Cobalt(III) is a component of cobalamin. Its essentiality as trace element results from the capacity of certain animal species to synthesise cobalamin by the gastrointestinal microbiota. Feeding supplemental cobalt from the additives under application up to the maximum total content in feed set in EU is considered safe for all animal species/categories; margin of safety is around 10. Cobalt is predominantly excreted via faecal route. Absorbed cobalt follows aqueous excretion routes. About 43 % of body cobalt is stored in muscle; however, kidney and liver are the edible tissues containing the highest cobalt concentrations and are most susceptible reflecting dietary cobalt concentrations. In animals with capacity to synthesise cobalamin, cobalt is also deposited in tissues as vitamin B12. Cobalt(II) cations are genotoxic under in vitro and in vivo conditions, and have carcinogen, mutagen and reproduction toxicant (CMR) properties. No data are available on the potential carcinogenicity of cobalt(II) following oral exposure. However, oral exposure may potentially entail adverse threshold-related effects in humans. The estimated population intake of cobalt most likely includes the contribution of foodstuffs from animals fed cobalt-supplemented feedingstuffs. An increase in cobalt exposure by the use of cobalt-containing feed additives is therefore not expected. Considering the population exposure to cobalt, about 4–10 times lower than the health-based guidance value, no safety concern for the consumer is expected for threshold effects of oral cobalt. The cobalt(II) compounds assessed are considered skin and eye irritants and dermal/inhalatory sensitisers. Their dust is a hazard to persons handling these substances. Exposure by inhalation must be avoided. The use of cobalt from any source at the authorised maximum content in feed does not provide a risk to the environment. The compounds assessed are available for cobalamin synthesis in the rumen and therefore effective in ruminants; this conclusion is extrapolated to horses and rabbits.


Abstract Aberrant T cell activation is a major cause of aplastic anemia (AA) pathogenesis. Recent studies have shown that miRNAs regulate T cell activation and are involved in AA. A previous study found that miR-214 was significantly up-regulated upon T cell activation in a CD28-dependent fashion by targeting PTEN. However, the expression characteristics of miR-214 and its target genes in AA have not been defined. In this study, target genes for miR-214 were predicted and confirmed by bioinformatics and luciferase reporter assays. The expression levels of miR-214 and target genes were detected in 36 healthy individuals and 35 patients with AA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Bioinformatics and luciferase reporter assays identified that miR-214 could bind to the A20 3′ untranslated regions. Significantly increased miR-214 and the decreased A20 expression level were detected in the AA patients compared with the healthy group. In addition, significantly increased miR-214 was found in non-severe aplastic anemia compared with severe aplastic anemia patients. These results suggested that the A20 gene was a potential target of miR-214, and elevated miR-214 might medicate T cell activation at least in part by regulating A20 expression in AA. We firstly confirmed that miR-214 regulated A20 expression, and aberrant miR-214/A20 expression might contribute to immunopathology in AA. The miR-214 expression might be used as a potential biomarker that assisted in diagnosing AA severity.


Slepian functions are orthogonal function systems that live on subdomains (for example, geographical regions on the Earth's surface, or bandlimited portions of the entire spectrum). They have been firmly established as a useful tool for the synthesis and analysis of localized (concentrated or confined) signals, and for the modeling and inversion of noise-contaminated data that are only regionally available or only of regional interest. In this paper, we consider a general abstract setup for inverse problems represented by a linear and compact operator between Hilbert spaces with a known singular-value decomposition (svd). In practice, such an svd is often only given for the case of a global expansion of the data (e.g. on the whole sphere) but not for regional data distributions. We show that, in either case, Slepian functions (associated to an arbitrarily prescribed region and the given compact operator) can be determined and applied to construct a regularization for the ill-posed regional inverse problem. Moreover, we describe an algorithm for constructing the Slepian basis via an algebraic eigenvalue problem. The obtained Slepian functions can be used to derive an svd for the combination of the regionalizing projection and the compact operator. As a result, standard regularization techniques relying on a known svd become applicable also to those inverse problems where the data are regionally given only. In particular, wavelet-based multiscale techniques can be used. An example for the latter case is elaborated theoretically and tested on two synthetic numerical examples.


The study has been under taken to utilize abundantly available pine needles in hilly region of Uttarakhand state to mitigate the drudgery involved in collection of fuel wood from nearby forest for cooking. Pine needle briquettes have been prepared using cattle dung as binding agent in a proportion of 60:40 by weight with the help of a hydraulic press. Three levels of briquetting parameters, namely particle size (0.54, 1.5, 3.0mm), die pressure (2.8, 4.14 and 5.5MPa) and dwell time (15, 30, 45sec) have been taken. Heating value, ash content, moisture content, bulk density, crushing strength and water resistance capacity of briquettes have been evaluated. Bulk density and calorific values have decreased with increase in storage period for all types of briquettes. An overall reduction of 6.5% in bulk density and about 1.5% in calorific value has found during storage for a period of 60 days. However, all the briquettes have remained stable. Based on process optimization using RSM, briquettes prepared at highest die pressure of 5.5 MPa with 2.6 mm particle size and 15 seconds dwell time have proved to be optimal considering all the quality parameters of briquettes included in the study over the storage period of 60 days.


Based upon the life histories of six Indigenous hip hop artists of the Beat Nation artist collective, this essay captures how Indigenous hip hop has the potential to revolutionize environmental education. Hip hop provides Indigenous youth an emancipatory space to raise their opposition to neocolonial controls of Indigenous territories that denigrate traditional ways of life, and to gather strength by engaging in the decolonizing processes of reclaiming their land, culture, language, and identity. Hip hop also helps youth recognize authentic dialogic education; build knowledge of Indigenous culture, language, and history; and develop strategies to change oppressive forces into resilient personal practices that transform Indigenous communities. This study is motivated by a commitment to showcase how alternative youth culture has the potential to resist neoliberal policies fueling neocolonialism and environmental devastation in Canada.


Objective: Bilateral facial palsy (BFP) has been identified as a possible neurological complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, but only a limited number of cases have been reported in the literature. The purpose of this study was to deepen our understanding of the etiology of BFP. Case report: We report the case of a 46-year-old married bisexual man with BFP associated with HIV infection. The patient underwent serological testing for HIV and was positive. In the absence of any other evidence of underlying systemic disease, facial palsy is thought to be secondary to HIV infection. After antiretroviral therapy, the patient recovered completely from facial palsy within 3 months. Results: HIV infection often involves BFP. The pathophysiology of this clinical presentation is thought to be related to the immune response to the systemic transmission of the virus. Conclusions: Most patients with BFP have underlying systemic causes, particularly autoimmune diseases. The exclusion of HIV infection in patients with BFP is essential for the early diagnosis and management of HIV.


We studied the successional stages of biological soil crusts (BSCs) by using in-situ spectroscopic techniques during 6 years of recovery following scraping-sterilization and scraping-crumbling disturbances on northand south-facing slopes and in plots with and without overland water runoff barriers. Two spectral indices, the Brightness Index (BI) and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), were used as indicators for evaluating BSC succession, with special attention to differences between the northand the south-facing slopes. We found that BSC succession could be expressed as linear regressions of the above-mentioned indicators during the experimental years for the different treatments. Both indicators were found to be significantly different in each of the experimental years: BI values decreased while NDVI values increased for each of the three treatments. Thus, the BI can serve as a good indicator during the early years following disturbance while the NDVI can be useful after crusts have become established. We conclude that spectral reflectance measurements of BSCs can be a useful monitoring technique for studying the regeneration of the soil surface without direct disturbance. r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


Dovzhenko's film «Earth» became the starting point in shaping the direction of Ukrainian poetic cinema, the main principles of which are allegory, the rejection of literary tradition and expressiveness. The film is an example of cinematic poetry as a creative display of illogical emotional images.


This comprehensive two-part article addresses the usefulness of the limitation on benefits (LOB) rule in the base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) Action 6 project and a Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (MLI) to prevent abusive treaty shopping – the most prevalent and typical form of treaty abuse. Although a certain flexibility in the prevention of treaty abuse was envisaged by the BEPS Action 6/MLI, only twelve out of the sixty-eight Signatories to the Multilateral Instrument (MLI) have so far chosen to add the MLI's LOB rule to the principal purposes test (PPT). Such little interest in implementing the MLI's LOB rule may have something to do with its mind-numbing complexity. Or perhaps tax administrations simply prefer to have more discretionary power under the PPT? This study interrogates this unexplored research area by performing a comprehensive, in-depth analysis of abusive treaty shopping and the MLI's LOB rule. The overarching question pertains to the effectiveness of the MLI's LOB rule in the prevention of treaty shopping. In the event of critical findings, de lege ferenda conclusions will follow.


Local wisdom is created through the process of integrating humans with nature or the environment for a long time, from generation to generation to form a value system (customs, beliefs, and culture). Local wisdom can be integrated into physics learning because it studies natural phenomena and all their interactions. Local wisdom will be investigated and digitally represented so as to support understanding concepts for solving physics problems, scientific literacy, and digital literacy. The purpose of this research is to design digital learning that is integrated with local wisdom to improve students' physics problem-solving skills, scientific literacy, and digital literacy. This study uses a development research design with phases consisting of the preliminary phase, prototype phase, and assessment phase. However, in this paper, the validity and practicality of the developed learning are represented. The results showed that the content validity of the digital learning model which was integrated with local wisdom in very valid criteria, the validity of the construct in the criteria is very valid, and the model developed is in the practical category, in terms of the implementation of learning with good and very good categories, as well as student activities that are relevant in learning have increased. This model is expected to be an alternative model for learning physics according to future needs.
Keywords: Integrated learning, physics, digital learning, local wisdom, validity, practicality


The present scientific monograph, entitled "Environmental management & audit", is the result of three years' work on an international project entitled "Environmental management in Russian companies – retraining courses for the sensibilization for and integration of Eco-Audit programs in corporate decision-making (RECOAUD)". Within its more than 600 pages, the monograph features interesting texts written by 31 authors from the European Union and the Russian Federation, edited by dr. Borut Jereb, Darja Kukovic and dr. Daria Meyr.

