In nuclear physics at intermediate energies the use of multidetector arrays consisting of thousands of detectors is customary. For each event up to one hundred of detection cells are hit. As usual in the case of a large number of detectors tools are needed for their stability control and the data analysis automation. This paper presents a simple, novel approach to the classification of data collected using a multidetector array. We describe the results obtained by applying special algorithms to the signals coming from the detection cells of the 4/spl pi/ multidetector array CHIMERA, constituted by telescopes of a thin silicon transparent detector coupled to a thick CsI(Tl) scintillator. The method, which does not require any preliminary energy calibration, consists in a quasiautomatic data processing and produces frequency distributions of the most significant physical parameters. These monodimensional spectra are more easily automatically analyzed than the standard bidimensional scatter plots. In particular, in the proposed system the interactive phase is shorter than in the usual analysis, thus saving time and operator intervention. The proposed method has been successfully used both in the off-line data analysis and in the control of the multidetector stability.


Objective
To review the progress of surgical treatment for the thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis.

Methods
The related literature of surgical treatment for the thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis was reviewed and analyzed from the aspects such as surgical approach, fixed segments, fusion ranges, bone graft, and bone graft material research progress.

Results
Most scholars prefer anterior or combined posterior approach for surgical treatment of thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis because it possessed advantage of precise effectiveness. In recent years, a simple posterior surgery achieved satisfactory effectiveness. The fixation segments are mainly composed of short segments or intervertebral fixation. The interbody fusion is better for the bone graft fusion range and manner, and the bone graft materials is most satisfied with autologous iliac Cage or titanium Cage filled with autologous cancellous bone.

Conclusion
The perfect strategy for treating the thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis has not yet been developed, and the personalized therapy for different patients warrants further study.


Traditionally confined to the pursuit of economic, social and environmental development objectives, official development assistance has moved into less traditional and more sensitive sectors. By making governance a major focus of official development assistance policies, Western powers have reinforced the strategic and diplomatic dimension of aid. In doing so, they have come up against the challenge of exporting Western-inspired governance models to countries whose historical, political, and cultural norms preclude their acceptance, forcing donors to adapt to local contexts. This is particularly the case in Vietnam which, while being one of the most important historical recipients of international aid, and thus to some extent financially dependent on its donors, is distinguished by its ideological and political independence, especially in the way it runs its domestic affairs. Now facing the challenges of good governance, the country is turning a new page in its relations with its creditors, marked by the difficulty the latter experience in supporting public policies of governance, given the sensitive nature of the subject. Traditionally focused on Millennium Development Goals or Sustainable Development Goals, aid in general, and French aid in particular, have moved into more sensitive areas such as governance. Choosing governance as their new target in developing countries, donors have strengthened the strategic dimension of aid. However, they have encountered several obstacles in exporting western governance patterns to developing countries whose history, social and political background are fundamentally different. This phenomenon is leading donors to draw up a more tailored governance aid policy in developing countries. This is notably the case in Vietnam. While it is one of the most important aid recipients in the world, Vietnam has nonetheless preserved its ideological independence vis-a-vis its creditors. Vietnam is now being urged to tackle governance issues in the country to unlock its growth potential, and has embarked on a new era in its relationships with international aid, characterized by the difficulty of implementing public policies inspired and funded by aid, given the sensitive nature of the topic.


Experiments have shown that non-structural protein 1 (NSP1) of SARS-CoV-2 is a factor that restricts cellular gene expression and prevents mRNA translation in the ribosome 40S subunit. However, the molecular mechanism of this phenomenon remains unclear. To clarify this issue, all-atom steered molecular dynamics and coarse-grained alchemical simulations were used to compare the binding affinity of mRNA to 40S ribosome in the absence and presence of NSP1. We found that NSP1 binding to the 40S ribosome dramatically increases the binding affinity of mRNA, which, in agreement with experiment, suggests that NSP1 can stall mRNA translation. The mRNA translation has been found to be driven by electrostatic mRNA-40S ribosome interactions. Water molecules have been demonstrated to play an important role in stabilizing the mRNA-40S ribosome complex. The NSP1 residues that are critical in triggering a translation arrest have been identified.


The Semantic Web is currently best known for adding metadata to web pages to allow computers to 'understand' what they contain. This idea has been applied to people by the Friend of a Friend project which builds up a network of who people know through their descriptions placed on web pages in RDF. It is here proposed to use RDF to describe a person and to have their RDF document follow them around the Internet. The proposed technique, dubbed Semantic Cookies, will be implemented by storing a user's RDF in a cookie on their own computer through the browser. This paper considers the concept of Semantic Cookies and investigates how far existing technology can be pushed to accommodate the idea.


Pectobacterium carotovorum bacteria cause soft rot and vascular wilt of vegetables in the field and post-harvest decay. The aim of this study was to determine in vitro antibacterial activity of Tagetes minuta and Capsicum frutescens extracts against Pectobacterium carotovorum. Aqueous extracts of T. minuta and C. frutescens were tested against Pectobacterium by modified disc diffusion method on agar plates and potato chips assay. Streptomycin sulphate and distilled water were the positive and the negative controls respectively. The experiment was set up in a completely randomized design. Data was collected on zone of growth inhibition, number of days to total tissue maceration and %weight loss of potato chips due to tissue maceration. The three concentrations of T. minuta (40%, 30% and 20%) recorded zones of inhibition of 7.167mm, 6.667mm and 6.1mm; and streptomycin sulphate recorded 8.83mm which were significantly different from C. frutescens and distilled water that recorded 0.00mm. In the potato chips assay, T. minuta and streptomycin sulphate showed a significant difference in the number of days (9days) to total tissue maceration and % weight loss from C. frutescens and water that took only 5days for the potato chips to be totally macerated. It can be concluded that extracts from T. minuta have antibacterial activity against Pectobacterium carotovorum. Key: words: In vitro, growth inhibition, Pectobacterium carotovorum, Tagetes minuta, Capsicum frutescens


The increased density and sprawl of Cairo's urban areas are the consequence of a number of factors, of which the major ones are the physical and geographic features, transport supply, urban policy and the control of urban development, market laws, government aid, property developers, consumer sensitivity to building quality and costs, travelling distances, tariffs, the immediate surrounding area, etc. The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of a transport policy on the accessibility and development of the Cairo urban area. Cairo's transport policy has encouraged tremendous development of major road infrastructures, partial liberalization of the surface public transport network resulting in a considerable expansion of private microbus lines, and an extension of the bus network at the expense of the density of supply and of regularity, and without creating segregated lanes as recommended in successive transport and urban studies, amongst other significant developments. This report explores the influence of transport on the development of urban areas, and the consequences of such developments.


Let L(X) be the free locally convex space over a Tychonoff space X. We prove
 that the following assertions are equivalent: (i) every functionally bounded
 subset of X is finite, (ii) L(X) is semi-reflexive, (iii) L(X) has the
 Grothendieck property, (iv) L(X) is semi-Montel. We characterize those
 spaces X, for which L(X) is c0-quasibarrelled, distinguished or a (d f)-space. If X is a convergent sequence, then L(X) has the Glicksberg
 property, but the space L(X) endowed with its Mackey topology does not have
 the Schur property.


The size effect for notched-tension specimens, three-point bend specimens, pull-out headed anchor specimens and beams loaded in torsion are calculated using a 2D and 3D finite element program. The program is based on the nonlocal microplane model. The calculated failure loads are compared with previously obtained experimental results. Test results and calculated data are compared with the recently proposed size effect law. Results of tests and analysis exhibit significant size effect that should be taken into account in design practice. It is demonstrated that the nonlocal microplane model used in a 2D and 3D finite element code can correctly predict failure loads for similar specimens of different sizes.


The use of arm prosthesis in trans-humeral amputees is limited; due to the cone form of the amputation stump. A Humerus-T-Prosthesis was implanted in three patients to create artificial humerus condyles. Two of the patients were successfully rehabilitated with the application of a new type trans-humeral arm prosthesis. This arm prosthesis had a socket which is suspended and stabilized by the humerus and implant only. Traction and rotational stability were secured by adjustable pressure adaptation around the artificial condyles. The third patient developed a pressure wound over the lateral part of the artificial condyle that later healed. He also was subject to a new trauma with a fracture of the ipsilateral scapula and until now has had limited the use of his new arm prosthesis. It was concluded that this new concept for prosthesis fitting of trans-humeral amputees looks promising, but alternative designs of the implant should be tested.


This paper describes the design of a modular multi-finger haptic device for virtual object manipulation. Mechanical structures are based on one module per finger and can be scaled up to three fingers. Mechanical configurations for two and three fingers are based on the use of one and two redundant axes, respectively. As demonstrated, redundant axes significantly increase workspace and prevent link collisions, which is their main asset with respect to other multi-finger haptic devices. The location of redundant axes and link dimensions have been optimized in order to guarantee a proper workspace, manipulability, force capability, and inertia for the device. The mechanical haptic device design and a thimble adaptable to different finger sizes have also been developed for virtual object manipulation.


Poor health and premature death across Europe remain most strongly predicted by gender and socioeconomic status, and the comparative life expectancy of low income men has worsened over the last thirty years. As the re-framing of men's health as in 'crisis' does not appear to have effectively mobilised health behaviour change, it suggests that a gulf remains between policy and people's everyday lives in challenging contexts. This study proposes a radical attentional shift to capture what low income British men are doing for their health, from their perspective, and in their unique circumstances, so that more realistic and workable ways of 'doing health' can be supported in this population. The research question is, 'How do low income British men present their positive health practices'.

