Determination of the profiles of the ion temperature and the plasma toroidal rotation has been accomplished by charge exchange recombination spectroscopy in PBX-M. The angular momentum and the thermal ion energy transport have been studied mainly during the H mode phase of a high βp discharge (Ip ≈ 330 kA, 3.5 × 1019 ⩽ ne ⩽ 6.5 × 1019 m-3) having different heating beam configurations (combination of two perpendicular and two tangential neutral beam injections, abbreviated as 2 perp. NBI and 2 parall. NBI). The toroidal rotation velocity Vϕ rises substantially in the region of r/a ⩾ 0.5 after the L-H transition, and the Vϕ profile (peakedness) is more highly dependent on the beam configuration than the Ti profile. The angular momentum confinement time varies from 147 ms (rigid rotation for 2 perp. NBI) to 39 ms (viscous rotation for 2 parall. NBI). In contrast, the thermal energy confinement time is 44-48 ms and is almost independent of the configuration. The transport analysis shows that the radial angular momentum diffusion is caused mainly by the viscous losses and that the angular momentum diffusivity χϕ is reduced substantially in the outer minor radius region during the 2 perp. NBI H mode. The neoclassical friction effect between the bulk ions and the impurities may influence the χϕ profiles locally, where the ion temperature gradient is steep


The protonation constants of DL-3-amino-2-hydroxypropanoic acid [H3L+=+H3N·CH2·CH(OH)·CO2H], as determined potentiometrically at 25 °C and I= 0.1 mol dm–3 KCl, are log K1 13.2 log K2 9.14, and log K3 2.66 for the hydroxyl, amine, and carboxyl groups respectively. With cobalt(II), copper(II), and zinc(II) the main species are [M2L2] and [ML2]2–, the outstanding one being the dimer, whereas nickel(II) forms only the mononuclear complexes [NiL] and [NiL2]2–. The structure of the dimers probably consists of two ML units held together by bridging oxygen atoms. The ligand is bound to the metal through chelation of the aminoethanolatomoiety, while the carboxylate anion is bound via a water molecule of the co-ordination sphere. The complexing capacity of the present ligand is enhanced with respect to DL-4-amino-3-hydroxybutanoic acid.


The effect of oxygen inhalation on block-stringing performance of 12 subjects was studied at hand temperatures of 32.7 C in a control room environment of 29 C and after cooling the hands to 16.0 C in a cold (5 C) environment. A similar slight but significant improvement in manual performance accompanied oxygen inhalation under both conditions. This is interpreted as indicating the existence of suboptimal neural and/or muscular activity during air breathing in both situations. If hand cooling had affected the same neural and/or muscular elements as oxygen, lowering activity even further from the optimal level, this should have exaggerated the O2 effect. In view of the absence of such a response, it would seem that hand cooling and oxygen influence different neural and/or muscular elements, and their effects on manual performance are not directly related. Submitted on August 31, 1961


Esthesioneuroblastoma is a rare tumor localized in the superior part of the nasal cavity. Extension in the anterior cerebral fossa is sometimes observed. As we discovered in our patient, the location of the tumor above the cribriform plate was very unusual and meningioma was suspected. Features and prognosis are discussed below.


In the frame work of chiral perturbation theory, a modified effective Lagrangian for meson-baryon system is constructed, where the SU(3) breaking effect for meson is considered. The difference between physical and chiral limit decay constants is taken into account. Calculated to one loop at O(p3), the sigma terms and strangeness contents of baryon octet are obtained.


A fully balanced harmonic-suppressed quadrature-input frequency divider is proposed. The frequency divider improves the quadrature phase accuracy at the output by using both input I/Q signals. Compared with conventional dividers, the circuit achieves an output I/Q phase sequence that is independent of the input I/Q phase sequence. Moreover, the third harmonic is effectively suppressed by employing a double degeneration technique. The design is fabricated in TSMC 0.13-μm CMOS and operated at 1.2 V. While locked at 8.5 GHz, the proposed divider measures a maximum third harmonic rejection of 45 dB and a phase noise of −124 dBc/Hz at a 10 MHz offset. The circuit achieves a locking range of 15% while consuming a total current of 4.5 mA.


FIELD: construction. SUBSTANCE: sound-absorbing structure of a room comprises a frame of a room, window and door openings, acoustic barriers of shop surfaces and unit sound absorbers of conical and prismatic types above noisiest process equipment. Acoustic barriers comprise profiled and perforated walls, between which a layer of a sound-absorbing material is arranged. Elements of a sound-absorber of prismatic type above noisiest process equipment comprise a frame suspended by hooks, for instance, on cables or directly fixed to a rigid wall or a ceiling of a production room. The frame is arranged by its form in the form of two cubic surfaces, one of which is external, the outer one, is arranged as perforated, and the other one, the inner one, - acoustically transparent. The sound-absorbing material wrapped with a meshy nylon fabric is arranged in the gap between frames. The relation of the ratio (H/W) of parameters of the production room to thickness HI of the acoustic barrier is in the optimal range of values 0.0007÷0.006, and the relation of the ratio (H/W) of the room height to its width to the ratio (H2/R) of thickness of the sound absorber element to its height of suspension is in the optimal range of values 0.27÷0.68. Elements of the sound absorber of conical type comprise a rigid conical frame with a round cover, tightly adjacent to the base of the cone as a result of a fastening spring, arranged inside the frame and connecting a metal cap, arranged at the cone top with a hook for suspension to the production room ceiling. On the inner conical surface of the frame there is a sound-absorbing element from mineral fibre in a wrapper from coarse fabric or sackcloth. The frame with the round cover have perforation in the form of holes of round, slot or rectangular shape and are made of metal. EFFECT: invention makes it possible to increase efficiency of noise absorption due to expansion of the frequency range and secondary absorption of sound waves reflected from a sound absorber. 2 cl, 5 dwg


This paper attempts to develop a theoretical acceptance model for e-commerce Web site. Key factors impacting e-commerce acceptance are identified from a detailed literature review. The final model is then cast in a structural equation modeling framework comprising ten variables: Web site quality, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived playfulness, trust, perceived risk, subjective norms, perceived behavior control, attitude and intention to use the Web site. These additional constructs could provide a better understanding of many factors that affect the relationships between customers and e-commerce Web site, especially those concerning the quality of the website features and interface. The interrelationship between these constructs is also explained. Empirical validations of this theoretical model are expected in future research.


This article highlights the figure of the surgeon and neuroanatomist Vincenzo Giacinto Malacarne through a new perspective, that of his "Lettere famigliari", manuscript so far unpublished. These letters inform us about his private life, his friends and habits, and allow us to better understand  the cultural level of medicine at the end of the 18 th  century and in the first decades of the 19 th  century. Parole chiave: Vincenzo Malacarne, Medicina, Storia della Neurologia


Background The impact on palliative care nurses of working in an environment that reminds them of their personal experience of bereavement may have a detrimental effect on their psychological wellbeing (Marcella-Brienza & Mennillo, 2015). The emotional labour of nursing can be stressful, but when the internal reality of grief is at odds with the external reality of the professional, nurses are at risk of burnout (Brotheridge & Grandey, 2002). Little is understood about the impact a personal bereavement has on palliative care nurses. Four hospices joined together to explore the experience of their bereaved nurses. Aim To explore the experience of a personal bereavement for nurses working in a palliative care setting through the death of a significant relative or friend. Outcome Make recommendations for ways hospices support nurses working in palliative care before and after the death of a significant relative or friend. Methods Using a grounded theory approach, 13 nurses were interviewed using a semi-structured approach. Results Initial findings suggest that if support and time to grieve is not given at the time of the death, nurses may experience a period of disintegration at a later date. Those experiencing a sudden bereavement may have different needs to those experiencing an anticipated bereavement. Grief and bereavement is a continuum experienced over a prolonged time. Anniversaries, times of stress or resonance with patient diagnosis or family reaction can trigger an emotional response challenging nurses' ability to integrate bereavement' into their lives and work. Separating the personal from the professional can take time. Conclusion Nurses grieve in different ways and managers and employers need to allow flexibility and time for each person to grieve recognising that bereavement continues a long way past the statutory compassionate leave allowance. Recommendations will be shared with Hospice UK to consider a national initiative.


Fungal endocarditis is a rare disease in infants, but it has been reported with increasing fre- quency among premature infants requiring neonatal intensive care. Congenital heart disease, pro- longed intravenous catheterization, the use of intravenous alimentation, broad-spectrum antibiotics administration and narcotic addiction are risk factors. Candida endocarditis is an unusual but severe complication of systemic candidiasis. Its occurrence has been related to the placement of a central venous catheter with its tip close to or within the right atrium and persistent candidemia. Embolization to major blood vessels is a common complication of Candida endocarditis and repeated pulmonary emboli are suspected to be cause of the repeated episodes of circulatory shock which finally leads to death. Thus, early diagnosis of Candida invasion and prevention of Candida endocarditis are essential for survival. We report a case of Candida endocarditis which was successfully managed with surgical removal and antifungal therapy. (J Korean Pediatr Soc 2000;43:832-836)


Understanding, controlling, and utilizing the flexibility of adsorbents are of great importance and difficulty. Analogous with conventional solid materials, downsizing to the nanoscale is emerging as a possible strategy for controlling the flexibility of porous coordination polymers (or metal-organic frameworks). We report a unique flexibility controllable by crystal size at the micrometer to submillimeter scale. Template removal transforms [Cu2(pypz)2]·0.5p-xylene (MAF-36, Hpypz = 4-(1H-pyrazol-4-yl)pyridine) with one-dimensional channels to α-[Cu2(pypz)2] with discrete small cavities, and further heating gives a nonporous isomer β-[Cu2(pypz)2]. Both isomers can adsorb p-xylene to give [Cu2(pypz)2]·0.5p-xylene, meaning the coexistence of guest-driven flexibility and shape-memory behavior. The phase transition temperature from α-[Cu2(pypz)2] to β-[Cu2(pypz)2] decreased from ~270°C to ~150°C by increasing the crystal size from the micrometer to the submillimeter scale, ca. 2-3 orders larger than those of other size-dependent behaviors. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction showed coordination bond reconstitution and chirality inversion mechanisms for the phase transition, which provides a sufficiently high energy barrier to stabilize the metastable phase without the need of downsizing to the nanoscale. By virtue of the crystalline molecular imprinting and gate-opening effects, α-[Cu2(pypz)2] and β-[Cu2(pypz)2] show unprecedentedly high p-xylene selectivities of 16 and 51, respectively, as well as ultrafast adsorption kinetics (<2 minutes), for xylene isomers.