The monograph "Environmental management & audit" is composed of four books: "Scarcity and Introduction of Environmental Management", "Management Systems", "Controlling and Stakeholders", and "Environmental Assessment" (Featured Articles). These four topics reflect the complexity, heterogeneity and multidisciplinary of the project Tempus RECOAUD.

The reader of the monograph gets a comprehensive overview of theoretical perspectives of environmental management and audit in the chosen areas. Furthermore, the monograph also highlights the results of research in the field of environmental management and audit as well as trends and challenges in the development of this field. Providing insight into theoretical and research findings, the monograph will prove useful to both practitioners and researchers in the field of environmental management and audit; it can also be used for study purposes.


The antipanic efficacy of alprazolam and lorazepam was evaluated in 48 patients meeting DSM-III criteria for agoraphobia with panic attacks or panic disorder in a double-blind random assignment study. On the basis of rating scale scores, both drugs demonstrated similar efficacy in reducing panic attacks and phobic behavior compared with placebo baseline. The doses required to achieve response were approximately double those required for the treatment of generalized anxiety. These results suggest that most, if not all, benzodiazepines may be effective antipanic drugs at high doses. The implications of these findings for drug treatments of choice for recurrent panic attacks are discussed.


This article addresses a prominent question relating to the nature and scope of responsibility to protect (R2P), namely the situation in Gaza, and asks whether or not R2P can be implemented in 'inter-state' crises. Following a two-fold analysis in arguing why and how Gaza qualifies as an R2P case requiring the international community's attention, first the scope of R2P is discussed. Then, the crisis in Gaza is the focus, considering the two scenarios of Gaza as a territory of the independent state of Palestine, and as an occupied territory due to the effective control of Israel in and out of the territory.


It is in the parents' interest to protect their youth and keep them away from substance abuse. It can be particularly disturbing for them to learn that their youth child abuses substances. When a youth abuses the substance, it is normal for parents to experience feelings of guilt and sadness. Stress levels can increase when caring for a youth abusing substances.

 A qualitative approach was used in the study. The explorative, descriptive, and contextual design was adopted to explore the experiences of parents of youth abusing substances. Purposive sampling was used to identify the participants for the study. Data was collected through Semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Tesch's steps for qualitative data analysis.

 Results indicated that the parents go through various experiences, including poor physical health, poor emotional health, lack of knowledge related to substance abuse, lack of knowledge on where to get help, and inability to assist their youth out of substances. They also lack knowledge of substances abuse.

 The study findings indicated that the parents of youth abusing substances have diverse experiences when dealing with their youth abusing substances. Parents should be equipped with knowledge and skills to manage different situations as they arise. This can be achieved through substance abuse awareness campaigns for the parents.


Aim of the study : the study aimed to reveal the sign of coronary atherosclerosis absence using the factor analysis in patients referred for the coronary angiography. Patients and methods: 9409 patients suspected stable coronary artery disease (CAD) or with confirmed diagnosis of CAD from the «Registry of provided coronary angiography» were included in the study. Results of the study : principal factor described about 59% of the variation and included the burdens of 4 parameters (gender, smoking, significant coronary atherosclerosis and hypothyroidism) and was interpreted as factor of coronary atherosclerosis. Conclusions: it was found that the absence of coronary stenosis was associated with female gender, non-smoking status and hypothyroidism.


Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the key components of Korean disaster psychiatric assistant teams (K-DPATs), to set up new mental health service providing system for the disaster victims. Methods We conducted an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) involving disaster mental health experts, using a pairwise comparison questionnaire to compare the relative importance of the key components of the Korean disaster mental health response system. In total, 41 experts completed the first online survey; of these, 36 completed the second survey. Ten experts participated in panel meetings and discussed the results of the survey and AHP process. Results It was agreed that K-DPATs should be independent of the existing mental health system (70.1%), funding for K-DPATs should be provided by the Ministry of Public Safety, and the system should be managed by the Ministry of Health (65.8%). Experts shared the view that K-DPAT leaders would be suitable key decision makers for all types of disaster, with the exception of those involving infectious diseases. Conclusion K-DPAT, a new model for disaster mental health response systems could improve the insufficiency of the current system, address problems such as fragmentation, and fulfill disaster victims' unmet need for early professional intervention.


The following is a sketch of the life and work of Donald Holmes Hyers, Professor Emeritus from the University of Southern California. The theorem put forth by Hyers in 1941 concerning linear functional equations has gained a great deal of interest over the past two decades. Hundreds of articles have been written citing his works, many of which have furthered the theorem. This paper contains a brief description of Hyers' theorem, a biographical essay and an extensive bibliography of Hyers' work and works citing the Hyers theorem or the D.H. Hyers-S.M. Ulam-Th.M. Rassias theorem or related subjects of almost the last three decades. The author of this paper is the grandson of D.H. Hyers.


Most foster children are not living with their fathers at the time they are removed from their homes. While in foster care these children may experience even less contact with their nonresident fathers. This study examined child welfare practices with respect to identifying, locating, and involving fathers of children in foster care including whether child support resources were used. Local agency caseworkers were interviewed by phone about nearly 2,000 foster children in four study states. The study found that nonresident fathers are not often involved in case planning and nearly half were never contacted by the child welfare agency.


Mental retardation (MR) is a definition which comprises a series of conditions whose common feature is an intellectual handicap that develops before the age of 18, afflicting 2-3% of the world's population. The classification of MR into different categories is determined by the extent of the handicap instead of its cause, which often remains unrecognized. Sometimes, MR runs in a family, characterizing familial MR, and those cases permit an in-depth look into the genetic causes and consequences of the problem. However, almost no work is available on the prevalence of familial MR among the registered MR cases, possibly because familial MR is a term with no clear definition. The scope of this work is to review the topic and discuss the implications of different genetic and environmental factors, which characterize particular categories of familial cases, suggesting a practical classification of familial MR, which is important for epidemiologic studies and also for counseling in the clinic. Some of the aspects are discussed under the perspective of a newly-developed country like Brazil.


We study how parent liability for subsidiaries' environmental cleanup costs affects industrial pollution and production. Our empirical setting exploits a Supreme Court decision that strengthened parent limited liability protection for some subsidiaries. Using a difference-in-differences framework, we find that stronger liability protection for parents leads to a 5-9% increase in toxic emissions by subsidiaries. Evidence suggests the increase in pollution is driven by lower investment in abatement technologies rather than increased production. Cross-sectional tests suggest convexities associated with insolvency and executive compensation drive heterogeneous effects. Overall, our findings highlight the moral hazard problem associated with limited liability.


In this paper we study how to learn stochastic, multimodal transition dynamics in reinforcement learning (RL) tasks. We focus on evaluating transition function estimation, while we defer planning over this model to future work. Stochasticity is a fundamental property of many task environments. However, discriminative function approximators have difficulty estimating multimodal stochasticity. In contrast, deep generative models do capture complex high-dimensional outcome distributions. First we discuss why, amongst such models, conditional variational inference (VI) is theoretically most appealing for model-based RL. Subsequently, we compare different VI models on their ability to learn complex stochasticity on simulated functions, as well as on a typical RL gridworld with multimodal dynamics. Results show VI successfully predicts multimodal outcomes, but also robustly ignores these for deterministic parts of the transition dynamics. In summary, we show a robust method to learn multimodal transitions using function approximation, which is a key preliminary for model-based RL in stochastic domains.


This paper describes the participation of the BSC team in the WMT2021's Multilingual Low-Resource Translation for Indo-European Languages Shared Task. The system aims to solve the Subtask 2: Wikipedia cultural heritage articles, which involves translation in four Romance languages: Catalan, Italian, Occitan and Romanian. The submitted system is a multilingual semi-supervised machine translation model. It is based on a pre-trained language model, namely XLM-RoBERTa, that is later fine-tuned with parallel data obtained mostly from OPUS. Unlike other works, we only use XLM to initialize the encoder and randomly initialize a shallow decoder. The reported results are robust and perform well for all tested languages.


Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is a serine proteinase that, upon binding to its receptor (uPAR), catalyzes the conversion of plasminogen into plasmin on the cell surface. Our previous studies indicate that uPA and uPAR expression increase in the ischemic brain during the recovery phase from an acute ischemic injury and that uPA binding to uPAR promotes neurological recovery after an acute ischemic stroke. Here, we used male mice genetically deficient on either uPA (uPA−/−) or uPAR (uPAR−/−) or with a four-amino acid substitution into the growth factor domain of uPA that abrogates its binding to uPAR (PlatGFDhu/GFDhu) to investigate the mechanism whereby uPA promotes neurorepair in the ischemic brain. We found that neurons release uPA and astrocytes recruit uPAR to their plasma membrane during the recovery phase from a hypoxic injury and that binding of neuronal uPA to astrocytic uPAR induces astrocytic activation by a mechanism that does not require plasmin generation, but instead is mediated by extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2)-regulated phosphorylation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). We report that uPA/uPAR binding is necessary and sufficient to induce astrocytic activation in the ischemic brain and that astrocytes activated by neuronal uPA promote synaptic recovery in neurons that have suffered an acute hypoxic injury via a mechanism mediated by astrocytic thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) and synaptic low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP1). In summary, we show that uPA/uPAR-induced astrocytic activation mediates a cross talk between astrocytes and injured neurons that promotes synaptic recovery in the ischemic brain. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT To date, there is no therapeutic strategy to promote synaptic recovery in the injured brain. Here, we show that neurons release urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and astrocytes recruit the uPA receptor (uPAR) to their plasma membrane during the recovery phase from a hypoxic injury. We found that binding of neuronal uPA to astrocytic uPAR promotes astrocytic activation and that astrocytes activated by uPA–uPAR binding promote synaptic recovery in neurons that have suffered a hypoxic injury by a mechanism that does not require plasmin generation, but instead is mediated by ERK1/2-regulated STAT3 phosphorylation, astrocytic thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) and synaptic low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP1). Our work unveils a new biological function for uPA–uPAR as mediator of a neuron–astrocyte cross talk that promotes synaptic recovery in the ischemic brain.