Unstructured interviews exploring positive health and wellbeing, facilitated with photo-elicitation were audio-recorded with 21 participants from the demographic of interest in Yorkshire, UK and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

The main themes from the analysis are Creative life projects for self-improvement, Determination to stay healthy in the face of adversity and Positive Relationships to increase wellbeing.

The men all had positive relationships with friends, family or romantic others. This was supplemented by self-improvement or life projects which aimed to benefit their environment, education, health or mental health. The positive health and wellbeing experiences from this data can inform interventions across Europe to help reduce loneliness and suicide for this neglected group and, by so doing, increase life expectancy.


Massively Parallel Gaussian Process Regression (MP-GPR) is a parallelized programmatic implementation of a machine learning algorithm used to process multi-beam sonar data and generate 2.5D terrain maps in close to real-time. This thesis furthered the capabilities of MP-GPR in two ways. The first introduced data reduction techniques to reduce the quantity of data inputted to the MP-GPR algorithm for computational efficiency. Various approaches were analyzed to determine an optimal data minimization strategy. The second informed the variances of regression estimates by considering beam angle and range uncertainty of the multi-beam sonar data being analyzed. In tandem, the presented methodologies decreased the GPR algorithm run-time and provided an improved uncertainty model. Trials were run using a Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) to process data from a Robot Operating System (ROS) data bag with C++. The data was obtained from a WASSP multi-beam sonar survey of the Wiggles Bank on St. Mary's River in Georgia, USA. The results showed that there were no significant gains in accuracy by using more complex downsampling algorithms and instead using simple method (systematic, average, hybrid) was adequate.


Plasma samples from aging human subjects who had recovered from the trauma of a myocardial infarct and who were not on anticoagulant therapy were assayed for antithrombin activity. Antithrombin was assayed by methods which measure the ability of plasma to destroy an excess of thrombin, human or bovine in origin. Residual thrombin was quantitated either by clotting time or by hydrolysis of TAME ( p -toluene sulfonyl-l-arginine methyl ester-HCl). All methods showed unequivocally that plasma antithrombin increases up to 33% ( P < 0.002) in subjects who have fully recovered from a thrombotic episode.

Submitted on October 19, 1962


The paper presents the results of a survey of 846 Russian physicians (neurologists, rheumatologists, orthopedic traumatologists, general practitioners, and therapists), whose work is associated with the treatment of musculoskeletal pain. The physicians have been asked to answer which topics they consider important for their education. It turns out that the first place is occupied by the issues of differential diagnosis of the most common musculoskeletal diseases and current methods for their treatment (interventional methods in particular), as well as the problems of rational use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. More than half of the respondents find it interesting to discuss the legal aspects of a physician's work.


This UK-based qualitative study explored multiparous women's experiences of being "older" mothers. Respondents were "renewed mothers" who had a child/children relatively early in their reproductive careers and then again after 35 years of age. Key themes arising from the empirical data were: instrumental role of male partners in post-35 mothering, purported "renewal" of self in the face of menopause/diminution of mothering, caring for teenagers and babies/toddlers simultaneously, and subjection to criticisms of "wrong-aged" motherhood. Experiences of "renewed" "older" mothers suggest significant hard work is necessitated both in terms of mothering and presentation of self as an appropriate mother.


In this paper we address the high level of validation of commercially available numerical predictive tools, namely CFD models, for data center applications. Experimental data at a real world facility is compared with computational results. Specifically, a recently developed temperature measurement tool is used to capture three dimensional temperature profiles of the facility with very fine spatial granularity. These detailed contours based on actual measurements reveal hot air recirculation patterns in the room as well as variable utilization levels of the room air-conditioning units. We compare these experimental temperature distributions measured using a novel 3D mapping tool with CFD thermal modeling results. An algorithm for generating CFD models for real world systems is proposed and demonstrated. It is found that due to the extensive inaccuracies in rapidly gathered input data as well as inherent limitations of the model, there can be significant discrepancies between predicted and actual temperatures. In addition to steady state measurements, transient data was also collected and are presented. Knowledge of the transient temperature profiles at different parts of the room allows an estimation of the temporal behavior of the data center. Transient temperature fluctuations are presented which capture the real variations in the system boundary conditions, for example the temperature of the chilled water to the air conditioning units, or the power dissipation of the servers over time.Copyright © 2007 by ASME


For solving the control problem of smart home equipments, introduce a design method of smart home network which can realize the remote control of home electrical equipments by PC and mobile telephone short message, give the home network's mode, describe the software and hardware design of embedded gateway and its control method to the home electrical equipments in detail. The test result indicates that the capability of this system is stable and dependable, and validates this scheme.


Rationale: In the medical field, the use of 3-dimensional (3D) printing is increasing explosively and it is especially widespread in the clinical application of fabricating orthosis. Advantages of 3D-printed orthosis compared to conventional ones include its lower cost, easier modification, and faster fabrication. The 3D-printing technique makes it possible for physicians to easily create individualtailored products. Recently, many kinds of orthosis through 3D printing have been studied and used. The knee orthosis, ankle-foot orthosis, wrist orthosis, hand orthosis, and foot orthotics are examples used in the rehabilitation fields of orthotics. We reported 3 cases of 3D-printed orthoses in patients with peripheral nerve injuries. Patientsconcerns: In spite of the rapid development of the clinical use of 3D printing, to our knowledge, its application to patients with peripheral nerve injuries has not yet been reported. Two patients suffered from upper limb problems and 1 patient had a foot drop associated with peripheral nerve injury. Diagnosis: Three patients diagnosed with median neuropathy, ulnar neuropathy, and right lower lumbar radiculopathy, respectively, by electromyography. Interventions:Herein we present 3 case reports of patients with peripheral nerve injuries whose orthotic needs were fulfilled with the application of 3D-printed wrist orthosis and ankle-foot orthosis. Outcomes: For hand function evaluation, we assessed the Jebsen–Taylor hand function test. Grasp and pinch powers were assessed by a hand dynamometer before and after orthosis application. For lower limb functional evaluation, we used a 6-minute walking test and modified Emory Functional Ambulation Profile for ambulatory function. Lessons: The 3D-printed orthosis could help functional improvement in patients with peripheral nerve injuries. Abbreviations: AFO = ankle-foot orthosis, CTS = carpal tunnel syndrome, 3D = 3-dimensional, JHFT = Jebsen–Taylor hand function test, mEFAP = modified Emory Functional Ambulation Profile, 6MWT = 6-minute walking test, QUEST = Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology, VAS = visual analog scale.


The "flow approach" to labor markets builds up from the flows of workers and of jobs. It is based on three essential components, a specification of labor demand in terms of flows of job creation/destruction, a process of matching between workers and firms, and a process of wage determination where wages depend on the labor market prospects of employed workers and firms, We think that this approach gives the right basic picture of unemployment and unemployment dynamics, and of the relation between wage movements and the state of the labor market. The additional richness it naturally delivers also captures important implications of labor market mechanisms for macroeconomics. Finally, its structure is realistic enough to allow for a productive interaction with - and use of - micro-work and micro-evidence in both labor and product markets. This paper shows the structure of the approach and some of its implications. The first section develops a barebone model; the second adds the flesh.


Interspinous implants (ISP) represent a contemporary non-fusion surgical option in the treatment of lumbar segment disease. Several devices have been developed within the last two decades and have been variously supported by investigations into their clinical and biomechanical efficacy. Spinal stenosis and facet arthropathy are reported as the primary clinical indications for their use, with degenerative disc disease and segmental instability recently extending their application. The principle common to all interspinous systems is an induced distraction of the interspinous space, resulting in reduced approximation of pain-sensitive and space-occupying tissue. Collectively, these devices are considered to prevent adjacent segment overload by restoring physiologic load transmission. This review article summarizes existing published literature, describes four different interspinous implants — the DIAM, Wallis, X-Stop and Coflex systems, and outlines clinical trials in progress. The design and surgical technique characteristics, mechanism of action, and clinical indications for interspinous implants are reviewed. Recommendations for future research of interspinous implants in the treatment of lumbar segment disease are made.


In the course of the systematic revision of the aggregate of Festuca circummediterranea Patzke in Gutermann et al. (1974: 261), in progress by the authors, a nomenclature issue concerning the validity of the combination " Festuca marginata subsp. gallica " proposed by Breistroffer (1966: 79) and its type emerged, which we aimed to resolve in the present contribution.


A fuzzy Wiener model is proposed to identify chaotic systems. The proposed fuzzy Wiener model consists of two parts, one is a linear dynamic subsystem and the other is a static nonlinear part, which is represented by the Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy model. Identification of chaotic systems is converted to find optimal parameters of the fuzzy Wiener model by minimizing the state error between the original chaotic system and the fuzzy Wiener model. Particle swarm optimization algorithm, a global optimizer, is used to search the optimal parameter of the fuzzy Wiener model. The proposed method can identify the parameters of the linear part and nonlinear part simultaneously. Numerical simulations for Henon and Lozi chaotic system identification show the effectiveness of the proposed method.


ABSTRACT Background: The clinical diagnosis and management of patients with sport-related concussion is largely dependent on subjectively reported symptoms, clinical examinations, cognitive, balance, vestibular and oculomotor testing. Consequently, there is an unmet need for objective assessment tools that can identify the injury from a physiological perspective and add an important layer of information to the clinician's decision-making process. Objective: The goal of the study was to evaluate the clinical utility of the EEG-based tool named Brain Network Activation (BNA) as a longitudinal assessment method of brain function in the management of young athletes with concussion. Methods: Athletes with concussion (n = 86) and age-matched controls (n = 81) were evaluated at four time points with symptom questionnaires and BNA. BNA scores were calculated by comparing functional networks to a previously defined normative reference brain network model to the same cognitive task. Results: Subjects above 16 years of age exhibited a significant decrease in BNA scores immediately following injury, as well as notable changes in functional network activity, relative to the controls. Three representative case studies of the tested population are discussed in detail, to demonstrate the clinical utility of BNA. Conclusion: The data support the utility of BNA to augment clinical examinations, symptoms and additional tests by providing an effective method for evaluating objective electrophysiological changes associated with sport-related concussions.


