Until recently, the model of student support operating at Sheffield City Polytechnic (SCP) in England involved pairing each student with a tutor, defining an entitlement of time for the student, specifying a minimum time commitment for which the tutor is required to be available, and leaving it up to the tutor and student to get together as best they can. A number of factors have put this personal tutorial system under great strain, including the tutors' other responsibilities for research and course development, the premium placed upon career advice, financial constraints, the development of unit-based course structures, and the invalidation of unspoken assumptions about the characteristics of polytechnic students and their needs for support. In many departments, the lecturer with overall responsibility for the first year of a particular course was becoming a key figure in student support. Yet in most cases, the first-year tutors, if not actually ill-equipped, felt ill-prepared for such a role. In view of all of these difficulties, it was proposed that a unit for tutorial development be created to: (1) insure that tutors have adequate information about SCP; (2) assist teaching staff in their role as tutors to individual students; (3) offer professional support to tutors and establish links with external agencies which offer advice to students; (4) provide training opportunities for staff to update their knowledge and skills and enhance their understanding of student problems; and (5) advise course leaders and course planning committees. There can be no possibility of implemen*ing such a far-reaching scheme until the school's current funding upheavals have subsided. In the immediate future, efforts shall focus on investigating tutors' problems and practices, preparing training materials, learning how students help each other, and examining course induction procedures. In addition, staff members with an interest in student support will be eligible for enrollment in a newly created course in "Study Support and Tutoring." (ALB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. IMPROVING STUDENT SUPPORT SYSTEMS THROUGH STAFF DEVELOPMENT IN AN ENGLISH POLYTECHNIC


Autoimmune pancreatitis is characterised by diffuse enlargement of pancreas, narrowing of pancreatic duct, lymphoplasmacytic infiltrations and fibrosis. The disease is responsive to corticosteroid. We report the case of a 32-year-old male who presented with unilateral exophthalmos and obstructive jaundice secondary to pancreatic head mass and biliary tract stricture. Serum immunoglobulin G level was raised with a very high immunoglobulin G4 subclass. Ophthalmological imaging revealed unilateral thickening of extraocular muscles. The patient responded well to corticosteroid with resolution of biliary strictures, pancreatic head mass and exophthalmos.


We report the case of a 53 year-old woman with a gastric tumor showing morphological, phenotypical and molecular features of a plasmablastic lymphoma, a recently recognized subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The tumor was composed of plasmablast-like cells, lacked CD45 and B-cell associated antigens, expressed the plasma cell-associated antigen CD38, and showed clonally rearranged IgH genes in the absence of bcl-2 and bcl-6 genes rearrangement.


Treatment of an α-amino acid with N-bromosuccinimide in water at pH 5 or in an alcoholic-aqueous ammonium chloride mixture, followed by addition of nickel(II) chloride and sodium borohydride, effected an overall decarboxylation via an intermedi- ate nitrile to afford the corresponding amine in good yield.


Background Early active treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by a rheumatologist and adherence to the prescribed drugs are crucial factors for inducing remission and preventing irreversible joint damage1,2. However, Greece's fiscal situation has inevitably impacted the healthcare sector by raising barriers to patient access to treatment and medication and limits to patient and doctor education3. Hence, identifying obstacles/adherence issues and attempting to overcome them is essential to improving RA care. Objectives The objectives of this national patient study were to record: a) the patient journey from the 1st symptom until official diagnosis and the physician specialties that were visited, b) the potential barriers in access to treatment and medicines and c) the possible adherence issues for patients suffering from RA in Greece. Methods An innovative research method was followed, using a structured questionnaire. Using a stratified sampling methodology, 1,030,000 randomly selected households were contacted over the telephone, via an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system asking them to participate in the survey concerning auto-immune diseases. Eventually, 1,422 households agreed to do so and were subsequently interviewed by a telephone researcher. The achieved response rate is well above previous studies and scientifically accepted standrads4. Results 557 RA patients were identified (90% women, median age 56–65 years), making RA the most prevalent rheumatic autoimmune disease (44% of sample). The average time needed from the 1st symptom until an official diagnosis is 23.3 months. Only 31% of RA patients visited a rheumatologist first and 10% have to make 3 or more visits until they are officially diagnosed. 43% of them did not receive any medicine and of those receiving, 34% were non-adherent during the last six months (at least 1 day late to take the medicine or skipping at least 1 dose). 28% of biological treatment patients were non-adherent. The physician's visit cost was the main barrier to treatment access (31%), followed by the need to use someone else to pick the medicine due to patients' inability (18%) and by the difficulty of booking an appointment with a specialist (15%). For SSF pharmacies the distance from the patient's home (31%) plus a long waiting time (17%) were additional barriers. χ2 tests revealed that most barriers exerted a statistically significant influence on adherence (p<0.05). Conclusions Appropriately educating the public and the doctors about RA's symptoms and to visit the appropriate physician, and removing the barriers to treatment and medication access will massively benefit RA patients and consequently society. References Robinson P, Taylor W. Decreasing time to treatment in rheumatoid arthritis: review of delays in presentation, referral and assessment. Int J Clin Rheumtol 2011; 6: 173–87 Harrold LR, Andrade SE. Medication adherence of patients with selected rheumatic conditions: a systematic review of the literature. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2009; 385: 396–402 Kentikelenis A, Karanikolos M, Reeves A, McKee M, Stuckler D. Greece's health crisis: from austerity to denialism. Lancet 2014; 383: 748–53 Corkrey R, Parkinson L. Interactive voice response: Review of studies 1989–2000. Behav Res Methods Instrum Comput 2002; 34: 342–53 Disclosure of Interest None declared


Many resource-constrained systems still rely on symmetric cryptography for verification and authentication. Asymmetric cryptographic systems provide higher security levels, but are very computational intensive. Hence, embedded systems can benefit from hardware assistance, i.e., coprocessors optimized for the required public key operations. In this work, we propose an elliptic curve cryptographic coprocessors design for resource-constrained systems. Many such coprocessor designs consider only special (Solinas) prime fields, which enable a low-complexity modulo arithmetic. Other implementations support arbitrary prime curves using the Montgomery reduction. These implementations typically require more time for the point multiplication. We present a coprocessor design that has low area requirements and enables a trade-off between performance and flexibility. The point multiplication can be performed either using a fast arithmetic based on Solinas primes or using a slower, but flexible Montgomery modular arithmetic.


Objectives:To examine the responsiveness, reliability, and validity of Chinese version of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Questionnaire (SLAQ). Methods:A cross-sectional observational study was designed for this research. The principal attributes evaluated were linguistic and cultural adaption, reliability, and validity.Standardized response means and acceptability were calculated to estimate the responsiveness of the SLAQ. Cronbach's alpha was used to evaluate its reliability. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess the criterion validity by calculating the association with measurement of other lupus disease activity.ResultsThe response rate for the pilot study was 99.9%. The mean time to complete the questionnaire was 6.7±2.8 min. The Chinese version of SLAQ had good reliability, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.857. Cronbach's alpha for the test-retest reliability was 0.878. For validity, the SLAQ was correlated with SLAM, SLEDAI-2000 and SLEDAI-no lab. The correlation was good at 0.832, 0.506 and 0.668 respectively.Conclusion:The Chinese version of the SLAQ questionnaire has adequate responsiveness, reliability, and validity in our cohort, and it is a helpful and meaningful tool for assessing disease activity in lupus patients without laboratory results.


Plants are both a source of food and resource for mankind. In country like India, plants have a wide application keeping in mind the agricultural and medicine research area. Out of several thousands of classes of medicinal plants, few may get vanished soon due to global warming, lack of knowledge of different species and several other diseases. Plants assume a significant job in human life being one of the critical variables of natural way of life; on the other hand couples of them are toxic and harmful to mankind as well. Thus, protecting the plants with medicinal and food values, as well as identifying the unknown species of the plants is the need of an hour. The study of plants classification with the help of different features of the leaf can be done in order to build an ideal database for the farmers and professional botanist. This could also serve for the automatic plant leaf disease detection system. The loss of crops as well as plants with medicinal values due to diseases is of the core concern to plant security. It is utmost important to design the essential infrastructure for the detection of the diseases that are observed in plant leaves. An optimal system for plant leaf detection can further guide for remedial solution. This work reviews different methodologies for plant leaf detection, its classification and detection of plant leaves diseases. Swarm Intelligence based techniques impressively address the real time optimization problems which motivates the further research work.


Model-based design is becoming more prevalent in
industry due to increasing complexities in technology while
schedules shorten and budgets tighten. Model-based design is a
means to substantiate good design under these circumstances.
Despite this, organizations often have a lack of confidence in the
use of models to make critical decisions. As a consequence they
often invest heavily in expensive test activities that may not
yield substantially new or better information. On the other hand,
models are often used beyond the bounds within which they had been
previously calibrated and validated and their predictions in the
new regime may be substantially in error and this can add
substantial risk to a program. This thesis seeks to identify
factors that cause either of these behaviors. Eight factors emerged
as the key variables to misaligned model confidence. These were
found by studying three case studies to setup the problem space.
This was followed by a review of the literature with emphasis on
model validation and assessment processes to identify remaining
gaps. These gaps include proper model validation processes, limited
research from the perspective of the decision-maker, and lack of
understanding of the impact of contextual variables surrounding a
decision. The impact these eight factors have on model confidence
and credibility was tested using a web-based experiment that
included a simple model of a catapult and varying contextual
details representing the factors. In total 252 respondents
interacted with the model and made a binary decision on a design
problem to provide a measure for model confidence. Results from the
testing showed several factors proved to cause an outright change
in model confidence. One factor, a representation of model
uncertainty, did not result in any differences to model confidence
despite support from the literature suggesting otherwise. Findings
such as these were used to gain additional insights and
recommendations to address the problem of misaligned model
confidence. Recommendations included system-level approaches,
improved quality of communication, and use of decision analysis
techniques. Applying focus in these areas can help to alleviate
pressures from the contextual factors involved in the
decision-making process. This will allow models to be used more
effectively thereby supporting model-based design
efforts.