BACKGROUND
Evidence from cost-effective smoking cessation programs is scarce. This study determined the cost-effectiveness of 3 smoking cessation strategies as provided by general practitioners (GPs) in Germany.

METHODS
In a cluster-randomized smoking cessation trial, rates and intervention costs for 577 smoking patients of 82 GPs were followed up for 12 months. Three smoking cessation treatments were tested: (1) GP training plus GP remuneration for each abstinent patient, (2) GP training plus cost-free nicotine replacement medication and/or bupropion hydrochloride for the patient, and (3) a combination of both strategies. Smoking abstinence at 12 months was the primary outcome used to calculate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios and net monetary benefits.

RESULTS
Intervention 1 was not effective compared with treatment as usual (TAU). Interventions 2 and 3 each proved to be cost-effective compared separately with TAU. When applying a 95% level of certainty of cost-effectiveness against TAU, euro 9.80 or euro 6.96, respectively, had to be paid for each additional 1% of patients abstinent at 12 months (maximum willingness to pay). That means that in intervention 2, euro 92.12 per patient in the program must be invested to gain 1 additional quitter (as opposed to euro 39.10 paid per patient during the trial). In intervention 2, the cost was euro 82.82, as opposed to euro 50.04. Neither of these 2 cost-effective treatments proved to be superior to the other. The cost-effectiveness of both treatments was stable against TAU in sensitivity analyses. (The exchange rate from October 1, 2003, was used; euro1 = $1.17.)

CONCLUSIONS
Both treatments have a high potential to reduce smoking-related morbidity at a low cost. It is highly recommended that they be implemented as a routine service offered by GPs because in many countries, health insurance plans currently do not fund nicotine replacement therapy.


This dissertation analyses the films of the Swedish film director and actor Erik "Hampe" Faustman (1919-1961). Faustman directed 20 films during the period 1943-1955. In the history of Swedish cinema, Faustman's role is that of the socially conscious spokesman for the working class.In an initial discussion on authorship the concept of "biographical legend" (introduced by the Russian formalist Boris Tomasjevskij, and applied in film studies by above all David Bordwell) appears to be a useful tool for maintaining a critical perspective on the biography of the auteur. The art historian Michael Baxandall method of providing historical explanations to pictures is further suggested as a way to describe different kinds of relations between the artist, the artefact and the context.One of the purposes of this dissertation is to examine, as well as question, Faustman's position in the history of Swedish cinema. Janet Stager's work on historical reception studies is used as a basis for the discussion. Observations that arise from the examination of the historical reception of Faustman's films form a basis as the focus shifts to Faustman's cinematic work. Style and narration are discussed more generally, using David Bordwell and Barry Salt as the most important sources.From a more specific viewpoint, questions of style and aesthetics are related to a national context. With reference to Baxandall, potential demands from political organizations, an instituting art-cinema, and the film industry are suggested. The actor in the cinema is examined from sociological, hermeneutic and aesthetic viewpoints (references: James Naremore, Richard Dyer, John Ellis and others). The discussion about the actors leads on to gender-related topics. The concept of masculinity is shown to be an especially productive perspective. It is also possible to read a growing criticism of the welfare state project into the films of Faustman. The last part of the dissertation concentrates more on the openly political content of Faustman's films. In his early films from the 1940s, Faustman was driven by an obvious social pathos. In his later work Faustman abandons this explicit approach. These films can be characterized by irony and satire rather than by pathos and political conviction.


ABSTRACT Introduction: HIV and tuberculosis (TB) are two of the most challenging infections faced by humanity and place immense burden on health care systems worldwide. Both HIV and TB impact one another's progression. Areas covered: HIV is the most important risk factor for progression of latent TB to active disease. TB is the most common cause of death among People Living with HIV (PLHIV). Timely detection of TB among PLHIV and screening for HIV among TB patients, early initiation of ART and ATT among coinfected persons, provision of CPT and TB Preventive therapy along with control of air-borne infection are some of the key activities to reduce morbidity and mortality among coinfected persons. Despite many challenges, the collaboration between two programs has yielded good results and globally more than 7.3 million lives of PLHIV have been saved globally through scale-up of collaborative TB/HIV activities since 2005. The review looked into key features of both programs that are the collaboration strategies and challenges that still need to be addressed. Expert opinion: The overarching principle for effective implementation of collaborative activities is integration of the TB and HIV national programs right from policy making to service delivery and monitoring.


Electric fields with double compensatory anticathode in the sea were formulated and simulated on the basis of one compensatory anticathode mathematical model and distribution of electric field was analyzed. Number position and current of compensatory anticathode were optimized base on evolutionary programming arithmetic; also electric fields compensated and uncompensated were compared. It shows that the electric fields around ship are reduced obviously by optimizing and the validity of the optimization method based on evolutionary programming arithmetic.


I believe that all of us are acutely aware of the information overload that swamps our professional lives. Each of us will return to our home institutions and find 50-100 e-mail messages (maybe more) and a mail box stuffed with all kinds of announcements, letters, junk mail, and our own scientific journals (at least electrons are an inexhaustible supply, while trees are not). The overall issue of information overload is too large a subject for me to tackle. (God knows you would all be fleeing for the exits if I were to try.) I want to confine my thoughts to an issue that affects us all as scientific scholars: How do we communicate our own ideas while giving proper credit to our colleagues?

I won't speak for anyone but myself, though I suspect many have had similar experiences. Now and then I find an hour or so where I can...


The early diagnosis of septicaemia in children is difficult because the clinical and laboratory findings can be inconclusive. Results of blood cultures are usually available after two days only. Especially in the neonate, delayed or uncritical use of wide spectrum antibiotics can have negative consequences. We tested whether inorganic serum phosphate determinations could be helpful for diagnosing septicaemia in children. As in adults hypophosphataemia is a frequently occurring symptom in children with septicaemia. Hypophosphataemic values below 4.3 mg/100 ml in the neonate and below 3.2 mg/100 ml in an older child support the diagnosis of septicaemia. The possiblity of quick evaluation has some diagnostic importance.


The study explores modes
of variability in the Southern Polar Cell and their relationship with known
global climate modes and Antarctic sea ice. It is found that Polar Cell is
barotropic in nature and 500 hPa geo-potential height (Z500) field
can satisfactorily represent variability in the Polar Cell. First, three
leading Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) modes of Z500 account for nearly 80% of observed
variability in the Polar Cell. Dominant mode (PC1500) comprises of
high pressure divergence zone over Antarctica. Second leading mode (PC2500)
is low pressure zone covering Amundsen-Bellingshausen Sea (ABS) similar to ABS
low feature. A new climate mode called Polar Coastal Index (PCI) is defined,
which describes more than 15% and close to 30% variability of circumpolar
trough and ABS low, respectively. Out of four modes defined in this study, only
PCI and PC2500 show
linear trends and clear seasonality. Interestingly, both modes are affected by
modulation of ABS low due to tropical ENSO forcing. SAM signature is present in
Polar Cell as PC1500 shares
large variance with it. The largest impact on sea ice comes from PC2500 followed by PC1500 in the Antarctic Dipole regions.
However, this study suggests contemporary sea ice trends cannot be sustained,
and can reverse given that trends in PCI and PC2500 favour a reversal. These results
indicate that ENSO-driven Polar Cell variability plays a crucial role influencing
Antarctic sea ice as it interacts with other climate modes and leads the
combined impact at the interannual time scale.


In this contribution, a genetic programming (GP)-based technique, which combines the ability of GP to explore both automatically and effectively, the whole set of candidate model structures and the robustness of evolutionary multimodel partitioning filters, is presented. The method is applied to the nonlinear system identification problem of complex biomedical data. Simulation results show that the algorithm identifies the true model and the true values of the unknown parameters for each different model structure, thus assisting the GP technique to converge more quickly to the (near) optimal model structure. The method has all the known advantages of the evolutionary multimodel partitioning filters, that is, it is not restricted to the Gaussian case; it is applicable to on-line/adaptive operation and is computationally efficient. Furthermore, it can be realized in a parallel processing fashion, a fact which makes it amenable to very large scale integration implementation.