A regional seismic survey on the southeastern Lomonosov Ridge (LR) and adjacent basins provides constraints on the coupled evolution of ocean circulations, depositional regime, and tectonic processes. First, Mesozoic strata on the LR, its faulted flanks and the initial Amundsen Basin were covered with syn‐rift sediments of Paleocene to early Eocene age. Numerous vertical faults indicate differential compaction of possibly anoxic sediments deposited in the young, still isolated Eurasian Basin. The second stage, as indicated by a prominent high‐amplitude‐reflector sequence covering the ridge, was a time of widespread changes in deposition conditions, likely controlled by the ongoing subsidence of the LR and gradual opening of the Fram Strait. Episodic incursions of water masses from the North Atlantic probably were the consequences and led to the deposition of thin sedimentary layers of different lithology. The third stage is marked by continuous deposition since the early Miocene (20 Ma). At that time, the ridge no longer posed an obstacle between the Amerasia and Eurasia Basins and pelagic sedimentation was established. Drift bodies, sediment waves, and erosional structures indicate the onset of circulation. Faulting on the ridge slope has led to a series of terraces where sediment drifts have accumulated since the early Miocene. It is suggested that ongoing sagging of the ridge and currents may have shaped the steep sediment free flanks of the terraces. Lastly, a sequence of high‐amplitude reflectors marks the transition to the early Pliocene large‐scale Northern Hemisphere glaciations.


Abstract Objective: To assess the effect of the London helicopter emergency medical service on survival after trauma. Design: Prospective comparison of outcomes in cohorts of seriously injured patients attended by the helicopter and attended by London ambulance service land ambulances crewed by paramedics. Setting: Greater London. Subjects: 337 patients attended by helicopter and 466 patients attended by ambulance who sustained traumatic injuries and died, stayed in hospital three or more nights, or had other evidence of severe injury and who were taken to any one of 20 primary receiving hospitals. Main outcome measure: Survival at six months after the incident. Results:After differences in the nature and severity of the injuries in the two cohorts were accounted for the estimated survival rates were the same (relative risk of death with helicopter=1.0; 95% confidence interval 0.7 to 1.4). An analysis with trauma and injury severity scores (TRISS) found 16% more deaths than predicted in the helicopter cohort but only 2% more in the ambulance cohort. There was no evidence of a difference in survival for patients with head injury but a little evidence that patients with major trauma (injury severity score >/=16) were more likely to survive if attended by the helicopter. An estimated 13 (−5 to 39) extra patients with major trauma could survive each year if attended by the helicopter. Conclusion: Any benefit in survival is restricted to patients with very severe injuries and amounts to an estimated one additional survivor of major trauma each month. Over all the helicopter caseload, however, there is no evidence that it improves the chance of survival in trauma.


BACKGROUND
 Adherence to computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) programs in real-world settings can be poor, and in the absence of therapist support, effects are modest and short term. Moreover, because cCBT systems tend toward limited support and thus low-intensity treatment, they are typically most appropriate for people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. Blended therapy, that is, combining direct therapist contact with cCBT or psychoeducational materials, has been identified as one possible approach to address these limitations and widen access to individual CBT for depression. Building on the initial success of blended therapy, we explore an integrated approach that seeks to seamlessly combine face-to-face contact, electronic contact, and between-session activities. Integration also considers how the technology can support therapists' workflow and integrate with broader health care systems. The ultimate aim is to provide a structure within which therapists can deliver high-intensity treatments, while also greatly reducing face-to-face contact.

 OBJECTIVE
 The research aimed to explore patients' and therapists' views on using a system for the delivery of individual treatment for depression that integrates face-to-face therapist contact with access to online resources and with synchronous online therapy sessions that allow collaborative exercises, and to establish design requirements and thus key design considerations for integrated systems that more seamlessly combine different modes of communication.

 METHODS
 We conducted a series of four user-centered design studies. This included four design workshops and seven prototype testing sessions with 18 people who had received CBT for depression in the past, and 11 qualitative interviews and three role-play sessions with 12 CBT therapists experienced in the treatment of depression. Studies took place between July and December 2017 in Bristol, United Kingdom.

 RESULTS
 Workshops and prototyping sessions with people who had received CBT identified three important requirements for integrated platforms delivering CBT therapy for depression as follows: (1) features that help to overcome depression-related barriers, (2) features that support engagement, and (3) features that reinforce learning and support the development of new skills. Research with therapists highlighted the importance of the therapist and client working together, the impact of technology on therapists' workflow and workload, challenges and opportunities related to the use of online resources, and the potential of technology to support patient engagement. We use these findings to inform 12 design considerations for developing integrated therapy systems.

 CONCLUSIONS
 To meet clients' and therapists' needs, integrated systems need to help retain the personal connection, support both therapist- and patient-led activities, and provide access to materials and the ability to monitor progress. However, developers of such systems should be mindful of their capacity to disrupt current work practices and increase therapists' workload. Future research should evaluate the impact of integrated systems on patients and therapists in a real-world context.


Elevated fibrinogen (Fg) concentration in blood is a high risk factor for many cardiovascular diseases. We hypothesize that Fg and its early degradation product, fragment D, may result in arterial constriction by binding endothelial intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). The vasoconstriction induced by Fg and fragment D was studied in third- and second-order arterioles (3As and 2As, respectively) of Sprague-Dawley rat cremaster muscle in vivo, in aortic and femoral artery rings, and in the segments of first-order arterioles (1As) isolated from rat cremaster muscle. Intravascular infusion of Fg induced significant constriction of 3As and 2As (by 33.4 +/- 3.4 and 23.7 +/- 4.3%, respectively) in vivo and was abolished in the presence of the specific endothelin type A receptor blocker BQ-610. Fg and fragment D produced significant constriction of both aortic and femoral artery rings. Isolated 1As constricted in response to Fg (0.3 microM) and fragment D (3 microM) by 31 +/- 1.4 and 12 +/- 1.5%, respectively. Fluorescently labeled Fg and fragment D bound to the vascular wall, whereas albumin bound to a significantly lesser degree. The binding of Fg and fragment D to the arteriolar wall and constriction of aortic and femoral artery rings as well as isolated 1As were abolished in the presence of anti-Fg and anti-ICAM-1 antibodies. These results indicate that binding of Fg and fragment D to the vascular wall through ICAM-1 may contribute to the increased vascular tone and resistance that compromise circulation.


This article reflects on the relationship between Hindu nationalism and democracy and how the former emerges from within democracy only to subvert it. The essay outlines important conceptual issues in the relationship between Hindu nationalism and democracy, discusses the relationship between the idea of a 'Hindu Rashtra' and 'Hindu Rajya', and delves into the complex interplay between Hindu nationalism and caste. This article ultimately argues that Hindu nationalism's alignment with authoritarianism in a political style does not simply corrode democracy, but it also undermines all values. The objective of this analysis is not to provide a comprehensive explanation of the rise of Hindu nationalism, as much as to reflect on the ways in which its ideology operates at multiple levels.


A small cutting depth is the key parameter to realize precision in the machining process. The stability of the machining process will directly affect the quality of machining. In this study, dry grinding experiments using an Fe-Cr-Co permanent magnet alloy with small cutting depths (5 μm) were carried out. The relationship between the number of peaks and valleys and the quality control of the grinding force, wheel speed and feed speed were analyzed. The relationship between the peak and valley values of the grinding force signals and the peak and valley values of the grinding surface obtained using a white light interferometer was revealed. The influence of the grinding parameters on the grinding forces was analyzed by processing the grinding force signals with a low-pass filter based on the rotational speed of the grinding wheel. The experimental results indicated that the difference in grinding force between the peak and valley could be reduced by increasing the grinding wheel speed, which was mainly due to a decrease in average grinding force when the maximum undeformed cutting thickness of the single abrasive decreased. The actual height difference between the grinding surface peak and valley could be realized by increasing the grinding wheel speed. The feed speed of the worktable had no effect on the grinding force signal and the peaks and valleys of the surface morphology. Lower surface roughness could be achieved by reducing the feed speed and increasing the grinding wheel speed.


Objective: Active Surveillance (AS) is a viable alternative to surgery or radiotherapy dedicated to selected patients suffering from low-risk prostate cancer. Aim of the study was to evaluate the onset of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) in patients underwent to AS option and identify potential factors associated to the onset of ED.
Methods: From January 2011 to May 2014 were prospectively assessed patients included in AS; we evaluated baseline comorbidity including Diabetes, Hypertension, Body Mass Index (BMI), International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS) and International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) score. Were excluded from the assessment patients with baseline ED, defined as an IIEF-5 score < 22 and patient with follow-up less than 24 months.
Results: Among the 28 patients underwent to AS aged between 48 and 67 years who meet the selection criteria, 16 (57%) developed new onset of ED with different degrees. At multivariate analysis, no comorbidity were statistically associated to ED even thought a correlation with the onset of E.D. and BMI, Diabetes, Hypertension and age were founded.
Conclusions: AS is associated to a high occurrence of ED; among the comorbidities, BMI, Diabetes and Hypertension showed a correlation to a new onset of ED; additional studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.