Abstract This paper focuses on the three dimensional flight path planning for a UAV on a low altitude terrain following/terrain avoidance mission. Using an approximate grid-based discretisation scheme, we transform the continuous optimisation problem into a search problem over a finite network, and apply a variant of the shortest-path algorithm to this problem. In other words using the three dimensional terrain information, three dimensional flight path from a starting point to an end point, minimising a cost function and regarding the kinematics constraints of the UAV is calculated. A network flow model is constructed based on the digital terrain elevation data (DTED) and a layered network is obtained. The cost function for each arc is defined as the length of the arc, then a constrained shortest path algorithm which considers the kinematics and the altitude constraints of the UAV is used to obtain the best route. Moreover the important performance parameters of the UAV are discussed. Finally a new algorithm is proposed to smooth the path in order to reduce the workload of the autopilot and control system of the UAV. The numeric results are presented to verify the capability of the procedure to generate admissible route in minimum possible time in comparison to the previous procedures. So this algorithm is potentially suited for using in online systems.


All 59 group B streptococcal cultures isolated from pigs and nutrias reacted with group B-specific antiserum and gave a positive CAMP reaction in the zone of staphylococcal beta-lysin. Most of the cultures were pigmented; all cultures hydrolyzed Na hippurate and utilized salicin, maltose, and saccharose but not esculin, mannitol, or inulin. Fifty-three percent of the group B streptococci from pigs and none of those from nutrias were lactose positive. Serotyping revealed that most of the group B streptococci from pigs were of serotype III and most of those from nutrias were of type Ia/c. Protein c was present as c beta antigen. All group B streptococci were susceptible to penicillin and bacitracin (10 U), and most of the porcine cultures were resistant to tetracycline. According to these results, group B streptococci from pigs and nutrias differ from bovine and human group B streptococci and seem to play no role in cross-infections between animals or between animals and humans.


The discovery of extreme magnetoresistance (XMR) in non-magnetic materials attracted attention to the WTe2 semimetal. We have carried out studies of magnetoresistance in a tungsten ditelluride single crystal in the magnetic field range up to 14 T. Magnetoresistance increased with increasing field following a near quadratic law without saturation. The Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations were observed. Four fundamental frequencies were found in the oscillations spectrum, which correspond to two electron and two hole pockets caused by strong spin-orbit coupling. Keywords: WTe2 semimetal, magnetoresistance, Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, oscillations spectrum.


Strong, dry downslope winds over Northern and central California have played a critical role in regional wildfires. These events, sometimes called Diablo or North winds, are more frequent over the Bay Area and nearby coastal terrain than along the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, where the highest frequency occurs over the midslopes of the barrier. For the Bay Area, there is a frequency minimum during midsummer, a maximum in October, and a declining trend from November to June. The Sierra Nevada locations have their minimum frequency from February to August, and a maximum from October to January. There is little trend in event frequency during the past two decades over either region. For the Bay Area sites, there is a maximum frequency during the early morning hours and a large decline midday, while the Sierra Nevada locations have a maximum frequency approximately three hours earlier. Before the onset of these downslope wind events, there is substantial amplification of upper-level ridging over the eastern Pacific, with sea level pressure increasing first over the Pacific Northwest and then over the Intermountain West. The coincident development of a coastal sea level pressure trough leads to a large pressure gradient over the Sierra Nevada and Northern California. Diablo–North wind events are associated with below-normal temperatures east of the Sierra Nevada, with rapid warming of the air as it subsides into coastal California. The large horizontal variability in the frequency and magnitude of these events suggests the importance of exposure, elevation, and mountain-wave-related downslope acceleration.


Upon arriving at an incident site in the wake of a terrorist attack or a natural disaster, structures specialists from FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) program are tasked with ensuring the structural stability of partially collapsed buildings. Successful building stabilization limits the risk to first responders as they strive to find and remove trapped victims, so it is vitally important that these specialists know immediately when changes occur within a structural system. To enhance the effectiveness of current search and rescue methods while offering first responders a safer operational environment, low-cost wireless sensors can be used to provide real-time structural health monitoring (SHM) data that speaks to the current condition and stability of a partially collapsed structure. In this paper, a new wireless solution is proposed for US&R's structural specialists. The architectural design of this wireless system is decomposed into two functional layers. The first layer consists of ultra low-power wireless sensors and is used to physically sense the behavior of the monitored structure and track the location of any first responders working within. The second layer contains more sophisticated wireless nodes that make automated decisions about the health of the damaged structure and relay this information to the relevant decision makers. The resulting system represents a low-cost, low-power, easy to deploy SHM solution for US&R. In addition to supporting an array of application-specific sensing transducers, this system transmits processed SHM information directly to trained structures specialists. Additionally, this system integrates an energy-aware multi-hop forwarding mechanism to maximize the lifetime of the monitoring system as a whole and utilizes routing and information coding techniques that are robust to node and/or communication failures, sudden changes in device position or configuration, etc.


Nanotechnology is expected to be the basis of many of the main technological innovations of the twenty first century. Research and development in this field is growing rapidly throughout the world. A major output of this activity is the development of new materials in the nanometre scale. In this thesis, primarily, a novel fabrication of metal chalcogenides in the nano region is presented. The synthetic route is possible in less than 2 minutes in an aqueous based system using mercury nitrate and a sulfide precursor; which has a rate of reaction almost tenfold quicker than previous literature. To stabilise the compound, a range of surfactants and solvents were used in order to form monodispersed colloidal chalcogenide solutions. Using this approach, it is shown for the first time that metal chalcogenides can be solution-stabilised for greater than 2 minutes using Nafion®. This thesis highlights the ways in which the newly found method of synthesis for metal chalcogenides can be extended onto a range of salts such as cadmium sulfide and bismuth sulfide. Nafion was also extended and implemented in stabilising these salts to show that the method is extendable to a wide range of solutions. This has so far eradicated the problem of coalescing in group II- VI semiconductors maintaining their 1:1 ratio (metal: precursor) ultimately maintaining their unique properties which is the basis behind their roles. Finally, the attachment of siRNA onto a well-known nanostructure was explored.


markdownabstractThe aim of this thesis is to address the psychological consequences of the introduction of new techniques in prenatal testing for pregnant women or couples, which as a consequence lead to the identification of many more clinically relevant findings with which couples have to deal with.
Part 1 of this thesis addresses the preferences of pregnant women or couples regarding the scope of invasive Prenatal Diagnosis (PND). The psychological consequences, such as anxiety and doubts of a broader scope and level of informed choice are studied.
Part 2 of this thesis focuses on the psychological consequences and the level of informed choice of Non -Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT).
The studies in this thesis have added insight into the patients' perspective in the ever changing prenatal testing environment.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the clinical experience of multi-channel cochlear implantation in patients with bilateral inner ear malformations.

METHOD
Multi-channel cochlear implantation was conducted among 180 patients from 1997 to 2001. Twenty-five of them, being with inner ear malformations, were given hearing and speech rehabilitation including sound detection, word discrimination, auditory comprehension and spoken language skill development. A follow-up lasting 4 - 24 months was conducted after the operation. A retrospective analysis was performed among these 25 patients to observe the surgical outcomes and mapping characteristics after surgery.

RESULTS
(1) All patients restored their auditory sensations after the operation. (2) Stapedial gusher was found in 13 cases with inner ear malformations, especially those with Mondini malformation, much more frequently than among the patients with other malformations. (3) Most of the action electrodes were inserted in the "cochleostomy" in full length, only 2 pairs of them remained outside of the "cochleostomy". (4) No serious complications occurred after implantation. (5) The impedance of the electrodes, T level and C level were higher in the 25 cases than in the normal cochlear implantation, however, with the hearing similar hearing threshold. (6) After training, the abilities of speech discrimination and spoken language were improved in comparison with those before operation.

CONCLUSION
The cochlear implantation can be performed safely in patients with bilateral inner ear malformations. The primary outcome of cochlear implantation in hearing rehabilitation is similar for both the patients with inner ear malformations and those with normal cochlear structure.


Among the founders of family firms, succession is the greatest challenge to long-term success. According to The Family Firm Institute (n.d.), only about 30% of family businesses survive into the second generation, 12% are still viable into the third generation, and only about 3% of all family businesses operate into the fourth generation or beyond. In contrast to Western countries, the sustainable development of family-owned enterprises within Chinese society must rely on the operation of enterprises. Succession, being inevitable, can reduce the value of a company. This study sought to identify the appropriate succession plan to maintain business value and family's wealth. The main purpose of this study is to discuss the relationship between a family's succes- sion, the successor, and firm performance. The sample is comprised of listed firms in Taiwan with necessary data from the Taiwan Economic Journal Database (TEJ). The period extends from 1996 till 2016. Securities, financial firms, and other elements of incomplete information are excluded from the sample. The research sample including 1,286 firms and 13,849 firm-year data, 2,918 of which indicate succession issues. This study employed regression model and investigated the relationships between family succession, the successor, and corporate performance. The main findings indicate that succession negatively influences corporate performance. However, an internal successor is better than an external one, and children successors are better than other relatives. family Other compared firm in terms the


The relationship between enzyme stability and glycosylation was examined for two different Bacillus (1,3-1,4)-β-glucanases following expression of the corresponding genes in Escherichia coli and in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Both of the (1,3-1,4)-β-glucanases secreted from yeast cells were glycosylated and a pronounced difference in the type and extent of glycosylation was observed. Thermostability analysis of the glycosylated enzymes and their unglycosylated counterparts synthesized by E. coli disclosed a substantially higher thermotolerance of the glycosylated enzymes. At 70 °C the half-life of the glycosylated form of B. macerans (1,3-1,4)-β-glucanase was 26 min, as compared to 10 min for the unglycosylated form of the enzyme. Using the same conditions, the half-life of the B. amyloliquefaciens-B. macerans hybrid (1,3-1,4)-β-glucanase was 5 min for the unglycosylated enzyme and about 100 min when the enzyme was glycosylated.