A quantitative analysis of the cellular elements composition of the neocortex has been performed in 40-day-old mice, that have been given full-bodied synthetic diet (10% of protein) and the diet with the half concentration of the nutritive substances (5% of protein) beginning from the 10th day of their life. The protein-energetic insufficiency during the postnatal period produces retardation in the formation and differentiation processes of oligodendrogliocytes, as well as results in decrease of gliocytesatellites in the neocortex.


The application of combinatorial methods to the synthesis and characterization of materials with novel electronic, optical, magnetic, catalytic, or structural properties promises to increase our ability to identify and optimize interesting new materials. Recently, we have shown that combinatorial libraries of solid-state materials can be generated using a combination of thin-film deposition and masking techniques and can be screened with scanning or parallel detectors.['-31 However, for many materials, synthesis is best accomplished by solution-phase methods. In addition,


Incandescent alphanumeric displays using a 16-bar format are obtainable today. They employ 1-ml incandescent tungsten helices strung between support posts. This paper describes a new incandescent display device, fabricated by microelectronic thin-film techniques. Such techniques allow high-resolution dot-matrix displays to be produced with all the cost advantages obtained from the employment of modern LSI thin-film processing. The device uses a ceramic substrate covered with a thick layer of glass. Holes are produced in the laminate and filled with metal to eventually form the element support posts. A thin layer of refractory metal is deposited on the glass. The metal and glass are then etched to produce a field of free-standing microfilaments. The resulting display panel can be driven by simple integrated circuits, and the efficiency of the device, operating at 1200°C, is better than quoted for most light-emitting diodes (LED's).


A multi-layer neuro-fuzzy system presents identification of a drum type boiler. This identification provides a rule-based approach to approximate the boiler dynamics. The interconnections of neuro-fuzzy layers furnish these fuzzy rules. A genetic algorithm (GA) trains the neuro-fuzzy identifier and extracts the linguistic fuzzy rules from measured boiler data. This GA training takes the advantages of nonbinary alphabet and compound chromosomes to train the neuro-fuzzy identifier. An error backpropagation training methodology is chosen to tune the membership function parameters. This neuro-fuzzy identifier obtains time response similar to boiler model while it avoids mathematical complexity of model dynamics.


In fully developed turbulence, there is a flux of energy from large to small scales in the inertial range until the dissipation at small scales. It is associated with irreversibility, i.e., a breaking of the time reversal symmetry. Such turbulent flows are characterized by scaling properties, and we consider here how irreversibility depends on the scale. Indicators of time-reversal symmetry for time series are tested involving triple correlations in a non-symmetric way. These indicators are built so that they are zero for a time-reversal symmetric time series, and a departure from zero is an indicator of irreversibility. We study these indicators applied to two fully developed turbulence time series, from flume tank and wind tunnel databases. It is found that irreversibility occurs in the inertial range and has scaling properties with slopes close to one. A maximum value is found around the injection scale. This confirms that the irreversibility is associated with the turbulent cascade in the inertial range and shows that the irreversibility is maximal at the injection scale, the largest scale of the turbulent cascade.


There are two essential systems for participation insurance, which is based on mutual assistance and voluntary contribution: "full-fledged takaful system" and "window takaful system". The full-fledged takaful firms do not carry out non Shari'ah compliant insurance activities. In the window system, conventional insurance firms offer Shari'ah compliant products together with conventional products. In this study, the pros and cons of the window model together with some country practices and the legal structure for window model in Turkey are presented. Moreover, this study concludes that enabling the window model will be beneficial to Turkish insurance sector both in the short and the medium terms.


The Rio Conference: Some Bare Truth
 For environmentalists all over the world 1992 proved memorable as it saw their largest gathering ever for the global conference on environment held at Rio De Janero in Brazil. India had sent a strong official delegation and a number of our eminent environmentalists attended it as representatives NGOs. Anil Agarwal and Sunita Narayan of Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, had circulated a draft statement on Global Environmental Demoocracy for comments which they presented to the conference.


We tested the feasibility of measuring fat thickness using a miniaturized chip LED sensor module, testing 12 healthy female subjects. The module consisted of a single detector and four sources at four different source-detector distances (SD). A segmental curve-fitting procedure was applied, using an empirical algorithm obtained by Monte-Carlo simulation, and fat thicknesses were estimated. These thicknesses were compared to computed-tomography (CT) results; the correlation coefficient between CT and optical measurements was 0.932 for bicep sites. The mean percentage error between the two measurements was 13.12%. We conclude that fat thickness can be efficiently measured using the simple sensor module.


Local linearization techniques are an important class of nonparametric system identification. Identifying local linearizations in practice involves solving a linear regression problem that is ill-posed. The problem can be ill-posed either if the dynamics of the system lie on a manifold of lower dimension than the ambient space or if there are not enough measurements of all the modes of the dynamics of the system. We describe a set of linear regression estimators that can handle data lying on a lower-dimension manifold. These estimators differ from previous estimators, because these estimators are able to improve estimator performance by exploiting the sparsity of the system - the existence of direct interconnections between only some of the states - and can work in the "large p, small n" setting in which the number of states is comparable to the number of data points. We describe our system identification procedure, which consists of a presmoothing step and a regression step, and then we apply this procedure to data taken from a quadrotor helicopter. We use this data set to compare our procedure with existing procedures.


A small robot arm with nonlinear dynamics is an extremely useful laboratory experiment for illustrating to electrical engineering students the role that linear control theory plays in the design of electronics for industrial applications in control engineering. The robot arm is small and low power so it can be operated safely in manual mode to demonstrate clearly the complexity of its control problem. It is easy to model in its stable region of operation and elementary theory provides a model in the unstable region. Then a series of simple linear designs can be carried out to yield a linear compensator for the robot arm. This can be converted to a stabilizing electronic feedback controller that readily holds the robot arm in any position, much to the amazement of young students. In addition the experiment introduces the student to the importance of engineering procedures in dealing with difficult problems.


One of the most promising applications of ultracold gases in optical lattices is the possibility to use them as quantum emulators of more complex condensed matter systems. We provide benchmark calculations, based on exact quantum Monte Carlo simulations, for the emulator to be tested against. We report results for the ground state phase diagram of the two-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model at unity filling factor. We precisely trace out the critical behavior of the system and resolve the region of small insulating gaps, $\ensuremath{\Delta}⪡J$. The critical point is found to be ${(J/U)}_{c}=0.05974(3)$, in perfect agreement with the high-order strong-coupling expansion method of Elstner and Monien [Phys. Rev. B 59, 12184 (1999)]. In addition, we present data for the effective mass of particle and hole excitations inside the insulating phase and obtain the critical temperature for the superfluid-normal transition at unity filling factor.


IN SPITE of a more aggressive approach in the treatment of malignant disease of the upper intestinal tract that has come about during the past few years, there still remains a large group of unfortunate people on whom even palliative extirpation of their lesions cannot be safely performed. We still encounter, therefore, as a result of obstruction, pain, or persistent fistulae, situations in which for a considerable length of time feeding through an artificial stoma must be utilized. Our experience with permanent gastrostomy at such times has not been too rewarding. In spite of the many techniques available, sooner or later most gastrostomy stomas leak or develop an unpleasant odor. The frequency of feeding becomes a nuisance, not only to the patient but to his entire household. This has led us to reexplore the efficacy of jejunal feedings when such feedings are required. Of the four principal varieties of jejunostomy


This retrospective analysis reports the results of radiotherapy in 8272 patients with cancer who were treated at Tokyo Women's Medical College between 1966 and 1984. One thousand one hundred and four cases were irradiated for head and neck tumor during this period. Twenty-nine of the total number of patients (0.35%) were found to have second primary malignant neoplasms following radiotherapy according to the criteria of radiation-induced or related cancers. Twenty of these were head and neck tumors with an incidence of 1.81% among all head and neck cancer patients. If recurrence of highly suspected cases was excluded, the incidence of radiation-induced or -related cancer was 0.18% among all malignancies and 0.63% among all head and neck tumors. Cases of multiple primary malignant neoplasm have been increasing in number and second cancer following radiotherapy has gradually become a big problem. However, the mechanisms of cancer etiology on which radiation and many other factors have an influence are not clear at this time, as there are many risks to human life. It is important not to underestimate the value of radiotherapy in cancer treatment today.


The main engine of the Reusable Sounding Rocket has been developed at the Kakuda Space Center of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. A total of 54 engine firing experiments were conducted between June 2014 and February 2015. Throughout these experiments, advanced capabilities and functions of this engine, such as wide range throttling, accurate controllability, and health monitoring, were proved to be feasible. This rocket is also required to be reusable for over 100 flights. To confirm the long-life durability of this engine for over 100 flights in a limited experiment period, sequential multiple-firing tests were planned and conducted. Numerical analysis to evaluate damage of the main chamber due to firings was also conducted. The results of durability tests and numerical analysis showed reuse of this engine for over 100 flights to be feasible.


Relation-Based Access Control (RelBAC) is an access control model for the Web scenarios, which represents permissions as relations between users and objects. It allows to express policies using cardinality and quantiers and to specify separation of duties in the basic model rather than as an additional constraint. This paper shows that by exploiting the formalization of RelBAC model in Description Logics (DL), sophisticated access control policies can be directly encoded as DL formulas. This facilitates the administration with design-time reasoning on hierarchies, propagations, separation of duties, etc. and helps with run-time reasoning to make access control decisions. All these reasonings can be automated and performed through state of the art, o-the-shelf DL reasoners.