The stock market has been in unpredictable, in view of the stock market dynamic forecast and investment prospect value quantitative problem, this paper plans to forward segment regression method, with one year for experimental period, quarter as the time window, dynamically select the window period investment prospect attribute factor, forecast the investment prospect of the next quarter, and through the entropy right Topsis method sorting quantitative investment prospect value, rating the stock.The rating is divided into 5 grades and 13 levels, and then the investment portfolio is constructed according to the rating level and the asset quality indicators are selected to test. The results show that the dynamic investment rating method based on the prospect attribute factor has a certain investment rating prediction role in the short term, and plays a certain reference role for investors' decision-making.


The Entrepreneurial University plays a central role in entrepreneurial ecosystems and actively influences the development of entrepreneurial human capital, which is a critical asset for many economies. There is thus a requirement for the identification and strengthening of entrepreneurial competences, but no previous studies have included any analysis of these competences in the university context using an approach based on profiles. The present study fills this gap by investigating the existence of different entrepreneurial profiles among students, based on their competences. It also defines key competences that are critical for differentiating between these profiles and improving entrepreneurial competence levels more generally. To meet these objectives, a field research campaign was developed. Data on 1104 students from various degrees and faculties were collected and analyzed using a quantitative methodological approach. The results reveal the existence of four entrepreneurial competence profiles, namely low profile, top profile, social profile, and grit profile. Among as many as 12 possible entrepreneurial competences, the most prominent can explain to a large extent the entrepreneurial profiles of students; these are networking and professional social skills, community engagement, perseverance of effort, and consistency of interest. The results provide evidence of the importance of social capital and grit. In addition to their contribution to the theory in this area and the development of the Entrepreneurial University paradigm, the results are also useful for the design of training strategies aimed at strengthening the levels of competence of students, thereby providing universities with tools to foster the creation of entrepreneurial human capital.


Abstract Lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) is an enzyme that first hydrolyzes the sn-2 position of phospholipids, preferentially a diacylphosphocholine, and then transfers the fatty acid to cholesterol to yield a cholesteryl ester. HDL ApoA-I is the principal catalytic activator for LCAT. Activity of LCAT on nascent or lipid-poor HDL particles composed of phospholipid, cholesterol and ApoA-I allows the maturation of HDL particles into lipid-rich spherical particles that contain a core of cholesteryl ester surrounded by phospholipid and ApoA-I on the surface. This article reviews the recent progress in elucidating structural aspects of the interaction between LCAT and ApoA-I. In the last decade, there has been considerable progress in understanding the structure of ApoA-I and the central helices 5, 6, and 7 that are known to activate LCAT. However, much less information has been forthcoming describing the 3D structure and conformation of LCAT required to catalyze two separate reactions within a single monomeric peptide.


Aim. Mechanisms of induction of apoptosis signaling pathways in mammalian tumor cells treated by novel heterocyclic 4-thiazolidones with different side groups were studied. Methods. Annexin V/propidium iodide and DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining of cells, Western-blot analysis of specific proteins. Results. 4-Thiazolidone derivatives of various structure possess similar cytotoxic activity in vitro (²N50 = 5 µM), and induce apoptosis in both leukemia (Jurkat, CCRF-CEM) and carcinoma (MCF-7, MDA-MD-231) cells. Western-blot analysis of the expression of several proteins of apoptosis signaling showed that the structure of lateral groups of 4thiazolidones may directly affect biological activity of these proteins in leukemia cells. In particular, compounds Les-3120 (pyrazoline-substituted thiazolidinone) and Les-3166 (thiazolidinone-benzothiazole conjugate) induced receptor-mediated apoptosis in Jurkat T-leukemia cells. 4-Iminothiazolidinone Les-3372 caused mitochondrial type apoptosis, mediated by AIF protein. Conclusions. Structure-functional relationships between the presence of specific side groups in novel 4-thiazolidones and the signaling apoptotic pathways induced by these compounds have been established. The obtained results allow designing new, «hybrid» compounds which can simultaneously induce more than one apoptotic pathway in tumor cells.


Consumer goods can be delivered in a number of different ways. One important and very interesting method is the use of e-commerce to deliver the groceries to the consumer. Distribution of consumer goods, especially groceries, poses a number of challenges to the use of e-commerce. Challenges that must be solved in order to find a justified solution. This paper will present and discuss a new research project called E-bizz Öresund, sponsored by the governments in Denmark and Sweden. It is a collaboration between ten companies, Copenhagen Business School, Lund University, Teknologisk Institute and SIK. This project is focusing on four major research topics that will be further discussed in the paper: Different distribution systems for e-commerce and how to control them in a efficient way, Warehouse layouts and how to perform a cost effective and productive order picking process, Systems that secure the temperature in the distribution chain and intelligent packages that will secure the temperature and that alarm when not met, and finally What are the most important customers requirements on a e-commerce solution and how design e-solutions that meet these requirements.


We present an atlas of 129 spectral energy distributions for nearby galaxies, with wavelength coverage spanning from the ultraviolet to the mid-infrared. Our atlas spans a broad range of galaxy types, including ellipticals, spirals, merging galaxies, blue compact dwarfs, and luminous infrared galaxies. We have combined ground-based optical drift-scan spectrophotometry with infrared spectroscopy from Spitzer and Akari with gaps in spectral coverage being filled using Multi-wavelength Analysis of Galaxy Physical Properties spectral energy distribution models. The spectroscopy and models were normalized, constrained, and verified with matched-aperture photometry measured from Swift, Galaxy Evolution Explorer, Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Two Micron All Sky Survey, Spitzer, and Wide-field Infrared Space Explorer images. The availability of 26 photometric bands allowed us to identify and mitigate systematic errors present in the data. Comparison of our spectral energy distributions with other template libraries and the observed colors of galaxies indicates that we have smaller systematic errors than existing atlases, while spanning a broader range of galaxy types. Relative to the prior literature, our atlas will provide improved K-corrections, photometric redshifts, and star-formation rate calibrations.


Text-guided 3D object generation aims to generate 3D objects described by user-defined captions, which paves a flexible way to visualize what we imagined. Although some works have been devoted to solving this challenging task, these works either utilize some explicit 3D representations (e.g., mesh), which lack texture and require post-processing for rendering photo-realistic views; or require individual time-consuming optimization for every single case. Here, we make the first attempt to achieve generic text-guided cross-category 3D object generation via a new 3D-TOGO model, which integrates a text-to-views generation module and a views-to-3D generation module. The text-to-views generation module is designed to generate different views of the target 3D object given an input caption. prior-guidance, caption-guidance and view contrastive learning are proposed for achieving better view-consistency and caption similarity. Meanwhile, a pixelNeRF model is adopted for the views-to-3D generation module to obtain the implicit 3D neural representation from the previously-generated views. Our 3D-TOGO model generates 3D objects in the form of the neural radiance field with good texture and requires no time-cost optimization for every single caption. Besides, 3D-TOGO can control the category, color and shape of generated 3D objects with the input caption. Extensive experiments on the largest 3D object dataset (i.e., ABO) are conducted to verify that 3D-TOGO can better generate high-quality 3D objects according to the input captions across 98 different categories, in terms of PSNR, SSIM, LPIPS and CLIP-score, compared with text-NeRF and Dreamfields.


This paper reports a study conducted to investigate social studies and science teachers' awareness on climate change and how the professional development workshop "Awareness and Adaptation to Climate Change" affects teachers' awareness level. For this purpose, a total of 101 teachers from 8 different cities and 4 geographical locations participated in the workshop and took part in the study. For data collection purposes, the Awareness to Climate Change Questionnaire (ACCQ) was used. The analysis revealed no statistical difference among participating teachers' awareness level based on pre-test scores. However, further analysis indicates an increase in awareness on climate change among participating teachers upon completion of the professional development workshops.


The changes in external K+ concentration affect plant root growth. However, the molecular mechanism for perceiving a K+ signal to modulate root growth remains unknown. It is hypothesized that the K+ channel AKT1 is involved in low K+ sensing in the Arabidopsis root and subsequent regulation of root growth. Along with the decline of external K+ concentration, the primary root growth of wild-type plants was gradually inhibited. However, the primary root of the akt1 mutant could still grow under low K+ (LK) conditions. Application of NAA inhibited akt1 root growth, but promoted wild-type root growth under LK conditions. By using the ProDR5:GFP and ProPIN1:PIN1-GFP lines, we found that LK treatment reduced auxin accumulation in wild-type root tips by degrading PIN1 proteins, which did not occur in the akt1 mutant. The LK-induced PIN1 degradation may be due to the inhibition of vesicle trafficking of PIN1 proteins. In conclusion, our findings indicate that AKT1 is required for an Arabidopsis response to changes in external K+ , and subsequent regulation of K+ -dependent root growth by modulating PIN1 degradation and auxin redistribution in the root.


The crystal structure of benzimidazole benzimidazolium fluoroborate has been determined at room temperature from three-dimensional diffractometer data, and refined by block-diagonal least-squares to a final R = 0.050. The planar benzimidazole rings are inclined at 7.6° to each other and linked by a hydrogen bond of 2.787(3) A with the proton in an asymmetric single minimum. The asymmetric siting of the hydrogen atom has produced characterising effects on the bond lengths and angles of the ring to which it is attached.


