Mandarine juice is one of the richest sources of β-cryptoxanthin and flavonoids, which have been positively associated with bone mineral density. Carotenoids are lipophilic isoprenoid compounds with a complex absorption process that can be affected by different factors. In this study, we have evaluated the effect of the food matrix on the in vitro bioaccessibility of carotenoids and phenolic compounds in a model milk-mandarine beverage (MMB). MMBs were formulated with mandarine juice and different dairy products to achieve three fat levels (0.2%, 1.7% and 3.2%) and three calcium levels (120, 310 and 500 mg Ca2+ per 100 ml). The bioaccessibility was evaluated using a harmonised in vitro digestion method. The results showed that the content of milk fat increased the bioaccessibility in vitro of phenolic compounds (p < 0.05), while a moderate fat level (1.7%) resulted in the highest bioaccessibility for bioactive carotenoids. On the other hand, calcium fortification at the highest level (500 mg Ca2+ per 100 mL) decreased the bioaccessibility of bioactive carotenoids from 76% to 43% (66% for the major β-cryptoxanthin) compared to the lower calcium fortification level (120 mg Ca2+ per 100 mL). The bioaccessibility of hesperidin, the main flavanone in mandarine juice, was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in the MMB with the highest calcium level. The bioaccessibility of carotenoids and phenolic compounds is affected by fat and calcium levels. When formulating functional beverages, the impact of the formulation should be carefully considered to optimize the bioaccessibility of the bioactive compounds.


Glutathione and glucose oxidase (EC 188.8.131.52) conjugates containing covalently bound luminol were prepared as prototypes for peptides and proteins with latent, enzyme-activatable chemical reactivity. In the presence of small quantities of activated horseradish peroxidase, conjugated luminol molecules were oxidized to unstable free radicals which reacted rapidly with soluble proteins and cells. These observations are of interest in regard to possible sequential localization reactions in which a few molecules of cell-bound antibody-horseradish peroxidase would be used to catalytically alter and trap many molecules of a second (luminol-substituted) enzyme, toxin, or hapten in the same area, as might be desirable in promoting selective cell destruction.


Cardiovascular disorders represent a major public health concern because of their high prevalence, morbidity, and mortality. Indeed hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke or peripheral vascular diseases are a major contributor to mortality and, because of the increase in life expectancy and aging, a pandemic both in developed and developing countries. The completion of the first working draft of the human DNA sequence,1 which was recently published, is considered by the international community as a major scientific contribution of the human genome project (HGP), an unprecedented international collaborative programme. How the HGP will affect cardiovascular medicine is therefore a question of paramount importance because of the socioeconomic impact of these disorders.

Human DNA sequencing opens the door wide on promising perspectives in cardiovascular genetics.

### NEW MORBID GENES AND VARIANTS

Although positional cloning has allowed major breakthroughs in the understanding of the genetic background of various familial and often rare diseases, including myocardial disorders (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), arrhythmic disorders (long QT syndrome), vascular diseases (Marfan syndrome) or various congenital heart diseases, a number of monogenic cardiovascular disorders remain unravelled.2 Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy or mitral valve prolapse have been associated with chromosomal loci but the underlying molecular defect remains unknown. The publication of lists of genes included in the morbid loci associated with these disorders should therefore allow a more rapid identification of morbid genes.

An even more exciting impact of the HGP on cardiovascular medicine is the identification of genetic variants associated with the more prevalent complex diseases such as atherosclerosis or hypertension. Until now, the genetic strategies used to identify susceptibility genes in these disorders have been in part limited by the small number of variants available. The systematic description of all common variants contained in the human genome, including single nucleotide polymorphism,3 should allow the development of new …


This study extends the agent-based 8-Zone ISO-NE Test System to include wind turbine agents, each characterized by location, physical type, and an output curve mapping local wind speed into wind power output. Increases in wind power penetration (WPP) are modeled as build-outs of investment queues for planned wind turbine installations. The extended system is used to study the effects of increasing WPP under both stochastic and deterministic day-ahead market (DAM) formulations for security-constrained unit commitment (SCUC).For each tested WPP, the expected cost saving resulting from a switch from deterministic to stochastic DAM SCUC is found to display a U-shaped variation as the reserve requirement (RR) for deterministic DAM SCUC is successively increased. Moreover, the RR level resulting in the lowest expected cost saving systematically increases with increases in WPP.


This study focuses on social interactions during family mealtimes to examine the types of arguments used by parents to convince their children to eat. The results of this study show that feeding practices during mealtimes are dialogically constructed by parents and children together. Parents mostly used arguments based on the quality and quantity of food, adapting their language to the child's level of understanding. Future research might consider the observations and the subtle qualitative analyses of social interactions among family members as examples of possible ways to recognize the dialogical construction of feeding practices during mealtimes.


This chapter documents instances from past centuries where inventors freely shared knowledge of their innovations with other inventors. It is widely believed that such knowledge sharing is largely a recent development, as in open source software. Our survey shows, instead, that innovators have long practiced "collective invention", including in such key technologies as steam engines, iron and steel production and textile machinery. Generally, innovators? behavior was substantially richer than the heroic portrayal often found in textbooks and museums. Knowledge sharing sometimes coexisted with patenting, at other times, not, suggesting the importance of public policy that accommodates knowledge sharing to foster cumulative innovation.


The 1990 World Conservation Strategy a document entitled "Caring for the World" contains a chapter on the obstacles confronting sustainable development defined as that which will improve the capacity to convert constant level of physical resource use into increased satisfaction of human needs. Countries are sometimes classified into 3 groups: industrialized countries with low zero or negative population growth and constant or decreasing resource consumption and increasingly environmentally friendly technologies; countries with rapidly declining family size but still rapidly growing population size increasing urbanization and increasing rates of resource consumption; and countries with high population growth and low consumption. There are several conceptual problems in dealing with these issues. It is politically prudent to keep issues of population growth and resource consumption separate. People are sometimes confused about the ramifications of the declining population growth rates with still rising population size. Another practical difficulty is matching demographic data with that on natural resources. There are no census data on ecological resources and what data we have always have different geographical boundaries from demographic administrative districts. Demographers could help biologists by elaborating their analytical tools for use of ecologists.


SUMMARY: T-mycoplasmas were isolated by a 'colour-change' technique, involving the metabolism of urea, from 16 of 49 slaughtered cows (33%). They were encountered more often in the urethra and bladder than in the vagina. Isolations were made usually within 2 days of incubation but occasionally 5 days was required. T-mycoplasmas were isolated in medium without inhibitors from urethral scrapings of a cow and from seminal fluid of a bull. On solid medium, bovine T-mycoplasmas produced colonies of 5-12μ which were similar to those produced by a T-mycoplasma from the human urogenital tract. In liquid medium, the growth cycle of bovine T-mycoplasmas was similar to that of human T-mycoplasmas, being more rapid than that of large colony-forming (classical) mycoplasmas. The presence of serum in the medium was necessary for growth. T-mycoplasmas of bovine origin were affected in a similar way to those of human origin when subjected to ether, heat, freezing and thawing, freeze-drying, antibiotics and thallium acetate; they were more sensitive to erythromycin and thallium acetate than some classical mycoplasmas. The size of the minimal reproductive forms of bovine and human T-mycoplasmas and a classical mycoplasma, Mycoplasma hyorhinis, was similar as judged by filtration experiments. Electron microscopy of bovine and human T-mycoplasmas revealed cells which varied in size from 80 mμ, to 420 mμ, and which were bounded by a triple-layered membrane, features similar to known classical mycoplasmas.


This article uses critical discourse analysis (CDA) to interrogate the discursive construction of Chilean university teacher educators' professionalism in government initial teacher education policy and institutional policy enactment documents. The study examines the network of discourses—new managerialist, quality assurance, performance, functionalist professional development—producing a version of professionalism akin to organizational professionalism. Used as a form of managerial control over teacher educators' professional practices, such professionalism exacerbates performativity while reducing professional agency opportunities and consistent professional/academic development. Ultimately, this study contributes to the necessary questioning of Chilean ITE policy reform and the need to examine its effects on university TEs' professional lives and the professional modeling of their student teachers.


In recent years, wireless sensor networks have been used in a wide range of indoor localization-based applications. Although promising, the existing works are dependent on a large number of anchor nodes to achieve localizations, which brings the issues of increasing of the cost and additional maintenance. Inspired by the cross-technology communication, an emerging technique that enables direct communication among heterogeneous wireless devices, we propose an anchor-free distributed method, which leverages the installed Wi-Fi APs to calculate the distance instead of traditional anchor nodes. More specifically, for the asymmetric coverage of Wi-Fi and ZigBee nodes, we first design a progressive method, where the first unknown node estimates its location based on two Wi-Fi APs and a sink node, then once achieving its position, it acts as the alternative sink node of the next hop. This process is repeated until the new members can obtain their positions. Second, as a low-power technology, ZigBee signal may be submerged in strong signals such as Wi-Fi. To overcome this problem, a prime number is deployed to be the Wi-Fi broadcasting period based on the numerical analysis theory. Among lots of prime numbers, we have the opportunity to select an appropriate one with the relatively small packet collisions. Last, numerical simulations and experiments are performed to evaluate the proposal. The evaluation results show that the proposal can achieve decimeter level accuracy without deploying any anchor node. Moreover, the proposal demonstrates the anti-interference ability in the crowded open spectrum environment.


