This paper aims to analyze the perception of Secondary school teachers in rural area of Meerut regarding Total Quality Management (TQM) in Secondary education and to explore challenges & suitable strategy for inclusive growth. It is an attempt to understand how these perceptions varies by demographic variable such as, gender & age group. Data were collected from 100 teaching and non teaching staff Meerut region. 'T' test is used to find out the significance of difference between variables subscales. Significant difference was found between male and female teachers in the perception of total quality management. Female faculty had higher mean score than male faculty. There is no significant difference between teaching and non teaching staff in the perception of TQM in secondary education.


Abstract Creativity has long been central in multimodal writing. Unlike traditional writing, which uses text alone, multimodal writing relies on the use of a combination of modes to convey meaning such as text, speech, images, audio, gesture, and space. Scholars of multimodal writing stressed that using multiple modes allows for greater creativity and newness. Recently, however, scholars have questioned whether creativity is so straightforward in students' multimodal writing. Students may resist producing new types of writing. Their creativity outcome is dependent upon their preferences and their goals in the writing assignment. This article examines students' choices when given the freedom to compose in any mode and their perceptions of their multimodal writing experience in comparison with traditional essay writing. Drawing on data from students' multimodal products, surveys, and interviews we show how students simply used available resources in their multimodal composing and how creativity was negotiated. Although they identified several affordances for multimodal writing and described it as more interesting than conventional essay writing, they seemed to resist incorporating a variety of semiotic resources into their projects because their goal was to showcase their writing skills. We argue that developing explicit knowledge about various modes helps improve students' understanding of multimodal writing as creative design.


Professional social networking sites are widely used as a tool for obtaining specific information such as technology trends and professional skills demand. The article is aimed to consider the evolution of services for professional communities through integration of analysis of the patent activity, analysis of the academic research activity and analysis of the labour market trends. Authors have developed the prototype of a predictive learning software service which intended to fill the gap between professional social networking sites and e-learning systems, including massive open online course systems. It includes functionality for monitoring of professional skills demand on the labour market and analysis of patents for each corresponding technology. The software service will help to determine demand for professional skills, to actualise an applicant's skillset, to organise professional communities and to build individual learning programs for studying of skills and technologies which are predicted to grow in demand on the labour market.


The process of braking on downhill roads require greater energy due to the influence of gravity work by vehicle due to the tilt angle . This paper reports the results of modeling and simulation responses ABS and energy required during braking on a straight - path trajectory decreases. Vehicles with ABS modeled mathematically to obtain the dynamic equations of the system. With the Laplace transform transfer function obtained from the vehicle with ABS. And with the help of MATLAB SIMULINK software obtained response vehicle speed, wheel speed, wheel slip, braking distance, and the energy required during the braking process. In this study used the roadway with a variation of the angle θ decreases of 10 0 , 20 0 , 30 0 . Assuming the initial speed of the vehicle at 40kph , it can be concluded that the simulation results show stopping distance was 31.08m, 32.96m, 34.77m with a stop time for 5.169s, 5.325s, 5.464s sequentially in order of angular variation. While the maximum power required during the braking process is 1.88kW, 3.71kW, 5.44kW. The results of calculation of the energy required during the braking process can be used as a reference in planning a regenerative braking system, the utilization of the energy wasted during braking, especially on the downhill road conditions. Keywords: Braking Energy, Regenerative Braking System (RBS), Antilock Braking System (ABS), Modelling ,Simulation.


In times of an increasingly competitive tourism marketplace and when experienced tourists are both capable and motivated to find the offer that best matches their personal vacation needs, market research becomes one of the fundamental building blocks of success, not only for the tourism industty, but also for a destination. The aim of this empirical study that follows the tradition of the studies by Y aman & Shaw (1998) and Ryan & Simmons (1999) is to explore both the importance of market research as perceived by the Austrian National Tourism Organisation (NTO) and the nine Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) and the actual implementation of market research projects. For this purpose structured personal interviews were conducted with the market research managers of all R TOs and the Austrian NTO. Central findings include (1) underestimation of the importance of market research by these federal organisations, (2) minimal expenditures relative to operational advertising budgets, (3) a lack of formalized criteria for evaluation of market research needs and ( 4) a lack of co -ordination of market research and marketing departments.


Summary 1.A rapid method of preparing bright and specific staining fluorescent antibodies is described. 2.The method is discussed emphasizing a ) the need for chromatographically homogeneous antibody globulin, b ) the importance of pH in the coupling reaction and c ) the advantages of fractionating the fluorescent antibody reaction mixture on DEAE-cellulose.


The magnetisation was measured in plastically deformed 34.0 and 36.2 at.% Al-Fe alloys, and superlattice dislocations were observed by electron microscopy. At 34.0 at.% Al content, the spontaneous magnetisation increases considerably as a result of a slight plastic strain and has a broad maximum at about 200 K. At 36.2 at.% Al content, the magnetic susceptibility increases remarkably with plastic deformation and at the same time a spontaneous magnetisation appears and increases rapidly with decreasing temperature. The spontaneous magnetisation is discussed considering the atomic rearrangement due to superlattice dislocations. The change of magnetic properties is difficult to explain by local environment effects only.


In this article we discuss videogame adaptations of the Alien series of films, in particular Alien: Colonial Marines (2013) and Alien: Isolation (2014). In comparing critical responses and developer commentary across these texts, we read the very different affective, aesthetic and socio-political readings of the titular alien character in each case. The significant differences in what it means to 'look' at this figure can be analyzed in terms of wider storytelling techniques that stratify remediation between film and games. Differing accounts of how storytelling techniques create intensely 'immersive' experiences such as horror and identification—as well as how these experiences are valued—become legible across this set of critical contexts. The concept of the 'look' is developed as a comparative series that enables the analysis of the affective dynamics of film and game texts in terms of gender-normative 'technicity', moving from the 'mother monster' of the original film to the 'short controlled burst' of the colonial marines and finally to the 'psychopathic serendipity' of Alien: Isolation.


This paper presents main concepts regarding the design of a knowledge base in order to support IT systems integration. The main goal of the research is to develop a universal method of integration of various systems concerning any possible area of interest. The concept is based on creating a generic mechanism which would support the decision regarding the choice of the integration model. The most important tasks include: key factors analysis, building the integration process knowledge base and designing artificial intelligencebased decision support mechanism. The proposed solution is in an early stage of development therefore this paper is just the beginning of a series of articles. After implementation it is planned to verify the solution during the project which will be responsible for integration of various environment monitoring systems.


Linking Electronic Healthcare Records (EHR) content to educational materials has been considered a key international recommendation to enable clinical engagement and to promote patient safety. This would suggest citizens to access reliable information available on the web and to guide them properly. In this paper, we describe an approach in that direction, based on the use of dual model EHR standards and standardized educational contents. The recommendation method will be based on the semantic coverage of the learning content repository for a particular archetype, which will be calculated by applying semantic web technologies like ontologies and semantic annotations.


C3 glomerulopathy, a newly designated entity, is characterized by glomerular disease associated with dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway and is a rare cause of end-stage kidney disease. Overall disease characteristics that include clinical presentation, laboratory assessment, histopathology and genetic background have only been unravelled in recent years and have led to the development of anti-complement therapies targeting different levels of the alternative pathway. We describe the long-term outcomes following kidney transplantation in an Irish family with familial C3 glomerulopathy due to a hybrid CFHR3-1 gene.


Information structure design, also sometimes known as signaling or persuasion, is concerned with understanding the effects of information on the outcomes of strategic interactions (the descriptive question), and in characterizing and computing the information sharing strategies which optimize some design objective (the prescriptive question). Both questions are illuminated through the lens of algorithms and complexity, as evidenced by recent work on the topic in the algorithmic game theory community. This monograph is a biased survey of this work, and paints a picture of the current state of progress and challenges ahead.
 We divide information structure design into single agent and multiple agent models, and further subdivide the multiple agent case into the public channel and private channel modes of information revelation. In each of these three cases, we describe the most prominent models and applications, survey the associated algorithms and complexity results and their structural implications, and outline directions for future work.


Solar energy is one of alternative energy sources in Indonesia. It can be converted to electrical energy by solar panel. There is a collector in the solar panel for collecting solar energy. The collector can collect solar energy maximally if the position is vertical to the sun. For keeping the collector position is always vertical to the sun, we choose to construct T2FSMC controller because it can control the angular velocity of collector and improve the ability of overcoming the disturbance and uncertainty of solar panel prototype. The controller can be implemented to the solar panel prototype. By using the most representative parameters, we obtain that T2FSMC controller is suitable for the solar panel prototype.


Summary In recent times, herbal drugs with lipid lowering potential have received considerable attention because these drugs have relatively less side effect unlike synthetic drugs. This study assesses the lipid lowering property of Clerodendron glandulosum.Coleb (CG) methanolic extract in experimentally induced hyperlipidemia by feeding rats with hyperlipidemic diet (HL). It was observed that CG extract restored the plasma lipid profile of HL rats to levels comparable to control, with increase in high density lipoproteins being the most significant finding. CG restored the high fat diet induced alterations in liver and renal functions as was evident from the activity levels of relevant enzymes. Elevated levels of lipids and triglycerides eliminated through faeces further substantiate the role of CG as a potent lipid lowering agent. Results envisaged herein, indicates the ability of CG extract as a potent lipid lowering agent in experimentally induced hyperlipidemia.