Management of inflammatory bowel disease in childhood poses great challenges. Apart from the disease complications, the drugs' adverse affects, especially corticosteroids, are significant. In the past decade major progress was made in elucidating the pathogenesis of IBD, which led to new treatment options aiming to achieve better control of the disease and decrease the various complications of current therapy. In this review we provide an overview of novel therapies for IBD, their efficacy, safety and their current use in children.


The purpose of this thesis is to describe the way wireless networks as well DNS Tunnels works and security violation with use of DNS Tunneling. Known DNS Tunneling utilities will be reported. The Iodine utility will be used to bypass a captive portal (or Hotspot's access control lists) and a host will gain access to Internet without to pay money. Afterwards, detection techniques and their implementation will be analyzed. More specifically, chapter one describes the human need for communication and networking, the definition, the architecture and the categories that wireless networks are divided into. Chapter two explains what is the wireless local network and the reasons that it is preferred contrary to the wired network. It describes the evolution, the components, the standards, the topologies of 802.11 standard and way it works. Chapter three describes the security in the wireless networks, the protocols, the authentication and the encryption. It analyzes known threats and the way that security should be implemented in a wireless local network. Chapter four describes the violation of wireless security. Overview of DNS and of DNS Tunneling. Known DNS Tunneling utilities are presented and one of them "Iodine" is selected to perform an attack in Starbuck's Hotspot. In conclusion, chapter five describes general techniques of attacks mitigation, analyzes the two techniques of DNS Tunneling detection and presents the implementation of certain techniques of detection.


Purpose: Leg ulcers are the most common skin complication in sickle cell patients. Though it is associated with great morbidity and cost of care, research is rather sparse on this condition. Through this study, we wished to determine the factors associated with leg ulcers in sickle cell patients in two hospitals in Douala. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study carried out over a period of 05 years (January 01, 2015 to December 31, 2019). This study was carried out at two sites: the outpatient hematology department of the General Hospital Douala and Sickle cell care center at the Laquintinie hospital Douala. We included all sickle cell patients aged 10 years and above. We excluded patients with incomplete files. Data on sociodemographic characteristics and clinical parameters were collected. Analysis was done using SPSS version 25.0 software. Qualitative variables were compared using Pearson's chi-square test. Multivariate analysis was done using logistic regression to determine the factors associated with leg ulcers. Significance level was set at p <0.05. Results: Out of 620 sickle cell patients, 41 (6.6%) had a leg ulcer. The median age of patients with a leg ulcer was 28 years (IQR 22-33). The male to female sex ratio was 1.15. Leg ulcers were traumatic in 70.7% of cases. The leg ulcer was unique in 65.85% (n=27) and located next to the malleolus in 26 (63.34%) of patients. Sociodemographic characteristics significantly associated with leg ulcers were the age groups 30-39 years [OR=9.3 (3.1-27.3), p <0.001], 20-29 years [6.3 (2.3-17.1), p <0.001] and a history of leg ulcer [2.7 (1.1-6.4), p=0.020]. For clinical characteristics, pulmonary hypertension [3.5 (1.7-6.7), p<0.001] and aseptic osteonecrosis of the femoral head [1.5 (0.01-2.25), p=0.020] were significantly associated with leg ulcers. Conclusion: In the pathogenesis of leg ulcer, a triad of mechanical obstruction of the microcirculation, hémolysis-vascular dysfunction syndrome and venous incompetence has been incriminated. in our study, one out of fifteen patients with sickle cell disease in Douala has a leg ulcer. Factors associated with leg ulcers were age between 20-39 years, pulmonary hypertension, aseptic osteonecrosis of the femoral head and history of leg ulcer. These factors are probably the result of chronic hyperhemolysis in our population. The authors do not declare any conflict of interest


This paper reports on the results of a case study of management controls in an Indonesian family-owned University. The paper attempts to understand the nature and dynamics of management controls in the operations of the University. Data for the analyses are gathered from multiple sources including document analysis, observations and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the case study showed that culture and social relations are very instrumental in the management of the University [Ansari, S. L., & Bell, J. (1991). Symbolism, collectivism and rationality in organizational control. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 4(2), 4–27]. Decisions such as recruitment, rewards, performance evaluation, and resource allocations are often made in cognizance of social and cultural factors. The strong influence of culture and social relations in the organization thus made formal management controls less relevant. These findings have implications for understanding management controls in FOBs especially in the developing world.


Objectives: Isobutanol is regarded as a next-generation biofuel for its higher octane number and higher energy density than ethanol. However, during isobutanol biosynthesis, ethanol and glycerol are major unwanted byproducts. In order to improve isobutanol production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we used molecular biology and genetic recombination technologies to eliminate ethanol and glycerol titers.
Methods: In this study, GPD2 and PDC6 were deleted to increase isobutanol production in microaerobic fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Engineered strain HZAL–13 (PGK1p–BAT2 gpd2Δ::RYUR) was constructed by overexpressing of BAT2 (which encodes a branched-chain amino-acid aminotransferase) and deleting GPD2 (which encodes glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase). Engineered strain HZAL–14 (PGK1p–BAT2 pdc6Δ::R gpd2Δ::RYUR) was obtained by further deleting PDC6 (which encodes pyruvate decarboxylase) in HZAL– 13 pILV2. Then we tested the fermentation performances of engineered strains and control strain. During microaerobic fermentation, cultures were performed at 30°C in the unbaffled shake flasks kept at constant stirring speed of 100 rev/min with 100 ml medium for 48 hours.
Results: The maximum isobutanol titers of control strain, HZAL–13 pILV2 and HZAL–14 pILV2 were 29.8 mg/l, 162.3 mg/l and 309.3 mg/l, respectively. These results demonstrate that decreasing glycerol formation and ethanol biosynthesis in combination through deletion of PDC6 and GPD2 could increase dramatically the isobutanol titer in S. cerevisiae.
Conclusion: Overexpression of related genes in isobutanol biosynthesis pathway and deletion of key genes that encode glycerol and ethanol biosynthesis is a promising strategy to increase isobutanol titer in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.


During the first few hundred days after the explosion, core-collapse supernovae (SNe) emit down-scattered X-rays and gamma-rays originating from radioactive line emissions, primarily from the 56Ni → 56Co → 56Fe chain. We use supernova (SN) models based on three-dimensional neutrino-driven explosion simulations of single stars and mergers to compute this emission and compare the predictions with observations of SN 1987A. A number of models are clearly excluded, showing that high-energy emission is a powerful way of discriminating between models. The best models are almost consistent with the observations, but differences that cannot be matched by a suitable choice of viewing angle are evident. Therefore, our self-consistent models suggest that neutrino-driven explosions are able to produce, in principle, sufficient mixing, although remaining discrepancies may require small changes to the progenitor structures. The soft X-ray cutoff is primarily determined by the metallicity of the progenitor envelope. The main effect of asymmetries is to vary the flux level by a factor of ∼3. For the more asymmetric models, the shapes of the light curves also change. In addition to the models of SN 1987A, we investigate two models of SNe II-P and one model of a stripped-envelope SN IIb. The Type II-P models have observables similar to those of the models of SN 1987A, but the stripped-envelope SN model is significantly more luminous and evolves faster. Finally, we make simple predictions for future observations of nearby SNe.


In this paper we investigate the allocation of resources to slices on the radio interface of one cell. In particular, we develop a detailed stochastic model of the behaviour of the sliced cell radio access, including most features of the standard access procedures. Our model allows the computation of the throughput achieved by each slice, as well as the distribution of delays for each slice. The availability of a model capable of accurately predicting the performance achieved by services using different slices as a function of the cell parameters is extremely important for the automated run time management of the cell and for the correct setting of its parameters.Specifically, while our model can cope with a number of slices, we focus on the case of one cell comprising one slice for human type communications and one slice for machine type communications, and we discuss relevant emerging behaviours in the slices performance, as functions of the cell parameters.We validate the analytical predictions by comparison against the estimates of a detailed simulator, proving the accuracy of the model. Our model turns out to be very effective in providing insight and guidelines for allocation and management of resources in cells hosting slices carrying traffic derived from services with different characteristics and performance requirements.


Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are expected to upgrade their energy density to meet the growing battery market demand; however, intractable lithium dendrites and prominent electrode-electrolyte interface problems have been the stumbling block to their practical applications. Electrolytes play a crucial role in LMBs and are directly involved in the establishment of the electrode-electrolyte interface. In particular, low-concentration electrolytes (LCEs) can significantly save electrolyte costs, but the interface issue is more noteworthy. Here, multifunctional acetamide (N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide, MTA) and lithium nitrate (LiNO3) additives were introduced together to enhance the performance of LMBs in LCEs. The MTA additive effectively removes the trace water and corrosive HF from the electrolyte, thus suppressing lithium salt decomposition and enhancing the stability of LCEs. Moreover, the MTA additive can construct an inorganic-rich interphase layer on the cathode/anode surface to protect the electrode. Especially, MTA can cooperate with LiNO3 additive to suppress lithium dendrites and reduce interfacial impedance, thus effectively enhancing lithium metal anode stability. Benefiting from the introduction of MTA and LiNO3 additives in the LCEs, the Li||NMC811 metal battery still has a capacity of 110 mA h g-1 after 500 cycles at room temperature, while the reference batteries have failed. The rate capacity and high temperature (50 °C) performance of the Li||NCM811 batteries have also been significantly improved. Significantly, this research explores a cost-effective method of using multifunctional additives to enhance LMBs' stability in LCEs.


