I Introduction. Mount Kenya, the greatest mountain in British East Africa, was discovered by Ludwig Krapf, 2 when on December 3rd, 1849, he saw its two-horned summit from a hill above the Wakamba village of Kitui. No suggestion as to the structure of Kenya was made until 1883, when Joseph Thomson, after a view of the mountain across the Laikipia plateau, described it as the denuded remnant of an old volcano. 'The peak,' he tells us, 'without a doubt represents the column of lava which closed the volcanic life of the mountain . . . . The crater has been gradually washed away.' The first definite geological information about Kenya we owe to Count S. Teleki, who was the first European to reach the mountain; in 1887 he climbed the western slopes to the height, of about 13,800 feet, and brought back some rock-specimens which have been described in detail in a valuable memoir by A. Rosiwal. This petrologist determined the specimens as augite-andesite, andesitepitehstone (hyalo-andesite), and phonolite, and thus proved the volcanic nature of the mountain. Teleki's account of the structure of Mount Kenya differed, however, from that of !Fnomson. The former climbed through the forest-belt from Ndoro and entered a valley, which I have named the Teleki Valley (see map, P1. X); he followed this eastward until it suddenly bent northward and expanded into two great glacier-filled valleys, on the southern and south-western sides of the central peak. The high western wall of the Tyndall Glacier, the main


We present a new technique of VLSI chip-level thermal analysis. We extend a newly developed method of solving two dimensional Laplace equations to thermal analysis of four adjacent materials on a mother board. We implement our technique in C and compare its performance to that of a commercial CAD tool. Our experimental results show that our program runs 5.8 and 8.9 times faster while keeping smaller residuals by 5 and 1 order of magnitude, respectively.


Gold mining firms in Tanzania pay royalty and corporate taxes, but also receive many tax concessions. Such tax incentives may cause to reschedule their extraction plans and thereby change the expected life of a gold mine. We model a representative mining firm's extraction decision using optimal control theory, into which various tax incentives are introduced to determine their theoretical impact. Our results suggest that in the race to take advantage of tax incentives, a firm may end up making excessive investments, which in turn increases extraction rate. Actual extraction patterns of several gold mining companies in Tanzania are also reviewed.


Background. Most research has indicated that neuroticism (or trait anxiety) is associated with only negative outcomes. Such a common, heritable and variable trait is expected to have beneficial as well as detrimental effects. We tested the hypothesis that trait anxiety in childhood reduces the risk of dying from accidental causes in early adult life. Method. A longitudinal, population-based, birth cohort study of 4070 men and women born in the UK in 1946. Trait anxiety as judged by teachers when the participants were 13 and 15 years old, and the neuroticism scale of a Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI) when the participants were 16 years old. Outcomes were deaths, deaths from accidents, non-fatal accidents, and non-fatal accidents requiring medical intervention. Results. Adolescents with low trait anxiety had higher rates of accident mortality to age 25 [low anxiety at 13, hazard ratio (HR) 5·9, low anxiety at 15, HR 1·8]. Low trait anxiety in adolescence was associated with decreased non-accidental mortality after age 25 (low anxiety at 13, HR 0; low anxiety at 15, HR 0·7; low neuroticism at 16, HR 0·7). Conclusions. High trait anxiety measured in adolescence is associated with reduced accidents and accidental death in early adulthood but higher rates of non-accidental mortality in later life.


This paper examines the backlighting technique used in Argentine movies (mainly valentin, Kamchatka, and The Secret in Their eyes), seen as a kind of narrative composition in which events related to dictatorships and other forms of repression operate in the dark, but strongly affect the fate of the characters. Starting from a brief overview of the internationalization of the Argentine film industry, which, as early as the mid-1980s, had already articulated conventional dramatic structures and political denunciation, this study analyzes how part of the cinema of this century represents the violence of authoritarian states. Be it through imaginative investment, metalanguage, or allegory, these narratives renounce graphic images of the violence of repressive apparatuses and create dramaturgical compositions of highly effective communication. Thus, this work discusses the reflective capacity of these films as it pertains to the relationship between the fictional, mediatic and social contexts.


In a previous study we demonstrated an IgM cross reactivity against Fc region of human IgG and HCV-NS3 antigen in HCV-induced type II mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC). We identified NS3 and Fc epitopes recognized by these IgM by epitope excision approach. HLA determination confirms their ability to present these epitopes. The same cross reactivity has been observed with a monoclonal antibody, (mAb B3-18), obtained after immunization of a mouse with one of the identified NS3 epitopes. Previous, observations indicate that HCV may localize in several tissues besides the liver (such as gastric mucosa) possibly inducing some of the extra hepatic manifestations of chronic HCV infection. The aim of this study is to characterize the mAb B3-18 reactivity by an immuno-proteomic approach. Such novel information may be of interest to identify new potential antigens implicated in HCV pathogenesis useful to design new molecules for diagnostic or therapeutic approaches. Proteins were extracted from 12 gastric biopsies of patients with gastric disturb and HCV-infection (one of them with a concomitant malt lymphoma of the stomach) and from 3 patients with gastric disturb but without HCV infection as control. Proteins were analysed by 2D gel electrophoresis and mAb B3-18 immunoblot. Proteins recognized by mAb B3-18 were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Differential protein expression levels between patients and controls were detected by 2D-DIGE. Samples were also tested by immunohistochemistry with the mAb B3-18, by VDJ-BCR and VDJ-TCR genscan analysis and by KIR/ligands haplotypes. MAb B3-18 is functional both in 2D gel electrophoresis and in immunohistochemistry. Two specific proteins were identified by B3-18 immunoblot in HCV-infected patients: 18 kDa antrum mucosa protein (AMP 18) and TFIZ1. Both proteins function as growth factors at least partly responsible for maintaining a functional gastric epithelium by seeking evidence of epithelial cell mitogenic activity. They are expressed and secreted in normal gastric mucosa but down-regulated in gastric cancer. These proteins, as well as some others, also showed an up-regulation in gastric mucosa from HCV-infected patients. Mab B3–18 reactivity in immunohistochemistry was restricted to gastric tissue surrounding the NHL lesion. An oligo/monoclonal B cell pattern was found in 3 patients. The characterization of KIR/ligand is in course. The use of a monoclonal antibody miming IgM autoantibodies from HCV+ patients with type II MC and a concomitant immunocytoma, is useful to identify autoantigens that could sustain HCV-related B cell proliferations and HCV infection-associated antigens.


This paper presents a successive approximation method for solving systems of nested functional equations which arise, e.g., when considering Markov renewal programs in which policies that are maximal gain or optimal under more selective discount—and average overtaking optimality criteria are to be found. In particular, a successive approximation method is given to find the optimal bias vector and bias-optimal policies. Applications with respect to a number of additional stochastic control models are pointed out. Our method is based on systems of simultaneously generated (single-equation) value-iteration schemes.


A zero-voltage switching (ZVS) and zero-current switching (ZCS) two-transformer full-bridge PWM converter using the output-voltage-doubler is proposed in this paper. It is based on the phase-shifted full-bridge with series-connected two transformers (TTFB) which act as an output inductor as well as a main transformer. The TTFB converter achieves ZVS for all the switches inherently even at a light load with the use of the energy stored in the magnetizing inductance of each transformer. However, it has several drawbacks such as circulating energy in freewheeling mode, loss of duty cycle, and high voltage stress across the output rectifier diodes. To overcome these drawbacks, the proposed converter employs an output-voltage-doubler which reduces the circulating current, the freewheeling interval, and the voltage stress across output rectifier diode. The operational principle, theoretical analysis, and design considerations are presented. Also, to confirm the operation, validity, and features of the proposed converter, experimental results from a 420 W, 385 Vdc/210 Vdc prototype are presented


This paper elaborates on the co-existence of cooperation and conflict between the suppliers and car manufacturer undertaking modular production in a supplier park. A case study of Volvo Cars' modular assembly system is used for illustrating the many issues leading to conflicts and cooperation in this type of setting. As one of the results, the paper advocates the use of a supply network view. Such a view encompasses more than the focal module suppliers and car manufacturer, and is required to understand the effects of the combined use of the modular production and supplier park concepts.


Endopolyploidy is a systemic feature in seed plants. A negative correlation between genome size and endopolyploidization has been claimed previously, assuming that a minimum amount of DNA, necessary for certain cell functions, has to be acquired by endopolyploidization of the corresponding cells in plants with small genomes. This assumption was based on the analysis of only a limited set of data from few species. In the present study the endopolyploidization of several organs of 54 seed plant species belonging to two gymnosperm and 14 angiosperm families was investigated. The results revealed a low negative correlation between genome size and endopolyploidization. However, differences between the families, between the different organs of a given species and between the different life-cycle types with regard to endopolyploidization became obvious. A three-way analysis of variance with covariate to quantify the impact of the different factors on the extent of endopolyploidization suggested that taxonomic position is the major factor determining the degree of endopolyploidy within a species, while life cycle, genome size and organ type have a minor but also significant effect on endopolyploidization. The comparison of habitats of 16 investigated Central European species implies that endopolyploidization represents a mean to accelerate the growth of plant species in niches, which require and support fast development.