Transgender women (TGW) have limited access to affordable viral hepatitis testing, hepatitis B vaccination, and treatment. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of viral hepatitis A, B, and C, as well as to compare the adherence and immunogenicity of two hepatitis B vaccine schedules among TGW in Central Brazil. A total of 440 TGW were interviewed and tested for hepatitis A, B, and C serological markers from 2017 to 2018. The hepatitis B vaccine was offered to 230 eligible TGW: 112 received a super accelerated hepatitis B vaccine schedule (G1) and 118 a standard schedule (G2). The antibody against the hepatitis A virus (HAV) was detected in 75.63% of the participants, and 12.3% of the TGW were exposed to the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Two (0.46%) participants were HBV carriers. Only 41.5% of the participants showed a serological profile of hepatitis B vaccination. The antibody against the hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) was found in six participants (1.37%). Of the TGW who received the first vaccine dose, 62 (55.36%) and 49 (41.52%) in G1 and G2, respectively, received three doses (p = 0.036). The vaccine response was evaluated in 28 G1 and 22 G2 TGW; of these, 89.3% and 100% developed protective anti-hepatitis B surface-antigen titers, respectively (p = 0.113). Since one-third of younger transgender women are susceptible to HAV, hepatitis B immunization is low, and the anti-HCV rate is higher in this group than in the general population in Central Brazil, public-health attention is warranted. The super-accelerated scheme demonstrated better adhesion and good immunogenicity, suggesting that it would be a more cost-effective solution.


Background and objective: An anti‐inflammatory effect of α2‐adrenoreceptor agonists has been suggested. Phospholipase A2 is a key enzyme in the production of precursors of inflammatory lipid mediators. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of clonidine on phospholipase A2 activity in an established in vitro model. Methods: Human being platelet membranes containing active phospholipase A2 were exposed to buffer control or to three increasing concentrations of clonidine. Phospholipase A2 was measured by a radioisotope technique. Results: A massive increase in phospholipase A2 activity was measured after clonidine exposure leading to final values of 92.5 ± 3.1 pmol mg protein−1 min−1 (4.5‐fold higher than control values; P ≤ 0.01 vs. control). After clonidine exposure the maximal reaction velocity increased, while the Michaelis‐Menten constant did not change. The Lineweaver‐Burk representation suggested an interaction of clonidine with the phospholipase A2‐substrate complex as well as the phospholipase A2 molecule. Conclusion: We conclude that the putative anti‐inflammatory effect of clonidine was not caused by inhibition of phospholipase A2.


Pragmatics is the subfield of linguistics which studies language and focuses on the users and the context of language rather than reference truth, or grammar. The aim of this article is to analyze the pragmatic meanings of Karonese proverbs spoken in the wedding party. It has become the Karo custom to advise the bride and the bridegroom in a wedding party by using wise words and proverbs. Such a ceremony is known as advisory expressions and explanatory meanings. The meanings are based on pragmatics which can be classified into three types: explanatory meaning, psychological meaning, and social meaning. The method of research applied in this study is qualitative research in which the data were based on some references in the library. This is also a field research as some of the data were obtained from respondents who expressed advisory speech to the bride and the bridegroom in wedding parties. This study applies Cass' (2012) theory of pragmatic usage which focuses on the inferred meaning that the speakers and listeners perceive, referring to Karonese proverbs spoken by family members and the married couple as the listeners. The results of this research are: (1) Karonese proverbs are commonly expressed in advisory speech of a wedding party that is addressed to the couple, (2) Among the three types of meaning discussed here, the social meanings are found most dominant. It can be concluded that the analysis of pragmatic meanings of the Karonese proverbs is very significant for language learners and for a newly married couple as to comprehend good advice from the elderly so that they can apply the advice in their new life. This is also significant as an attempt to preserve the asset of Indonesian culture, Karonese custom in Indonesia.

Keywords: Pragmatic meaning, explanatory meaning, psychological meaning, social meaning, Karonese proverb.


To determine the annual incidence of fall-related injuries among community-dwelling elderly people with dementia and to identify the factors predicting those likely to sustain such injuries, we conducted a cohort study with a one-year follow-up. As predicting factors, we paid particular attention to behavioural problems and difficulties in helping with activities of daily living based on the Assessment of Basic Care for the Demented (ABCD) scale. Thirty-five of 86 final study subjects and nine of 98 final control subjects sustained fall-related injuries. Significant factors associated with fall-related injuries to demented elderly subjects were ABCD score (adjusted odds ratio 0.73, 95% confidence interval 0.60-0.89), history of falls in the past year (3.65, 1.34-9.95), and Barthel index score (1.04, 1.00-1.08). This highlights the predictive value of better physical function but more difficult care status in relation to ADL for fall-related injuries.


Open scanners offer an increasing support to the ultrasound researchers who are involved in the experimental test of novel methods. Each system presents specific performance in terms of number of channels, flexibility, processing power, data storage capability, and overall dimensions. This paper reports the design criteria and hardware/software implementation details of a new 256-channel ultrasound advanced open platform. This system is organized in a modular architecture, including multiple front-end boards, interconnected by a high-speed (80 Gb/s) ring, capable of finely controlling all transmit (TX) and receive (RX) signals. High flexibility and processing power (equivalent to 2500 GFLOP) are guaranteed by the possibility of individually programming multiple digital signal processors and field programmable gate arrays. Eighty GB of on-board memory are available for the storage of prebeamforming, postbeamforming, and baseband data. The use of latest generation devices allowed to integrate all needed electronics in a small size (34 cm×30 cm×26 cm). The system implements a multiline beamformer that allows obtaining images of 96 lines by 2048 depths at a frame rate of 720 Hz (expandable to 3000 Hz). The multiline beamforming capability is also exploited to implement a real-time vector Doppler scheme in which a single TX and two independent RX apertures are simultaneously used to maintain the analysis over a full pulse repetition frequency range.


In 2014 and 2015, we surveyed investors and managers and asked the question, "Commodity trading advisors (CTAs)—How do they do it?" The survey responses allow us to explain the complexity of the CTA and managed futures industry with a simple, survey-led index model of trading global liquid markets with momentum indicators in a risk-weighted basket, managed to a target volatility and charging 2/20. This article first presents the survey results and the index construction. It then discusses how well the index represents the CTA industry. Finally, it discusses the benefits and application of the J8 CTA Index.


The verification and validation of automated driving systems at SAE levels 4 and 5 is a multi-faceted challenge for which classical statistical considerations become infeasible. For this, contemporary approaches suggest a decomposition into scenario classes combined with statistical analysis thereof regarding the emergence of criticality. Unfortunately, these associational approaches may yield spurious inferences, or worse, fail to recognize the causalities leading to critical scenarios, which are, in turn, prerequisite for the development and safeguarding of automated driving systems. As to incorporate causal knowledge within these processes, this work introduces a formalization of causal queries whose answers facilitate a causal understanding of safety-relevant influencing factors for automated driving. This formalized causal knowledge can be used to specify and implement abstract safety principles that provably reduce the criticality associated with these influencing factors. Based on Judea Pearl's causal theory, we define a causal relation as a causal structure together with a context, both related to a domain ontology, where the focus lies on modeling the effect of such influencing factors on criticality as measured by a suitable metric. As to assess modeling quality, we suggest various quantities and evaluate them on a small example. Our main example is a causal relation for the well-known influencing factor of a reduced coefficient of friction and its effect on longitudinal and lateral acceleration as required by the driving task. As availability and quality of data are imperative for validly estimating answers to the causal queries, we also discuss requirements on real-world and synthetic data acquisition. We thereby contribute to establishing causal considerations at the heart of the safety processes that are urgently needed as to ensure the safe operation of automated driving systems.


The assembly of Cu(CH3COO)2·H2O and pyridine-4,5-imidazoledicarboxylic acid (H3PyImDC) under solvothermal conditions in the presence of different organic templates yielded two three-dimensional chiral frameworks, |(C3H10N2)(C3H7NO)0.5(H2O)2|[CuIIC10H5O4N3] (1) and |(C4H9NO)0.5(H2O)8|[CuII2CuI(C10H5O4N3)2(C10H6O4N3)] (2). Both of the compounds crystallized in the cubic, P4332 space group and possessed open helical channels in the frameworks. To the best of our knowledge, compounds 1 and 2 present the first synthesized MOFs with a bmn and lcy-a net. Further characterization of the two compounds has been performed, including X-ray powder diffraction, inductively coupled plasma analysis, CHN, IR spectra, fluorescence spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum and thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis.


Galanin is a peptide present in the nervous system and peripheral tissues which exerts a broad range of physiological functions. The influence of centrally administered galanin (Gal; 100 pM i.c.v.) on arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) content in the hypothalamus and neurohypophysis as well as on their blood plasma concentration was estimated in male Wistar rats drinking ad libitum 2% solution of natrium chloride per 48 hours. In euhydrated rats and subsequently applied i.c.v. with Gal a significant fall in the hypothalamic and neurohypophysial content of OT but not AVP was observed, however, without simultaneous changes in these neurohormones blood plasma concentration. On the contrary, i.c.v. injection of Gal to salt-loaded rats caused a marked raise in AVP and OT level in the hypothalamus and neurohypophysis with subsequent diminution of both neurohormones concentration in blood plasma. These results suggest that in euhydrated rats Gal has an inhibitory influence on the biosynthesis as well as axonal transport of OT, but not AVP. On the contrary, in salt-loaded rats galanin restricts secretion of both neurohormones into the systemic circulation.


The authors present an algorithm for the reconstruction of a surface from an unorganized set of points in space. The point data may be obtained from a laser range scanner or any other digitizing tool to describe the shape of the object(s). The basic idea of the algorithm is to construct some kind of wire frame for the surface, the so-called surface description graph. This is performed by applying several steps. In the final part of the algorithm this wire frame is then filled with triangles. Each step uses rules for the reconstruction which are based on human knowledge in geometric structures. These rules are designed to allow the reconstruction of artificial objects as well as natural objects and are extendable in many aspects for ongoing research. As a result of this approach, the algorithm is able to reconstruct surfaces in data sites with changing point density as well as high curvature of the surface. In addition, it automatically recognizes the number of objects covered in the point set. Several examples are given to demonstrate its features.