High frequency electrical stimulation (HFS) of skin nociceptors triggers central sensitization, manifested as increased pinprick sensitivity of the skin surrounding the site at which HFS was applied. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of HFS on pupil dilation and brain responses elicited by pinprick stimulation delivered in the area of increased pinprick sensitivity. In fourteen healthy volunteers HFS was applied to one of the two forearms. Before and twenty minutes after applying HFS, mechanical pinprick stimuli (64 mN and 96 mN) were delivered to the area surrounding the site at which HFS was applied as well as the contralateral control arm. During pinprick stimulation both the pupil size and electroencephalogram were recorded. HFS induced a clear and comparable increase in pinprick sensitivity for both the 64 and 96 mN stimulation intensity. Both pinprick stimulation intensities elicited a greater pupil dilation response when delivered to the area of increased pinprick sensitivity. However, this greater pupil dilation response was larger for the 64 mN compared to the 96 mN stimulation intensity. A similar pattern was observed for the negative wave of the pinprick-evoked brain potentials (PEPs), however, the increase was not significant for the 96 mN and showed only a trend towards significance for the 64 mN. These results show that there is a correspondence between the increase in pupil dilation and the increase in PEPs, but that pupil size is a more sensitive measure for detecting the effects of central sensitization than PEPs.


She was a princess, daughter of perhaps the most hated king in Europe. He was just a lowly hussar. Their love affair in turn-of-the-century Vienna was to scandalize a continent. The story of Princess Louise of Belgium and Geza Mattachich, stepson of a minor Croatian count, began with no more than an exchanged glance in a park. Yet the princess and her soldier, divided by wealth and status, pursued their devotion to one another through scandal, ruin, madness and imprisonment. Dan Jacobson's brilliant imagining of this forgotten episode of the Hapsburg court brings to life one of the century's great love stories.


The potential to find the large oil and gas fields of the future lies in the offshore frontiers. Exploration for petroleum in the coming decades must be concentrated on discovering commercial supplies of the hydrocarbons that lie untapped in these areas. New and better uses of geology, geophysics, petroleum engineering, and technology must be employed in all aspects of exploration, development, and production. Vital to accomplishing these tasks is an in-depth knowledge of the characteristics of basin areas and offshore frontier regions. New exploration strategies must be formulated for exploration in both moderate and harsh offshore areas. New technology for drilling and producing oil and gas, especially in Arctic regions and at greater depths globally than heretofore considered feasible, must also be advanced rapidly. As part of a unified exploration effort, each specialized discipline-whether geology, geophysics, or petroleum engineering-has to provide the bold and innovative thinking that will lead to the offshore discoveries of the oil and gas the world needs for future energy survival. This paper illustrates with slides the location of these promising offshore areas and the basins involved.


The present work reports on autotrophic metabolism in four H2/CO2-utilizing acetogenic bacteria isolated from the human colon (two Clostridium species, one Streptococcus species, and Ruminococcus hydrogenotrophicus). H2/CO2-utilization by these human acetogenic strains occurred during both exponential and stationary phases of growth. Acetate was the major metabolite produced by all isolates following the stoichiometric equation of reductive acetogenesis. Furthermore, the ability of these acetogenic bacteria to incorporate 13CO2 into acetate in the presence of H2 in the gas phase demonstrated the utilization of the reductive pathway of acetate formation from a one-carbon compound. Energy conservation during the autotrophic metabolism in colonic acetogens might involve sodium- or proton-chemiosmotic mechanisms. A sodium-dependent ATP generation was only demonstrated in one Clostridium species, whereas sodium could be replaced by potassium in other strains. The minimal thresholds of hydrogen uptake were determined and varied from 1100 to 3680 ppm depending on the acetogenic strain. These values appeared higher than those measured for the colonic methanogen,Methanobrevibacter smithii.


Endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRFs) mediate vasodilation of small arterioles in skeletal muscle under various (patho)physiological conditions: Escherichia coli sepsis, systemic hypoxia, and topical acetylcholine (ACH) application. To test if heat shock changes EDRF-dependent reactivity of arterioles to ACH, we used closed-circuit videomicroscopy in the in vivo cremaster muscle of rats whose systemic temperatures had been slowly raised to and maintained at 41°C. We also tested for ACH responses after increasing cremaster muscle temperatures and maintaining those at 40°C. The experiments showed that EDRF-dependent vasodilation of small arterioles to acetylcholine was substantially attenuated in response to systemic and local heat treatment. In two other animal groups, concentration-dependent vasodilation of small arterioles to sodium-nitroprusside was not as much attenuated in the response to local tissue temperature elevation. This suggests that locally elevated tissue or systemically elevated body temperatures can change generation or efficacy of EDRFs in the post-hyperthermia phase in the skeletal muscle microcirculation.


Little or no research has been done on conceptual metaphor and its translations in isiXhosa. No report has been found on the use in African languages of the metaphor identification tool developed by Steen et al. (2010). This problem is addressed in this article. A sample of sentences was selected from the source text Long walk to freedom by Mandela (1994) and was compared with the corresponding sentences in the target text Indlela ende eya enkululekweni. Metaphor-related words were identified and analysed in both texts using the metaphor identifying procedure developed at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam. The tool eliminates bias on the part of the researcher and yields authentic results. The findings reflect that the majority of metaphor-related words identified in both texts were used indirectly, meaning that they were manifestations of conceptual metaphors. It was also found that the source text and target text had an equal number of metaphor-related words. The tool for identifying metaphors used in this research proved to be reliable and can contribute to the theory of metaphor in translation.


In the dilemma discussed in the April issue of In Practice, a recently employed veterinary surgeon is informed by their employer that the practice has a policy of only euthanasing patients who are terminally ill and suffering; it will not kill healthy or treatable patients. While the veterinary surgeon believes the policy is sincerely held, they wonder if it is fair. Does the practice's policy infringe on the veterinary surgeon's moral choice, and should he challenge it? (IP, April 2017, vol 39, pp 190-191). Simon Coghlan suggested that the veterinary surgeon was entitled to discuss their moral concerns with the employer. This discussion may foster mutual understanding, and even improve the policy and details of its implementation. He also suggested that the employer should have informed the veterinary surgeon before they began work at the practice, to show greater respect for the veterinary surgeon's moral autonomy.


that I want those who say "run the gauntlet" to say "run the gamut"; what I want them to say as do the New York Times, the San Francisco Examiner, and usage guides by Eric Partridge, Bergen and Cornelia Evans, and Patricia O'Connor is "running the gantlet." The gauntlet usage is an instance of folk etymology, by which unfamiliar terms are assimilated to the nearest familiar ones. Clarke's


Each year many offenders are released homeless putting them at great risk of being returned to prison. To reduce the likelihood of recidivism, Washington State implemented the Reentry Housing Pilot Program (RHPP) to provide housing assistance for high risk/high need offenders leaving prison without a viable place to live. This study provides a longitudinal (2008-2011), multisite outcome evaluation that considers how ex-offenders in the RHPP program (n = 208), who were provided housing and wraparound services, compared with similar offenders released with an elevated risk of homelessness while being traditionally supervised (n = 208). Findings show that the RHPP program was successful in significantly reducing new convictions and readmission to prison for new crimes, but had no significant effect on revocations. In addition, results showed that periods of homelessness significantly elevated the risk of recidivism for new convictions, revocations, and readmission to prison. The authors recommend that subsidized housing for high risk offenders become a central part of coordinated responses to reentry.


Hodgkin's disease occurred in a 53-year-old man who, 25 years previously, had undergone cerebral angiography, for which thorium dioxide suspension (Thorotrast) was used. Deposits of throium dioxide were noted in reticuloendothelial cells in various locations. An association between thorium dioxide administration and the subsequent development of malignant tumours and neoplastic hematologic disorders has previously been reported.


A time-dependent formulation for electron-hole excitations in extended finite systems, based on the Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE), is developed using a stochastic wave function approach. The time-dependent formulation builds on the connection between time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) theory and configuration-interaction with single substitution (CIS) method. This results in a time dependent Schr\"odinger-like equation for the quasiparticle orbital dynamics based on an effective Hamiltonian containing direct Hartree and screened exchange terms, where screening is described within the Random Phase Approximation (RPA). To solve for the optical absorption spectrum, we develop a stochastic formulation in which the quasiparticle orbitals are replaced by stochastic orbitals to evaluate the direct and exchange terms in the Hamiltonian as well as the RPA screening. This leads to an overall quadratic scaling, a significant improvement over the equivalent symplectic eigenvalue representation of the BSE. Application of the time-dependent stochastic BSE (TDsBSE) approach to silicon and CdSe nanocrystals up to size of ~3000 electrons is presented and discussed.


A two-band Hamiltonian for β-graphyne is derived by the k·p method. The energy dispersions around the Dirac points are analytically obtained depending on the relative amplitude of the hopping terms t1/t2, and the Dirac cones are elliptical when −2 < t1/t2 < −1. This anisotropic Dirac Hamiltonian leads to electron current direction misalignment with the wave vector, and the transmission spectrum is asymmetric about the incident angle of current, j. This interesting feature is useful for direction-dependent wave filter devices.


