As digital tools and social networks became the main mode of interaction for many people, interpersonal communication has changed. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) has become more important than face-to-face communication in many contexts. Younger generations prefer CMC. Personal interaction normally consists of verbal and non-verbal communication. Computer-mediated communication lacks traditional non-verbal cues, which may cause misunderstandings, influencing meaningful interpersonal communication. Because of a lack of face-to-face communication, people often present an idealised version of themselves, thus becoming less inhibited involving more inappropriate self-disclosure on, for instance, social networks. The research question for this literature review was whether communicating with others mainly through digital means without adequate non-verbal cues would influence meaningful interaction between people. This study used the cues-filtered-out approach and the social presence theory with a literature review to get some clarity on the above question. The premise of the author was that because of the lack of non-verbal cues, CMC messages could influence the understanding of emotions and attitudes, thus compromising meaningful communication and personal understanding of the other. The outcome was that in today's world people have to use CMC, but for meaningful interpersonal communication, they should try to combine it with face-to-face interaction.


Improving the quality of human should begin as early as infancy. One factor that plays an important role in improving the quality of man is breastfeeding (breast milk). Problems related to the coverage of exclusive breastfeeding which is still very limited power and not maximal breastfeeding counselor education activities, dissemination, advocacy, and the related campaigns breastfeeding. Breastfeeding needs to be programmed to establish breastfeeding support groups and Kader Support Group as an activity that can support successful breastfeeding mothers. Breastfeeding counseling is an effective way to increase exclusive breastfeeding.
The study was to examine the effect of breastfeeding counseling training on the level of knowledge and skills of cadres. This study is a quasi-experimental research with one group pretest-posttest, with purposive technique sampling. The total sample of 40 respondents. Test data were analyzed using paired t-test
The result of the study was known that there was an effect of breastfeeding counseling training on knowledge level cadres (0.000 p <0.05) and no effect of breastfeeding counseling on skills training cadre (0.000 p <0.05). In conclusion there is a breastfeeding counseling training effect on the level of knowledge and skills of cadres.


Introduction Anticipating the Movement Desegregating the Schools The Montgomery Bus Boycott The Sit-Ins and Freedom Rides The Fires of Discord Birmingham and the Great March Mississippi: Opening the Closed Society Selma: The Bridge to Freedom Black Power The Civil Rights Movement and Other Social Movements White Resistance The Struggle Continues Appendix: Statistical Profile of Black America Suggested Readings Index


In this study, We use microstep control to reduce vibration of step motor. Microstep control of step motor is usually thought of as an extension of conventional step motor control technology. The essence of micro stepping is that we divide the full step of a step motor into a number of substep called microstep and cause the stepmotor to move through a substep per input pulse. In ideal case, by controlling the individual phase currents of a two-phase step motor sinusoidally we can get uniform torque and step angle. But due to the nonlinear characteristics of the step motor, we need to compensate current waveform to improve the over-all smoothness of the conventional micro stepping system. We implement digital Pulse Width Modul- ation (PWM) driver to drive step motor and microphone was used for detecting vibration. Driver enables speed change automatically by increasing or decreasing micro stepping ratio which we call Automatic Switching on the Fly. To compensate the torque harmonics, neural network is applied to the system and we found compensated optimal input current waveform. Finally we can get smooth motion of step motor in a wide range of motor speed.


Water-soluble corrosion inhibitors are acknowledged as the most effective
and cost-efficient method for protecting mild steel cooling water systems.
However, before an inhibitor is used, its effectiveness must be
ascertained. This is usually accomplished using long term rig tests. These
are simplified, scaled down versions of industrial systems, in which
cooling water conditions are closely simulated. Corrosion rates are
calculated from weight loss measurements. These take weeks or even
months to complete. Hence with shorter product deadlines, rig tests often
prove too lengthy to satisfy commercial pressures. [Continues.]


Abstract This article advances explanations of the housing crisis in modern political economies. It argues that the rise of agglomeration economies is driving the massive increase in housing prices in superstar cities. These concentrate high-paying jobs and life chances in central metropolitan areas, pulling in a highly skilled workforce who are willing and able to pay 'whatever it takes' for access to these opportunities. As a result, the value of homeownership in strategic urban locations has surged. Investors have thus found it rational to capitalize on longer-term price inflation and invest. Based on a comparison between New York City, London, Paris, and Berlin, this article demonstrates that housing prices in superstar cities move in lockstep with the reconfiguration of urban labour markets. Investors follow this trend in their decisions to invest in housing, which further compounds affordability pressures. The article concludes that access to homeownership in strategic urban locations increasingly mediates inequality and class formation in modern political economies.


This is a case report regarding the use of non-conventional methods to perform internal cardiac defibrillation on a trauma patient in an austere environment. The patient was a polytrauma causality of an improvised explosive device who arrived to a far forward resuscitative surgical team during a recent armed conflict. After arrival, the patient lost pulses. An emergency resuscitative thoracotomy was performed, and the patient was noted to have ventricular fibrillation on direct cardiac visualization. In the absence of standard surgical defibrillation paddles, the team applied external defibrillator stickers directly to the patient's myocardium to deliver an electrical shock. The procedure successfully led to the return of spontaneous circulation. This report highlights a novel approach to resuscitation in resource-limited environments by a military surgical team.


Objective:To evaluate the clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of HLA-B*5701 testing to guide selection of first-line HIV regimens in the United States. Design:Cost-effectiveness analysis using a simulation model of HIV disease. The prevalence of HLA-B*5701 and the probabilities of confirmed and unconfirmed severe systemic hypersensitivity reaction among patients taking abacavir testing HLA-B*5701 positive and negative were from the Prospective Randomized Evaluation of DNA Screening in a Clinical Trial study. The monthly costs of abacavir-based and tenofovir-based regimens were $1135 and $1139, respectively; similar virologic efficacy was assumed and this assumption was varied in sensitivity analysis. Patients:Simulated cohort of patients initiating HIV therapy. Interventions:The interventions are first-line abacavir, lamivudine, and efavirenz without pretreatment HLA-B*5701 testing; the same regimen with HLA-B*5701 testing; and first-line tenofovir, emtricitabine, and efavirenz. Main outcome measures:Quality-adjusted life years and lifetime medical costs discounted at 3% per annum, cost-effectiveness ratios ($/QALY). Results:Abacavir-based treatment without HLA-B*5701 testing resulted in a projected 30.93 years life expectancy, 16.23 discounted quality-adjusted life years, and $472 200 discounted lifetime cost per person. HLA-B*5701 testing added 0.04 quality-adjusted months at an incremental cost of $110, resulting in a cost-effectiveness ratio of $36 700/QALY compared with no testing. Initiating treatment with a tenofovir-based regimen increased costs without improving quality-adjusted life expectancy. HLA-B*5701 testing remained the preferred strategy only if abacavir-based treatment had equal efficacy and cost less per month than tenofovir-based treatment. Results were also sensitive to the cost of HLA-B*5701 testing and the prevalence of HLA-B*5701. Conclusion:Pharmacogenetic testing for HLA-B*5701 is cost-effective only if abacavir-based treatment is as effective and costs less than tenofovir-based treatment.


