulated to some extent by hydraulic infrastructure, even in developing countries. How river management impacts on water quality and sediment transport from the upper basins to coastal areas is not well known in many countries, especially in the developing world, even though this may have strong and longlasting effects on coastal geomorphology and ecosystems. In a time where many people try to explain the coastal recession that is observed on many coastlines, from the sea level rise and thus from "global change", knowledge of the actual sediment transport to the sea could bring new perspectives, as the reduction of riverine sediment transfer certainly contributes to this recession. One of the associated questions is what is the role of the human impact on these processes? At what speed do these changes take place? This proceeding volume gathers together communications about water quality and sediment transport monitoring and modeling, especially for large river basins, with a focus on the relationships between estuarine river systems and coastal areas in terms of water quality and sediment load. There are also studies presenting diverse methods for estimating the amount of sediment released to the sea and its variability in time. All these papers were presented as oral or poster communications during the IAHS International Conference of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, July 2017.


Mucosal hyperplasia of the appendix is a seemingly benign change of poorly understood significance, at times found in patients with colorectal malignancy. To determine the incidence of this change and its association with colonic adenocarcinoma, we have examined the appendiceal mucosa in 122 ileocolectomy specimens gathered between 1987 and 1990, and in 273 consecutive appendectomies carried out during 1990 at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. We found that 23 out of 122 ileocolectomies (18.8%) showed mucosal hyerplasia of the appendix and, of these, 17 (77%) were associated with colorectal malignancy, predominantly of the right side. Moreover, 24 of 273 appendectomies (8.8%) exhibited the presence of mucosal hyperplasia and, of these, six (25%) also were associated with adenocarcinoma of the colon. On the basis of this significant rate of association, we feel that a concomitant colorectal carcinoma should be ruled out in patients who exhibit mucosal hyperplasia of the appendix.


Micro light-emitting diode (micro-LED) will play an important role in the future generation of smart displays. They are found very attractive in many applications, such as maskless lithography, biosensor, augmented reality (AR)/mixed reality etc, at the same time. A monitor that can fulfill saturated color rendering, high display resolution, and fast response time is highly desirable, and the micro-LED-based technology could be our best chance to meet these requirements. At present, semiconductor-based red, green and blue micro-LED chips and color-conversion enhanced micro-LEDs are the major contenders for full-color high-resolution displays. Both technologies need revolutionary ways to perfect the material qualities, fabricate the device, and assemble the individual parts into a system. In this roadmap, we will highlight the current status and challenges of micro-LED-related issues and discuss the possible advances in science and technology that can stand up to the challenges. The innovation in epitaxy, such as the tunnel junction, the direct epitaxy and nitride-based quantum wells for red and ultraviolet, can provide critical solutions to the micro-LED performance in various aspects. The quantum scale structure, like nanowires or nanorods, can be crucial for the scaling of the devices. Meanwhile, the color conversion method, which uses colloidal quantum dot as the active material, can provide a hassle-free way to assemble a large micro-LED array and emphasis the full-color demonstration via colloidal quantum dot. These quantum dots can be patterned by porous structure, inkjet, or photo-sensitive resin. In addition to the micro-LED devices, the peripheral components or technologies are equally important. Microchip transfer and repair, heterogeneous integration with the electronics, and the novel 2D material cannot be ignored, or the overall display module will be very power-consuming. The AR is one of the potential customers for micro-LED displays, and the user experience so far is limited due to the lack of a truly qualified display. Our analysis showed the micro-LED is on the way to addressing and solving the current problems, such as high loss optical coupling and narrow field of view. All these efforts are channeled to achieve an efficient display with all ideal qualities that meet our most stringent viewing requirements, and we expect it to become an indispensable part of our daily life.


This article provides a fresh perspective on the popular political culture of the City of London between approximately 1725 and 1746. While many scholars have recognized that the City was a vital and vibrant arena for popular political engagement throughout the long eighteenth century, they have mostly chosen to emphasize the role that London citizens played in national political narratives. Instead, this article takes as its starting point elections to the Common Council of the City Corporation. These reveal powerful internal dialogues, which emerged from the lowest levels of City government in the 1720s and 30s. Householders raised concerns about corruption in government, and about the accountability of elected representatives; these ideas were forged and sharpened in the neighbourhoods of the City. This article reveals the vitality of popular political activism in the streets and alleys of the City of London.

https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/file/3c7d142c-9e71-4965-a972-4ec566801db1/1/Popular political culture in London 1725-1746 - 2016 - Bland.pdf


Perform a comparison between the costs of image-guided breast procedures versus 2-year imaging follow-up for findings classified as BI-RADS assessment category 3-probably benign.

 The national payment amount costs at non-facility locations were obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services physician fee schedule for breast imaging-related Current Procedural Terminology codes. Total costs were calculated and compared for management algorithms of 2-year imaging follow-up of a BI-RADS 3 lesion from 2018 through 2019 versus performing an image-guided procedure of the lesion in 2018 after the initial diagnostic imaging.

 Two-year mammographic follow-up of a BI-RADS 3 finding costs $484. This was less than a stereotactic-guided breast biopsy, which cost at least $1055. Two-year follow-up for a probably benign US finding cost $615 compared to $1173 for the least expensive US-guided breast biopsy scenario. For breast MRI, 2-year imaging follow-up cost $1510, which was also less than most MRI-guided breast biopsy scenarios. The one exception in which biopsy costs less than 2-year imaging follow-up was in the setting of an MRI-guided biopsy in the average-risk population without a post-benign biopsy follow-up breast MRI; in this setting, MRI biopsy cost $1235.

 In 2018–2019, 2-year imaging follow-up of a BI-RADS 3 finding continues to be less costly than an immediate procedure, except for MRI-guided breast biopsy in the average-risk population without a post-benign biopsy follow-up MRI.


