Capillary electrophoresis (CE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI/MS) were combined in an off-line arrangement to provide separation and mass analysis of peptide and protein mixtures in the attomole range. A membrane target, precoated with MALDI matrix, was used for the continuous deposition of effluent exiting from a CE device. A sample track was produced by linear movement of the target during the electrophoretic separation and this track was subsequently analyzed by MALDI/MS. The technique is effective for peptides and proteins, having limits of detection (signal-to-noise >3) of about 50 amol for neurotensin (1673 Da) and 250 amol for cytochrome c (12361 Da) and apomyoglobin (16951 Da). The electrophoretic separation achieved from the membrane target, as measured by theoretical plate numbers from the mass spectrometric data, can be as high as 80-90% of that achieved by on-line UV detection under optimal conditions, although band broadening occurs and with some loss of separation efficiency. Non-volatile buffers such as 10-50 mM phosphate can also be used in the electrophoresis process and directly deposited on the membrane. The use of post-source decay techniques is shown for peptides in the CE sample track in order to obtain sequence verification. The effectiveness of this method of integration of CE and MALDI/MS is demonstrated with both peptide and protein mixtures and with the analysis of a tryptic digest of a protein.


AIM
To examine the role of 'student-to-student local analgesia administration' on undergraduate dental students' opinions regarding pain-free local analgesia techniques in children.

METHODS
Grade 3 (n:29), Grade 4 (n:59) and Grade 5 students (n:28) of Yeditepe University, School of Dentistry, Istanbul, Turkey participated in the study. Informed consent and ethical approval were obtained. Students' opinions were evaluated by means of a short survey administered before and after educational activities. Activities were provided in a didactic manner (theoretical, practical and clinical stages) and lasted for 6 months. Theoretical lectures on 'pain-free local analgesia techniques in children' were given to all classes. In the practical stage, 3rd and 4th grade students were paired and performed infiltration analgesia on each other according to the lectured technique. In the final clinical stage, 4th and 5th grade students were supervised, whilst administering the technique on children during their clinical training.

RESULTS
Before the activities, only 40% of students believed in the possibility of pain-free local analgesia in children, whereas after the educational activities, the percentage had risen to 68% (P = 0.0001). A significant difference was observed between the opinions of 4th grade students who attended the practical stage and 5th grade students who did not.

CONCLUSION
The role of 'student-to-student local analgesia administration' was found to be significant in changing undergraduate students' opinions about pain-free dental injections in children.


PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the role individual innovativeness along with e-learning self-efficacy play in predicting the e-learning readiness of first- and second-year students of an open and distance education institutions in an African context.Design/methodology/approachTherefore, building on previous related research in this area, a quantitative approach was adopted to address the research questions and to establish whether a statistically significant relationship existed between individual innovativeness, e-learning self-efficacy, the independent variables; and e-learning readiness, the dependent variable. In total, 476 first- and second-years students of the university participated in the four-Likert-type scale survey. The research instrument which comprises 74 survey items was completed by 217 of the students. Statistical tools used for analysing data included both Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficients and t-tests.FindingsIt was discovered that a strong positive and significant relationship was observed between individual innovativeness and e-learning readiness of first- and second-year students of the Yenagoa Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN); a statistically significant relationship was also found between e-learning self-efficacy scores and the e-learning readiness of the first- and second-year students of the Yenagoa Study Centre of NOUN; there was a statistically significant joint relationship between the three variables under investigation; findings equally revealed that male respondents had higher e-learning readiness than their female counterparts.Research limitations/implicationsLike every other study of this nature, this one also suffers some limitations. First, NOUN is a very large university with over half a million students spread across almost 78 study centres. This means that observation from just one study centre amounts to a very small sample size. This according to Schweighofer, Weitlaner, Ebner and Rothe (2019) jeopardises the generalisability and validity of study results. The authors also maintain that empirical data generated from surveys that usually rely participants' abilities to read and select responses without further interpretation by the researchers suffer from cognitive biases like social desirability. To address the above limitations, detailed studies involving all studies centres of NOUN be undertaken and other qualitative and or mixed research methodologies be adopted in the future.Practical implicationsThe implications for this study are that people who are innately innovative will willingly accept technology and by extension, learning in technology-rich environments like those found in like NOUN whose mode of study is blended learning inherently found in open and distance learning (ODL) institution. Therefore, this study is significant as it will provide relevant information to the management and administrators of NOUN, policymakers and regulatory institutions for the development, deployment and implementation of e-learning strategies. Findings will also benefit e-learning initiatives undertaken by similar institutions that adopt the ODL mode of education in Nigeria and other developing countries.Originality/valueEven though, studies on the antecedents of e-learning readiness have been widely conducted across diverse contexts, studies exploring the associations between individual innovativeness, e-learning self-efficacy and e-learning readiness are relatively hard to come by. The above two variables as predicting the e-learning readiness in the study context are comparatively new. This study thus focuses on the relationships between the individual innovativeness levels, e-learning self-efficacy beliefs of students and their e-learning readiness which ultimately determines their ability to sustain studies in an ODL institution.


This paper examines the shift in the portrayal of the image of women from traditional to contemporary times. An in-depth study of the female characters in literary texts drawn from Africa and the African Diaspora reveals that women's writings are more challenging in outlook; hence, the creation of a new identity on the literary scene. In addition, the paper gives certain reasons for the shift and shows the degree of success some contemporary writers have attained in a society that is deeply patriarchal.


The obstruction of the superior vena cava (SVC) of acute onset nature following surgery is a rare and serious condition. The tight closure of the pericardium over the heart during surgical procedures may cause external compression on the SVC. Echocardiography and Computed tomography (CT) scan aids in the diagnosis. Cutting open the pericardial stitches relieves the condition.


The narrow band chaotic output of the self-amplified spontaneous-emission free-electron laser (SASE FEL) exhibits intensity spikes. In the linear regime before saturation, we use an approach developed by Rice to determine probability distributions for the peak values of intensity in both the time and frequency domains. We also find the average number of spikes per unit time or frequency. In addition, we derive joint probabilities for the intensity in the output pulse to have values I{sub 1} and I{sub 2} at times t{sub 1} and t{sub 2}, and for the spectral intensity to have values {tilde I}{sub 1} and {tilde I}{sub 2} at frequencies {omega}{sub 1} and {omega}{sub 2}.


In this paper a novel greedy algorithm, called least squares orthogonal pursuit (LSOP), is proposed to solve the sparse approximation problem in practical compressive sensing. Unlike orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) which finds the support set of the unknown signal iteratively with the idea of matching filter, LSOP selects the candidate according to the least squares solution of the residual signal. It is shown that the proposed algorithm surpasses OMP because its coherence statistic is smaller than that of the latter. In addition, the idea that the least squares solution aids support set selection can be extended to all OMP-based algorithms and improves their performances. Several numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed LSOP family has better behaviors in solving sparse recovery problem than the available OMP family.


Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL

Introduction: An increasing number of studies have demonstrated a strong correlation between T cell infiltrate and clinical outcome in several types of human solid cancers. Nevertheless, the mechanisms governing T-cell infiltration and activation into tumors remain poorly characterized. In lung cancer, our team has observed the presence of tertiary lymphoid structures called Ti-BALT (Tumor-induced Bronchus-Associated Lymphoid Tissues). These structures present features of an ongoing immune response and their density is associated with long-term survival for lung cancer patients, suggesting their implication in local T cell recruitment and activation. We recently published a specific gene expression signature associated with T cell presence in Ti-BALT, which includes lymphoid chemokines, adhesion molecules, and integrins (De Chaisemartin L, et al. Cancer Research 2011). This chemoattractant gene expression signature strongly suggests an active recruitment of immune cells in these structures. Our aim was to study the influence of these structures on the composition, density and functionality of the immune infiltrate in lung tumors. Methods: The expression of relevant molecules was assessed on fresh tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes by multicolor flow cytometry, on tissue sections by immunohistochemistry and on frozen tumors by Low Density Array analysis. Results: Large-scale flow cytometry analysis revealed an increased infiltration of T and B but not NK cells in tumors with a high density of Ti-BALT as compared to tumors with a low density. A significant increase proportion of activated and effector-memory T cell subsets was observed in Ti-BALT high versus low tumors. Whereas most T cells located in Ti-BALT had a naive and early memory T cell phenotype, as observed in canonical secondary lymphoid organs, T cells located outside Ti-BALT were significantly enriched in effector-memory T cell phenotype. Finally, Ki-67+ proliferating T cells were found in close contact with mature dendritic cells in Ti-BALT, suggesting a local priming of T cells in these structures. Conclusion: Together, these data suggest that Ti-BALT represent a privileged area for T cell recruitment and activation in the primary site of the tumor. This mechanism could lead to the establishment and maintenance of a protective anti-tumor immune response directly in the tumor. These findings give news insights about mechanisms of T cell infiltration and activation in tumor microenvironment, suggesting new strategies to enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-498. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-498


Positron emission tomography with 6-[18F]fluoro-L-dopa (6-FD) provides in vivo information on the function of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. We used 6-FD and positron emission tomography to investigate the integrity of the nigrostriatal system in seven patients with progressive supranuclear palsy. All patients had axial hypertonia, vertical gaze palsy, and parkinsonian features. Dementia, pyramidal signs, and ataxia were seen in varying proportions. We analyzed the scans with a graphic method to calculate a steady-state 6-FD uptake rate constant for the whole striatum. Results were compared with those obtained in seven age-matched controls. As a group, the patients with progressive supranuclear palsy had reduced 6-FD uptake constants. The 6-FD uptake constant correlated inversely with the duration of the disease. Normal positron emission tographic findings in one patient with the shortest duration of symptoms suggests that in early progressive supranuclear palsy, parkinsonism may relate to dysfunction distal to the dopaminergic neurons.