A comprehensive numerical investigation on the natural convection in an isotropic porous enclosure is presented. All the walls of the enclosure are adiabatic except the bottom wall which is partially heated and cooled by sinusoidal temperature profile. The governing equations were written under assumption of Brinkman-extended non-Darcy model, including material derivative, and then solved by numerically using spectral element method (SEM). The heat transfer and fluid flow mechanisms in isotropic case are governed by periodicity parameter (N) Rayleigh Number (Ra), Darcy number (Da), aspect ratio (A), Prandtl number (Pr) and media permeability (K). The main emphasize is given on effect of N on local heat transfer as well as mechanism of heat transfer and fluid flow in enclosure. The results shows that, as the periodicity is decreased on increasing N the absolute value of Nux at the bottom left corner point increases. For odd values of N, the local heat transfer profile is symmetric about the line x=0.5, which is consequence of symmetric boundary condition at the bottom wall of the enclosure. The entire flow is governed by two type convective cells: (i) rotating clockwise (ii) rotating anticlockwise. Furthermore for even values of N cells rotating anticlockwise are dominated and covered the entire domain. In particular the present analysis shows that, different periodicity of temperature boundary condition has the significant effect on the flow mechanism and consequently on the heat transfer rate.


As an essential prerequisite task in image-based plant phenotyping, leaf segmentation has garnered increasing attention in recent years. While self-supervised learning is emerging as an effective alternative to various computer vision tasks, its adaptation for image-based plant phenotyping remains rather unexplored. In this work, we present a self-supervised leaf segmentation framework consisting of a self-supervised semantic segmentation model, a color-based leaf segmentation algorithm, and a self-supervised color correction model. The self-supervised semantic segmentation model groups the semantically similar pixels by iteratively referring to the self-contained information, allowing the pixels of the same semantic object to be jointly considered by the color-based leaf segmentation algorithm for identifying the leaf regions. Additionally, we propose to use a self-supervised color correction model for images taken under complex illumi-∗ nation conditions. Experimental results on datasets of different plant species demonstrate the potential of the proposed self-supervised framework in achieving effective and generalizable leaf segmentation 1 .


The patristic era represents the formative period of Christian theology. As such, this period witnessed remarkable theological immaturity and complexity. One theological issue that attracted much attention in this period was atonement. Patristic scholars, in an attempt to build on the apostolic tradition, expressed varied interpretations of Christ's death on the cross. Among the different patristic interpretations, Iranaeus' recapitulation and Origen's ransom theories of atonement became the most outstanding. The recapitulation theory emphasizes the restoration of the human race to their divine-given status. The ransom theory, on the other hand, stresses the transactional dimension of the atonement which resulted in the defeat of Satan. This paper critically examines these two theories using data gathered from books, journal articles, and dissertations, among other sources. The paper concluded that, though the recapitulation and ransom interpretations of the atonement are ancient theories, they are still relevant to the overall contemporary understanding of Christian soteriology. The findings from the paper will not only contribute to modern soteriological discourses but will also help readers to avoid some pitfalls that characterize the two interpretations discussed.


This excellent book compiled by Professor Craig and his departmental staff should be the vade muuIII of midwives, and should be read bv doctors having charge of the newborn at home or in hospital. The simple didactic style and very clear illustrations leave no room for ambiguity. It includes a brief account of foetal development and also of the ramifications of the Social Services as the y affect the newborn. Medically it is at its most valuable in outlining the normal. and the commoner problems to be met in this age ·group. For the midwife it offers a comprehensive account of the problems she may expect to meet, how to handle them and when to enlist medical aid. It is a practical guide and is not slanted towards medical student needs. B. G. P. MACNAMAIt.... formation together and to relate the structure of the human pulmonary circulation with its funct ion, both in health and disease. Correlation and synthesis are the underlying themes of the study. It is not a compendium of rare diseases. but we have referred to them when they have illustrated an important underlying principle. Although our main concern has been with basic p rinciples, the need for precise thought has made it necessary to deal with many aspects of the subject in detail. This in turn has called for a certain amount of mathematics wh ich has been presented as simply as possible. Wherever feasible, formal mathematical proof has been referred to the appendices.' This aim is abl y fulfilled . The text is clear and is supported by ample illustrations; th e photomicrographs are of particularly high quality. The book begins with a detailed consideration of the normal anatomy of the pulmonary vessels and before passing on to the phys iology there is a valuable section on basic methods of measurement of pressure and flow. Cardiologists have been inclined. by great familiarity, to overestimate the accuracy of their measurements in th is sphere and we are here given a healthy reminder of the approximations in which we are in fact dealing. The mathematical basis of th is work is given but unobtrusively. The chapters on pulmonary hypertension are partlcularly valuable and it is here that the greatest re* THE BRITISH JOURXAL OF CLINICAL . P R A CT I C E


Text Mining is a field that aims at extracting information from textual data. One of the challenges of such field of study comes from the pre-processing stage in which a vector (and structured) representation should be extracted from unstructured data. The common extraction creates large and sparse vectors representing the importance of each term to a document. As such, this usually leads to the curse-of-dimensionality that plagues most machine learning algorithms. To cope with this issue, in this paper we propose a new supervised feature extraction and reduction algorithm, named DCDistance, that creates features based on the distance between a document to a representative of each class label. As such, the proposed technique can reduce the features set in more than 99% of the original set. Additionally, this algorithm was also capable of improving the classification accuracy over a set of benchmark datasets when compared to traditional and state-of-the-art features selection algorithms.


Sophisticated computer description based on interrelated object models are advanced stores of information to be collected and applied during various fields of activities. The authors of this paper studied some advancements in object models for the description of course related groups of objects. They discuss several issues from this area that are considered to be important for the future development of highly integrated course models in higher education. In this paper, an introduction to high level application of Internet technology for virtual computer based teaching and learning is given. Following this an integrated concept for virtual classroom is cited and evaluated. The main part of the paper discusses three issues, namely resources, possibilities for storage of results, and entities for flexible model description.


We examined SLAMF3-mediated co-stimulation on IL-2 response of CD4+ T cells from SLE patients. Stimulation of naïve CD4+ T cells with aCD3/aSLAMF3 upregulated surface CD25 (IL-2Ra) and CD122 (IL-2Rb), at higher level compared to aCD3/aCD28 activation. aCD3/aSLAMF3 co-stimulation of control naïve CD4+ T cells led to increased pSTAT5 levels compared to aCD3/aCD28 activation Although naïve CD4+ T cells from SLE patients displayed decreased pSTAT5 levels compared to control donors upon aCD3 or aCD3/aCD28 stimulation, co-stimulation of SLE T cells with aSLAMF3 restored pSTAT5 to normal levels. Total STAT5 levels remained unaltered after T cell activation. Exogenous IL-2 increased proliferation of aCD3/aSLAMF3-activated CD4+ T cells compared to aCD3/aCD28 stimulation. Naïve CD4+ T cells activated with aCD3/aSLAMF3 under iTreg polarizing condition expressed significantly higher levels of FoxP3, CD25 and CTLA-4 compared to aCD3/aCD28 activation. In conclusion, SLAMF3-mediated co-stimulation enhances CD4+ T cell response to IL-2 in SLE patients by acting on the IL-2/IL-2R/STAT5 signaling pathway, increases naïve CD4+ T cell proliferation in response to exogenous IL-2 and can promote iTreg phenotype generation. Of note, SLAMF3-mediated co-stimulation does not increase IL-2 by CD4+ T cells per se. Thus, aSLAMF3-based Ab therapy may emerge as a promising therapeutic agent in SLE by enhancing response to IL-2 and promoting iTreg differentiation.


The book reviewed here is the Research Handbook of Diversity and Careers, edited by Adelina M. Broadbridge and Sandra L. Fielden, newly (2019) re-issued in paperback format. This book is one of the...


We describe a novel resonant cavity system which allows the bulk magneto-conductivity of single crystals of anisotropic metals to be measured at GHz frequencies. The cavity can be made to rotate in a static magnetic field, permitting detailed studies of the dependence on the magnetic field orientation of the high-frequency magnetoconductivity. In this paper, the apparatus is used to measure the Fermi-surface topology of two organic superconductors; the details revealed are inaccessible to conventional fermiological techniques such as the de Haas-van Alphen effect. In κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu(NCS)2, Fermi-surface traversal resonances (FTRs) are observed. The angle dependence of the FTRs shows that the quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) Fermi sheets of this material possess two distinct corrugations, with corrugation axes making angles of 17.3° and -19.4° with the ka-axis. Such data form important input parameters for current models of superconductivity in the organics, which invoke spin-density-wave-like fluctuations caused by partial nesting of the Q1D Fermi sheets. In β''-(BEDT-TTF)2SF5CH2CF2SO3, cyclotron resonance is observed, along with its second and third harmonics. The detailed angle dependence of the intensities of the various cyclotron harmonics allows the elongation and orientation of the closed section of the Fermi surface to be deduced, and strongly suggests that the interplane transport is coherent in this material. The effective mass deduced from the cyclotron resonance measurements is greater than that determined from magnetic quantum oscillations, in agreement with recent theoretical predictions.


Abstract In 2010, the author published a book titled The Goddess and the Nation: Mapping Mother India (Duke University Press) in which she demonstrated how the deified body of Mother India and the geo-body of India – as iconised by the outline map – are put to work over the course of the long twentieth century by India's 'barefoot cartographers' to transform the nation-space into a sacred pastoral landscape worth living and dying for. In this article, Ramaswamy takes up for consideration ten contrary watercolors also featuring the map of India that make up Atul Dodiya's series Tearscape (2001), Dodiya lives and works in Mumbai. Produced at the beginning of a new century, these works evacuate the glorious goddess from her occupation of the map of India, and populate it instead with abject figures that disenchant, even desecrate, the national geo-body. What is dared in transforming thus the map of the nation from a repository of pastoral plenitude into the dystopian address of the (female) abject? And to what end does Dodiya undertake such a risky maneuver, fifty years after the nation's geo-body was created out of the conflagration that was the Partition of India?