The ever-increasing need for computational power in embedded devices has led to the adoption heterogeneous SoCs combining a general purpose CPU with a data parallel accelerator. These systems rely on a shared main memory (DRAM), which makes them highly susceptible to memory interference. A promising software technique to counter such effects is the Predictable Execution Model (PREM). PREM ensures robustness to interference by separating programs into a sequence of memory and compute phases, and by enforcing a platform-level schedule where only a single processing subsystem is permitted to execute a memory phase at a time. This article demonstrates for the first time how PREM can be applied to heterogeneous SoCs, based on a synchronization technique for memory isolation between CPU and GPU plus a compiler to transform GPU kernels into PREM-compliant codes. For compute bound GPU workloads sharing the DRAM bandwidth 50/50 with the CPU we guarantee near-zero timing varibility at a performance loss of just 59 percent, which is one to two orders of magnitude smaller than the worst case we see for unmodified programs under memory interference.


Clinical characteristics FBXL4-related encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion syndrome is a multi-system disorder characterized primarily by congenital or early-onset lactic acidosis and growth failure, feeding difficulty, hypotonia, and developmental delay. Other neurologic manifestations can include seizures, movement disorders, ataxia, autonomic dysfunction, and stroke-like episodes. All affected individuals alive at the time they were reported (median age: 3.5 years) demonstrated significant developmental delay. Other findings can involve the heart (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital heart malformations, arrhythmias), liver (mildly elevated transaminases), eyes (cataract, strabismus, nystagmus, optic atrophy), hearing (sensorineural hearing loss), and bone marrow (neutropenia, lymphopenia). Survival varies; the median age of reported deaths was two years (range 2 days - 75 months), although surviving individuals as old as 36 years have been reported. To date FBXL4-related mtDNA depletion syndrome has been reported in 50 individuals. Diagnosis/testing The diagnosis of FBXL4-related mtDNA depletion syndrome is established in a proband by identification of biallelic pathogenic variants in FBXL4 on molecular genetic testing. Management Treatment of manifestations: Management is best provided by a multidisciplinary team including neurology, nutrition, clinical genetics/metabolism, and developmental pediatrics. Other specialties may be involved as needed. To date no definite treatment is available; thus, treatment is mainly supportive: assuring adequate nutrition and standard treatment of neurologic complications including developmental delay / intellectual disability, seizures, cardiac complications, eye involvement, and hearing loss. Administration of cofactors and antioxidants, used in mitochondrial disorders with (generally) limited evidence of benefit, may be considered. Surveillance: No surveillance guidelines have been published. The treating physician should decide about the frequency of follow up of eyes, hearing, heart, feeding difficulties, liver, neurologic complications, and neutropenia based on the patient's findings. Genetic counseling FBXL4-related mtDNA depletion syndrome is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. When both parents are heterozygous carriers, each sib of an affected individual has a 25% chance of being affected, a 50% chance of being an asymptomatic carrier (heterozygote), and a 25% chance of being unaffected and not a carrier. Once the FBXL4 pathogenic variants have been identified in an affected family member, carrier testing for at-risk relatives, prenatal testing for a pregnancy at increased risk, and preimplantation genetic diagnosis are possible.


Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) are neurodevelopmental disorders with similar clinical and behavior symptoms and partially overlapping and yet distinct neurobiological origins. It is therefore important to distinguish these disorders from each other as well as from typical development. Examining disruptions in functional connectivity often characteristic of neurodevelopment disorders may be one approach to doing so. This review focuses on EEG and MEG studies of resting state in ASD and FXS, a neuroimaging paradigm frequently used with difficult-to-test populations. It compares the brain regions and frequency bands that appear to be impacted, either in power or connectivity, in each disorder; as well as how these abnormalities may result in the observed symptoms. It argues that the findings in these studies are inconsistent and do not fit neatly into existing models of ASD and FXS, then highlights the gaps in the literature and recommends future avenues of inquiry.


Abstract We describe a new species of the bufonid toad genus Rhinella from transition montane forest of the buffer zones of the Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park and the Pui Pui Protected Forest (eastern slopes of Andes, Selva Central, Peru). The new species belongs to the Rhinella margaritifera species group (confirmed by mtDNA data) and differs from all its members by the absence of tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus. It is characterized by medium size (SVL 57.5–65.5 mm, n = 5), moderately developed cranial crests, absence of neural crest of vertebrae, absence of bone protrusion at angle of jaw, presence of lateral rows of enlarged tubercles, and absence of subgular vocal sac and vocal slits in males. In addition, based on the molecular phylogenetic analyses of selected Rhinella species we propose the monophylum containing R. chavin, R. festae, R. macrorhina, R. manu, R. nesiotes, R. rostrata, and R. yanachaga as a new species group under the name Rhinella festae species group.


This paper describes a real-time computer implementaation of a fourth-order adaptive predictive coder (APC) which transmits speech at 6400 bits/s. To reduce the demands on the central processor, the terminal uses the average magnitude difference function (AMDF) for pitch extraction and calculates the predictor coefficients and reflection coefficients assuming stationarity of the input data. With 16-bit fixed-point arithmetic processing, the coder achieves an intelligibility score of 87 percent on the diagnostic rhyme tests (DRT) and produces speech with acceptable voice naturalness even in the presence of acoustic background noise.


Performance assessment is exceedingly considered a key concept in teacher education programs worldwide. Accordingly, in Iran, a national assessment system was proposed by Farhangian University to assess the professional competencies of its ELT graduates. The concerns regarding the validity and authenticity of traditional measures of teachers' competencies have motivated us to devise a localized performance assessment scheme. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a performance assessment scheme to be used as a benchmark for assessing the professional competencies of ELT graduates of this university. To this end, three assessment tasks and rating scales were developed, piloted, and administered. Next, Haertel's participatory approach was employed to set passing standards for the assessment tasks as well as the whole assessment scheme. Analysis of the data revealed inter-rater and intra-rater reliability coefficients of 0.85 and 0.89. The validity of the assessment scheme was also confirmed by experts' judgments made, to a large extent, on the correspondence between the target domain and test domain skills. Based on the results, the proposed assessment scheme is rendered more efficient and reliable in comparison to traditional tests with regard to the following dimensions: a) higher degrees of reliability and validity of the assessment scheme aimed at the improvement of licensure and program development; b) stronger evidence for inter-/intrarater reliability and consistency of scoring; and c) an optimized and systematic procedure for setting passing standards based on the consensus of experts' judgments. It is believed that further development of the proposed assessment scheme unlocks its potential to be used as a large-scale teacher assessment model for Farhangian University.


A numerical study is made of the spectra of a tight-binding hamiltonian on square approximants of the quasiperiodic octagonal tiling. Tilings may be pure or random, with different degrees of phason disorder considered. The level statistics for the randomized tilings follow the predictions of random matrix theory, while for the perfect tilings a new type of level statistics is found. In this case, the first-, second- level spacing distributions are well described by lognormal laws with power law tails for large spacing. In addition, level spacing properties being related to properties of the density of states, the latter quantity is studied and the multifractal character of the spectral measure is exhibited.


Multi-age classrooms feature the intentional grouping of students from consecutive grade levels for the purpose of fostering a nurturing classroom atmosphere. While an abundance of research on multi-age education has been produced throughout the past 50 years, only recent efforts have seen researchers turn their attention to the experiences of art teachers working with mixed-age groups. The purpose of this article is to characterize the qualities of mixed-age instruction for an art teacher and a group of homeroom teachers through the collection of qualitative observations and interviews at a selected school site, with the intent of describing the congruities and incongruities in their instructional practices and organizational strategies. The results detail subtle organizational differences, yet congruent practices related to thematic instruction and cooperative learning, and emergent findings related to the importance of forming communities of multi-age practice and adopting an ethic of caring.


Dielectric laser driven particle acceleration (DLA) is one of the candidates for novel high-gradient technologies to reduce the footprint of large scale particle acceleration facilities. On the other hand these devices can be used to interact with the particle beams of state-of-the-art photon science machines, especially with FELs, to manipulate the longitudinal phase space in a compact and cost effective way. The near-field surface modes of dielectric gratings can be used to interact with particle beams close to the surface. To achieve transversely homogeneous accelerating fields two gratings are opposed. The laser can be coupled from the side into the structure. In this work we present a study on the influence of the geometry parameters of the grating on the acceleration gradient and its transverse uniformity. Based on this study a design for production was chosen, which will be used for experiments at the ARES linac within the SINBAD facility at DESY. This work was carried out within the ACHIP project funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF 4744).


This article describes the structure , moving mechanism and control system of the frog fire -fighting robot , as well as its features which has been studied and manufactured by the authors . The robot can do interim juming up and movement using fire-fighting water as its moving power. It can be controled by telecontrol device or microprocessor in its body. It also be analysed theoretically to the hydrodynamic functions of the jumping movement and the horizontal movement in this article.