Brain signal diversity constitutes a robust neuronal marker of the global states of consciousness. It has been demonstrated that, in comparison to the resting wakefulness, signal diversity is lower during unconscious states, and higher during psychedelic states. A plausible interpretation of these findings is that the neuronal diversity corresponds to the diversity of subjective conscious experiences. Therefore, in the present study we varied an information rate processed by the subjects and hypothesized that greater information rate will be related to richer and more differentiated phenomenology and, consequently, to greater signal diversity. To test this hypothesis speech recordings (excerpts from an audio-book) were presented to subjects at five different speeds (65, 83, 100, 117, and 135% of the original speed). By increasing or decreasing speed of the recordings we were able to, respectively, increase or decrease the presented information rate. We also included a backward (unintelligible) speech presentation and a resting-state condition (no auditory stimulation). We tested 19 healthy subjects and analyzed the recorded EEG signal (64 channels) in terms of Lempel-Ziv diversity (LZs). We report the following findings. First, our main hypothesis was not confirmed, as Bayes Factor indicates evidence for no effect when comparing LZs among five presentation speeds. Second, we found that LZs during the resting-state was greater than during processing of both meaningful and unintelligible speech. Third, an additional analysis uncovered a gradual decrease of diversity over the time-course of the experiment, which might reflect a decrease in vigilance. We thus speculate that higher signal diversity during the unconstrained resting-state might be due to a greater variety of experiences, involving spontaneous attention switching and mind wandering.


Universities have increased today and every country now has a university. But in all universities, staffing and staffing policy have remained important. Amoud University is the largest university in size and capacity in Somaliland. However, over the years, the performance of its academic staff had been low as evidenced by the dearth of written records of research, publications and community service. This study investigated the effect of staffing policy on performance of academic staff of Amoud University, with respect to recruitment, selection and staff development. Guided by the Theory of Staffing, the study was conducted through a cross-sectional survey design, on a sample of 152 academic staff from 13 different faculties in 2014. The study established that recruitment procedures (F [1, 110] = 16.94, p = .000; R = .365, R2 adj. = .126); selection procedures (F [1, 110] = 24.65, p = .000; R = .428, R2 adj. = .176); and staff development (F [1, 110] = 16.18, p = .000, R = .358, R2 adj. = .120) have a significant effect on performance of the academic staff. The study concluded that staffing policy has significant effect on the performance of academic staff of Amoud University.


It is crucial to choose the appropriate scale in order to build an effective and informative representation of a complex system. Scientists carefully choose the scales for their experiments to extract the variables that describe the causalities in the system. They have found that the coarse scale(macro) is sometimes more causal and informative than the numerous-parameter observations(micro). The phenomenon that the causality emerges by coarse-graining is called Causal Emergence(CE). Based on information theory, a number of recent works have quantitatively shown that CE indeed occurs while coarse-graining a micro model to the macro. However, the existing works have not discussed the question of why and when the CE occurs. We quantitatively analyze the redistribution of uncertainties for coarse-graining and suggest that the redistribution of uncertainties is the cause of causal emergence. We further analyze the thresholds that determine if CE occurs or not. From the regularity of the transition probability matrix(TPM) of discrete systems, the mathematical expressions of the model properties are derived. The values of thresholds for different operations are computed. The results provide the critical and specific conditions of CE as helpful suggestions for choosing the proper coarse-graining operation. The results also provide a new way to better understand the nature of causality and causal emergence.


The cushion sea star Parvalustra exigua from five sites along the shore of False Bay on the southern coast of South Africa was studied using two cellular biomarkers, the neutral red retention assay (NRR) and the lysosomal destabilization assay (DI) to assess damage in the coelomocytes in response to metals. This was compared to pollution levels using a pollution load index (PLI) calculated for metals present. Laboratory exposures to cadmium were done to verify biomarker responses. The PLIs for the sites correlated with the levels of anthropogenic activities and effluent inflow. The highest pollution was at Muizenberg, with human habitation on the shore level, a fishing harbour and informal settlements. These specimens had shorter NRR times, indicating more damage than those from sites with lower pollution. The DI results also correlated with pollution levels. This study provided evidence that P. exigua has potential for monitoring environmental pollution, using biomarkers, especially in southern coastal areas due to its distribution.


Increased understanding of membrane proteins is important for characterization of biochemical processes. Improved membrane protein isolation methods is a key issue for effective functional and structural determination of the large amount of unknown membrane proteins. In this thesis, a novel approach towards selective membrane protein purification is introduced. Polymer induced micelle extraction (PIME) systems are formed in mixtures between nonionic detergents and water-soluble polymers. Over a critical concentration the detergent/polymer/water mixture separates into two phases and forms a detergent-rich and a polymer-rich phase. Separation of membrane proteins from cytosolic proteins and insoluble materials is achieved by the large difference in distribution between the phases. In general, membrane proteins are extracted into the micelle-enriched phase, while water-soluble proteins partitions in the polymer-rich phase. Membranes can be solubilized directly into the PIME system at low temperature with many commonly used nonionic detergents. The developed micelle-based extraction system is suggested to replace the traditional solubilization step in membrane protein purification. A combined solubilization and primary purification of the target proteins can be obtained. Such smart solubilization in PIME systems was utilized to pre-fractionate membrane proteins prior to detection of a putative membrane bound receptor. The partitioning and phase separation mechanism in the PIME systems was examined in detail and explained in a thermodynamic context. An understanding how to optimize the system for membrane protein extraction was gained. Several approaches to further increase the separation between hydrophobic and hydrophilic proteins was studied such as addition of affinity ligands, salts and ionic detergents. A novel high-resolution method was developed, called affinity PIME systems. A selective membrane protein extraction system was obtained by affinity partitioning of the target membrane protein into the polymer-rich phase, while contaminating membrane proteins remained in the opposite micelle-rich phase. The concept was successfully demonstrated by metal affinity purification of the His-tagged integral membrane protein, cytochrome bo3 ubiquinol oxidase from Escherichia coli membranes. Affinity PIME systems should be of great importance for a fast purification of structural intact membrane proteins due the mild and selective properties of the system. PIME systems can be applied for purification of amphiphilic fusion proteins. An effective purification of the amphiphilic fusion protein endoglucanase I-hydrophobin I was obtained from a Trichoderma reesei fermentation filtrate. A method was developed for removal of detergent from the purified fusion protein. (Less)