A fundamental property of living matter is the ability to establish and maintain order. Mild changes in cell volume have a role in metabolic control. Furthermore, cellular swelling is a way of living cells to react to a variety of stressors. Data from experimental pathology, biochemistry and biophysics and theoretical arguments from biology, biochemical evolution, cytology and biophysics are considered to attempt an integration of several current concepts on different subjects (intracellular compartmentation, cellular swelling, macromolecular crowding, perturbing and non-perturbing solutes). The purpose is to provide a framework for conceptualizing in modern terms the question whether cellular swelling induced by oxidative stress should be considered merely a cell adaptation balanced by antioxidant defenses and by other biochemical devices apt to preserve the intracellular environment and normal cell functioning, or whether swelling of high amplitude should be regarded as a true pathological change. The basic question dated 1982: "how crowded is the cytoplasm?" is a matter for discussion as far as swollen cells are concerned. This paper examines the liver for cellular swelling of high amplitude (about+30%) caused by iron or by thyroid hormone+iron (histological picture of "cloudy swelling") or the steatogenic poison CCl(4), also known as a source of oxyradicals, which causes an even more pronounced cellular swelling. In CCl(4)-toxic fatty liver the strong increase of tissue water is substantially masked by the parallel increase of tissue dry solids due to fat accumulation. This example of a "tissue dilution artefact" is discussed in connection with the increase of tissue water also in toxic fatty liver induced by white phosphorus and ethanol. In CCl(4)-toxic fatty liver the normal K(+)/Na(+) ratio (about 3) is substantially maintained, whereas the concentrations of the two cations ("perturbing osmolytes") in tissue water are noticeably decreased, a finding which was not further studied at the time the observations were made because biochemistry was not yet advanced enough to allow an explanation. Today, a logic hypothesis is that an increase of non-perturbing solutes such as taurine and betaine, maintains the physiological intracellular osmotic pressure and that the harmful effects of CCl(4) are limited because of the protective effects of these molecules and of molecular chaperones against damage by oxyradicals. However, as a consequence of cellular swelling, intracellular changes in ionic strength and macromolecular crowding should occur thus affecting enzyme activities. Models and techniques apt to investigate this problem experimentally are suggested.


The rapid development of emerging domains, such as the Internet of Things and wearable technologies, necessitates the development of flexible, stretchable, and non-toxic devices that can be manufactured at an ultra-low cost. Printed electronics has emerged as a viable solution by offering not only the aforementioned features but also a high degree of customization, which enables the personalization of products and facilitates the low-cost product development process even in small batches. In the context of printed electronics, printed neuromorphic circuits offer highly customized and bespoke realization of artificial neural networks to achieve desired functionality with very small number of hardware components. However, since analog components are utilized, the performance of printed neuromorphic circuits can be influenced by various factors. In this work, we focus on three main factors that perturb the circuit output from the designed values, namely, variations due to printing errors, aging effects of printed resistors, and input variations originating from sensing uncertainty. In the described approach, these variations are taken into account during the design (training) to ensure the dependability of the printed neuromorphic circuits. With this approach, the expected accuracy and the robustness of printed neural networks can be increased by 27% and 74%, respectively. Moreover, the ablation study suggests that, aging effect and printing variation may have similar effects on the functionality of printed neural networks. In contrast, the impact of sensing uncertainty on printed neural networks is almost orthogonal to aging and printing variations.


Software defect prediction is software data that is used to identify a software module and can also be used to predict software defects. Before carrying out further trials, it is necessary to carry out special handling, especially by using algorithm models as predictions of software defects with the aim of obtaining information from the device being developed. Therefore, it is necessary to predict software defects using appropriate classification and prediction methods, so that the resulting accuracy results are better. In this study, the naïve Bayes algorithm was used as a classification with a resampling technique approach to handle unbalanced data, including SMOTEENN and SMOTETomek. The best accuracy results in the research conducted were 92.5% on the Nasa Repository PC4 dataset


While the Global Positioning System (GPS) is best known for its positioning applications, another way to use GPS is as a time reference for telecommunication networks synchronization. However, as every new communication standard is more demanding, the precision of the current single-frequency GPS based network synchronization solutions is about not to be sufficient anymore. The dominant source of error in current state-of-the-art receivers based on the L1 C/A code is due to the variations of the propagation delay through the ionosphere. Fortunately, a new GPS civilian signal, L2CS, is about to be released. Combined with the existing L1 signal, it will allow to cancel most of the ionosphere induced error and therefore offer better timing signals as compared to classical GPS receivers. In this paper, a dual-frequency front-end for long antenna-GPS receiver links is presented.


The study analyzes the fractal image of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies that were taken from the Pacific Ocean and relates this to the tropical depressions and cyclones in the Pacific basin. Previous studies indicate a significant statistical correlation between tropical cyclone power dissipation and SSTs, although it is not clear on what aspect of SSTs affects the cyclone forming. SSTs are calculated from infrared pictures that the polar-orbiting satellites take twice a week around the globe. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, defines anomalies in SST against a long-term mean SST. A positive anomaly means that the current SST is warmer than average, and a negative anomaly means it is cooler than mean SST. This study reveals that the high fractal dimensions of the upper range of the SST anomaly and the low mean barometric pressure on the cyclone basin closely correlates to the frequency and intensity of tropical depressions and tropical cyclones.


OBJECTIVE
To sum up experiences and lessons ab out management of soft-tissue reconstruction in open tibial fracture over a 6-year period.

METHODS
Twenty-two flap reconstructions were performed to tre at soft-tissue defect of 22 patients with open tibial fracture Type IIIB (Gustilo) from 1993 to 1998. The cases were analyzed and discussed retrospectively aft er follow up of 12-61 months.

RESULTS
The size of the flap ranged from 6.6 cm(2) to 28.18 cm(2) and the rate of flap failure was 13.6%. Besides, 3 partial necrosis and 2 postoperative infections occurred in this series.

CONCLUSIONS
For soft tissue defect of delayed open tibial fracture Type IIIB, flap reconstruction is still an optimal option. The experiences we obtained are 1) to design a triangular skin extension or a small Z-plasty over the pedicle to reduce the flap tension; 2) to select a unilateral external fixation to provide convenience for any secondary manipulation; and 3) to use serial debridement to diminish flap failure.


When injected into the fourth ventricle, the proinflammagen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces acute neuroinflammation in the whole brain of rats. The new compound PMS777 is a novel platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR) antagonist and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor. The current study determined whether PMS777 could provide neuroprotection from the cytotoxic effects associated with LPS-induced neuroinflammation. Acute LPS infusions impaired recognition in rats as measured by the Morris water maze. In addition, LPS infusions decreased the number of AChE positive cells, and increased the number of OX-42 immunoreactive microglia and GFAP immunoreactive astrocytes in the hippocampus, the cortex and the basal nuclei. Furthermore, acute infusions of LPS also impaired organelles associated with protein synthesis. Peripheral administration of PMS777 (i.e., intraperitoneal injection) protected against the impairment in recognition, and attenuated the cytotoxic effects of the acute inflammatory processes upon cholinergic cells, microglia, astrocytes and ultrastructure of hippocampal cells. Here, we propose that the cytotoxic effects of acute neuroinflammation may involve the release of PAF and loss of cholinergic neurons, and this mechanism leads to neuronal dysfunction and spatial memory impairment. The PAFR antagonist inhibitor and AChE inhibitor PMS777 could provide neuroprotection from the cytotoxic effects induced by LPS.