The viability of the direct-space strategy TALP (Vallcorba et al., 2012b) to solve crystal structures of molecular compounds from laboratory powder diffraction data is shown. The procedure exploits the accurate metric refined from a 'Bragg-Brentano' powder pattern to extract later the intensity data from a second 'texture-free' powder pattern with the DAJUST software (Vallcorba et al., 2012a). The experimental setup for collecting this second pattern consists of a circularly collimated X-ray beam and a 2D detector. The sample is placed between two thin Mylar® foils, which reduces or even eliminates preferred orientation. With the combination of the DAJUST and TALP software a preliminary but rigorous structural study of organic compounds can be carried out at the laboratory level. In addition, the time-consuming filling of capillaries with diameters thinner than 0.3mm is avoided.


An innovative use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials, to control the manifestation of local buckling in a steel section during plastic hinging is discussed in the present work. Specifically, details related to how the high stiffness and linear behavior of FRP materials may be utilized to provide "bracing" against flange local buckling (FLB), in a way that strategically leverages the unique mechanical properties of each material in an efficient application domain, are discussed. The proposed method is not aimed at increasing the load carrying capacity of the steel section, per se; although this may certainly be accomplished if desired. Rather, the present paper reports on a novel technique that is aimed at providing stability (in the sense of bracing) to the steel section through the imposition FRP strips whose function is to enforce a nodal line along a plate element for the purposes of: increasing its critical load; and constraining plastic flow in the plate element. The member becomes, in affect, an FRP stabilized steel section. The research work discussed herein is primarily analytical in nature. Detailed nonlinear finite element models are created using the commercially available software system ADINA.


The notion of social remittances has gained a central position, discursively at least, in the literature on the effects of emigration on home societies. In this editorial we briefly review the strengths and limitations that this concept has displayed, since its early coinage in transnational migration studies. More of-ten than not, social remittances have been treated in the literature in a peripheral vein, ancillary to different foci of research. This  Migration Letters  special issue aims to move the debate on the theme beyond this unsatisfactory state of things. More specifically, we argue for four lines of research on social remittances to be further developed: the tensions between individualization and home-society based obligations and pressures, which shape the development and circulation of social remittances; the need to explore the embeddedness of economic remittances within a broader range of socio-cultural remittances (rather than vice versa); the interfaces between the categories of social remittances and social capital; the complex ways in which physical and social distance between senders and recipients affects the circulation of social remittances, as well as their impact on migrants' communities of origin.


【The estimation filter in radar systems must track targets' position within low tracking error. In the Multi-Function Radar(MFR), ${\alpha}-{\beta}$ filter and Kalman filter are widely used to track single or multiple targets. However, due to target maneuvering, these filters may not reduce tracking error, therefore, may lost target tracks. In this paper, a target tracking filter based on particle filtering algorithm is proposed for the MFR. The advantage of this method is that it can track targets within low tracking error while targets maneuver and reduce impoverishment of particles by the proposed resampling method. From the simulation results, the improved tracking performance is obtained by the proposed filtering algorithm.】


The widespread introduction of powerful and inexpensive computer workstations in industry and education has provided a new impetus to the development and application of numerical simulation as an analysis and design tool. Increasingly, larger parts of the design process are simulation based, thus leading to lower costs and right-first-time designs. Moreover, the development of the digital computer has led to a re-examination of how numerical models of physical systems are constructed and operated. Significant advances have been made in model construction and application and this process, spurred by rapid technological development, is set to continue. In this article a modern and efficient simulation technique known as the transmission-line modelling (TLM) method is described and its application to electromagnetics and other areas is illustrated.


This study was conducted on bud and fruits of wild and cultivated caper plants to determine pentatomid species, their damage and egg parasitoids in Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Mardin and Şanlıurfa provinces of Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey. The study was carried out between July and September in 2010-2012 years. Acrosternum millierei (Mulsant et Rey, 1866), Bagrada abeillei Puton, 1881, Bagrada amoenula (Walker, 1870), Carpocoris fuscispinus (Boheman, 1851), Codophila varia (Fabricius, 1787), Dolycoris baccarum (Linnaeus, 1758) and Eurydema ornata (Linnaeus, 1758) were determined as pentatomid species from Heteroptera order. Trissolcus semistriatus Nees., T. grandis Thomson and T. vassilievi Mayr (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) were recorded as their egg parasitoids. The nymph and adults of the pentatomid species fed on bud and fruits; therefore, it was concluded that the bud deformity and the spots on the fruits were due to these organisms. We could say that the current results could be a useful reference for further studies on this area.


Main Issues Given that a healthy marine environment provides a foundation for all life, marine environmental protection is an issue of considerable importance in the law of the sea. In principle, the law regulates marine pollution according to its sources, such as land- based pollution, vessel-source pollution, dumping, pollution from seabed activities under national jurisdiction, pollution from activities in the Area, and pollution through the atmosphere. Accordingly, this chapter will seek to examine the rules of international law regulating marine pollution arising from these sources. Particular focus will be on the following issues: (i) What is the significance of the LOSC in marine environmental protection? (ii) Why do rules regulating land-based marine pollution remain weak at the global level? (iii) What are the new elements to regional treaties in the regulation of land-based pollution? (iv) What are the mechanisms for regulating vessel-source marine pollution? (v) How is it possible to ensure compliance with relevant rules governing marine environmental protection? INTRODUCTION Currently marine pollution is an increasing threat to a healthy marine environment. Indeed, marine pollution may severely damage the environment, including ecosystems, and human health. It would be no exaggeration to say that the welfare of coastal populations relies essentially on a sound marine environment. Thus there appears to be a general sense that the protection of the marine environment is considered as a common interest of the international community as a whole. Despite its vital importance, the regulation of marine pollution has attracted little attention until recently because of low awareness of environmental protection. It is only since World War II that international regulation of marine pollution has begun to develop. In the 1950s, the development of treaties regulating marine pollution was still slow moving. While the first multilateral treaty regulating oil pollution, i.e. the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil, was adopted in 1954, the effect of this Convention was only limited.


Partially purified, activated PTA (plasma thromboplastin antecedent] (factor Xl), prepared by a method similar to that used earlier, had an apparent molecular weight of 165,000 and a sedimentation constant of 8s. It was inhibited by normal plasma, phenylmethyl sulfonylfluoride, and by agents in crude potato ATPase and acid phosphatase preparations. An antiserum was prepared against activated PTA which inactivated this factor in normal human plasma. Immunologic studies demonstrated that the plasma of patients with hereditary PTA deficiency was deficient in antigens related to this factor, suggesting that in this disorder, synthesis of PTA is impaired. The plasma of patients with PTA deficiency possessed normal inhibitory activity against activated PTA.


Illinois bundleflower [Desmanthus illinoensis (Mich.) MacMill] is a warm-season perennial legume native to the central USA. Little is known about its forage quality in the upper midwestern USA. Two experiments were established at four Minnesota locations in 2000 to evaluate the effects of N fertilization, maturity at harvest, and residual height of cutting on the add detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), crude protein (CP), in vitro true digestibility (IVTD), in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), and leaf proportion of three Illinois bundleflower (IBF) ecotypes. Whole-herbage forage quality was greatest (P < 0.05) at early flower in mid-July with average ADF, NDF, and CP concentrations of 315, 352, and 180 g kg. -1 , respectively. Fiber values increased to 412 and 479 g kg -1 , respectively, while CP decreased to 129 g kg -1 at late pod in mid-August. Leaf proportion decreased (P < 0.05) from 618 g kg -1 at early flower to 335 g kg -1 at late pod while leaf CP decreased (P < 0.05) from 216 to 147 g kg -1 . Whole-herbage IVDMD and IVTD concentrations decreased (P < 0.05) from 470 and 648 g kg -1 at early flower to 390 and 560 g kg -1 at late pod, respectively. increasing residual cutting height from 15 to 35 cm decreased (P < 0.05) ADF and NDF concentrations by an average of 50 g kg -1 and increased (P < 0.05) IVTD, IVDMD, and CP concentrations by 43, 39, and 20 g kg -1 , respectively. Illinois bundleflower can provide good quality summer forage in the upper midwestern USA, but more research is needed to ascertain the implications of its low IVDMD on animal performance.


A process for producing a graft-polymer comprises adding an aqueous solution of a salt of a strong acid and a monovalent strong base, which solution has been adjusted to a pH value of 8 to 13, to a rubber latex containing diene rubber particles and a fatty acid soap as an emulsifying agent to coagulate the above mentioned rubber particles, and thereafter adding a vinyl monomer to the latex containing the coagulated rubber particles to graft-polymerize the vinyl monomer. According to this process, the formation of rubber masses and macroparticles during the coagulation is reduced and a rubber latex containing rubber particles having a narrow range of particle size distribution is obtained. When a graft-copolymer obtained by using the latex is blended with thermoplastic resins such as vinyl chloride resins, the impact resistance of the thermoplastic resins can be remarkably improved without impairing their transparency and gloss.


Background: Male infertility is associated with altered characteristics of the sperm within the ejaculate. It is possible to find molecular explanations for the observed phenotypes and their consequences. This study aimed to analyze, using a specialized software, a gene set of transcriptomic data from different types of ejaculates. Methods: Data from ejaculate samples categorized as normal, oligospermia, and teratozoospermia were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). After normalization, the data average for each sample category was calculated and analyzed independently using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Results: Five important canonical pathways are involved in normal and altered semen samples (Oligospermia and teratozoospermia) except sirtuin signaling and mitochondrial dysfunction pathways. The five most important biological processes are identified in all semen phenotypes, but the only difference is the genes connected with initiation of RNA transcription in oligospermic and asthenospermic samples. Conclusion: Surprisingly, different types of ejaculates share many pathways and biological processes; sperm proteomics as a new global approach gives clues for the development of strategies to explain the reason for observed phenotypes of ejaculated spermatozoa, their possible effect on fertility, and for implementing research strategies in the context of infertility diagnosis and treatment.