This paper investigates the effect of exchange rate fluctuation on a firm's value, the so-called exchange rate exposure, for a sample of Swedish firms. In contrast to previous results, using U.S. data, the values of Swedish firms, as reflected in the stock price, seem quite sensitive to movements in the exchange rate. Studying the cross sectional differences in exposure, the estimated exposure is positively and significantly related to the fractional of total sales made abroad and negatively related to the use of currency derivatives.


Emergency medical education is becoming increasingly challenging as a result of shifting the workplace of emergency physician from ambulance to Emergency Department. Prehospital specialist rarely uses infusion therapy, instrumental methods of treatment and diagnostic independently. Comparison shows the need of longer education for hospital practices, because additional ultrasound and reanimatology trainings are required.


Due to the advantages of high stock price, managers usually take actions to explain watered stock. Therefore, at least, they disclose less information about financial aspects of the corporation. The objective of this study is to provide evidence on the relationship between overvalued equity and the disclosure of financial information via the internet in the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE). To this end, using 83 companies' data, it was tried to examine the relationship between the variables. According to correlation analysis (Pearson and partial), regression analysis (annual and biennial) and t-test, a negative significant relationship between overvalued equity and internet disclosure of financial information in the Iranian companies is determined. That is to say, when companies experience overvaluation, Iranian managers disclose less information through the company's website too. Also, the results reveal the existence of significant and positive relationship between previous internet disclosure of financial information and internet disclosure of financial information.


Recommends that although once every major industry was a growth industry ‐ but that some are now riding a wave of growth enthusiasm, but this is in decline. Illustrates, with graphic use of Figures, the pertinent points of the arguments herein, which include gap analysis. Urges diversification and the handling of it, would become a major management preoccupation for the next 20 years. Concludes, after the mid‐late 1980s restructuring and downsizing, there is greater emphasis on shareholder value delivery.


This paper is concerned with the strategies used by deaf mothers to ensure that their deaf infants are able to perceive both the signs addressed to them and the nonverbal contexts to which these signs relate. Four mother-child pairs were studied and observations were made when the children were aged between 7 and 20 months. A detailed analysis of the relationship between the mother's signing, the child's pattern of attention, and the nonverbal context of the signing revealed that a high proportion of signs were seen by the children and that, by 20 months of age, the majority of signs also had a nonverbal context which was salient for the child. There were general similarities in the pattern of strategies employed by the mothers to relate their signs to the nonverbal context but there were also interesting differ ences. The possible relationship of these differences to the children's sign language development is discussed in the light of the children's own sign production at two years of age.


The paper aims at providing an overview of the impact that distributed generation (DG) might have on the operation of distributed networks. Issues like impact of DG on losses, voltage control, power quality, short circuit power, and system protection are discussed. Based on the discussion, it can be concluded that the impact of DG depends on the penetration level of DG in the distribution network as well as on the DG technology. Furthermore, critical issues, for example the impact of DG on the protection system, can be solved by using the right technology and detailed studies beforehand. Also, new operation approaches, using IT technologies, might help to integrate DG into the distribution network operation.


Mutating variants of COVID-19 have been reported across many US states since 2021. In the fight against COVID-19, it has become imperative to study the heterogeneity in the time-varying transmission rates for each variant in the presence of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical mitigation measures. We develop a Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered mathematical model to highlight the differences in the transmission of the B.1.617.2 delta variant and the original SARS-CoV-2. Theoretical results for the well-posedness of the model are discussed. A Deep neural network is utilized and a deep learning algorithm is developed to learn the time-varying heterogeneous transmission rates for each variant. The accuracy of the algorithm for the model is shown using error metrics in the data-driven simulation for COVID-19 variants in the US states of Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and Missouri. Short-term forecasting of daily cases is demonstrated using long short term memory neural network and an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system.


Deep networks have shown great performance in classification tasks. However, the parameters learned by the classifier networks usually discard stylistic information of the input, in favour of information strictly relevant to classification. We introduce a network that has the capacity to do both classification and reconstruction by adding a "style memory" to the output layer of the network. We also show how to train such a neural network as a deep multi-layer autoencoder, jointly minimizing both classification and reconstruction losses. The generative capacity of our network demonstrates that the combination of style-memory neurons with the classifier neurons yield good reconstructions of the inputs when the classification is correct. We further investigate the nature of the style memory, and how it relates to composing digits and letters. Finally, we propose that this architecture enables the bidirectional flow of information used in predictive coding, and that such bidirectional networks can help mitigate against being fooled by ambiguous or adversarial input.


The investigations of the radial distributions of emission from the EXTRAP-T2 reversed-field pinch (RFP) plasma show that the emission profile varies a lot, even during one plasma discharge. At central electron temperatures of about 150 eV it was expected that the emission should emerge from the plasma centre. In comparison, is always observed to radiate from the centre. Our measurements of emission have, however, shown that this is not always the case, the emission often comes from the plasma edge. The analysis of the measurements has led us to conclude that the edge emission comes from charge-exchange recombination with neutral hydrogen near the carbon first wall. These observations provide a way to estimate the change in neutral hydrogen density during local plasma-wall interaction.