Planning is an important method in self-adaptive systems. Existing approaches emphasize the functional properties of the systems but do not consider possible alternative adaptations resulting in system functionality with different grades of quality. In compositional adaptation, the adaptation process should identify not only a feasible system configuration, but a good one. In safety-critical systems such as cars, the adaptation process has to fulfill special requirements. The sequence of reconfiguration activities has to maintain constraints over the entire state trajectory defined by the adaptation process, e.g., that certain processes are always running or even a minimal number of redundant instances. At the same time, in modern cars, many optional processes, such as learning of the engine model or optimization of control processes, improve the performance of the car. Possible optimization objectives are fuel consumption, driving comfort, and wear. Thus, this paper introduces a model of a self-adaptation process by reconfiguration, which considers the quality of alternative configurations. Furthermore, a planning process is introduced that generates a sequence of reconfiguration activities, which result in good configuration. The introduced process can be used to maintain the basic system functionality and also to select the currently most appropriate task implementations and optional tasks to run in a recovered system, e.g. after hardware failures.


The conductive mechanism plays an important role in our hearing: the first stage of signal processing in the auditory system. While it consists of the ear canal, the crucial portion is the middle ear system, which transforms airborne sound into mechanical vibration and helps improve sound transmission into the fluid-filled inner ear. Hearing loss due to dysfunction of the middle ear system may be threatening to the quality of life for humans. For example, conductive hearing loss may significantly impact normal speech and language development of children. Assessment of middle ear dysfunction is essential for audiological diagnosis of hearing loss and differential diagnosis of ear diseases. For instance, middle ear dysfunction may cloud outcomes of newborn hearing screening. Acoustic immittance is the current clinical technique for assessment of middle ear dysfunction. The major procedures include tympanometry and acoustic reflex test. In these procedures, a single-frequency probe tone (e.g., 226 Hz and 1000 Hz) is used to estimate the acoustic impudence/admittance of the middle ear. Although they have been a clinical routine in audiology since 1970s, value of these procedures in assessment of conductive dysfunction has been limited.


ABSTRACT The aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme AAC(6′)-Ib is common among carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-Kp) strains. We investigated amikacin (AMK) activity against 20 AAC(6′)-Ib-producing CR-Kp strains. MICs clustered at 16 to 32 μg/ml. By the time-kill study, AMK (1× and 4× the MIC) was bactericidal against 30% and 85% of the strains, respectively. At achievable human serum concentrations, however, the majority of strains showed regrowth, suggesting that AAC(6′)-Ib confers intermediate AMK resistance. AMK and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) were synergistic against 90% of the strains, indicating that the combination may overcome resistance.


Abstract A range of benzotrifluorides are conveniently accessible in high yields from widely available (hetero)aromatic amines and the inexpensive trifluoromethylating agent TMSCF3 through a copper-mediated Sandmeyer trifluoromethylation reaction. Two practical procedures are presented. In the first, the diazonium salts are preformed in an extra reaction step, in the second approach the diazotization and the trifluoromethylation are combined into a one-pot procedure.


BACKGROUND
The hematopoietically expressed homeobox (HHEX) is widely expressed in hematopoietic stem cells and is an essential transcription factor in embryonic development; however its role in hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis is poorly understood. We are thus exploring the association of HHEX and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

METHODS
The study included 56 AML patients and 12 normal bone marrows (NBMs). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) was used to assess HHEX expression. The functional consequences of this gene were explored in the Kasumi-1 cell-line following dampened expression of HHEX. This was done by transfecting small interfering RNA (siRNA).

RESULTS
Expression levels of HHEX in AML were similar to that found in controls (0.094±0.103 vs. 0.078±0.112; p=0.203), but AML with t(8;21) was more prevalent than other types of AMLs (p<0.01) or controls (p<0.05). Expression levels of HHEX in AML (non-M3) did not significantly affect overall survival (p=0.555). In vitro studies carried out in Kasumi-1 cells suggest that after decreasing HHEX, cell viability at 48 and 72 h were significantly reduced compared to controls (p<0.05). The apoptotic rate was also significantly increased at 48 and 72 h compared to controls (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
HHEX is expressed in multiple types of AML, with the highest levels seen in t(8;21) AML. HHEX was essential for Kasumi-1 cell proliferation and may represent a potential therapeutic target enabling against AML.


Induction of apoptosis by tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is modulated by changes in the expression and activity of several cell cycle regulatory proteins. We examined the effects of TNF (1-100 ng/ml) and butyrolactone I (100 microM), a specific inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) with high selectivity for CDK-1 and CDK-2, on three different cancer cell lines: WEHI, L929 and HeLa S3. Both compounds blocked cell growth, but only TNF induced the common events of apoptosis, i.e., chromatin condensation and ladder pattern of DNA fragmentation in these cell lines. The TNF-induced apoptosis events were increased in the presence of butyrolactone. In vitro phosphorylation assays for exogenous histone H1 and endogenous retinoblastoma protein (pRb) in the total cell lysates showed that treatment with both TNF and butyrolactone inhibited the histone H1 kinase (WEHI, L929 and HeLa) and pRb kinase (WEHI) activities of CDKs, as compared with the controls. The role of proteases in the TNF and butyrolactone-induced apoptosis was evaluated by comparing the number and expression of polypeptides in the cell lysates by gel electrophoresis. TNF and butyrolactone treatment caused the disappearance of several cellular protein bands in the region between 40-200 kDa, and the 110-90- and 50-kDa proteins were identified as the major substrates, whose degradation was remarkably increased by the treatments. Interestingly, the loss of several cellular protein bands was associated with the marked accumulation of two proteins apparently of 60 and 70 kDa, which may be cleavage products of one or more proteins. These findings link the decrease of cyclin-dependent kinase activities to the increase of protease activities within the growth arrest and apoptosis pathways induced by TNF.


This work identifies the influence of strain rate, temperature, plastic strain, and microstructure on the strain rate sensitivity of automotive sheet steel grades in crash conditions. The strain rate sensitivity m has been determined by means of dynamic tensile tests in the strain rate range 10−3–200 s−1 and in the temperature range 233–373 K. The dynamic flow curves have been tested by means of servohydraulic tensile testing. The strain rate sensitivity decreases with increasing plastic strain due to a gradual exhausting of work hardening potential combined with adiabatic softening effects. The strain rate sensitivity is improved with decreasing temperature and increasing strain rate, according to the thermally activated deformation mechanism. The m‐value is reduced with increasing strength level, this decrease being most pronounced for steels with a yield strength below 400 MPa. Solid solution alloying with manganese, silicon, and especially phosphorous elements lowers the strain rate sensitivity significantly. Second phase hardening with bainite and martensite as the second constituent in a ferritic matrix reduces the strain rate sensitivity of automotive sheet steels. A statistical modeling is proposed to correlate the m‐value with the corresponding quasistatic tensile flow stress.


Apple (Malus × domestica) is an important fruit crop in Chile, with a cultivated area of 32,313 ha concentrated (63%) in Maule Region (35°25' S). Unusual core rot on 'Fuji' apples was observed at harvest in a commercial orchard in Curicó, Maule Region, with an incidence ranged between 22 to 35% in 2018 and 2019. Previously, in 2017, an incidence of 30% was estimated on 'Fuji' fruits destined to the Asian market. Internal decay symptoms consisted of dry, corky light to dark-brown tissue, within the seed locules initially. In moderate to severe cases, the necrotic lesion progresses deeper into the mesoderm. External symptoms were quite subtle, and typically, the disease goes unnoticed. However, infected fruit ripen earlier. Small pieces (2-3 mm) from the internal lesion margin of symptomatic apples (n = 50) were placed on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) (2%) and incubated at 20°C for 10 days. Pure cultures (n = 41) were obtained and transferred to Malt Extract Agar (MEA) (2%). Colonies on MEA produced an even to slight undulating buff margin with white woolly aerial mycelium, and immerse ochreous in the center, changing gray to olivaceous aerial mycelium with age. On the underside, colonies were umber and buff in the center and margin, respectively. After 10 days, numerous densely aggregate dark-brown mature pycnidia were observed. Aseptate conidia were subglobose to cylindrical, straight, and sometimes curved with rounded at both ends, that was initially hyaline to pale olive, thin, smooth wall with mean dimensions of (2.9-) 3.4 (-4.4) x (1.5-) 1.8 (2.2) µm (n=50). Based on morphology, the fungus was identified as Kalmusia variispora (Verkley et al. 2014). The internal transcribed space (ITS), portion of β-tubulin (TUB), and large subunits of the nuclear ribosomal RNA (LSU) loci were used for molecular identification, using primers ITS4/ITS5, Bt2a/Bt2b, and LR0R/LR5 (Ariyawansa et al., 2014). BLAST searches indicated 100% identity with K. variispora (ex-type CBS 121517). The maximum parsimony phylogenetic analysis placed Chilean isolates in the K. variispora clade. Sequences were deposited in GenBank (OL711706 to OL711709, OL739499 to OL739502 and OL711710 to OL711713 for ITS, TUB and LSU, respectively). Pathogenicity tests were conducted using four K. variispora isolates. 'Fuji' apples (n = 20) were surface disinfested (75% ethanol, 30 s) and then wounded and inoculated with conidial suspension (50 L of 106 conidia/mL) deposited in the middle and into the core region using a sterile fine-tipped micropipette. Additionally, 20 one-year dormant rooted cuttings 'Fuji' and 'Cripps Pink' were pruned and immediately inoculated on the pruning wound. An equal number of apples and rooted cuttings treated with sterile water were used as controls. The experiments were repeated once. All inoculated fruits developed lateral lesions (22 to 37 mm) and dry core rot (18 to 36 mm) symptoms identical to those described in the original outbreak, after 20 days at 20°C in a commercial packing box. The inoculated cuttings produced canker lesions of 10 to 21 mm in length, and dieback symptoms were observed after 3 months. No symptoms were observed on the negative controls. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by 100% reisolating K. variispora. Previously, Alternaria spp. have been reported as the primary pathogen associated with moldy core and dry core rot of apples worldwide (McLeod et al., 2014) and in Chile (Elfar et al., 2018). However, Kalmusia spp. have been associated with dry core rot in apples (McLeod et al., 2014) and have been isolated from canker symptoms on apples in Chile (Díaz et al. 2021). To our knowledge, this is the first report of a severe outbreak of K. variispora causing dry core rot in apples in Chile and worldwide.