A prenatal diagnosis of partial monosomy 18p(18p11.2→pter) and trisomy 21q(21q22.3→qter) in a fetus with alobar holoprosencephaly (HPE) and premaxillary agenesis (PMA) but without the classical Down syndrome phenotype is reported. A 27‐year‐old primigravida woman was referred for genetic counselling at 21 weeks' gestation due to sonographic findings of craniofacial abnormalities. Level II ultrasonograms manifested alobar HPE and median orofacial cleft. Cytogenetic analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on cells obtained from amniocentesis revealed partial monosomy 18p and a cryptic duplication of 21q,46,XY,der(18)t(18;21)(p11.2;q22.3), resulting from a maternal t(18;21) reciprocal translocation. The breakpoints were ascertained by molecular genetic analysis. The pregnancy was terminated. Autopsy showed alobar HPE with PMA, pituitary dysplasia, clinodactyly and classical 18p deletion phenotype but without the presence of major typical phenotypic features of Down syndrome. The phenotype of this antenatally diagnosed case is compared with those observed in six previously reported cases with monosomy 18p due to 18;21 translocation. The present study is the first report of concomitant deletion of HPE critical region of chromosome 18p11.3 and cryptic duplication of a small segment of distal chromosome 21q22.3 outside Down syndrome critical region. The present study shows that cytogenetic analyses are important in detecting chromosomal aberrations in pregnancies with prenatally detected craniofacial abnormalities, and adjunctive molecular investigations are useful in elucidating the genetic pathogenesis of dysmorphism. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Abstract Knockdown and residual activity of 10 minimal risk natural products (MRNPs), one experimental formulation of nootkatone, and two bifenthrin labels were evaluated against host-seeking nymphal Ixodes scapularis Say using a novel micro-plot product screening system placed in a landscape setting similar to a wooded residential property. The MRNPs evaluated included Tick Stop, EcoPCO EC-X, Met52 EC, CedarCide PCO Choice, EcoEXEMPT IC2, EcoSMART Organic Insecticide, Essentria IC3, privately labeled products 1 and 2 (based on EcoEXEMPT IC2 and sold as a professional pest control application), and Tick Killz. Just the nootkatone and 4 of these 10 products tested (EcoPCO EC-X, Met52 EC, EcoEXEMPT IC2, and Essentria IC3) had statistically significant (P < 0.05) knockdown effects (killed ticks while active in the arenas) when compared to water-only controls, but only 2 of these, EcoPCO EC-X and nootkatone, displayed significant residual tick-killing activity after weathering naturally in the landscape for 2 wk prior to tick application/testing. Moreover, botanical oil-based products with the same active ingredients provided inconsistent results when tested multiple times across study years.


Current predictions of temperature increase in sea surface water estimate that extensive regions of the ocean will be warmer than at any time in the past million years as a consequence of the present trend of release the CO2 excess into the atmosphere. Studying the capacity of phytoplankton to adapt to warming has become a relevant issue because phytoplankton represents the basis of the aquatic food web supporting about half of the global primary production. Considering the complexity of the phytoplankton community in both taxonomic level and habitat preferences, different responses to increased temperature are expected.We experimentally estimate the potential of different phytoplanktonic populations of 15 species, belonging to different taxonomic groups (Cyanoprokaryota, Dinophyta, Chlorophyta, Haptophyta, Heterokontophyta) and habitat preferences(e.g. coastal waters, open ocean, coral symbiotic), to genetically adapt in an evolutionary sense to marine warming.Since genetic variance in fitness estimates capability for adaptation of a population (Fisher's Fundamental Theorem of Natural Selection) we measured the heritability of fitness (i.e. proportion of variance in fitness that has genetic basis) under increasing temperatures, using an experimental quantitative genetic procedure suitable to phytoplankton populations. Our results reveal that there are interspecific differences in phytoplankton capability for adaptation under a gradual warming process and provides experimental evidences for assessing how phytoplanktonic organisms might evolve under climate warming in the near future.


We consider a new procedure for detecting structural breaks in mean for high-dimensional time series. We target breaks happening at unknown time points and locations. In particular, at a fixed time point our method is concerned with either the biggest break in one location or aggregating simultaneous breaks over multiple locations. We allow for both big or small sized breaks, so that we can 1), stamp the dates and the locations of the breaks, 2), estimate the break sizes and 3), make inference on the break sizes as well as the break dates. Our theoretical setup incorporates both temporal and cross-sectional dependence, and is suitable for heavy-tailed innovations. We derive the asymptotic distribution for the sizes of the breaks by extending the existing powerful theory on local linear kernel estimation and high dimensional Gaussian approximation to allow for trend stationary time series with jumps. A robust long-run covariance matrix estimation is proposed, which can be of independent interest. An application on detecting structural changes of the US unemployment rate is considered to illustrate the usefulness of our method.


Multilayer Soft Lithography (MSL) is a robust and mature fabrication technique for the rapid prototyping of microfluidic circuits having thousands of integrated valves. Despite the success and wide application of this method, it is fundamentally a planar fabrication technique which imposes serious design constraints on channel routing, feature density, and fluid handling complexity. We present here methods and related instrumentation to remove these limitations by combining the advantages of MSL processing with laser micromachining using a CO(2) laser ablation system. This system is applied to both the dense integration of layer-layer interconnects and the direct writing of microchannels. Real-time image recognition and computer control allow for robust wafer-scale registration of laser ablation features with moulded channel structures. Ablation rates of up to 8 Hz are achieved with positional accuracy of approximately 20 microm independent of mechanical distortions in the elastomer substrate. We demonstrate these capabilities in the design and fabrication of a production scale multi-laminate micromixer that achieves sub-millisecond mixing of two streams at flow rates up to 1 mL min(-1). The marriage of laser micromachining with MSL-based valve integration allows for high-yield fabrication of topologically complex microfluidic circuits having thousands of layer-layer interconnects and integrated valves.


Recent commentators have portrayed feminist critics as grim-faced ideologues who are destroying the study of literature. Feminists, they claim, reduce art to politics and are hostile to any form of aesthetic pleasure. "Literature After Feminism" is the first work to comprehensively rebut such caricatures, while also offering a clear-eyed assessment of the relative merits of various feminist approaches to literature. Spelling out her main arguments clearly and succinctly, Rita Felski explains how feminism has changed the ways people read and think about literature. She organizes her book around four key questions: Do women and men read differently? How have feminist critics imagined the female author? What does plot have to do with gender? And what do feminists have to say about the relationship between literary and political value? Interweaving incisive commentary with literary examples, Felski advocates a double critical vision that can do justice to the social and political meanings of literature without dismissing or scanting the aesthetic. "Literature After Feminism" should be welcomed by anyone looking for a lucid and balanced account of feminist criticism.


Signal flow graph (SFG) nonlinear modeling approach is well known for modeling dc-dc converters. However, all possible SFGs of a given dc-dc converter system will not yield the generalized graph. A systematic procedure and guidelines for developing unified flow graph models of the dc-dc boost converters, from which complete behavior can be determined is presented. Usefulness of the proposed method is demonstrated through examples. As an illustration a 2-cell cascade boost and interleaved boost converter systems are taken as examples. Derivation of large, small-signal and steady-state models from generalized flow graph is also demonstrated. Large-signal model is developed and programmed in TUTSIM simulator. Large-signal, responses against supply and load disturbances are obtained. Experimental observations are provided to validate the proposed algorithm.


The aims of this study were to explore adolescents' levels of knowledge on sexual health issues and their views on the sex education they receive as part of their compulsory education. Twenty students from two schools completed a short questionnaire and participated in a focus group discussion. The students had an excellent level of knowledge about sexual health issues, which contradicts Government views that ignorance is the key to adolescents' sexual health concerns (Social Exclusion Unit 1999). Participants felt their sex education was 'too little, too late' and that it should be taught by someone other than a teacher. Sex education should be introduced earlier in the curriculum as well as finding an acceptable 'teacher' if adolescent sexual health is to improve.


This paper examines the effects of trade policies on the adoption of new technologies. A two-sector model with international-trade is developed where technological progress is neutral. A group of interest (suppliers of skilled labor), acting in coalition, decide which technology will be available for firms. The key findings are the following. (i) With free trade, or a tariff, the best technology is always used; (ii) Under a quota, generally the best technology is not used. In other words, with respect to adoption of new technologies we have equivalence between free trade and tariffs. A quota generates resistance to new technologies while with free trade or tariffs this resistance is eliminated.words, with respect to adoption of new technologies we have equivalence between free trade and tariffs. A quota generates resistance to new technologies while with free trade or tariffs this resistance is eliminated.


Bottled drinking water (BDW) is an effort to meet the demand for drinking water needs of the community which continues to increase every year. BDW is the community's main choice because it can be consumed directly without the need to cook it first. The high demand for drinking water produced by bottled water requires a comprehensive, easy to apply, and standardized quality control method to maintain and improve the quality of the products produced so that they are safe for consumption by bottled drinking water customers. The suitable method for quality control is the method Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). This method is a risk analysis system by establishing an appropriate control and supervision system to avoid irregularities that can lead to poor quality of drinking water products produced, as well as producing quality bottled water products. The HACCP method can be applied to all aspects of production and aspects of human resources (HR) in bottled water starting from raw water management until the product is produced. In this method, there are 5 important principles used, such as analyzing the risk of hazards that can occur during the production process, determining the critical point of hazard risk analysis, determining critical limits, preparing monitoring system monitoring procedures, and finally preparing corrective actions to avoid deviations from critical limits. Based on the analysis of existing conditions at the BDW in Cirebon City, there are advantages and disadvantages on its own in the production process. For example, the poor performance of some treatment units and the need for control can be caused by replacing treatment units that exceed usage limits and irregular replacement schedules that can affect the water quality of these products. The HACCP method is needed in planning quality control to evaluate the performance of the BDW production processing unit, and determine the quality control of bottled drinking water products to minimize negative impacts for customers who consume them.