Plasma cell dyscrasias are a wide range of severe monoclonal gammopathies caused by pre-malignant or malignant plasma cells that over-secrete an abnormal monoclonal antibody. These disorders are associated with various systemic findings, including ophthalmological disorders. A search of PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and Cochrane databases was performed in March 2021 to examine evidence pertaining to ocular complications in patients diagnosed with plasma cell dyscrasias. This review outlines the ocular complications associated with smoldering multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, plasmacytomas, multiple myeloma, Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, systemic amyloidosis, Polyneuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, Monoclonal gammopathy and Skin changes (POEMS) syndrome, and cryoglobulinemia. Although, the pathological mechanisms are not completely elucidated yet, wide-ranging ocular presentations have been identified over the years, evolving both the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. Moreover, the presenting symptoms also help in early diagnosis in asymptomatic patients. Therefore, it is imperative for the treating ophthalmologist and oncologist to maintain a high clinical suspicion for identifying the ophthalmological signs and diagnosing the underlying disease, preventing its progression through efficacious treatment strategies.


This study is to report the study of protective effects of myricitrin against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells and the investigation of the possible mechanisms of action of myricitrin. The model of H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells was used to determine the protective effects of myricitrin. The levels of LDH, MDA and the activities of SOD, NO were measured using the respective kits. The H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells was detected using MTT reduction, TUNEL assay, JC-1 and ROS staining. The activation of Caspase-3 was also measured by fluorometry. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins was determined with Western blotting assay. Myricitrin had significant protective effects against H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The results show that myricitrin could attenuate H2O2-induced decrease in the activities of SOD (P < 0.01). Myricitrin could decrease the levels of LDH, MDA and increase cell viability and the mitochondrial membrane potential (P < 0.01). Myricitrin had protective effects in a dose-dependent manner between 32 micromol x L(-1) to 64 micromol x L(-1). Myricitrin pretreatment could attenuate H2O2-induced increase of p-ERK. Moreover, myricitrin pretreatment could up-regulate the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, down-regulate the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax, and decrease the expression of Caspase-3, 9. In conclusion, myricitrin had significant protective effects against H2O2-induced apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells. Myricitrin can enhance the activities of anti-oxidative enzymes and decrease the production of free radicals. The possible mechanisms of action of myricitrin are due to myricitrin-mediated inhibition of phosphorylation of the apoptosis signaling pathways-related kinase ERK, up-regulation of the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein, and down-regulation of the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein.


The method of covariant point-splitting is used to regularize the stress tensor for a massless spin 1/2 (neutrino) quantum field in an arbitrary two-dimensional space-time. A thermodynamic argument is used as a consistency check. The result shows that the physical part of the stress tensor is identical with that of the massless scalar field (in the absence of Casimir-type terms) even though the formally divergent expression is equal to the negative of the scalar case.


In this paper, an experimental study has been conducted to determine the abrasive wear behavior of bagasse fiber reinforced epoxy composite in different directions, namely parallel orientation (PO), anti-parallel orientation (APO) and normal orientation (NO) by using a two body abrasion wear tester. Three different types of abrasives wear behaviour have been observed in the composite in three orientations and follow the following trends: WNO < WAPO < WPO, where WNO, WAPO and WPO are the wear in normal, anti-parallel and parallel directions of fibres orientation, respectively. The fiber bundles present in the composite provide unique directional abrasive wear properties. Wear anisotropy magnitude of the composite is found to be a function of load and abrasive grit size. The worn surfaces were observed by using a SEM after the wear test. It has been found that in PO type samples the abrasion takes place due microploughing, where as in APO and NO type samples micro cutting found to be responsible for the wear process.


A theoretical scheme of gas release from the coalbed under production by treatment workings has been developed. The sizes of zones of different intensity of gas release from the working thickness are set according to the characteristic points of muld shift of the earth's surface. Total amount of releasing gas is determined by the area of the developed space, over which there is an intensive movement of the mined coal. The formation of this area is associated with the development of cleaning operations within the boundaries of the excavation site and the speed of movement of the treatment face. During the development of the theoretical scheme, several assumptions were made, the validity of which was verified on the basis of experimental data obtained in the conditions of four mines at fifteen excavation sites. Coal seams with coals of grades G and A were worked out by them at a depth of 300-1195 m, the capacity of coal seams was 0.90-2.20 m, cleaning works were carried out at a depth of 300-1195 m, the length of the lavas was in the range of 74÷270 m. The monthly movement of the treatment faces and the amount of gas released during this period were taken into account for each excavation site. It is established that the relative gas release per unit area of the developed space remains a fairly constant value for some mining and geological conditions, if the total amount of gas is attributed to the area that determines the active movement of rocks over a moving treatment face. This allows you to use the previously obtained results of determining the categorical danger of mines by relative gas release per ton of coal production in terms of improving the forecast of gas release from the coalbed under production more efficiently.


Introduction: Preanesthetic medication forms an integral part of anaesthetic management. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological techniques are tried to achieve anxiolysis and better hemodynamic stability. Clonidine is alpha 2 agonist and acts on central nervous sytem. It is adminstered in various route and oral route is one of them. This study has been designed to study the effect of oral clonidine on perioperative hemodynamics.
Aims: To evaluate beneficial effects of oral clonidine in attenuating the haemodynamic responses and comparing with placebo in patients undergoing surgeries under general anaesthesia.
Settings and Design: Randomized double blind study.
Methods and Material: Two hundred patients were enrolled in this study and studied for 2 years. Randomization was carried out. Four groups, including 50 patients per group were created. Group I (Placebo) received oral tablet ranitidine 150 mg, Group II C2, C3 and C4received oral clonidine 2 µg/kg, 3µg/kg and 4µg/kg body weight respectively. Sedation, anxiolysis and hemodynamic changes were recorded.
Statistical analysis used: The statistical significance for categorical variables was determined by chi-square test. For continuous variables two sample t-test was applied. For intra group comparison paired t- test and for inter group comparison unpaired t-test was used. Results were expressed as Mean ± SD (standard deviation). A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: No statistically significant differences concerning demographic data between the groups of patients computed. A significant difference observed with respect to sedation and anxiolysis between all the four groups. The HR response between clonidine (2 µg/kg, 3µg/kg and 4µg/kg) and placebo was very significant at all times (p


The highly ordered Si nanotube (SiNT) arrays have been fabricated and demonstrated to be an attractive matrix to accommodate macromolecules, such as proteins, and exhibit facile direct electrochemistry of cytochrome c without any pretreatment. A pair of well-defined redox waves can be observed in the aqueous solution containing cytochrome c on this SiNT electrode using cyclic voltammetry. The peak separation (DeltaEp) between the anodic and the cathodic peaks is 63 mV at the sweep rate of 10 mV/s, and the peak current is proportional to the square root of the sweep rates, which indicates that the redox process is a quasi-reversible process. The experimental results show that the good biocompatibility and nanoscale hollow structure of the SiNT arrays can be applicable to preparing Si-based biosensors and protein characterizations.


Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is a safe, effective treatment for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and allergic asthma. However, AIT's clinical effect is still contested—primarily due to heterogeneity in clinical trial designs, study populations, therapeutic formulations, and efficacy criteria. After discussing current concepts and unmet needs, an international panel of experts made several recommendations: (i) explore and validate definitions for (clinical) responders in AIT trials; (ii) use of well‐documented, standardized provocation tests prior to inclusion of subjects with relevant diseases in AIT trials; (iii) monitoring neo‐sensitizations and occurrence of new allergy in extended AIT trials, and exclusion of polyallergic participants; (iv) validation of allergen exposure chambers with regard to natural exposure; (v) in studies of seasonal allergies, focus on peak exposure but also consider organizing two parallel, geographically distinct but otherwise identical trials; (vi) discuss adaptive trial designs with the regulatory authorities; (vii) use e‐health and m‐health technologies to capture more information on individual exposure to allergens; (viii) initiate research on potential psychological, biochemical, immune, neural, and even genomic markers of the placebo response; (ix) identify trial designs and primary endpoints that will give children with allergies easier, faster access to AIT formulations; and (x) promote and apply standardized methods for reporting systemic and local adverse events. The latest technologies and trial designs may provide novel, ethical ways of reducing bias and heterogeneity in AIT clinical trials. There is scope for physicians, patient organizations, companies, and regulators to improve clinical trials in AIT and, ultimately, to provide patients with better treatments.


a fi lm—of the Rondon Commission added up to a widely persuasive public relations campaign, as Diacon shows. Th e victory of this nationalist hero, though he always faced harsh critics, came most forcefully in a symbolic realm. As in so much of the book, Diacon here makes immediate and specifi c what could be vague and general; rather than speaking of abstract imaginings, the author traces oft en scathing debates over Rondon that began at the inception of his Commission. Th e subject matter alone would make this book worthy of the attention of scholars of Brazil. Because of the lucid, confi dent way in which Diacon examines the relationship between Rondon and such issues as the growing state infl uence over regions and peoples of the interior, the racialized defi nition of citizenship, and the complicated formation of nationalist icons, Stringing Together a Nation is more than an entertaining look at a hero of Brazilian modernity. With lively prose and adroit analysis, Diacon's work is an indispensable and surprisingly concise study of the history of state-making in early twentieth-century Brazil, one that deserves a wide readership among professional scholars as well as undergraduate and graduate students.


Abstract Second- and fourth-order accurate finite-difference approximations of the equations governing a free surface autobarotropic fluid are compared with each other and with a second-order approximation on a one-half mesh. It is concluded that once the mesh size has been reduced sufficiently to adequately resolve the scales of interest then further reduction in mesh size would be inefficient in comparison with the use of more accurate finite-difference approximations.