This article examines the length of the cycles in the gross domestic product (GDP) real per capita series of 15 countries by means of new statistical techniques based on unit root cycles. We propose tests for unit root cycles at each of the frequencies of the process. Using this approach, we are able to approximate the number of periods per cycle. The results show that the cycles have a periodicity of approximately six years when the disturbances are white noise. However, if we permit autocorrelation, they may also occur at smaller intervals of time. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Analyzes the robustness of a nonlinear observer design introduced previously by the authors. For uncertainties in the nonlinearities, bounds are given within which the observer error gradually increases with an increase in the uncertainty. For dynamic modeling errors, a robust output-feedback design is developed using ISS small-gain tools. A jet engine compressor example is used to illustrate the design.


The segmentation of brain region contours in three dimensions is critical for the analysis of different brain structures, and advanced approaches are emerging continuously within the field of neurosciences. With the development of high-resolution micro-optical imaging, whole-brain images can be acquired at the cellular level. However, brain regions in microscopic images are aggregated by discrete neurons with blurry boundaries, the complex and variable features of brain regions make it challenging to accurately segment brain regions. Manual segmentation is a reliable method, but is unrealistic to apply on a large scale. Here, we propose an automated brain region segmentation framework, DeepBrainSeg, which is inspired by the principle of manual segmentation. DeepBrainSeg incorporates three feature levels to learn local and contextual features in different receptive fields through a dual-pathway convolutional neural network (CNN), and to provide global features of localization by image registration and domain-condition constraints. Validated on biological datasets, DeepBrainSeg can not only effectively segment brain-wide regions with high accuracy (Dice ratio > 0.9), but can also be applied to various types of datasets and to datasets with noises. It has the potential to automatically locate information in the brain space on the large scale.


Background: Previous studies have demonstrated decreased expression of genes important to xenobiotic and drug metabolism (e.g., PXR, villin, CYP3A4) in inflamed versus non-inflamed intestinal tissue in patients with Crohn's disease. Interpretation of these results is confounded by lack of knowledge regarding the influence of decreased epithelial mass versus inflammation/disease, per se, on intestinal gene expression. The aim of this prospective investigation was to assess the relationship between PXR, villin, and CYP3A4 intestinal gene expression and intestinal villous length in inflamed versus non-inflamed small bowel tissue in children with and without Crohn's disease. Methods: In addition to standard-of-medical-care clinical and histopathology review, fresh flash frozen duodenal and terminal ileal (TI) mucosal biopsy tissues from 22 treatment-naïve children with Crohn's disease, and 20 age-, sex-matched controls without inflammatory bowel disease, were assessed for inflammation extent and villous length by 2 independent experienced pediatric pathologists. Villous length (n = 42 children) and mRNA expression of PXR, villin, and CYP3A4, run in triplicate (RT-qPCR), normalized to GAPDH, were compared in inflamed and non-inflamed tissues of high mRNA integrity (Experion) in a subset of children (n = 29; 10 CD, 19 Control). Independent student t-test and ANOVA were used to compare differences in villous length and gene expression in the duodenum and TI, and the relationships to disease state and inflammation extent explored via Spearman's correlation (rs); JMP v12, &agr; < 0.05. Results: Villous length was statistically shorter in inflamed versus non-inflamed mucosal biopsies in both the duodenum (352.42 ± 41.47 versus 505.78 ± 13.12 µm; P < 0.0001) and TI (290.88 ± 179.42 versus 480.00 ± 72.70 µm; P = 0.001). Villous length was not associated with changes in mRNA expression of PXR in duodenum (rs = −0.02) or TI (rs = −0.12), villin in duodenum (rs = −0.05) or TI (rs = −0.1), nor CYP3A4 in duodenum (rs = 0.09) or TI (rs = −0.06). mRNA expression of PXR and villin were positively correlated in both the duodenum (rs = 0.93, P < 0.0001) and TI (rs = 0.88, P < 0.0001) across all samples. Conclusions: The changes in mRNA expression of PXR, villin, and CYP3A4 in the small intestine of children with Crohn's disease cannot be attributed to the changes in villous length, observed in this patient population. Independent of intestinal villous length, mRNA expression of villin appears closely correlated with expression of the xenobiotic receptor and transcriptional regulator, PXR, in duodenal and terminal ileal mucosal biopsies from children with and without Crohn's disease. Current studies are further investigating the nature of the relationship between villin and genes involved in xenobiotic and drug metabolism in the human intestine.


A general queueing network model of computer and communication systems with interdependent resources is considered. The resources are modeled by a collection of servers that have to be allocated subject to certain constraints. Arrivals are Poisson, services are independent and identically distributed and service completions of different customers cannot be synchronized. A set of necessary conditions for the finiteness of long run average delays is obtained. An adaptive non-preemptive scheduling policy is presented and a set of sufficient conditions under which the policy achieves finite delays, is identified. The necessary and sufficient conditions differ only on the boundary region. The policy does not depend on the knowledge of the arrival rates and has polynomial time complexity for some applications


Purpose of review Osteoarthritis is one of the most frequent causes of chronic pain. Because there is no causal treatment of osteoarthritis, sufficient pain control is of uppermost importance but often not met. The review reports recent advances and controversies in our understanding of osteoarthritis pain and its treatment. Recent findings Osteoarthritis pain is determined by processes at different levels. An important local factor of pain generation in the joint is inflammation such as synovitis, and neuropathic components of osteoarthritis pain are being discussed. Neuroplastic changes in the nociceptive system such as peripheral and central sensitization facilitate pain processing. Osteoarthritis pain may also be aggravated by general factors such as metabolic changes and diabetes mellitus, genetic and psychological factors. The review will also address mediators involved in osteoarthritis pain and treatment options. Summary Recent research is increasing our understanding of osteoarthritis pain by elucidating local factors in the joint which cause pain, by showing neuroplastic changes in the nociceptive system and by addressing the significance of general factors in pain such as metabolic changes. The weight of such factors may determine the pain pattern in individual patients.


Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder and is a major global public health problem with a rapidly increasing prevalence. Although a wide range of pharmacotherapy for glycemic control in T2DM is now available, management of T2DM remains complex and challenging. The kidneys contribute to glucose homeostasis primarily by the glucose reabsorption from the glomerular filtrate. The sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, a new class of antidiabetes agents that inhibit glucose absorption from the kidney tubule independent of insulin, offer a unique opportunity to improve outcomes for patient with T2DM.In this session, I'd like to discuss several topics regarding SGLT2 inhibitors including their glucose lowering effects, recently issued adverse effects and long-term cardiovascular benefits from the perspectives of endocrinologist.


Background: Abnormally expressed the p21-activated kinases (PAKs) are implicated in the development and treatment of glioma. Previous study has reported that PAK1 is expressed in glioma. However, the role and mechanism of PAK1 in glioma progression remain unclear.Methods: Western blotting was employed to detect the expression of PAK1 in human glioma tissues. CCK-8, EdU and colony formation assay were applied to evaluate the effect of PAK1 inhibition on cell proliferation of glioma. The flow cytometry was utilized to examine the cell cycle distribution and apoptotic rate of glioma. Wound healing and transwell assay were exploited to investigate the effect of PAK1 inhibition on cell migration and invasion of glioma. The orthotopic xenograft glioma model was established to probe the effect of PAK1 silencing on tumor formation of U87 cell. Results: It was showed that PAK1 was significantly upregulated in glioma tissues. Besides, high level of PAK1 was found to be associated with poor prognosis in glioma patients in TCGA database. PAK1 inhibition restrained cell proliferation, arrested cells at G1 phase, and induced cell apoptosis of glioma. PAK1 inhibition suppressed glioma cell migration and invasion. Moreover, knockdown of PAK1 dramatically decreased the protein expressions including MDM2, p38, p-p38, CyclinD1, CDK4, Bcl-2, MMP2, MMP9, Cofilin, while increased the protein levels of p53, Bax, p21 and Cleaved Caspase-3. Finally, orthotopic xenograft glioma model confirmed that silencing of PAK1 repressed the tumor formation of U87 cell transplantation.Conclusion: Our study described that PAK1 inhibition impedes proliferation, migration and invasion of glioma cells and thus probably as a novel target for glioma therapy.


The authors report a case of primary intracerebral Hodgkin's disease in an 84-year-old woman who presented with a solitary intraparenchymal parieto-occipital lesion and absence of extracranial disease. The histologic diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease was further confirmed with positive immunohistochemical staining of Hodgkin's mononuclear cells and Reed-Sternberg cells and electron microscopy. Such an initial presentation of a solitary intracerebral tumor is extremely rare in Hodgkin's disease. This case helps establish primary intracerebral Hodgkin's disease as a true entity.


The spectrum of the evolution operator associated with a nonlinear stochastic flow with additive noise is evaluated by diagonalization in a polynomial basis. The method works for arbitrary noise strength. In the weak noise limit we formulate a new perturbative expansion for the spectrum of the stochastic evolution operator in terms of expansions around the classical periodic orbits. The diagonalization of such operators is easier to implement than the standard Feynman diagram perturbation theory. The result is a stochastic analog of the Gutzwiller semiclassical spectral determinant with the "¯ h " corrections computed to at least two orders more than what has so far been attainable in stochastic and quantum-mechanical applications, supplemented by the estimate for the late terms in the asymptotic saddlepoint expansions.


Thin-ply composite laminates capable of enduring high strains are currently under investigation for compliant deployable spacecraft structures. Deployable structures such as booms fabricated from these materials can be flattened and coiled to high curvatures, achieving a compact configuration for stowage. Once in orbit, they are released with minimal actuation for deployment, allowing the operational geometry to be recovered. Previous studies have shown that the viscoelastic properties of the composite epoxy matrix can negatively impact final shape accuracy due to stress relaxation during stowage. In addition, since the strain energy stored is relied upon for deployment, considerable relaxation can potentially result in deployment stall. Stress relaxation in composites and the aforementioned effects it can have on deployment have not been analyzed sufficiently for space applications. The objective of this thesis is to investigate the moment relaxation and curvature recovery behavior of thin-ply composite laminates through a combination of analytical, numerical, and experimental approaches. The viscoelastic Kirchhoff plate model that serves as the theoretical basis of the analyses is first presented. An analytical solution for the recovery of a composite plate after stowage is derived. The numerical integration of the viscoelastic plate constitutive equations and its implementation as a user-defined subroutine in finite element programs is then described. The subroutine allows relaxation of 3D thin-shell structures to be modeled, and is applied to simulate stowage and recovery of a thin-ply composite currently of interest for solar sailing applications. The subroutine is then compared with results obtained from experiments for a thin-ply composite for bending relaxation and curvature creep recovery after being unloaded.


ABSTRACT Suh, S.-W. and Kim, H.-J., 2018. Simulation of wave overtopping and inundation over a dike caused by Typhoon Chaba at Marine city, Busan, Korea. In: Shim, J.-S.; Chun, I., and Lim, H.S. (eds.), Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2018 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 85, pp. 711–715. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. This study follows up previous research on simulating the wave-induced overtopping of coastal dikes by incorporating the empirical formulas of EurOtop version 2007 into the storm surge model ADCIRC + SWAN. Hindcasting simulations were performed for the wave overtopping and inundation induced by Typhoon Chaba along the dike of Marine City, South Korea, in 2016. The simulation results showed that the wave overtopping and inundation lasted for at least three hours and were spread over the dike. Normal storm surge inundation was not seen because the dike crest height of 4.40 m was higher than the peak water surface elevation (WSE) of 1.13 m and significant wave height of 3.09 m. Near the dike, the wave overtopped maximum inundation height was ~0.7 m and decreased along the overland road to the upper zone, which agrees with the field survey results. This tendency was almost the same as that reported previously regardless of the dike dimensions and incoming wave heights. The reduction factor in EurOtop is an important influence in generating the inundation. Sensitivity tests indicated that a value of 0.63 is appropriate for combining a rising WSE with storm waves and filling gap effects on two-layer tetrapod slopes. This kind of approach to inundation vulnerability is more applicable than the prevailing storm surge inundation for natural or low-lying coastal areas because more than 50% of the South Korean coast is artificial and should help in developing early warning systems and/or vulnerability analyses of mitigation projects at other artificial coasts.