In this paper work is carried out on a multi leaf spring having eight leaves used by a commercial vehicle. In order to reduce the cost and weight of leaf spring, the Automobile sector is replacing steel leaf spring with fiber composite leaf spring, the objective of study was to replace steel material for leaf spring, the material selected was glass fiber reinforced plastic. A spring with constant width and thickness with different arrangements of composite leaves was used for analysis. In this study all models are designed for factor of safety 2.5 and analysis is done using ANSYS software. Deflection and Stresses results were verified for analytical results. Result shows that, the composite spring has stresses much lower than steel leaf spring and weight of composite spring was reduced. By capturing the fundamentals of combining dissimilar materials and thus its equivalent modulus affects the overall stiffness characteristics of multi-leaf design. KeywordsLeaf spring, finite element analysis and composite materials, composite leaf springs.


Administration of 6-aminonicotinamide into eggs may interfere with the development of the chick embryo. The prevention of this effect by nicotinamide has been shown before. In the present study, it could be demonstrated that a combination of nicotinic and L-methionine may also produce this effect. If applied alone nicotinic acid exhibited low effectiveness and L-methionine none at all.


The formation process, microstructure and mechanical properties of transient liquid phase (TLP) bonded aluminium based metal matrix composite (MMC) joint with copper interlayer were investigated. The formation process of the TLP joint comprises a number of stages: plastic deformation and solid diffusion (stage 1), dissolution of interlayer and base metal (stage 2), isothermal solidification (stage 3) and homogenization (stage 4). The microstructure of the joint depends on the joint formation process (distinct stages). The plastic deformation and solid diffusion in stage 1 favoure the intimate contact at interfaces and liquid layer formation. The microstructure of joint consists of aluminium solid solution, alumina particle, Al 2Cu and MgAl 2O 4 compounds in stage 2. The most pronounced feature of joint microstructure in stage 3 is the alumina particle segregation in the center of the joint. The increase of joint shear strength with increasing bonding temperature is mainly attributed to improving the fluidity and wettability of liquid phase and decreasing the amount of Al 2Cu brittle phase in the joint. The principal reason of higher bonding temperature (600 ℃) resulting in lowering obviously the joint shear strength is the widening of alumina particle segregation region that acts as a preferential site for failure. The increase of joint shear strength with increasing holding time is mainly associated with decreasing the amount of Al 2Cu brittle phase and promoting homogenization of joint.


Abstract.
 Ducks are unusual because males of most Holarctic species acquire brightly-pigmented breeding plumages in autumn and winter and not spring as with most other birds. Based on an evaluation of molt phenology of ducks under the system of molt terminology invented by Humphrey and Parkes (1959), Pyle (2005) concluded that, for most North American duck species, the molt that produces bright plumages is basic in nature, the molt that typically produces a short-lived, dull "eclipse" plumage in spring or summer is alternate in nature, and the annual wing molt that largely occurs between these two molts is part of the subsequent recharacterized prebasic molt. For various reasons, it appears more likely that the timing of conventional prealternate molts in most Holarctic duck species has accelerated forward over time to autumn and winter in response to selection for early courtship and pairing, with resulting changes in the duration of alternate and basic plumages. These reasons include acceleration in the timing of the prealternate molt in sea ducks after they reach the age of first breeding. An accelerated timing of prealternate molts can explain why certain ducks exhibit an ephemeral, limited first prebasic molt, which appears to be a lost molt and not a virtually nonexistent, unique preformative molt as maintained by Pyle (2005). The accelerated timing hypothesis also can explain why the extent of prealternate molts may have become more complete and the extent of prebasic molts may have become less complete in certain ducks. The accelerated timing hypothesis appears more parsimonious from an evolutionary perspective than the system of Pyle (2005), and does not require the categorical rejection of plumage color and pattern in molt homology analyses, as advocated by Pyle (2005).


In this paper, we address the challenging question of measuring turbulence levels on the high magnetic field side (HFS) of tokamak plasmas. Although turbulence measurements on the HFS can provide a stringent constraint for the turbulence model validation, to date only low magnetic field side (LFS) measured turbulence has been used in validation studies. To address this issue, an eight channel Correlation Electron Cyclotron Emission (CECE) system at DIII-D was modified to probe both LFS and HFS. In contrast to the second harmonic extraordinary mode electron cyclotron resonance emission that is typically used in CECE, we show that it is possible to probe the HFS using fundamental O-mode electron cyclotron resonance emission. The required hardware modifications for the HFS measurements are presented here, and the potential issues in this measurement are discussed.


Background: Stem cells from different sources could differentiate into dopamine-producing cells and ameliorate behavioral deficits in Parkinson's disease (PD) models. Especially, human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) have many advantages without ethical dispute. Liver X receptors (LXRs) are involved in the maintenance of the normal function of the central nervous system myelin. The previous work of our team have reported the induction of cocktail-induced da phenotypes from adult rat BMSCs by using sonic hedgehog (SHH), fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and TO901317 (agonist of LXRs) with 87.42% of efficiency in 6 days of period of induction. But it did not verify whether the induced cells had the corresponding neural function. Methods: The present study was to investigate the effect of TO901317 on the differentiation of hBMSCs into dopaminergic (DA) neurons. In vitro, the cells were divided into control group, GF group and LXR+GF group. Neuronal markers (Tuj1, Neun and Nestin) and DA neuron markers (tyrosine hydroxylase, TH) were detected to explore the optimal concentration, optimal addition time and optimal induction time of TO901317 to promote hBMSCs differentiation. Determine induced cells' DA neuron properties by detecting dopamine release. To clarify its underlying mechanisms, the expressions of LXRa, LXRb and ABCA1 were detected. In vivo, male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were divided into control group, 6-OHDA group (model group) and 6-OHDA+Cells group (cell transplantation group) to observe whether cell transplantation had a therapeutic effect on PD. Results: TO901317 significantly enhanced the differentiation of hBMSCs into DA neurons. Compared to control group and GF group, only the LXR+GF group released dopamine by the result of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Compared with the control group and GF group, the optimal time for differentiation of hBMSCs treated by 0.5mM TO901317 combined with GF was six days in LXR+GF group. And the maximum induction efficiency of differentiation of hBMSCs into DA neurons was 91.67% in LXR+GF group. After the long-term use of TO901317, LXRα and LXRβ decreased significantly, and ABCA1mRNA increased significantly in LXR+GF group. After induced-cells were transplanted into PD rats, Compared with 6-OHDA group, the expression of TH in the striatum increased significantly, and the behavior of PD rats induced by apomorphine was significantly improved in the 6-OHDA+Cells group.Conclusions: TO901317 promoted differentiation of hBMSCs into DA neurons may be related to activation of LXR-ABCA1 signaling pathway. These data suggested that TO901317 may serve as a potential therapeutic methods for PD.


Copper (Cu)-polluted and unpolluted soils were used to study the effect of initial pollution on soil biological resistance and resilience by measuring the responses to perturbation using different parameters. Microbial biomass carbon, substrate-induced respiration and copy numbers of 16S rRNA gene were grouped as general parameters, while potential ammonia oxidation rate and copy numbers of amoA gene were grouped as specific functions. In addition, to illustrate how initial pollution affects soil biological resistance and resilience following secondary perturbation, the microbial community structure, together with free Cu(2+) activities ([Cu(2+)]) in soil pore water and soil pH were also measured after secondary perturbation. Results showed that general parameters were more stable than specific ones. High [Cu(2+)] and low pH in soil pore water induced by Cu addition may lead to apparently low resistance and resilience, whereas the formation of a tolerant community after Cu pollution, secondary perturbation and Cu aging may contribute to resistance and resilience. Analysis of the phospholipid fatty acids profile showed that microbial community structure shifted along with the [Cu(2+)] gradient. The microbial community structure of the control soil was both resistant and resilient to 400 mg kg(-1) Cu perturbation, whereas other treatments were neither resistant nor resilient.


Two hundred and forty 45-day-old fingerlings of Nile tilapias ( Oreochromis niloticus ), sexually reverted with an initial average weight of 1.25 ± 0.14g and stocked in amianthus boxes, were used as a sample. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the influence of alcoholic yeast inclusion in diets on the acceptability of tilapia fillets fed with four different experimental diets containing 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% alcoholic yeast. The variance analysis of the experimental results was split-plot delineated with four treatments, 43 untrained provers and three repetitions, using a 1-to-7-points hedonic scale. Tukey's test applied to the score means attributed to the fillets showed that using up to 20% of alcoholic yeast will not modify significantly (p < 0,05) the organoleptic characteristics of tilapia fillets.


In this paper, IIR structures are proposed to reduce the computation complexity of the secondary-pass estimation in active noise control(ANC) systems. However, there are stability problems of using IIR models to reduce the computation complexity in ANC systems. To overcome these problems, we propose a stabilizing procedure of recursive least mean squares (RLMS) algorithms for eatimating the parameters of IIR models of the secondary path transfer functions. The multichannel ANC systems are implemented by using the TMS320C6713 DSP board to test the performance of computation complexity and stability of the proposed methods. Comparing the IIR filters with the FIR filters, the IIR filters can reduce 50[%] of the computation and obtain similar noise reduction result.