The responses of alveolar and bronchial cells to asbestos exposure were studied to relate the cytokinetic changes of injury and repair to the inflammatory process and subsequent fibroblast activity. Lesions were induced by intratracheal instillation of 1 mg crocidolite asbestos to mice which were killed up to 20 weeks; /sup 3/H thymidine was injected 1 hr before death. A rapid inflammatory response with elevated PMN and lysosomal enzyme release was largely over by 2 wks though an increase in alveolar macrophages (AM) was maintained. Within 48 hrs there was multifocal necrosis of bronchiolar epithelium, maximal at bifurcations where longer fibers tend to adhere. Subsequently, intralumenal exudates were overgrown by proliferating epithelial cells and were incorporated, with long fibers, into bronchiolar connective tissue where granulomas formed. Alveolar lesions were located in peribronchiolar air sacs where focal injury of Type 1 cells by short fibers was rapidly repaired by division of Type 2 cells. Most short fibers were cleared by AMs, only a few fibers reached the interstitium. After 2 wks the increase in labeling index was due to labeled peribronchial fibroblasts. Biochemically, collagen increased after 4 wks when fibrosis was seen in bronchiolar lumens and in peribronchiolar connective tissue with lessermore » amounts in the centrilobular alveolar interstitium. The results suggest that long fibers induce bronchiolar injury and a more severe fibrotic pattern similar to human asbestosis.« less


Introduction: Philosophical Approaches to Race in Film Dan Flory and Mary K. Bloodsworth-Lugo Epistemology 1. Imaginative Resistance and the White Gaze in Machete and The Help Dan Flory 2. Born into Bondage: Teaching The Matrix and Unlearning the Racial Organization of Knowledge Michael Eng 3. What's So Bad About Blackface? Christy Mag Uidhir Aesthetics 4. So Now You're Swedish American?': Jewish-American Women, Philosophies of Beauty in Requiem for a Dream Renee R. Curry and William Brigham 5.Cruising Through Race Monique Roelofs Moral Philosophy 6. True Blood and Race: From Progress to Complacency to Paganism, to Humanity Naomi Zack 7. Avatar: Racism and Prejudice on Pandora Michael P. Levine and Damian Cox 8. "Now, Imagine She's White": The Gift of the Black Gaze and the Re-Inscription of Whiteness as Normative in A Time to Kill George Yancy Social and Political Philosophy 9. Race As/And (Ex)change: Trading Places and the Rise of Neo-Liberalism Charles W. Mills 10. Hardly Black and White: Racial and Sexual Stereotypes in Manderlay and Black Snake Moan Melanie Walton 11. Elisions of Race and Stories of Progress: Planet 51 and The Princess and the Frog Mary K. Bloodsworth-Lugo and Carmen R. Lugo-Lugo Technology and the (Lived) Body 12.Vampires, Technology, and Racism: The Vampiric Image in Twilight and Let Me In Brian H. Onishi 13. Desperate Black Female: Sex and Race in Monster's Ball Lucy Bolton


OBJECTIVE
To summarize characteristics of Medicare beneficiaries with type 2 diabetes and to describe changing trends in care and outcomes.

METHODS
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of a nationally representative 5% sample of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older with prevalent type 2 diabetes, between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2011. The main outcome measures were diabetes-related screening tests, mortality, hospital admissions, dialysis, and lower extremity amputation.

RESULTS
The average age of Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes was 76.5 years, 56% were women, and 83% were white. Screening practices in beneficiaries with diabetes improved from 2002 to 2011, with rising rates of foot exams, renal screening, hemoglobin A1c tests, and lipid profile tests. The prevalence of nephropathy and neuropathy increased. Although inpatient admissions declined from 2002 to 2011, diabetes-related emergency department visits increased. Amputation and end-stage renal disease remained static, while 1-year mortality declined over the study period.

CONCLUSION
In this medically complex group of patients with high comorbidity, we observed improvements in screening practices and room for further improvement. Although the mortality rate decreased, other outcomes did not improve consistently. Health care resource has changed over time, with decreased hospital admissions and increased emergency department visits.

ABBREVIATIONS
CCW = Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse ESRD = end-stage renal disease HbA1c = hemoglobin A1c HEDIS = Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set ICD-9-CM = International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification.


The associations between four major blood groups, ABH secretor status, and complement C3, and chronic bronchitis and peak expiratory flow were examined in 3387 men, aged 55-74 years. Presence of chronic bronchitis was assessed using the British Medical Research Council (BMRC) questionnaire. Men with NS- in the MNS system had significantly less chronic bronchitis than others, i.e. 11.4% versus 16.0% (p < 0.0005). In heavy smokers, both men with NS- and NS+ had significantly less chronic bronchitis than others. Also, Rhesus positive men had less chronic bronchitis than Rhesus negative men, 28.0% versus 38.3% (p < 0.05). Absence of the complement C3 allele C3F was associated with a higher prevalence of chronic bronchitis. No association with chronic bronchitis was found for the AB0 system or the ABH secretor system. No convincing associations were found between genetic markers and mean peak flow. In conclusion, this study has suggested new genetic markers for respiratory disease indicating a partly genetic aetiology of chronic respiratory disease. The MNS, and to some extent the Rhesus blood groups, were associated with chronic bronchitis in middle-aged men. However, this study demonstrates once again that no single blood type can act as a risk indicator of chronic respiratory disease.


Abstract Although known previously from only two specimens from northern Greenland, new material from Marjuman boulders in debris flows of the Cow Head Group of western Newfoundland demonstrate that Verditerrina Robison is a menomoniid trilobite that is closely related to Hysteropleura Raymond. Following a parsimony analysis using the PAUP program, Verditerrina is used at the subgeneric level to label a distinctive monophyletic group within Hysteropleura. Three new species are established for the Newfoundland material: Hysteropleura (Verditerrina) adraini, H. (V.) edgecombei and H. (V.) ramskoldi. All three species undergo substantial modification of the anterior border of the cranidium during holaspid ontogeny. Two of the species, H. (V.) adraini and H. (V.) edgecombei, develop elongate, tongue-like borders that are reminiscent of those of calymenids such as Spathocalymene Tillman.


The southern African crab Hymenosoma orbiculare was recently split into five distinct species, of which three are estuarine/coastal and have peripatric distributions that are linked to temperature-defined marine bioregions. This suggests that the species' ranges may be limited by physiological adaptations to their thermal environment. We explored this hypothesis by rearing the larvae of the warm-temperate lineage of H. orbiculare and the warm-temperate/subtropical H. longicrure at a range of water temperatures, and found clear temperature-dependent differences in the duration of larval development. Our study contributes to the growing body of evidence that stresses the importance of adaptation to regional environmental conditions, rather than physical dispersal barriers on their own, in limiting the mixing of marine species between temperature-defined biogeographic regions.


Ghosts are resilient creatures. They thrive in an atmosphere of candlelight and decay, in antique manors, graveyards and cloisters, and yet, as this anthology triumphantly demonstrates, they are equally at home under the harsh light of the electric bulb. The advent of the motor car and the invention of the telephone have merely tested their ingenuity, and exercised the talents of a host of writers. The fractures and schisms of 20th century are reflected in the current proliferation of literary genres, and in the variety that a single genre can embrace. Leading exponents of ghost fiction such as M.R. James and Algernon Blackwood are joined by authors such as Scott Fitzgerald, A.S. Byatt, William Trevor, and Alison Lurie; women, in particular, have embraced the form with skill and versatility. As well as the returning dead there are haunted typwriters, malevolent furniture, and urban ghosts, phantoms of smoke and soot. Occasionally with humour, but more often with obliquity and restraint, these stories both entrance and terrify. This collection shows how ghost stories have successfully utilized the landscapes, technologies and consciousness of contemporary life to adapt to the modern age with imagination and flair.


PURPOSES : This study deals with the working life of polymer concrete, which is typically used as a repair or overlay material for portland cement concrete pavements. METHODS : In the scope of this study, laboratory testing was conducted on fresh MMA modified UP polymer concrete, which uses an MMA monomer for viscosity adjustment and strength improvement of UP resin. The experimental variables were temperature (-20 to ) and binder components (MMA, MEKPO, and DMA). RESULTS : The result showed that the optimum binder ratios for polymer concrete production were 12, 11, and 10 wt.% when the MMA contents were 20, 30, and 40 wt.%, respectively. The working life of polymer concrete depending on temperature and binder components could be expressed by a logarithmic functional formula. The coefficient of variation for each binder component was the highest for DMA content while the lowest for MEKPO content. Also, the contents of each binder component for ensuring the working life of 60 minutes were proposed. CONCLUSIONS : Ultimately, the present study derived a linear regression equation estimating 60 minutes working life based on the setting times of each binder component.


Aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) is associated with chromosomal abnormalities, mainly Down syndrome, and congenital heart disease1–5. ARSA is caused by abnormal regression of the primitive right aortic arch between the right subclavian artery and the right common carotid artery. As a result, the aortic arch branches into four arteries instead of three, and the ARSA originates distal to the left subclavian artery at the level of the aortic isthmus. ARSA follows an oblique course behind the trachea and esophagus to reach the right arm. In 2005, Chaoui et al.2 described the methodology for assessment of fetal ARSA in the transverse three vessels and trachea view, in which the anomalous origin of ARSA, close to the ductus arteriosus, and its retrotracheal course can be visualized (Figures 1a and c). This group subsequently showed how to visualize fetal ARSA in a longitudinal view6, in which the artery arises as a fourth and distal vessel from the aortic arch; however, in this view the retrotracheal course is not identifiable. As Quarello and Carvalho7 remarked, although several anatomical variations can manifest as an aortic arch with four vessels in the longitudinal view, in cases in which ARSA originates anteriorly from the aortic arch, visualization of four supra-aortic vessels is not possible. We illustrate how this vessel can be visualized in the coronal plane. In order to assess ARSA, we obtain a coronal view of the fetal thorax, posterior to the trachea and anterior to the spine, until we are able to see the thoracic descending aorta. Highly sensitive color Doppler with a low velocity range (10–15 cm/s) shows ARSA as a vessel arising from the descending aorta at the level of the aortic isthmus and following an S-shaped course towards the right clavicle and shoulder (Figures 1b and c). This view has the advantage of providing visualization of the origin and course of the anomalous artery in the same plane. This view can also facilitate evaluation in cases in which the origin of ARSA is not in its most common position, such as ARSA originating anteriorly from the aortic arch or very distal to the left subclavian artery. It is important not to confuse ARSA with the azygos vein and its anastomosis with the superior vena cava. In the coronal view, the azygos vein courses parallel to the right side of the aorta, while ARSA arises from the aorta and follows an oblique course to reach the right arm. Pulsed Doppler interrogation is recommended to distinguish ARSA from the azygos vein in this region. In summary, fetal ARSA can be viewed in the coronal plane using ultrasonography. This approach shows both the anomalous origin of the artery and its S-shaped course to the right shoulder. Although the detection of ARSA is possible in a coronal view, it should be confirmed in the three vessels and trachea view.


Scientific computing increasingly involves massive data; in astronomy, observations and numerical simulations are on the verge of generating petabytes. This new, data-centric computing requires a new look at computing architectures and strategies. Using Amdahl's law to characterize architectures and workloads, it's possible to use existing commodity parts to build systems that approach an ideal Amdahl machine.


Empowerment of women, in its simplest meaning refers to the process whereby women acquire an ability to make strategic life choices. Likewise, power is also thought of as an ability to make choices. This view of power focuses on structure or the social norms and forces that enable and or constrain thinking, action and behavior. Hence, there is now a focus and discussion on not just the power relations among actors and their agency (strengthening capabilities to act) but also on social structures, norms, and attitudes that enable (or constrain) the behavior of all actors – women, men, socially included and excluded (Hayward 2000).Taking cues from the work of Munoz-Boudet et.al (2012), this paper attempts to discuss that social norms, gender roles, individual capacities, assets, and the communities wherein the marginalized rural poor live, determine the opportunities available to women and men.Harnessing the rich VLS longitudinal panel data from 6 villages of India, the paper explains the dynamics of intra-household relationships gleaned from the longitudinal panel and highlights how gender differences and inequalities among sample households engaged in agriculture in these villages has changed over time. Q2 analysis is used to examine variation in gender norms and attitudes among communities/villages as well as discern distinguishing patterns and pathways towards women's empowerment. The paper also appeals to analysis of the social network architecture, identifying existing formal and informal institutions that enable women's agency, voice, claims and opportunities. Understanding women in their wider social setting - wider social contexts of gender, age, class and other identities that influence their relations with others, leads to a better appreciation of the change agents women can be in their households, communities and nation at large. Ultimately, to bring about socially transformative empowerment , the paper clearly points that it is imperative that individuals and groups develop the capacities to not only address the norms, attitudes and conditions that determine their life choices and aspirations but also challenge them to bring about this change.


Chronic kidney disease is characterized by the development of renal fibrosis. The basic mechanisms of renal fibrosis have not yet been fully investigated despite significant progress in understanding the etiology of the disease. In this work, the researchers sought to identify potential diagnostic indicators for renal fibrosis. From the GEO database, we were able to acquire two gene expression profiles with publically available data (GSE22459 and GSE76882, respectively) from human renal fibrosis and control samples. 215 renal fibrosis specimens and 124 normal specimens were examined for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The SVM-RFE and LASSO regression models were used to discover potential markers. CIBERSORT was applied to estimate the combined cohorts' immune cell fraction compositional trends in renal fibrosis. RT-PCR was used to examine the expression of ISG20 in renal fibrosis and healthy samples. In vitro experiments were applied to examine the function of ISG20 knockdown on the progression of renal fibrosis. In this study, we identified 24 DEGs. The result of LASSO and SVM-RFE identified nine critical genes. ROC assays confirmed the diagnostic value of the above nine genes for renal fibrosis. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed that ISG20 and SERPINA3 were both found to be correlated with T cell follicular helper, neutrophils, T cell CD4 memory activated, eosinophils, T cell CD8, dendritic cell activated, B cell memory, monocytes, macrophage M2, plasma cells, T cell CD4 naïve, mast cell resting, B cell naïve, T cell regulatory, and NK cell activated. Finally, we observed that the expression of ISG20 and SERPINA3 was distinctly increased in renal fibrosis samples compared with normal samples. ISG20 siRNA significantly suppressed the progression of renal fibrosis in vitro. Overall, this study identified nine diagnostic biomarkers for renal fibrosis. ISG20 may be a novel therapeutic target of renal fibrosis.


Background Minimally invasive knee arthroplasty seeks to diminish the problems of traditional extensile exposures aiming for more rapid rehabilitation of patients after surgery. Questions/purposes To determine if the subvastus approach results in less perioperative pain and blood loss, shorter hospital stay, and improved function at both early and long-term followup. Methods One hundred patients were enrolled in a prospective, randomized trial. Fifty were operated on using a minimally invasive subvastus approach and the other 50 by a conventional, peripatellar approach. Minimum followup was 3 years. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to compare the Knee Society score and range of motion during followup. Results The minimally invasive approach resulted in greater perioperative bleeding but no increase in transfusions. No differences were found in postoperative pain between groups nor did hospital stay show any differences. The range of motion on the third day after surgery was greater in the minimally invasive group. No differences were found in surgical time, femoral or tibial component orientation or outliers, or complication rates. Both Knee Society score and range of motion were superior using the minimally invasive subvastus approach during followup out to 36 months. Conclusions The minimally invasive subvastus approach can result in improved long-term Knee Society scores and range of motion of total knee arthroplasty without increased risk of component malalignment, surgical time, or complication rate. Level of Evidence Level I, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


The energy levels of valence bands (VB) in SbSeBr crystals were calculated for investigation of the photoelectron emission spectra of A 5 B 6 C 7 ‐ type crystals. The molecular model of this crystal was used for calculation of VB by the Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Unrestricted Hartree ‐ Fock (UHF) methods. The molecular cluster consisting of 20 molecules of SbSeBr was used for calculations of averaged total density of states including atom vibrations. The spectra of averaged total density of states from VB in the SbSeBr cluster were compared with experimental photoelectron emission spectra from VB of A 5 B 6 C 7 ‐ type crystals. The results of comparison clarify that the atomic vibrations are one of possible reasons for the smoother appearance of the experimental X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS).


During the defect scanning process on the production line, when asperities are detected on the surface of a magnetic storage medium, that location is marked, and no data are stored to marked locations. However, some asperities go undetected, and cause problems during data recovery. In this paper, we introduce a new method to detect and cancel the thermal asperity effects for perpendicular magnetic recording systems. We compare the new method to the existing methods in terms of the bit error rate after Viterbi detection.


A 2×2 pixel array for Sub-THz detection in which each pixel can be separately addressed has been integrated in a low-cost 0.18μm CMOS technology. Each pixel comprises of an NMOS incoherent power detection circuit and a high gain operational amplifier. Efficiency of self-mixing is analyzed and improved for FET detector and the operational amplifier. Sequential pulse generator is used in the design of row and column signal producing circuit in pixel array. The measured peak responsivity is 3.3 kV/W at 90 GHz, 4.3 kV/W at 155 GHz. For comparison, the pixel without load resistor is also characterized. The measured results show that the pixel with load resistor can efficiently increase the pixel output.


Under review here are four books that deal – in very different ways – with labour markets, global migration, and the politics of open borders. Published in the wake of the millions-strong May Day 2006 strikes and demonstrations led by working-class undocumented immigrants in the us, Mike Davis and Justin Akers Chacon's No One is Illegal is the most explicitly oriented to contemporary immigrant justice movements. As such, it provides an important point of departure for examining neo-liberal labour regimes, globalization, sovereignty, and citizenship from the standpoint of migrants and the deported. As the book's subtitle indicates, No One is Illegal is a primer on the racism, violence, and class exploitation which organizes working-class migrant lives in the us; it is also an anatomy of the organized attacks on immigrants by the state, employers, powerful right-wing coalitions, and vigilante groups such as the Minute Men. At the same time, the book aims to chart a course (both inside and outside the labour movement) for a new civil rights movement of review essay / note critique


We study the problem of learning causal models from observational data through the lens of interpolation and its counterpart -- regularization. A large volume of recent theoretical, as well as empirical work, suggests that, in highly complex model classes, interpolating estimators can have good statistical generalization properties and can even be optimal for statistical learning. Motivated by an analogy between statistical and causal learning recently highlighted by Janzing (2019), we investigate whether interpolating estimators can also learn good causal models. To this end, we consider a simple linearly confounded model and derive precise asymptotics for the *causal risk* of the min-norm interpolator and ridge-regularized regressors in the high-dimensional regime. Under the principle of independent causal mechanisms, a standard assumption in causal learning, we find that interpolators cannot be optimal and causal learning requires stronger regularization than statistical learning. This resolves a recent conjecture in Janzing (2019). Beyond this assumption, we find a larger range of behavior that can be precisely characterized with a new measure of *confounding strength*. If the confounding strength is negative, causal learning requires weaker regularization than statistical learning, interpolators can be optimal, and the optimal regularization can even be negative. If the confounding strength is large, the optimal regularization is infinite, and learning from observational data is actively harmful.