OBJECTIVE
To compare prevalence and severity of any surgical pain between transobturator and retropubic slings; secondary aims were to compare pain at anatomic locations, pain medication use, and pain resolution between transobturator and retropubic slings and to compare pain between types of transobturator slings.

METHODS
This is a secondary analysis of the Trial of Mid-Urethral Slings, which compared retropubic and transobturator sling outcomes and included 597 participants from 2006 to 2008. Postoperative assessments included body maps, visual analog scales, Surgical Pain Scales, and medication inventories for 30 days, at 6 weeks, and 6, 12, and 24 months. Postoperative pain prevalence and severity were compared. Mixed models compared pain resolution and severity over time. Regression models compared pain prevalence and severity between types of transobturator slings. Eighty percent power was provided for the primary outcome pain prevalence and 95% power was provided for the primary outcome pain severity.

RESULTS
Postoperative prevalence of any surgical pain, pain severity, and pain medication was not different between retropubic and transobturator slings. Retropubic sling was associated with greater prevalence of suprapubic pain at 2 weeks (proportion difference 10.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.6-16.4%; P<.001). Transobturator sling was associated with greater prevalence of groin pain at 2 weeks (proportion difference 12.0%; 95% CI 7.1-16.8%; P<.001). There was no difference in pain resolution (odds ratio [OR] 1.11, 95% CI 0.88-1.40; P=.38). Between types of transobturator slings, the odds of surgical pain were similar at 2 (OR 2.39, 95% CI 0.51-11.31; P=.27) and 6 weeks (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.02-9.20; P=.61).

CONCLUSION
Transobturator and retropubic slings are associated with low prevalence of any surgical pain. Transobturator sling was associated with greater prevalence of groin pain at 2 weeks, and retropubic sling was associated with greater prevalence of suprapubic pain at 2 weeks. Surgical pain resolved quickly in both groups.


Highly transparent optical resins based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and two cyclotriphosphazene derivatives which acting as halogen-free flame retardants were prepared. The refractive indices, visible light transmittance, water absorption, flame-resistant characteristic, and the mechanical properties of the resins were studied. Comparing with pure PMMA, the as-prepared resins with the two additives exhibited higher refractive index (nd), longer UV cutoff wavelength and better surface hardness. The water absorption of the resins was decrease with increasing of the additives. The visible light transmittance of all the samples adding Additive A was higher than 90%. When the weight ratio of additive/MMA was 20/100, the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of the samples were 26 (with Additive A) and 22 (with Additive B), respectively. The surface hardness was increased from HB to 2H with increasing the content of the additives, and the impact and the tensile strength changed little for the formulas of the additives lower than 30% by weight. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011


Neurological manifestations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have been reported in adults and in children, varying from mild to more debilitant symptoms, including fatigue, headache and dizziness. A series of studies have revealed a possible association between Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis at all ages, and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Case reports of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated GBS mainly include adult patients, while only a few pediatric cases have been reported. The present study describes a case of GBS in an Italian 9-year-old girl with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection as a possible trigger, and also conducts a literature review on pediatric COVID-19-associated GBS cases.


Polymer nanofibers, with diameters in the nanometer range, possess larger surface areas per unit mass and permit easier addition of surface functionalities compared with polymer microfibers. Hence, polymer nanofiber are being considered for use as filters, scaffolds for tissue engineering, protective clothing, reinforcement in composite materials and sensors. Although some of these applications are in the development stage, a few have been commercially exploited. Research on polymer nanofibers, nanofiber mats, and their applications has seen a remarkable growth over the last few years. Among all methods, electro spinning has been used to convert a large variety of polymers into nanofibers and may be the only process that has the potential for mass production. Although there are many methods of fabricating nanofibres, electro spinning is perhaps the most versatile process. Materials such as polymer, composites, ceramic and metal nanofibres have been fabricated using electro spinning directly or through postspinning processes. However, what makes electro spinning different from other nanofibre fabrication processes is its ability to form various fibre assemblies. This will certainly enhance the performance of products made from nanofibres and allow application specific modifications. It is therefore vital for us to understand the various parameters and processes that allow us to fabricate the desired fibre assemblies. The structure, morphology, and geometry of nanofibers and the porosity and tensile properties of nanofiber mats can be investigated through conventional techniques and instruments. Keyword: Mood Nanofibers, Electro Spinning, Electro Spuns


Policy responses of both state and federal governments to the abuse of more vulnerable members of society has placed an added obligation on nurses who become aware of, or suspect on reasonable grounds, the occurrence of such abuse. In the areas of aged care and child protection nurses need to be aware of these obligations. In aged care for example, nurses often find themselves the subject of complaints. They find their employment threatened as a consequence and are also contacted by police as part of the investigation into the allegations. This article sets out some of the key components of reporting regimes for aged care and child protection. It is not meant to be legal advice and members should contact the QNU should they seek more detailed advice on their individual situation.


Weather forecasting is one of the major applications in current technology. Data mining uses various technologies to forecast weather, predict rainfall, wind pressure, humidity, etc. Classification in data mining differentiates the parameters to view the clear information. The prediction of weather must be accurate and also the weather should be forecasted earlier at least a month before which will be helpful for many applications like agriculture, military, etc. This paper surveys the various techniques implemented in data mining to predict weather.