Purpose of current study was to investigate simple and multiple relations between mathematics' attitude, academic motivation and intelligence quotient with mathematics achievement. The Statistical population involved the entire Ardabil province' high schools students in 2008 (N = 33982). From these, 1670 students are selected as sample by using Cochran's formula and multiple cluster sampling. For gathering data, the following instrument is used. Raven IQ test (=0.86), Hermense Academic Achievement Test (=0.83), Moenikia mathematics attitude questionnaire (=0.79), and students' mathematics score in final exam. Correlation method was the research method. For data analysis, Pearson coefficient correlation and multiple regression in enter model were used. The Results showed that all of the variables correlate with together significantly. Mathematics' attitude, academic motivation, and intelligence quotient were predicator of mathematics achievement statistically significant. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


This study utilizes the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) and cultural theory to examine the use of policy narratives by coalitions (meso-level) and the institutional uptake (macro-level). We analyze Parliamentary hearings about genetically modified (GM) salmon in Canada to associate narrative strategies with certain cultural worldviews and policy-stances. We explore narrative strategies used by cultural groups with regard to whether they contain the scope of GM salmon issues to "science-only" (direct health and environmental impacts) or expand the issues to "science-plus" (to include broader economic, social, or cultural impacts). Finally, we examine whether certain framings of GM salmon issues or specific cultural narratives are preferentially taken up in the final policy documents generated after the hearings. Our findings reveal significant relationships between policy-stance (pro-vs anti-GM), the cultural disposition of a policy narrative, the narrative strategies being used, and ultimately policy uptake. For example, narratives with hierarchical cultural dispositions were more likely to expand the scope of the issue to science-plus when supporting their own policy position (typically pro-GM) but contain the scope to "science-only" when refuting an anti-GM policy-stance. With regard to policy uptake, final government documents referred more to narratives that contained the scope to "science-only" and expressed hierarchical or individualistic dispositions in comparison to the hearings. This study has practical implications for understanding whose perspectives and arguments are legitimized in national policy debates about GM foods. It also extends NPF theory to how narratives containing specific cultural dispositions and risk-based framings influence policy uptake at the macro-level.


This thesis used diverse scientific methods to better understand the psychology that underpins the urbanicity effect, the increased prevalence of mental distress in cities. Methods explored the extent to which psychological processes known to underpin mental distress can be influenced by the interaction between physical, social and economic characteristics of urban environments and their perceived quality. Furthermore, methods aimed to capture urbanicity effects across the mental health continuum and across different life stages. Study 1 compared psychological responses of undergraduate students (N = 317) after being exposed to either urban (N = 162) or rural (N = 155) residential neighbourhood images. Alternatively, study 2 compared psychological responses of undergraduate students (N = 298) after being exposed to residential neighbourhood images selected to be the most (N = 141) and least (N = 157) desirable in a pilot study. Studies in chapter 2 found that brief contemplation of residential neighbourhood images led to participants feeling significantly less in control of their lives, anticipating more threat and considering the future less. There was no significant difference between contemplation of urban and rural residential images on changes to psychological processes, however, the least desirable neighbourhood images showed augmented effects with participants anticipating significantly more threat after controlling for gender and baseline mental distress. The study presented in chapter 3 used experience sampling 3 walking methodology to explore student participants' (N = 47) responses to two distinct neighbourhoods and a park in Liverpool. Participants reported significantly higher levels of negative affect and anticipated threat, significantly lower levels of trust, and perceived residents as significantly less in control and less community spirited in the deprived neighbourhood. Participants were significantly more generous when making cooperative decisions, and self-reported significantly higher socio-economic status after exposure to the contrasting areas. Despite general trust and negative affect biases for participants high on measures of depression, anxiety and paranoia, there was no significant interaction between mental distress at baseline and the variability of responses across the walk. Research in chapter 4 was informed by participatory urban design processes and used qualitative methodology to provide new accounts of urban living across different life stages. The study aimed to reveal adverse physical and social characteristics of urban living, and identify assets to inform positive future thinking about urban place making. Focussed discussions with a group of mental health service users (N = 4) revealed themes around attachment to place, stigma, passivity and a loss of togetherness and trust in the respondent's urban neighbourhoods, and a desire for natural surveillance and nurture in future neighbourhood designs. The methodology was evaluated using responses and was used to develop improved future participatory methods.


The concept of the Procedure Pack is very relevant in this era of managed care. By collecting more items in one pack, the hidden costs will be reduced and the pack will become relatively cheaper than the sum of every item. This paper compares the price of the Procedure Pack with the price of the separate items used for routine phaco-emulsification. The Procedure Pack is 2% more expensive, but the benefits by reducing the hidden costs are substantial and will be analyzed.


Massimo Livi-Bacci and Ernesto Maeder's analysis of demographic trends in the Jesuit missions of Paraguay (The Missions of Paraguay: The Demography of an Experiment, Journal of Interdisciplinary History, XXXV [2004], 185224) is flawed. Though offering important insights, it relies on general findings at the expense of significant regional variations, and it ignores sources, such as tribute censuses, that supply telling details about individual missions.


7 human multiform glioblastoma have been transplanted into the brain of 100 new born Mice. Electron microscopy and chromosome analysis confirm the growth of a human tumor showing malignant features of glioblastoma.


The derivation of transport parameters from tracer tests conducted in geothermal systems will depend strongly on the conceptual and mathematical model that is fitted to the data. Depending on the model employed the estimation of transport parameters (porosity and dispersivity of the fracture network, porosity of the matrix) may result in a significant variation in dispersivity. If the results from such tracer tests are to be used in parameter selection for larger‐scale models, it is crucial that the tracer test is itself interpreted with an appropriate model. In order to tackle this problem, artificial neural network (ANN) technology is proposed. A dual‐layer neural network model was trained using synthetic tracer test data generated using analytical one‐dimensional homogeneous, double‐porosity pseudosteady state, multifracture, and fracture matrix models. The developed model was then used to identify several actual tracer tests conducted in various geothermal reservoirs reported in the literature. In most cases it was observed that the model successfully identified a wide variety of reservoir models. In some cases the model decreased the number possible models to two. It was also observed that ANN results were in accord with least squares analysis.


High quality research is critical to international development. For developing countries to address the many and complex social, environmental and health challenges which they face they will need to bring new knowledge and thinking to bear on a wide array of problems. Academic publishers are a vital part of the global research communication cycle, and can help to encourage the dissemination of research and ideas from underrepresented areas of the international scientific and academic community. Publishers for Development (PfD) is a new initiative of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) which aims to forge a new partnership of publishers for international development.


Automated decision systems are increasingly used for consequential decision making -- for a variety of reasons. These systems often rely on sophisticated yet opaque models, which do not (or hardly) allow for understanding how or why a given decision was arrived at. This is not only problematic from a legal perspective, but non-transparent systems are also prone to yield undesirable (e.g., unfair) outcomes because their sanity is difficult to assess and calibrate in the first place. In this work, we conduct a study to evaluate different attempts of explaining such systems with respect to their effect on people's perceptions of fairness and trustworthiness towards the underlying mechanisms. A pilot study revealed surprising qualitative insights as well as preliminary significant effects, which will have to be verified, extended and thoroughly discussed in the larger main study.


ABSTRACT This review discusses the impact of COVID-19 in Female Urology, revises the most important disorders in this field and how their diagnosis and treatment may be modified due to the current pandemic. The text also discusses new options such as telemedicine and what clinical situations within Female Urology should be of utmost importance for the urologist to be careful about. We also discuss how surgeries are being postponed are resumed according to the local scenario.


ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the activity of mentalis (MN), buccinator (BC), and suprahyoid (SH) muscles among participants with different lip competence.. Methods: Sixty-three participants were classified clinically and assigned to the following groups of 21 each: 1) competent lips (competent), 2) incompetent lips (incompetent), or 3) forced lip closure (forced). Activity was recorded at rest, swallowing, speaking, reciprocal compression of the lips, and chewing. Results: MN activity in incompetent was significantly higher than competent at rest, and it was significantly higher in incompetent and forced when compared with competent during swallowing (p< .05). No differences among incompetent and forced were observed (p> .05). During speaking, reciprocal compression of the lips, and chewing, MN activity did not show significant differences among groups. BC and SH activity did not show significant differences (p> .05). Conclusion: MN activity during swallowing can be considered a relevant biomarker to differentiate between forced and competent participants.


A well-defined block copolymer was applied in a semi-organic polymer hybrid-flow battery (pHFB). A 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-N-oxyl (TEMPO) containing polymer was utilised as cathode active material. Micellar structures of the active material were achieved by utilising a diblock copolymer composed of a polar poly(TEMPO methacrylate) (PTMA) and an unpolar poly(styrene) (PS) block, which enables the formation of core-corona micelles in organic carbonates. The synthesised PTMA-b-PS was electrochemically investigated and subsequently utilised as catholyte in polymer/Zn pHFBs. The constructed flow batteries feature an excellent cycling stability of 1000 consecutive charge/discharge cycles with 95% retention of initial discharge capacity and a stable voltage range of 2 V. Further, the charging process leads to slight changes in the micellar structure combined with an increased solubility.


The femurs of guinea pigs were analyzed for total mineral, collagen and hexosamine contents following daily administration of 25 µg of l -thyroxine and/or 60 mg/kg of cortisone acetate for 30 days. As judged from values predicted from femur length, cortisone markedly inhibited growth; mineral and hexosamine contents were consistent with growth, and collagen content was greater than predicted. Thyroxine did not reduce growth of femurs but caused less of its constituents to be deposited. Animals exposed to 2°–4°C for 90 days demonstrated a growth pattern and femur composition similar to that observed in thyroxine-treated animals. When cold-exposed animals were returned to room temperature and permitted to attain the weight of the unexposed controls, even though femur length was as great or greater, mineral, collagen and hexosamine contents were below the predicted values.


Fresh (larch and fir, in its white and red varieties) and ancient wood samples (dating respectively to the 13th, 15th and 17th centuries) were subjected to thermogravimetric analysis (TG and DTG). The resulting thermogravimetric data were then used to construct archeometric curves for the wood varieties tested. In a preliminary approach, it was attempted to correlate the onset temperature of the thermogravimetric step corresponding to cellulose decomposition with the age (expressed in centuries) of the samples, although the results obtained were anything but brilliant. More encouraging results were obtained by examining the relationship between wood sample age and the value of the (percent cellulose/percent lignin) ratio computed from the thermogravimetric data. Lastly, a procedure for processing data obtained from the TG curves was applied to a kinetic analysis of the processes that take place when wood samples are subjected to a temperature regime with a constant heating rate, obtaining values for the activation energy of the TG step corresponding to the decomposition of cellulose. Also using these data it was attempted to construct archeometric curves, obtaining results that varied quite significantly according to the wood species tested.