A collection of leading articles important in the development of the use of emissions trading to control air pollution, from its earliest implementation in the USA in 1976, to its application to global warming in the Kyoto Protocol. Each volume offers an introduction by the editor, presenting a history of the evolution of the field as well as a guide to the collected papers which follow. The first volume contains the theoretical and empirical work that underpinned the development of this particular policy instrument, as well as a discussion of some of the major design issues. The second volume focuses on implementation and presents examples of the major programmes now in existence.


We present an unusual case of metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma that manifested with multiple exophytic intravesical masses, mimicking a multifocal primary bladder tumor. Biopsy with immunohistochemical analysis confirmed metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma. The patient was treated palliatively with external beam radiotherapy to prevent possible symptoms from local tumor progression. This case illustrates that when a patient with known prostate cancer presents with multifocal bladder tumors, the possibility of metastatic prostate cancer should be considered.


Abstract Consecutive surveys of otter spraints of both banks along a 28-km stretch of the River San showed an average of 4.18 deposited spraints/km per day during a 3-week pre-experimental period. The variation in spraint density on particular 1-km-long sections of the river was high and varied from 40 to 145 spraints/km after 3 weeks. Spraint deposition was positively correlated with the proportion of steep and rocky riverbanks, which were characterised by a higher number of potential sprainting sites than those with many flat and undermined banks. Average daily deposition of spraints on the whole 28-km stretch after experimental removal of spraints (experimental period) did not significantly differ compared to the pre-experimental period. However, in sections where otter spraints were removed (n=14), sprainting intensity increased 1.6-fold, while in the control sections (n=14) the defecation ratio decreased 1.5-fold during the first week after removal. Placement of additional spraints of unfamiliar individuals on half the experimental sections did not stimulate otters to increase defecation on these sections compared to those where only old spraints were removed. Otter response to the removal of spraints has a spatial character and is expressed by differentiation in spraint deposition within the home range.


This paper presents an approach for finding the solution of partial differential equation describing the motion of transverse vibrations of rectangular plates of unidirectional linear varying thickness. The original partial differential equation consists of three operators: fourth-order spatial-dependent, second-order spatial-dependent, and second-order time-dependent. Using the method of multiple scales, the partial differential equation has been reduced to two simpler partial differential equations which can be analytically solved and which represent two levels of approximation. The first partial differential equation was a homogeneous equation and consisted of two operators, the fourth-order spatial-dependent and second-order time-dependent. The solution of this equation was found using the factorization method. This solution was zeroth-order approximation of the exact solution. The second partial differential equation was an inhomogeneous equation. The solution of this equation was also found and led to first-order approximation of the exact solution of the original problem. This way the first-order approximations of the natural frequencies and mode shapes are found. Various boundary conditions can be considered. The influence of Poisson's ratio on the natural frequencies and mode shapes could be further studied using the approximations reported here. This approach can be extended to nonlinear, and/or forced vibrations.Copyright © 2007 by ASME


Background: The house dust mite Dermatophagoides farinae is the most common aeroallergen causing human allergic asthma. Previously, we demonstrated that a high-molecular-weight allergenic fraction (HM1), which was abundant in D. farinae extracts, induced a proliferative response of T cells from healthy donors. The induction was mediated through the activation of macrophages without MHC class II restriction. In this study, we investigate whether HM1 influences the development of airway inflammation in murine models of asthma. Methods: BALB/c mice were injected twice intraperitoneally with D. farinae fecal extract (Dff) at an interval of 5 days. They were exposed daily to aerosolized antigen (group 1: Dff, group 2: HM1, group 3: HM1-depleted Dff and group 4: PBS) for 10 days. The effect of HM1 on their airway inflammation was evaluated by measuring acetylcholine-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue. Results: The inhalation of the whole fecal extract or the HM1 fraction induced airway hyperresponsiveness which was detectable after 24 h and was maintained for as long as 120 h. The inhalation of extract depleted of the HM1 fraction induced hyperresponsiveness measured at 24 h but this was not maintained for 120 h. Macrophage infiltration was significantly prolonged in mice inhaling the whole extract and the HM1 fraction compared to the HM1-depleted extract. Conclusion: The inhalation of the high-molecular-weight HM1 fraction of D. farinae prolonged airway hyperresponsiveness and macrophage inflammation in a mouse model of hypersensitivity. The results indicate that the HM1 fraction which can induce T cell proliferation through macrophage activation may play a role in the duration of airway responsiveness.


ABSTRACT Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) are transcription factors that mediate normal biologic responses to cytokines and growth factors. However, abnormal activation of certain STAT family members, including Stat3, is increasingly associated with oncogenesis. In fibroblasts expressing the Src oncoprotein, activation of Stat3 induces specific gene expression and is required for cell transformation. Although the Src tyrosine kinase induces constitutive Stat3 phosphorylation on tyrosine, activation of Stat3-mediated gene regulation requires both tyrosine and serine phosphorylation of Stat3. We investigated the signaling pathways underlying the constitutive Stat3 activation in Src oncogenesis. Expression of Ras or Rac1 dominant negative protein blocks Stat3-mediated gene regulation induced by Src in a manner consistent with dependence on p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Both of these serine/threonine kinases and Stat3 serine phosphorylation are constitutively induced in Src-transformed fibroblasts. Furthermore, inhibition of p38 and JNK activities suppresses constitutive Stat3 serine phosphorylation and Stat3-mediated gene regulation. In vitro kinase assays with purified full-length Stat3 as the substrate show that both JNK and p38 can phosphorylate Stat3 on serine. Moreover, inhibition of p38 activity and thus of Stat3 serine phosphorylation results in suppression of transformation by v-Src but not v-Ras, consistent with a requirement for Stat3 serine phosphorylation in Src transformation. Our results demonstrate that Ras- and Rac1-mediated p38 and JNK signals are required for Stat3 transcriptional activity induced by the Src oncoprotein. These findings delineate a network of tyrosine and serine/threonine kinase signaling pathways that converge on Stat3 in the context of oncogenesis.


THE REPORTS on orthopedic research and related subjects for 1945 show a preponderance of articles on neuromuscular studies. The outstanding article of the thirty-four reviewed for this section is that of Bowden and Gutmann 865 on the denervation and reinnervation of human voluntary muscle. This should be read in full by every orthopedic surgeon. The sixteen articles selected for review in this section divide themselves into the following subjects and will be presented in this order: (1) neuromuscular studies, (2) muscles and blood supply, (3) healing fractures, (4) phosphatase and ossification, (5) bone growth and hormones, (6) plastics in bone surgery, and (7) vitamin D and mineralization of bone. Neuromuscular Studies. —Bowden and Gutmann 856 have made an excellent study of the innervation, denervation and reinnervation of human muscle in material taken from patients with injuries of peripheral nerves. One hundred and forty biopsies of different muscles from 86 cases


Background: Negative death attitudes and death fear were reported at a high level among intensive care patients. Research indicates that nurses should know the factors affecting the death attitudes and death anxiety in intensive care patients to reduce these high levels of anxiety and negative attitudes. Religions have a strong relationship with death.Aim: This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the effect of religious attitudes on death attitudes and death anxiety in elderly intensive care patients.Methods: The data of the study were collected between January 2019 and January 2020 in the intensive care unit of a university hospital in a province located in the east of Turkey. A total of 185 elderly patients participated in the study. Patient Identification Form, Ok-Religious Attitude Scale (ORAS), the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), and Death Attitudes Profile-Revised (DAP) were used for data collection. IBM SPSS version 25.0 was used for data analysis.Results: Most of the patients (88.6%) were at high level of self-reported religious attitudes. The mean DAS score of the patients was 9.02 ± 1.64, DAP was 120.40 ± 23.70, and ORAS was 31.25 ± 2.90. According to regression analysis, the increase in ORAS scores decreased the DAS score and increased the DAP score (p <0.05).Conclusion: There was a negative relationship between religious attitudes and death anxiety and a positive relationship between religious attitudes and attitudes towards death in elderly patients in intensive care units. Nurses should evaluate the patients' religious attitudes while they plan interventions to reduce patients' death anxiety or to develop positive attitudes toward death in these patients.


An integrated decision support system is described based on sensor fusion techniques, used for assessing the security of power systems. The integrated decision support system fuses information from various approximated system performance (ASP) models to minimize the risk of making the wrong decision under changing operating conditions. It uses the classification decisions provided by different ASP models together with information about their statistical performance (e.g., probabilities of misclassifications) to synthesize the globally optimal decision in the Bayesian risk sense. This global decision is often superior (and in no case inferior) to the one obtained using any single ASP model. The design of the integrated decision support system is illustrated for detecting static voltage collapse by fusing the security information from a set of existing security indices. >


In our previous study (Onishi, H., Susuki, H., Nakamura, k., and Watanabe, S. J. Biochem. 83, 835-847, 1978), we found it to be characteristic of chicken gizzard myosin that thick filaments of gizzard myosin are readily disassembled by a stoichiometric amount of ATP (3 mol of ATP per mol of myosin), and that the ATPase activity of gizzard myosin in the ATP-disassembled state is much lower than that of gizzard myosin disassembled by a high concentration of KCl. We now report the following findings: (1) Thick filaments of (unphosphorylated) gizzard myosin can be in a bipolar structure or in a non-polar structure, depending on the method of preparing the thick filaments. (2) Thick filaments of (unphosphorylated) gizzard myosin in either the bioplar or the non-polar structure are readily disassembled by ATP. (3) Addition of rabbit skeletal C-protein does not confer ATP resistance on thick filaments of (unphosphorylated) gizzard myosin. (4) Unphosphorylated) gizzard myosin in the ATP-disassembled state is in a dimeric form as determined by ultracentrifugation. Moreover, 0.2 M KCl-dissociated gizzard myosin in monomeric form is converted to a dimeric form by ATP. (5) The Mg-ATPase activity of (unphosphorylated) gizzard myosin is much lower in its dimeric form (less than one-tenth) than in its monomeric form. The activity depression observed around 0.15 M KCl is therefore due to the formation of myosin dimers. (6) Skeletal L-meromyosin can increase the very low activity of (unphosphorylated) gizzard myosin ATPase at low ionic strength (0.13 M KCl) by forming ATP-resistant hybrid filaments with (unphosphorylated) gizzard myosin, preventing the formation of myosin dimers. (7) Gizzard myosin in which one of the light-chain components is phosphorylated by myosin light-chain kinase can form thick filaments which are resistant to the disassembling action of ATP. (8) Even in the presence of ATP, thick filaments of phosphorylated gizzard myosin do not disassembled into myosin dimers. Accordingly, the ATPase activity of phosphorylated gizzard myosin does not show activity depression at low ionic strength.