BACKGROUND
Many women are exposed daily to high levels of occupational and residential noise, so the effect of noise exposure on pregnancy should be considered because noise affects both the fetus and the mother herself. However, there is a controversy in the literature regarding the adverse effects of occupational and residential noise on pregnant women and their fetuses.

AIM
The aim of this study was to conduct systematic review of previously analyzed studies, to add additional information omitted in previous reviews and to perform meta-analyses on the effects of noise exposure on pregnancy, birth outcomes and fetal development.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Previous reviews and meta-analyses on the topic were consulted. Additionally, a systematic search in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Internet was carried out. Twenty nine studies were included in the meta-analyses. Quality effects meta-analytical model was applied.

RESULTS
Women exposed to high noise levels (in most of the studies ≥ 80 dB) during pregnancy are at a significantly higher risk for having small-for-gestational-age newborn (RR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.38), gestational hypertension (RR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.58) and infant with congenital malformations (RR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.79). The effect was not significant for preeclampsia, perinatal death, spontaneous abortion and preterm birth.

CONCLUSION
The results are consistent with previous findings regarding a higher risk for small-for-gestational-age. They also highlight the significance of residential and occupational noise exposure for developing gestational hypertension and especially congenital malformations.


This paper considers the problem of seizure detection in the neonate based on electroencephalogram (EEG) data. It is shown that by using a histologically and biophysically justifiable model for the generation of the EEG, the detection of electrographic seizure is greatly improved. The model is presented along with an estimator for the model parameters. Then a simple seizure detection scheme based on the model parameter estimates is suggested. It is also shown that this scheme is superior in performance to spectral analysis techniques such as the periodogram when used to analyse both simulated and real EEG data.


Objectives: Personal exposure to air pollution is affected by contact over time and by location. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between personal exposure to and the time-activity patterns of the elderly in urban and rural areas. Methods: A total of 44 elderly participants were recruited for a 24-hour personal exposure measurement. Twenty-four were from Seoul (urban area) and 20 were from Asan (rural area). Energy expenditure and spatiotemporal positioning were monitored through measurement. Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between and time-activity pattern. Results: Daily average personal exposures were in Seoul and in Asan. Although outdoor exposure was higher in Seoul than in Asan, residential indoor exposure was higher in Asan than in Seoul. Higher personal exposure in Asan could be explained by longer time in residential indoor environments and higher indoor concentrations. Seoul elderly had higher energy expenditure, which may be due to the use of mass transportation. Conclusion: Personal exposure to was higher among Asan elderly than Seoul elderly because of high residential indoor concentrations and longer residential time. Lack of energy spent and higher personal exposure to might have led to higher risk among the Asan elderly.


Fueled by social media, health misinformation is spreading rapidly across online platforms. Myths, rumors, and false information on COVID-19 and vaccines are flourishing, and the aftermath can be disastrous. A more concerning trend is that people are increasingly relying on social media to obtain healthcare information and tending to believe what they read on social media. Given the serious consequences of misinformation, this study aims to advance our understanding of a potential cure for the infodemic we face. Specifically, we focus on a countermeasure that Twitter currently employs, which is to nudge users toward credible information when users search topics for which erroneous information is rampant. Twitter's policy is unique, in that the intervention is not about censorship but rather about redirecting users away from false information and toward facts. Our analysis utilizes 1,796 news articles that contain misinformation about health topics such as measles, vaccine, cancer, and COVID-19. Our analysis reveals that Twitter's policy effectively reduces misinformation diffusion. After the policy introduction, a news article that contains misinformation is 17% less likely to start a diffusion process on Twitter. In addition, tweets that contain a link to misinformation articles are less likely to be retweeted, quoted, or replied to, which leads to a significant reduction in the aggregated number of tweets each misinformation article attracts. We further uncover that the observed reduction is driven by the decrease both in original tweet posts—those that first introduce misinformation news articles to the Twitter platform—and in those resharing the misinformation, although the reduction is more significant in resharing posts. Lastly, we find that the effect is driven primarily by a decrease in human-like accounts that share links to unverified claims but not by a decrease in activities by bot-like accounts. Our findings indicate that a misinformation policy that relies on a nudge to a credible source rather than on censorship can substantially contain misinformation.


To reduce the amount of data transfer in networked systems, measurements are usually taken only when an event occurs rather than at each synchronous sample instant. However, this complicates estimation problems considerably, especially in the situation when no measurement is received anymore. The goal of this paper is therefore to develop a state estimator that can successfully cope with event based measurements and attains an asymptotically bounded error-covariance matrix. To that extent, a general mathematical description of event sampling is proposed. This description is used to set up a state estimator with a hybrid update, i.e., when an event occurs the estimated state is updated using the measurement, while at synchronous instants the update is based on knowledge that the sensor value lies within a bounded subset of the measurement space. Furthermore, to minimize computational complexity of the estimator, the algorithm is implemented using a sum of Gaussians approach. The benefits of this implementation are demonstrated by an illustrative example of state estimation with event sampling.


A total of 120 male rats of the Sprague-Dawley-strain (6 weeks old) were used in this experiment. 5 groups of 12 animals each were treated intraperitoneally with 200 ng gonadotropin releasing hormone (LH-RH) per animal. 30 minutes later blood was sampled by heart puncture. Group I were animals without transport, group II immediately after, group III one day, group IV one week and group V six weeks after a standardised transport. Another 5 groups were subjected to the same protocol but received saline i.p. instead of LH-RH. Serum levels of LH and FSH were estimated by radioimmunoassay. LH and FSH serum levels could be stimulated by LH-RH in all groups. A significant rise of basal and LH-RH stimulated LH levels was observed until the first day after transport. Thereafter a drop was registered. No consistent patterns of basal as well LH-RH stimulated FSH-levels were noted. These data combine to suggest an elevation of LH-RH secretion as response to the stress. This results in a sensibilisation of the pituitary to exogenous LH-RH.


Many Data Grid services maintain persistent metadata in remote relational databases. However, existing relational database systems are neither grid enabled nor web service enabled, adversely affecting cross-organizational interoperability and reuse. The European Data Grid's Data Management Work Package addresses these issues with Spitfire. The Spitfire service gridenables a wide range of relational database systems by introducing a uniform service interface, data model, network protocol and security model. These are based on widely accepted standards and neutral with respect to programming language, platform and database product. In this paper we briefly describe the latest stable Spitfire release. We then discuss in detail work in progress towards a web service based architecture, its security model and client APIs, illustrated by practical examples.


Attempts to optimize the quality of magnetic resonance images must balance the competing needs for high spatial resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio, a large number of sections, and a reasonable imaging time. These factors, which determine the ultimate image quality, are affected by a number of variables, including the field of view, the matrix and pixel size, choice of repetition time and echo time, section thickness, and the number of signals averaged. The manner in which these variables interrelate and their effect on the ultimate image quality are important in order to craft the most appropriate examination for each individual patient. A second major effect on soft-tissue contrast is the use of paramagnetic agents. The spectrum of utility of these agents within the central nervous system and the body is increasing. A large number of new agents are also being investigated, primarily for use outside the central nervous system.


Several pain assessment tools have been proposed for use in different settings, but neither have been validated for all patients, especially Iranians. We conducted this study to compare the accuracy of two most commonly used tools for evaluation of pain intensity in a group of postoperative Iranian patients. All postoperative patients admitted to the surgical wards of Masih Daneshvari and Rasoul Akram Hospitals, Tehran, Iran were studied. During a two-month period, patients were evaluated for pain intensity within 24 hours of operation. Visual analogue scale and faces rating scale were used for this purpose. Eighty-two patients were enrolled into the study. Forty-eight patients underwent obstetrics and 34 had general surgeries. Using Spearman analysis, we found a linear correlation between the results of the two methods (P=0.952). Using multivariate analysis, we found that none of the variables such as age, gender, and education level had significant effects on correlation between visual analogue scale and faces rating scale. Visual analogue scale and faces rating scale are two pain assessment tools that can be used interchangeably for evaluation of acute postoperative pain.


Most models of bank failure have assumed that the path towards bankruptcy or insolvency is smooth and continuous. As a consequence a number of early-warning systems have been suggested in the banking and financial literature to aid regulators in the identification of potential problem banks. However, these systems may be of little use when the path towards failure is explosive, involving a sudden crash or catastrophe. This paper seeks to examine such cases by applying the theory of catastrophes to bank failure. A model is developed to show how the interaction between bank management, regulators and depositors can induce catastrophic failure. It is argued that there is a crucial relationship between the power of regulatory intervention and depositors confidence levels which is both necessary and sufficient for catastrophe to occur. It is also argued that catastrophe appears to be more likely for large money market banks rather than small banks. Finally, some suggestions are made for regulatory policy and for further research in the area.