Styrene and α-methylstyrene are substrates of great interest in asymmetric catalysis. Although they have been widely used, known quantification methodologies are restricted to the use of mass spectrometry detectors and are not validated. In the present work, we developed and validated a reliable method by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) for the analysis of non-functionalized olefins (styrene and α-methylstyrene) in a liquid matrix using toluene as the internal standard. We explored validation parameters such as selectivity, linearity, detection limit, quantification limit, precision, and accuracy. The results showed an adequate separation of each olefin under the conditions and range of work implemented (6.83x10-4 mol/L - 4.059x10-3 mol/L). The parameters evaluated are within acceptable values indicating that the validated method is selective, linear, precise, and accurate. This work represents an effort to develop a highly safe, efficient, and validated chromatographic method for the quantification of styrene and α-methylstyrene in liquid matrices for their possible application in the field of resins, plasticizers, and polymers where they are mainly involved.


In the course of our work we observed a patient with a condition clinically diagnosed as syphilis the globulin content of whose serum was 4.4 per cent. Previous research >1 has shown that hyperglobulinemia is not characteristic of the syphilitic syndrome. The history was carefully checked, and it was discovered that the patient had responded positively to the Frei test. This stimulated further investigation of the biochemistry of the blood of patients with lymphogranuloma venereum. To date twenty-seven patients affected with the disease for periods varying from three weeks to seventeen years have been examined. All responded positively to the Frei test and showed clinical manifestations of inguinal adenopathy, rectal stricture and esthiomene of lesser or greater severity. The lipid partition in addition to the albumin-globulin ratio was studied. With few exceptions, all the serums were analyzed for total lipids, total cholesterol, cholesterol esters, free cholesterol, alcohol-ether-soluble phosphorus (otherwise referred


T HREE articles in the February issue of the Atlantic contain especial1y chal1enging material for case workers. Two of them furnish us with considerable aid and comfort in the testimony they bear to the spread into other fields of the demand for individualized treatment. These are "Facing the Prison Problem" by Frank Tannenbaum, and "The Iron Man and the Mind," by Arthur Pound, the latter a continuation of his very interesting series in which the effect of machines on the lives of human beings who feed and tend them is exhaustively analyzed. Both articles are a direct appeal for the conservation of the worth and dignity of human personality, the one in our treatment of criminals, the other in our industrial adjustments. The first article in the number opens a new line by Mrs. Cannon, the paper entitled "American Misgivings" being apparently the first in a series which she calls "Democracy in Question." Mrs. Cannon makes extensive use of the statistics of the army intelligence tests and draws certain deductions therefrom. Her conclusion seems to be that American democracy is seriously threatened if not jeopardized by the preponderance in it of persons of low intelligence. The mind of the reader reverts to her earlier paper on "Philanthropic Doubts" in which she reached the conclusion that the social work of the country had been a failure under private auspices and should be turned over as speedily as possible to the control of this same democracy in whose capacity for wise direction, and in the stability of whose institutions, the author now seems to feel so little confidence. Our readers who agree with Mrs. Cannon in both conclusions must indeed see little future hope for the fruitful continuance of social endeavor under any auspices at all. As set forth by Mrs. Cannon, some results of the army intelligence tests cause "philanthropic doubts" to arise in the mind of the case worker. Is it true in our experience that between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of our largest foreign groups are inferior in mentality? Do their American-born children in the public schools show that their racial stock is thus so seriously affected? A wel1-known authority in the psychiatric field told me the other day that in his judgment a good deal of the seeming mental defectiveness among the foreign-born mothers might be ascribed to their sequestered existence, their concentration on a round of dul1 duties, their subjugation to the will of their husbands, and the lack of any stimulus toward mental development in their environment. In other words, he felt that a low intelligence quotient among such people might often be a matter of actual degeneration from the possible mental status which the individual might have reached under more favorable conditions. Is there not raised in our minds some question concerning a series'of tests, part of the results of which is described by Mrs. Cannon as follows: "One happy finding of the army tests was the very large proportion of the A and B men who had had the advantages of higher education. This ... does show how difficult it is to keep real ability from coming into its own." This statement certainly gives one furiously to think. Then one turns over a few pages and finds in Mr. Pound's article, "The Iron Man and the Mind," the following quotation: How long maya person's innovating tendencies be repressed without dulling his mind? Suppose our first-rate carpenter undertook a two-year stint laying identical floors in identical one-story houses. Would he be as good an all-round craftsman, as good a stairbuilder and roof-builder, at the end of his grind? Obviously not. He might grow more deft in what he had to do; but surely he would grow more clumsy in what he has no chance to do. He would emerge from that job less efficient for the all-round work of the community, less sure of himself, less secure in his home and his living, less interesting as a personality and less valuable as a neighbor and citizen. To what extent this decline in the individual might affect his descendants, and through them the race, is an interesting question reserved for future discussion. It seems to the reviewer that case work experience more nearly accords with Mr. Pound's conception of the influences, destructive as well as constructive, of environment and opportunity upon the plastic material of individual make-up, than it does with Mrs. Cannon's. It further seems that a series of intelligence tests, which shows mental capacity and the enjoyment of advantages running so closely hand in hand, is under some suspicion of having made insufficient allowance for the possibility of development by favorable conditions, or retardation by unfavorable ones, of basic mentalities which were perhaps originally not so far apart.


In a wireless network, the efficiency of scheduling algorithms over time-varying channels depends heavily on the accuracy of the Channel State Information (CSI), which is usually quite "costly" in terms of consuming network resources. Scheduling in such systems is also subject to stringent constraints such as power and bandwidth, which limit the maximum number of simultaneous transmissions. In the meanwhile, communication channels in wireless systems typically fluctuate in a time-correlated manner. We hence design schedulers to exploit the temporal-correlation inherent in channels with memory and Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) feedback from the users for better channel state knowledge, under the assumption of Markovian channels and the stringent constraint on the maximum number of simultaneously active users. We model this problem under the framework of a Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes. In recent work, a low-complexity optimal solution was developed for this problem under a long-term time-average resource constraint. However, in real systems with instantaneous resource constraints, how to optimally exploit the temporal correlation and satisfy realistic stringent constraint on the instantaneous service remains elusive. In this work, we incorporate a stringent constraint on the simultaneously scheduled users and propose a low-complexity scheduling algorithm that dynamically implements user scheduling and dummy packet broadcasting. We show that the throughput region of the optimal policy under the long-term average resource constraint can be asymptotically achieved in the stringent constrained scenario by the proposed algorithm, in the many users limiting regime.


In order to solve the problems of machine translation efficiency and translation quality, this paper proposes an English translation evaluation system based on the BP neural network algorithm. This method provides users with a more intelligent machine translation service experience. With the help of the BP neural network algorithm, taking English online translation as the research object, Google's translation quality is the best, with an error frequency of only 167, while Baidu translation and iFLYTEK translation in China have a high error rate of 266 and 301, respectively, which is much higher than Google translation. A model of machine translation evaluation based on the neural network algorithm is proposed to better solve the disadvantages of traditional English machine translation. The results show that the machine translation system based on the neural network algorithm can further optimize the problems existing in machine translation, such as insufficient use of information and large scale of model parameters, and further improve the performance of neural network machine translation.


Meeting: Meeting of the Coordinating Committee of the Science and Technology Policy Instruments (STPI) Project, 3rd, 24 November-3 December, 1974, Cairo, EG


Access to and use of digital technology promise positive impacts on young adults with disabilities' social and economic integration, and on supporting their autonomy, and facilitating their inclusion into society. We conducted a scoping review and participatory approach to examine the barriers to access and utilization of digital technology to support the transition stage needs (in relation to education, daily living, community integration, and employment) of young adults with disabilities during Covid-19 pandemic. Identified barriers included affordability, availability, infrastructure, and access to community activities. The review highlights the importance of facilitators for promoting digital inclusion of 20 young adults with disabilities whose making batik with natural dyes. They are members of the Kubedistik SMEs in Tarakan. Online-based activities carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic show positive impacts, both in terms of increasing insight, skills, access to technology and literacy skills, as well as on self-confidence, work motivation, and potential for increased economic activity. Results suggested the need for greater emphasis on modeling and facilitating strategies to enhance skill, positive work-related cognitions, and appropriate non-verbal and paralinguistic styles.


Climate change introduced new challenges to vinegrowers in the Mediterranean areas such as the hot and dry winegrowing region of Alentejo, south Portugal. Warmer and drier conditions are harmful for grape yield and berry quality attributes and for vine's longevity, mainly when optimal thresholds are exceeded. Therefore winegrowers are forced to move from rainfed to irrigated production systems making Alentejo' wine production strongly based on available water resources for irrigation. This work aims to review and discuss ecophysiological and agronomical data obtained in irrigation trials set up at different terroirs of Alentejo. In the last four decades, classical bioclimatic temperature-based indices showed a significantly positive trend, while the dryness index present a negative trend over time. Furthermore, ecophysiological data collected in deficit irrigation experiments are reviewed and discussed, focusing on the effects of drought and heat stress on vigour, yield and berry composition. Emphasis is given on the indirect effects of leaf senescence on cluster exposure and consequences on berry temperature and composition. In order to promote the sustainability and quality of wine production in these hot and dry terroirs short- to long-term adaptation measures are suggested. The limitations and risks of using deficit irrigation during heat waves are also underlined.


The Milken Institute's Center for Emerging Domestic Markets has been a leader in researching and writing about the issue of expanding investment in traditionally undervalued and undercapitalized entrepreneurs, enterprises and communities, including women and ethnic business owners, urban cores, rural areas and low-income populations. This article traces the evolution of the emerging domestic market concept and provides a guide to the existing literature.