Considers the role of employee representation in improving health and safety performance within small enterprises. Focuses on an approach to employee participation through regional health and safety representatives and provides an analysis of the factors necessary to ensure their effectiveness, based on previous studies in the UK and Sweden. Identifies and analyses the challenges presented by small enterprises in light of evidence from existing evaluation of regional representative schemes. Identifies and discusses supportive factors that might enhance representative participation in health and safety in small enterprises, including the role of regulation, and employer and trade union support. Considers the implications of the Health and Safety (Consultation of Employees) Regulations 1996 and concludes that in their present form they offer only very limited support for employee representation in health and safety in small enterprises.


The aim of the study was to evaluate individual inflammatory response after inguinal hernioplasty by measuring baseline and post-operative serum IL-6 response to surgery and quantifying the variability of the serum response in a homogeneous group of patients.Patients enrolled in the study underwent inguinal hernioplasty. Blood samples were used to analyze serum IL-6, TNF-alpha, LOOH and GSH levels. To identify high and low IL-6 responders, patients were divided into 2 groups according median values of the peak levels of IL-6. Mean levels of the cytokine were comparable at baseline but reached peak at 6 h and persisted elevated at following hours among high responders whereas remained significantly lower over time among low responders.Patients identified as low responders showed not significant changes in serum IL-6 levels over the postoperative period. In contrast, high responders demonstrated a significant response reaching the peak level of IL-6 after 6 hours post operation. © EuroMediterranean Biomedical Journal 2017


Three experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that the apparent movement of a stimulus when the two eyes, are alternately occluded can be explained by phoria and Hering's principles of visual direction. In experiments 1 and 2, the direction of apparent movement, eye position, and eye movements were measured when eye movements did and did not occur. In experiment 3, the magnitude of apparent movement and the extent of phoria were compared. Results from experiments 1 and 2 indicated that the direction of apparent movement could be predicted from the direction of phoria, in conjunction with Hering's principles, and was not contingent on eye movements. In experiment 3, a high positive correlation (r = 0.95) between the magnitude of apparent movement and the extent of phoria was obtained.


This paper throws light on the status of language learning in Andhra Pradesh and draw backs, problems and education system in the state. It tries to reveal the practical difficulties in teaching English language at school level. The paper focuses on a shift from medium of instruction in the state government schools and a change that occurred in the system since then. It suggests utilizing the resources that are available for rectifying the problems in order to meet the requirements of the present situation globally by the learners.


Solitary bone cysts are common, but serial roentgenograms showing their early rate of growth are not numerous, and seem worthy of publication. The Institute of Child Welfare of the University of California, in Berkeley. has been closely following the development of certain pupils in schools, and among the methods used is the taking of serial roentgenograms of the left knee. In the course of the routine studies the cyst to be reported was discovered, and the Institute permitted me to use its data. REPORT OF A CASE D. C., the boy in question, was a healthy active lad who had successfully weathered the usual childhood diseases. He had had no major accidents and no injury of any kind to the region of the left knee. The first roentgenograms were taken on May 6, 1938, when the boy was 9½ years of age. Both the anteroposterior and lateral views included the


We consider various approaches to the creation of a high-stability active optical frequency standard, where the atomic ensemble itself produces a highly stable and accurate frequency signal. The short-time frequency stability of such standards may overcome the stability of lasers stabilized to macroscopic cavities which are used as local oscillators in the modern optical frequency standard systems. The main idea is to create a "superradiant" laser operating deep in the bad cavity regime, where the decay rate of the cavity field significantly exceeds the decoherence rate of the lasing transition. Two main approaches towards the realization of an active optical frequency standard have been proposed already: the optical lattice laser, and the atomic beam laser. We consider these and some alternative approaches, and discuss the parameters for atomic ensembles necessary to attain the metrology relevant level of short-time frequency stability, and various effects and main challenges critical for practical implementations.


Spoken language understanding (SLU) systems can be trained on two types of labelled data: aligned or unaligned. Unaligned data do not require word by word annotation and is easier to be obtained. In the paper, we focus on spoken language understanding from unaligned data whose annotation is a set of act-slot-value triples. Previous works usually focus on improve slot-value pair prediction and estimate dialogue act types separately, which ignores the hierarchical structure of the act-slot-value triples. Here, we propose a novel hierarchical decoding model which dynamically parses act, slot and value in a structured way and employs pointer network to handle out-of-vocabulary (OOV) values. Experiments on DSTC2 dataset, a benchmark unaligned dataset, show that the proposed model not only outperforms previous state-of-the-art model, but also can be generalized effectively and efficiently to unseen act-slot type pairs and OOV values.


The combination of short bunches and high currents found in modern light sources and colliders can result in the deposition of tens of watts of power in BPM buttons. The resulting thermal distortion is potentially problematic for maintaining high precision beam position stability, and in the extreme case can result in mechanical damage. We present a simple algorithm that uses the input parameters of beam current, bunch length, button diameter, beampipe aperture, and fill pattern to calculate a relative figure-of-merit for button heating. Data for many of the world's light sources and colliders is compiled in a table. Using the algorithm, the table is sorted in order of the relative magnitude of button heating.


Benthic foraging by fish can modify the nature and rates of fine sediment accrual and the structure and topography of coarse-grained fluvial substrates, with the potential to alter bed material characteristics, particle entrainment thresholds, and bedload transport fluxes. However, knowledge of what controls the nature, extent, and intensity of benthic foraging and the consequent influence of these controls on geomorphic impact remains rudimentary. An ex-situ experiment utilising Barbel Barbus barbus and Chub Leuciscus cephalus extended previous work by considering the role of fish size and species as controls of sediment disturbance by foraging and the implications for bed material characteristics and bedload transport. In a laboratory flume, changes in bed microtopography and structure were measured when a water-worked bed of 5.6-22.6 mm gravels was exposed to four size classes of Barbel (4-5", 5-6", 6-8", 8-10" in length) and a single size class of Chub (8-10"). In line with other studies that have investigated animal size as a control of zoogeomorphic agency, increasing the size of Barbel had a significant effect on measured disturbance and transport metrics. Specifically, the area of disturbed substrate, foraging depth, and the fish's impact on microtopographic roughness and imbrication all increased as a function of fish size. In a comparison of the foraging effects of like-sized Barbel and Chub, 8-10" in length, Barbel foraged a larger area of the test bed and had a greater impact on microtopographic roughness and sediment structure. Relative to water-worked beds that were not foraged, bed conditioning by both species was associated with increased bedload transport during the subsequent application of high flows. However, the bedload flux after foraging by Barbel, which is a specialist benthivore, was 150% higher than that following foraging by Chub, which feed opportunistically from the bed, and the total transported mass of sediment was 98% greater. An interesting implication of these results, given the abundance and widespread distribution of foraging fish, is that numerous fish species belonging to a variety of functional groups may be acting as zoogeomorphic agents in rivers, directly affecting bed material conditions and sediment transport fluxes in proportion to their body size and feeding traits.


Objectives
Individual risk of surgical patients is more often underestimated and there is not an absolute criterion demonstrating which patient deserves intensive care. Since a nominative assessment of these patients to quantify the intensity of critical illness is not appropriate, prognostic scores are used to assess the mortality rate and prognosis for critical patients including surgical ones. This study aimed to test the calibration power of SAPS-3 score and SOFA score of surgical patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery, and identify any relation with patient outcomes in the department of surgical ICU.

Material and Methods
This retrospective observational study was conducted during the period between August 2017 and December 2017. It was performed at a Gastroenterological Surgical ICU, a tertiary care hospital in Ankara, Türkiye. To calculate SAPS-3 and SOFA score, physiological data and laboratory analysis on the day of ICU admission were used. Records were reviewed from hospitalization to medical discharge or hospital mortality. Statistical analysis included Mann Whitney U-test and ROC-curves to predict 30-day mortality.

Results
A total of 233 patients admitted to the Gastroenterological Surgical ICU were included into the study and the main reason for ICU admission was surgical problems. Mortality rate was 2.6 % (6 patients). Average SAPS -3 score was 32.5 and SOFA score was 30.1. A significant correlation was observed with the SAPS-3 score, but not with the SOFA score statistically in mortality as a dependent factor. The discriminative power, assessed using the AUC and the probability of death estimation, was satisfactory with the SAPS-3 scores (AUC 0.754) while it was lower with the SOFA score (AUC 0.631).

Conclusion
We found that SAPS-3 score was significantly correlated not only with mortality rate, but also with LOS in the ICU. Nonetheless, SOFA score was not related to mortality, but related to LOS in the ICU. Prognostic score systems are used to estimate mortality but they may be used to identify LOS in the ICU and postoperative complications. It can be concluded that SAPS-3 and SOFA scores may be used to prognosticate postoperative ICU requirement.


Lands are scarce resources and must be optimally and sustainably utilize to satisfy the growing world population. Not all lands are suitable for agriculture purposes and this can be achieved through agroecological approach with the aid of Geographic Information System. A land use planning study on the basis of agroecological zoning was conducted in Central Kalimantan province of Indonesia.  The general methodology in this study was based on land evaluation concept.  The expert system called Land Use Program was employed to support land evaluation as general guideline for selection of agriculture system and land utilization. Land resources and climate data were then interpreted by expert system to determine zoning system for forest, perennial and annual crop, and agroforestry.  The application of geographic information (GIS) was used as database management system (DBMS) for tabular and spatial reference data as basic information of land use planning.  On the basis of land characteristics and climatic data, Central Kalimantan would be geographically divided into 7 main zones and 4 sub-zones with its zoning system within each zone or sub-zone.  The Zone I, VI, VII, and sub-zone V.2 with the total area of 4,481,300 hectares or 29.1% of total Central Kalimantan province would be allocated for forest.  The Zone II and sub-zone V.1 would be recommended for perennial crop, while zone IV (sub-zone IV1 and IV.2) would be allocated for annual crops. The total area for the perennial crop zones (II and V.1) and annual crop zones (VI) would be 6,708,400 hectares (43.6%) and 2,564,000 hectares (16.7%), respectively.  The Zone III with an area of almost 1,509,000 hectares (9.8%) would be recommended for agroforestry.  The agroecological zone approach allows efficient, effective, and optimal land utilization but for must be cautiously applied to ensure sustainable future development of Central Kalimantan. Keywords : GIS, land use planning, agroecological system, Central Kalimantan.