Cortical bone is a multiscale heterogeneous natural material characterized by microstructural effects. Thus guided waves propagating in cortical bone undergo dispersion due to both material microstructure and bone geometry. However, above 0.8 MHz, ultrasound propagates rather as a dispersive surface Rayleigh wave than a dispersive guided wave because at those frequencies, the corresponding wavelengths are smaller than the thickness of cortical bone. Classical elasticity, although it has been largely used for wave propagation modeling in bones, is not able to support dispersion in bulk and Rayleigh waves. This is possible with the use of Mindlin's Form-II gradient elastic theory, which introduces in its equation of motion intrinsic parameters that correlate microstructure with the macrostructure. In this work, the boundary element method in conjunction with the reassigned smoothed pseudo Wigner-Ville transform are employed for the numerical determination of time-frequency diagrams corresponding to the dispersion curves of Rayleigh and guided waves propagating in a cortical bone. A composite material model for the determination of the internal length scale parameters imposed by Mindlin's elastic theory is exploited. The obtained results demonstrate the dispersive nature of Rayleigh wave propagating along the complex structure of bone as well as how microstructure affects guided waves.


Pressure dependent magnetotransport measurements have been carried out on a chlorine‐doped Zn0.98Mn0.02Se epilayer with a carrier concentration below the critical concentration of the metal‐insulator transition (MIT). The large positive magnetoresistance at low temperatures can qualitatively be related to the giant Zeeman splitting of the donor states. The increase of the resistivity and the magnetoresistance effects under hydrostatic pressure is mainly related to the increase of the electron effective mass in the conduction band. This increase of the effective mass is the reason for an increase of the donor depth and a corresponding shrinkage of the donor wavefunction, which in turn leads to a narrowing of the impurity band (IB). The splitting of this narrow IB, which results from an applied pressure, is the main reason for the enhancement of the large positive magnetoresistance effects under pressure.


Based on a BNR system--BCFS, the effect of COD/P and phosphate recovery on the BCFS process was experimentally investigated. The results indicate that a higher P-removal efficiency (87%) and a good P-effluent quality (< or = 0.8 mg x L(-1)) could be maintained at COD/P ratios higher than 24. When COD/P was reduced below 24, the P-removal efficiency was suddenly decreased down to 62% and the P-effluent went up to 5 mg x L(-1). Under the circumstance, chemical phosphate recovery in the side-stream of anaerobic supernatant was combined with bio-P removal. When the side-stream increased up to 30%, the P-effluent went back to < 1 mg x L(-1), with a corresponding phosphate recovery efficiency of 54%.


A new synthesis of (8-quinolyl)-5-methoxysalicylaldimine (Hqsal-5-OMe) is reported and its crystal structure is presented. Two Fe(III) complexes, [Fe(qsal-5-OMe)(2)]Cl⋅solvent (solvent = 2 MeOH⋅0.5 H(2)O (1) and MeCN⋅H(2)O (2)) have been prepared and their structural, electronic and magnetic properties studied. [Fe(qsal-5-OMe)(2)]Cl⋅2 MeOH⋅0.5 H(2)O (1) exhibits rare crystallographically independent high-spin and low-spin Fe(III) centres at 150 K, whereas [Fe(qsal-5-OMe)(2)]Cl⋅ MeCN⋅H(2)O (2) is low spin at 100 K. In both structures there are extensive π-π and C-H⋅⋅⋅π interactions. SQUID magnetometry of 2 reveals an unusual abrupt stepped-spin crossover with T(1/2) = 245 K and 275 K for steps 1 and 2, respectively, with a slight hysteresis of 5 K in the first step and a plateau of 15 K between the steps. In contrast, 1 is found to undergo an abrupt half-spin crossover also with a hysteresis of 10 K. The two compounds are the first Fe(III) complexes of a substituted qsal ligand to exhibit abrupt spin crossover. These conclusions are supported by (57) Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. Both complexes exhibit reversible reduction to Fe(II) at -0.18 V and irreversible oxidation of the coordinated qsal-5-OMe ligand at +1.10 V.


Questions: Can forest site characteristics be used to predict Ellenberg indicator values for soil moisture? Which is the best averaged mean value for modelling? Does the distribution of soil moisture depend on spatial information? Location: Bavarian Alps, Germany. Methods: We used topographic, climatic and edaphic variables to model the mean soil moisture value as found on 1505 forest plots from the database WINALPecobase. All predictor variables were taken from area-wide geodata layers sothat the model can be applied tosome 250 000 ha of forest in the target region. We adopted methods developed in species distribution modelling to regionalize Ellenberg indicator values. Therefore, we use the additive georegression framework for spatial prediction of Ellenberg values with the R-library mboost, which is a feasible way to consider environmental effects, spatial autocorrelation, predictor interactions and non-stationarity simultaneously in our data. The framework is much more flexible than established statistical and machine-learning models in species distribution modelling. We estimated five different mboost models reflecting different model structures on 50 bootstrap samples in each case. Results: Median R 2 values calculated on independent test samples ranged from 0.28 to 0.45. Our results show a significant influence of interactions and nonstationarity in addition to environmental covariates. Unweighted mean indicator values can be modelled better than abundance-weighted values, and the consideration of bryophytes did not improve model performance. Partial response curves indicate meaningful dependencies between moisture indicator values and environmental covariates. However, mean indicator values 6.0 could not be modelled correctly, since they were poorly represented in our calibration sample. The final map represents high-resolution information of site hydrological conditions. Conclusions: Indicator values offer an effect-oriented alternative to physicallybased hydrological models to predict water-related site conditions, even at landscape scale. The presented approach is applicable to all kinds of Ellenberg indicator values. Therefore, it is a significant step towards a new generation of models of forest site types and potential natural vegetation.


Recently, it has been expected that titanium alloy valves will be adopted at extremely high rate to motorcycle engines where higher engine performance is required than in automobiles. However, there were difficulties withrespect to reliability required for motorcycle engines. The reason for this is that engine valves of motorcycle engines are not only smaller in stem diameter, but also used at a higher maximum engine speed than those of automobile engines. This study is about a development of titanium alloy engine valves that meet reliability requirements in motorcycle engines.


ABSTRACT Maned rat Lophiomys imhausi is a highly unusual, but very little known rodent that is endemic to East Africa. A population from the highlands of central Kenya was studied through analysis of owl pellets and prey remains, including one incidental observation. Over 28 months, 40 individual rats were documented, of which two were juveniles. The mean length of time between discovery of rat remains in any one owl territory was once every 5.3 months, and the maximum number of rats found in any single owl territory over one year was five. Maned rat density was low and was estimated at 1 rat/km2. Their lower altitudinal limit in Kenya is c. 1900 m, and eagle owls and humans are important predators. Maned rats are not uncommon in highly altered habitats and they may require poisonous plants in addition to Acokanthera spp. for anti-predator defense.


Abstract Tailing and bimodal behaviour of tracer breakthrough curves from tracer tests conducted in fractured porous media are commonly presented as 'deviations' from the Fickian model for homogeneous porous media. Tailing is mainly attributed to: (1) tracer storage brought about by diffusion between mobile and static regions of fluid; (2) a concentration of flow towards the wider (aperture) and, thus, more permeable fracture zones; and (3) the high variance in fracture conductivity and consequent mixing of tracer. Bi- (or multi-) modality has been attributed to solute following a few highly permeable flow paths. Systematic numerical simulations of flow and transport in geometrically simple fractured porous media were conducted using a 2D finite difference flow code and a particle tracking transport model. As a simplification only advective dispersion was considered. The modelling study produced a large variety of tracer breakthrough curves, including two patterns commonly seen in field data — the backward tailed uni-modal type and the Gaussian type. The study demonstrates that different types of breakthrough might be characteristic of particular sets of conceptual models for heterogeneities and, as such, may provide a useful pointer in the application and interpretation of tracer tests.


BACKGROUND
One of the most important factors restricting heart transplantation is the limited myocardial ischemia time. This study investigated the effects of urethane on the hypothermic preservation of donor rat hearts.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Hearts isolated from rats were divided into 2 groups (n = 8), a control group with histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution alone and an experimental group with HTK solution plus 30 mM urethane. Hearts were mounted on a Langendorff apparatus to estimate the baseline cardiac function; the hearts were then arrested and stored in one of the 2 solutions for 6 hours and 18 hours at 4 degrees C. After preservation, the hearts were reperfused, and cardiac function was evaluated. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and myocardial ultrastructure were examined.

RESULTS
Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed a significantly higher recovery of cardiac function for both 6 hours and 18 hours of preservation and demonstrated a lower rate of cardiomyocyte apoptosis (8.5% + or - 1.2% versus 12.2% + or - 1.8% for 6 hours; 14.1% + or - 2.1% versus 31.4% + or - 2.7% for 18 hours). ATP content was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group after 18 hours of preservation (229.4 + or - 29.7 microg/g versus 153.2 + or - 21.1 microg/g). The experimental group also showed lower levels of LDH release after 18 hours of preservation. Electron microscopy studies demonstrated better cardiomyocyte structure in the experimental group for both 6 hours and 18 hours of preservation.

CONCLUSIONS
Use of urethane improved cardiac functional recovery and led to significant protective effects on rat hearts placed in a hypothermic preservation solution for a prolonged period.


The paper extends several variable elimination schemes into a two-phase message passing algorithm along a bucket-tree. Our analysis shows that the new algorithm, called Bucket-Tree Elimination (BTE), may provide a substantial speed-up over standard variable-elimination for important proba-bilistic reasoning tasks. The algorithm is developed and analyzed within a unifying view of tree-clustering methods, making crisp the relationship between the two approaches, and allowing enhancement schemes to be transferred. In particular we show how time-space tradeoos of BTE are cast within the tree-decomposition framework.