The microstructures of ibuprofen-hydroxypropyl-bets-cyclodextrin (IBU-HP-beta-CyD) and ibuprofen-beta-cyclodextrin (IBU-beta-CyD) were observed by atomic force microscope (AFM). The high resolving capability of AFM has the tungsten filament probe with the spring constant of 0.06 N x m(-1). Samples were observed in a small scale scanning area of 10.5 nm x 10.5 nm and 800 x 800 pixels. The original scanning images were gained by tapping mode at room temperature. Their three-dimensional reconstruction of microstructure was performed by G3DR software. The outer diameters of HP-beta-CyD and beta-CyD are 1.53 nm. The benzene diameter of IBU is 0.62 nm, fitting to the inner diameters of HP-beta-CyD and beta-CyD. The benzene and hydrophobic chain of IBU enter into the hole of cyclodextrin at 1:1 ratio. The results were evidenced by IR, X-ray diffraction and the phase solubility.


BackgroundThe obesity rate of Beijing residents has been rapidly increasing in the past decades. The incidence rate of diseases caused by obesity is high, and resident health is a concern. According to public data and published studies, obesity may be related to the urban built environment. Methods In this study, a data set of "resident health–urban built environment" based on the data of surveying and mapping in the Shijingshan district of Beijing and the registration data of obesity status from top medical institutions in Beijing is developed. The data of the urban built environment includes five factors: the economic value of location, mixture of land use, facility layout, spatial characteristics of streets, and subjective evaluation data of residents. Additionally, a multi-dimensional judgment matrix of obesity of residents and built environment indicators is established. The random forest algorithm of machine learning is used to classify the data set, and the correlation and contribution of the influence of each environmental factor on the obesity are judged. Results For all communities in the Shijingshan district, the street betweenness and street curvature make the largest contributions to obesity among all spatial characteristics, whereas the number of parks and water-related sceneries in the living environment contributes the least. Conclusions The calculated contributions of different environmental factors to obesity can be directly employed to promote a healthy lifestyle. On the premise of intervention cost-saving, similar effects can be achieved by improving the spatial environment of streets and layout of facilities rather than applying intervention measures of the overall change.


This work is firstly focused on the synthesis of green, orange-red and red emitting
heteroleptic iridium(III) complexes and their application as emitting materials in the
area of OLEDs and oxygen sensors. Furthermore, in order to obtain energy
transfer from the polymer backbone (host material) to the polymer-incorporated
iridium(III) complexes (guest material), a series of metallo-copolymers were
designed and synthesised.
 Three phenylpyridine-based C^N ligands, namely 1-phenylisoquinoline ( 1 , piq ), 2-
(naphthalen-1-yl)pyridine ( 2 , npy ) and 2-phenylpyridine ( 3 , ppy ) and a series of
different ancillary acetylacetone (acac) ligands ( 4 - 8 ) containing dibromo-,
hexylthiophene- and hexylphenyl-functionalised carbazoles were synthesised by
C-C cross-coupling reactions, nucleophilic substitutions and Claisen
condensations, and were ongoing characterised by 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, elemental
analysis, mass- and IR-spectra. Thus, five sets of heterolepic iridium(III)
complexes ( 12 - 16a - c ) emitting green, orange-red and red light were further
obtained and a series of 1-D ( 1 H) and 2-D ( 1 H- 1 H) NMR experiments were used to
confirm the structure of the complexes. Owing to these complexes introduced
ancillary acetylacetone ligands furnished with a carbazole unit or its derivatives,
their solubility, thermal stability and photo(electro)-luminescence properties were
obviously improved. For example, these iridium(III) complexes reveal high
quantum yields (44% for 16c ), luminous efficiency (10.3 Cd/A for 13b ), short
phosphorescence lifetimes (1.1 μs for 12a and 16c ) and good thermal stabilities
(353 °C for 14c ). In addition, utilising these iridium(III) complexes as temperature
sensors, the variations in the luminescence lifetimes of these complexes with the
varied temperature revealed a non-linear curve and are described by an
Arrhenius-type equation.
 Additionally, two types of fluorene-based copolymers with iridium(III) complex ( 25 )
or iridium(III) complex and fluorenone incorporated into the polyfluorene main
chains ( 26 and 27 ) were synthesised via a Yamamoto protocol. The OLED devices
of the copolymer 25 with the configuration ITO/PEDOT/QUPD/copolymer 25 /
TPBI/CsF/Al generate electroluminescence with the maximum peak at
604 nm, while emission maximum at 535 nm for 26 and 566 nm for 27 was
observed. The examination of the electroluminescence emission maximum of
copolymer 25 is the most possible evidence for energy-transfer from the fluorene
backbone to the iridium-containing carbazole segments or for charge trapping.


An extensive literature relating to public perceptions of genetically modified foods applied to agri-food production has been identified through the process of systematic review. Application of systematic review criteria indicated that 335 papers were of appropriate quality or relevance to be considered in the systematic review. Of these, 70 contained data (or data which could be accessed by contacting the authors) which were amenable to formal meant-analysis. The analysis excluded research which utilised willingness-to-pay as the dependent variable as these had been the subject of a relatively recent meta-analysis. Insufficient qualitative research was identified to include these papers in an additional the formal systematic analysis. The results indicate that most data had been collected in Europe, North America, and, to a lesser extent, Australia and new Zealand, and Asia. It is therefore not possible to make conclusions about some major EU trading partners (in particular the BRIC countries and some other Latin American countries) and development and capacity building partners (for example, Sub-Saharan African countries). Some significant differences in consumer perceptions were observed between those regions where data were available, as well as according to whether the focus of the genetic medication was targeted at animals , plants, or genetic modification applied to agri-food production in general. Overall, the results indicate that consumers intention to use the products of GM animals were lower than for GM plants or for GM applications in general, independent of region. Intentions to purchase the products GM organisms of Europeans were more negative than those observed in SE Asia and North America. No differences were observed with time in any region. Similar results were observed for overall attitude. North Americans perceived more benefits associated with GM overall when compared to Europeans and Asians. However, benefit perception increased with time in all of the regions for which analysis was possible. This effect occurred independent of whether the target of the application was focused on GM animals, plants or generic applications. North American, South American and Asian participants perceived fewer risks than Europeans. Risk perception increased with time independent of region, independent of target organism. In contrast, ethical and moral concerns were greater in North America and Asia compared to those within Europe. Consumer acceptance of products will depend on which factor (or combination of factors) predicts consumer behaviour. The importance of different factors as a determinant of consumer behaviour may also vary between different regions, and according to different socio-cultural and historic contexts. For European consumers, negative attitudes (including risk perceptions and purchase intentions) and benefit perceptions have increased with time. It is not clear, particularly at a time when applications of GM animals are not available commercially, which "type" of attitude, perception or belief will be most influential in terms of consumer acceptance of GM and its applications in the agri-food sector, or indeed whether this will vary between consumers. The development of an effective communication strategy associated with GM animals must, in any case, take account of both risks and benefits of GM animals linked to technical issues and economic impacts, as well as risk perceptions. When communicating about GM and its applications, and developing public engagement strategies to facilitate public involvement in the technology trajectory, moral and ethical concerns are also important, but may be a greater priority for consumers in countries which are important European trading partners than for consumers and citizens within Europe.


Wavefront characterization for orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes is demonstrated using quadrature phase-shift interference. The phase fronts and intensity profiles of OAM(-2), OAM(-4), OAM(-6), and OAM(-8) are measured. Wavefront correlations between the experimental results and the pure Laguerre-Gaussian modes are calculated to evaluate the measurement. The measured results are in reasonable agreement with the anticipated results based on simulations.


We investigate Bayesian non-parametric inference of the $\Lambda$-measure of $\Lambda$-coalescent processes with recurrent mutation, parametrised by probability measures on the unit interval. We give verifiable criteria on the prior for posterior consistency when observations form a time series, and prove that any non-trivial prior is inconsistent when all observations are contemporaneous. We then show that the likelihood given a data set of size $n \in \mathbb{N}$ is constant across $\Lambda$-measures whose leading $n - 2$ moments agree, and focus on inferring truncated sequences of moments. We provide a large class of functionals which can be extremised using finite computation given a credible region of posterior truncated moment sequences, and a pseudo-marginal Metropolis-Hastings algorithm for sampling the posterior. Finally, we compare the efficiency of the exact and noisy pseudo-marginal algorithms with and without delayed acceptance acceleration using a simulation study.


This special issue contributes to an emerging literature on the materialities of colonial government by considering the changing relations between practices of data collecting, styles of anthropological knowing and modes of governing which target the conduct of colonial and metropolitan populations. Drawing on comparative studies from Australia; the Australian administered territory of Papua; France; French Indo-China; New Zealand; North America and the UK; the papers consider the implications of different forms of knowledge associated with practices of collecting—anthropology, archaeology, folklore studies, demography—in apparatuses of rule in various late nineteenth and early twentieth-century contexts. This introduction outlines the rationale for the volume and elaborates the concept of "anthropological assemblage" which helps focus the authors' explorations of the socio-technical agencements which connected museum, field, metropolis and colony during this period. In doing so, it points towards a series of broader themes—the relationship between pastoral power and ethnographic expertise; the Antipodean career of the Americanist culture concept; and the role of colonial centres of calculation in the circulation of knowledge, practices of collecting and regimes of governing—which suggest productive future lines of inquiry for "practical histories" of anthropology.