Many applied problems in physical anthropology involve estimation of an unobservable quantity (such as age at death or stature) from quantities that are observable. Two of the more disparate subdisciplines of our discipline, paleoanthropology and forensic anthropology, routinely make use of various estimation methods on a case-by-case basis. We discuss the rationales for making estimations on isolated cases, taking stature estimation from femoral and humerus lengths as an example. We show that the entirety of our discussion can be placed within the context of calibration problems, where a large calibration sample is used to estimate an unobservable quantity for a single skeleton. Taking a calibration approach to the problem highlights the essentially Bayesian versus maximum likelihood nature of the question of stature estimation. On the basis of both theoretical arguments and practical examples, we show that inverse calibration (regression of stature on bone length) is generally preferred when the stature distribution for a reference sample forms a reasonable prior, while classical calibration (regression of bone length on stature followed by solving for stature) is preferred when there is reason to suspect that the estimated stature will be an extrapolation beyond the useful limits of the reference sample statures. The choice between these two approaches amounts to the decision to use either a Bayesian or a maximum likelihood method.


OBJECTIVES To determine the incidence and sources of bacterial arthritis in the Amsterdam health district and the maximum percentage of cases that theoretically would be preventable. METHODS Patients with bacterial arthritis diagnosed between 1 October 1990 and 1 October 1993 were prospectively reported to the study centre by all 12 hospitals serving the district. Data were gathered on previous health status, source of infection, and microorganisms involved. RESULTS 188 episodes of bacterial arthritis were found in 186 patients. Most of the 38 children were previously healthy. Fifty per cent of the adults were 65 years or older. Of the adults 84% had an underlying disease, in 59% a joint disorder. Joint surgery constituted the largest part of direct infections (33%) and skin defects were the most important source of haematogenous infections (67%). Infection of joints containing prosthetic or osteosynthetic material by a known haematogenous source occurred 15 times (8%).Staphylococcus aureus was the causative organism in 44% of all positive cultures. CONCLUSION The incidence of bacterial arthritis was 5.7 per 100 000 inhabitants per year. Preventive measures directed to patients with prosthetic joints or osteosynthetic material, and a known haematogenous source would have prevented at most 8% of all cases.


Objective: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is characterized by transient apical ventricular dysfunction typically induced by acute stress. Acute cerebral events including ischemic stroke (IS) or epileptic events (EEs) may be associated with massive catecholamine release. We aimed to identify the characteristics and outcomes of patients who experienced the Takotsubo syndrome complicated by IS or EE. Methods: Between 2008 and 2013, 87 patients were admitted to our intensive care unit for TCM. Of these, 6 had previously experienced acute cerebral symptoms within 2 days of experiencing either IS or EE. Takotsubo syndrome was diagnosed on cardiac MRI, echocardiography, electrocardiography (ECG), biology and coronary angiography data. Results: Five women and 1 man were included in the study. The mean age was 63.7 ± 20.1 years (range 44-84). Four of them (67%) initially presented an acute IS and 2 (33%) had EE. The suspected brain injury was found in the insular cortex for 4 patients and the posterior fossa for 2 patients. Hemiparesis, aphasia and cerebellar symptoms were the main neurological signs. Abnormal ECG findings including ST-segment elevation (33%) or T-wave inversion (50%) developed between a few hours and 48 h after the onset of the IS or EE. Peak troponin was 1.8 (0.79-14.11) µg/l. A transient reduction in the left ventricular ejection fraction (46 ± 12%) with apical hypokinesis was found using echocardiography. Two (33%) patients went on to develop acute heart failure. Coronary angiography confirmed the lack of significant coronary stenosis for all 6 patients. Conclusion: TCM can develop within the first few days after an acute cerebral event. It occurs predominantly in women with insular or posterior fossa lesions and is possibly induced by vegetative reactions.


Sensitivity of electronic circuits to radiation effects is an increasing concern in modern designs. As technology scales down, Single Event Upsets (SEUs) are made more frequent and probable, affecting not only space applications, but also applications at earth's surface, like automotive applications. Fault injection is a method widely used to evaluate the SEU sensitivity of digital circuits. Among the existing fault injection techniques, those based on FPGA emulation have proven to be the fastest ones. In this paper a unified emulation environment which combines two fault injection techniques based on FPGA emulation is proposed. The new emulation environment provides both, a high speed tool for quick fault detection, and a medium speed tool for in-depth analysis of SEUs propagation. The experiments presented here show that the two techniques can be successfully applied in a complementary manner.


There exsits some operational problems of the $\pi \mathrm{T}$ hybrid structure, such as large workload of maintenance, flexibility and forced power outage, which can not meet the increasing demand for electric power reliability. In this paper, the problems existing in the actual operation of the $\pi \mathrm{T}$ hybrid structure are analyzed in detail, and the optimization scheme is put forward. The technical and economic demonstration of the optimization scheme is carried out. The transition scheme of $\pi \mathrm{T}$ hybrid structure to chain $\pi$ connection structure has been studied. In order to guid the actual work, the paper has formulated the principle of 110 kV power grid planning.


ABSTRACT This essay offers a reading of German philosopher Ernst Bloch's 1952 essay Avicenna and the Aristotelian Left in relation to the question of orientalism. Bloch's study of first-century Islamic philosopher, scientist and doctor Ibn Sina (Avicenna) relies on orientalist sources and authors also discussed in Edward Said's Orientalism. Yet, it challenges many stereotypes and 'structures of attitude and reference' that are recurrent in European representations of the Middle East. Bloch presents Avicenna as a secular thinker and situates him in a complex economic and social conjuncture, refusing to see his work as manifestation of a non-Western pre-modern 'essence'. This perspective avoids both primitivism and essentialism; rather, it aims to recuperate the vast influence of Islamic thought on European philosophy, especially the European Enlightenment. Avicenna's heterodox naturalism and rebellious interpretation of Aristotle is hence reframed as the source of a materialist line of descent to which Bloch himself belongs. Bloch hence sketches a concept of philosophical heritage grounded into the legacy of Avicenna's teaching, thereby anticipating Edward Said's critique of the metaphysics of exteriority proper to Orientalist discourse and its colonial underpinning.


Optically coupled linear isolation amplifier requires special care to avoid oscillation in actual applications. In this paper methods to analyze the frequency characteristics of the amplifier are proposed to reveal the cause of oscillation and to provide design guidelines. The loop gain of the amplifier obtained through the equivalent circuit model shows that the phase margin is too small to ensure stable operations. Methods to get non-oscillatory response are proposed and the resulting frequency responses are analyzed. The common method adding a small capacitor to the amplifier is shown to degrade the frequency bandwidth. The frequency response of output voltage explains the need of filter capacitor in output stage. The usefulness of the method is verified through experiments.


. In recent years, it has become clear that the interstitial tissue structure varies markedly between the normal healthy state and various disease states. Focusing on differences in interstitial structure is expected to lead to the discovery of new targets for drugs. Considerable attention is currently focused on approaches that utilize organoids. The organoids retain the structure of the tissue, thereby facilitating identification of drugs that target interstitial tissues including neovascular vessels. Furthermore, protein expression analysis techniques have been developed that focus on the tissue structure based on an approach using chemical proteomics. In this mini-review, we will summarize the latest technological innovations aimed at identifying target molecules that are useful for the development of biopharmaceuticals, including antibody drugs.


The Marikana incident in 2012, as well as the protracted strikes by platinum miners, metal and postal workers in 2014 suggest that not all is well in the South African labour market. Even though those in employment are better off than the unemployed poor, macroeconomic data indicate that labour's share in gross value added has declined significantly during the first two decades following the first democratic election in 1994. A falling share of labour in income also means, by definition, that average labour productivity growth outstrips real wages growth. Data for South Africa suggest that productivity has indeed increased faster than wages in South Africa. This article argues that financialisation and more aggressive returns-oriented investment strategies applied by for instance large investment institutions translated into higher required rates of return on capital, which in turn caused an increased implementation of capital-augmenting labour-saving technology that reduces labour's share in income.


Background : Discharge planning quality will improve the quality of nursing care, patient's self-reliance, quality of life, self-efficacy, and reduce the recurrence rate andLOS (Length of Stay) as well as reduce the cost. Coaching is a method to increase professionalism in the delivery of nursing and caring. Coaching in nursing will improve the nurses' skills, knowledge, and motivation in providing nursing discharge planning. Purpose : The study aimed to review coaching in nursing to improve the quality of discharge planning. Methods : A literature review was done by collecting the results of scientific publications within 2011-2016 from databases such as EBSCO, ProQuest, PubMed,Google scholar, and the American Journal of Nursing (AJN). Searching was done using the keywords of "coaching", "nurse", "supervision" and "discharge planning". Results : Six scientific publications were selected in accordance with the criteria of this research. Those publications were of quantitative correlation, experimental and qualitative studies. Results of the review showed that the discharge planning is part of nursing care. Coaching is a competence which must be possessed by nursing managers.Unfortunately, the majority of managers were still lacking in their ability to conduct coaching to nurses. Conclusion : Coaching is important for nurses to improve the quality of discharge planning. However, many nurses still have limitation on their capability to do coaching. It is recommended that nurses are given coaching training to develop their ability in coaching.


In this paper, we present a communication abstraction for Networked Control Systems that is characterized by a slotted transmission classification model. We discuss, how such a model can be implemented over local area networks by using IEEE Time Sensitive Networking methods. Furthermore, it is shown how asymptotic stability can be analyzed for linear systems that communicate over such a network. Based on the stability result, a controller design procedure is derived that takes the information captured in the network model into account. Further topics and related open problems that are implicated by the proposed model are briefly discussed as an outlook.