Research on sexual dimorphism in proximal hand phalanges contributes to the assessment of the biological profile of an individual from human skeletal remains. Furthermore, it provides fundamental information for studying the origins of manual dexterity. The anatomy of proximal hand phalanges has been widely described, and the occurrence of sexual dimorphism has been reported in studies concentrating on sex determination. However, there is limited research focusing on the level of sexual dimorphism. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the degree of sexual dimorphism in proximal hand phalanges. A total of 661 bones from 160 adult individuals (86 men and 74 women) of the Athens collection were studied. Seven measurements were taken involving the maximum length and diaphyseal and epiphyseal widths. Descriptive statistics, t-values and percentages of sexual dimorphism were estimated. The results of this study indicate that, in almost all dimensions measured, men have larger proximal hand phalanges than women. Proximal hand phalanges present a high degree of sexual dimorphism (reached 24.78%). The phalanges of the left side demonstrate a higher degree of sexual dimorphism. The proximal phalanges of the thumb proved to be the most sexually dimorphic bones in the material. The minimum sexual dimorphism observed was in the maximum lengths of phalanges, whereas the most sexually dimorphic measurement is the medio-lateral width at midshaft. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


An atomic-level picture of molecular and bulk processes, such as chemical bonding and charge transfer, necessitates an understanding of the dynamical evolution of these systems. On the ultrafast timescales associated with nuclear and electronic motion, the temporal behaviour of a system is often interrogated in a 'pump-probe' scheme. Here, an initial 'pump' pulse triggers dynamics through photoexcitation, and after a carefully controlled delay a 'probe' pulse initiates projection of the instantaneous state of the evolving system onto an informative measurable quantity, such as electron binding energy. In this paper, we apply spectral ghost imaging to a pump-probe time-resolved experiment at an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) facility, where the observable is spectral absorption in the X-ray regime. By exploiting the correlation present in the shot-to-shot fluctuations in the incoming X-ray pulses and measured electron kinetic energies, we show that spectral ghost imaging can be applied to time-resolved pump-probe measurements. In the experiment presented, interpretation of the measurement is simplified because spectral ghost imaging separates the overlapping contributions to the photoelectron spectrum from the pump and probe pulse.


A survey of 34 shield lakes in Ontario and Quebec, pH 4.4 to 7.1, was made to evaluate which metals should be considered of concern as a risk to aquatic biota or consumers when lakes are acid stressed. A set of predictions, concerning the mobilization by man, the mobility, the chemical speciation, and the toxicity or bioaccumulation of metals in acid-stressed waters, were used as a basis for designing the study and organizing the results. Attached algae were used as biomonitors to assess metal bioavailability. The study concluded that zinc, lead, aluminum, and mercury were of concern in acid-stressed lakes, while the situation for manganese was unresolved, and cadmium was not studied. Nickel and copper were of concern only when a point source was involved. The study also concluded that the attached algal community had some value as a biomonitor, for metals in acid-stressed as well as metal-polluted surface waters.


The results of an experimental apparatus and procedure using noise measurement techniques to identify conduction mechanisms in resonant tunneling diodes due to defect‐assisted tunneling are presented. The activation energies and capture cross sections of the traps are determined for each of three distinct levels detected. These values are in good agreement between the forward bias and inverted bias cases. A conjecture is made as to the physical location of the traps. This interpretation yields qualitative behavior consistent with the known bias and temperature dependence of the experimental results.


Neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent research suggests that pretangle tau, the soluble precursor of NFT, is an initiator for AD pathogenesis, thus targeting pretangle tau pathology may be a promising early intervention focus. The bidirectional communications between the gut and the brain play a crucial role in health. The compromised gut-brain axis is involved in various neurodegenerative diseases including AD. However, most research on the relationship between gut microbiome and AD have focused on amyloid-β. In this mini review, we propose to target preclinical pretangle tau stages with gut microbiota interventions such as probiotic supplementation. We discuss the importance of targeting pretangle tau that starts decades before the onset of clinical symptoms, and potential intervention focusing on probiotic regulation of tau hyperphosphorylation. A particular focus is on GSK-3β, a protein kinase that is at the interface between tau phosphorylation, AD and diabetes mellitus.


The concentrations of estrone-3-glucuronide (E1-3-G), estradiol-17 beta-glucuronide (E2-17 beta-G), estriol-16 alpha-glucuronide (E3-16 alpha-G) and LH/hCG have been measured in daily samples of early morning urine from six women who conceived during the period study. The specimens were collected from the second day of menstruation until the values for hCG were greater than 200 U/l. The aim of the study was to assess which of the metabolites should be measured preferentially to predict ovulation by 72 h and hence identify the probable start of the fertile period. The peak of LH was used as a reference point for ovulation and defined as Day 0. A defined rise (50% increase over the mean of three preceding values) in the concentration of each steroid metabolite occurred on the following days (mean and range): E1-3-G Day LH-4.7 (-3 to -6), E2-17 beta-G Day LH-3.7 (-3 to -6) and E3-16 alpha-G Day LH-4.5 (-3 to -6). The concentration (nmol/l; mean and range) of each metabolite on the day of the rise was: E1-3-G (106; 78-137), E2-17 beta-G (19; 5 to 27) and E3-16 alpha-G (28; 18-40). It is concluded that the measurement of each estrogen glucuronide provides similar information and quantitatively E1-3-G is the most important.


An approximate number is an ordered pair consisting of a (real) number and an error bound, briefly error, which is a (real) non-negative number. To compute with approximate numbers the arithmetic operations on errors should be well-known. To model computations with errors one should suitably define and study arithmetic operations and order relations over the set of non-negative numbers. In this work we discuss the algebraic properties of non-negative numbers starting from familiar properties of real numbers. We focus on certain operations of errors which seem not to have been sufficiently studied algebraically. In this work we restrict ourselves to arithmetic operations for errors related to addition and multiplication by scalars. We pay special attention to subtractability-like properties of errors and the induced "distance-like" operation. This operation is implicitly used under different names in several contemporary fields of applied mathematics (inner subtraction and inner addition in interval analysis, generalized Hukuhara difference in fuzzy set theory, etc.) Here we present some new results related to algebraic properties of this operation.


This study addresses the design of self-timed energy-minimum circuits, operating in the sub-VT domain and a generic implementation template using bundled-data circuitry and current sensing completion detection (CSCD). Furthermore, a fully decoupled latch controller was developed, which integrates with the current-sensing circuitry. Different configurations that utilise the proposed latch controller are highlighted. A contemporary synchronous electronic design automation tools-based design flow, which transforms a synchronous design into a corresponding self-timed circuit, is outlined. Different use cases of the CSCD system are examined. The design flow and the current-sensing technique are validated by the implementation of a self-timed version of a wavelet-based event detector for cardiac pacemaker applications in a standard 65 nm CMOS process. The chip was fabricated and verified to operate down to 250 mV. Spice simulations indicate a gain of 52.58% in throughput because of asynchronous operation. By trading the throughput improvement, energy dissipation is reduced by 16.8% at the energy-minimum supply voltage.


The aim of this paper is to characterize and diagnose the effectiveness in the execution of the state administration in the processes and procedures of public management, as well as the analysis of the main indicators of the Sixth Category municipalities in Colombia: geographical, demographic, social, environmental and demographic. The selected municipalities were Ciénaga de Oro and San Pelayo of the Caribbean region, which are in restructuring of liabilities (Law 550), as well as Pamplona in the Andean region who have already left this status. This study is of a quantitative type, with a mixed, descriptive-transversal and non-experimental approach. The strategic indicators of each municipality were analyzed through a documentary investigation. Interviews were also carried out with closed and open questions to prominent actors of the communities, as well as to public officials. Among the most relevant results, it was found that there are opposing perceptions, among the officials that assume the results of public management as the best, and the negative perception of the citizen who considers that these processes do not satisfy their needs for information, consultation and participation. In general terms, the diagnosis showed that public policies have not managed to reduce social backwardness, corruption and the lack of involvement of citizens in the state administration.