Water droplets, which are stuck to the hydrophilic surface, reduce the friction coefficient when they are slid against the hydrophobic surface. This is because a repulsive force is generated between water and hydrophobic surfaces due to the surface tension of water. In the present experimental system, the water droplets carried the load up to 170mN and showed the coefficient of friction between the surfaces as low as 0.0011. The low coefficient of friction is attributable to the low energy loss during the adhesion hysteresis process of water onto the hydrophobic surfaces. In micro-machine applications, the water droplet lubrication is effective for reducing the coefficient of friction by utilizing the repulsive force between water and the hydrophobic surface.


For an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) downlink of a spectrally coexisting macro and femto network, a resource allocation scheme would aim to maximize the area spectral efficiency (ASE) subject to constraints on the radio resources per transmission interval accessible by each femtocell. An optimal resource allocation scheme for completely decentralized deployments leads however to a nonconvex optimization problem. In this paper, a filled function method is employed to find the global maximum of the optimization problem. Simulation results show that our proposed method is efficient and effective.


The present study is aimed to study the effect of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) gene transfer on the contractile function of isolated cardiomyocytes of canines. The cardiomyocytes were isolated with collagenases. The isolated cardiac cells were divided into untransfected group, empty vector group and SERCA2a-transfected group. Recombinant adenovirus vector carrying enhanced green fluorescent protein gene was used for SERCA2a gene delivery. The expression of SERCA2a protein in cardiomyocytes was determined by Western blot. Contractile function of cardiomyocytes was measured with motion edge-detection system of single cell at 48 h after transfection. The results showed, compared with untransfected group, SERCA2a protein level, percentage of peak contraction amplitude under normal condition, percentages of peak contraction amplitude under Ca(2+) or isoproterenol stimulation, time-to-peak contraction (TTP) and time-to-50% relaxation (R50) in SERCA2a-transfected group all increased significantly. While all the above indices in empty vector group did not show any differences with those in untransfected group. These results suggest that the overexpression of SERCA2a by gene transfer may enhance the contraction function of canine myocardial cells.


This article describes inconsistencies between health risk analyses that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses to support its decisions on primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), and in the associated Regulatory Impact Analyses (RIAs) that accompany each NAAQS rulemaking. Quantitative risk estimates are prepared during the NAAQS‐setting deliberations using inputs derived from statistical associations between measured pollutant concentrations and health effects. The resulting risk estimates are not directly used to set a NAAQS, but incorporated into a broader evidence‐based rationale for the standard that is intended to demonstrate conformity with the statutory requirement that primary NAAQS protect the public health with a margin of safety. In a separate process, EPA staff rely on the same risk calculations to prepare estimates of the benefits of the rule that are reported in its RIA for the standard. Although NAAQS rules and their RIAs are released simultaneously, the rationales used to set the NAAQS have become inconsistent with their RIAs' estimates of benefits, with very large fractions of RIAs' risk‐reduction estimates being attributed to populations living in areas that will already be attaining the respective NAAQS. This article explains the source of this inconsistency and provides a quantitative example based on the 2012 revision of the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) primary NAAQS. This article also demonstrates how this inconsistency is amplified when criteria pollutant co‐benefits are calculated in RIAs for non‐NAAQS rules, using quantitative examples from the 2011 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards and the currently proposed Clean Power Plan.


The early diagnosis of traumatic pericardial tamponade may be difficult. The transcutaneous oxygen (PtcO2) monitor has been shown to be a useful indicator of low-flow shock. In the case presented, PtcO2 monitoring was the earliest indicator of shock due to pericardial tamponade and led to successful early therapy before other signs of physiologic decompensation were evident. In the management of acutely traumatized patients, PtcO2 monitoring is useful both in identifying patients who are in shock and in helping to guide therapy.


Duke University's vision of internationalization is unlike that of other universities. Duke effectively utilizes partnerships in a manner that promotes long term focus through research collaboration, student exchange programs, joint efforts in the production of educational services that export Duke's brand, and the use of strategies that involve local and national governments and foster an investment opportunity that promotes sustainable economic development. The strength of Duke's brand is international in scope, and university leaders use this as a competitive advantage. Accordingly, one of the main reasons that Duke has earned such strong brand identity is through a willingness to not only welcome change, but to embrace innovation.


Massive pulmonary embolism occurred in a 42-year-old man 7 days after repair of a torn patellar ligament. Because of progressive deterioration in spite of full heparinization and supportive measures, and more than 60% occlusion of the pulmonary vascular bed on angiogram, partial cardiopulmonary bypass was instituted under local anesthesia by femoral artery and vein canulation. After improvement of hemodynamics and tissue oxygenation, general anesthesia was induced, the patient intubated and a longitudinal sternotomy carried out. The superior vena cava was canulated, the inferior vena cava occluded with a tourniquet and the pulmonary artery incised during temporary aortic occlusion. The left main pulmonary artery and its branches were nearly completely occluded, in addition, a large embolus was expressed into the right pulmonary artery by massaging the right lung. Finally, transatrial infrarenal caval interruption with a Mobin-Uddin umbrella filter was carried out. After 48 hours of mechanical ventilation, the patient was extubated; he made an essentially uneventful recovery.


Palinopsia in migraine has been reported recently, which may be due to the dysexcitability of visual cortical neurons. In this cross-sectional study, we report the correlation of neuronal dysexcitability with palinopsia using pattern shift visual evoked potential (PSVEP) in 91 migraineurs and 25 healthy controls. The presence of palinopsia was evaluated using a novel objective method, and revealed more frequent palinopsia in the migraineurs compared to the controls (53 of 91 [58.2%] vs 3 of 25 [12%]; P < .001). Five consecutive blocks of PSVEP were recorded for the evaluation of sensitization and impaired habituation. Amplitudes of N75 and P100 in block 1 were considered for sensitization. Impaired habituation of N75 and P100 was considered if any amplitudes in blocks 2 to 5 were higher than block 1. Impaired habituation was more frequent in migraineurs compared with the controls, and was more marked in wave N75 (81.3% vs 32%; P < .001) than wave P100 (63.7% vs 44%; P = .12). Impaired habituations of wave N75 (81.7% vs 58.9%; P = .008) and wave P100 (71.7% vs 46.4%; P = .008) were more frequent in those with palinopsia compared with those without. There was a lack of suppression of P100 amplitude in block 3 in the palinopsia group compared to the controls. The duration of palinopsia correlated with the extent of impaired habituation of N75. It can be concluded that the impaired habituation of PSVEP waveforms is a biomarker of palinopsia in migraine.


The Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) has provided free access to an increasing range and amount of legal information from Australia for thirteen years since 1995. This paper analyses the constraints within which AustLII operates (including 'mission constraints'; 'that free access is not open content'; and web spiders/search engines). It then describes the business model – or to be more accurate, the combination of business models – that have enabled it to do so, and some of the challenges involved in it doing so in a sustainable way in the future. The more promising strategies adopted include broad donatiion funding; engagement with larger users; funding from data providers for publishing; complementing commercial publishers; assisting users to find other publishers' content; assisting other free access providers; and research and infrastructure grants. Less promising approaches are assessed as including legal profession or government core funding; advertising; and various other models which would cause conflicts with data sources or reputational damage. The tentative conclusion is that the combination of business models adopted by AustLII, particularly in 2007 and 2008, is capable of sustaining is operations, at least in relation to maintenance of its existing databases, and probably for the creation of new and improved resources to a modest extent.


The experience of the severe stress in the childhood (early life stress) such as abuse or neglect is a significant risk factor for psychiatric disorders in adulthood. We have already developed early life stress model mice which subjected to maternal separation combined with social isolation (MSSI). These model mice showed emotional dysfunction and exacerbated nerve injury-induced mechanical allodynia leading to the chronic pain. However, these mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the involvement of opioidergic signaling, a one of endogenous pain control system, in MSSI mice. In the periaqueductal gray (PAG) area, a region that is implicated in the opioid control of nociception, μ−, δ−and κ−opioid receptor (MOR, DOR and KOR) mRNA expression were significantly decreased in MSSI mice compared to control mice. A large number of c-Fos, a neuronal activity marker, positive cells were observed in the PAG of MSSI mice injected with morphine, whereas control mice without morphine treatment are hardly detectable c-Fos positive cells. Furthermore, MSSI mice showed decrease of morphine analgesia in the tail flick test compared to control mice. Our findings suggest that early life stress may induce the development of chronic pain through the alteration of opioidergic neuron system in the PAG area. Japan-Korea Joint Session of the 92nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Pharmacological Society


A case of a rare form of delusional misidentification, the Frégoli syndrome, is described. Although usually occurring in the setting of primary or secondary schizophrenic psychoses, delusional misidentification has been reported in affective, neurological, and toxic-metabolic disorders. In this instance a diagnosis of paranoia (delusional disorder) secondary to predominantly right hemisphere pathology, rather than schizophrenia, seemed more appropriate.