This paper provides a first overview over temperature and precipitation projections from the ScenarioMIP simulations conducted for CMIP6. As such, it is more of a documentation than a cutting edge research paper, in part also because many of the CMIP6 results are very similar to CMIP5. However, I think this is ok given the clearly defined scope of the paper and the assumed goal to support the AR6 process.


We present a detailed semi-analytical investigation of the transient dynamics of gate-all-around (GAA) charge-trap memories. To this aim, the Poisson equation is solved in cylindrical coordinates, and a modification of the well-known Fowler-Nordheim formula is proposed for tunneling through cylindrical dielectric layers. Analytical results are validated by experimental data on devices with different gate stack compositions, considering a quite extended range of gate biases and times. Finally, the model is used for a parametric analysis of the GAA cell, highlighting the effect of device curvature on both program/erase and retention.


Current retail marketing conditions allow produce to receive artificial light 24 h per day during its displayed shelf life. Essential human-health vitamins [ascorbic acid (vit C), folate (vit B(9)), phylloquinone (vit K(1)), alpha-tocopherol (vit E), and the carotenoids lutein, violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene (provit A)] also are essential for photosynthesis and are biosynthesized in plants by light conditions even under chilling temperatures. Spinach leaves, notably abundant in the aforementioned human-health compounds, were harvested from flat-leaf 'Lazio' and crinkle-leafed 'Samish' cultivars at peak whole-plant maturity as baby (top- and midcanopy) and larger (lower-canopy) leaves. Leaves were placed as a single layer in commercial, clear-polymer retail boxes and stored at 4 degrees C for up to 9 days under continuous light (26.9 micromol.m(2 ).s) or dark. Top-canopy, baby-leaf spinach generally had higher concentrations of all bioactive compounds, on a dry weight basis, with the exception of carotenoids, than bottom-canopy leaves. All leaves stored under continuous light generally had higher levels of all bioactive compounds, except beta-carotene and violaxanthin, and were more prone to wilting, especially the flat-leafed cultivar. All leaves stored under continuous darkness had declining or unchanged levels of the aforementioned bioactive compounds. Findings from this study revealed that spinach leaves exposed to simulated retail continuous light at 4 degrees C, in clear plastic containers, were overall more nutritionally dense (enriched) than leaves exposed to continuous darkness.


Hippocampal networks are particularly susceptible to dysfunction in many neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders including Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, and schizophrenia. CA1, a major output region of the hippocampus, receives glutamatergic input from both hippocampal CA3 and entorhinal cortex, via the Schaffer collateral (SC) and temporoammonic (TA) pathways, respectively. SC and TA inputs to CA1 are thought to be differentially involved in the retrieval of previously stored memories versus the encoding of novel information, and switching between these two crucial hippocampal functions is thought to critically depend on acetylcholine (ACh) acting at muscarinic receptors. In this study, we aimed to determine the roles of specific subtypes of muscarinic receptors in mediating the neuromodulatory effects of ACh on glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the SC and TA pathways of CA1. Using selective pharmacological activation of M1 or M4 receptors along with extracellular and intracellular electrophysiology recordings from adult rat hippocampal slices, we demonstrate that activation of M1 receptors increases spontaneous spike rates of neuronal ensembles in CA1 and increases the intrinsic excitability of pyramidal neurons and interneurons. Selective activation of M4 receptors inhibits glutamate release in the SC pathway, while leaving synaptic transmission in the TA pathway comparatively intact. These results suggest specific mechanisms by which M1 and M4 activation may normalize CA1 circuit activity following disruptions of signaling that accompany neurodegenerative dementias or neuropsychiatric disorders. These findings are of particular interest in light of clinical findings that xanomeline, an M1/M4 preferring agonist, was able to improve cognitive and behavioral symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease or schizophrenia.


Although children are recognised as an important market segment, research on how children feel, perceive and experience shopping environment is still very limited. This study developed a conceptual framework of children shopping experience based on a review of 20 years of related research on how shopping atmospheric variables affect children aged between three to seven years old during their shopping journey. These articles are sourced from well-known academic databases including "Sage Publications", "Emerald Insight", and "Elsevier". The conceptual framework explains how atmospheric variables influence children shopping experience from four perspectives: the role of children during shopping, act and response towards the shopping variables, variables as an agent of socialization and response from parents. Specific sub-level factors have also been summarised under each category for retail managers and designers to consider when designing a shopping atmosphere for this specific target customer.


Oral mucosal keratinocytes represent the cells that first encounter tobacco components. Therefore, tobacco-induced abnormal alteration of the mucosal keratinocytes may contribute to the development of oral white lesions. Nicotine is an ingredient of all tobacco products and pharmacologically the most active component of tobacco smoke. To clarify the effects of nicotine on the keratinization of oral mucosal and epidermal keratinocytes, we reconstructed artificial buccal mucosal and skin equivalents using keratinocytes and fibroblasts from noncornifying buccal mucosa and adult foreskin, respectively. The effect of nicotine on keratinization was assessed with morphology, immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. Long-term treatment with nicotine for 2 weeks enhanced in a dose-dependent manner the expression of differentiation-specific proteins of oral mucosal keratinocytes on living oral mucosal equivalent and epidermal keratinocytes on living skin equivalent, respectively. The effect of nicotine on the cell viability was measured by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. Oral mucosal keratinocytes showed a higher resistance to nicotine toxicity than epidermal keratinocytes. Our results suggest that nicotine stimulates differentiation of both mucosal and epidermal keratinocytes, and this nicotine-induced abnormal differentiation may be associated with the development of oral white lesions.


Feeding pets a raw food diet has long been contentious. A debate at this year's BSAVA congress explored the increasing trend among pet owners to feed raw and how vets can respond appropriately and advise their clients. Lee-Mey Goh reports


The blesbuck is an important game animal on many game farms and reserves in South Africa. Damalinia crenelata , a biting louse, host-specific to the blesbuck, feed upon epidermal debris of this antelope, leading to severe skin irritation and dermatitis. Symptomatic scratching by the host aggravates these conditions. High infestations may lead to decreased population numbers. Live lice were collected from a blesbuck in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve and prepared for selectron microscopic investigation. Micrographs were recorded. The SEM investigation revealed several micromorphological features not previously described in D. crenelata . Besides the obvious anatomical differences in the reproductive organs of the male and female, several other differences were noted. The antennal flagellae showed morphological differences as well as certain features on the ventral surfaces of the head. Dorsally the forehead was markedly emarginated and showed an acute invagination (clypeo labral suture) in the pulvinal area. The ventral surface of the head clearly demonstrated the structures of the preantennal regions such as ventral carina, pulvinus, labrum, mandibles and clypeus. The epipharynx appeared as an underlying extension of the labrum. The rims of the clypeus were more raised and thickened in the female than in that of the male. The mandibles were not notched and were noted to be angular in shape. The three segments of each of the antennae of the male were thicker and more robust than than those of the female. This could suggest sexual dimorphism in this species. The sensilla basoconica comprised 10 pegs. Pit organs were seen within the pore organs. The prothorax and mesothorax were clearly distinguished. The abdominal segments showed six pairs of spiracles. The male andfemale terminalia were confirmed to be strongly sexually dimorphic. The three pairs oflegs each terminated in a single, long and slender, claw.


N,N-dimethyformamide (DMF) is widely used in industrial processes to prepare synthetic fibres, films and leathers. The metabolic pathway of DMF in humans gives raise to several products. N-hydrowymethyl-N-methylformamide (HMMF) is the major metabolite of DMF, but appears to be N-methylformamide (NMF) on GLC analysis, because the first product decomposes to NMF when injected at 250 degrees C. In humans, an other important metabolite of DMF is the N-acetyl-S-(N- methylcarbamoyl)cysteine (AMCC) which is the mercapturic acid coming from DMF. AMCC is excreted in urine with a half-time of about 23 hours. This means that it accumulates in the body when exposures to DMF are repeated as in industrial settings. The data of the literature on the analysis of AMCC in urine both in experimental or field conditions are reported and compared with the results obtained by a physiologically "based toxicokinetic model". The findings are discussed in order to use AMCC in the biological monitoring of occupational exposures to DMF.


For mesoscale variational data assimilation with high-resolution observations, there has been an issue concerning the choice of momentum control variables and related covariance modeling. This paper addresses the theoretical aspect of this issue. First, relationships between background error covariance functions for differently chosen momentum control variables are derived, and different choices of momentum control variables are proven to be theoretically equivalent in the sense that they lead to the same optimally analyzed incremental wind field in the limit of infinitely high spatial resolution provided their error covariance functions satisfy the derived relationships. It is then shown that when the velocity potential χ and streamfunction ψ are used as momentum control variables with their background error autocovariance functions modeled by single-Gaussian functions, the derived velocity autocovariance functions contain significant negative sidelobes. These negative sidelobes can represent background wind error structures associated with baroclinic waves on the synoptic scale but become unrepresentative on the mesoscale. To reduce or remove these negative sidelobes for mesoscale variational data assimilation, Gaussian functions are used with two types of modifications to model the velocity covariance functions in consistency with the assumed homogeneity and isotropy in variational data assimilation. In this case, the random (χ, ψ) background error fields have no classically valid homogeneous and isotropic covariance functions, but generalized (χ, ψ) covariance functions can be derived from the modified velocity covariance functions for choosing (χ, ψ) as momentum control variables. Mathematical properties of generalized covariance functions are explored with physical interpretations. Their important implications are discussed for mesoscale data assimilation.