A group of dyke rocks from the Frederick E. Hyde Fjord area form the southern termination of a prominent dyke-swarm in Peary Land, northernmost Greenland. The melanocratic dykes are NS- to NW–SE-trending, vertically dipping, ≤10–12 m wide, and have narrow chilled margins. Whole-rock 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating of three dyke rocks indicates emplacement at ca. 85 Ma, some 15 to 20 Ma older than previous K–Ar whole-rock dating indicated. Whole-rock 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating of three Lower Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks collected hundreds of meters away from the dykes reflects partial resetting during dyke-rock emplacement and suggests that the area experienced a greater thermal disturbance than the outcrop distribution of the dyke rocks would suggest. The dyke rocks contain normally zoned, euhedral microphenocrysts of titaniferous ( ≤4 wt.% TiO2) clinopyroxene in a matrix of olivine (Fo 69–35), plagioclase (An69–35, ≤1.0 wt.% K2O), clinopyroxene and ilmenite; rare matrix biotite [Fe/(Fe + Mg) = 0.65] occurs, and intergranular granophyre is present in the most evolved dykes. Whole-rock geochemistry indicates a basaltic composition, with the least evolved rocks containing 5.7% MgO, 14% FeOT, 4% TiO2, 2.8% Na2O, and 0.9% K2O (by weight). In terms of major elements, the rocks correspond to sodic-type alkali basalts; the normative mineralogy indicates an affinity t o both olivine tholeiites and alkali basalts. Trace-element contents (45 ppm Ni, 45 ppm Co, 80 ppm Cr, 335 ppm V, on average) and mg numbers between 0.42 and 0.45 indicate that the rocks do not represent primitive magmas. Abundances of the rare-earth elements (REE = 170 to 200 ppm, LaN = 100) and strongly fractionated patterns (La N/LuN = 10) are consistent with the alkaline nature of the dyke rocks. The lack of negative Eu anomalies in chondrite-normalized REE profiles is consistent with the absence of plagioclase phenocrysts, suppressed by a high H 2O content of the magma. Normalized extended trace-element diagrams and 87 Sr/ 86 Sr versus 143 Nd/ 144 Nd isotopic plots indicate affinities with OIB. Although the 87 Sr/ 86 Sri values (0.70467 ± 10) do not indicate crustal contamination, 18 O values (+6.0 to +7.9‰) are above typical mantle values and suggest some crustal influence.


In this paper, the performances of the neural-network approach for discrimination of the landmine depth from the ground surface and the landmine radius are carried out. A sensor for landmines detection consists of two microstrip antennas is used. One of the antennas is used as transmitting antenna and the second is considered as receiving antenna. Circular cylindrical shape metallic landmine is used. The neural-network process data are obtained from the FDTD formulation of the electromagnetic scattering. The inputs in the input layer of the neural network are the magnitude of the mutual coupling between the microstrip antennas, |S21| while the outputs are landmine depth from the ground surface and landmine radius. Good agreement with exact profile has been observed. The computation time and computer memory of the inverse problem are considerably reduced.


This study was conducted with 60 students in an EFL writing course for one semester. WebQuest authoring was utilized for students to improve their English reading and writing skills during the process. This study discussed the use of internet technology to facilitate classroom activities and investigated their implementation of higher-order thinking skills in their reflections. Research data was collected from students' reflective journal, in-depth interview, and the final presentation of student-created WebQuests. Findings indicated that with this experimental design, WebQuests facilitated and mediated classroom discussion along with cooperative learning. WebQuests authoring enhanced students' writing skills by reading materials in English on the internet. Higher-order thinking skills were also represented in the student's WebQuest creativity.


The accelerating encroachment of human activity on the natural landscape has made many citizens appreciate the need to save representative biotic communities before urbanization and technologically induced change eliminate such communities. Active programs in natural-area preservation are now in progress in the four basin states; these programs have strong public support and legislative mandate. Local, state, and federal agencies and private individuals have taken an active interest in protecting select areas as samples of the biotic communities and natural features of the Basin. Most natural areas described in this report have been dedicated or reserved in some fashion. Other areas are being added by the basin states each year. The maintenance of natural communities is closely linked to the preservation of endangered and threatened species of plants and animals which would cease to survive as isolated populations. Under federal regulations, certain plants and animals are listed as endangered or threatened in the Basin. As individual state lists are prepared and investigations proceed, it is probable that many more threatened species will be found.


Recently model based techniques have become wide spread in solving measurement, control, identification, etc. problems. For measurement data evaluation and for controller design also the so called inverse models are of considerable interest. In this paper a technique to perform neural network inversion is introduced. For discrete time inputs the proposed method provides good performance if the iterative inversion is fast enough compared to system variations, i.e. the iteration is convergent within the sampling period applied. The proposed method can be considered also as a simple nonlinear state observer, which reconstructs the selected inputs of the neural network from its outputs.


Some studies have showed that students still struggle to solve problems involving quadrilaterals, particularly kites and rhombuses. One of learning strategy that can be used is REACT strategy, which emphasizes teaching and learning of constructivist principles, performs one of the suitable learning strategies. This research aims to describe the process of developing and producing REACT-based student worksheets which satisfy the following criteria: valid, practical, and effective. This study used the 4D model (Define, Design, Develop and Disseminte) and utilizing a One-Shot Case Study research design. The study involves 32 students of the grade VII of SMPN 1 Mojosari during the even semester of the academic year 2019-2020. Test, interview, questionnaire are utilized to obtain the data of this study. The results emphasize that the LKS is valid with the average total validity criteria for the LKS with respect to circumference and area formulas, as well as for rhombus and kite are 3.25; 3.71; and 3.57 respectively. The LKS satisfies the practical criteria with a few minor with the average score on the learning observation analysis is 3.13. Finally, The LKS fulfills also as the effective criteria with the student's questionnaire responses indicate that the student response is positive with an average percentage of 89.4% and the percentage of classical learning completeness or student learning test is 78%. So that this LKS can be used as a source and medium of learning by junior high school mathematics teachers in learning quadrilateral material, especially rhombuses and kites.
Keywords: Student worksheet, quadrilateral ,REACT


The number of (hybrid) electric vehicles is growing, leading to a higher demand for electricity in distribution grids. To investigate the effects of the expected peak demand on distribution grids, a stress test with 15 electric vehicles in a single street is conducted and described in this paper. The test is conducted in a neighbourhood where both transformers and households are equipped with measurement devices. A significant maximum power consumption increase (more than double) is observed at one transformer when both the electric vehicles and domestic loads stress the network. The observed voltage drop in the network is 17V. Analysis further shows that the hosting capacity is around 15%-20% for the investigated networks and that under voltage is unlikely to occur. The measurements are compared to a simulation and the results show that the simulations predict the actual measurement accurately.


While the global prevalence of obesity has risen among both men and women over the past 40 years, obesity has consistently been more prevalent among women relative to men. Neuroimaging studies have highlighted several potential mechanisms underlying an individual's propensity to become obese, including sex/gender differences. Obesity has been associated with structural, functional, and chemical alterations throughout the brain. Whereas changes in somatosensory regions appear to be associated with obesity in men, reward regions appear to have greater involvement in obesity among women than men. Sex/gender differences have also been observed in the neural response to taste among people with obesity. A more thorough understanding of these neural and behavioral differences will allow for more tailored interventions, including diet suggestions, for the prevention and treatment of obesity.


A system that combines the advantages of fast global electroluminescence (EL) measurements and highly detailed spectral EL measurements is presented. A Si camera-based EL system is used to measure the intensity of radiative recombination of the PV device spatially resolved over its full area. A monochromatorbased system is then used to measure localised emission spectra at specific points of interest identified, as such as defects and cracks. The first measurement results of a mc-Si and an a-Si PV device show good agreement with reported behaviour of such devices and highlight the potential to distinguish between different defect types and reveal performance changes that would be missed using camerabased EL only.


Gene-targeted mice derived from embryonic stem cells are a useful tool to study gene function during development. However, if the mutation is embryonic lethal and the gene is deleted from the onset of development, later functions in adult animals cannot be studied. Recently, the bacterial Cre-loxP site-specific recombination system has successfully been used in transgenic animals to produce tissue-specific and temporal deletions [Gu et al. (1993) Cell, 73, 1155"""""" Gu et al. (1994) Science, 265,103--106; Kuhn et al. (1995) Science, 269, 1427-1429]. We have evaluated the tetracycline responsive binary system [Gossen and Bujard (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 89, 5547-5551] for its ability to transiently express the Cre recombinase in transgenic mice. In this system, a transactivator fusion protein composed of the tetracycline repressor (tetR) and the acidic domain of the herpes simplex viral protein 16 (VP16) can regulate the expression of the Cre gene from a promoter containing tet-operator (tetO) sequences. In the absence of tetracycline, the Cre gene is expressed and will induce site-specific recombination between two loxP sites. In the presence of tetracycline, the Cre gene will not be expressed and recombination will not occur.


Sound localization is a vast field of research and advancement which is used in many useful applications to facilitate communication, radars, medical aid, and speech enhancement to but name a few. Many different methods are presented in recent times in this field to gain benefits. Various types of microphone arrays serve the purpose of sensing the incoming sound. This paper presents an overview of the importance of using sound localization in different applications along with the use and limitations of ad-hoc microphones over other microphones. In order to overcome these limitations certain approaches are also presented. Detailed explanation of some of the existing methods that are used for sound localization using microphone arrays in the recent literature is given. Existing methods are studied in a comparative fashion along with the factors that influence the choice of one method over the others. This review is done in order to form a basis for choosing the best fit method for our use.