Background: Breast cancer is the second most deadly cancer in female, resulting in over 39,000 deaths in year 2012. Triple negative breast cancer is a subtype of breast cancer characterized by its poor outcome and a lack of targeted therapies. New targeted therapies are therefore an urgent unmet medical need for this patient population. Recent investigations into anti-cancer drug are targeted on repurposing pre-approved and safe drugs for cancer treatment. We report for the first time that a non-steroidal, selective estrogen receptor inhibitor, ormeloxifene (ORM) inhibits Metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) and glycolytic pathway through AMPKα 1/2 inhibition in triple negative breast cancer cells. They are both involved in promoting cancer cell survival, proliferation and metastasis. MTA1 is an initiator of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) which is responsible for metastasis and poor prognosis. AMPKα 2 is important for glycolysis and promotes tumor survival. Methods: Herein, we investigated the use of ORM for the treatment of breast cancer. We used MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cell lines as prototypical model and investigated the effect of ORM treatment on MTA1 and AMPKα 2 expression pattern. We investigated the effect of ORM on cell proliferation (MTS), clonogenic potential (anchorage dependent growth) of the cells and analyzed its effect on markers of EMT through Western blotting. Further, we performed glycolytic function analysis using Seahorse analyzer and mitochondrial membrane potential analysis by Tetramethylrhodamine, ethyl ester (TMRE). We performed Western blotting to investigate the role of ORM on MTA1 and AMPKα inhibition. Results: Our results suggest that ORM inhibits proliferation of both MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells at low concentrations. Investigation of the EMT marker profile revealed a dose dependent decrease in the expression of MTA1 in both the cells on ORM treatment. This leads to inhibition of motility and invasion of cells in a concentration dependent manner. Additionally, treatment of MB-231 cells with ORM suppresses vimentin expression, a marker for EMT that aids in rapid metastasis. ORM inhibits transcription factors, Snail and Slug, known to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transitions during tumor development. Importantly, it was observed that ORM also inhibits glycolytic pathway in breast cancer cells independent of mitochondrial membrane depolarization. ORM inhibits total AMPKα and dephosphorylates AMPKα 2 in breast cancer cells. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that ORM effectively targets MTA1 and glycolytic pathway and inhibits breast cancer cell growth and EMT. Overall, this study suggests that ORM can be a potential therapeutic modality for triple negative breast cancer treatment. Citation Format: Aditya Ganju, Vasudha Sundram, Keith Miskimins, Rishi Gara, Sheema Khan, Man Mohan Singh, Subhash C. Chauhan, Meena Jaggi. Ormeloxifene attenuates metastatic and glycolytic pathways in breast cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1032. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1032


The incidence of thrombosis as a complication of invasive surgery, in cancer patients, as a cause or complication of stroke, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), thrombolysis, unstable angina (UA) or angioplasty is substantial. To better serve this patient population in the prevention and prophylaxis of thrombosis, new types of anticoagulant drugs are under development by the pharmaceutical industry. The goal of these efforts are orally-active anticoagulants with specificity and pharmacokinetic properties that could translate into better control of anticoagulation and thrombosis and less bleading liability compared to the currently used anticoagulants: heparin, the low molecular weight heparins and warfarin. Various approaches for which there is a great deal of activity include: tissue factor/Factor VIIa inhibitors, Factor Xa inhibitors, thrombin inhibitors, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists. There is also interest in Factor IXa inhibitors, thrombin receptor antagonists and inhibitors of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1.


Abstract Due to the emergence of Internet-based media channels the character of local information spaces in the Czech Republic has undergone a remarkable change. Traditionally, dominant information sources: daily newspapers and municipally-owned media have become challenged by a variety of online sources run by groups of active citizens. Based on a systemic analysis of the local media sector and interviews conducted with representatives of local activist groups this paper discusses the consequences of these processes for local political communication. From the activists' perspective, the new communication environment has significantly influenced the character of the mutual relationship between different participants in local political communication. Trust between journalists and activists: the basis for their cooperative relationship, faces decline, whereas the self-confidence of activists in negotiations with politicians has increased. Online media also allow the activists to break the existing information monopoly and engage citizens in public affairs. These changes have resulted in the professionalisation of communication skills for the activists, who are thus able to become more important participants in political communication.


Understanding how animals partition effort between vigilance for predators and other conflicting activities has been a mainstay of animal behaviour research. Classical theories implicitly assume that animals alternate between high and low vigilance states over short timescales, but that average effort invested in vigilance is constant over an extended bout of such alternations. However, one recent model suggests that vigilance should be adjusted dynamically to short-term changes in the perception of predation risk and would tend to decrease with time. Indeed, as time passes by without disturbances, perception of the need for vigilance should decrease and prey animals may allocate more time to competing activities. Here, we examined how the proportion of sleeping gulls (Larus spp.) in loafing groups changed over time. Sleeping gulls can only maintain low levels of vigilance against external threats (compared to alert individuals), and we predicted that the proportion of sleeping gulls at loafing sites should increase over time when no disturbances occur. Statistically significant changes in the proportion of sleeping gulls as a function of time occurred in the majority of sequences and an increase was observed significantly more often than predicted by chance alone. This temporal pattern cannot be caused by reduction in hunger levels because gulls are not feeding at loafing sites. The results indicate that vigilance can be adjusted dynamically in response to short-term temporal changes in the perception of predation risk.


A decentralized voltage control is proposed for distributed generation (DG) units to provide short and long-term voltage support in distribution networks. Local controllable zones are used to determine the voltage control boundaries for each DG unit. The number of zones and their size depend on the number, location and size of the DG units, and can be reconfigured in real time in response to network topology changes. The performance and value of the proposed control approach are demonstrated under various operating scenarios. The study is based on the IEEE 33-bus radial distribution network implemented in DIgSILENT PowerFactory.


We investigate the persistence of year-over-year changes in the components of operating profit. Using industry-level data, we find that changes in the volume of output exhibit a more persistent effect on profitability than changes in output prices, labor cost, labor productivity, intermediate input cost, and intermediate input productivity. Furthermore, we show that industry growth is the main driver of persistence. Industry concentration and barriers to entry, price stickiness, and cost stickiness also affect the degree of persistence. One implication of these results is that the documented higher persistence of revenue shocks, as compared to expense shocks, is likely due to the volume effect rather than the price effect of revenue.


This paper presents a technique for automatically constructing a fix for buggy concurrent programs: given a concurrent program that does not satisfy user-provided assertions, we infer atomic blocks that fix the program. An atomic block protects a piece of code and ensures that it runs without interruption from other threads. Our technique uses a verification tool as a subroutine to find the smallest atomic regions that remove all bugs in a given program. Keeping the atomic regions small allows for maximum concurrency. We have implemented our approach in a tool called AtomicInf. A user of AtomicInf can choose between strong and weak atomicity semantics for the inferred fix. While the former is simpler to find, the latter provides more information about the bugs that got fixed.
We ran AtomicInf on several benchmarks and came up with the smallest and the most precise atomic regions in all of them. We implemented an earlier technique to our setting and observed that AtomicInf is 1.7 times faster on an average as compared to an earlier approach.


IELTS is used as a screening gatekeeper and plays a crucial role in Omani students to meet job requirements. This paper reports on Omani English-major undergraduate students' reflections on their experience of the reading section of Academic IELTS. The main aim of the study was to elucidate their difficulties and coping strategies with a view to informing EFL/ESL teachers and IELTS examiners and researchers. An IELTS mock reading test, under exam conditions, was administered to 45 Omani students majoring in English, and the participants were asked to write a reflective essay in response to the following prompts: "What were the difficulties that you encountered in your IELTS Academic Reading test, and how did you handle those challenges?" Their answers touched upon their experience and challenges with the test (e.g. difficulties pertaining to cognition, content area knowledge, and the lack of familiarity with the test reading genres) as well as their strategies to address the challenges. The data were coded and analysed thematically and inductively. The findings showed that students reported a range of cognitive and metacognitive challenges and numerous coping strategies. This paper unravels some of the pedagogical implications and ideas that surfaced through the analysis of the students' responses.


We studied the characteristics of a circular metallic grating illuminated by broadband radial and azimuthal polarizations. We demonstrated that this scenario is the cylindrical analogue of a one-dimensional Cartesian grating illuminated by TM and TE polarizations. We measured the transmission spectra of this structure and observed strong polarization selectivity and, specifically, a resonance for radial polarization excitation, indicating a strong coupling to surface plasmons. The structure may be attractive for applications where pure radial polarization is needed, such as tight focusing, material processing, and particle trapping.


Background: Racial/ethnic disparities in survival after breast cancer persist, even after accounting for socioeconomic status (SES); however, few studies have evaluated both individual and neighborhood SES jointly. In particular, evaluating the interactions between multiple components of social status (e.g., race/ethnicity, SES, nativity) simultaneously may help us to better understand the survival disparities. Our hypothesis is that social status measures jointly influence health.

Methods: Our study included 4,405 breast cancer patients diagnosed in the period 1995-2008, representing non-Latina whites (n=1068), Latinas (n=1670), African Americans (n=993) and Asian Americans (n=674) from two population-based studies in the San Francisco Bay Area. Using stage-stratified Cox proportional hazards models, we assessed the association between race/ethnicity and all-cause and breast cancer-specific survival, after adjusting for education, neighborhood SES (nSES), and other prognostic factors (e.g., treatment, reproductive, and lifestyle factors). We also examined the interaction of 3 social status variables (race/ethnicity, education (low=≤HS graduation/high=≥ some college) and neighborhood SES (low=quintiles 1-3/high=quintiles 4-5)) on survival.