Thompson sampling has been shown to be an effective policy across a variety of online learning tasks. Many works have analyzed the finite time performance of Thompson sampling, and proved that it achieves a sub-linear regret under a broad range of probabilistic settings. However its asymptotic behavior remains mostly underexplored. In this paper, we prove an asymptotic convergence result for Thompson sampling under the assumption of a sub-linear Bayesian regret, and show that the actions of a Thompson sampling agent provide a strongly consistent estimator of the optimal action. Our results rely on the martingale structure inherent in Thompson sampling.


As the modern trend is approaching more towards handcrafted art and natural artifacts, the demand for such hand-crafted arts has increased tremendously. To meet this increasing market demand there is always a need for advancement in the conventional production techniques so as to counterbalance the ever-increasing market demand for such handcrafted arts. India is known for many cottage industries and handicrafts designs but still, continuous efforts are required to design and produce unique handicrafts to satisfy the customer demands. In most of the large-scale industries, production is achieved with the help of machines but whereas in small-scale production, the man force is a must to carry out the entire production manually which results in the increased workload on workers which ultimately affect production rate as well as quality. To overcome this and to minimize the stress on the worker, an attempt has been made to design a bamboo stick making machine, which is simple in design and even can be handled by unskilled labor. The designed Bamboo cutting machine is mainly used to cut the bamboo into required shapes which are used in small-scale industries to prepare ice cream sticks or incense sticks. Our main concern is to avoid the manual operation of cutting bamboo which is time-consuming. The cutting operation is achieved by using a pair of spur gears and rollers.


It has been suggested that cognitive development affects the emotional experience of children, including anxiety. However, an evidence review is needed to extract cognitive prerequisites that contribute to the development of anxiety in children. The purpose of the study is to explore evidence on cognitive prerequisites involved in experiencing anxiety in children. Four electronic databases of Scopus, OVID-PsycINFO, PubMed, and ScienceDirect were comprehensively searched for 1900 to 2018, yielding 4,618 articles. According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) and inclusion and exclusion criteria, 25 articles were found as eligible. The analysis of literature identified 3 themes, including threat perception, future thinking, and generalization. It is suggested that these cognitive abilities may underlie anxiety. These results have important implications for better understanding the effect of cognitive prerequisites in anxiety phenomena and also could shed light on the explanation of anxiety in some disorders characterized by deficits in cognitive development.


– The usage of composite materials saw a sudden rise during the sixties, when glass fiber in combination with tough rigid resins were produced on large scale as it has many advantages over materials like synthetic and fiber glass as reinforcement. The present review paper emphasizes on natural fiber based polymer composites. It can be generally seen that the fibers possess high tensile strength and i t is confirmed from various studies that the tensile strength of the composite varies with the amount of fibers, thereby causing these fibers to be reinforced in a polymer matrix for manufacturing various kinds of products used in day to day life. In recent times, the car manufacturers are interested in incorporating natural fiber composite for the parts, some of which are already in use whic h serves to lower the overall weight of the vehicle which in turn increasesthe fuel efficiency, there by seving two major purposes. Hence, on account of the advantages of the natural polymer composites rendered to manufacturing industries, a brief overview on the general properties and various techniques adapted to manufacture these composites is highlighted in this paper. Certain tests on natural fibers like rice and coir hasalso been conducted to prove their mechanical properties.


The nontrivial subspaces with primitive coproducts are found in the deformed universal enveloping algebras. They can form carrier spaces for additional Jordanian twists. The latter can be used to construct sequences of twists for algebras whose root systems contain long series of roots. The corresponding twist for the so(5) algebra is given explicitly.


Timothy Williamson has recently argued that few mental states are luminous , meaning that to be in that state is to be in a position to know that you are in the state. His argument rests on the plausible principle that beliefs only count as knowledge if they are safely true. That is, any belief that could easily have been false is not a piece of knowledge. I argue that the form of the safety rule Williamson uses is inappropriate, and the correct safety rule might not conflict with luminosity.


The Raman coupling coefficient (CC), which was defined by Shuker and Gammon, of silicate melt in high-frequency region, is still an untouched subject but the key parameter for quantitatively processing the Raman spectra (RS) to achieve the abundance of microstructural units. In this paper, we present the results of a newly constructed model - SiOT model (Wu et al) about the Raman coupling coefficients of calcium and sodium silicate melts, especially in the high-frequency region. This new model combines classical MD simulation with decomposition of simulated configurations and vibrational analysis including Wilson's GF matrix method, electro-optical parameter method (EOPM) and bond polarizability model (BPM). The displacement dependence of the cluster polarizability through the combination of EOPM and BPM connotes the description of the frequency dependence of CC. This allows us to make a direct comparison for the first time between the calculated VDOS (vibrational density of states) and RS within the entire frequency range. A strong conclusion was given that the partial VDOS, RS and CC are all the intrinsic properties of respective Qi species, and the only variable inducing the change in total VDOS, RS and CC is the change of microstructure, i.e. the distribution of the Qi.


We have used the atomic specificity and sensitivity of the in-beam perturbed γ-ray angular distribution method to investigate the magnetic behaviour of very dilute 54Fe implanted into Au1 − xCrx spin-glass alloys. Distinct magnetic responses due to the different configurations of Au and Cr nearest neighbours were observed. A single Cr nearest neighbour results in a notable decrease of the magnitude and reversal of the sign of the Curie constant of the paramagnetic implanted Fe. We interpret this as the result of strong antiferromagnetic coupling between adjacent Fe and Cr local moments, leading to the formation of a local magnetic cluster, which remains stable up to the highest temperatures of the measurements (400 K). A heuristic model using as input data the results of ab initio calculations of coupling constants, magnetic moments and hyperfine fields strongly supports this interpretation.