Classification is to map the data item in the database into a given class. It is an important research direction in data mining. In allusion to the shortcomings of traditional classification methods, such as the decision tree, K nearest neighbor, Bayes , fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms and neural networks and so on, the support vector machine with perfect theory, strong adaptability, global optimization, short training time, good generalization performance is introduced into the classification, a machine learning model based on the SMO algorithm and RBF kernel function of the SVM is proposed to realize a classification method in this paper. This method transforms the nonlinear classification problem into linear classification problem by improving the data dimension. It can better solve the problems of the minimum error in the training set and the larger error in the test set in the traditional algorithm. Application of UCI classification experiment shows that the proposed method takes on the better convergence, faster training speed and higher classification accuracy.


The high speed blendor or mixer has become an indispensible instrument in many biological laboratories. Since it was originally designed as a household appliance, no attention was given to the normally harmless aerosol which is created during its operation, nor was any minor leakage from the bearing considered to be important. However, when the blendor is used to cut up highly infectious tissue, the aerosol, and leakage from around the rapidly rotating drive shaft, become very dangerous to the operator. This has been so obvious that various precautionary practices have been initiated by different laboratories (Shepard, May, and Topping, 1945; Smadel, 1951; Sulkin and Pike, 1951). Preliminary to designing a leakproof mixing bowl, an investigation was carried out to determine the cause and extent of the escaping aerosol.


In many developing countries there has been a paradigm shift in forest conservation and management strategies, away from State-centred control towards community-based schemes, with twin goals of fostering sustainable forest management and reducing poverty. In Burkina Faso, various policy reforms have been introduced and attempts have been made to devolve use and management rights to local communities since the 1980s. However, it remains questionable whether communities' participation has yielded the intended improvements in livelihood and good governance. With the aims of providing a platform for developing strategies that promote sustainable forest management, the studies this thesis is based upon examined the participatory forest management program (PFM) in southern Burkina Faso in terms of people's access to forest products, members' participation, their perceptions of the program, and challenges associated with early stages of political decentralization. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through household surveys, focus group discussions and literature reviews. The results show that factors related to decision-making, forest conservation and economic benefits are the most important determinants of participation. Further, the determinants of access to forest resources differed among households, thus local management institutions need to take these variations into account to ensure that the livelihood needs of the poor are met. Despite the decentralization policy in force in the country since 1992, the State Forest Service is still heavily involved in the decision-making process. This considerably limits the active participation of local people. The results also show that, to some extent, participation in forest management activities is influenced by gender, household size, land tenure status, marital status, and forest legislation and implementation of forest laws and regulations. The performance of the PFM groups was found to vary, depending on their proximity to roads and market. Members' perceptions of the PFM seem to focus on their ability to generate income to support their livelihood, while less emphasis is placed on forest conservation. To enhance the outcome of the forest management program, the following strategies could be considered: securing user rights and empowering forest users by promoting the direct involvement of vulnerable and marginalized groups (women and migrants), increasing participation incentives, and enforcing the decentralization measures after addressing the challenges to enhance good governance and ensure equitable benefit-sharing.


This study was developed in a Brazilian court that was subjected to the introduction of e-process, and bears the following objectives: (a) describe the context of changes in terms of planning and perceived risk degree; (b) describe the results perceived after the introduction of the e-process; (c) describe the support to learning and the competences learned during the e-process implementation; (d) identify the links between variables of changing context, support to learning and the competences learned during the introduction of the e-process at the Higher Justice Court. 219 civil servants participated in the study, which used scales of changing context, results of the change of competences and support to learning. Scales were subjected to exploratory factor analysis with robust statistical indexes and three multiple regressions to test the associations between variables. Results pointed out that characteristics of the change process and support to learning affect learned competences.


Elevated seawater temperatures during the late summer have the potential to negatively affect the development and survivorship of the larvae of reef corals that are reproductive during that time of year. Acropora palmata, a major Caribbean hermatype, reproduces annually during August and September. A. palmata populations have severely declined over the past three decades, and recovery will require high recruitment rates. Such recruitment will be limited if larval supply is reduced by elevated temperatures. The effects of elevated temperatures on development, survival, and larval settlement of A. palmata were investigated by culturing newly fertilized eggs at temperatures ranging from 27.5 to 31.5 °C. Development was accelerated and the percentage of developmental abnormalities increased at higher temperatures. Embryo mortality peaked during gastrulation, indicating that this complex developmental process is particularly sensitive to elevated temperatures. Larvae cultured at 30 and 31.5 °C experienced as much as an 8-fold decrease in survivorship compared to those at 28 °C. Additionally, settlement was 62% at 28 °C compared to 37% at 31.5 °C. These results indicate that embryos and larvae of A. palmata will be negatively affected as sea surface temperatures continue to warm, likely reducing recruitment and the recovery potential of A. palmata on Caribbean reefs.


Solid particle ingestion is one of the principal degradation mechanisms in the compressor and turbine sections of gas turbines. In particular, in industrial applications, the micro-particles not captured by the air filtration system can cause deposits on blading and, consequently, result in a decrease in compressor performance. In the literature, there are some studies related to the fouling phenomena in transonic compressors, but in industrial applications (heavy-duty compressors, pump stations, etc.), the subsonic compressors are widespread. It is highly important for the manufacturer to gather information about the fouling phenomenon related to this type of compressor. This paper presents three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulations of the microparticle ingestion (0.15–1.50 l m) in a multistage (i.e., eight stage) subsonic axial compressor, carried out by means of a commercial computational fluid dynamic code. Particles of this size can follow the main air flow with relatively little slip, while being impacted by flow turbulence. It is of great interest to the industry to determine which zones of the compressor blades are impacted by these small particles. Particle trajectory simulations use a stochastic Lagrangian tracking method that solves the equations of motion separately from the continuous phase. The adopted computational strategy allows the evaluation of particle deposition in a multi-stage axial compressor thanks to the use of a mixing plane approach to model the rotor/ stator interaction. The compressor numerical model and the discrete phase model are set up and validated against the experimental and numerical data available in the literature. The number of particles and sizes is specified in order to perform a quantitative analysis of the particle impacts on the blade surface. The blade zones affected by particle impacts and the kinematic characteristics (velocity and angle) of the impact of micrometric and submicrometric particles with the blade surface are shown. Both blade zones affected by particle impact and deposition are analyzed. The particle deposition is established by using the quantity called sticking probability, adopted from the literature. The sticking probability links the kinematic characteristics of particle impact on the blade with the fouling phenomenon. The results show that microparticles tend to follow the flow by impacting on the compressor blades at full span. The suction side of the blade is only affected by the impacts of the smallest particles. Particular fluid dynamic phenomena, such as corner separations and clearance vortices, strongly influence the impact location of the particles. The impact and deposition trends decrease according to the stages. The front stages appear more affected by particle impact and deposition than the rear ones. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4038608


Whether or not allorestriction should be distinguished from alloreactivity depends on one's model of the TCR–ligand interaction. If the ligand is viewed as a determinant formed by a meld between peptide and the MHC‐encoded restricting element, then the TCR, like the BCR, has a single combining site specific for the composite epitope (the Centric Model). If, however, one views the recognition of peptide and the MHC‐encoded restricting element as independent, then interactions at two sites of the TCR must be integrated to signal the T cell (the Tritope Model). As TCR recognition of the MHC‐encoded restricting element is, by definition, restricted (allele‐specific), then under the Centric Model, all TCR signaling interactions with the composite epitope are due to allorestriction, which is peptide‐specific. In contrast, under the Tritope Model, there are two classes of signaling interaction, allorestriction and alloreactivity. Alloreactivity is peptide‐unspecific and is triggered by recognition of the allo‐MHC‐encoded restricting element allele. Alloreactivity is incompatible with the Centric Model, under which one would predict that it does not exist. Selected data are analyzed to illustrate the importance of this distinction.


The equivalent circuit is developed to describe the electrical processes in the receiver path of the leaky wave antenna. The line has the slot-type radiator which is considered as a resistive-capacitive non-uniformity. The slot in the waveguide wall is considered as non-uniformity of resistive-capacitive type. The system of equations is composed and solved to investigate the balance of power in the receiver path and found the electrical parameters of the scheme.


This article aims to identify studies that developed quality indicator for the management of the National School Feeding Program (PNAE, in Brazilian context) and to critically appraise the properties of their instruments. Systematic review using Scopus, Lilacs, Pubmed and Web of Science for data collection. The search was limited to studies between 2009 and 2019. The search strategy included search terms related to school feeding, program evaluation, and indicator. The indicators were evaluated using the Appraisal of Indicators through Research and Evaluation instrument. The search identified 1,355 studies, of which 14 were potentially relevant records and 10 met the inclusion criteria. Most studies used a literature review with consensus techniques in the development of the instrument and a frame work format to evaluate the PNAE. None of them presented evidence of validity of the instrument. The highest level was achieved on the domain 'Purpose, relevance and organizational context', followed by 'Stakeholder involvement', 'Additional evidence, formulation and usage', and 'Scientific evidence'. This review found gaps in the methodology of studies that had developed quality indicators for the management of PNAE. Future development of these instruments should include validity evidence.