Results: All cause survival was worse for African Americans (HR=1.37, 95% CI=1.14-1.64) and better for Latinas (HR=0.77, 95% CI=0.64-0.92) and Asian Americans (HR=0.83, 95% CI=0.65-1.08) compared to non-Latina whites after adjusting for age, study, tumor characteristics. Additionally adjusting for treatment, reproductive and lifestyle factors attenuated associations for African Americans, such that they had similar survival to non-Latina whites, whereas the better survival observed among Latinas and Asian Americans remained. Social status disparities in survival after breast cancer were also evident in models considering the racial/ethnic and SES interactions. Compared to high education/high nSES non-Latina whites, all-cause survival was worse for low education/low nSES non-Latina whites, low nSES African Americans (regardless of education), and low education/low nSES Asian Americans, whereas all-cause survival was better for high nSES Latinas (regardless of education) and high education/high nSES Asian Americans. Accounting for additional prognostic factors attenuated associations for low education/low nSES Whites and low education/low nSES Asian Americans. Similar patterns were observed for breast cancer-specific survival.

Discussion: Racial/ethnic disparities in survival after breast cancer persisted after adjusting for education, neighborhood SES and other prognostic factors. Our findings of racial/ethnic disparities in survival are consistent with prior literature. When simultaneously accounting for multiple social statuses, we found that disparities existed within and across racial/ethnic groups. We were able to identify specific subgroups based on multiple dimensions of social status that are at increased and decreased risk of mortality (e.g., African Americans in low SES neighborhoods, Asians with low education and low nSES, and Latinas in high nSES). These subpopulations would benefit from further study to better understand their risk profiles and for targeting specific interventions.

Citation Format: Salma Shariff-Marco, Juan Yang, Meera Sangaramoorthy, Andrew Hertz, Esther M. John, Jocelyn Koo, David O. Nelson, Clayton Schupp, Theresa H.M. Keegan, Scarlett Lin Gomez. Understanding racial/ethnic and multilevel socioeconomic disparities in survival after breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fifth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2012 Oct 27-30; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B19.


Alkylidene-substituted cyclopentane derivatives are formed in high enantiomeric purity by the reaction shown below. A highly diastereoselective radical cyclization is followed by elimination of a β-sulfinyl radical. Interestingly, the addition of the Lewis acid methylaluminum bis(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxide) (MAD) totally reverses the stereochemical outcome of the reaction. E=CO2 Me.


Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common and chronic degenerative diseases in the central nervous system. The main pathology of PD formation is the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra and the formation of α-synuclein-rich Lewy bodies. The pathogenesis of PD is not caused by any single independent factor. The diversity of these independent factors of PD, such as iron accumulation, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, age, environment, and heredity, makes the research progress of PD slow. Nrf2 has been well-known to be closely associated with the pathogenesis of PD and could regulate these induced factors development. Nrf2 activation could protect dopaminergic neurons and slow down the progression of PD. This review summarized the role of Nrf2 pathway on the pathogenesis of PD. Regulation of Nrf2 pathway might be one of the promising strategies to prevent and treat PD.


High-density packaging of fast-switching power semiconductors typically requires low parasitic inductance, high heat extraction, and high thermo-mechanical reliability. High-density packaging of high-voltage power semiconductors, such as 10 kV SiC MOSFETs, also requires low electric field concentration in order to prevent premature dielectric breakdown. Consequently, in addition to the usual electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical analyses, the electric fields must also be evaluated. This is the first detailed report on the optimization of a high-voltage SiC MOSFET power module.


The future load profile is the single most important factor for determining the future grid. But in many cases while planning future grids, the planners simply assume that the future load will be much like the current one, which can cause large problems later. In this paper an alternative approach is shown. For the research project "SimZukunft" the future load is calculated based on the official scenarios for Switzerland, which are broken down to the level of the individual house. A bottom-up simulation is used to calculate the future load profile, which is then used to perform the grid planning. The paper explains the methods used to generate a detailed bottom up model for a city as well as the challenges and benefits of the approach and gives a brief overview of some of the results of the research project.


Recent studies of capital budgeting procedures used by business executives suggest increasing use of present value methods. This study compares Massachusetts greenhouse business managers use of capital budgeting procedures to those of Fortune 1000 firms. Results indicate that different capital budgeting procedures are used and that the payback criterion remains the most popular for the farm firms studied. Some implications for Extension finance educators are drawn.


Query rewriting algorithms can be used as a form of query expansion, by combining the user's original query with automatically generated rewrites. Rewriting algorithms bring linguistic datasets to bear without the need for iterative relevance feedback, but most studies of rewriting have used proprietary datasets such as large-scale search logs. By contrast this paper uses readily available data, particularly ClueWeb09 link text with over 1.2 billion anchor phrases, to generate rewrites. To avoid overfitting, our initial analysis is performed using Million Query Track queries, leading us to identify three algorithms which perform well. We then test the algorithms on Web and newswire data. Results show good properties in terms of robustness and early precision.


South Africa's post-apartheid government has committed itself to redressing the imbalances of the past, with the aim of improving the quality of life for millions of black people. Policy makers aim to develop policies that will have a positive effect on the poorest people of South Africa, particularly those who live in rural areas (ANC, 1994). In policy documents, communities are regarded as central to development and communitybased sustainable development is seen as the way to achieve these ambitious goals. In rural development programmes, new policies give communities responsibilities to decide on the directions to take. This is especially true of development in and around protected areas, where there is pressure on nature conservation authorities to relate to the welfare needs of the neighbouring communities (Environmental Affairs and Tourism, 1996). However, while these policies have good intentions, the assumptions on which they are based such as those that suggest community coherence and harmonious interaction between rural communities and the environment have become subject to increasing critique.


A self-consistent two-dimensional radio-frequency glow discharge model has been developed for methane gas using a fluid model. The objective of the study is to provide insights into charged-species dynamics and investigate their effects on deposition in a polyatomic gas discharge. Swarm data as a function of electron energy are provided as input to the model. The necessary dc bias for the discharge is also predicted consistently such that the cycle-averaged current to the powered electrode becomes zero. The predictions provide a comprehensive understanding of the various processes in methane discharges found in plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition (PACVD) reactors for the deposition of carbon films. The effects of discharge pressure on discharge variables are identified and presented in the paper.


'Fallglo' is a popular tangerine (Citrus reticulata Blanco) cultivar with high eating quality. However, 'Fallglo' may contain as many as 30–40 seeds per fruit. 'US Early Pride' is a seedless mutation of 'Fallglo' with similar quality attributes. The objective of the current study was to determine if 'Fallglo' and 'US Early Pride' fruit differed in the composition or quantity of aroma-active volatiles produced over time. Fruit were harvested bi-weekly from October to December. Juice was carefully extracted from 50 fruit, and volatiles were analyzed using gas chromatography (GC). Two subjects evaluated the GC effluents by olfactometry in triplicate runs for each sample. Volatile identification was done by GC-mass spectrometry and confirmed by sniffing of authentic standards. The same 32 aroma-active compounds were perceived in 'Fallglo' and 'US Early Pride', of which 25 were identified. Compounds were classified in odor descriptor groups: fatty (10 compounds), plastic or rubber (seven compounds), fruity or citrus (four compounds), floral (four compounds), mushroom (two compounds), green (two compounds) and other (one compound). 'Fallglo' and 'US Early Pride' had similar aroma intensities for the three first harvests (26 Oct., 3 Nov., 17 Nov.), but 'Fallglo' had higher levels of two fruity odorous peaks (E-2-pentenal and the coeluting compounds E-2-hexenal and ethyl 2 methyl butanoate) than did 'US Early Pride' at the December harvest. The last harvest showed significantly higher aroma intensity for six peaks in each cultivar, with only two peaks in common in both cultivars.


Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is widely used in autonomous driving and intelligent robot positioning and navigation. In order to overcome the defects of traditional visual SLAM in rapid motion and bidirectional loop detection, we present a feature-based PAL-SLAM system for a panoramic-annular-lens (PAL) camera in this paper. We use a mask to extract and match features in the annular effective area of the images. A PAL-camera model, based on precise calibration, is used to transform the matched features onto a unit vector for subsequent processing, and a prominent inlier-checking metric is designed as an epipolar constraint in the initialization. After testing on large-scale indoor and outdoor PAL image dataset sequences, comprising of more than 12,000 images, the accuracy of PAL-SLAM is measured as typically below 1 cm. This result holds consistent in conditions when the camera rotates rapidly, or the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals are blocked. PAL-SLAM can also detect unidirectional and bidirectional loop closures. Hence it can be used as a supplement or alternative to expensive commercial navigation systems, especially in urban environments where there are many signal obstructions such as buildings and bridges.


This paper describes a system for object segmentation and feature extraction for surveillance video. Segmentation is performed by a dynamic vision system that fuses information from thermal infrared video with standard CCTV video in order to detect and track objects. Separate background modelling in each modality and dynamic mutual information based thresholding are used to provide initial foreground candidates for tracking. The belief in the validity of these candidates is ascertained using knowledge of foreground pixels and temporal linking of candidates. The transferable belief model is used to combine these sources of information and segment objects. Extracted objects are subsequently tracked using adaptive thermo-visual appearance models. In order to facilitate search and classification of objects in large archives, retrieval features from both modalities are extracted for tracked objects. Overall system performance is demonstrated in a simple retrieval scenario.


CONTEXT
Motor vehicle crash risk in older drivers has been associated with visual acuity loss, but only weakly so, suggesting other factors contribute. The useful field of view is a measure that reflects decline in visual sensory function, slowed visual processing speed, and impaired visual attention skills.