Molecular pathways that guide cell proliferation and programming events during embryonic development may be aberrantly re-activated in the cancer state to drive tumor progression. To identify mechanisms that drive progression of aggressive breast cancers, we identified molecules that are present in the fetal mammary stem cells (fMaSCs) that drive early development of the mammary gland. These analyses revealed that Sox10 is one of the most highly expressed transcription factors within fMaSCs, and prompted us to investigate the function of Sox10 in the mammary gland and in subtypes of cancer originating from it. Our studies described here indicate that Sox10 is specifically expressed in mammary cells that exhibit higher levels of stem or progenitor cell functions using in vitro or in vivo assays. This includes fetal and adult mammary cells in vivo, as well as mammary cells cultured in vitro as organoids, and for the first time, male fetal mammary stem cells. Sox10 appears to contribute to these stem/progenitor behaviors, as the genetic deletion of Sox10 limits stem/progenitor activities, while the overexpression of Sox10 significantly expands clonogenic behavior. Intriguingly, ectopic Sox10 expression is also able to elicit an EMT-like response in mammary organoids. Sox10 thus represents a single molecule capable of directly mediating both stem-like and EMT-like properties in mammary cells. Furthermore, by modulating Sox10 levels in 3D mammary organoids, we are able to induce cells into sequential motile and stem/progenitor states. This provides a striking in vitro surrogate for metastatic behavior. Consistent with these findings, we find that Sox10 is highly expressed in basal-like and claudin-low subtypes of breast cancer, which are the most stem-like and EMT-like manifestations of the disease, respectively. Finally, we show that Sox10 expression is regulated through a feedback loop involving FGF signaling, and that inhibition of FGF signaling can block EMT-like cell behaviors mediated by Sox10. These findings have important implications in how stem-like and metastatic properties may be specified in mammary cells. Citation Format: Christopher Dravis, Geoffrey M. Wahl. Sox10 promotes both stem-like and EMT properties in mammary cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2326. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2326


This unique reference was written with the intention that users can learn Inventor on their own with little or no outside help. Unlike other books of its kind, it begins at a very basic level and ends at a fairly advanced level. It's perfect for anyone enrolled in Engineering and Technology programs, as well as professionals interested in learning Autodesk Inventor. Distinctive Features - Provides step-by-step instructions along with numerous illustrations. - Commands are shown in bold for those who would rather not read every word of instruction. - Includes graphic illustration for each step for those who would rather learn visually. - Contains small notes on most illustrations to further clarify instructions. - Most chapters are all self contained, allowing users to start from most anywhere in the book.


As a supervised machine learning algorithm, conditional random fields are mainly used for fault classification, which cannot detect new unknown faults. In addition, faulty variable location based on them has not been studied. In this paper, conditional random fields with a linear chain structure are utilized for modeling multimode processes with transitions. A linear chain conditional random field model is trained by normal data with mode label. This model is able to distinguish transitions from stable modes well. After mode identification, the expectation of state feature function is developed for fault detection and faulty variable location. Case studies on the Tennessee Eastman process and continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) testify the effectiveness of the proposed approach.


NKG2D is an activating receptor on NK cells and activated CD8 T cells that has been implicated in tumor immunity, viral immunity and autoimmunity. The ligands of NKG2D are tightly regulated stress-inducible molecules, whose expression is triggered by transformation or infection. In mice, these NKG2D ligands include the retinoic acid early inducible-1 (RAE-1) proteins. However, the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in RAE-1 genes are poorly understood. We examined what transcription factors regulate RAE-1 expression. We found that RAE-1 delta has six exons and RAE-1 epsilon has seven exons. We isolated genomic DNAs of upstream from exon one which are thought of RAE-1 promoters in RAE-1 delta or RAE-1 epsilon. We found that consensus sequences of several transcription factors are present in RAE promoters. Therefore, these transcription factors may regulate RAE-1 expressions.
 This work is supported by Grants-in Aid for Science Research from the Ministries of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan, Grants-in Aid for Science Research from the Ministriesof Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan, Human Frontier Science Program CDA, The Mitsubishi Foundation, The Sumitomo Foundation, Takeda Science Foundation and Uehara Memorial Foundation.


The increasing development and urbanization of the society has led to an increase per-capita production of municipal solid waste (MSW) materials. These MSW materials are of organic and inorganic nature that can be of rapidly, moderately and slowly biodegradable or inert characteristics. With regard to these waste streams a wide variety of treatments exist: reuse and recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion, incineration, and land disposal are the most common ones, pyrolysis and gasification are in use to a lesser extent or on a smaller scale. Regardless of the method chosen for treatment all these methods produce residues, which will be eventually disposed at open dumps or sanitary landfills. Sanitary landfills are engineered facilities that make use of barriers to isolate the waste from the biosphere in order to protect human health and the environment. However, these barriers will fail in the long-term allowing the intrusion of moisture into the waste mass, which will trigger restrained physical, chemical and biological processes causing pollution in the form of leachate and landfill gas. In order to minimise the negative impacts of landfilling of waste, researchers conducted experiments, which resulted today in the so-called bioreactor landfill approach. The bioreactor landfill is a system that is operationally influenced to promote synergy between the inherent microbial consortia, and is controlled to accelerate the sequential phases of waste stabilisation through the addition of liquids and/or air. These past investigations have allowed the determination of optimal ranges for the key process parameters and the implementation of alternative operational conditions, the so-called enhancement techniques. Two main perspectives can be identified: 1) the American perspective, which attempts to apply enhancement techniques in order to maximise landfill gas production; 2) the European perspective that focus on the achievement of the Final Storage Quality (FSQ) status of residues within a generation timeframe (30 years). The term FSQ suggests that the potential of a waste material to produce pollution is reduced to nearly zero in the long-term perspective, similar to the characteristics for inert waste laid in the Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) of the European Landfill Directive. Until now, the main technical problem faced by landfill operators is homogenous liquid addition and distribution (key enhancement technique) within the waste mass. The main objective of this thesis was to achieve a FSQ status of waste, through laboratory and pilot-scale experiments, that complies with the WAC of the Landfill Directive for Inert waste, which had been considered as the worstcase scenario due to the stringent criteria established. Therefore, this thesis focused on the interaction and modification of the factors controlling the waste stabilisation process in order to have a better understanding of the physical, chemical and biological processes occurring in a bioreactor landfill. Bench (1 L), laboratory (50 L) and pilot-scale (800 L) simulators were used to apply different combinations of enhancement techniques (shredding. buffer addition, septage addition, and forced air intrusion) in order to achieve FSQ of residues. In addition, coarse materials (as layers or homogenous mixtures) were used in order to improve the hydraulic conditions of the simulators. The results of these experiments revealed that it was possible to achieve biological stabilisation within 1 year, but not FSQ status. Achievement of FSQ status depends strongly on the initial solid waste composition. Nevertheless, the residues were close to comply with the WAC of the Landfill Directive for inert waste. Buffer and septage addition proved to have a positive impact on the waste stabilisation process, reducing the biogas production lag-phase. Additionally, the risks associated with septage disposal were practically eliminated as no faecal coliforms were detected after 1 year of operation. Also the use of coarse materials had a positive impact on the waste stabilisation process, especially as homogenous mixtures and layers to a lesser extent since they were prone to clogging. Nitrogen compounds, especially ammonium, have been identified as a main parameter that will jeopardise the achievement of FSQ status, hence the safe closure of landfill sites. Therefore, evolution and fate of nitrogen compounds were also investigated in this thesis. The experiments showed that about 40% of the total ammonium was released by physical processes within 24 hours; the other 60% was produced by biological degradation of proteins contained in the MSW. Anammox bacteria were found for the first time in bioreactor landfills and it was suspected to have an important contribution to the total removal of nitrogen from the system, beside other nitrogen removal processes. Nevertheless, it was not clear how or where the intermediate products (i.e. nitrite) necessary for Anammox metabolism were produced. The Landfill Degradation and Transport (LDAT) model was used to simulate the evolution of carbon and nitrogen compounds. The LDAT model was not suitable to represent accurately the processes occurring in the simulators mainly because the model operated at a fixed (20oC) process temperature and the waste chemistry equations need to be improved. Other models found in literature could be more appropriate to describe these processes; however, it was noticed that these models lack a complete ionic balance which has great influence on the pH of the system. The experimental research emphasised the importance of increasing pH values to neutral pH values, which "triggered" most of the processes in the simulators. This thesis highlighted the need to focus future modelling efforts on the integration of this complete ionic balance and its influence on the development of neutral (even alkaline) pH levels. In conclusion, this research reduced our current gaps-in-knowledge and offered feasible technical alternatives to control and steer the processes occurring in a bioreactor landfill aiming to achieve FSQ status of residues


Persistent left superior vena cava coexisting with the absence of right superior vena cava is an uncommon anomaly, and sometimes requires permanent pacemaker implantation due to the relatively high incidence of conduction disturbances and arrhythmias. This anomaly makes the implantation of pacemaker leads more difficult; therefore, accurate preintervention diagnosis of this anomaly is valuable for the interventionalist. A patient in which the diagnosis of persistent left superior vena cava coexisting with absent right superior vena cava was made echocardiographically before permanent pacemaker implantation is presented. Acetylsalicylic acid was prescribed after pacemaker implantation to prevent a potentially fatal complication of coronary sinus thrombosis, and no complication occurred during the four-year follow-up. Some clues for the noninvasive diagnosis of this anomaly and techniques of pacemaker implantation are also described briefly.