Abstract : The problem of robust sequential discrimination from two dependent observation sequences with uncertain Statistics is addressed. As in Part 1 of this study, which treated asymptotically optimal sequential discrimination for stationary observations characterized by m-dependent or mixing type of dependence, sequential tests based on memoryless nonlinearities are employed. In particular, the sequential tests robustified in this paper employ linear test statistics of the form S sub n = A(bar)[sum over i=1 to n]g(X sub i) + B(bar)n, where (X sub i) n over i = 1 is the observation sequence, the coefficients A(bar) and B(bar) are selected so that the normalized drifts of S sub n are antipodal under the two hypotheses, and the nonlinearity g solves a linear integral equation. As shown in Part I, the performance of these tests is very close to that of the asymptotically optimal memoryless sequential tests when the statistics of the observations are known. The above tests are robustified in terms of the error probabilities and the expected sample numbers under the two hypotheses, for statistical uncertainty determined by 2-alternating capacity classes for the marginal (univariate) pdfs and upper bounds on the correlation coefficients of time-shifts of the observations sequence for the bivariate pdfs. Finally, the robustification of sequential tests based on a test statistic similar to S sub n defined above is carried out for detecting a weak-signal in stationary m-dependent or mixing noise with uncertainty in the univariate and bivariate pdfs.


There are reports that large number of bat fatalities occur near wind turbines. Acoustic characteristics can be employed for bat call recognition to better understand the effects of turbines on different bat species. Acoustic features of bat echolocation calls are extracted based on three different techniques: Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT), Mel Frequency Cepstrum Coefficient (MFCC) and Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT). These features are fed into an Evolutionary Neural Network (ENN) for their classification at the species level using acoustic features. Results from different feature extraction techniques are compared based on classification accuracy. The technique can identify bats and will contribute towards developing mitigation procedures for reducing bat fatalities.


Weight gain and some biochemical changes were observed in 7 preterm infants of low birthweight when their diet was abruptly changed from one of human milk to a modified cow's milk formula. There was a fall in the serum calcium and a rise in the inorganic phosphate levels in the week after the changeover. Serum sodium was raised after two days, with a fall occurring over the following 5 days. Blood urea rose throughout the 7-day period. Accompanying these biochemical changes there was an acceleration in weight gain, and in 5 infants this was associated with peripheral oedema. In the second week after the changeover there was a deceleration in weight gain accompanied by loss of the oedema. Immaturity of certain homeostatic mechanisms required to cope with the higher protein and electrolyte content of the modified cow's milk accounts for these observations. A more gradual dietary changeover, therefore, seems advisable.


The European Spallation Source Neutrino Super Beam (ESSνSB) project aims at a discovery of leptonic CP violation with a precise measurement of the CP phase angle. ESSνSB is characterized by an intense neutrino beam to be produced at ESS by a 5-MW proton beam, and the placement of the far detector at the second oscillation maximum. The aims of the near detector for ESSνSB are neutrino flux and interaction cross section measurements. For this purpose, designs consisting of a fine-grained tracker and a 1-kiloton water Cherenkov detector are under investigation. On the other hand, the far detector will be a water Cherenkov detector with an estimated fiducial volume of 500 kilotons. The design considerations include an evaluation of the stability of the detector hall and excavation sites in deep underground mines. All of the detector simulations are based on frameworks which involve Geant4. A versatile event display toolkit for visualization and physics outreach activities has been developed.


Imported oil, nuclear and coal now contribute about 55% of the energy the USA consumes, and those forms of energy are under environmental, social and legal scrutiny. There are limits to which non-"clouded" natural gas and renewables can replace these sources. This has motivated the CCTL to pursue R&D on blending domestically available fuels in thermal reactors to produce more useful gaseous or liquid fuels. Feedstock blending results with batch-fed indirectly heated gasifiers (IHGs) were reported at the three previous Turbo Expo meetings. This is a progress report on initial work with a continuously fed IHG scaled to potentially give a gaseous output suitable for a 5–20 kW microturbine or a reciprocating engine. An electric tube furnace is now used rather than a combustor fueled by the residual char or part of the gaseous or liquid output. Some novel features of this current effort are: a) Biomass blends are auger-fed through a reactor tube fabricated out of available components to simulate a conical shape, b) The output gas is filtered and partially cooled by the incoming biomass feedstock, c) The system has been designed to facilitate feedstock blending studies, d) A trap and external heat exchanger condenses the residual tar, water vapor, and volatile metals, e) The char-ash is collected and stored in a pressure vessel, f) Gas output volume is measured with an orifice dividing system and respirometer. The results of runs in a semi-continuously fed system with various biomass particle sizes and with various blends of biomass and coal are presented. The fate of volatile metals contained in the input feedstock is assessed. With the completion of an external hopper-feeder and the replacement of the electric tube furnace by an output gas or charcoal combustor, a later application to microturbines is within reach.Copyright © 2000 by ASME


Thermodynamic calculations of metastable equilibria in the H‐ C‐O system are used to evaluate the stability of condensed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and normal alkanes in the solar nebula. The effects of temperature, total pressure (governed by H2), the abundances of gaseous CO and H2O, as well mass accretion rate into the Sun and viscous efficiency at the nebula midplane are explored. We show that the inhibited formation of graphite and methane permits metastable existence of hydrocarbons with respect to the inorganic gases H2, CO, and H2O. Low temperatures, high pressures, high abundances of CO, low abundances of H2O, low accretion rates, and low viscous efficiencies favor stability of hydrocarbons. Condensed PAHs are stable relative to nominal abundances of the inorganic gases at temperatures below»450 K depending on the physical parameters adopted for the nebula. Normal alkanes with carbon numbers>10 are stable at temperatures 30‐60 degrees lower. During the evolution of the nebula, hydrocarbons have a thermodynamic potential to form in a narrow zone, which moved toward the Sun as the accretion rate decreased. At radial distances of 2‐4 AU, hydrocarbons had a potential to form at the time when the accretion rate was 10 i6:3 ‐10 i7:7 solar mass yr i1 , depending on the viscous efficiency. High temperature, low pressure, and a high CO/H2O ratio in the nebula increase the stability of PAHs compared with their alkylated versions and relative to their aliphatic counterparts with the same carbon number. The calculations reveal the thermodynamic possibility for nebular Fischer‐Tropsch type (FTT) synthesis of condensed hydrocarbons on the surface of mineral grains from CO and H2 in an H2O-depleted and/or CO-rich environment. c ∞ 2001 Academic Press


COVID-19 was the catalyst for many processes that were actively developing in the previous period, including the further introduction of distance education in Russian higher educational institutions Russian higher education has faced new challenges due to the total transition to distance learning in the face of the pandemic In March–May 2020, a sociological study was conducted in a number of universities in Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Moscow The research purpose was to identify the main challenges universities faced during the pandemic and the prospects for the further development of distance education in Russian higher education The study used the qualitative and quantitative strategies: a questionnaire survey of students (N=500) from different fields of study (social, humanitarian, technical, economic ones) who received distance learning experience during the pandemic;in-depth interviews with teachers of Russian universities (N=20), frame analysis of students' cases on their daily practices in online educational interaction (N=42) The study made it possible to identify the challenges faced by Russian higher education in the total transition to distance education in a pandemic: the need to adapt students and teachers to work online (80% of respondents' answers);decline in the quality of education (62 7% of respondents' answers);changing the role of a teacher in the educational process (68% of the respondents' answers);digital divide in the digital culture of the younger and older generation of teachers (67% of respondents' answers);etc A number of contradictions were recorded in the further implementation of distance education in Russian higher education Considering that the policy towards digitalization in Russia has now been declared a priority, higher education cannot remain aloof from technological progress Besides, the further introduction of distance learning should take place with overcoming the challenges and contradictions faced by Russian higher education during the pandemic, while maintaining the national achievements of Russian higher education, acquired over its long history © 2020 LLC Ecological Help All rights reserved


Professor Leonard Petrovich Chepkiy MD, PhD, ScD, Professor, Honored Scientist of Ukraine, laureate of the State Award of Ukraine and the Award of Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Head of the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (1974-1991), a veteran of World War II (1943-1945), holder of the military orders and medals, Patriarch of Ukrainian cardio and neuroanaesthesia.


Background: Prescription of generic drugs can reduce costs without reducing quality. Lack of knowledge about the cost-effectiveness of generic medicines among the health-care professionals had led to a low rate of generic medicine prescription.

Aims and Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to explore knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of generic medicines among the prescribers in a tertiary care teaching hospital of Solapur, India.

Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational, and questionnaire-based study. A 19-item multiple choice questionnaires were distributed to the participants to assess their KAP regarding generic medicine.

Result: Around 42.86% of the participants knew that generic medicines are bioequivalent to their innovator brand name drugs and can be interchanged with their brand name innovator drugs whenever required. 155 (71.58%) participants stated that they would like to encourage the patient for using generic medicines.

Conclusion: In our study, we found that the prescribers had a fair knowledge regarding the concept of generic medicines. However, to further increase the rate of generic medicine prescription training programs on generic medicines, continuing medical educations, workshops, etc., should be organized.


Information Systems (IS) as a relatively new business discipline in Taiwan has grown rapidly in the last two decades and was once the first choice for high school students entering business schools. Even after the dot com bubble burst in 2000, it is still one of the most popular majors for college and graduate students. Most graduates have no problem finding jobs in high-tech manufacturing or service industries. This study explores the status of IS as a discipline in Taiwan by analyzing historical data collected from the IS professional association - the Chinese Association of Information Management (CSIM) and by examining characteristics of IS programs and IS research across 9 top-tier Taiwan universities. The findings indicate that the IS discipline is highly professionalized and is identified as a separate and mature field that enjoys a high level of respect in Taiwanese universities.


OBJECTIVE
To obtain the optimized extraction technology of Paeonia suffruticosa by comparing several extraction method.

METHOD
Extract P. suffruticosa by ethanol circumfluence, distillation-decoction, CO2-SFE and traditional decoction, and analyse the results according to the total extraction rate, extraction rate of paeono, extraction of other ingredients and production feasibility.