The object of this paper is to study the ability of four white-rot fungi (Trametes versicolor, Hypoxylon fragiforme, Chondrostereum purpureum, and Pleurotus ostreatus) and one brown-rot fungus (Gloeophyllum trabeum) to degrade the organochlorine insecticide lindane in liquid cultures. The evaluation of lindane biodegradation was performed using two analytical procedures. In order to extract and properly quantify the remaining lindane from fungal liquid cultures, two different extraction procedures were used: extraction from fi ltrates and extraction from homogenized fungal cultures. White-rot fungi were able to degrade lindane. The amount of degraded lindane increased with its exposure period in the liquid cultures of all white-rot fungi used, except C. purpureum. After 21 days of exposure, over 90 % of lindane was degraded by T. versicolor, H. fragiforme, and P. ostreatus. Degradation of lindane by the brown rot G. trabeum did not occur. The extraction procedures, when liquid cultures of T. versicolor, H. fragiforme, and P. ostreatus were used, had no noticeable effect on the determined degradation after 21 days of exposure. On the other hand, the amount of remaining lindane in liquid cultures of C. purpureum and G. trabeum depended strongly on the extraction procedure. Our study indicates that mycoremediation studies of lindane should also consider adsorption onto mycelial biomass as a possible reason for the removal of the insecticide from the liquid medium, especially where shorter exposure periods are studied or fungi with poorer degradation potentials are used.


Across sectors, neo-liberal logics render individual workers responsible for health and safety while limiting public protections against hazards. This article considers how 'responsibilisation' strategies shape responses to health and safety risks among community-based personal
 support workers in Ontario, Canada. Using mixed-methods data, we consider how structural and demographic conditions exacerbate risks. We argue that the relational aspects of care and the private nature of working in clients' homes shape perceptions of individual responsibility, even
 when organisations provide supports. We engage with feminist political economy to articulate the macro-, meso- and micro-dynamics relevant to health and safety in this feminised occupation.


The product of the c-src proto-oncogene (pp60c-src) is a tyrosine-specific protein kinase that is expressed in two phases of neural development. In post-mitotic neuronal cells undergoing terminal differentiation, pp60c-src is present at high levels in the membrane of nerve growth cones and proximal axon shafts. Membrane-associated forms of alpha- and beta-tubulin are the major phosphotyrosine-modified proteins in growth cone membranes in vivo. pp60c-src phosphorylates purified, unassembled tubulin subunits in vitro, inhibiting their ability to polymerize into microtubules. It is conceivable that tubulin phosphorylation by pp60c-src in the growth cone may regulate neurite extension by altering adhesion of cells to the substratum.


The perception one holds towards language teaching practice governs the failure or success of teaching practice. To this end, this study aimed to assess EFL traineeteachers' perceptions of teaching practices in four selected teacher education colleges of southern Ethiopia. To address the objectives, the study employed mixed method design. 120 EFL trainee-teachers were selected through comprehensive sampling. Questionnaire, interview and focus group discussion were data collection tools. Questionnaire was employed to examine the perceptions of EFL trainee-teachers towards school-based teaching practice. Interviews was carried out to triangulate data from questionnaire. Focus group discussion was employed to corroborate the data from questionnaire and interview. The questionnaire was administered to all 120 EFL trainee teachers. Accordingly, the quantitative data were analysed using mean and standard deviation. Qualitative data were analysed descriptively. The finding from survey data revealed that EFL trainee teachers had positive perceptions towards school-based teaching practice. The findings from interview also supported the quantitative data result. The findings from the focus group discussion also supported the quantitative and qualitative results. Furthermore, the findings from Mann-Whitney U test revealed that there were no perceptions differences between male and female students due to gender.


The life of William Wallace has been one of the great themes of Scottish Literature since the Middle Ages. No pretence is made of offering a comprehensive catalogue of works on him which would be both boring and incomplete. Instead, it is proposed to examine and compare how different writers at different times have developed and contributed to the theme. The relationship between Literature and History is like a difficult marriage: the two cannot agree, yet they cannot live apart. In earlier society there was no distinction between Literature and History: the bard was the singer and the chronicler, he wrote, or recited rather, with an immediate and practical purpose, the glorification of his patron and his family. The skills were those of rhetoric, versification, imagery, declamation and memory. Today the purposes of the literary writer and the historiographer are totally different.


Photorealistic editing of outdoor scenes from photographs requires a profound understanding of the image formation process and an accurate estimation of the scene geometry, reflectance and illumination. A delicate manipulation of the lighting can then be performed while keeping the scene albedo and geometry unaltered. We present NeRF-OSR, i.e., the first approach for outdoor scene relighting based on neural radiance fields. In contrast to the prior art, our technique allows simultaneous editing of both scene illumination and camera viewpoint using only a collection of outdoor photos shot in uncontrolled settings. Moreover, it enables direct control over the scene illumination, as defined through a spherical harmonics model. It also includes a dedicated network for shadow reproduction, which is crucial for high-quality outdoor scene relighting. To evaluate the proposed method, we collect a new benchmark dataset of several outdoor sites, where each site is photographed from multiple viewpoints and at different timings. For each timing, a 360 ◦ environment map is captured together with a colour-calibration chequerboard to allow accurate numerical evaluations on real data against ground truth. Comparisons against state of the art show that NeRF-OSR enables controllable lighting and viewpoint editing at higher quality and with realistic self-shadowing reproduction. Our method and the dataset will be made publicly available at https://4dqv.mpi-inf.mpg


High level perceptual tasks such as context understanding, SLAM and object recognition are essential for intelligent robot to provide services for human supports. Those intelligent robots often use camera sensor for vision information, sonar or laser sensor for range information, encoder for angular velocity of wheel and so on. The information is generated at different time intervals by the different H/W devices and S/W algorithms. The generation of high level information requires the specific mixture of low level information. And the information should be represented to be useful for robots to use in their ecological niche. In conventional robot systems, perceptual module requires the resource to use by tightly coupling whenever it is needed. So the resource and information cannot be easily shared and even could be invalid for the delayed information. In this paper, we propose a synchronization system of robot-centered information for context understanding. Our system represents information for the robot capacity and synchronizes the information that is asynchronously generated, where is employed the black-board architecture


This paper describes an action research on the success factors of e-learning projects in corporate environments. One of the most important factors is a pedagogical framework aimed at promoting learning by doing and who structures learning material in activities based on the learners' everyday coping at their workplaces. In this context, the added value of online training lies in the flexibility of access to training and in the fact of promoting connections with colleagues beyond the workplace. Finally, participative systems design and being sensitive to the system of alliances inside the company are also critical success factors of this kind of projects.


The effect of the oral administration of aqueous suspension of Nigella sativa (50 mg/kg b.wt.) against chromosomal aberrations and ultrastructural changes of the bone marrow cells in mice treated with carbon tetrachloride CCl4 was studied. CCl4 was administered in two dose levels equivalent to¼ (1.9 ml/kg b.wt.) and ½ (3.8 ml/kg b.wt.) of the oral LD50 in mice. The data indicated a significant dose-dependent decrease in the mitotic activity of bone marrow cells in animals treated with CCl4. Also a significant dose-dependent increase in the number of bone marrow cells with different types of chromosomal aberrations was recorded in these animals. Ultrastructural changes were also dose-dependent including both nucleus and cytoplasm of erythroid and myeloid elements of the bone marrow cells. Treatment of the animals with N. sativa improved both genotoxicity and ultrastructural changes induced by the two dose levels of CCl4.


Ischemic heart disease (IHD) outstands among diseases threatening public health. Essential for its management are the continuous advances in medical and interventional therapies, although a prompt and accurate diagnosis and prognostic stratification are equally important. Besides information on the anatomy of coronary arteries, well covered nowadays by invasive and non-invasive angiographic techniques, there are also other components of the disease with clinical impact, as the presence of myocardial necrosis, the extent of pump function impairment, and the presence and extent of inducible myocardial ischemia, that must be considered in every patient. Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR) is a multiparametric diagnostic imaging technique that provides reliable information on these issues. Regarding the detection and grading of inducible ischemia in particular, the technique has been widely adopted in the form of myocardial perfusion sequences under vasodilator stress, which is the subject of this review. While the analysis of images is conventionally performed by visual inspection of dynamic first-pass studies, with the inherent dependency on the operator capability, the recent introduction of a reliable application of quantitative perfusion (QP) represents a significant advance in the field. QP is based on a dual-sequence strategy for conversion of signal intensities into contrast agent concentration units and includes a full automatization of processes such as myocardial blood flow (MBF) calculation (in mL/min/g), generation of a pixel-wise flow mapping, myocardial segmentation, based on machine learning, and allocation of MBF values to myocardial segments. The acquisition of this protocol during induced vasodilation and at rest gives values of stress/rest MBF (in mL/min/g) and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR), both global and per segment. Dual-sequence QP has been successfully validated against different reference methods, and its prognostic value has been shown in large longitudinal studies. The fact of the whole process being automated, without operator interaction, permits to conceive new interesting scenarios of integration of CMR into systems of entirely automated diagnostic workflow in patients with IHD.