Real-time charging strategies, in the context of vehicle to grid technology, are needed to enable the use of electric vehicle fleets batteries to provide ancillary services. In this paper, we develop tools to manage charging and discharging in a fleet to track an automatic generation control signal when aggregated. We propose a real-time controller that considers bidirectional charging efficiency and extend it to study the effect of looking ahead when implementing model predictive control. Simulations show that the controller improves tracking error as compared with benchmark scheduling algorithms, as well as regulation capacity and battery cycling.


The February 2023 earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye The earthquakes that hit southeast Türkiye and northwest Syria in February 2023 have been the most devastating among several earthquakes witnessed globally in the past decades. As of 28 February 2023, it had caused the death of over 50 000 people and affected more than 18 million others. In northwest Syria alone, the earthquakes affected at least 96 communities and 35 sub-districts, damaging or destroying more than 10 000 buildings, including 48 health facilities, and leaving over 11 000 people homeless (4). More than 45 000 deaths and 85 000 injuries have been reported in Harim, Afrin and Jebel Saman districts, and at least 50 000 families displaced in Aleppo, Homs, Hama, and Latakia.


Heart failure (HF) patients exhibit enhanced sympathetic tone, aberrant responses to blood pressure challenges, and sleep-related breathing disorders, suggesting that the syndrome is accompanied by central neural deficits. We assessed regional gray matter volumes over the entire brain in nine HF patients (51 +/- 10 yr; left ventricular ejection fraction 0.27 +/- 0.06; six men) and 27 healthy controls (46 +/- 12 yr; 22 men) using T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate potential neural damage. Regional volumes were evaluated by using voxel-based morphometry while controlling for age, gender, and handedness. HF patients showed significant and largely lateralized gray matter loss in autonomic and respiratory-related areas as well as regions not classically associated with such control, including the insula and basal ganglia, right cingulate gyrus, parahippocampal/fusiform gyrus, dorsal midbrain extending to the posterior and medial thalamus, ventral and superior lateral frontal cortex, bilateral cerebellar quadrangular lobules and right fastigial and neighboring nuclei, and bilateral deep parietal and lateral parietal-occipital cortex. Areas of gray matter loss may contribute to inappropriate cognitive, autonomic, and breathing regulation in HF.


A consecutive series of 500 papers submitted to the 'Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry' is evaluated to provide information on Journal publication procedures, to assess the Journal peer review process and to examine factors associated with the outcome of submissions. While the majority of submissions was by psychiatrists and psychologists, the highest acceptance rates were for papers presented by psychiatric registrars and by psychiatrists. Of the submissions for which a final decision had been made, 50% were accepted for publication and very few papers were accepted without revision. Regional differences in submission rates were noted and, more importantly, regional differences in acceptance rates were quantified. A subsidiary analysis suggested that the latter differences reflected a general pattern and were not peculiar to, or a reflection of, Journal policy.


This paper presents a new hybrid A/D conversion principle based on the combination of an incremental conversion for the most significant part of the result and on a cyclic conversion for the least significant part. The proposed approach exhibits a resolution comparable to a multiorder sigma-delta A/D converter (ADC), but with a higher conversion rate (typically a factor of two) and/or a lower complexity, at the cost of a more stringent antialiasing filter requirement. After having presented the basic equations of the conversion principle, a theoretical analysis of the resolution limitations is given, based on nonidealities and noise considerations. Finally, a switched-capacitor implementation example is given with the corresponding simulations, consisting of a low-complexity 14-b ADC suited for applications requiring medium-speed and very compact ADC.


The current paper attempts to examine the causal relationship between electricity consumption (EC), consumer price index (CPI), gross domestic product (GDP) and foreign direct investment (FDI). Time series data were used for these variables for 1971 to 2009 period. The vector error correction model (VECM) was employed to estimate the causal relationship between electricity consumption with respective independent variables. All variables were found to be co-integrated indicating the existence of long run relationship among them. Furthermore, the result for long run causality from electricity consumption to FDI, GDP growth and inflation was found to be significant. The results suggest that electricity consumption is an important element determining economic growth in Malaysia and a powerful tool in executing government policy for energy saving. Policy makers should be aware of the importance of stable electricity supply in order to achieve sustainable economic growth.


The informal economy has burgeoned in many transition economies but particularly in those of the Former Soviet Union. While this variation has commonly been related to the prevalent tax regimes and the degree of transparency in the legal and commercial system, the causality is far from obvious and other factors -- such as the importance of non-monetary compensation or social benefits -- seem to be important. This paper sets up a model of a formal and informal sector where multiple job-holding is feasible. The informal sector can choose to employ part time labour or full time workers; the latter will be subject to payroll taxation. The informal sector in this model makes its decisions contingent on the behavior of the formal sector and parameters, such as tax rates and the probability of being caught evading taxes. The model allows us to retrieve the ratio of the types of employment in each sector and their associated levels. With the closed form, a set of simulations are run that indicate the effect of shocks to demand and/or financing of social benefits on labour allocation. The distribution of employment across full and part time employment is very sensitive to the scale of subsidy given to benefits, as well as the tax regime and incidence.


This case series describes nine patients suffering from complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) who were treated with a combination of peripheral nerve blocks, myofascial injections of Marcaine into trigger points and medications for neuropathic pain such as carbamazepine and opiates. Patients were treated from April 2002 to August 2003 in a private clinic outpatient setting in Invercargill and Wellington. Allodynia, hyperalgesia and sleep disturbance subsided in eight of nine patients. The average Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores improved from 9/10 to 2/10. This case series indicates that peripheral nerve blocks in combination with appropriate medications can provide good relief of CRPS. Further studies to validate this treatment protocol are planned. (non-author abstract)


Parsing is often seen as a combinatorial problem. It is not due to the properties of the natural languages, but due to the parsing strategies. This paper investigates a Constrained Grammar extracted from a Treebank and applies it in a non-combinatorial partial parser. This parser is a simpler version of a chunking-and-raising parser. The chunking and raising actions can be done in linear time. The short-term goal of this research is to help the development of a partially bracketed corpus, i.e., a simpler version of a treebank. The long-term goal is to provide high level linguistic constraints for many natural language applications.


Gynecomastia is the most common abnormality of the male breast. However, breast cancer may occur, albeit with a significantly lower incidence than in females. Imaging is often used as part of the diagnosis. The aim of this study was to assess the utilization and outcome of imaging with mammography or ultrasound of the male breast in a university hospital's department of radiology. A retrospective study assessing the imaging of the male breast in 557 patients over a 10‐year period. Referral was done mainly by general surgeons and general practitioners. The most common indication was enlargement of the breast, described as gynecomastia or swelling in 74% of patients, followed by pain in 24% and "lumps" in 10%. The modalities used were mammography in 65%, ultrasound in 51% and both in 26%. Most examinations, 519, were BI‐RADS 1 or 2, and 38 were BI‐RADS 3 or higher. Altogether 160 patients had additional fine‐needle aspiration or biopsy. Malignancies were diagnosed in five patients (0.89%). Imaging had a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 99%. The positive predictive value was 44% and the negative predictive value 99.8%. Malignancies are rare in the male breast. The probability of finding cancer when performing imaging of clinically benign findings in the male breast is negligible. Imaging is not warranted unless there are suspicious abnormalities. Routine imaging of gynecomastia should be discouraged.


The paper compiles the basic and frequently used boundary conditions in CFD calculations. Regardless of the type of boundary conditions, Dirichlet or Neumman, there are very important differences in the implementation procedure depending on the solved equations as well as on variables which are updated on the boundaries. Boundary conditions in the frame of the control volume method presented here, are adopted for the unstructured grids consisting of arbitrary polyhedral cells. There are no limitations on the employment of boundary conditions regarding mesh type. Some special treatments to improve results and the convergence rate are proposed. The emphasis is on the wall and the pressure boundaries.Copyright © 2003 by ASME


Entropy calculations represent one of the most challenging steps in obtaining the binding free energy in proteins and their complexes, which is a grand challenge in computational biology. In this paper we define the workframe of a novel method to calculate structural entropy for protein molecular simulation : SQuE ( Strucutral Quantifier of Entropy). Using a first degree approximation for the probability distribution, we were able to calculate the entropic effects that emerges from a intrinsically disordered (ID) region in UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase (UGDH) protein structure. We were able to quantify the configurational entropy difference in the structured core caused by the truncation of the C-terminal ID-tail, and evaluate the protein conformational changes in the structured domain.


The formalism of partial information decomposition provides a number of independent components which altogether constitute the total information provided by the source variable(s) about the target variable(s). These non-overlapping terms are recognized as unique information, synergistic information, and redundant information. The metric of net synergy conceived as the difference between synergistic and redundant information is capable of detecting effective synergy, effective redundancy, and information independence among stochastic variables. The net synergy can be quantified using appropriate combinations of different Shannon mutual information terms. The utilization of the net synergy in network motifs with the nodes representing different biochemical species, involved in information sharing, uncovers rich store for exciting results. In the current study, we use this formalism to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the relative information processing mechanism in a diamond motif and two of its sub-motifs, namely, bifurcation and integration motif embedded within the diamond motif. The emerging patterns of effective synergy and effective redundancy and their contribution toward ensuring high fidelity information transmission are duly compared in the sub-motifs. Investigation on the metric of net synergy in independent bifurcation and integration motifs are also executed. In all of these computations, the crucial roles played by various systemic time scales, activation coefficients, and signal integration mechanisms at the output of the network topologies are especially emphasized. Following this plan of action, we become confident that the origin of effective synergy and effective redundancy can be architecturally justified by decomposing a diamond motif into bifurcation and integration motif. According to our conjecture, the presence of a common source of fluctuations creates effective redundancy. Our calculations reveal that effective redundancy empowers signal fidelity. Moreover, to achieve this, input signaling species avoids strong interaction with downstream intermediates. This strategy is capable of making the diamond motif noise-tolerant. Apart from the topological features, our study also puts forward the active contribution of additive and multiplicative signal integration mechanisms to nurture effective redundancy and effective synergy.