OBJECTIVE
To identify whether measures of visual processing ability, including the useful field of view test, are associated with crash involvement by older drivers.

DESIGN
Prospective cohort study with 3 years of follow-up, 1990-1993.

SETTING
Ophthalmology clinic assessment of community-based sample.

PATIENTS
A total of 294 drivers aged 55 to 87 years at enrollment.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Motor vehicle crash occurrence.

RESULTS
Older drivers with a 40% or greater impairment in the useful field of view were 2.2 times (95% confidence interval, 1.2-4.1) more likely to incur a crash during 3 years of follow-up, after adjusting for age, sex, race, chronic medical conditions, mental status, and days driven per week. This association was primarily mediated by difficulty in dividing attention under brief target durations.

CONCLUSION
Reduction in the useful field of view increases crash risk in older drivers. Given the relatively high prevalence of visual processing impairment among the elderly, visual dysfunction and eye disease deserve further examination as causes of motor vehicle crashes and injury.


Private school fees are not tax deductible in Australia. Nor are fees or levies paid to public schools. However, many private schools and some public schools operate building or library funds to which parents and ex-students are encouraged to make tax-deductible donations. These donations can increase substantially the funds available to the schools and thereby permit fees to be lower than otherwise. This paper outlines contrasts the Australian Taxation office guidelines, which state that donations must be voluntary and that donors must expect nothing in return, with the statements of some private schools. Deb Wilkinson and Richard Denniss conclude that parents should be formally notified by all private schools about the voluntary nature of all tax-deductible payments and that the ATO should investigate the practice of structuring school fee payments in order to reduce tax.


Introduction: dermatoscopy is a non-invasive technique which allows us to explore and evaluate the structures of the epidermis, the dermo-epidermal junction and the papillary dermal layer in vivo. Cognition of the specific diagnostic patterns lead to a right clue and proper diagnosis suggestion. Dermatoscopy depends on the timely correct recognizing of dermatoscopic findings and features and is therefore terminated and limited by time input and by experience of a physician. Dermatoscopy gained a great role in general dermatology with its importance in early diagnostics of a malignant melanoma and has become a valuable tool for the diagnosis of a various infectious and inflammatory diseases, nail pigmentations, hair abnormalities and scalp disorders including ectoparasitic infestations, cutaneous/ mucosal infections, psoriasis. Patients and methods: investigations are provided by dermatoscopy equipment – Dermatoscope MoleMax II. Our study included 791 patients (490 women and 301 men), in which we recorded a total of 1670 lesions in the period from May 9, to May 13, 2011. Results: from the total number of lesions analyzed there were 944 melanocytic and 726 nonmelanocytic lesions. Within melanocytic lesions, histopathology confirmed 9 malignant melanomas. From nonmelanocytic lesions present were: seborrheic keratosis 307, actinic keratoses (precancerosis) 118, hemangiomas 77 and bacocelular skin cancer BCC 68. Discussion: dermatoscopy is a method of epiluminiscent microscopy that in the analysis of tumor skin changes has completely replaced the standard magnifying glass. Credibility of dermatoscopy is going from 70-90% and the dermatoscopy became an indispensable diagnostic tool in the analysis of tumor changes on the skin. Conclusion: the dermatoscopy is valuable tool in diagnostics of variety of skin disorders in the field of general dermatology.


The necessity for precise and early diagnosis in suspected rupture of the bladder is emphasized by practically all writers on the subject. In the gathered statistics of de Tarnowsky1it is quite definitely shown that when a diagnosis has been made and operative procedure instituted within the first twelve hours following injury, the mortality has been approximately 11 per cent. If such diagnosis and operative intervention are postponed into the twenty-four hour period, the mortality has risen to 55 per cent. The older method of diagnosing a ruptured bladder by the injection through a catheter of a known amount of fluid and the determination of the quantity of the returned fluid is open to the objection of the further diffusion of fluid through the bladder wound and the danger of infection. The method of Vaughan and Rudnick2of the injection of air by means of a catheter and


The purpose of the study is to study about the viral marketing as a phenomenon and thereby observing the consumer behaviour towards e-mails sent by their friends, relatives, marketers and videos recommended or shared on youtube and social networking sites. The research method used here is both exploratory and descriptive. The secondary data for exploratory research was collected from research papers and journals on earlier studies on viral and internet marketing. The primary data collection was done through a survey conducted both in field and online using a questionnaire. The survey used convenience sampling. The responses were collected mainly on a four point Likert Scale. There is a significant effect of demographics like age, profession and education level on consumer behaviour on opening, reading and forwarding of e-mails and sharing or recommending of videos of social networking sites. Those who are in the age group of 16-30 years are more likely to open e-mail having jokes, funny video links, game links, chain letters, job offers etc. While those who are more than 30 years of age are more likely to open mails regarding special offers from companies or social awareness messages. Humorous and informational videos are more likely to be shared. The marketers should send customized e-mails after proper demographic and behavioural segmentation. Above all any web content which is hilarious, provides valuable information and is easy to share can become viral. Viral marketing is a very effective tool available to the marketers today.


The harvest of ungulate populations is often directed against certain sex or age classes to maximize the yield in terms of biomass, number of shot animals or number of trophies. Here we examine how such directional harvest affects the effective size of the population. We parameterize an age‐specific model assumed to describe the dynamics of Fennoscandian moose. Based on expressions for the demographic variance for a small subpopulation of heterozygotes Aa bearing a rare neutral allele a, we use this model to calculate how different harvest strategies influence the effective size of the population, given that the population remains stable after harvest. We show that the annual genetic drift, determined by , increases with decreasing harvest rate of calves and increasing sex bias in the harvest towards bulls 1 year or older. The effective population size per generation decreased with reduced harvest of calves and increased harvest of bulls 1 year or older. The magnitude of these effects depends on the age‐specific pattern of variation in reproductive success, which influences the demographic variance. This shows that the choice of harvest strategy strongly affects the genetic dynamics of harvested ungulate populations.


Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the topography of silicon carbide films at two steps of growth. The topography was measured by atomic force microscopy. The data were processed for extraction of information about surface condition and changes in topography during the films growth. Multifractal geometry was used to characterize three-dimensional micro- and nano-size features of the surface. X-ray measurements and Raman spectroscopy were performed for analysis of the films composition. Two steps of morphology evolution during the growth were analyzed by multifractal analysis. The results contribute to the fabrication of silicon carbide large area substrates for micro- and nanoelectronic applications.


We examined effects of recombinant hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on cutaneous wound healing, using a full-thickness cutaneous excision model in diabetic mice. Topical administration of HGF, as well as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), promoted the rate of wound closure and re-epithelialization. Both HGF and bFGF enhanced expansion of the granulation tissue and stimulated neovascularization on day 7 postwounding, wherein the increase in microvessel density in HGF-treated wounds was higher than that in bFGF-treated wounds. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) activities involved in cell migration, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, were enhanced by HGF-treatment on day 7. On day 28 postwounding (later stages of wound healing), granulation tissue in bFGF-treated wounds remained to a greater extent than that seen in saline- and HGF-treated wounds. Likewise, bFGF- but not HGF-treatment stimulated DNA synthesis of fibroblasts in granulation tissue, suggesting that HGF stimulates wound healing with lesser degree of susceptibility to cutaneous scarring. We propose that supplement of HGF may be a potential therapeutic approach for treatment of cutaneous ulcer.


After the basic Pekar papers on crystal optics with spatial dispersion (CSD) among a lot of others there was the "dielectric approximation" (DA) method. But soon it has been fully rejected because, as it was recognized by the main group of authors on the theme, it came in conflict with the law of conservation of energy flux through the ideal vacuum-crystal interface. The objective of this paper is to advance a way for rehabilitation of DA method by using indispensable broadening and essential generalization of the expression just for the energy flux density vector (EFDV) at the vacuum-medium interface (the so-called Poynting-Pekar vector in the additional light waves (ALW) theory).


Obtaining detailed and precise information from a classified refractory gold ore has been a long-standing challenge in mineral processing and process mineralogy. Although the concept of diagnostic leaching has been extensively addressed in the literature, very little information is available linking this approach with current advanced characterization techniques such as automated mineralogy. The present research study aims to characterize the flotation concentrate of refractory gold ore by combining diagnostic leaching and automated mineralogy to examine its processability. The diagnostic leaching process was applied stepwise at five stages, and the automated mineralogy was performed on different size fractions of the flotation concentrate. The chemical (X-ray fluorescence (XRF), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES)) and mineralogical (X-ray diffraction (XRD)) analyses of the feed sample confirmed that the ore is a low-grade gold ore with 0.7 g/t Au. Initially, bottle roll tests were carried out to investigate leaching behavior, and the ore's refractory nature, and gold recoveries of bottle roll tests in different sizes were below 40 wt%; it is classified as a high refractory gold ore as a result of direct cyanide leaching. Bulk sulfide flotation was applied to increase the gold content of the material. Automated mineralogy results demonstrated that most of the gold in the concentrate is present as an invisible gold form, and 63.7 wt% of gold was distributed in pyrite. Diagnostic leaching results showed 39.7 wt% of total gold was leachable using direct cyanide leaching, and around 33 wt% of undissolved gold was located in pyrite and arsenopyrite.