RESULT
Total extraction rates of which are 12.66%, 13.51%, 7.28%, 7.56% respectively; extraction rates of paeonol are 2.45%, 2.26%, 0.31%, 1.15% in turn; Phenolic glycosides can be extracted by ethanol circumfluence, distillation-decoction, traditional decoction, but not by CO2-SFE.

CONCLUSION
Distillation-decoction is the most proper extraction technology of P. suffuticosa at present.


Over the course of three years (2016–2018), the effects of insecticides on stem-mining weevils [(Ceutorhynchus pallidactylus (Marsham, 1802), Ceutorhynchus napi (Gyllenhal, 1837)] were assessed under field conditions. The dates for spraying were determined on the basis of the recorded percentages of weevil females carrying mature eggs in their ovaries (timing I: the first females with mature eggs present in yellow water traps; timing II: more than 50% of the females with mature eggs present). Delaying the first spring insecticide application till timing II made it possible to combine the control of the stem weevil along with the control of the pollen beetle, Brassicogethes aeneus (Fabricius, 1775). However, the poor effectiveness of the tested insecticides on the stem-mining weevils, regardless of the date they were sprayed, indicates it is impossible to successfully control the insect pests with one insecticide application during the seasons with prolonged egg-laying periods.


Positron emission tomography (PET) is currently the only feasible method for in-situ and noninvasive three-dimensional monitoring of the precision of the treatment in highly conformal ion therapy. Its positive clinical impact has been proven for fractionated carbon ion therapy of head and neck (H&N) tumors at the experimental facility at the Gesellschaft fur Schwerionenforschung (GSI), Darmstadt, Germany. Following previous promising experiments, the possible extension of the method to the monitoring of proton therapy has been investigated further in extensive in-beam measurements at GSI. Millimeter accuracy for verification of the lateral field position and for the most challenging issue of range monitoring has been demonstrated in monoenergetic and spread-out Bragg-peak (SOBP) proton irradiation of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) targets. The irradiation of an inhomogeneous phantom with tissue equivalent inserts in combination with further dynamic analysis has supported the extension of such millimeter precision to real clinical cases, at least in regions of interest for low perfused tissues. All the experimental investigations have been reproduced by the developed modeling rather well. This indicates the possible extraction of valuable clinical information as particle range in-vivo, irradiation field position, and even local deviations from the dose prescription on the basis of the comparison between measured and predicted activity distributions. Hence, the clinical feasibility of in-beam PET for proton therapy monitoring is strongly supported.


Liquid medium was investigated for creation of real 3D dynamic color images on a basis of laser breakdown effect experimentally. It was shown, that breakdown plasma flash in liquid can be used as a shining voxel of white color. Plasma flashing voxels were produced by means of YAG laser with repetition rate up to 2000Hz of nanosecond mJ pulses. Breakdown bubbles were found to be not hampering the displaying by flashes. Tens of liquids were tested concerning the lowest breakdown threshold. Up to now, tap water was found to be an optimal medium for displaying due to its low breakdown threshold, low attenuation of laser beam and safety. Seeing through electronic driven color filter made a burst of voxels to be perceived like colored one. TFT matrix from LCD was successfully used for the test coloring. A kind of hysteresis was also found out for dependence of laser breakdown probability on laser repetition rate for fixed laser beam in tap water.


This study evaluates the home advantage (percentage of points obtained playing at home) in Home Nations (HN), Five Nations (FN) and Six Nations (SN) tournaments between 1883 and 2011 obtaining a global significant value (p<0.001) of 60.99±1.57. The home advantage (HA) was calculated during different periods of the competitions taking into account the tournaments and teams (between 4 and 6 participants, depending on the competition). The HA is significant in all the periods, except in the HN 1932-1999. The evolution of the values of the HA is irregular until the professionalism of rugby (1995) a moment from which the values stabilize. The comparison in the HA between the different types of competitions didn't find any significant values. When the HA was compared between the teams significant differences were found (p<0.001) at a global level, in FN and SN tournaments. The classification of a team (-0.720) and the number of points won (0.729) has a significant association with the HA.


The last 10 years witnessed a considerable increase in our knowledge of brain function in survivors to severe brain injuries with disorders of consciousness (DOC). At the same time, a growing interest developed for the use of functional neuroimaging as a new diagnostic tool in these patients. In this context, particular attention has been devoted to connectivity studies-as these, more than measures of brain metabolism, may be more appropriate to capture the dynamics of large populations of neurons. Here, we will review the pros and cons of various connectivity methods as potential diagnostic tools in brain-damaged patients with DOC. We will also discuss the relevance of the study of the level versus the contents of consciousness in this context.


AIMS
In several clinical and pre-clinical studies, application of ranolazine (RAN) led to suppression of atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether RAN can suppress AF in an experimental rabbit whole heart model, in which acute haemodynamic changes trigger AF. Ranolazine was compared with flecainide and sotalol as established antiarrhythmic agents.

METHODS AND RESULTS
In 60 Langendorff-perfused, isolated rabbit hearts, AF episodes were evoked by burst pacing with a fixed number of stimuli at baseline and following acute atrial stretch. Data were obtained in the absence and presence of acute dilatation of the left atrium (20 mmHg) at baseline and after drug application (RAN 10 µM, n = 10; flecainide 2 µM, n = 10; sotalol 50 µM, n = 10). Application of sotalol, but not RAN or flecainide increased the atrial action potential duration at 90% repolarization (aAPD90); however, both RAN (+8 ms) and flecainide (+13 ms) increased interatrial conduction time. All three drugs caused a significant increase in atrial effective refractory period (aERP) and, thus, an increase in atrial post-repolarization refractoriness (aPRR: +11 ms each, P < 0.05). Acute dilatation of the left atrium reduced aAPD90 and aERP. The described drug effects were preserved in the setting of acute atrial dilatation. Acute atrial dilatation significantly increased the incidence of AF. Ranolazine and flecainide, but not sotalol, decreased the number of responses.

CONCLUSION
Ranolazine-related sodium channel block is preserved upon acute atrial stretch. Ranolazine suppresses stretch-induced AF by increasing interatrial conduction time and aPRR. These results shed further evidence on the potential role of RAN in the prevention of AF. This might also apply to clinical conditions that are associated with haemodynamic or mechanical disorders, leading to acute dilatation of the atria.


Percutaneous transluminal primary angioplasty (PTCA) has become an accepted therapy for treatment of acute myocardial infarction. Coronary stenting in the setting of acute myocardial infarction has been found to have several advantages, and has been successfully performed routinely at various centers. However, we are unaware of any report that describes successful angioplasty performed on two simultaneously occluded coronary arteries (the deadly double infarct syndrome). This is the first report of successful primary angioplasty with stenting performed on a patient with occlusion of two vessels simultaneously. We review the literature and suggest that this may prove to be a viable alternative in an emergency in two-vessel coronary artery bypass grafting.


This paper provides an overview of a research program examining the antecedents and consequences of safety climate and safety behaviour. A model is presented identifying the linkages between safety climate, safety knowledge, safety motivation, and safety behaviour. Findings from a series of studies are reviewed that support the hypothesized linkages between safety climate and safety behaviour. Longitudinal analyses have examined the role of additional factors, such as general organisational climate, supportive leadership and conscientiousness as sources of stability and change in safety climate and safety behaviour. Further developments of the model, aimed at integrating safety behaviour into broader models of work effectiveness, are also discussed.


Staged human embryos and fetuses in the Carnegie Embryological Collection were morphometrically analyzed to show craniofacial dimensions and changes in spatial relations, and to identify patterns that would reflect normal developmental events during palatal formation. Normal embryos aged 7-8 weeks postconception (Streeter-O'Rahilly stages 19-23) and fetuses aged 9-10 weeks postconception, in eight groups with mean crown-rump (CR) lengths of 18-49 mm, were studied with cephalometric methods developed for histologic sections. In the 4-week period studied, facial dimensions increased predominantly in the sagittal plane with extensive changes in length (depth) and height, but limited changes in width. Growth of the mandible was more rapid than the nasomaxillary complex, and the length of Meckel's cartilage exceeded the length of the oronasal cavity at the time of horizontal movement of the shelves during stage 23. Simultaneously with shelf elevation, the upper craniofacial complex lifted, and the tongue and Meckel's cartilage extended forward beneath the primary palate. Analysis of spatial relations in the oronasal cavity showed that the palatomaxillary processes became separated from the tongue--mandibular complex as the head extended, and the tongue became positioned forward with growth of Meckel's cartilage. As the head position extended by 35 degrees, the cranial base angulation was unchanged and the primary palate maintained a 90 degrees position to the posterior cranial base. However, the sagittal position of the maxilla relative to the anterior cranial base increased by 20 degrees between stages 19 and 23. In the late embryonic and early fetal periods, the mean cranial base angulation of approximately 128 degrees and the mean maxillary position angulation of approximately 84 degrees were similar to the angulations previously shown to be present later prenatally and post-natally. The results suggest that human patterns of cranial base angulation and maxillary position to the cranial base develop during the late embryonic period when the chondrocranium and Meckel's cartilage form the primary skeleton.


Cell fusion in Leishmania infantum and L. tropica was recorded by means of a camera and a video system. Promastigotes were obtained from cultures in both cases. Fusion began with attachment of the posterior extremities of two ovoid flagellates. Complete fusion, with disappearance of adjacent cell membranes took about five minutes. In parallel, the flagella appear larger and shorter. These observations support the hypothesis of genetic exchanges suggested by analysis of DNA and enzymatic proteins.