ABSTRACT Genes encoding 2-deoxy-d-ribose-5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) homologues from two hyperthermophiles, the archaeon Pyrobaculum aerophilum and the bacterium Thermotoga maritima, were expressed individually in Escherichia coli, after which the structures and activities of the enzymes produced were characterized and compared with those of E. coli DERA. To our surprise, the two hyperthermophilic DERAs showed much greater catalysis of sequential aldol condensation using three acetaldehydes as substrates than the E. coli enzyme, even at a low temperature (25°C), although both enzymes showed much less 2-deoxy-d-ribose-5-phosphate synthetic activity. Both the enzymes were highly resistant to high concentrations of acetaldehyde and retained about 50% of their initial activities after a 20-h exposure to 300 mM acetaldehyde at 25°C, whereas the E. coli DERA was almost completely inactivated after a 2-h exposure under the same conditions. The structure of the P. aerophilum DERA was determined by X-ray crystallography to a resolution of 2.0 Å. The main chain coordinate of the P. aerophilum enzyme monomer was quite similar to those of the T. maritima and E. coli enzymes, whose crystal structures have already been solved. However, the quaternary structure of the hyperthermophilic enzymes was totally different from that of the E. coli DERA. The areas of the subunit-subunit interface in the dimer of the hyperthermophilic enzymes are much larger than that of the E. coli enzyme. This promotes the formation of the unique dimeric structure and strengthens the hydrophobic intersubunit interactions. These structural features are considered responsible for the extremely high stability of the hyperthermophilic DERAs.


This essay argues that eighteenth-century literature had been globalized long before literary scholarship's transnational turn, by translators as well as by readers encountering its texts in translation. Taking as an example Arabophone authors and translators of the nineteenth century and their engagement with eighteenth-century texts like Robinson Crusoe and Tristram Shandy, we see that they had posed similar questions to those we now consider, about the circulation of ideas, texts, and material goods in the context of intellectual Eurocentrism and empire. Treating them as translation theorists and commentators on literary histories, we can better understand the way that eighteenth century English literature and its forms—the novel in particular—circulated in the non-Anglophone world, as it did so in ways that might challenge our own understanding of literature's "globalization."


Design teams in industry are composed of individuals with diverse backgrounds at various stages of their careers. A unique set of group dynamics will be created with one member, likely someone with sufficient experience, assuming the responsibility of being the team leader. Design teams formed in engineering classes within the university setting typically consist of individuals at the same stage of their academic training, thus students do not experience the same group dynamics as they will find in industry. In an attempt to give undergraduate engineering students this experience, inter-year design teams were formed from engineering students registered in courses representing different stages of completion of the engineering degree. Students registered in the final-year design course were expected to assume the roles of team leaders or coleaders. This paper will discuss a number of issues that were observed with inter-year capstone design teams. It has been concluded that the disadvantages of inter-year design teams outweigh the advantages.


Significant data centers energy footprints and the increase in energy prices have stimulated investigations into possible metrics and methods to define, quantify and improve the energy efficiency of data centers and federated cloud environments. Studies include metrics and analyses from various points of views, that address both design and operation phases. In this paper we present two complementary energy-efficiency optimization approaches covered in the scope of EU projects: CoolEmAll - with focus on building energy efficient data centers, and Eco2Clouds - with focus on energy-efficient cloud-application deployment in federated cloud-environments, and describe metrics applied in these projects to assess and optimize energy-efficiency. Both approaches make use of metrics to assess energy-efficiency of data center- and cloud resources, and energy-costs of application/workload execution for various data center granularity levels and federation-sites.


Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common cause of preventable blindness in the working-age population. In addition to optimizing the hyperglycemia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and other risk factors, regular fundus examination is essential for early diagnosis asymptomatic DR and timely treat the sight-threatening DR, so as to reduce blindness and severe visual impairment caused by DR. Clinical practice guidelines for the screening and management of DR have been implemented throughout the world, but there are reasonable differences between existing guidelines in the recommended timing of first retinal examination, screening intervals, methods for examination and criteria for referral to an ophthalmologist. It is of great clinical significance to have a detailed understanding of the current guidelines for DR screening and their clinical basis.

Key words:
Diabetic retinopathy; Guidebooks; Review; Screening


Objective This study was designed to establish quality standards of Burnet gels and investigate the effects and mechanism of Burnet gels on steroid-dependent dermatitis (HDD) in guinea pigs. Methods HPLC was used to determine the content of gallic acid, Gentiopicrin, and paeonol. A total of 48 male guinea pigs were recruited and randomly divided into control group, model group, tacrolimus ointment group, and Burnet gel group (Low, medium, and high concentration). The HDD guinea pig model was established by the 0.5% clobetasol propionate tincture. After HDD model establishment, control group and model group smeared normal saline and the rest of the group with corresponding drugs for three weeks. The contents of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IgE in the guinea pig serum were detected by the ELISA; the protein expression levels of FLG, LOR, and Caspase-14 in the epidermis of guinea pigs were detected by the immunohistochemical and Western blotting method. Results The content of gallic acid, Gentiopicrin, and paeonol was 0.30 mg/g, 1.06 mg/g, and 0.56 mg/g. Compared with the normal group, the IFN-γ, IL-4, and IgE of guinea pig serum in the model group were significantly increased; the FLG, LOR, and Caspase-14 of guinea pig epidermis in the model group were significantly decreased; compared with the model group, the IFN-γ, IL-4, and IgE of guinea pig serum in the tacrolimus ointment group and Burnet gel group were significantly decreased; the FLG, LOR, and Caspase-14 of guinea pig epidermis in the tacrolimus ointment group and Burnet gel group were significantly increased. Conclusion Burnet gels can improve guinea pig HDD model, and the mechanism may be related to inhibiting skin inflammation and promoting the formation of epidermal skin barrier.


A neural net (NN)/fuzzy logic (FL) adaptive critic controller is described. This structure takes advantage of the decision-making properties of a FL system to critique and tune a NN action-generating network. The stability of the proposed structure is proven. NN and fuzzy weight tuning algorithms are given that do not require complicated initialization procedures or any off-line learning phase. Tracking and bounded NN weights and control signals are guaranteed. The adaptive fuzzy critic controller given here is a "model-free controller" in the sense that it works for any system in a prescribed class without the need for extensive modeling and preliminary analysis to find a "regression matrix". There is no linearity in the parameter (LIP) requirement.


The rate at which the universe is expanding today is a fundamental parameter in cosmology which governs our understanding of structure formation and dark energy. However, current measurements of the Hubble constant, H0, show a significant tension (∼ 4–6σ) between early- and late-Universe observations. There are ongoing efforts to check the diverse observational results and also to investigate possible theoretical ways to resolve the tension—which could point to radical extensions of the standard model. Here we demonstrate the potential of next-generation spectroscopic galaxy surveys to shed light on the Hubble constant tension. Surveys such as those with Euclid and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) are expected to reach sub-percent precision on Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) measurements of the Hubble parameter, with a combined redshift coverage of 0.1<z<3. This wide redshift range, together with the high precision and low level of systematics in BAO measurements, mean that these surveys will provide independent and tight constraints on H(z). These H(z) measurements can be extrapolated to z = 0 to provide constraints on H0 using a non-parametric regression. To this end we deploy Gaussian processes and we find that Euclid-like surveys can reach ∼3% precision on H0, with SKA-like intensity mapping surveys reaching ∼2%. When we combine the low-redshift SKA-like Band 2 survey with either its high-redshift Band 1 counterpart, or with the non-overlapping Euclid-like survey, the precision is predicted to be close to 1% with 40 H(z) data points. This would be sufficient to rule out the current early- or late-Universe measurements at a ∼5σ level.


Interesting physical results can be obtained from sigma models by taking the number of fields N to zero. I discuss how one can make sense of this limit by using exact S matrix techniques. I review how this can be done for the case of self-avoiding polymers, and speculate on the application to the replica limit of disordered systems.


BACKGROUND
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) consists of a lack in the expression of the subsarcolemmal protein dystrophin causing progressive muscle dysfunction. Among the widely applied animal models in DMD research is the C57BL/1010ScSn-Dmdmdx mouse, commonly referred to as the "mdx mouse". The potential benefit of novel interventions in this model is often assessed by variables such as functional improvement, histological changes, and creatine kinase (CK) serum levels as an indicator for the extent of in situ muscle damage.

OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to determine to what extent the serum CK-level serves a surrogate for muscle dysfunction.

METHODS
In this trial mdx mice were subjected to a four-limb wire-hanging test (WHT) to assess the physical performance as a reference for muscle function. As CK is a component of the muscle fiber cytosol, its serum activity is supposed to positively correlate with progressing muscle damage. Hence serum CK levels were measured to detect the degree of muscle impairment. The functional tests and the serum CK levels were analyzed for their specific correlation.

RESULTS
Although physical performance decreased during the course of the experiment, latency to fall times in the WHT did not correlate with the CK level in mdx mice.