Cultural heterogeneity and plurality of religions which grow, develop and survive in Lombok make this island such a pluralistic and multicultural miniature of Indonesia. This entity can be potentially integrative as a knit of social cohesiveness. However, in certain conditions and atmosphere, this diversity and culture can arise the emergence of conflict, violence and disaster if it is not managed properly. Muslims Sasak and Hindus Balineseethnic as the two largest communities in Lombok, often meet in space and stage conflict. The main factors are culture, economy, sectarianism, exclusivism, primordialism and multiculturalism education are still low.Despite repeated conflicts, it does not mean the social interaction of these two communities is not tolerated. Despite the conflicts that are always episodes, these two communities have local wisdom in the form of a religious festival of the perang topat tradition. This discourse is intended to describe the historical background of Islam and Hinduism in Lombok, analyze the causes of social conflict between the Muslim Sasak community and Hinduism Balinese ethnic in Lombok, as well as explore the local wisdom of the perang topat tradition as multicultural education base that can be made as a seeding of social cohesiveness.


The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual framework for the intermediation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Governments may apply different form of support with the aim of increasing corporatization and internationalization of SOEs. The paper suggests a strategy based on institutional intermediation as the more efficient to drive corporatization and internationalization.,The research selected cases concerning SOEs in different industries in Europe in search of recurrences from a novel theoretical perspective. Among them, a case study concerning the Italian Space Agency explores the development of an institutional intermediary.,Government supports to SOEs appear in different forms and contribute to different results. A typology of the most recurrent forms shows three different types of actions governments have taken to support internationalization of firms. Intermediation seems the most suitable to trigger corporatization and internationalization.,The study explores institutional intermediaries as a novel supporting strategy for governments. It proposes a novel concept based upon a single case study. Further research needs to test and verify the institutional intermediaries' impact drawing on a larger sample and different contexts.,So far, few attempts have linked corporatization to globalization. The paper tries to fill this gap between corporatization and internationalization of SOEs. Its value is the provision of a novel view that includes institutional intermediaries as instrumental to governments' strategy that aims to bridge the two components.


Administration of a circulating thymic factor isolated from normal pig blood prevented the development of the exaggerated production of anti-polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) antibody in young NZB mice. However, treatment was ineffective if initiated after the 4th week of life at a time when endogenous serum thymic factor (TF) normally disappears in these mice. These data suggest that circulating TF is necessary for the survival of short-lived suppressor T cells normally implicated in the regulation of the production of antibodies against PVP, a thymus-independent antigen. In older NZB mice, TF treatment increased paradoxically anti-PVP antibody production, which suggests that "amplifier" T cell activity could also be under TF influence.


The mechanism and development of cold-working and grain-growth texture of Bi-2212 and the corresponding inheritance of texture by Bi-2223 in Ag-sheathed tapes has been investigated. Precursor powder in the Ag tube was found to flow, rotate and fracture along the crystallites. This together with sliding among crystallites forms the basis of the deformation process in Bi-2212 texturing during the cold-working process. Bi-2212 was formed via a rapid melting process, yielding a strong epitaxial melt-textured microstructure from a subsequent heat treatment. Bi-2223 was found to form on Bi-2212, with the Bi-2223 texture being inherited from the Bi-2212 texture. This is best explained by an intercalation mechanism for Bi-2223 phase formation.


In queue-based scheduling systems jobs are executed according to a predefined sequential plan. During execution, faults may occur that cause jobs to re-execute, thus delaying the whole schedule. It is thus important to determine (in real-time) whether the given set of pre-ordered jobs is fault-tolerant, that is, if all jobs will always meet their deadlines. This allows, for instance, to decide online whether to admit a new urgent job into the queue while still guaranteeing that the whole schedule remains fault-tolerant. Our goal in this work is to design efficient algorithm for testing fault tolerance of sequenced jobs in the presence of transient faults. We consider different fault models that specify which fault patterns are allowed to occur and how soon failed jobs can be restarted. For each fault model we provide efficient algorithms that determine the feasibility of all jobs in the schedule. Our algorithms are exact and run in time linear in the number of jobs (deterministically, or with very high probability, depending on the fault model), and thus can be used to make real-time decisions.


Structural health monitoring systems have been widely implemented to provide real-time continuous data support and to ensure structural safety in the context of structural integrity management. However, the quantification of the potential benefits of structural health monitoring systems has not yet attracted widespread attention. At the same time, there is an urgent need to develop strategies, such as optimizing the monitoring period, monitoring variables, and other factors, to maximize the potential benefits of structural health monitoring systems. Considering the continuity of structural health monitoring information, a framework is developed in this article to support decision-making for structural health monitoring systems arrangement in the context of structural integrity management, which integrates the concepts of value of information and risk-based inspection planning based on an approach which utilizes a conjugate prior probability distribution for updating of the probabilistic models of structural performances based on structural health monitoring information. An example considering fatigue degradation of steel structures is investigated to illustrate the application of the proposed framework. The considered example shows that the choice of monitoring variables, the monitoring period, and the monitoring quality may be consistently optimized by the application of the proposed framework and approach. Finally, discussions and conclusions are provided to clarify the potential benefits of the proposed framework with a special view to practical applications of structural health monitoring systems.


This paper addresses an ongoing experience in the design of an artificial agent
 taking decisions
 and combining them with the decisions taken by human agents.
 The context is a serious game research project,
 aimed at computer-based support for participatory management of protected areas
 (and more specifically national parks)
 in order to promote biodiversity conservation and social inclusion.
 Its objective is
 to help various stakeholders ( e.g. , environmentalist, tourism operator)
 to collectively understand conflict dynamics
 and
 explore negotiation
 strategies for the management of parks.
 In this paper,
 after introducing the design of our serious game, named SimParc,
 we will describe the architecture of the decision making agent playing the role of the park manager.
 In the game, the park manager makes final decisions based on its own analysis
 and also on the votes of the stakeholders.
 It includes two modules:
 1) individual decision –
 based on a model of argumentation,
 which also provides a basis to justify and explain the decision;
 2) participatory decision –
 to take into account the preferences/votes from the stakeholders.


The nearly half-filled Hubbard model with strong on-site repulsion is used as a model for the recently discovered copper oxide high-temperature superconductors. The onset of superconductivity upon doping the half-filled lattice of La$_{2}\mathrm{Cu}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ is explained in terms of the Bose-Einstein condensation of effective mass $O({m}_{e})$. These holes move freely over an antiferromagnetic background. The mechanism is very different from the BCS mechanism. A fit to data is obtained by adjusting the interplane hopping amplitude, which turns out to be extremely small, though necessary.