Team adaptation to new cooperative tasks is a hallmark of human intelligence, which has yet to be fully realized in learning agents. Previous work on multi-agent transfer learning accommodate teams of different sizes, heavily relying on the generalization ability of neural networks for adapting to unseen tasks. We believe that the relationship among tasks provides the key information for policy adaptation. In this paper, we try to discover and exploit common structures among tasks for more efficient transfer, and propose to learn effect-based task representations as a common space of tasks, using an alternatively fixed training scheme. We demonstrate that the task representation can capture the relationship among tasks, and can generalize to unseen tasks. As a result, the proposed method can help transfer learned cooperation knowledge to new tasks after training on a few source tasks. We also find that fine-tuning the transferred policies help solve tasks that are hard to learn from scratch.


This article surveys evolving and competing medico-legal concepts of pyromania and insane arson. Exploiting evidence from medical jurisprudence, medico-legal publications, medical lexicography and case histories, it seeks to explicate the key positions in contemporary professional debates concerning arson and mental derangement. A major focus is the application of the doctrines of moral and partial insanity, monomania, instinctive insanity and irresistible impulse to understandings of pyromania and insane arson. The limited extent to which mental defect provided a satisfactory diagnosis and exculpatory plea for morbid arson is also explored. Additionally, this article compares and contrasts contemporary debates about other special manias, especially kleptomania. Part 2 will be published in the next issue, History of Psychiatry 21(4).


Abstract. Rock glaciers are geomorphological expressions of permafrost. Close to sea level in northernmost Norway, in the sub-Arctic Nordkinn peninsula, we have observed several rock glaciers that appear to be active now or were active in the recent past. Active rock glaciers at this elevation have never before been described in Fennoscandia, and they should be outside of the climatic limits of present-day permafrost according to models. In this study, we have investigated whether or not these rock glaciers are active under the current climate situation. We made detailed geomorphological maps of three rock glacier areas in Nordkinn (Ivarsfjorden, Store Skogfjorden, and Lille Skogfjorden), and investigated the regional ground dynamics using Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR). One of the rock glaciers, namely the Ivarsfjorden rock glacier, was investigated in more detail by combining observations of vertical and horizontal changes from optical images acquired by airborne and terrestrial sensors and terrestrial laser scans (TLS). The subsurface of the same rock glacier was investigated using a combination of Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Refraction Seismic Tomography (RST). We also measured ground surface temperatures between 2016 and 2020. We mapped the rock glaciers in the innermost parts of Store and Lille Skogfjorden as relict, while the more active ones are in the mouths of both fjords, fed by active talus in the upslopes. Several of the rock glaciers cross over both the Younger Dryas shoreline (25 m a.s.l.), and the Tapes shoreline at 13 m a.s.l. Both InSAR and optical remote sensing observations reveal low yearly movement rates (mm-cm yr−1). The ERT and RST suggest that there are no longer permafrost and ground ice in the rock glacier, while temperature observations in the front slope indicate freezing conditions also in summer. Based on the in-situ temperature measurements and the interpolated regional temperature data, we show that the MAAT of the region has raised by 2 °C since the late 19th century to about 1.5 °C in the last decade. MAATs below 0 °C 100–150 years ago suggest that the rock glaciers may have been active at the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA). These combined results indicate that the Nordkinn rock glaciers are transitioning from active to relict stages. The study shows that transitional rock glaciers are still affected by creep, rock falls, snow avalanches, etc., and are not entirely dynamically dead features. Our contrasting results concerning permafrost presence and rock glacier activity show the importance of a multi-methodical approach when investigating slope processes in the edge zones of permafrost influence.


First principles electronic structure investigations of the nature of adsorption, relaxation of the atoms near the adsorption site, and the charging of the Au 2 particle on the relaxed-rumpled MgO(100) surface have been carried out within the density functional theory-cluster-embedding approach. The investigations focus on an Au2 molecule, perpendicular to the surface, adsorbed at different locations. Three bonding sites are studied: a five coordinated oxygen regular terrace site O 5 c , an F s neutral color center (two electrons in an O vacancy), and an F + s positive charged color center (one electron in an O vacancy). The studies indicate that large relaxation of the neighboring atoms and large charge transfer occurs for an Au2 over the color centers. An analysis of the one-electron energy levels of the Au dimer, the MgO surface and the Au 2 MgO(100) complex for each absorption site allows us to rationalize the nature of the bonding, surface relaxation, calculated absorption and dimerization energies and electron charge transfers.


A robust modulation recognition scheme is proposed to identify practical QAM signals, which suffer from various unknown effects including multipath propagation, pulse shaping, time delay, and phase shift. Relying on blind signal processing techniques, the proposed scheme consists of two steps: front-end signal processing followed by modulation classification. At the first step, a fractionally-spaced blind equalizer is applied to accomplish equalization and time synchronization. Phase shift is then estimated and corrected. As required, signal-to-noise ratio is also estimated. At the second step, modulation formats are classified via characteristic function. Simulation results are provided to show the performance of the proposed scheme.


The target of processing bimaterial components by cost effective powder metallurgy is to combine unique properties from different parts of the component. Differential shrinkage rate and more often, radial mismatch which is more consistent in bilayer owing to sintering conditions (time, rate, temperature etc.) is known to compromise the interfacial bond strength and integrity of these components. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the sintering compatibility and evaluate the mismatch strain in cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Fe-C) and steel (Fe-W-C) bilayer processed through powder metallurgy (PM) to combine the hardness and toughness properties applicable in machining industries for drilling tools. Through geometrical measurement, mismatch strain rate between layers at different sintering temperatures was calculated and a value as low as 13.7% was observed at the interfacial zone of MC–0.2 specimen sintered at 1280°C indicating a stronger bond between layers compared to those sintered at 1290°C and 1295°C where a huge mismatch was found increasing the tendency for delamination.


The in-depth interview method was used to conduct research on target children aged 6~12. In the home environment, the sitting characteristics, common sitting posture types and parents' views on children's sitting posture of different school ages were studied, which provided a reference for the refinement of the influence indicators of children's standard sitting posture in the context of intelligent display devices, which provided reference for the design of sitting posture monitoring products. Studies have found that most children use smart display devices for a single continuous duration of 30~40 minutes, and their correct sitting posture maintenance time is shorter, the frequency of bad sitting posture is higher, and the bad sitting posture is mainly hunched back and head down.


The aim of this study is to determine the use of distance education technologies, conditions of use and how often they use various computer applications, and also to investigate the use of these applications by academicians who teach in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. In the research carried out with the scanning model, there were 370 volunteers from various universities in Russia, consisting of academicians who teach in the field of mechanical engineering. The research was carried out in the spring term of 2020–2021; before the research, a 6-week online training was given to mechanical engineer academicians. In the study, the 'distance education technologies' measurement tool developed by the researchers and compiled by experts in the field was used. The measurement tool was delivered to the academicians via the online method and collected. The analysis of the data was carried out by using the SPSS programme, frequency analysis, t-test and ANOVA test, and the results were added to the research with tables. Accord-ing to the results obtained from the research, although the distance education technologies of the academicians who teach in the field of mechanical engineering are satisfactory, the rate of academicians never using new technologies in the teaching process is quite low and the rate of using them very often is quite high.


Important advances have occurred in research on the prevention of depression, which is an important public health concern. The present article outlines several key questions regarding the efficacy of depression prevention programs that need to be addressed before moving on to effectiveness and dissemination. Of greatest concern is that even among the most efficacious depression prevention programs, effect sizes have been small to moderate and the effects generally have not endured. Determining how particular interventions work will facilitate efficient dissemination of the active ingredients. First, however, it is crucial to establish that an intervention works, for whom programs are most and least efficacious and why, and then to modify programs accordingly. Based on the extent of questions that remain, we conclude that "we are not there yet," although we have the beginnings of a good road map for getting there.


BACKGROUND
Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) of the eyelid is a rare, aggressive malignancy associated with high rates of recurrence, metastasis, and tumor-related mortality.

OBJECTIVE
Provide a collective analysis of clinical presentations, management techniques, and outcomes, and compare outcomes of common treatment methods.

METHODS AND MATERIALS
Observational studies reporting management and outcomes of SC of the eyelid were included. Patient and clinical data were extracted, and meta-analysis of proportions was performed.

RESULTS
One thousand three hundred thirty-three subjects were included with a mean age of 65.2 years and 803 (60.2%) women. Of 647 initial diagnoses reported, 277 (42.8%) were correct, and the mean diagnostic delay was 14.7 months (range 8.5-34.8). The tumor location was reported in 1,246 subjects and involved the upper eyelid in 780 (62.6%), lower eyelid in 409 (32.8%), and 57 (4.8%) involved both. Overall rates of recurrence, metastasis, and tumor-related mortality were 15.9%, 12.1%, and 6.2%, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in wide local excision (WLE) versus Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) outcomes.

CONCLUSION
Sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid is more common in women, on the upper eyelid, and is frequently misdiagnosed initially. Rate of recurrence, metastasis, and tumor-related mortality were similar in subjects managed with WLE versus MMS.


Acknowledges that, for at least the last 30 years, both theoretical and practical definitions of career have emphasized structure, succession and status. Career has therefore been viewed as the sequence of attempts to move onward and upward through organizational hierarchies. Considers the development of career theory over a longer period, however, identifies a much wider range of interpretations of the concept. Taking these broader conceptions as a starting point, considers the career as a "vehicle" for the (continuous) realization of self. Drawing on examples of graduates' own talk about their careers, argues that we can define the typical career as a sequence of developmental phases, each of which is delineated by a reported shift in the individual's sense of self. Presents data which lend support to a theory of early career development in which this developing sense of self emerges. Discusses three meta‐level phases: adjustment/reality shock; career success/self affirmation; and re‐evaluation/congruence. Concludes with a consideration of both the theoretical and practical implications of this kind of approach to our understanding of organizational careers.