A new latch design using Cascode-Voltage Switch Logic gates is evaluated for single event (SE) environments. The latch design is based on the DICE latch design, but with CVSL gates. Calibrated 3D device models for an IBM 130 nm technology were used for mixed-mode simulations of the latch for SE evaluations. Simulation results show that the latch is immune to charge deposition on multiple nodes. The proposed design does require a 60% increase in area and double the power, but is faster than conventional DICE-based latch design


Cross sowing is a little studied technique which may contribute to increase productivity. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of cross-sowing on population arrangements of early soybean cultivars with different growth habits. The experiment was completely randomized in a 2 x 3 + 2 factorial design with two cultivars, three cross-sowing populations and two controls (one for each cultivar evaluated, row sowing with 400 thousand plants ha -1 ). The experiment was conducted in Rio Verde, Goias (GO) state. We observed that only the cultivar BMX Potencia RR differed from the control as for grain yield. The cultivars responded differently to populations. The BMX Potencia RR was more productive in the smallest population and the NA 7337 RR had the highest yield in the larger population. Therefore, the growth habit and sowing population have a direct influence on soybean yield in cross-sowing.


The design and performance of an electric van with extended range capability is described. The vehicle platform is the Chrysler T115 minivan. A low emissions, alternate fueled (CNG, LP, methanol), internal combustion engine auxiliary power unit (3 - 5 kW) is employed for range extension. SAE J227 C-cycle performance of 100+ miles is attainable using low maintenance gelled electrolyte lead-acid batteries. A prototype has been built and is currently being evaluated. Also described is the design of an advanced drive system for the vehicle employing light weight, high efficiency permanent magnet motors and a hermetically sealed electric flywheel for increased acceleration capability and higher efficiency during regenerative braking. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 860793.


The message of Revelation was not simply to impart information about the future, but to inspire an active response from its hearers" (p. 118). He used the myth of a revived Nero to predict that the power of Rome would eventually be destroyed. He also warned against accepting a traditional Jewish eschatology. Instead, J o h n "sees God as sovereign over the whole universe, with Christ as the eternal victor over evil by means of his faithful death and resurrection" (p. 122). Despite the complexity of Garrow's argument, it is hard to disagree with that conclusion.


The paper gives the results of the first multicenter study of the efficiency of using amantadine sulfate (PK-Merz) in patients with acute cerebral disease during coma emergence. The study has shown a positive effect of this drug at coma emergence, which manifested itself as clinical improvement and a better outcome of the disease. Full objectivism of the findings requires further studies.


Mice immunized subcutaneously with 10(6) viable yeast cells of Histoplasma capsulatum exhibited host protection to a challenge infection and also exhibited concomitant manifestations of cellular immunity to a culture filtrate antigen (yeast extract dialysate (YED)-histoplasmin). Protective immunity was determined by quantitative culture of organisms from infected spleens on a solid medium containing a growth factor produced by the organism. As early as 4 days following immunization, host protection was observed in mice. Positive footpad swelling, indicative of delayed-type hypersensitivity, also was apparent at the early time period (4-7 days) after immunization. By days 14 and 21 following immunization, the mice exhibited maximum footpad responses and maximum splenic clearance of yeast cells. As an additional correlate of cellular immunity, YED-histoplasmin was coupled with chromic chloride to murine erythrocytes (M-RBC) and mixed with immune or nonimmune splenic lymphocytes to detect antigen-specific rosette forming cells (RFC's). Only splenic lymphocytes from mice immunized with H. capsulatum formed antigen-specific RFC's (greater than or equal to 0.2%). Pretreatment of splenic lymphocytes with antitheta (theta) serum plus complement greatly reduced the numbers of RFC's, illustrating their T cell nature. Host protection and cell-mediated immune responses decreased substantially by day 28 following immunization.


The use of Spirulina in CO2 biofixation, aside from its contribution to reducing the greenhouse effect, enables the use of the biomass to obtain biocompounds. In this work, Spirulina platensis was used for CO2 biofixation under different conditions of inorganic carbon. S. platensis was inoculated into 200 L bioreactors containing modified Zarrouk's medium (concentration of the carbon was from 1.0 to 2.0 g.L-1). CO2 (12% v/v) was injected into the culture medium intermittently to maintain the inorganic carbon concentration and pH levels favorable for growth. The values of the maximum specific growth rate obtained for both conditions were the same (0.76 day-1). However, the culture in which a concentration of 2.0 g.L-1 of NaHCO3 was maintained allowed higher concentrations of biomass (1.0 g.L-1) and higher productivity (0.11 g.L-1.d-1) to be obtained as compared to the same parameters obtained in cultures containing 1.0 g.L-1 of NaHCO3.

 Key words: Bioreactor, cyanobacteria, microalgae, Spirulina.


This paper aims to discuss strengthening wasatiyyah among the youth in Indonesia. This issue is critical since the development of radicalism among youth has been increasing. The data will be analyzed through a descriptive-analytic approach. The analysis finds that pesantren and Islamic schools have play important role in strengthening wasatiyyahamong Indonesian youth through implementing the value of multicultural education that emphasizes moderation for the youth. It is no wonder since multicultural education is the priority value that must be included in every learning in pesantren and Islamic schools as a mandate from the Ministry of the Religion of the Republic of Indonesia. Besides, the principles of pesantren and Islamic schools have a significant impact on fostering a moderate attitude towards the youth.


This paper gives the knotted picture of the unknown quantum state in the process of quantum teleportation and the surgical knotted operations of the unitary operators operated on the teleported quantum state.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this report is to analyze the results of a 1-year clinical study of antioxidant therapy in the treatment of pain and recurrent inflammatory episodes in patients with chronic and acute recurrent pancreatitis, using a prospective, descriptive, pre-post, open design. The intensity of pain at the beginning and end of treatment was assessed with a visual analogue scale, and these results along with the number of hospital admissions for pancreatic disease were analyzed.

METHODS
We studied patients with acute recurrent or chronic pancreatitis who had suffered from pain or acute inflammatory episodes the year before the beginning of treatment with a complex containing L-methionine, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and organic selenium.

RESULTS
Of 10 patients with chronic pancreatitis who completed treatment, the intensity of pain was reduced considerably in 9 (61.5 +/- 21.5 mm vs. 19.6 +/- 26.1 mm, p = 0.03), and pain was completely absent in 3 of these patients. Twelve patients who completed treatment had fewer hospital admissions during the year with antioxidant treatment than they had had during the previous year (1.5 +/- 1.62 vs. 0.25 +/- 0.45 admissions, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS
Antioxidant treatment had a positive effect in patients who suffered from pancreatic inflammatory pain, and its effectiveness should be tested before more aggressive and costlier treatments are considered.


In the course of an investigation into the tensile strength of joints formed by thin films of pure chemical substances between surfaces of steel or copper ('Roy. Soc. Proc.,' A, vol. 118, p. 209 (1928)), a curious effect due to the production of passivity at a copper surface was noticed. In making such measurements it is, of course, essential that the metallic surfaces should be absolutely clean and dry. Owing to the ease with which copper surfaces acquire a tarnish film, their cleaning presented some difficulty. On one occasion the copper plate was boiled in absolute alcohol and plunged, whilst still hot, into water containing a few drops of concentrated nitric acid, in order that it might cool in a non-tarnishing medium. When taken out, the surface was found to have assumed a uniform dull reddish tint quite unlike the patchy appearance produced by the usual visible tarnish film. This appearance persisted when the plate was boiled in alcohol or water and cooled in air and also when it was left exposed to impure damp air for several hours, i. e. , it survived conditions under which a normal copper surface would have tarnished rapidly. Gentle polishing with very finely divided magnesia powder on silk did not remove the reddish-tint, although abrasion with fine emerypaper, by removing the upper surface layers did. Normality was most conveniently restored by boiling the plate in a 2-5 per cent. aqueous solution of ammonia when the surface tarnished and blackened in patches; this tarnish was removed by polishing with magnesia powder on a wet leather and the process repeated until the surface tarnished uniformly. The surface of the plate, after removal of this tarnish, was found to be normal.


Abstract— An analytical procedure was developed for quantitatively determining the ubiquinone content of bacterial photosynthetic material. High sensitivity was obtained by supplementing growth media with14C‐labelled p‐hydroxybenzoic acid which was specifically incorporated into the benzoquinones, ubiquinone and rhodoquinone. Sufficiently radioactive p‐hydroxybenzoic acid was used so that 10 picomoles of ubiquinone could be quantitatively measured. High accuracy was obtained by using a carrier technique which was employed during the extraction and isolation of quinones for analyses. Purification of quinones was achieved by selective solvent extraction and thin layer chromatography in two different solvent systems. This analytical procedure was employed to determine the ubiquinone content of R. rubrum chromatophores following hydrocarbon solvent extraction to remove ubiquinone from the chromatophores. Ubiquinone was found to exist in at least two pools: a loosely bound pool which easily extracted with hydrocarbon solvents, and a tightly bound pool which required addition of some polar solvent for its removal. It was demonstrated that ubiquinone would not exchange readily between these two pools. Careful analyses of all protein fractions showed that less than 0.06 ubiquinone per primary electron donor unit (P865) could be covalently bound to these components. From the average of a number of measurements, the tightly bound ubiquinone was determined as very nearly one‐half ubiquinone per phototrap (0.48 ± 0.05 S.D.). Removal of the tightly bound ubiquinone was linearly related to the loss of primary photochemical capacity. These results are consistent with the 'duplex model' for primary photochemical events but would seem to rule out an iron‐ubiquinone complex where the ubiquinone can function only between the semiquinone and the fully oxidized oxidation state.