The purpose of this study was to  explain Islamic banking dispute serrlement in progressive legal perspective relevant to thinking about law Hans Kelsen for the development of progressive legal concept that in order to complement and enhance the operation of law in society.The paradigm of this research is constuktivisme, while the method of research was carried out by two strategies, namely the research literature (library research) and case studies (case study). Literature study conducted on all documents or literature on legal theory. Documents then grouped according to the dimension of time or periodization. Case studies conducted in this study is a case related to the operation of law in society related to Islamic banking dispute resolution. This study used a socio-legal rules governing this studies. This research using secondary data and primary data. Secondary data was obtained through the Research Library (Library Research) and Legal Document. Secondary data include: 1) Primary Legal Materials, in the form of Article 55 of Law No. 21 Th 2008 and explanations, Article 39 of Law No. 30 Th, 1999, Law No. 4 Th. 1996, Law No. 50 Th. 2009 aStatute aproach civil relationship a Theory Agreement and Procedural Law, Procedural Law Religious Court, the Constitutional Court Decision No. 93 / PUU-X / 2012 a Pollitik aTeori Political Law Law, Religion and ruling Justice Court Judge District Court relating to Settlement Dispute Guarantee Mortgage. 2) Secondary Legal Materials, consisting of a book-nail on legal theory, legal philosophy, paradigm, socio-legal studies and research methods. Primary data was obtained through research in the field (Field Research) was done by observation, interview, which includes: 1) Law sanction institution: Judges. 2) Role Occupant: Judges, Academics, Advocate, Legal Staff of The Islamic Bank, Islamic Bank Customer, Successor (cadre) Satjipto Rahardjo and Hans Kelsen. a implemantation with hermeneutics and phenomenology. Keywords:  Dispute Settlement, Islamic Banking, Progressive Legal Perspective


The Census of Marine Life aims to assess and explain the changing diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine species from the past to the present, and to project future ocean life. It assembles known historical data back to 1500 in an online Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) and has over 1000 scientists from 70 countries using advanced technologies to quantify and discover unknown life in under-explored ocean realms. Over 99% of the 6 million records now in OBIS are from the top 1000m of the water column, so the mid-waters and floor of the open ocean and the polar ice oceans are special targets. Even where the species are known, their distributions and abundance are largely speculative. This report outlines the strategies of COML projects to efficiently reveal the 95% of the biosphere beneath the waves, from microbes to whales. Open access to the OBIS data set will improve capacity to predict future impacts of climate and human activity. The baseline created by 2010 and the calibrated techniques developed will become important tools for monitoring and managing future ocean ecosystems to maintain their capacity to provide crucial services to our blue planet.


Businesses, entrepreneurs, individuals, and government agencies alike are looking to social network analysis (SNA) tools for insight into trends, connections, and fluctuations in social media. Microsoft's NodeXL is a free, open-source SNA plug-in for use with Excel. It provides instant graphical representation of relationships of complex networked data. But it goes further than other SNA tools -- NodeXL was developed by a multidisciplinary team of experts that bring together information studies, computer science, sociology, human-computer interaction, and over 20 years of visual analytic theory and information visualization into a simple tool anyone can use. This makes NodeXL of interest not only to end-users but also to researchers and students studying visual and network analytics and their application in the real world.In Analyzing Social Media Networks with NodeXL, members of the NodeXL development team up provide readers with a thorough and practical guide for using the tool while also explaining the development behind each feature. Blending the theoretical with the practical, this book applies specific SNA instructions directly to NodeXL, but the theory behind the implementation can be applied to any SNA. Walks readers through using NodeXL while explaining the theory and development behind each step, providing takeaways thatcanapply any SNADemonstrates how visual analytics research can be applied to SNA tools for the mass marketPresents readers with case studies using NodeXL on popular networks like email, Facebook, Twitter, and wikis


The purpose of this study was to clarify the interrelation of the tooth crown diameters using statistical methods. The material consisted of 414 dental casts from orthodontic patients in the Japanese female. The mesiodistal diameters of all permanent teeth on the left side were measured, excluding the third molars. These values were examined by correlation coefficient matrix and multivariate analyses such as multiple regression, principal component and canonical correlation, etc. The results were as follows: 1) The tooth crown diameters showed a strong intercorrelation within each jaw and between both jaws. 2) When the incisors and the canine were large in size, the premolars and the molars tended to be small. 3) When the incisors and the molars were large in size, the canine and the premolars tended to be small. 4) When the incisors and the premolars were large in size, the canine and the molars tended to be small. 5) All of the teeth except the upper lateral incisor were classified according to size into the four groups of incisors, canines, premolars and molars. 6) The dentition with small teeth tended to show a spaced arch.


The blade leading edge is modi fied to control the secondary flow generated in the turbine cascade with fence by intensifying the suction side branch of the horseshoe vortex. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are numerically solved with a high Reynolds number k- € turbulence closure model for investigating the vortical flows in the turbine cascade. The computational results of total pressure loss coefficients in the wake region are first compared with experiments for validation. The structure and strength of the passage vortex near the suction surface are examined by testing various geometrical parameters of the turbine blade leading edge.


The paper offers an overview of problems and methods for chaos control. The OGY's method,H ∞method and continuous feedback method is introduced in details. Moreover, pulse feedback method, adaptive methods and neural net works method is briefed. Finally this article also presents the applications for chaos control and the fields where chaos control should be further investigated.


Abstract : Under certain meteorological conditions ships may generate 'tracks' in overlying marine stratus or stratocumulus clouds. These tracks are often not particularly evident to satellite sensors at visible wavelengths, but show up much more clearly at near infrared wavelengths, such as channel 3 (3.7 microns) of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on NOAA polar-orbiting satellites. The phenomenon represents a potential naval intelligence technique, not only as a means to monitor and perhaps classify ships of other nations but also as a measure of environmental vulnerability of U.S. ships. A simple theoretical model was used as part of a ship track study to investigate effects of changes in microphysics and geometry on cloud reflectance at certain solar wavelengths. The model assumed a plane parallel homogeneous atmosphere of infinite extent and finite thickness, with Mie scattering and the delta-Eddington approximation for radiative transfer. The results were consistent with the theory that ship exhaust can increase the number density of smaller cloud droplets, which would lead to an increase in reflectance of incident solar radiation, especially at wavelengths near 3.7 microns.


"Web Non-Fiction at Key Stage 2" provides a collection of excellent non-fiction texts, with high quality artwork and strong cross-curricular links. The series is structured by year, and provides all the text types you need for the Literacy Hour. The books are colourful and lively, and packed with interesting facts and information. "Web Non-Fiction at Key Stage 2": is ideal for cross - curricular work, covers NLS range requirements and objectives at KS2, makes guided reading easy with cards for every book, and makes shared reading simple with double-sided posters.


Abstract The relationship between metapopulation stability and connectivity has long been investigated in ecology, however, most of these studies are focused on theoretical species and habitat networks, having limited ability to capture the complexity of real‐world metapopulations. Network analysis became more important in modeling connectivity, but it is still uncertain which network metrics are reliable predictors of persistence. Here we quantify the impact of connectivity and larval life history on marine metapopulation persistence across the complex seascape of southeast Australia. Our work coupled network‐based approaches and eigenanalysis to efficiently estimate metapopulation‐wide persistence and the subpopulation contributions. Larval dispersal models were used to quantify species‐specific metapopulation connectivity for five important fisheries species, each summarized as a migration matrix. Eigenanalysis helped to reveal metapopulation persistence and determine the importance of node‐level network properties. Across metapopulations, the number of local outgoing connections was found to have the largest impact on metapopulation persistence, implying these hub subpopulations may be the most influential in real‐world metapopulations. Results also suggest the length of the pre‐competency period may be the most influential parameter on metapopulation persistence. Finally, we identified two major hot spots of local connectivity in southeast Australia, each contributing strongly to multispecies persistence. Managers and ecologists would benefit by employing similar approaches in making more efficient and more ecologically informed decisions and focusing more on local connectivity patterns and larval competency characteristics to better understand and protect real‐world metapopulation persistence. Practically this could mean developing more marine protected areas at shorter distances and supporting collaborative research into the early life histories of the species of interest.