CONCLUSION
Our data suggests that the serum CK activity might be a critical parameter to monitor the progression of muscle impairment in mdx mice. Further this study emphasizes the complexity of the DMD phenotype in the mdx mouse, and the care with which isolated parameters in this model should be interpreted.


What assumptions about children and childhood are held by government officials and organisation representatives who are influential in policy formation in early childhood education (ECE) in New Zealand? How are assumptions manifested in policy? This article draws on a study carried out from 2001 to 2003, a time of radical ECE policy change in New Zealand. It uses principles derived from social constructionist theory and values expressed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to analyse constructions of childhood in ECE policy debate during this time. Three dominant constructions about childhood were identified: a construction of the 'child as dependant within the family'; the 'child as learner within a community of learners'; and the 'child as citizen within a social community'. These constructions were associated with views about the purposes and outcomes of ECE; the roles of children, teachers, families, and government; and favoured policy approaches. It is argued that a construction of child as citizen within a social community is a new paradigm that places children's rights and agency to the forefront, and acknowledges the interdependence of care and education. As a basis for policy, it could cater better for societal change and support ECE services as participatory forums building social networks, support and cohesion.


In Kozek (2003) it has been shown that proper linear combinations of some M-estimators provide efficient and robust estimators of quantiles of near normal probability distributions. In the present paper we show that this approach can be extended in a natural way to a general case, not restricted to a vicinity of a specified probability distribution. The new class of nonparametric quantile estimators obtained this way can also be viewed as a special class of linear combinations of kernel-smoothed quantile estimators with a varying window width. The new estimators are consistent and can be made more efficient than the popular quantile estimators based on kernel smoothing with a single bandwidth choice, like those considered in Nadaraya (1964), Azzalini (1981), Falk (1984) and Falk (1985). The present approach also yields simple and efficient nonparametric estimators of a score function J(p )= − f (Q(p)) f(Q(p)) ,


Slow evoked cortical potentials from ten young normal-hearing subjects have been recorded as responses to linear frequency ramps of a continuous pure tone. Frequency changes from 10 to 500 Hz were studied; the rate of frequency change was varied from 0.02 to 50 kHz/s while the duration of the change was varied from 10 to 500 ms. The rate of frequency change was shown to have the greatest bearing on the responses except for frequency ramp durations below 50 ms and frequency changes below 50 Hz. The base frequencies (250-4000 Hz) and sound levels (20-80 dB HL) exerted an influence on the evoked responses that was qualitatively similar to their influence on behavioral thresholds. The direction of the frequency sweep had no significant influence on the evoked responses. A functional model is proposed in which the time derivate of the signal frequency is integrated with an adaptable integration time that is controlled by the rate of the frequency change.


Abstract

Saving electrical energy consumption in industries is crucial; hence, the prediction of industrial energy consumption needs to be performed. The random forest method can be applied to steel industry data to predict energy consumption. The purpose of this prediction is to increase energy savings in industries and optimize the performance of the random forest method. The results of the random forest show that the algorithm can predict energy consumption in industries effectively; however, it needs further optimization to achieve better predictions. Therefore, the genetic algorithm method will be used to optimize the previous method. The optimization results indicate that it is successfully conducted in terms of accuracy and kappa level. This optimization is beneficial to society, especially industrial companies.


This research is the study about Thai consumers' intention to buy toward Facebook commerce. The goal of this study is to determine the relations among beliefs in the number of selected Facebook's features, attitude toward Facebook commerce, perception on ease of use in Facebook fan page, and consumers' intention to buy on F-Commerce. Consequently, the survey questionnaires were evaluated by the university graduated respondents. Every respondent is the Facebook user and is friend with at least one researcher on Facebook. Additionally, before filling the survey, they were asked to read the same given scenario and to observe different series of mock-up pictures according to their random group. After that, the collected data will be processed by reliability analysis, factor analysis, and regression analysis respectively. The results show that belief in people who like a Facebook fan page, belief in people who like a photo of an item, and belief in friends who like a Facebook page have respectively significant impact on consumers' attitude. Furthermore, attitude and perceived ease of use also have a significant effect on consumers' purchasing intention on Facebook commerce. Moreover, from the additional compare means, we also founded that the different close relationships of Facebook friends provides the different belief in friends who like a Facebook fan page.


The thorough evaluation of a new health service model requires that questions of effectiveness be answered in the population to whom the service is offered and not just in the subpopulation that uses the service. This creates significant problems for researchers in primary care in which the norm is for a practice to serve an undefined population. With few exceptions, e.g., the British National Health Service, it is rare for patients to specify the primary care practice from which they intend to seek services. Thus, most practices can identify and count the patients that they see, but cannot determine the number of nonattending patients who are also members of their population. The inability to enumerate practice populations was first raised by epidemiologic researchers who needed population figures for the calculation of prevalence rates; hence the coining of the sobriquet "denominator problem."'2 Attempts to solve this problem have taken two general approaches:3 the development of patient registers and the application of mathematical models.


In this contribution, we present a system for creating novel renderings of a given music recording that aurally highlight certain musical aspects or semantics using spatial localizations. The system decomposes a monaural audio recording into separate events using score-informed source separation techniques and prepares them for an interactive mobile player that renders audio based on semantic information. We demonstrate the capabilities of the system by means of an example using an immersive chroma helix model which the listener can navigate in realtime using mobile sensor controls.


Air is recognized as an important source of microbial contamination in food production facilities and has the potential to contaminate the food product causing food safety and spoilage issues for the food industry. Potential for aerial microbial contamination of food can be a particular issue during storage in cold rooms when the food is not packaged and is exposed to contaminated air over a prolonged period. Thus, there are potential benefits for the food industry for an aerial decontamination in cold storage facilities. In this paper, aerial decontamination approaches are reviewed and challenges encountered for their applications are discussed. It is considered that current systems may not be completely effective and environmentally friendly, therefore, it is of great significance to consider the development of nonresidual and verified decontamination technologies for the food industry and, in particular, for the cold storage rooms.


Objective. Improvements in electroencephalography enable the study of the localization of active brain regions during motor tasks. Movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs), and event-related desynchronization (ERD) and synchronization are the main motor-related cortical phenomena/neural correlates observed when a movement is elicited. When assessing neurological diseases, averaging techniques are commonly applied to characterize motor related processes better. In this case, a large number of trials is required to obtain a motor potential that is representative enough of the subject's condition. This study aimed to assess the effect of a limited number of trials on motor-related activity corresponding to different upper limb movements (elbow flexion/extension, pronation/supination and hand open/close). Approach. An open dataset consisting on 15 healthy subjects was used for the analysis. A Monte Carlo simulation approach was applied to analyse, in a robust way, different typical time- and frequency-domain features, topography, and low-resolution electromagnetic tomography. Main results. Grand average potentials, and topographic and tomographic maps showed few differences when using fewer trials, but shifts in the localization of motor-related activity were found for several individuals. MRCP and beta ERD features were more robust to a limited number of trials, yielding differences lower than 20% for cases with 50 trials or more. Strong correlations between features were obtained for subsets above 50 trials. However, the inter-subject variability increased as the number of trials decreased. The elbow flexion/extension movement showed a more robust performance for a limited number of trials, both in population and in individual-based analysis. Significance. Our findings suggested that 50 trials can be an appropriate number to obtain stable motor-related features in terms of differences in the averaged motor features, correlation, and changes in topography and tomography.


Many internet-based applications such as social networking websites, online viral marketing, and recommendation network based applications, use social network analysis to improve performance in terms of user-specific information dissemination. The notion of community in a social network is a key concept in such analyses and there has been significant work recently in identifying communities within a social network. In this paper, we formally define the notion of strength of a link, which was informally introduced by Granovetter, and present a divisive hierarchical clustering method to divide the nodes of a social network into disjoint communities. We also introduce the notion of clustering coefficient as a measure of the quality of a community or cluster. Our experimental results using some well-known benchmark social networks show that our method determines communities with better clustering coefficient than the well known Girvan-Newman method.


Recently various types of robots are being studied and developed, which can be classified into two groups: humanoid type and animal types. Since each group has its own merits and demerits, a new type of robot is expected to emerge with greater strengths and fewer weaknesses. In this paper we propose a new type of robot called the "Centaur Robot" by merging the concepts of these two types of robots. This robot has a human-like upper body and a four-legged animal-like lower body. Due to this basic architecture, the robot has several merits, including human-like behaviors. It can also walk smoothly and stably even on non-smooth ground. We describe the basic concept of our centaur robot and then explain its hardware and software architectures as well as its merits.


. Two words p and q are avoided by the same number of length- n words, for all n , precisely when p and q have the same set of border lengths. However, known proofs of this result use generating functions and do not provide explicit bijections. We establish a natural bijection from the set of words avoiding p to the set of words avoiding q in the case that p and q have the same set of proper borders.


Recently, there has been a growing interest in constructing deep learning schemes for Low-Light Vision (LLV). Existing techniques primarily focus on designing task-specific and data-dependent vision models on the standard RGB domain, which inherently contain latent data associations. In this study, we propose a generic low-light vision solution by introducing a generative block to convert data from the RAW to the RGB domain. This novel approach connects diverse vision problems by explicitly depicting data generation, which is the first in the field. To precisely characterize the latent correspondence between the generative procedure and the vision task, we establish a bilevel model with the parameters of the generative block defined as the upper level and the parameters of the vision task defined as the lower level. We further develop two types of learning strategies targeting different goals, namely low cost and high accuracy, to acquire a new bilevel generative learning paradigm. The generative blocks embrace a strong generalization ability in other low-light vision tasks through the bilevel optimization on enhancement tasks. Extensive experimental evaluations on three representative low-light vision tasks, namely enhancement, detection, and segmentation, fully demonstrate the superiority of our proposed approach. The code will be available at https://github.com/Yingchi1998/BGL.