BACKGROUND
The anti-programmed death-1 antibody nivolumab is an important treatment option for non-small-cell lung carcinoma.However, its effectiveness for large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas(LCNEC)is still controversial.Here, we report 2 cases of LCNECs that responded to nivolumab.Case 1: A 62-year-old man received chemotherapy and radiotherapy for stage III A lung adenocarcinoma.One year later, another lung lesion was observed and diagnosed as LCNEC using surgical lung biopsy.Although he subsequently received some chemotherapy regimens, the patient developed new brain metastasis, expanded mediastinal lesion, and increased levels of the tumor marker pro-gastrin releasing peptide(ProGRP).We started nivolumab as the sixth-line treatment.In response, ProGRP levels significantly decreased and the mediastinal lesion became smaller.Case 2: A 55-year-old man was diagnosed with stage III A LCNEC and received chemotherapy and radiotherapy.The primary lesion was controlled; however, lung metastases developed and chemotherapy was unable to control them.We provided treatment with nivolumab as the third-line therapy.The tumor marker ProGRP decreased and the lung metastases became smaller.

CONCLUSION
Nivolumab can be a valuable treatment option for LCNEC.


Kindler syndrome (KS) is an autosomal recessive skin disorder characterized by skin blistering and photosensitivity. KS is caused by loss of function mutations in FERMT1, which encodes Kindlin‐1. Kindlin‐1 is a FERM domain containing adaptor protein that is found predominantly at cell‐extracellular matrix adhesions where it binds to integrin β subunits and is required for efficient integrin activation. Using keratinocytes derived from a patient with KS, into which wild‐type Kindlin‐1 (Kin1WT) has been expressed, we show that Kindlin‐1 binds to cyclin‐dependent kinase (CDK)1 and CDK2. CDK1 and CDK2 are key regulators of cell cycle progression, however, cell cycle analysis showed only small differences between the KS and KS‐Kin1WT keratinocytes. In contrast, G2/M cell cycle arrest in response to oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was enhanced in KS keratinocytes but not KS‐Kin1WT cells, following inhibition of CDK activity. Furthermore, KS keratinocytes were more sensitive to DNA damage in response to H2O2 and this was exacerbated by treatment with the CDK inhibitor roscovitine. Thus, in Kindlin‐1 deficient keratinocytes, CDK activity can further regulate oxidative damage induced cell cycle arrest and DNA damage. This provides further insight into the key pathways that control sensitivity to oxidative stress in KS patients.


This study is an overview of the current and future trajectory, as well as the impact of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the world and selected countries including the state of Kuwait. The selected countries were divided into two groups: Group A (China, Switzerland, and Ireland) and Group B (USA, Brazil, and India) based on their outbreak containment of this virus. Then, the actual data for each country were fitted to a regression model utilizing the excel solver software to assess the current and future trajectory of novel COVID-19 and its impact. In addition, the data were fitted using the Susceptible–Infected–Recovered (SIR) Model. The Group A trajectory showed an "S" shape trend that suited a logistic function with r2 > 0.97, which is an indication of the outbreak control. The SIR models for the countries in this group showed that they passed the expected 99% end of pandemic dates. Group B, however, exhibited a continuous increase of the total COVID-19 new cases, that best suited an exponential growth model with r2 > 0.97, which meant that the outbreak is still uncontrolled. The SIR models for the countries in this group showed that they are still relatively far away from reaching the expected 97% end of pandemic dates. The maximum death percentage varied from 3.3% (India) to 7.2% with USA recording the highest death percentage, which is virtually equal to the maximum death percentage of the world (7.3%). The power of the exponential model determines the severity of the country's trajectory that ranged from 11 to 19 with the USA and Brazil having the highest values. The maximum impact of this COVID-19 pandemic occurred during the uncontrolled stage (2), which mainly depended on the deceptive stage (1). Further, some novel potential containment strategies are discussed. Results from both models showed that the Group A countries contained the outbreak, whereas the Group B countries still have not reached this stage yet. Early measures and containment strategies are imperative in suppressing the spread of COVID-19.


Nanopatterns can readily be formed by annealing block copolymers (BCPs) in organic solvents at moderate or high temperatures. However, this approach can be challenging from an environmental and industrial point of view. Herein, we describe a simple and environmentally friendly alternative to achieve periodically ordered nanoscale phase separated BCP structures. Asymmetric polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) thin film patterns of different molecular weight were achieved by annealing in supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2). Microphase separation of PS-b-PEO (16,000–5000) film patterns were achieved by annealing in scCO2 at a relatively low temperature was previously reported by our group. The effects of annealing temperature, time and depressurisation rates for the polymer system were also discussed. In this article, we have expanded this study to create new knowledge on the structural and dimensional evolution of nanohole and line/space surface periodicity of four other different molecular weights PS-b-PEO systems. Periodic, well defined, hexagonally ordered films of line and hole patterns were obtained at low CO2 temperatures (35–40 °C) and pressures (1200–1300 psi). Further, the changes in morphology, ordering and feature sizes for a new PS-b-PEO system (42,000–11,500) are discussed in detail upon changing the scCO2 annealing parameters (temperature, film thickness, depressurization rates, etc.). In relation to our previous reports, the broad annealing temperature and depressurisation rate were explored together for different film thicknesses. In addition, the effects of SCF annealing for three other BCP systems (PEO-b-PS, PS-b-PDMS, PS-b-PLA) is also investigated with similar processing conditions. The patterns were also generated on a graphoepitaxial substrate for device application.


with a foreword by Walid Khalidi. London and New York: I. B. Tauris, 2001. 348 pp. $65.00. Over the past decade and a half a new generation of Palestinian and Israeli historians have published a substantial body of revisionist scholarship concerning the emergence and perpetuation of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Although these scholars do not constitute a monolithic or uniform entity in either methodology or conclusions, there exists among them a common will to deconstruct what are seen as the myths that have underpinned and shaped both Zionist collective memory and historical writing. Intrinsically linked with this project is the creation of a space in which the previously marginalized voice of Palestinian narratives is given special focus, an attempt to subvert the power effects of Zionist discourse. One of the key bones of contention that emerged out of these analyses, with a particular focus on the foundation of the Jewish state and the birth of the Palestinian Refugee problem, was the role played by Great Britain, which had occupied the country during the First World War and had officially been the mandatory power since 1923. Scholars such as Avi Shlaim and Ilan Pappe have argued that although Great Britain was predominantly perceived by Zionists to have been an obstructive force in the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine, it played an important function in its establishment as well as preventing the possibility of Palestinian national independence. More recently historians such as Tom Segev have begun to re-examine the development of the conflict under the British mandate, arguing its importance in fostering the significant growth of the Zionist project in Palestine that made a Jewish state possible. Sahar Huneidi's work, A Broken Trust: Herbert Samuel Zionism and the Palestinians, is an addition to this welcome trend of placing the crucial inter-war period under fresh scrutiny. Huneidi's study concerns the record of Herbert Samuel as the first High Commissioner of the British civil administration in Palestine from 1920 to 1925. Although a Jew and staunch pro-Zionist, Samuel was traditionally seen by Zionists as having been a disappointment. His tenure as Commissioner was thought to have been marked by a policy of overt appeasement towards the Arab population in the face of violent opposition, particularly after the Jaffa riots of 1921. As a result, according to this view, Samuel pursued a minimalist interpretation of the British Govemment's commitment to create a Jewish national home, as declared in the Balfour Declaration of 1917. In contrast to this interpretation, Bernard Wasserstein's classic work(1) on the period presented a much more complex and nuanced picture of Samuel's administration. Wasserstein's work highlighted the fundamental tension between Samuel's British Imperialism, Liberalism, and Zionism, his belief in both the need and possibility of obtaining the acceptance of the Palestinian Arab population for the British mandate, and his unremitting commitment to creating the Jewish national home. Samuel continually attempted to incorporate Palestinians within the administration, claiming to treat the Arab population as though there was no Zionist policy, contending that the latter was misunderstood and did not threaten their rights or position in the country. At the same time, he proceded to put into practice a passive policy that allowed for and fostered the growth of a Jewish national home, reflecting the gradualist Zionism that had prompted his desire to serve in Palestine, a cause to which he remained faithful throughout his administration. However, in her analysis Huneidi goes much further and places Samuel's Zionism at the very center of his policies as High Commissioner, reducing his attempts to placate Palestinian Arabs as mere lip service to the dual obligations of the Balfour Declaration and the mandate. Such efforts are referred to as either meaningless rhetoric or tactical manoeuvres that had no relation to his objectives or policies. …


Asthma is common airway disease characterized by airway inflammation. Although treatment outcome has been improved since the use of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS), still there are unmet needs in asthma treatment. Nanotechnology can be a promising tool in asthma management. Nanotechnology can be utilized in the fields of drug delivery and endotype identification. By using this new technology, treatment of asthma can be improved.


To evaluate the importance of periphyton to nitrogen dynamics in the discharge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), we examined changes in total and inorganic nitrogen content downstream from a WWTP on the Kurose River in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. At 0.7 km downstream of the WWTP (point A), NH4-N was the dominant form of inorganic nitrogen, but concentrations decreased rapidly to 5 km downstream (point B). In contrast, no significant change in the [NO2 + NO3]-N concentration was observed between the two points. Total nitrogen (TN) load decreased significantly between the two points, suggesting that sorption and/or denitrification occurred in the river channel. Potential rates of nitrogen sorption and transformation by periphyton were determined in a laboratory experiment in which changes in the nitrogen content of river water were examined in an acrylic chamber with periphyton. Nitrification and nitrogen removal occurred mainly in the periphyton. The contributions of periphyton activity to TN and NH4-N decrease in the field, as estimated from the results of the laboratory experiments, were 6%–18% and 23%–72%, respectively. These results suggest that periphyton plays an important role in decreasing NH4-N concentration in the discharge from wastewater treatment plants.