This paper investigates the effects of brazing temperatures on the microstructure and compressive strength for brazing porous nickel to copper and stainless steel using VZ2250 as the brazing filler metal. A high vacuum furnace is used to braze the samples. Three different brazing process parameters were set with a heating and cooling rate of 10°C/min, respectively. The characteristics of the joint interface have been investigated to evaluate the performance of the brazed samples by use of scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscope, X-Ray diffractometer, and Instron Universal Testing machine. The data obtained has been quantitively analyzed to confirm the diffusion of the BFM during the brazing process. It has been found that the diffusion process resulted in an increase in the rigidity of the porous Ni. The compressive strength tests for the brazed joint showed that the maximum compressive strength can be achieved for brazing at 680°C. The highest compressive strength value has been justified by quantitative analysis of the microstructural data. It has been proved that the VZ2250 BFM effectively diffused into the porous Ni at the brazing temperature of 680°C; Cu3P and Cu6Sn5 were detected at the brazed Interface 1, whereas MnNi3 phase at the brazed Interface 2.


Abstract Ring−like sources of 6.7 GHz methanol maser emission were discovered a decade ago with the European VLBI Network. In the past years we have been incessantly working to understand the nature of these rings. In general, the methanol rings do not coincide with H II regions nor they show 22 GHz water maser emission. Here, we present a proper motion study over a time baseline up to 10.5 years for the first sub-sample of methanol maser rings. Our findings suggest that in three targets G23.207−00.377, G23.389+00.185, and G23.657−00.127, such rings form in outflows or even in winds close to the central sources, and the masers trace slow proper motions of a few km s−1 typically.


Introduction It is proposed in this paper briefly to review the surgical procedure of keratoplasty, rapidly to note the stages of development, to comment on its present status, its possibilities, and its limitations, and to point out in what directions we may expect future progress with suggestions as to how we should best apply our efforts to attain these desired ends. Until recent years the efforts of the surgeon or specialist working in the field of tissue transplantation have been preoccupied with instrumentation, technique, and clinical observation of the patient. This is not to be decried, since it is quite obvious that mechanical improvement in corneal grafting techniques and instrumentation is largely responsible for the present high level of achievement in this area. When, however, we come to interpretation of clinical problems, as for example, "graft sickness," speculation has run wild and there has been relatively little serious or scientific


As several large scale interferometers are beginning to take data at sensitivities where astrophysical sources are predicted, the direct detection of gravitational waves may well be imminent. This would open the gravitational-wave window to our Universe and should lead to a much improved understanding of the most violent processes imaginable; the formation of black holes and neutron stars following core collapse supernovae and the merger of compact objects at the end of binary inspiral. Among the best candidate sources for gravitational waves are the oscillations, but mainly the rotational instabilities of neutron stars which can emit quite strong gravitational wave signals via which one may reveal the details of their structure. Magnetars also are neutron stars with ultra strong magnetic field whose periodic flaring activity is associated with starquakes. They are also a potential source of gravitational waves while even the quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in the electromagnetic spectrum can reveal the details of their structure.


The manifold notion of migratory aesthetics serves as the critical grounding for this analysis focusing on Mohamad Hafez's and Ahmed Badr's multimedia installation, UNPACKED: Refugee Baggage (2017-2020), a socially and politically committed artistic project. Migratory aesthetics as a conceptual frame can encompass artifacts reflecting upon the experience of forced migration, displacement, and uprootedness. However, the concept also proposes the engendering of a platform for the confluence of art and the political. In accordance with the theories of Mieke Bal, Miguel Á. Hernández-Navarro, and Jacques Rancière, "political" is meant to signify a space of generative conflict, an active, communal, participatory encounter between sentient bodies and artworks. UNPACKED confronts the audience on many levels: physically, by leaving them in limbo, suspended between the inside and the outside, the private and the public, safety and threat; conceptually (owing to the phenomenal, embodied experience of the viewers), by provoking a sense of dislocation and homelessness, resulting in the potential for identification with the status of being a refugee, a migrant, and an asylum seeker. UNPACKED encapsulates, both spatially and temporally, the invisible and silenced trauma of forced migration, eventually effectuating collective understanding in the constitutive political space of art. (GM)


Background and objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the acceptability and therapeutic efficacy of a preoperative single administration of long‐acting 5‐hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5‐HT3) receptor antagonist in an orally disintegrating tablet formulation, ramosetron, in breast cancer patients. Methods: Two hundred and forty women, ASA I‐II, aged 24‐60 yr, undergoing elective breast cancer surgery, were randomized. A standardized anaesthetic technique was used. Patients were assigned to receive one of three treatment regimens (n = 80 in each group): no prophylactic antiemetics (Group A), single prophylactic intravenous injection of ramosetron 0.1 mg at the completion of surgery (Group B) or preoperatively oral administration of 0.1 mg of ramosetron (Group C). Episodes of nausea and vomiting, the use of rescue antiemetic treatment, degree of pain, adverse events and level of satisfaction were recorded. Results: The overall incidence of nausea and vomiting during the first 24 h after the recovery in Groups B (27.8%) and C (25%) was decreased significantly compared with Group A (75.3%). The frequency of the use of rescue antiemetics was significantly lower in Group C (5.0%) compared with Groups A (53.2%) and B (15.2%). The patients in Group C were more satisfied with control of postoperative nausea and vomiting than others. Conclusion: Preoperative oral administration of ramosetron at a dose of 0.1 mg is an acceptable and effective way of reducing the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients.


Experimental alteration of obsidian was performed in 0.001 to 0.5 N NaOH and KOH solutions at 150 and 200 °C for 1 to 30 d. The products were examined by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Changes in chemical composition and pH value of solutions during the reactions were also measured. As the pH of reacting solutions was increased, smectite, phillipsite and rhodesite crystallized progressively in NaOH solutions, while smectite, merlinoite and sanidine grew successively in KOH solutions. In addition, a small amount of less-soluble, poorly ordered boehmite was present as products of all the experiments. Smectite mainly appeared at slightly high pH, Si/Al and Na/K conditions, whereas rhodesite should be produced in extremely high pH, Na/K and Si/Al conditions. Sanidine was also formed in conditions of very high pH and Si/Al and very low Na/K. In intermediate conditions of pH and Si/Al, crystallization of phillipsite was stimulated in solutions of Na/K > 10, while formation of merlinoite was favored in conditions of Na/K < 1.


One of the characteristic feature of normal occlusion is arch continuity, as expressed by proximal contact between all teeth in each dental arch.The dental arches of a consider able number of individuals show space between some,or even all,of the teeth.Such dental arches are know as spaced dentition.It is detrimental of arch integrity, esthetics and normal dental function.The purpose of this article to study distribution according to sex and age,number and location of the spaces,their etiology and principle of orthodontic treatment.In a random sample of 68 cases of the participating patients who is space greater than 0.5 millimeter between the proximal surface of adjacent teeth.The samples were divided into three age groups, the exact width of each space was measured by calipers in table.


Drone brood is a little-known bee product which is frequently considered as a male equivalent of royal jelly and is sometimes used as its adulterant. The aim of the study was to compare the chemical composition and biological activity of both bee products originated from the same apiaries (n = 3) limiting the influence of genetic and environmental factors. Moreover, for drone brood study covered testing three stages of larval development (days 7, 11, and 14). The comparison included mineral composition (ICP-OES method), protein content and protein profile (SDS-PAGE), testosterone and estradiol content (ELISA tests). HPTLC method was used to analyze of sugar, amino acids, and polyphenolic profile of drone brood and royal jelly. Moreover, their antioxidant and enzymatic properties were compared. A lot of similarities between drone brood and royal jelly were found in terms of chemical components. However, drone brood was more abundant in iron and manganese, reducing sugars and some amino acids, especially proline, tyrosine, and leucine. It contained more testosterone (especially on the 14th day) and estradiol (on the 7th day). The greatest differences in the enzymatic activities and polyphenolic profile were found. Diastase and α-glucosidase activity were found as specific enzymes of the drone brood. Similarly, ferulic and ellagic acids were characteristic for brood and were not present in royal jelly. The study showed a lot of similar features for both tested bee products, however, some specific markers which can serve to differentiate drone brood and royal jelly were found.


Workers most exposed to economic risk around the world are commonly not covered by labour law either because laws were designed with people with a standard, continuous employer in mind or because of poor enforcement. According to the International Labour Organization's estimates, informal work, as a percentage of non-agricultural employment, continues to account for over 50% of all employment in half of the countries with comparable data across the globe. In onethird of countries, it involves over 65% of workers.1 There are exciting local and national experiments in new forms of labour regulation occurring in various countries that aim to extend labour regulation to non-standard workers, ensuring that they receive living minimum wages. This article compares four experiments in regulating work, including innovations in the regulation of work for head load (Mathadi) workers in India, immigrant industrial clothing outworkers in Australia, garment workers in Cambodia, and workers in Bulgaria who rely on a range of homebased activities to survive. The schemes have enjoyed varying success, providing lessons about what does and does not work in different contexts.