This study was conducted to investigate the effect of acetylation on equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of Nigerian-grown rubberwood and its effect on colour change in exposure of rubberwood to surface degradation through accelerated weathering. The samples were modified to two levels of acetylation, which yielded weight percent gain (WPG) of 7 % and 10 % after 8hr (8-hr Acetyl) and 48hr of acetylation (48-hr Acetyl), respectively. Accelerated weathering of unmodified (Ref) and acetylated wood was done using QUV-Accelerated Weathering Tester for four weeks. The unmodified and acetylated samples (weathered and unweathered) were oven-dried and conditioned in climate rooms at different relative humidity of 50 %, 65 % and 95 %, with samples being moved to each room after 14 days. Results showed that acetylation led to a significant decrease in equilibrium moisture content of rubberwood. After weathering, there was a decrease in EMC of rubberwood due to removal of hemicelluloses alongside the degraded lignin, and a slight increase in EMC of the acetylated wood. In terms of colour change, photo-bleaching of the acetylated samples was higher (10.46 for 48-hr Acetyl) after four weeks of weathering compared to the unmodified samples (6.43). Hence, the outcome of this study has shown that, although acetylation is effective in minimizing moisture ingress into wood, it resulted in photo-bleaching of the weathered samples. Additional surface coating is recommended to serve as a protective layer, preventing partial washing out of the acetyl groups, minimize photo-bleaching during weathering and prolong the aesthetic value of the wood especially in outdoor applications such as wall cladding and façade.


BACKGROUND
Topical corticosteroids (TCS) are the mainstay of psoriasis treatment; long-term safety concerns limiting consecutive use of potent TCS to 2-4 weeks.

OBJECTIVE
Investigate safety and efficacy of halobetasol propionate 0.01% lotion in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

METHODS
Two multicenter, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled phase 3 studies (N=430). Subjects randomized (2:1) to halobetasol propionate 0.01% lotion or vehicle once-daily for 8 weeks, 4-week posttreatment follow-up. Primary efficacy assessment: treatment success (at least a 2-grade improvement from baseline in Investigator Global Assessment [IGA] score and 'clear' or 'almost clear') at week 8. Safety and treatment emergent adverse events (AEs) evaluated throughout.

RESULTS
Halobetasol propionate 0.01% lotion demonstrated statistically significant superiority over vehicle as early as week 2. By week 8, 36.5% (Study 1) and 38.4% (Study 2) of subjects were treatment successes compared with 8.1% and 12.0% on vehicle (P less than 0.001). Halobetasol propionate 0.01% lotion was also superior in reducing psoriasis signs and symptoms, body surface area (BSA), and improving quality of life. Halobetasol propionate 0.01% lotion was well-tolerated with no treatment-related AEs greater than 1%.

LIMITATIONS
Study did not include subjects with BSA greater than 12.

CONCLUSIONS
Halobetasol propionate 0.01% lotion was associated with significant reductions in the severity of the clinical signs of psoriasis, without the safety concerns of a longer treatment course. J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(10):1062-1069.


Apoptosis induced by interferon-alpha (IFNalpha) is associated with induction of TRAIL in a number of different cell types. Here we examined whether or not TRAIL was required for apoptosis in a model human bladder cancer cell line (UM-UC-12) and defined the molecular mechanisms involved in IFNalpha-induced TRAIL expression. Exposure to IFNalpha resulted in concentration-dependent induction of TRAIL and apoptosis. Inhibition of TRAIL or downstream components of the TRAIL cell death pathway (FADD, caspase-8) via siRNA-mediated knockdown attenuated IFNalpha-induced cell death, thereby implicating TRAIL in the response. IFNalpha induced rapid STAT-1 phosphorylation and DNA binding activity and subsequent accumulation of IRF-1. Transfection with siRNAs directed against STAT-1 or IRF-1 inhibited IFNalpha-induced TRAIL production and cell death, and chromatin immunprecipitation (ChIP) analyses demonstrated that IFNalpha induced direct, time-dependent binding of both transcription factors to the TRAIL promoter. Together, our results demonstrate that IFNalpha induces TRAIL expression via a STAT-1/IRF-1-dependent mechanism in human bladder cancer cells, and this induction of TRAIL plays an important role in IFNalpha-induced cell killing.


BACKGROUND
Cystic dystrophy in heterotopic pancreas (CDHP) is a rare benign condition characterized by the presence of cysts in the wall of the digestive tract associated with inflammation and fibrosis, intermingled with heterotopic pancreatic tissue. Treatment options for CDHP are poorly defined.

METHOD
We report a case of CDHP, and review the literature focusing on the diagnosis and management.

RESULTS
CDHP is mainly encountered in men in the fifth decade of life in association with chronic pancreatitis secondary to alcohol ingestion. Alcohol and mechanical obstruction of heterotopic pancreatic ducts have been implicated in its pathogenesis. Clinical presentation is varied and current imaging provides the diagnosis. Treatment options include somatostatin analogue injections, endoscopic cyst fenestration and surgical resection (pancreaticoduodenectomy or gastrointestinal bypass).

CONCLUSION
CDHP is rare and presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The long term efficacy and indications for different treatment options need to be refined.


Feeding clofibrate to rats and mice results in a strong induction of acyl-CoA thioesterase activity in the liver that is mainly due to increases in the enzyme activities in mitochondria and cytosol. The cytosolic acyl-CoA thioesterase protein of about 40 kDa, referred to as CTE-I, is strongly induced by the treatment. We report here the molecular cloning of the cDNA corresponding to the rat and mouse enzymes, and the further characterization of the mouse CTE-I by recombinant expression in bacteria and regulation of expression of the enzyme. The cDNAs corresponding to the rat and mouse enzymes contained open reading frames encoding proteins of 419 amino acids with calculated molecular masses of 45938 Da and 46135 Da, respectively. Sequence analysis revealed an active site serine consensus sequence commonly found in lipases and carboxylesterases. Recombinant expression of the mouse CTE-I cDNA in Escherichia coli resulted in production of immunoreactive protein that was mainly active with long-chain acyl-CoAs. Northern blot analysis showed that the full-length CTE-I cDNA probe hybridized to two major transcripts corresponding to CTE-I and MTE-I (mitochondrial acyl-CoA thioesterase I), respectively. The expression of both mRNA species was found to be highly regulated. As expected, both CTE-I and MTE-I were strongly upregulated (> 50-fold) by clofibrate treatment. Interestingly, fasting for 48 h resulted in a similar magnitude of induction as two days of clofibrate feeding. In addition, feeding a fat-free diet resulted in down-regulation of CTE-I mRNA. CTE-I mRNA was strongly expressed in kidney and brown adipose tissue and MTE-I mRNA was expressed mainly in brown adipose tissue and heart but was also expressed in kidney and white adipose tissue. Dietary regulation and tissue-specific expression suggest that CTE-I and MTE-I play important roles in lipid metabolism.


This meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of treatments of bipolar depression. Trials were identified using the MEDLINE, EMBASE, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, and Cochrane databases (1993 to July 2008). The outcome measures included mean change in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) or Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) total scores, and rates of response and remission. Overall, 19 publications were included. Medications included quetiapine, lamotrigine, paroxetine, lithium, olanzapine, aripiprazole, phenelzine, and divalproex. The most trials were identified for quetiapine (5) and lamotrigine (6). Not all medications were associated with symptomatic improvement (significant reduction in MADRS/HAM-D total scores vs placebo), with lamotrigine, paroxetine, aripiprazole, and lithium not being different from placebo. Highest reductions in MADRS scores versus placebo were reported for the olanzapine-fluoxetine combination (1 trial: −6.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], −9.59 to −3.61; P = 0.000) and quetiapine monotherapy (5 trials: for 300 mg/d, −4.8; 95% CI, −6.18 to −3.49; P = 0.000; for 600 mg/d, −4.8; 95% CI, −6.22 to −3.28; P = 0.000), with quetiapine monotherapy also showing the highest reduction in HAM-D scores (4 trials: −4.0; 95% CI, −5.0 to −2.9; P = 0.000). All medications except paroxetine, lithium, aripiprazole, and phenelzine significantly improved the ratio of probabilities of response (overall rate, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.22-1.40) and remission (1.32; 95% CI, 1.20-1.45) versus placebo. Variability in efficacy exists between treatments of bipolar depression. Quetiapine and the olanzapine-fluoxetine combination showed the greatest symptomatic improvement. Efficacy considerations will need to be balanced against safety and tolerability of the individual agents.


Adenylate cyclase activity was measured in ureteral homogenates from guinea pigs of five age groups, ranging from neonates to older adults (retired breeders). Isoproterenol stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity is lost completely in ureters from 90 day and older animals. Forskolin activation also declines rapidly with increasing age; there is a significant (39%) decrease in activation at 30 days when compared to 10-day values with a further decline at 90 days. At 90 days, NaF, GTP and 5'-guanylimido-diphosphate stimulation of adenylate cyclase decreases by only 1, 9 and 23%, respectively, from the 10-day values. Prostaglandin E1 stimulation over 5'-guanylimido-diphosphate control does not decrease with age. 5'-Guanylimido-diphosphate in the presence of ethanol, activates adenylate cyclase to a greater extent in the older animals. These data may suggest that the decreased ability to activate adenylate cyclase with age may be due to a loss of the efficiency of coupling in the more rigid aged membranes. Other explanations include loss of catalytic function with age. The loss of adenylate cyclase activity in aging correlates well with our previously reported study showing that isoproterenol causes a greater decrease in contractility of ureters from younger than from older guinea pigs.