In this paper, we consider communication on a two-hop channel in which a source wants to send information reliably and securely to the destination via a relay. We consider both the untrusted relay case and the external eavesdropper case. In the untrusted relay case, the relay behaves as an eavesdropper, and there is a cooperative node, which sends a jamming signal to confuse the relay when it is receiving from the source. In the external eavesdropper case, the relay is trusted, and there is an external node eavesdropping the communication. We propose two secure transmission schemes using the scaled compute-and-forward technique. One of the schemes is based on a random binning code, and the other one is based on a lattice chain code. It is proved that in the high signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) scenario and/or the limited relay power scenario, if the destination is used as the jammer, both schemes outperform all existing schemes and achieve the upper bound. In particular, if the SNR is large and the source, the relay, and the cooperative jammer have identical power and channels, both schemes achieve the upper bound for secrecy rate, which is merely 1/2 bit per channel use lower than the channel capacity without secrecy constraints. We also prove that one of our schemes achieves a positive secrecy rate in the external eavesdropper case in which the relay is trusted and there exists an external eavesdropper.


Al-Dalmaj marsh and the near surrounding area is a very promising area for energy resources, tourism, agricultural and industrial activities. Over the past century, the Al-Dalmaje marsh and near surroundings area endrous from a number of changes. The current study highlights the spatial and temporal changes detection in land cover for Al-Dalmaj marsh and near surroundings area using different analyses methods the supervised maximum likelihood classification method, the Normalized  Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Geographic Information Systems(GIS),  and Remote Sensing (RS). Techniques spectral indices were used in this study to determine the change of wetlands and drylands area and of other land classes, through analyses Landsat images for different three years (1990, 2003, 2016). The results indicated that there was an annual increase in vegetation was from 1990 with 980.68 km2, and 1420.35km2 in 2003 to 2072.98km2 in 2016. Whereas, the annual water coverage was about 185.95km2 in 1990 then dropped to 68.27km2 in 2003, and rose to 180.23 km2 in 2016. The water coverage increasing was on the account of barren lands areas, which were significantly decreased. These collected data can be used to deliver accurate information of the values of vegetation,water, wetlands and drylands sustainability of resources which can be used to make plans to increase tourism and protected areas by using barren lands which cannot be reclaimed for agriculture, and cultivate a new renewable energy can be set up  as solar power stations.


Fibre is an important component of diet and nutrition and is one of the groups of biologically important substances consumed in insufficient quantity. One possibility to increase its intake is to enrich with fibre the food consumed in significant quantities, such as bread and pastries. The aim of this experimental work was to verify the influence of the addition of commercially produced potato fibre Potex to wheat flour and to evaluate the changes in physical properties of subsequently prepared doughs. The addition of 1%, 3%, 5% and 7% of Potex has been chosen and rheological properties were evaluated by the means of E-Farinograph (consistency, water absorption, dough development time, stability and degree of softening), Extensograph-E (resistance to extension, maximal resistance to extension, extensibility, extensibility maximum and energy dough), and Amylograph-E (beginning of gelatinization, viscosity, maximum of gelatinization). The addition of Potex depending on the amount changed the physical dough properties: above 3% of addition significantly increased the beginning of gelatinization and with increasing addition the maximum of gelatinization has increased. Based on the evaluation of farinograph curves it can be concluded that the addition of Potex increased water absorption of composite flours, prolonged dough development time and dough stability. Extensograph measurements showed, with increasing addition of Potex the decrease in dough extension. All doughs were easy to process and with the suitable amount of addition their satisfactory parameters could be maintained. From a technological point of view, the addition of fibre (Potex) up to 3% was fully acceptable and did not significantly alter the rheological properties of processed doughs.


Toxicity often limits the utility of oncology drugs, and optimization of dose schedule represents one option for mitigation of this toxicity. Here we explore the schedule-dependency of neutropenia, a common dose-limiting toxicity. To this end, we analyze previously published mathematical models of neutropenia to identify a pharmacokinetic (PK) predictor of the neutrophil nadir, and confirm this PK predictor in an in vivo experimental system. Specifically, we find total AUC and Cmax are poor predictors of the neutrophil nadir, while a PK measure based on the moving average of the drug concentration correlates highly with neutropenia. Further, we confirm this PK parameter for its ability to predict neutropenia in vivo following treatment with different doses and schedules. This work represents an attempt at mechanistically deriving a fundamental understanding of the underlying pharmacokinetic drivers of neutropenia, and provides insights that can be leveraged in a translational setting during schedule selection.


This research work is classified in the line of nursing care and practice from the Nursing Faculty of the National University of Colombia, Bogota office. It is of the type "descriptive with quantitative approach". It identifies the care perception in elderly people that attend nursing consultations, as well as the care perception of nursing professionals that performed said consultations. It describes the dimensions of caring behaviors perceived by elderly people that attend nursing consultations and the dimensions of caring behaviors of nursing professionals, with the purpose of promoting lines of work taking into account the perspectives of the subject tended to (the elderly). The study subjects were 74 elderly men (older adults of 60 years of age) and 54 nurses from the province of Cocle, Republic of Panama. The instrument used to collect data was the caring behavior inventory of Wolf (1986), submitted to facial validation and judgment by experts in the city of Panama. The analysis of each one of the instrument items was performed separately with both elderly people and nursing professionals and the observer. Subsequently a global analysis of each dimension was performed and the answers of each group were compared to establish their perception in relation with caring behaviors. In conclusion, the results show that in spite the existence of important differences in the perception of elderly people and nursing professionals in relation with caring behaviors, these differences are rational and expected. The nursing professionals are influenced by philosophy beliefs intrinsic to the profession; the elderly people by the way they are, think and live. The nursing consultation has a continuous and permanent nature, based on a holistic and individualized care that enables adding value to the care of elderly people during nursing consultations in the first level of attention which are classified in the principles of primary health care.


The authors developed methods for calculating labour cost for the project design specifications on field development, which will help to evaluate the cost of works, standard term of project, required number of experts for each stage of work and standard term for each stage. The authors present the process of development of the concept step-by-step as well as basic approaches, methods and formulas which have been applied when developing the concept. The article highlights advantages and weak points of the concept, allows to use the described approaches, when analyzing the similar processes, and to estimate extra options. The indicators of Rosneft Oil Company deposits were used as the database for the concept while writing the article.


The crucial requirement of molecular genetic methods is high-quality input material. The key question is "how to preserve DNA during long-term storage." Biobanks are recommended to aliquot isolated DNA into provided volumes. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of repeated freezing and thawing on the genomic DNA integrity, quality and concentration. The aliquoted DNA isolated from blood cells using the automatic MagNA system and manual salting out method underwent freeze/thaw cycles at different storage conditions (-20 °C, -80 °C and liquid nitrogen). The average initial concentrations were 270.6 ng/μl (salting out method) and 125.0 ng/μl (MagNA). All concentration deviations relative to the concentration after the first freeze/ thaw cycle were less than 5 % for -20 °C and -80 °C cycling with both isolation methods. The average percentage differences of liquid nitrogen samples were higher, and the MagNA isolation method showed significant differences. There were no significant changes in the DNA purity or quality. The repeating freeze/ thaw up to 100 cycles (through -20 °C and -80 °C, respectively) did not significantly influence the integrity, concentration, or purity of genomic DNA, suggesting that storage of samples in high-volume pools without multiple aliquoting is possible. Storage in a freezer seems to be the most suitable way of long-term DNA preservation, because liquid nitrogen storage leads to formation of DNA clumps.


An accurate record of the left ventricular pressure pulse in the dog is difficult to register, and often cannot be recognized unless a comparison with a simultaneously recorded pulse from the ascending aorta is made. What seem reliable records usually indicate a transient pressure excess over the aortic level when ejection presumably is beginning. Hence, there is a lag of some 5 msec. between the time when the ventricular pressure reaches the aortic diastolic pressure level and the start of the aortic pulse. The timing of the latter is coincident with an inflection on the slope of ventricular pressure rise. The start of the pulse requires little, if any, transmission lag for the first part of the ascending aorta, but does for the descending aorta. The incisura, in contrast, shows a propagation delay from the very mouth of the aorta. The initial steep slope of the aortic pulse, and the height of the inflection, are not necessarily related to the slope of the ventricular pulse, or the excess ventricular pressure height-initiating ejection.


Fanfiction is a fiction based on situations and characters that have been created by someone else. It is written by fans who use original texts to create their own art and culture.Writing fanfiction is something that fans do together. They discuss original texts, share their views and opinions about plot and characters, and create common interpretation that can be used by other fandom members They also participate in creating new texts by commenting on fanficks published by other fans. Writing is not only a way to express fans opinions about their favourite books and shows, but also an opportunity to spend time with people sharing their interests Analysis of fan-created texts shows not only its importance to individual fans, but also a vital role writing fanfiction plays in building fan communities and creating bonds between their members


Patients with germline neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) microdeletions frequently exhibit hereditary syndromes such as cardiovascular anomalies and have an increased risk of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). This study aimed to identify the genes codeleted with SUZ12 that are related to MPNST. We used differential gene expression and enrichment analyses to analyze the SUZ12-mutant and SUZ12-wild-type gene expression profiles in the GSE118186 and GSE66743 datasets in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). PPI network analysis combined with MPNST patient survival analysis was used to identify ADCY1, which catalyzes the conversion of ATP to cAMP, as a key gene. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) showed that the distribution of H3K27me3 in the ADCY1 promoter region and gene body was significantly reduced in SUZ12-mutant cells. To verify the role of ADCY1 in SUZ12 mutation, we used RNA interference and plasmid transfection to interfere with SUZ12 expression in plexiform neurofibroma (pNF) and MPNST cell lines and then treated the cells with forskolin, IBMX and H89. ERK phosphorylation was accelerated and prolonged after siRNA transfection, especially in ipNF05.5 cells, and the intensity and duration of ERK activation were reduced after SUZ12 overexpression. Importantly, the level of p-ERK was consistent with that of Rap1-GTP. Moreover, H89 completely blocked Rap1 activation and the changes in the p-ERK level after SUZ12 siRNA transfection. In conclusion, our findings suggested that SUZ12 loss potentiates the effects of NF1 mutations by amplifying Ras signaling through the ADCY1/cAMP/Rap1/ERK pathway and that SUZ12 may serve as a therapeutic and prognostic biomarker in NF1-associated neurofibromas.