Wild felids often suffer spinal and limb disorders; however, their nervous system anatomy is poorly studied. Herein, the lumbosacral plexus (Plexus lumbosacralis) of an adult puma and the motor and sensitive innervation of the pelvic limb is described. We found anatomical similarities to other felids, but also some differences. Branches L4‐S3 form the lumbosacral plexus (Plexus lumbosacralis) in the puma. The femoral nerve (N. femoris) arises from the union of L4‐L5, while in other felids, it is formed by L5‐L6. Unlike in the cat, the sartorius muscle receives branches from the saphenous (N. saphenous) and femoral nerves (N. femoris), and the lateral head of the gastrocnemius and superficial digital flexor muscles are innervated by a branch of the soleus muscle.


Latin American countries have undergone a growing interest in international accounting standards. Several countries are making progress in the adoption of international standards driven by different internal factors as well as external dynamics. The role of experts in the design of public policies associated with international standards has been studied by the epistemic community theory, which is the theoretical framework used in this study to address the influence of different international organizations on the adoption of IPSAS in Brazil and Colombia. This paper discusses the isomorphic institutional pressure exerted over the governments of these two countries in order to meet an international standard considered to be adequate. Meanwhile, the emerging trend towards the adoption of IPSAS in Latin America continues to grow, although some obstacles to achieving the goals defined in the reform arise.


AIM
To carry out a review of the literature on the different neurological mechanisms involved in processing calculations, the injuries to brain structure that can result in acalculia and the clinical management of these patients. Development and conclusions. Acalculia is defined as the disorder affecting the ability to calculate that is acquired as the result of a brain injury. Despite being a frequent symptom and its association to numerous systemic and neurological diseases, no clear study protocol exists due to the fact that, first, it is usually accompanied by other, more important neurological symptoms and, second, it occurs in a very heterogeneous population, where clear differences can be seen according to the sociocultural level of the patient. Acalculia has been associated both to general alterations of the central nervous system and to others affecting local structures. Perhaps the most striking example of the former is the case of dementias, where it has even been suggested that it could be an early sign of Alzheimer's disease. With respect to the latter, the most notable are those affecting the left parietal lobe. In this article the following are discussed: 1) the different classifications that have been developed for the loss of the ability to calculate; 2) the involvement of the different structures of the nervous system in numeric processing, based on the associated structural lesions and on studies that have been conducted using functional tests and brain imaging; and 3) the different neuropsychological instruments that are available to study this capacity.


Local invariant feature based methods have been proven to be effective in computer vision for object recognition and learning. But for an image, the number of points detected and to be matched may be very large, or even redundantly represent the shape information present. Since selective attention is a basic mechanism of the visual system, we explore whether there is a subset of salient points that can be robustly detected and matched. We propose a method to rank the redundant local invariant features. The results prove that the top ranked points capture the salient information effectively. The method can be used as a pre-processing step for the bag-of-feature based methods or graph based methods. Here they simplify the complexity of the processes, such as training, matching and tracking.


A quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) design of an nxm-bit, serial-access, shift-register based memory architecture is presented. The shift-register-based QCA memory architecture maintains data at a stable conformation, which is contrary to traditional data in-motion concept for QCA architectures. The memory architecture is based on an existing dual-phase-synchronized, line-based, one-bit QCA memory cell building block that provides size, density and latency improvements over other known one-bit memory cells through its novel clocking scheme. Read/write latencies up to 2X lower than the existing tile-based architecture with three-phase, line-based memory cells are obtained. Simulations with QCADesigner and HDLQ are performed on a sample 4times8 bit memory architecture implementation to verify functionality.


Analytic solutions of the optimal fields giving selective local excitation in harmonic molecules are presented, and calculated by a numerically stable algorithm. It is shown that the optimal fields can be decomposed into a finite number of monochromatic laser fields, with the following properties: (a) the number of component frequencies is equal to the number of normal modes of the molecule; (b) the component frequencies go to the molecular vibrational normal mode frequencies in the limit of low amplitude; (c) there is an inverse relationship between the amplitude of the fields (as controlled by the weighting factor for the field fluence term) and the time T at which the objective is reached; (d) there exists a limiting form for the optimal fields as the controlling time T→∞ (which had been observed empirically in previous work and now has a regorous mathematical basis). The intensity of the component laser fields, and thus the optimal field can be reduced to any desired level with a corresponding lengthening of the pulses. Thus by varying the design criteria one may determine a corresponding entire family of optimal fields with each member equivalently leading to the desired final local excitations. The optimization procedure clearly illustrates the trade off between optimal pulse length and amplitude. In order to try and achieve the control objectives with consideration of laboratory constraints on the laser fields a formalism is presented for designing the optimal fields with constrained functional forms. An illustration based on linear chain molecules shows that the objectives may be quite well achieved by using realistically constrained optimized fields.


Under the auspices of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has recently published a draft Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. It is argued here that before deciding on the content of a Bill of Rights, serious consideration should be given to the underlying question of the value of a Bill of Rights in a divided society. In addressing this question, this article advances four main arguments: First, a Bill of Rights can empower individuals and minorities to challenge governmental policy. Second, rights litigation under a Bill of Rights can provide an added channel of political participation. Third, a Bill of Rights can operate as a useful constraint on majoritarianism. Fourth and finally, it can contribute toward the common good of a just, tolerant society.


Important changes in how personality is conceptualized and measured are occurring in clinical psychology. We focus on 1 aspect of this work that industrial psychologists have been slow to embrace, namely, a new trait model that can be viewed as a maladaptive counterpart to the Big 5. There is a conspicuous absence of work psychology research emerging on this trait model despite important implications for how we understand personality at work. We discuss objections to the trait model in a work context and offer rejoinders that might make researchers and practitioners consider applying this model in their work. We hope to stimulate discussion of this topic to avoid an unnecessary bifurcation in the conceptualization of maladaptive personality between industrial and clinical settings.