In this paper, the problem of wireless resource allocation and semantic information extraction for energy efficient semantic communications over wireless networks with rate splitting is investigated. In the considered model, a base station (BS) first extracts semantic information from its large-scale data, and then transmits the small-sized semantic information to each user which recovers the original data based on its local common knowledge. At the BS side, the probability graph is used to extract multi-level semantic information. In the downlink transmission, a rate splitting scheme is adopted, while the private small-sized semantic information is transmitted through private message and the common knowledge is transmitted through common message. Due to limited wireless resource, both computation energy and transmission energy are considered. This joint computation and communication problem is formulated as an optimization problem aiming to minimize the total communication and computation energy consumption of the network under computation, latency, and transmit power constraints. To solve this problem, an alternating algorithm is proposed where the closed-form solutions for semantic information extraction ratio and computation frequency are obtained at each step. Numerical results verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.


I analyze the postelectoral coalition formation process in a two-dimensional political environment. The two dimensions are the degree of a proportional tax rate and the degree of a group-specific public good. Parties are office-motivated and care instrumentally about policy. I analyze when stable coalitions exist and obtain that for that to occur office benefits should exceed a certain level. I analyze how this critical level and the set of policies implemented are affected by the income levels and the degree of diversity. For both office- and policy-motivated parties the same result holds, but the critical level might be lower for the latter.


The high stretchability, scalability and bio-compatibility of carbon black nanoparticle (CB)-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer composites are attractive characteristics for diverse applications ranging from the biomedical to aerospace fields. These materials are particularly useful as high strain sensors, but show stress relaxation and resistance relaxation behaviour that must be better understood in order to improve sensing performance and optimize the material design. In this work, we have characterized and modelled the resistance relaxation behaviour of these composites to understand the response of resistance to transient step strain input. CB-PDMS specimens have been fabricated with 7.5 and 10 weight percentage (w.t.%) of CB and subjected to repeated stretching while continually monitoring resistance and stress. A model for the resistive relaxation in time has been developed using 30 relaxations to give maximum coefficients of variance of the constants of 18.54% and 52.72% for 7.5 and 10 w.t.% of CB. The ability to model resistance relaxation is useful for the development of, accurate, highly flexible dynamic strain sensors.


Fluoroquinolones are an important class of modern and efficient antibacterial drugs with a broad spectrum of activity. Levofloxacin (the optically active form of ofloxacin) is one of the most promising fluoroquinolone drugs, and its antibacterial activity is substantially higher than the activity of other drugs of the fluoroquinolone family. Earlier, in the Postovsky Institute of Organic Synthesis, UB RAS, an original method of levofloxacin synthesis was developed, and now the pilot batch of the drug is being prepared. Bacterial DNA gyrase is a specific target of fluoroquinolones; hence, the study of the enzyme-drug interaction is of theoretical and practical importance. Moreover, the parameters of DNA gyrase inhibition may serve as a criterion for drug quality. Here, we present the results of studying the interaction of DNA gyrase with a number of fluoroquinolones and their analogs: intermediates and semi-products of the levofloxacin synthesis, and also samples from the pilot batches of this drug. The importance of two structural elements of the levofloxacin molecule for the efficiency of the inhibition is revealed. The data obtained may be useful for the design of new drugs derived from levofloxacin.


We investigate the ground motion produced by rupture propagation through circular barriers and asperities in an otherwise homogeneous earthquake rupture. Using a three-dimensional finite difference method, we analyze the effect of asperity radius, strength, and depth in a dynamic model with fixed rupture velocity. We gradually add complexity to the model, eventually approaching the behavior of a spontaneous dynamic rupture, to determine the origin of each feature in the ground motion. A barrier initially resists rupture, which induces rupture front curvature. These effects focus energy on and off the fault, leading to a concentrated pulse from the barrier region and higher velocities at the surface. Finally, we investigate the scaling laws in a spontaneous dynamic model. We find that dynamic stress drop determines fault-parallel static offset, while the time it takes the barrier to break is a measure of fracture energy. Thus, given sufficiently strong heterogeneity, the prestress and yield stress (relative to sliding friction) of the barrier can both be determined from ground motion measurements. In addition, we find that models with constraints on rupture velocity have less ground motion than constraint-free spontaneous dynamic models with equivalent stress drops. This suggests that kinematic models with such constraints overestimate the actual stress heterogeneity of earthquakes.


In recent years, grid-based approaches for processing scientific data became popular in various fields of research. A multitude of communities has emerged that all benefit from the processing and storage power the grid offers to them. So far there has not yet been much collaboration between these independent communities. But applying semantic technologies to create knowledge bases, sharing this knowledge, and providing access to data maintained by a community, allows to exploit a synergy effect that all communities can benefit from. In this paper, we propose a framework that applies information extraction to generate abstract knowledge from source doc- uments to be shared among participating communities. The framework also enables users to search for documents based on keywords or metadata as well as to search for extracted knowledge. This search is not restricted to the community the user is registered at but covers all registered communities and the data they are willing to share with others.


Peganum Harmala L., Peganасеае widely distributed in Georgia. On the basis of chemical analysis of the composition of alkaloids it was found out that the plant contains quinazoline derivatives, among which dominats alkaloid d, 1 peganine: С11Н12NО2, m.p. 198-99ºC (СН3ОН). UV, λmax 275 (lgε 3,95). In IR-spectrum (KBr) 1625 cm- (-N=C) 3200-370 (OH)cm-1 . Mass- spectrum: М+ 171(100%). It was studied the dynamics of accumulation for total alkaloids and d, l - peganine: in the budding phase the amount of alkaloids was - 3,71%, d, l - peganine 0,07÷0,09%; in the phase of mass flowering the sum of alkaloids - 4,51% ,d, l - peganine - 0,1÷0,13%; in the phase of ripeness total alkaloids - 3.92%; d,l - peganine - 0,08÷0,1. The study of specific pharmacological activity showed that the d,l - peganine similar to peganine at a dose of 30 mg/kg causes a decrease in heart rate by 30÷40 beats/min, which is characteristic for anticholinesterases, in parallel with this, a decrease in cholinesterase activity in blood serum has been observed.


In this investigation, nanofluids including CNT, milled CNT, and decorated Ag/CNT and Cu/CNT have been applied to enhance the thermal performance of a two-phase closed thermosyphon (TPCT). For better dispersing of carbon nanotube (CNT) in water and producing stable nanofluid, CNTs have been functionalized with hydrophilic groups such as carbocyclic acid and hydroxyl. A reducing agent and calcareous process are effective methods for decoration of CNT with NPs. Nanofluids were prepared in different weight concentrations (0.175%, 0.350%, 0.525% and 0.700%). Also, different input powers (40 W, 80 W, 120 W, 160 W, and 200 W) were applied to the evaporator section. According to the experimental results, it can be deduced that the effect of nanotubes functionalization on the thermal performance of thermosyphon decreases by increasing CNT concentration. Moreover, the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that functional group disjoins CNTs from each other and result in the formation of uniform silver and copper clusters that have been decorated on the surface of CNT. The results demonstrated that in the presence of nanoparticles (NPs), the thermal performance of thermosyphon improved through a reduction in thermal resistance by 34% (at 0.700 wt% for Ag), 36% (at 0.700 wt% for Cu), and 16% (for milled CNT). Furthermore, the decoration of CNTs improved the thermosyphon performance, especially at low input power.


A jungle tour filled with downhill bumps,cliff-hangers,bridge-collapsing moments,the discovery of an ancient burial site,plus an unpredictable ending turns this into one wacky adventure.''WILD JUNGLE'' is a twelve person motion ride with a 180 degree wrap-around screen seamlessly projectedby three CRT projectors at 60 frames/second. Copyright held by creator.


Formulations and simple proofs of Szego-type theorems on the distribution of the eigenvalues and the singular values are given for matrices that can be obtained from a fixed finite set of Toeplitz matrices with generating functions in by means of a fixed finite sequence of operations of addition, multiplication, and inversion.


Gravity is known to cause inhomogeneity of ventilation. Nongravitational factors are also recognized, but their relative contribution is not understood. We therefore studied ventilatory inhomogeneity during sustained microgravity during the 9-day flight of Spacelab SLS-1. All seven crew members performed single-breath nitrogen washouts. They inspired a vital capacity breath of 100% oxygen with a bolus of argon at the start of inspiration, and the inspiratory and expiratory flow rates were controlled at 0.5 l/s. Control measurements in normal gravity (1 G) were made pre- and postflight in the standing and supine position. Compared with the standing 1-G measurements, there was a marked decrease in ventilatory inhomogeneity during microgravity, as evidenced by the significant reductions in cardiogenic oscillations, slope of phase III, and height of phase IV for nitrogen and argon. However, argon phase IV volume was not reduced, and considerable ventilatory inhomogeneity remained. For example, the heights of the cardiogenic oscillations during microgravity for nitrogen and argon were 44 and 24%, respectively, of their values at 1 G, whereas the slopes of phase III for nitrogen and argon were 78 and 29%, respectively, of those at 1 G. The presence of a phase IV in microgravity is strong evidence that airway closure still occurs in the absence of gravity. The results were qualitatively similar to those found previously during short periods of 0 G in parabolic flight.


Philosophy of Law or jurisprudence or legal philosophy rationally, critically and systematically studies the assumptions and problems of Law as a discipline. Philosophy of law asks fundamental questions concerning law and legal systems. Such questions include: Why is law important? What would a society without laws be like? (Hobbes), Does anyone have an obligation to obey the law? If so, what is the source of this obligation? (Socrates/Plato), Is it ever morally permissible to disobey the law, i.e., to engage in civil disobedience? (Rawls), What is the purpose of Punishment? Should we legislate basing on moral principles? In the absence of a world government, is international law possible? (Kant), What is the nature of law itself, and in particular, what is the connection between law and morality? (natural law theorists vs. legal positivists) What is the nature of legal reasoning? (legal formalists vs. legal realists vs. constructivists) What are the different types of freedom/liberty? What is a right? This book is an introduction to the basic debates in Philosophy of Law. It is based on both a thematic and historical approach to jurisprudence.