During the registration of 3D CAD models of metallic knee implant components to single-plane sagittal fluoroscopy images, the 3D pose of each implant component is estimated by maximizing the similarity between its 2D image appearance and the observed fluoroscopy image. Because knee implant components are highly symmetrical with respect to the sagittal plane, two significantly different model poses result in 2D image projections very similar to an observed sagittal fluoroscopy image. Traditional 2D/3D registration algorithms tend to converge to one of these symmetrical poses discarding the other one. This paper presents a method which simultaneously estimates both symmetrical solutions. In order not to limit the proposed method to 3D models with an exact plane of symmetry, a completely data-driven symmetry constraint is used which is imposed to the estimated pose parameters. The algorithm is embedded in a statistical framework which is optimized using a deterministic annealing expectation-maximization approach. The validity of the method is demonstrated by registration of the tibial knee implant component to real and simulated fluoroscopy images.


Objective Approximately 15%–20% of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) are unable to walk independently at 6 months from the onset of neurological symptom. The modified Erasmus GBS outcome score (mEGOS) has been reported as a prognostic tool. Herein we investigated the association between a poor outcome, inability to walk independently at 6 months and presence of antiganglioside antibodies. Methods The clinical and serological data of 177 patients with GBS were retrospectively collected in Japan to assess the associations between a poor outcome and serum IgG antibodies against each ganglioside (GM1, GD1a, GalNAc-GD1a, GQ1b and GT1a). In addition, we investigated whether the combination of mEGOS and serum IgG antibodies against gangliosides is useful in predicting a poor outcome. Results The patients with IgG anti-GD1a antibodies more frequently showed poor outcomes than those without these antibodies (9 (36%) of 25 vs 8 (6%) of 127 patients, p<0.001). Particularly, 80% showed a poor outcome when they had both serum IgG anti-GD1a antibody and a high mEGOS of ≥10 on day 7 of admission. Conclusions The combination of serum IgG anti-GD1a antibodies and a high mEGOS could help in making a more accurate prognosis of patients than mEGOS alone, especially for predicting poor outcomes.


Background & objectives: Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, and its prevention is expected to increase in the future appreciably. Following the emergence of the new field of nutritional genetics and investigations about the effect of natural antioxidants on the hypermethylation of genes, this study was performed to measure the effect of Vaccinium arctostaphylos poly phenols and anthocyanins on PC-3 cell line as well as methylation and expression changes of GSTP1 gene. Methods: In order to evaluate the survival potency of PC-3 cell line in a completely randomized design, MTT test was used and these cells were treated with different concentrations of Vaccinium arctostaphylos extract (4500, 2250, 1125, 562.5, 140.62, 70.31, 35.15, 17.57, 8.78, 4.39 μg/ml) for 24, 48 and 72 hours. Expression level of GSTP1 gene was analyzed by Q-RT-PCR method in 2500, 1250, 625, 312 and 156 μg/ml concentrations of Vaccinium. Results: Statistical results showed that Vaccinium arctostaphylos poly phenolic extract at 35-70 ppm concentration significantly reduced the survival rate of PC-3 cells. Moreover, compared to control cells, the expression level of GST gene significantly increased in PC-3 cells treated with 1250ppm extract. Conclusion: Anthocyaninpolyphenolic extract from Vaccinium arctostaphylos can decrease the survival rate of cancerous cells and GST gene expression in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. This may be explained by changes in cell carcinogenesis pathway or CpG demethylation process.


Although lactation mastitis (LM) has been extensively researched, the incidence rate of LM remains a salient clinical problem. To reduce this incidence rate and achieve a better prognosis, early and specific quantitative indicators are particularly important. It has been found that milk electrolyte concentrations (chloride, potassium, and sodium) and electrical conductivity (EC) significantly change in the early stages of LM in an animal model. Several studies have evaluated EC for the detection of subclinical mastitis in cows. EC, chloride, and sodium content of milk were more accurate for predicting infection status than were other variables. In the early stages of LM, lactic sodium, chloride, and EC increase, but potassium decreases. However, these indicators have not been reported in the diagnosis of LM in humans. This review summarizes the pathogenesis and the mechanism of LM in terms of milk electrolyte concentration and EC, and aim to provide new ideas for the detection of sub-clinical mastitis in humans.


OBJECTIVES
This study aims to determine whether there is a difference in the rate of survival and risk of revision for mobile-bearing (MB) compared with fixed-bearing (FB) total knee replacements (TKRs).

PATIENTS AND METHODS
This prospective observational study included 1,571 cemented non-posterior-stabilized TKRs without patellar resurfacing with the subsequent revision surgery in 63 patients (23 males, 40 females; mean age 69.7 years; range, 46.5 to 85.5 years). The group of FB TKRs consisted of 756 non-revised and 31 revised implants. The group of MB TKRs included 752 non-revised and 32 revised knees. We determined the survival rate of TKR with Kaplan-Meier method and the relative risk (RR) of the revision in relation to the type of the insert. The analysis of the RR was divided into subgroups based on the time to revision and the reason for revision.

RESULTS
No significant difference was found between FB and MB TKRs regarding the cumulative survival rate and the RR of total revision for any reasons. In the subgroup of early revisions for any reason, 2.22-fold increased risk of revision was found in the MB (p=0.02). The risk of late revisions for any reason in MB was lower than the risk in FB (RR 0.27; p=0.009). Higher risk of revision for instability was found in the subgroup of early revisions in MB (RR 23.8; p=0.03). MB was associated with significantly lower risk of total (RR 0.46; p=0.049) and late revisions for aseptic loosening (RR 0.14; p=0.008).

CONCLUSION
No differences were found in the cumulative survival rates between MB and FB TKRs. MB TKRs were associated with a lower risk of revision due to aseptic loosening in comparison with FB TKRs. MB inserts represented a significant risk factor only for early revisions due to instability.


Though LDPC codes have been accepted by DVB-S2, the LDPC encode of DVB-S2 (Digital Video Broadcasting Satellite Second Generation) are difficult to be implemented for their huge code lengths of 16200 bits and 64800 bits). To shorten the codes will lead the problems of girth-4 and lower weight codes. This paper analyzed the possible reasons leading to the problems, and revised the current code construction of DVB-S2. The simulation results in the AWGN channel show that the BER performance of the improved LDPC codes is much better than that of the former shorten codes.


Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the topical use of chamomile oil as a complementary method in the improvement of infantile colic symptoms. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was carried out on 74 infants with colic at Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences in Sabzevar, Iran. The infants were randomly allocated into two groups. In the intervention group, chamomile oil was applied topically on the abdominal region three times a day for 14 days. The placebo group received paraffin oil in a similar manner. A data collection form was daily filled out for all infants by their parents. Number and duration of crying episodes and duration of sleep were assessed at the baseline and on the 7th and 14th days of the intervention. Results: Results showed that there was a significant difference in the crying time of the two groups on days 7 and 14 as compared to that at the baseline (P=0.03 and P=0.002, respectively). There was a significant increase in sleep duration only on the 14th day of treatment as compared with that at the baseline (P=0.01). Although the number of crying episodes in both groups decreased, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.08). Based on the regression test, although the values obtained on days 1 and 7 were not statistically significant, compared to those at the baseline, the number of crying episodes decreased on the 14th day (95% CI: -115.39 to -15.04; P=0.012). Conclusion: Topical consumption of chamomile oil may be used as a complementary, safe, and cost-effective way to improve and reduce the symptoms of infantile colic.


It is well-known (see [2]) that the finite symmetric group Sn has rank 2. Specifically, it is known that the cyclic permutations generate Sn,. It easily follows (and has been observed by Vorob'ev [9]) that the full transformation semigroup on n (< ∞) symbols has rank 3, being generated by the two generators of Sn, together with an arbitrarily chosen element of defect 1. (See Clifford and Preston [1], example 1.1.10.) The rank of Singn, the semigroup of all singular self-maps of {1, …, n}, is harder to determine: in Section 2 it is shown to be ½n(n − 1) (for n ≽ 3). The semigroup Singn it is known to be generated by idempotents [4] and so it is possible to define the idempotent rank of Singn as the cardinality of the smallest possible set P of idempotents for which  = Singn. This is of course potentially greater than the rank, but in fact the two numbers turn out to be equal.