The serum levels of trace elements alterations have been linked with Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2 DM) and its complication. The Objectives of this study is to detect the correlation relation between serum Chromium, Magnesium (Mg), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), and Iron (Fe) with Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) in patients with type two diabetes mellitus, also to study the comparison of Ferroxidase, Transferrin, and Total iron binding capacity in patients with type two diabetes mellitus with control groups. A total of forty subjects were included in this study, they were divided in two groups (control and diabetic patients). Fasting blood samples were taken from all participants and analyzed for levels of Cr, Mg, Zn, Cu, and Fe. The concentration of serum trace elements of each sample was determined by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy. A negative correlation was found between Mg, Zn, and Fe level in Type-2 diabetics with FBS, whereas serum copper level shows significant positive correlation with FBS, and chromium shown no significant correlation with FBS. Ferroxidase, and Total binding capacity showed a significant increase, while a significant decrease was found in Transferrin of T2DM.


Scheduling the generating units in a power system presents a highly constrained combinatorial problem. This paper discusses the solution of the unit commitment/economic dispatch problem using a GA augmented with heuristic knowledge to select the initial population and evaluate the fitness function. The augmented GA is applied to a test system and computational results are presented.


The purpose of this study was to determine
the effects of cooperative learning on students' mathematics achievement in
secondary school students inPekanbaru,Indonesia. In
addition, this study also determined students' perception concerning
cooperative learning. The samples of this study consisted of 61 Form Three
students. In order to control the differences of dependent variables, a
pre-test was given before treatment. After treatment, a post-test was
administered to both groups. Two types of instruments were used to collect the
data: the mathematics achievement test and open-ended questions on cooperative
learning. The pre-test and the post-test data were analyzed using t-test.
Content analysis was used for the open-ended questions on cooperative learning.
The results showed that there was a significant difference of mean in students'
mathematics achievement between the cooperative group and the traditional
group. Content analysis data revealed that students in the cooperative group
were able to increase their understanding and to develop their self-confidence.


Laser laparoscopic inguinal herniorraphy represents an extension of current technology. Based on the principles of preperitoneal inguinal herniorraphy, it is performed by internal incision of the peritoneum and identification of the musculofascial defect through a laparoscope. Polypropylene mesh is then passed down the laparoscope, placed into the defect to obliterate the space, and the edges of the peritoneum are then reapproximated. Results in 20 patients with an 11 month followup indicates success in nineteen exhibiting early resumption of activity (3.3 days) and minimal pain (2.1 Tylenol #3 tablets per patient). One early recurrence suggests that anatomic identification of a direct space hernia may be difficult and that routine support of this area with additional mesh may be a requirement of a complete inguinal hernia repair.


The LBT double prime focus camera (LBC) is composed of twin CCD mosaic imagers. The instrument is designed to match the double channel structure of the LBT telescope and to exploit parallel observing mode by optimizing one camera at blue and the other at red side of the visible spectrum. Because of these facts, the LBC activity will likely consist of simultaneous multi-wavelength observation of specific targets, with both channels working at the same time to acquire and download images at different rates. The LBC Control Software is responsible for coordinating these activities by managing scientific sensors and all the ancillary devices such as rotators, filter wheels, optical correctors focusing, house-keeping information, tracking and Active Optics wavefront sensors. The result is obtained using four dedicated PCs to control the four CCD controllers and one dual processor PC to manage all the other aspects including instrument operator interface. The general architecture of the LBC Control Software is described as well as solutions and details about its implementation.


Fifty-two family caregivers for demented elderly people were investigated for burden and burnout experiences. A structured burden questionnaire and the Burnout Measure were used. Burnout is described in relation to the caregiver's gender, age, family relationship and the demented person's living place. Older wives and daughters were the most likely to report burnout in their lives. Some siblings and daughters-in-law also risked developing burnout. Regression analysis showed that limitation in social life, poor health and a lack of positive outlook on caring were the most important independent variables explaining variance in burnout among caregivers. There was no difference in burnout experiences between caregivers having their demented elderly person living at home and those having them in an institution.


This study emphasises the primary designing characteristics of serious games that make a balance between entertainment and education. The method description was utilised as a tool based on the analysis of serious game structure, strategies, model application, and factors of games supporting entertainment and the learning process in the literature. Through Summon system (a systematic digital library that includes various popular digital libraries), 52 potential studies were collected within the recent five years (from 2018 to 2023). The result shows that 13 methods are utilised to design serious games in reviewed papers. These methods involve a diversity of design theories proposed in these papers selected and some potential dimensions that impact the design of serious games to create the balance between entertainment and education.


The paper presents a model of information flow through the sensors to muscle system in regard to the control of output. The model takes into account both the logical and emotional action components. The emotional components depend on the current needs of the organism. Actions resulting in a positive change in the emotional analysis of the wor ld activate the reward component that enables the action of logical analysis of the situation. The pr incipal component of the system, which provides input to most muscle fibers of human body, is called lower motor neuron (LMN). The control of LMN is modeled via a set of fuzzy rules. The principles of processing seem applicable to ar tificial systems.


In this Letter, we describe the fabrication of three dimensional (3D) truncated-hexagonal-pyramid (THP) vertical light emitting diodes (VLEDs) with white emission grown on β-Ga2O3 substrate. In the 3D n-GaN layer, it is noted that the longitudinal growth rate of the 3D n-GaN layer increases as the flow rate of N2 decreases and H2 increases. Moreover, the 3D THP VLED can effectively suppress the quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE) compared with planar VLEDs due to the semipolar facets and strain relaxation. Thus, the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of the 3D THP VLED has been doubled and the V-shaped pits have been greatly reduced. In particular, the 3D THP VLED enables multi-wavelength emission (448.0 nm and 498.5 nm) and also shows better light extraction efficiency (LEE), which presents an effective way for the realization of phosphor-free white LED devices.


ABSTRACT Methylparaben was degraded in the presence of ABO3 perovskite catalysts (A: La, Bi, and B: Ti-Fe, Fe) synthesized on a monolithic structure using the sol–gel method. The catalysts were characterized by BET, SEM, XRD, and FTIR. The highest degradation was observed using BiFeO3 on the monolithic structure. The methylparaben degradation and iron leaching were 82.8% and 0.06 ppm, respectively, under the optimum conditions, which were pH=7, [H2O2]0=0.5 mM, and 0.1 g/L BiFeO3 loading. The toxicity tests were carried out by cress seeds and 1.09% inhibition was observed. Methylparaben degradation followed the second-order reaction kinetics, whereas the activation energy was 54 kJ/mol.


This was a prospective analysis of the first 162 patients who underwent biliary and nonbiliary minimally invasive (video laparoscopic) procedures in the Royal Commission Medical Centre (RCMC) over two periods separated by a one year interval (September 1993-September 1994)-(October 1995-February 1996). One hundred and fifty patients had video laparoscopic cholecystectomy (VLC). Thirty four males and 116 females with a mean age of 39.7 years (range 16-80). Forty two patients (28%) were admitted as emergency (37 acute cholecystitis, 5 acute pancreatitis). The indication for VLC was symptomatic gall stones. The VLC was accomplished successfully in 144 patients (96%). Six patients (2 electives and 4 emergency) required a conversion for various reasons, unfavourable anatomy being the commonest. Ten patients with preoperative evidence of a dilated common bile duct, with or without stones had an ERCP done in another hospital 200 km away. The median operative time was 100 minutes (range 30-270 minutes) There were three major complications (one CBD injury, one bleeding from gall bladder bed and one post operative acute pancreatitis) and 6 minor complications (urethral bleeding, atelectasis post-operative pyrexia, umbilical port cellulitis, prolonged ileus and acute anxiety state). The median hospital stay was 72 hours for successful VLC. Twenty five per cent of the patients did not require any narcotic analgesic. Twelve patients (7.4%) had one or another non-biliary video laparoscopic procedure. Our results suggest that VLC can be offered and performed safely in the majority of patients presenting with acute and/or chronic cholecystitis and that the results we achieved in a district hospital are comparable to other series. We conclude that VLC will continue to be demanded by patients and non-biliary video laparoscopic procedures which were slow to develop in our hospital will continue to need special training, interest and expertise before it can be adopted as a routine.