Purpose – The financial crisis has led to a number of important trends. This article sets out to examine the capabilities of both emerging markets and developed economies to come back from the current economic slowdown. It will draw on both trade and growth theories and uses relevant data to support the main arguments. Evidence suggests that the recovery will be slow and both emerging and developed countries will experience slower growth than the previous decade.Design/methodology/approach – The paper makes use of secondary data on future economic trends. It also draws on data and theory from international trade and foreign direct investment to support the future projected scenarios.Findings – The paper provides evidence on country data and comparisons between the main trading nations. The paper also draws on current macroeconomic data to support the main future predictions.Originality/value – The paper is useful for both academics and business practitioners and relates to the strategic decisions that hav...


Statistical properties of the polarimetric backscatter behavior for a single homogeneous area with constant radar reflectivity are described by the Wishart distribution or its marginal distributions. These distributions do not necessarily well describe the statistics for a collection of homogeneous areas of the same class because of variation in, for example, biophysical parameters. Using Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) tests of fit, it is shown that, for example, the Beta distribution is a better descriptor for the polarimetric correlation, and the log-normal distribution for the backscatter level. An evaluation is given for a number of agricultural crop classes, grasslands, and fruit tree plantations at the Flevoland test site, using an AirSAR (C-, L- and P-band polarimetric) image from July 3, 1991. A new reversible transform of the covariance matrix into backscatter intensities will be introduced in order to describe the full polarimetric target properties in a mathematically alternative way, allowing for the development of simple, versatile, and robust classifiers. Moreover, it allows for polarimetric image segmentation using conventional approaches. The effect of azimuthally asymmetric backscatter behavior on the classification results is discussed. Several models are proposed, and results are compared with results from the literature for the same test site. It can be concluded that the introduced classifiers perform very well, with levels of accuracy for this test site, with 14 cover types, of 90.4% for C-band, 88.7% for L-band, and 96.3% for the combination of C- and L-band.


Introduction: Treatment options continued to evolve in relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL), with many novel treatments available in recent years. The current study aimed to describe characteristics and treatment patterns of patients with R/R DLBCL who received ≥3 lines of therapy (LOT) using recent real-world data.
 Methods: This study used the PharMetrics Plus administrative claims database to identify adult patients who had ≥1 inpatient claim or ≥2 outpatient claims for DLBCL (ICD-10: C83.3) between 10/01/2015 and 09/30/2019. Patients were selected if they had ≥6-months of continuous eligibility before the first DLBCL diagnosis (index diagnosis). To capture newly diagnosed patients, the study excluded patients who had a claim for a possible DLBCL diagnosis and other hematologic malignancies (except hematologic conditions that may transform into DLBCL) before the index diagnosis and those who had stem cell transplantation (SCT) as the first treatment without prior chemotherapy (CT). An algorithm was developed to define LOT. In general, a new LOT was indicated by addition of a new drug or re-initiation of the previous LOT after a gap of ≥90 days. Pharmacologic therapies were categorized as CT or chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) or novel agent-based therapy (including brentuximab vedotin, ibrutinib, venetoclax, lenalidomide, obinutuzumab, nivolumab and pembrolizumab). SCT was counted as consolidation therapy instead of a separate line, while chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) was counted as a separate line with preparation included (e.g., leukapheresis, bridging therapy, and lymphodepletion). Patients who received a third LOT (3L) comprised the study population, with the index date defined as the initiation date of 3L pharmacologic therapy or the infusion date of 3L SCT or CAR-T. 3L treatment distribution was described separately before and after the first CAR-T approval for DLBCL (10/18/2017). Treatment duration of 3L pharmacologic therapies was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis. The proportion of patients initiating 4L during the observed follow-up period were described for all patients receiving a 3L. Due to the limited follow-up time and a high proportion of censoring, the current data was not mature to estimate rates of 4L initiation at different time points based on the KM analysis. All analyses were conducted for the overall study population and by treatment.
 Results: Among the 3,559 DLBCL patients receiving ≥1L treatment, 92.3% were treated with rituximab-containing regimens and 68.9% with R-CHOP or similar in 1L. There were 160 (4.5%) patients who received ≥3 LOT, with a mean age of 58.5 years and 64.4% male. Before CAR-T approval, 51 patients received 3L: 52.9% received CT/CIT, 33.3% received novel agent-based therapy, and 13.7% received SCT. After CAR-T approval, 109 patients received 3L: 45.9%, 30.3%, 7.3%, and 16.5% received CT/CIT, novel agent-based therapy, SCT and CAR-T, respectively. There were some differences in patient characteristics across treatment groups. Specifically, CAR-T patients had a relatively lower mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score (2.9). The novel therapy group had a shorter median time from index diagnosis to index date (10.3 months). SCT patients were younger (mean 56.6 years) but with a relatively higher mean CCI score (4.2). The median follow-up time was 5.0 months and varied across treatments: from 3.9 months for CAR-T to 5.7 months for SCT. Among patients receiving pharmacologic treatments, the median treatment duration was 3.1 months and 2.8 months for the CT/CIT and novel agent-based therapy groups, respectively. During a median follow-up time of <6 months, a total of 51 (31.9%) patients initiated 4L. The proportion was 27.8% in the CAR-T group, 28.6% in the CT/CIT group, 38.0% in the novel therapy group and 33.3% in the SCT group.
 Conclusions: In patients with R/R DLBCL receiving 3L treatment post CAR-T approval, about 76% were treated with CT/CIT or novel agent-based therapies, though most of the novel agents are not indicated for DLBCL. CAR-T and SCT were used in 17% and 7% of patients, respectively. Treatment duration of 3L CT/CIT or novel agent-based therapies was short. A relatively high proportion of patients moved to the next LOT during a short follow-up period. These findings highlight the unmet need for more effective treatments among R/R DLBCL patients in 3L and later lines.

 Xie: Analysis Group, Inc.: Other: Employee of Analysis Group, Inc., which has received consultancy fees from ADC Therapeutics, Inc.. Wu:Analysis Group, Inc.: Other: Employee of Analysis Group, Inc., which has received consultancy fees from ADC Therapeutics, Inc.. Liao:ADCT: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Du:Analysis Group, Inc.: Other: Employee of Analysis Group, Inc., which has received consultancy fees from ADC Therapeutics, Inc.. Noman:Analysis Group, Inc.: Other: Employee of Analysis Group, Inc., which has received consultancy fees from ADC Therapeutics, Inc.. Liang:Analysis Group, Inc.: Other: Employee of Analysis Group, Inc., which has received consultancy fees from ADC Therapeutics, Inc.. Camardo:ADCT: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Chen:ADCT: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company.


Due to the poor plasticity of aluminum alloy at room temperature, it is difficult to form thin-walled and complex curved parts. This paper proposes a composite method of inverse bulge pre-forming deep drawing based on intelligent magnetorheological (MR) fluid materials. Through the experiments and finite element modeling of cylindrical parts with drawing ratios of K1=2.125 and K2=2.25 were carried out under different forming conditions. The effect of soft mold medium on the drawing forming of cylindrical parts was studied. The research results show that the uniformity of the wall thickness of the parts is enhanced after using the soft mold medium. When the inverse bulge height is about 9mm and 5mm, the wall thickness variance of the cylindrical part is 0.0023 and 0.0025 pectively, which is reduced by 86.31% and 82.8% respectively. In the pre-forming stage, as the height of inverse bulge is increased, the maximum equivalent stress moves from the fillet area of the blank holder to the outer surface of the highest point of the bulging area. Taking drawing ratio of K1=2.125 as an example, the circumferential compressive stress in the flange area decreases and is distributed unifomly under the back pressure and soft drawbeads, the radial stress gradient and equivalent stress gradient at the fillet of die are reduced; For cylindrical parts with drawing ratios of K1=2.125 and K2=2.25, when the inverse bulge height is 9mm and 5mm, the forming effect of the part is the best.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship of presence and search for meaning in life with age, physical and mental well-being, and cognitive functioning across the adult lifespan.

METHODS
Cross-sectional data from 1,042 adults in the Successful AGing Evaluation (SAGE)-a multicohort study of adult community-dwelling residents of San Diego County, California-were analyzed. Presence of meaning ("Presence") and search for meaning in life ("Search") were assessed with the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. Physical and mental well-being were measured using the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-modified was employed to screen for overall cognitive function. Study data were collected from January 2013 to June 2014.

RESULTS
Presence of meaning exhibited an inverted U-shaped relationship whereas Search showed a U-shaped relationship with age (with Presence peaking and Search reaching the lowest point around age 60). Statistical modeling using generalized estimating equations revealed that physical well-being (SF-36 physical composite score) correlated negatively with age (P < .001) and positively with Presence (P < .001), and there was an age group x Presence interaction (P = .018), such that the relationship was stronger in subjects over age 60. Mental well-being correlated positively with age (P < .001) and Presence (P < .001) and negatively with Search (P = .002). Cognitive function correlated inversely with age (P < .001) and with Search (P < .001). Significant covariates of Presence and Search had small effect sizes, except for a medium effect size for satisfaction with life and Presence in adults over age 60 (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS
Presence and search for meaning in life are important for health and well-being, though the relationships differ in adults younger and older than 60 years. Better understanding of the longitudinal relationships of meaning of life with well-being is warranted to design interventions to increase meaning of life and improve health and functioning.