Objective: To investigate the liver function in liver cirrhosis patients with portal hypertension after splenectomy.Methods: Liver cirrhosis patients with portal hypertension in Division Ⅰ,First Hepatobiliary Surgery Center,302 Hospital was enrolled in our study from April 2010 to December 2011.Clinical data were analyzed retrospectively.Results: A total of 480 liver cirrhosis patients with portal hypertension was conducted with splenectomy,including 450 cases combined with pericardial devascularization,30 cases with splenectomy alone.Portal venous flow(PVF) and free portal vein pressure(FPP) were decreased(1368±402 vs 986±295 ml/min,30±6 vs 26±5 cm H2O,respectively) and hepatic blood flow(HAF) was increased(412±68 vs 526±132 ml/min) after operation.R15 ICG was tended to be decreased though no significance was not reached.Additionally,the proportion of patients with Child Pugh class A was increased from 85% to 95% after splenectomy.Other indicators such as total bilirubin(TBil),prothrombin time(PT),and ascites disappearance were also improved after operation.Conclusion: Increase of HAF and decrease of portal systemic shunting were conducive to recover of liver function thought PVF was decreased after splenectomy.


Objective: To identify the influence of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4)on left ventricular diastolic function and the expression of protein kinase C&egr; (PKC&egr;) in desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) salt hypertensive mice. Design and Method: Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into operation group and Sham operation. Mice in operation group were resected of the left kidney and implanted DOCA pill in the cervical part, after operation, mice were randomly divided into DOCA group and DOCA+BH4 group. Mice in Sham operation were only separated the left kidney instead of resecting it, and placebo pill was put in the cervical part, after operation, mice were randomly separated into Sham group and Sham+BH4 group. Arterial pressure, echocardigraphy and hemodynamic method were used to investigate the DOCA model establishment, cardiac structure and function on day 21 after operation. The next day cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), malonaldehyde, BH4 and PKC&egr; were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, Western-blot or high-Performance liquid chromatography in cardiac tissues of all euthanized mice. Results: Compared to Sham group, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in DOCA group were increased (P < 0.05). E/E', EDPVR and Tau index werei increased in DOCA group when compared with Sham group. After BH4 treatment in DOCA mice. EDPVR and Tau index were reduced.Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nitric oxide (NO) in DOCA group were reduced when compared with Sham group. After BH4 treatment in DOCA mice, SOD and NO were increased. Compared to Sham group, the protein level of PKC&egr; in DOCA group was decreased (P < 0.05), while it was increased inDOCA+BH4 group as compared with DOCA group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: BH4 had little effect on BP,but it could improve left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in hypertensive mice, which was related to lowering the levels of oxidative stress, increasing amounts of NO by upregulating PKC &egr; signaling pathway.


: Intense research efforts in electrochemical energy storage are being devoted to multivalent ion technologies in order to meet the growing demands for high energy and low-cost energy storage systems. However, the development of multivalent metal (such as Mg and Ca) based battery systems is hindered by lack of suitable cathode chemistries that show well reversible multi-electron redox reactions. Cationic redox centers in the classical cathodes could only afford stepwise single electron transfer, which we believe are not ideal for multivalent ion storage. The possible local charge balance issue would set additional kinetic barrier for ion mobility. Therefore, most of the multivalent battery cathodes only exhibit slope-like voltage profiles with insertion/extraction redox of less than one electron. To address this issue, we propose to activate anionic redox chemistry enabling multi-electron transfer in insertion cathodes for high-energy multivalent batteries. Taking VS 4 as a model material, reversible two-electron redox with synergetic cationic-anionic contribution has been verified in both rechargeable Mg batteries (RMBs) and rechargeable Ca batteries (RCBs). The corresponding cells exhibit high capacities of > 300 mAh g −1 at a current density of 100 mA g −1 in both RMBs and RCBs, resulting in a high energy density of >300 Wh kg −1 for RMBs and >500 Wh kg −1 for RCBs. Mechanistic studies reveal the unique redox activity at anionic sulphides moieties and demonstrate fast Mg 2+ ion diffusion kinetics enabled by the soft structure and flexible electron configuration of VS 4 . The concept of coupling a cathode based on anionic redox reactions with a multivalent metal anode provides a general approach towards high performance multivalent batteries. based on disulphide anions renders such material well suited for multivalent metal based batteries and capable of multi-electron transfer reaction in RMBs and RCBs, thus providing a high capacity of > 300 mAh g −1 and a high energy density (> 300 Wh kg −1 for RMBs and > 500 Wh kg −1 for RCBs). The strategy involving anionic redox chemistry would provide a new perspective for the development of high performance cathode materials for multivalent batteries.


Tetrahymena pyriformis strain HSM secrete large quantities of lysosomal acid hydrolases into the medium. The finding that 2 isozymes of beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase (2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucoside acetamidodeoxyglucohydrolase; EC 188.8.131.52) could be resolved by DEAE ion exchange chromatography and of possible differences between the secreted mixture and the intralysosomal hexosaminidase activity suggested that Tetrahymena might prove useful for studies of the control of lysosomal hydrolase isozyme secretion. In the present paper, we report a considerable purification of these isozymes and describe a number of their kinetic properties. Four isozymes were isolated into 2 major forms, A1 and B1, and 2 minor forms, A2 and B2, which were similar to the respective major forms in all kinetic properties tested. Hexosaminidase B1 has a molecular weight of approximately 93,000 daltons and is inhibited by high concentrations of p-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide. The inhibition is reversed by ethanol. Hexosaminidase B1 has a molecular weight of approximately 93,000 daltons and is inhibited by high concentrations of p-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide. The inhibition is reversed by ethanol. Hexosaminidase A1 has a molecular weight of approximately 170,000 and is not inhibited by high concentrations of substrate. The A forms are relatively less active against p-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-beta-D-galactosaminide than the B forms. Neither hexosaminidases A1 or B1 has any endo-beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase activity. Comparison of the properties of the 2 major isozymes suggested that measurements of activity obtained under different assay conditions could be used to quantitate the amount of each isozyme in a mixture of the two. Log- and early stationary-phase cells secrete approximately 20% of isozyme A and 80% of isozyme B into the medium or into a dilute salt solution. With increasing culture age the fraction of isozyme A secreted rises to over 90%. Supplementation of the proteose-peptone growth medium with glucose causes a decrease in total hexosaminidase subsequently secreted but with no change in proportion of each isozyme. Cells suspended in a dilute salt solution containing 0.1 mM L-propranolol secrete slightly more isozyme A than do control cells suspended without L-propranolol. Phenoxybenzamine (0.2 mM) causes a slight decrease in the proportion of isozyme A released.


Rural solid waste management is a severe challenge in China. The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is an effective method for rural solid waste management. However, policy efforts aimed at stimulating the adoption of PPP in rural solid waste management have been limited in their success. This study aims to empirically investigate the determinants of rural solid waste management PPP adoption in China. First, this study builds a theoretical model that consists of factors related to the institutional environment and market and proposes theoretical hypotheses. Then, using the balanced provincial panel data of 150 samples from 2015 to 2019, this study applies various count regression models and truncated regression models to empirically test the theoretical hypotheses. The results show that provinces with higher fiscal transparency, financial burdens, and market demand tend to adopt more PPP, while provinces with lower per capita GDP and market openness index ratings have a stronger motivation to initiate more PPP. In contrast, investment institutional environment factors have no impact on PPP adoption. To stimulate the development of PPP in rural solid waste management, this study proposed that a good-governed government and a strong market demand are critical foundations, and also a debt-risk prevention and evaluation system should be established to avoid local debt risks resulting from over-adoption of PPP.


The nonintrusive polynomial chaos expansion method is used to quantify the uncertainty of a stochastic system. It potentially reduces the number of numerical simulations in modeling process, thus improving efficiency while ensuring accuracy. However, the number of polynomial bases grows substantially with the increase of random parameters, which may render the technique ineffective due to the excessive computational resources. To address such problems, methods based on the sparse strategy such as the least angle regression (LARS) method with hyperbolic index sets can be used. This paper presents the first work to improve the accuracy of the original LARS method for uncertainty quantification. We propose an adaptive LARS method in order to quantify the uncertainty of the results from the numerical simulations with higher accuracy than the original LARS method. The proposed method outperforms the original LARS method in terms of accuracy and stability. The L2 regularization scheme further reduces the number of input samples while maintaining the accuracy of the LARS method.


We develop a model of bargaining and litigation in the context of patent licensing (or any contractual setting). Following Priest and Klein (1984) we developed a model that explicitly allows for (1) multiple parties (leading to asymmetry of stakes), (2) binding precedent, and (3) pre-dispute bargaining done in the "shadow" of precedent-setting courts. The pre-dispute bargaining creates an endogenous opportunity cost of litigation for both plaintiff and defendant; i.e., the harm is endogenous. We show that the effects of asymmetric stakes on the litigation rate and plaintiff win rate are offset by opportunity costs (forgone licensing). That is, the degree of asymmetry does not appear to substantially impact the rate of litigation or the observed win rate of plaintiffs at trial. This result is in stark contrast to the previous theoretical literature, and has implications for interpreting the empirical literature.


Powder-based additive manufacturing (AM) technology has increasingly attracted attention because it realizes fabrication of arbitral three-dimensional structures with a great degree of freedom at high speed, which is almost impossible using conventional manufacturing tools. In early times, AM was known as a rapid prototyping (RP) which merely aimed at a trial prototyping of products mainly from resin materials. Today, thanks to the progress in the heat source, optical system, raw material production, etc., the expected role of AM has dramatically changed into a direct fabrication of final or near-final products made from a variety of materials from resins to ceramics, metals, and intermetallic compounds. Because the powder-based AM is a bottom-up manufacturing method, it offers a big advantage for the small-lot production of a wide range of products; therefore, tailor-made product portfolio is a potent target of AM. In this review paper, the advantage and possibility of AM in the development of functional metallic biomaterials for orthopedic usage is described. Medical treatments need to be flexibly done in accordance with individual pathological conditions and constitutions, therefore, the function of a medical device should be tunable, which is quite a strength of AM.