We consider the statistical properties of vacua and inflationary trajectories associated with a random multifield potential. Our underlying motivation is the string landscape, but our calculations apply to general potentials. Using random matrix theory, we analyse the Hessian matrices associated with the extrema of this potential. These potentials generically have a vast number of extrema. We show that if the cross-couplings (off-diagonal terms) are of the same order as the self-couplings (diagonal terms), essentially all extrema are saddles, and the number of minima is effectively zero. Avoiding this requires the same separation of scales as is needed to ensure that Newton's constant is stable against radiative corrections in a string landscape. Using the central limit theorem we find that even if the number of extrema is enormous, the typical distance between extrema is still substantial—with challenging implications for inflationary models that depend on the existence of a complicated path inside the landscape.


Abstract Objectives: Within the pan London Major Trauma System many patients with minor or non-life threatening traumatic brain injury (TBI) remain at their local hospital and are not transferred to a major trauma centre (MTC). Our aim was to identify factors that influence the decision to transfer patients with TBI to a neurosurgical centre. Methods: This is a single centre prospective cohort study of all patients with TBI referred to our neurosurgery unit from regional acute hospitals over a 4-month period (Sept 2016–Jan 2017). Our primary outcome was transferred to a neurosurgical centre. We identified the following factors that may predict decision to transfer: patient demographics, transfer distance, antithrombotic therapy and severity of TBI based on initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Marshall CT score. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: A total of 339 patients were referred from regional hospitals with TBI and of these, 53 (15.6%) were transferred to our hospital. The mean age of patients referred was 70.6 years, 62.5% were men and 43% on antithrombotic drugs. Eighty-six percent of patients had mild TBI (GCS 13–15) on initial assessment and 79% had a Marshall CT score of 2. The adjusted analysis revealed only higher age, higher Marshall Score, the presence of chronic subdural haematoma (CSDH), the presence of contusion(s) and fracture(s) predicted transfer (p<.05). Subgroup analysis consistently showed a higher Marshall score predicted transfer (p<.05). Conclusions: In our cohort higher Marshall score consistently predicted transfer to our neurosurgical centre. Presenting GCS, transfer distance and antithrombotic therapy did not influence decision to transfer.


The features of time difference-based traveling wave distance protection is presented first, then the basic principle of traveling wave distance protection is analyzed comprehensively. The core components, including traveling wave head extraction method and GPS timing part are analyzed in detail, using polarity information of traveling wave to distinguish internal faults from external faults and the method of avoiding voltage dead zone are proposed, and the factors that affect the protection are considered. All these techniques make it possible to research and develop time difference-based traveling wave distance protection device.


Personalized medicine is a concept promoted as a new paradigm for health care delivery, with particular emphasis on more tightly linking genomics-based diagnostics and therapeutics. Previous analyses focused on the pharmaceutical market; this analysis also addresses the incentives to develop linked genomics-based diagnostics and the broader public policy implications. Using a standard economic framework of an insurer-payer negotiating reimbursement with manufacturers of an innovative, targeted diagnostic and a companion patented therapeutic, several illustrative hypothetical scenarios are developed. The relative importance of the key economic factors is examined, including whether the reimbursement system is value or cost based, whether the therapeutic is already marketed, the strength of diagnostic intellectual property, and a current year versus longer time frame. The results suggest that health systems reforms that promote value-based, flexible reimbursement for innovative, patent-protected diagnostic and therapeutic products are critical to create stronger economic incentives for the development of personalized medicine.


A maleimide and 2-aminobenzonitrile (MIan) based benzoxazine has been synthesized and characterized. This benzoxazine has maleimide and nitrile functionalities that can polymerize, resulting in a highly crosslinked material. Incorporation of the imide group increases the shear viscosity compared to monofunctional benzoxazines but not as high as difunctional benzoxazines, allowing good processibility, while maintaining excellent mechanical and thermal properties. Catalysts, epoxy copolymerization, and rubber interlayer methods are utilized to optimize the composite properties. The 60% carbon cloth-reinforced resin has achieved the flexural strength over 1 GPa. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 548–558, 2006


A large body of research has explored how policies, once enacted, reshape public opinion, governing institutions, and political organizations—a process known as "policy feedback." Yet this productive research agenda has yet to be translated into practical recommendations of the sort regularly provided by other social science research. This volume of The ANNALS presents the findings of a major collective effort to do just this. The Policy Feedback Project (PFP) is an effort to develop research-backed arguments about how policy feedback might be harnessed to address collective problems in today's age of partisan polarization and economic inequality. This article orients readers to our collective approach and summarizes some of the contributing authors' findings. In particular, we show how the feedback effects of policies could be used to (1) tackle long-standing public problems that have resisted effective responses, (2) increase the long-term durability of policy initiatives designed to address these problems, and (3) build political momentum and power to facilitate the adaptation and expansion of these initiatives over time.


PURPOSE
The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of low-level laser (LLL) irradiation on neural regeneration in surgically created defects in the rabbit inferior alveolar nerve.

STUDY DESIGN
Five adult female New Zealand White rabbits underwent bilateral exposure of the inferior alveolar nerve. A 6-mm segment of nerve was resected, and the nerve gap was repaired via entubulation by using a Gore-Tex conduit. The experimental side received 10 postoperative LLL treatments with a 70-mW gallium-aluminum-arsenide diode at 4 sites per treatment. At 15 weeks after surgery, the nerve segments were harvested bilaterally and prepared for light microscopy. Basic fuchsin and toluidine blue were used to highlight myelinated axons. The segments were examined histomorphometrically by using computer analysis to determine mean axonal diameter, total fascicular surface area, and axonal density along the repair sites.

RESULTS
Gross examination of all nerves showed intact neural bundles with variable degrees of osseous remodeling. Light microscopic evaluation revealed organized regenerated neural tissue in both groups with more intrafascicular perineural tissue in the control group. Histomorphometric evaluation revealed increased axonal density in the laser treated group as compared with the control.

CONCLUSIONS
LLL irradiation may be a useful noninvasive adjunct to promote neuronal wound healing in surgically created defects repaired with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene entubulation.


The present technology relates to a control device, a control method, an AD conversion device, and an AD conversion method for improving settling. The control device is provided with: a first current source for generating an output signal corresponding to an input signal; a second current source for supplying a current for charging a predetermined capacity; and a control unit for controlling the current from the second current source with respect to the predetermined capacity, wherein the first current source and the second current source comprise transistors. The control device is further provided with a supply unit for supplying currents that flow through the first current source and the second current source, wherein the currents that flow through the first current source and the second current source are proportional to current flowing through the supply unit. The present technology can be applied in the AD conversion device included in an image capture device.


In this paper, a hybrid data- and model-based autonomous environmental adaptation framework is presented which allows autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) with acoustic sensors to follow a path which optimizes their ability to maintain connectivity with an acoustic contact for optimal sensing or communication. The adaptation framework is implemented within the behavior-based mission-oriented operating suite-interval programming (MOOS-IvP) marine autonomy architecture and uses a new embedded high-fidelity acoustic modeling infrastructure, the generic robotic acoustic model (GRAM), to provide real-time estimates of the acoustic environment under changing environmental and situational scenarios. A set of behaviors that combine adaptation to the current acoustic environment with strategies that extend the decision horizon beyond that of typical behavior-based systems have been developed, implemented, and demonstrated in a series of field experiments and virtual experiments in a MOOS-IvP simulation.


Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation and autoantibodies, affecting different organs. Musculoskeletal manifestations are one of the most common manifestations in SLE, usually nonerosive and nondeforming. Musculoskeletal ultrasonography (US) can detect synovial inflammation and structural damage lesions. Aim The aim was to detect ultrasound abnormalities of the wrist and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints in a cohort of Egyptian patients with SLE and their relation to disease activity. Patients and methods A total of 80 female patients with SLE and 10 age-matched apparently healthy controls were enrolled. Clinical examination and laboratory investigations were done for all patients. US examinations of both wrists and second to fifth MCP joints were done for all participants. Patients were divided according to clinical and US assessments. Results US detected synovitis of MCPs and/or wrist in 63.75% patients compared with 10% of healthy control (P<0.01). Synovitis was identified in most of the patients with SLE who had hand arthralgia when compared with patients without (P<0.01). Conversely, 18.3% of patients had wrist joints tenderness on physical examination with no sonographic abnormalities. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index score and dsDNA antibodies were associated with the presence of synovitis. Conclusion US is a valuable tool for assessment of joints in patients with SLE. It helps in detection of inflammation when compared with clinical examination and monitoring disease activity.


The SQUID microscope is the most suitable instrument for imaging magnetic fields above sample surfaces if one is mainly interested in field sensitivity. In this paper, both the magnetic moment sensitivity and spatial resolution of the SQUID microscope are analysed with a simple point moment model. The result shows that the ratio of SQUID sensor size to sensor–sample distance effectively influences the sensitivity and spatial resolution. In comparison with some experimental results of magnetic images for room temperature samples from our high-Tc SQUID microscope in an unshielded environment, a brief discussion for further improvement is presented.


Decline in linear body dimensions with age has been reported in studies through- out the world. There is sufficient evidence that a portion of the changes in stature in a cross- sectional study may be due to secular trend rather than ageing. In the present study, age changes in linear measurements were studied and an attempt made to partition the age associated decline in stature from that of secular trend in height in younger generation. Data comprised of 126 Maratha women patients living in Government Mental Hospital in Pune, India. Their age ranged from 30 to 70 years. Using stature and sitting height, sub-ischial height was derived for each subject which was used as an indirect measurement to approximate the secular trend in height gain in younger generation. Iliac height- a direct measurement was used to quantify the increase in height in younger cohorts. Analysis showed that almost 71 percent (2.55cms) of statural difference between youngest and oldest age group could be attributed to ageing effect, and remaining 29 percent (1.05cms) to secular trend in those born later in time. The timing of reduction in height appears to be in the fifth decade accelerating in subsequent decades.