The life span of leaves increases with their mass per unit area (LMA). It is unclear why. Here, we show that this empirical generalization (the foundation of the worldwide leaf economics spectrum) is a consequence of natural selection, maximizing average net carbon gain over the leaf life cycle. Analyzing two large leaf trait datasets, we show that evergreen and deciduous species with diverse construction costs (assumed proportional to LMA) are selected by light, temperature, and growing-season length in different, but predictable, ways. We quantitatively explain the observed divergent latitudinal trends in evergreen and deciduous LMA and show how local distributions of LMA arise by selection under different environmental conditions acting on the species pool. These results illustrate how optimality principles can underpin a new theory for plant geography and terrestrial carbon dynamics.


Fertilizer management practices that focus on applying N fertilizer at the right rate and time have been proposed as a practical option to reduce NO3 -N losses from subsurface drained agricultural fields. In this study, regression equations were developed to predict NO3 -N losses for a corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation in southern Minnesota, using fertilizer application timing and rate and growing season precipitation as inputs. The equations were developed using the results of the field-scale hydrologic and N simulation model DRAINMOD-NII, first calibrated and validated for three sites in southern Minnesota, and then run with different combinations of N fertilizer application rates and timings. Fertilizer timing treatments included a single application in the fall or spring and a split-spring application (half applied preplant and the remaining applied as sidedress). The predictive regression equations showed that the split fertilizer application timing could reduce regional N loads by 28% compared with spring or fall applications. Greater reductions were predicted when the split timing was combined with lower N fertilizer rates. Utilizing the split application timing and reducing the fertilizer rate by 10 and 30% showed 33 and 41% reductions in N loads, respectively, compared with current fertilizer management practices. Such reductions in fertilizer application rates could be achieved through the use of variable-rate nitrogen (VRN) fertilizer technologies. Results of this modeling study indicate that synchronizing fertilizer application with crop requirements and utilizing VRN technologies could significantly reduce N loads to surface waters in southern Minnesota.


In the first decade of the 21th century, an atlas of Udmurt dialects was prepared for publication. Although hundreds of maps and legends were completed, due to no hope for publication, the project was never finished. The paper describes the material the atlas was based on, how the collection of exercise books was digitized and prepared for the purpose of a dialectal atlas, and how the atlas was generated from the data. The paper also presents some decisions that had to be made during the preparation of the atlas. Finally, the never-published atlas is compared to the published atlas of Udmurt dialects. Despite that the history of the atlas is far from a success story, it shows that, if data are available, a linguistic atlas can be produced even using low-budget tools, in a do-it-yourself way.


Norharman and harman, two heterocyclic β-carboline alkaloids with biological activity, were found in brewed coffee. Identification and analysis were carried out by HPLC-MS and RP-HPLC-fluorescence, respectively. All tested samples of brewed coffee including ground coffee, decaffeinated coffee, instant coffee and espresso contained both norharman and harman in variable amounts. Norharman was the major β-carboline alkaloid in brewed coffee at levels up to 9.34 μg g-1 in instant ground coffee compared with harman, which had levels up to 1.67 μg g-1. The two β-carbolines appeared to be formed during roasting of the coffee beans. It is concluded that drinking coffee is a major exogenous dietary source of these bioactive β -carboline alkaloids previously reported as mild psychoactive compounds in animal studies and in vitro co-mutagens. These results support our previous conclusion that foods containing β -carbolines are an important exogenous source of these alkaloids in humans.


We propose a novel framework for RGB-based category-level 6D object pose and size estimation. Our approach relies on the prediction of normalized object coordinate space (NOCS), which serves as an efficient and effective object canonical representation that can be extracted from RGB images. Unlike previous approaches that heavily relied on additional depth readings as input, our novelty lies in leveraging multi-view information, which is commonly available in practical scenarios where a moving camera continuously observes the environment. By introducing multi-view constraints, we can obtain accurate camera pose and depth estimation from a monocular dense SLAM framework. Additionally, by incorporating constraints on the camera relative pose, we can apply trimming strategies and robust pose averaging on the multi-view object poses, resulting in more accurate and robust estimations of category-level object poses even in the absence of direct depth readings. Furthermore, we introduce a novel NOCS prediction network that significantly improves performance. Our experimental results demonstrate the strong performance of our proposed method, even comparable to state-of-the-art RGB-D methods across public dataset sequences. Additionally, we showcase the generalization ability of our method by evaluating it on self-collected datasets.


Shift in locations suitable for loquat [ Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.] due to global warming leads to a high requirement for accurate assessment of suitable locations. This study aimed to develop a technique for using past winter air temperatures to judge whether an area is suitable for loquat production. The relationship between air temperatures and cold damage levels observed in orchards of four main production areas (Chiba, Kagawa, Nagasaki, and Kagoshima prefectures) for some years were analyzed. The survival rates of young fruit of each variety were positively correlated with the annual minimum air temperature. Threshold air temperatures for cold damage (the air temperature at which the survival rate decreased to 80%) of six varieties ('Tanaka', 'Mogi', 'Natsutayori', 'Nagasakiwase', 'Harutayori', and 'Biwa Nagasaki No. 21') were acquired by using statistically significant linear regressions. 'Tanaka' had excellent cold hardiness, with the lowest threshold air temperature, whereas 'Nagasakiwase' and 'Harutayori' tolerated the cold less well, with higher threshold air temperatures. Locations suitable for production of 'Tanaka' and 'Nagasakiwase' were judged based on the upper limit of the threshold air temperature for cold damage. The current production areas agreed with the locations judged to be suitable for the production of each variety. These results suggest that the threshold air temperatures for cold damage obtained in the present study provide a valid assessment of suitable current and future locations for both varieties.


The idea of using waste plastics in road construction is relatively new. Laboratory tests have shown positive results when a small amount (5-10% by weight) of plastic is incorporated in bituminous mixes (asphalt), resulting in improved pavement stability, strength, and durability. However, international field experience using plastics in actual road construction is quite limited. In this review, we found examples of waste plastics being used in road construction in a few case studies in India, UK, Portugal, and South Africa. While roads constructed using waste plastics have shown good longevity and pavement performance to date, the first roads constructed using this technology are only about ten years old, so long-term outcomes are not yet clear. This review did not find any evidence discussing the maintenance of roads constructed using waste plastics. This paper reviews the work of various researchers on use of Plastic Waste as material in road construction for improving the strength of pavement.