This chapter reviews the rise of and challenges faced by protected areas (PAs) aimed at biodiversity conservation throughout Latin America over the past half century in particular. It charts a similar process throughout the region whereby a global campaign championed by international environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and financial institutions (IFIs) helped to inspire and fund the establishment of nationwide systems of PAs. While these PAs were initially administered predominantly in classic "fortress" fashion, in recent decades this approach has been complemented by introduction of a community-based conservation (CBC) strategy that seeks to enlist local residents as stakeholders and decision makers, introducing a series of market-based instruments (MBIs) including ecotourism and payment for environmental services (PES) to generate revenue to support this. More recently, this approach has been intensified by the rise of "post-neoliberal" politics in a number of societies that pursues a better integration of environmental and developmental concerns. Yet this has been challenged by the expansion of raw material extraction driven in large part by expanding trade relations with East Asia and elsewhere. As a result, protected areas have become key sites of renewed contestation between forces of conservation and extraction. The chapter discusses these developments and their implications for the future of biodiversity conservation in the region.


This article describes a program designed by a case management organization and home health agency to improve the delivery of home care to the elderly. The results of a modified experimental-control study indicate that the cost of the services to the experimental group, who received comprehensive assessments, consolidated case management and joint monitoring, was less than the control group with an accompanying improvement in the quality of care. It is suggested that the program may be a practical model for local, community social service and health agencies seeking a way to increase continuity of care, improved quality, and reduce costs without difficult organizational and system changes.


This paper describes a microsimulation program developed to study freeway ramp merging phenomena under congested traffic conditions. The results of extensive macroscopic and microscopic studies are used to establish a model for the behavior of merging drivers. A theoretical framework for modeling the ramp and freeway lag driver acceleration-deceleration behavior guided the model development. This methodology uses the stimuli-response psychophysical concept as a fundamental rule and is formulated as a modified form of the conventional car-following models. Data collected at the two merging points are used to calibrate the hypothesized ramp and freeway lag vehicle acceleration models. Drawing on this behavioral model, the freeway merging capacity simulation program (FMCSP) is developed to simulate actual traffic conditions. This model evaluates the capacity of a merging section for a given geometric design and flow condition. Validation of FMCSP is performed using the observed flow, vehicle trajectories, and lane-changing maneuvers. The simulation model is applied to investigate a variety of merging strategies. The results indicated that the FMCSP is capable of simulating the actual traffic conditions of congested freeway ramp merging sections and will aid in the development of traffic management strategies for complex freeway ramp merging areas.


The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme is one of the flagship programmes of the Government of India and represents one of the world's largest and unique programmes for early childhood care and development. ICDS was launched on 2nd October 1975, on the auspicious occasion of the 106th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. ICDS has been operating in the parts of Punjab for decades. Present study was conduct to examine the impact of Nutrition and Health Education (NHED) of ICDS on the pregnant women in terms of enhancing their knowledge in the critical Health Care areas like, health check-up, immunization, nutrition care of children and women, prevention of nutritional deficiency diseases, etc. and the extent to which the pregnant women put this knowledge into practice. The study was conducted in all three ICDS project: Barnala, Sehna and Mehal Kalan of the Barnala District of Punjab. A total of 30 villages (10 from each ICDS project) were selected on the basis of random. From each village 2 pregnant women were selected randomly. Thus a total of 60 pregnant women were in the sample, from all 30 villages which were having Anganwadi for at least the last 25 years, as such pregnant women are expected to avail the NHED service of ICDS scheme. It was found that (80%) of the women received two doses of tetanus toxoid. It is good that a majority (63.32%) of pregnant women was able to get iron and folic acid tablets as per nutrition norms. A majority (66.66%) of the pregnant women did not receive supplementary nutrition food from the AWCs. Again majority (66.66%) of the women had no proper awareness about initial breast feeding for a newly born. A high majority (81.66%) of the pregnant women did not know about the names of different types of vaccinations given to their children. Again A high (81.66%) pregnant women did not know real reasons behind measles. A majority (76.66%) of the pregnant women were not sure about managing measles. it is recommended that Supervisors should be given the responsibility of organising formal NHED sessions at regular intervals in AWCs under their supervision. Continuous and effective monitoring by Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) and district officials, as also active participation of health functionaries, can go a long way in the effective implementation of this component.


The performance of a pavement is directly related to the characteristics of the soil subgrade, which provides base for the whole pavement structure. Therefore it is essential that the performance of pavements to be enhanced by adopting suitable design and proper construction methods. Now-a-days huge amount of fly ash produced from various thermal power plants is low unit weight, nonplastic, very fine and disposed in slurry form into ponds covering large area. The ash acquired from ponds gets directly air-borne and thus constitutes a serious pollution threat to the society. These materials have a low load carrying capacity, degraded settlement distinctiveness and their utilization in civil engineering works is a tough assignment. On the other hand the performance of these materials can be improved by using soil reinforcement procedure. It can be used as a pavement sub grade with the help of Geotextile sheets as reinforcement. In this study, samples of fly ash compacted to its maximum dry density at the finest moisture content is organized without and with Geotextile layers in the CBR mould. Geotextile sheets equal to the plan dimensions of CBR mould is placed in four distinct layers of different locations in the CBR mould. The CBR (California Bearing Ratio) values of each arrangement of Geotextile, are evaluated in the laboratory and compared with the results of CBR values without and with Geotextile layers.


Fischer–Tropsch (FT) synthesis is an important reaction for the alternative production of high-quality liquid fuels, which promote sustainable development by enabling economical decarbonization. The one-stage FT process involves both hydrocarbon growth and hydrocracking/isomerization in a single step and is more energy and cost efficient than the two-stage process. Bifunctional catalysts, composed of acid and metal sites, are needed in order to achieve one-step synthesis. In this review, we discuss the state of the art concerning the use of bifunctional catalysts for the one-stage FT process, focusing on the effect of metal and acid sites on the catalytic performance. Several supports with potential utility for the one-stage FT process were analyzed, including zeolites, clays, alumina, silica, aluminosilicates, and carbons, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are evaluated.


This paper examines pricing of subprime first mortgages by brokers and lenders using data on loans in originated between the first quarter of 1998 to the first quarter of 2006 at seven large subprime mortgage lenders. The results provide little evidence that most consumers obtaining mortgages through brokers pay higher prices than consumers obtaining mortgages directly from lenders. We first estimate a model explaining price using data on the loans originated directly by lenders (lender model). We predict annual percentage rates for broker-originated loans using the lender model and compare actual annual percentage rates for the broker-originated loans with the predicted rates. For five of six mortgage products, half or more of customers obtaining first mortgages through brokers paid less than we estimate they would have paid if they obtained the loan directly from the lender. For the sixth product, which accounted for a small percentage of all broker originations, 45.5 percent of loans had an annual percentage rate that was less that predicted by the lender model. This finding does not support the hypothesis that brokers generally steer customers into more costly than those they could obtain from lenders. We then repeat the process by estimating a model explaining price as a function of loan terms and borrower characteristics using the data on loans originated through brokers (broker model). Using this model to predict annual percentage rates on loans originated directly with lenders, we compare the actual annual percentage rate with the predicted annual percentage from the broker model. If brokers steer borrowers to higher priced products, we would expect actual rates for lender originations to be less than predicted rates from the broker model. Four of six products accounting for 85.4 percent of lenders mortgage originations, had annual percentage rates that were greater than the rates predicted by the broker model. Large percentages of originations for the other two products has actual rates that were larger that the annual percentage rates predicted by the broker model. Overall, most customers obtaining loans directly from the lender paid more than they would have paid had they obtained the loan through a broker.


This exploratory study deals with the depiction of causes, effects and consequences of cultural differences between the Nepali transnational migrants in West Asia and the citizens of the nations in this locale as seen in the literary creations of Nepali migrant writers. About a million Nepali migrants work in the Middle East. In the three decades of this migration, they have undergone many experiences of awe and shock caused by their cultural differences with the host land societies. Mainly caused by the differences in terms of religion, social management and law, the Nepali migrants feel difficult to adjust in the respective societies and they bear the consequent discomforts. These experiences have been the base of the Nepali literary creations in that transnational locale. The authors have expressed these realities in their poems, novels, stories, essays and memoirs. This article shows how these writings have portrayed the impact of closed Islamic society unlike the open society in Nepal; occupation based social hierarchy unlike the caste based one in Nepal; differences in culinary items and chance of personal freedom; distance between male and female; the traditional concept about the housemaids and workers; and other socio-cultural discriminations on the migrants in West Asia. The texts under analysis show that whatever is the social background back in Nepal, all Nepali migrants have the same culture, i.e. Nepali; and so they try to save it for their solace in the hostland.


This paper introduces a laboratory helicopter with a variable-speed rotor system based on decentralized active disturbance rejection control. The new control scheme is composed of two independent stages that are utilized to achieve the precise trajectory tracking of the generalized coordinates of the system. A simplified model is proposed at each stage, which highly simplifies the controller design task. High-gain generalized proportional integral observers are considered in order to locally estimate all the disturbances affecting each subsystem online. These estimated disturbances are used in the control law of each stage to eliminate the effects of these disturbances on the system performance. Some of the advantages of the proposed control are: it only requires the knowledge of the input gain to the subsystems (minimum information required from the dynamical models to control them); the robust controller design procedure is simplified; easier and safer implementation with regard to standard controllers; and high robustness to large initial errors, unmodeled unmatched perturbations, noisy measurements, and parametric uncertainties in the model. The effectiveness of the proposed approach has been verified with real experiments conducted on a laboratory platform.