Mentorship is recognized as one of the most important features of a modern job. Applicants seek jobs that will allow them to grow and that provide a clearly identified/accomplished mentor to help facilitate this growth. This has become more critical in recent years with mentorship playing a key role in employee retention for millennials. In fact, providing a mentor for an employed millennial can double their five-year retention rate.
Seventy-one percent of Fortune 500 companies have recognized the importance of mentorship and implemented formal mentorship programs but a much small percentage of small businesses recognize or utilize the importance of such a mentorship program. For this reason, a program for the basic education of mentors and the facilitation of the launch of a mentorship program is needed. The AAAs of mentorship focuses on instructing prospective or current mentoring techniques to improve their availability to mentees, improve affirmation techniques, anchor their mentee, and instruct them in post-doctoral school scholarship.
While many ways exist to improve these four areas, this presentation will focus on techniques that can have the largest and most immediate impact. Growth in these areas will provide a solid foundation and measurable improvements for mentorship programs.


In this paper, a digitally controlled multimodule DC-DC converter with fast transient response, based on a linear-nonlinear control is presented. The proposed digital control improves the stability of the system, cuts off the effects of limit-cycle and reduces the recovery time, by making the "effective" bandwidth of the system independent of the bandwidth of the linear control loop and limits, at the same time, output voltage variations. The digital control is AVP-compatible and halves the recovery time. Preliminary hardware tests on a single phase step-down converter are reported. The experimental results match simulation ones, obtained by modelling system with Matlab/Aldec mixed environment. Implemented system shows fast transient responses comparable to analog controls.


We explore the predictability of the sea surface temperature anomalies associated with the Indian Ocean Dipole/Zonal Mode (IODZM) at a three‐season lead, within the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) coupled general circulation model (CGCM). In both control simulations and retrospective forecasts of the 1990's in the CGCM, we find that the occurrence of some IODZM events is preconditioned by oceanic conditions and potentially predictable three seasons in advance, while other IODZM events appear to be triggered by weather noise and have low predictability. The results highlight the necessity for future studies to distinguish periods when the IODZM is more or less predictable and search for its precursory pattern in the ocean.


ABSTRACT Ophthalmologic nvolvement in SARS-CoV-infected patients is variegated. One of the ophthalmologic pathologies is optic neuritis. Optic neuritis in SARS-CoV-infected patients may precede the classical pulmonary manifestations of COVID-19 and can be unilateral or bilateral. Optic neuritis has been repeatedly reported in COVID-19 patients and may occur with or without affection of other cranial nerves. Since cerebro-spinal fluid parameters can be abnormal in COVID-19 associated optic neuritis, these patients require a spinal tap. Before diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 associated optic neuritis various differentials need to be excluded. Since SARS-CoV-2 causes endothelial damage complicated by thrombus formation and thromboembolism, ophthalmologic vascular complication due to an infection with SARS-CoV-2 such as anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION), central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO), and retinal vein occlusion need to be excluded. CRAO may result from arterial hypertension, myocarditis, heart failure, Takotsubo syndrome, atrial fibrillation, or atrial flutter, frequent cardiac complications of COVID-19. Since CRAO can be accompanied by ischemic stroke, patients with SARS-CoV-2 associated optic neuritis need to undergo a cerebral MRI.


A patient with Mycobacterium abscessus lung disease was mistaken to have pulmonary tuberculosis with airway colonization by the non‐tuberculous mycobacterium. Appropriate antibiotics were only given when the patient's signs and symptoms worsened while on anti‐tuberculosis therapy. Despite treatment with a combination of antibiotics showing in vitro susceptibility, the pathogen persisted in the respiratory secretions for longer than 6 months and the patient suffered a spontaneous pneumothorax 14 months into treatment. This case illustrates the chronic course of M. abscessus lung infection, the tendency for flare‐ups, the inadequacy of current treatment regimens, and the necessity for prolonged patient follow‐up.


Impregnation of hypercrosslinked polystyrene (HPS) with tetrahydrofuran (THF) or methanol solutions containing platinic acid resulted in the formation of Pt(II) complexes within the nanocavities of HPS. The highest selectivity (98% at 100% conversion) measured during the catalytic oxidation of L-sorbose in water was obtained with the HPS-Pt-THF complex. The structure of the catalyst isolated after the induction period was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Electron micrographs revealed enlarged Pt nanoclusters, which were most likely responsible for the high catalytic activity and selectivity observed.


The aim of this study was to elucidate the clinicopathologic features, the differential diagnostic problems, and the prognostic consequences of patients with metastatic extragenital malignancies to uterus. The patients with metastatic extragenital malignancies to the uterus were evaluated. We considered the metastases in non–genital tract organs at diagnosis of primary neoplasm, the distribution of the metastases in the uterus, and the presence of concomitant metastases in other genital and non–genital tract organs. There were four cases of metastatic extragenital malignancies to the uterus. The breast was the most frequent primary site (two cases: 50%). The other two primary tumors were adenocarcinoma of the cecum and malignant melanoma of the skin. The diagnosis was facilitated by clinical history, revealing the previous primary neoplasm, and by specific immunohistochemical study. Almost all the patients died from disseminated disease. Thus, the prognosis of metastatic extragenital malignancies to the uterus alone or simultaneously to the uterus and other organs of the genital tract is poor. Thus, the metastases to the uterus and to other organs of the genital tract can be considered a preterminal event.


learning is painful and is always accompanied by resistance," it ascends into the empyrean out of reach of the empirical. For surely in the workaday world one would immediately ask, What kinds of learning bring on resistance or counterwill? Under what conditions? For what kinds of people? One would then proceed to try to list the answers. There are, for instance, learning situations that stimulate anxiety or touch the individual's defensive system; learning situations that make higher demands than the individual feels he is able to meet; learning situations that touch a bias; learning situations that demand a change in habits; learning situations that demand a change in personality make-up or attitude. Can all the various learning situations be dealt with in just one way, by confronting the individual with his counterwill and forcing him to choose between learning and not? If learning were that simple and unitary, then any human being of university caliber who is not mentally ill could learn to become a good social worker if he chose to control his counterwill, and the only true learners would be the students at schools where this approach is followed. If students learned elsewhere, it would be because they too were getting the same treatment unknown to the faculty.


Morphochronologic slip-rates on the Altyn Tagh Fault (ATF) along the southern front of the Pingding Shan at 90.5E are determined by cosmogenic radionuclide (CRN) dating of seven offset terraces at two sites. The terraces are defined based upon morphology, elevation and dating, together with fieldwork and high-resolution satellite analysis. The majority of the CRN model ages fall within narrow ranges (<2 ka) on the four main terraces (T1, T2, T3 and T3′), and allow a detailed terrace chronology. Bounds on the terrace ages and offsets of 5 independent terraces yield consistent slip-rate estimates. The long-term slip-rate of 13.9+/-1.1 mm/yr is defined at the 95% confidence level, as the joint rate probability distribution of the rate derived from each independent terrace. It falls within the bounds of all the rates defined on the central Altyn Tagh Fault between the Cherchen He (86.4E) and Akato Tagh (88E) sites. This rate is 10 mm/yr less than the upper rate determined near Tura at 87E, in keeping with the inference of an eastward decreasing rate due to progressive loss of slip to thrusts branching off the fault southwards but it is greater than the 9+/-4 mm/yr rate determined at 90E by GPS surveys and other geodetic short-term rates defined elsewhere along the ATF. Whether such disparate rates will ultimately be reconciled by a better understanding of fault mechanics, resolved transient deformations during the seismic cycle or by more accurate measurements made with either approach remains an important issue.


1,8,8-trifluor-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-isoquinoline derivatives of the formula (I) R (-M )a(-A -M )b(-A -M )c-B(-M -A )d(-M -A )e(-M )f-R , in which the symbols and indices have the following meanings: group B is (II); R , R are, for example, alkyl groups with 1-20 C atoms; M , M , M , M , M and M are, for example, -O-, -CO-O-, -O-CO- or a single bond; A , A , A and A are, for example, 1,4-phenylene, pyrimidine-2,5-diyl or trans-1,4-cyclohexylene; and a, b, c, d, e and f are 0 or 1, a condition being that the sum of b, c, d and e is 0, 1 or 2. Compounds of formula (I) in the pure state are colourless and as a rule form liquid crystalline mesophases in a temperature range favourable to electro-optical applications. The compounds are chemically and thermally stable and light stable.


The emergence of Full Field-Optical Coherence Tomography (FF-OCT) for fingerprint imaging has shown it's ability in addressing and solving the drawbacks of traditional fingerprinting solutions such as spoofing attacks, low accuracy for abraded fingerprint. With the availability of multiple internal fingerprints (from subsurface captured at different depths), it is also essential to consider the aspects of ideal biometrics where the privacy of the fingerprint data is preserved. In this work, we propose a new framework for fingerprint template protection, highly customized to FF-OCT by exploring the interplay between subsurface. As a first of it's kind work attempting template protection for FF-OCT fingerprints, we explore deeply learnt features to derive first level of template for subsurface fingerprint image. We further propose to intertwine subsurface level templates to provide better and robust templates. With the set of extensive experiments on a FF-OCT fingerprint database of 200 unique fingerprints with a total of 2400 images, we demonstrate reliable biometric performance resulting in EER of 5.69% for unprotected template at first layer (subsurface) of fingerprint in FF-OCT, an EER of 5.86% for the protected templates at same layer and EER of 5.08% with the final protected templates with proposed intertwining of subsurface fingerprint. Further, through the security analysis, we also validate the strength of the proposed approach with near ideal unlinkability.