The argument from the claim to correctness has been put forward by R. Alexy to defend the view that normative utterances admit of objective answers. My purpose in this paper is to preserve this initial aspiration even at the cost of diverting from some of the original ideas in support of the argument. I begin by spelling out a full-blooded version of normative cognitivism, against which I propose to reconstruct the argument from the claim to correctness. I argue that the context of uttering normative propositions points to the possibility of normative cognition, but does not constitute it. What constitutes the possibility of cognition is, as of necessity, the propositional structure of norms. I conclude that the argument from the claim to correctness ought to safeguard a distinction between the context of uttering a normative sentence and the proposition that individuates the content of the utterance.


Abstract The seed-setting rate has a significant effect on grain yield in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Embryo sac development is essential for seed setting; however, the molecular mechanism underlying this process remains unclear. Here, we isolated defective embryo sac1 (des1), a rice mutant with a low seed-setting rate. Cytological examination showed degenerated embryo sacs and reduced fertilization capacity in des1. Map-based cloning revealed a nonsense mutation in OsDES1, a gene that encodes a putative nuclear envelope membrane protein (NEMP)-domain-containing protein that is preferentially expressed in pistils. The OsDES1 mutation disrupts the normal formation of functional megaspores, which ultimately results in a degenerated embryo sac in des1. Reciprocal crosses showed that fertilization is abnormal and that the female reproductive organ is defective in des1. OsDES1 interacts with LONELY GUY (LOG), a cytokinin-activating enzyme that acts in the final step of cytokinin synthesis; mutation of LOG led to defective female reproductive organ development. These results demonstrate that OsDES1 functions in determining the rice seed-setting rate by regulating embryo sac development and fertilization. Our study sheds light on the function of NEMP-type proteins in rice reproductive development.


We hypothesized that cardiac aging in the rat involves mitochondrial genetic damage and mitochondrial enzymatic dysfunction of individual cardiomyocytes as has been demonstrated previously only in primate myocardium. Myocardium from Fischer 344 x Brown Norway F(1)hybrid rats of ages 5, 18 and 36-38 months was examined for mitochondrial genetic and enzymatic abnormalities. In-vivo hemodynamic measurements revealed age-related changes of left ventricular function while histological evaluation demonstrated an increase in percent area fibrosis from 7%+/-5 in the 5-month-old hearts to 38%+/-2 in the subendocardium of the left ventricle of 38-month-old rats. Mitochondrial genomes lacking 8000 to 9000 bp of primary sequence were detected in tissue homogenates from right and left ventricular myocardium and the abundance of these deleted genomes increased with age. In-situ histochemical staining of serial cryomicrotome sections of myocardial tissue revealed individual cardiomyocytes displaying abnormal, primarily absent, activities of cytochrome c oxidase and succinate dehydrogenase. The area density of histochemically-abnormal cardiomyocytes increased from 0.05 per mm(2)to 0.3 per mm(2)between 5 and 36-38 months of age in the left ventricle, and they were localized primarily to the left ventricular subendocardium. The presence of age-related mitochondrial genetic and enzymatic abnormalities in the Fischer 344 x Brown Norway F(1)hybrid rat heart suggests the role of mitochondrial dysfunction, secondary to mtDNA mutations, in age-related cardiomyocyte loss and subsequent cardiac aging.


—The goal of this contribution is to find out a set of Y slices (coronal slices) from MRIs of patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and Normal images, that provides the maximum accuracy in a multiclass classification system. Images are preprocessed and 2D wavelet coefficients are extracted to form a feature matrix. Using a feature selection algorithm called mRMR, the best features from the matrix are extracted; then, the dimension of the feature vectors is reduced using PCA and finally, it is used to train an SVM to perform multi-class classification. In order to find the best combinations of coronal slices, a multi-objective genetic optimization methodology based on NSGA-II is used and a set of different solutions are extracted from the Pareto front. More relevant solutions are selected using more flexible criteria than that of the Pareto front, and examine what slices and accuracies are achieved. The multi-classification accuracies obtained by the proposed method are 94.2% (the individual of the Pareto front with the highest accuracy) or 91.9% (using the best 13 slices according to their frequency of presence in the Pareto front). It is important to note that not only a good accuracy is obtained in the classification, but also new knowledge about the most relevant coronal slices to distinguish the four MRI classes (AD, Normal, MCI, LMCI).


A body of work concerned with the means of motivating knowledge sharing practice (for example, Hall, 2001) is allied with the discussion of the benefits sought from effective knowledge sharing. Typically, however, the focus of papers on this topic falls on barriers to knowledge sharing, rather than enabling factors. In addition, a reading of this work would suggest that the most significant barrier to effective knowledge sharing is culture. From a practitioner's point of view, explanations that cite culture as the main determinant of the success of knowledge sharing initiatives are problematic, even if they are valid. The main problem is that the analysis of what "culture" comprises lacks sufficient detail. Added to this, it is only now that technologies implemented to enhance knowledge sharing (such as intranets) have matured that researchers and practitioners are able to reflect on the factors of their success or failure. As a result, it is still relatively difficult to devise practical strategies to improve organisational knowledge sharing practice on the basis of what is reported in the professional or academic press.


Chip assembly in PLAYOUT is designed for top-down chip planning. An example of a three-level hierarchy demonstrates the new design strategy. Three-phase chip planning and chip assembly have close interaction to guarantee an exchange of constraints between levels of the hierarchy. Chip assembly is composed of two different functions: cell synthesis, and cell assembly. For cell synthesis, standard cell block layout is used to demonstrate a new strategy. Instead of generating the layouts of blocks in the same floorplan independently, layout proceeds in parallel and constraints like pin positions, shape and position of the blocks in the floorplan are exchanged dynamically. This method results in excellent adjustment of pin positions between cells and reduction of channel widths. Independent of the cell synthesis strategy is cell assembly, viewed as a topological compaction problem to refine the floorplans. A genetic algorithm is shown to solve this problem. Initial experimental results show the advantages of the new strategies.<<ETX>>


In assessing the recent development of economic regionalism in Asia and elsewhere, it is important to carefully examine if the level of integration of intraregional trade is increasing or decreasing. However, it is not easy to answer this ostensibly simple question. There are two ways to assess the level of trade integration: de facto integration and de jure integration. With respect to de facto integration (actual level of interdependence in terms of trade flows), the answer depends on which Asian countries are being considered and which indicator is being used to measure trade interdependence. This paper compares the trade interdependence of different sets of Asian countries using various indices. With respect to de jure integration (the signing of free trade agreements [FTAs]), the number of signed FTAs in Asia is growing but the relation between trade interdependence and the signing of FTAs has not been sufficiently studied. The second half of this paper addresses whether de jure trade integration is ultimately brought about by high-level or low-level de facto trade integration. The analysis in this paper finds that a set of countries that have experienced de facto integration tend to sign a comprehensive agreement to solve issues associated with high levels of trade interdependence, while a set of countries whose level of economic interdependence is low or declining may require a goods-centered agreement to boost trade among


In this contribution, a new preprocessing algorithm to improve speech intelligibility in noise is proposed, which maintains the signal power before and after processing. The proposed AdaptDRC algorithm consists of two timeand frequency-dependent stages, which are both functions of the estimated SII. The first stage applies a timeand frequency-dependent amplification, while the second stage applies a timeand frequency-dependent dynamic range compression (DRC). Experiments with a competing speaker (CS) and a speech-shaped noise (SSN) show an increase in speech intelligibility for a wide range of SNRs for four different objective measures that are correlated with speech intelligibility. Listening tests conducted within the framework of the Hurricane Challenge with 175 subjects confirm these findings and show improvements of up to 20.5% in intelligibility for SSN and 12.3% for CS.


The palatability of the active ingredient of a drug is a significant obstacle in developing a patient friendly dosage form. Organoleptic properties, such as taste, are an important factor when selecting a certain drug from the generic products available in the market that have the same active ingredient. It is a key issue for doctors and pharmacists administering the drugs and particularly for the pediatric and geriatric populations. Nowadays, pharmaceutical companies are recognizing the importance of taste masking and a significant number of techniques have been developed for concealing the objectionable taste [1].


Letters must be no longer than 400 words and must incl ude a word count. All letters are SUbject to editing. Proofs will not normally be supplied. There should be no more than 4 authors p~r letter. Each au thor should provide current qualifications and position . Contact telephone and Iacslmile numbers should be supplied. Letters from sin g le author may be submitted bye-mail (firstname.lastname@example.com), but must include full details of postal address and telephone number. There should be no more than 5 references. The reference list should not Include anything that has not been published or accepted for publication. Reference details must be complete, including: names and in itials for up to 4 authors, or 3 authors, et al. if there are more than 4 : places and dates for conferences and publishers. places and year of publica tion for their proceedings: publishers, places, yea~ of pu blication and page numbers lor monographs; volume numbers and page numbers for journal articles. future studies, researchers should consider using additional measures, such as the 36Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), to further explore this finding." The SF-36, in particular, has a number of advantages for this type of research: • The 5-Item Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5), which is a part of the SF-36, functions in much the same way as a 30item GHQ;4 • The SF-36 can provide a physical component and a mental component summary score," improving the examination of those mental health problems which can be associated with a medical condition (e.g., depression and heart failure). • The interpretation of SF-36 scores is also enhanced by using normative data rather than simple cut-off points.s Interim Australian norms for the SF-36 have recently been published."