This study proposes a method for synthesizing 3-D microwave images using a multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) radar. Recent studies on MIMO radar technology have reported promising hardware that can be used in radar imaging. In particular, the increased amount of data acquired from MIMO radar is effective for 3-D radar imaging. Despite the demand for using 3-D radar imaging, the underlying technical challenges have not been addressed. Although the array synthetic aperture radar method is promising, realizing a multichannel radar with numerous channels requires significant effort in terms of hardware. Therefore, an MIMO radar can be used to effectively increase the number of channels with reduced hardware. Studies on beat frequency division (BFD) frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radars show that the simultaneously transmitted MIMO signal is suitable for radar imaging applications without hindering the along-track imaging performances. In this study, the signal of a BFD FMCW radar mounted on a movable platform is modeled according to the imaging geometry, and a fast Fourier transform-based imaging algorithm is derived to efficiently process the multichannel data. This algorithm is applied to the simulated radar data to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The method is further assessed by applying the imaging algorithm to the radar data acquired from a functional W-band BFD FMCW radar hardware. The radar transceiver was mounted on a movable table, and the data are measured at an outdoor experiment site. The results verify that the proposed method can be used for various 3-D radar imaging applications.


We present a nanophotonic method capable of detecting mid-infrared molecular fingerprints without the need for spectrometry, frequency scanning, or moving mechanical parts. We leverage dielectric metasurfaces featuring ultra-sharp resonances each tuned to discrete frequencies, enabling us to sample molecular absorption signatures over the mid-IR spectral range.© 2019 The Author(s)


The study sought to assess the suitability of groundwater for domestic and drinking purposes in the Effutu Municipality of Ghana. The paper employed laboratory protocols to analyse the water quality parameters' concentrations for groundwater samples collected from wells. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to analyse the data and the concentrations of parameters compared with the World Health Organisation's (WHO) permissible limits. Principal component analysis using the varimax rotation was employed to explore the main parameters which express groundwater quality in the municipality. Water quality index employing the weighted arithmetic method was also used to score groundwater suitability for domestic and drinking purposes. The study found that the main parameters determining groundwater quality in the Effutu Municipality are conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, hardness, chloride, calcium, magnesium, and sodium. Except for conductivity, manganese, TDS, total hardness, and calcium, the average concentrations for all studied water quality parameters were within limits proposed by WHO. The study further revealed that 48.15%, 44.44%, and 7.41% of the groundwater had excellent, good, and poor water quality indices, respectively. The investigation so advances that the groundwater resources of the Effutu Municipality are suitable for domestic purposes. Despite this, we recommend that abstracted groundwater should be treated by prioritizing the water quality parameters.


Twenty-five (25) freshly laid Japanese quail (Cortunix japonica) eggs, randomly selected weekly for 7 weeks from the base population of 249 birds were used to estimate the repeatability of external and internal egg quality traits. External egg quality traits were Egg Weight (EWT), Egg Length (EL), Egg Width (EW), Shell Weight (SWT) and Shell Thickness (ST). Internal egg traits were Yolk Height (YH), Yolk Diameter (YD), Albumen Height (AH), Albumen Diameter (AD), Yolk Weight (YWT) and Albumen Weight (AWT). Variance components and Repeatability estimates were obtained using the one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with the Computer aided Software, Statistical Analysis System (SAS, version 8). High repeatability estimate (0.76) was observed for egg weight. Only egg weight would require a maximum of 7 records to characterize the inherent producing ability of each hen. Selection for improvement using egg weight will result in good performance and significant genetic gain. More records would be needed to achieve this for other external and internal egg quality traits. From this study Egg weight should therefore be adopted as the key determinant for repeatability estimations in Japanese quail.
Key words: Japanese quail, Egg traits, Internal, External, Repeatability


Painful ophthalmoplegias have numerous etiologies and are often the presenting sign of a severe disease. Anatomic localization of the lesion is essential in interpreting neuroimaging.


CPS (cyber-physical systems) which consists of connected and diverse embedded systems and physical systems are a new paradigm. Traditional systems were usually considered to be passive and dumb parts in physical systems, but with CPS, we have to take into account what are being moved or changed in the physical systems. So, as increasing the complexity of CPS, potential errors in the systems also increase. In this paper, for enhancing the reliability of CPS, we exploit an executable-model-based design methodology and propose a distributed simulation method to verify the design of CPS. For the design of the systems including discrete and continuous factors, we apply DEV&DESS formalism and simulate models in distributed simulation environments through DDS middleware. We also illustrate the applications of CPS with our modeling tool.


2-nm-thick ZnO nanoislands have been grown using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) on the surface of n-i-p a-Si:H solar cells. With the nanoislands, an average improvement of 10.6% in short circuit current density (Jsc) and 12.05% in efficiency compared to the reference cell are achieved. Improved spectral response is obtained from ZnO nanoislands coated cell with an improvement of 4.2% and 5.25% in peak EQE and IQE respectively. The coated cell also minimizes reflection between 340–520 nm indicating light scattering ability of these nanoislands. Further analysis suggests that overall enhancement can be attributed to photon energy downshifting with a reduction in reflectivity.


Problems of a generation system reduction in calculations of a power system (PS) adequacy are considered. The attention is mostly focused on mathematical models, based on the binominal and Poisson distributions, Poisson failure flows and characteristic functions of random variables. The reduction procedures result in the disturbance of integer number of units in operation. It was shown that it is appropriate to carry out rounding-off and following correction of probabilistic indices using the criteria of capacities at hand and expected values of generation tripped equality. As a result of models comparison the preference is made for models, based on the binominal and Poisson distributions. In the case of huge PS units diversification the combined distribution is assumed to be used, emphasizing units with the highest capacity and equivalent the rest, in order to perform adjusted calculations by means of computer.


Introduction: Dunes provide a unique set of information about local wind regimes on planetary bodies where in-situ meteorological measurements are scarce. Wind directional variability and sediment availability are known to control the dune growth mechanism and the subsequent dune shape and orientation [1,2]. In zones of high sediment availability (i.e., mobilizable sediment in the inter-dune areas), dunes grow in height perpendicularly to the maximum gross bedform-normal transport [3]. This dune growth mechanism is henceforth referred as BI, the "bed instability mode". In contrast, in zones of low sand availability (i.e., non-mobilizable bed in the inter-dune areas), dunes elongate in the direction of the resultant sand flux by deposition at the dune tip of the sediment, which is transported along the crest. This dune growth mechanism is henceforth referred as F, the "fingering mode" [4]. On Mars, dunes cover an area estimated around 975,000 km [5-7] of which 86% belong to the North Polar Region. Fifty years of Martian surface observation show that dunes are still active on Mars [8]. In Polar Regions, because of the seasonal CO2 cap, sediment transport may only occur from late spring to early autumn, hence during approximately 30% of a Martian year [8]. Modern winds on Mars are therefore supposed to contribute to shape sand seas. Nevertheless, wind regimes on Mars are still under debate. Actually, they essentially rely on the predictions of Global Circulation Models (GCM). Here, we show that both dune growth mechanisms coexist on Mars and that there is a strong dependence of dune orientation on sediment availability. We use this dependence at two different sites at the border of the largest sand sea to infer new constraints on the local multi-directional wind regimes.


A 61-year-old woman with a left main lesion and coronary spastic angina was scheduled for off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). She had been orally receiving selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor( SSRI) for the treatment of depression. OPCAB to left anterior discending artery( LAD) and left circumflex branch (LCX) was performed using the bilateral internal thoracic arteries assisted by intra-aortic balloon pumping. When the sternotomy was going to be closed, ST elevation of electrocardiogram (ECG) occurred and was followed by complete atrio-ventricular (AV) block. After returning to intensive care unit (ICU), the patient showed rapid elevation of the body temperature, excessive sweating, progressive metabolic acidosis, and abnormal high levels in white blood cell count and creatine phosphokinase. On suspicion of neuroleptic malignant syndrome(NMS) onset, dantrolene sodium hydrate was administered, resulting in marked improvement of the symptoms. We have concluded that this case was an NMS combined with coronary artery spasm during OPCAB treated successfully with dantrolene sodium hydrate.


When a compressor is throttled to the near stall point, rotating instability (RI) is often observed as significant increases of amplitude within a narrow frequency band which can be regarded as a pre-stall disturbance. In the current study, a single compressor rotor row with varying blade tip clearance (1.3%, 2.6% and 4.3% chord length) was numerically simulated using the zonal large eddy simulation model. The mesh with six blade passages was selected to capture the proper dynamic feature after being validated in comparison to the measured data, and the dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) approach was applied to the numerical temporal snapshots. In the experimental results, RIs are detected in the configurations with middle and large tip gaps (2.6% and 4.3% chord length), and the corresponding characterized frequencies are about 1/2 and 1/3 of the blade passing frequency, respectively. Simulations provide remarkable performance in capturing the measured flow features, and the DMD modes corresponding to the featured RI frequencies are successfully extracted and then visualized. The analysis of DMD results indicates that RI is essentially a presentation of the pressure wave propagating over the blade tip region. The tip leakage vortex stretches to the front part of the adjacent blade and consequently triggers the flow perturbations (waves). The wave influences the pressure distribution, which, in turn, determines the tip leakage flow and finally forms a loop.


By the time this article is published, it will have been 45 years since the publication of Elizabeth A.R. Brown's 'The Tyranny of a Construct: Feudalism and Historians of Medieval Europe.' In this milestone of the field, she shed light on the various negative effects of the overreaching concept of Feudalism, and the ways in which it was unthoughtfully applied to medieval history as a whole. While the article is well-known to all significant scholars in the field today, the impact it had hoped to have – specifically, Brown's hope that Feudalism would ultimately become relatively marginalized as a concept, and that 'Perhaps in its downfall it will carry with it those other obdurate isms – manorial, scholastic, and human' – must be found wanting. Misconceptions and faulty models continue to populate the field – perhaps none more stubbornly than Heteronomy.