This Ph.D. research is based on the development of novel sol-gel techniques for synthesis of nanostructured ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) and subsequent spark plasma sintering (SPS) for densifying the UHTC composites. The liquid nature of the sol-gel process offers advantages such as high purity and ability for mixing and infiltration, and thus it can overcome some shortcomings of the conventional power processing of ceramics. SPS delivers microstructures with good density and fine grain size due to its internal heat generation, high heating rate and short sintering time required. Titanium carbide (TiC) and zirconium diboride (ZrB₂) are selected as the UHTC matrix materials to form composites with different kinds of carbon based materials, including 1D carbon nanotubes (CNTs), 1D chopped carbon fibers, 2D woven and 3D needle-punched carbon fiber fabrics, and 3D graphene networks. One challenge to form the composites by conventional powder processing is the difficulty to achieve a homogeneous mix of ceramic powders and the carbon materials. The aim of this research is to take the advantages of sol-gel processing to synthesize nanostructured carbon reinforced UHTC composites with improved microstructures, mechanical and/or other properties. Graphene/TiC composites were synthesized through sol-gel infiltration of graphene network sponges. The C/Ti ratio of the sol-gel solutions influenced the composition as well as the microstructure of the composites. Graphene sheets could react with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) during the carbothermal reduction, forming a plate-like structure when the carbon content in the sol was low. The samples after SPS sintering showed interesting microstructures of nanostructured TiC surrounded by a network of graphene sheets. The composites were toughened by debonding and bridging of the graphene sheets. It was also proved that the composites exhibited an energy absorption mechanism under impact. CNT/TiC composites were prepared by sol-gel mixing and SPS sintering. The application of sol-gel gave an advantage in homogenous mixing. CNTs were able to toughen the composite by bridging, pullout and crack deflection. The fracture toughness increased with the amount of CNTs, but sacrificing the hardness of the materials. A CNTs containing TiC based sol was coated on ZrB₂ raw powders, forming a homogeneous microstructures after sintering, where most of the TiC grains and CNTs were distributed at the grain boundaries of ZrB₂, forming weak interfaces, which benefited the toughness through crack deflection and impact absorption. The chopped carbon fibers had similar toughening effect to CNTs in the composites. Different types of coatings on the surface of carbon fibers influenced the interface properties between ceramic matrix and fibers, thus affecting the fiber pullout and debonding. Sol-gel infiltration was applied to synthesize ceramic composites with 2D woven and 3D needle-punched carbon fiber fabrics. The results showed that sol-gel infiltration was a much more effective way to uniformly fill the fine pores between fiber filaments than the conventional powder slurry infiltration method. The composites showed improved fracture toughness as a result of fiber pullout, debonding, and crack deflection.


Myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndrome in children is referred to as a rare congenital anomaly up to the present date. However, despite the rarity of this syndrome, practicing pediatricians, cardiologists should be cautious about the disease in order to avoid the fatal consequences of untimely diagnosis. The article describes the main causes, pathogenesis, clinical picture, treatment tactics and disease prognosis – according to the literature of Russian and foreign authors, and presents a clinical discussion of the case of early detection of the Bland-White-Garland syndrome during the planned outpatient examination of the child.


With the introduction of orthogonal frequency- division multiplexing and multiple antennas in cellular networks, there are new opportunities to adapt the transmission to propagation and interference conditions. In this article we describe a practical approach using space-frequency-selective multiuser MIMO scheduling. Frequency-selective feedback is provided on achievable data rates for preferred single- and multistream transmission modes. The base station selects the best mode while providing instantaneous fairness. We observe that multiuser transmission increases the probability of using multistream transmission. Besides the benefits from optimal combining at the physical layer, there is an additional gain at the MAC layer since the estimation of achievable rates becomes more precise. Altogether, 93 percent of the theoretical throughput can be realized by synchronizing the base stations and providing cell-specific reference signals. We have implemented essential functions of the approach in real time on an experimental 3GPP LTE prototype in 20 MHz bandwidth. Feasibility of the key features is proven in laboratory and field trials.


Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC

Background VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) is a key receptor in VEGF-mediated angiogenesis. It plays a significant role in tumor growth and development of metastases. A few studies suggested the angiogenic feature of bronchioalveolar cell carcinoma (BAC), a rare subtype of adenocarcinoma. However the biology of VEGFR-2 in BAC has not been clearly characterized, probably due to its rarity. We sought to determine whether differences in VEGFR-2 expression and microvessel density (MVD) in adenocarcinoma with BAC features (AWBF) might be due to heritable genetic variation in the VEGFR-2 gene. Differences in VEGFR-2 expression and MVD between the pure BAC component of tumor and AWBF, and their comparison with adjacent normal tissue, were also investigated.

Methods DNA was extracted from 46 formalin-fixed paraffin embedded AWBF tissues. Four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and four in/dels were genotyped in all tumors. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed with tumor tissue (pure BAC component and AWBF component for each tumor) and paired adjacent normal lung tissue. TMAs were stained with anti-VEGFR-2 and anti-phosphorylated-VEGFR-2 (pVEGFR-2) antibodies (scoring: 0-9). MVD was determined by staining with an antibody against CD105, and 95% of the samples had either diffused high or focal high staining.

Results The −271G>A genotype showed a clear gene-dosage effect on pVEGFR-2 expression (GG>GA>AA, p=0.04, linear trend analysis) in AWBF but not in BAC (p>0.1). The −271G>A genotype does not affect the MVD in both BAC and AWBF (linear trend analysis and Kruskal-Wallis, p>0.1). The other SNPs and in/dels did not show any significant association with VEGFR-2, pVEGFR-2, and MVD (p>0.1). VEGFR-2 and pVEGFR-2 expression in tumor (AWBF and pure BAC) was more than 10 times higher the paired normal tissue (p 0.1). For MVD, although the proportion of diffused high staining was higher in BAC (60%) vs. AWBF (47%), this difference is not statistically significant (p>0.1, Fisher's exact test).

Discussion Our study shows that heritable gene variation of −271G>A in VEGFR-2 might reduce the expression of VEGFR-2 in AWBF. This is consistent with the effect of −271G>A in a luciferase assay (Ye et al., AACR 2007), as well as its effect on VEGFR-2 and pVEGFR-2 staining in breast cancer (Cerri et al., SABCS 2009, abstract #904). Although our data are suggestive of different pattern of angiogenesis between pure BAC and AWBF, our sample size is too small to draw any definitive conclusions. Additional studies are ongoing to replicate these findings that will establish the role of genetic variation as a determinant of VEGFR-2 expression in BAC, and the biology of angiogenesis in this rare tumor.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2176.


The 15th Asia-Pacific Conference on Vision (APCV), 2019 The 15th Asia-Pacific Conference on Vision was held in Osaka, JAPAN, from 29th of July to 1st of August, 2019. The conference aimed to facilitate discussion on vision research in Asian-Pacific region, attended by 458 participants from all over the world. The program consisted of four keynote lectures, 13 symposia including 57 speakers, and 50 oral and 220 poster presentations. The organizing committee are grateful to all the contributions. The Abstracts are provided below. Keynote talks are presented first, symposia second, and then the contributed talks and posters are listed by session. APCV 2019 was funded partially by a grant from NICT International Exchange Program from the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology. Organizing committee of APCV 2019 Chairs Izumi Ohzawa CiNet, Osaka University Takao Sato Ritsumeikan University


Introduction: Conventional treatments for head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) are not completely effective and present several issues in terms of toxicity. Treatments available consist of surgery, chemoradiotherapy and biological agents. Areas covered: Tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs) alone or in combination, already tested or currently under investigation, will be evaluated together with their time placement along the treatment as well as the disease setting where they were used. Expert opinion: From the results of the main trials on TKIs, it emerges that these agents added to chemotherapy in recurrent/metastatic setting do not represent the best approach because of the major side effects, worsened by the complex characteristics of treated patients, and the lack of gain in terms of efficacy. Targeted agents could better exploit their activity in other settings, such as either before local regional treatment or immediately after to modulate biological effects induced by the treatment itself (surgery and/or radiation) and/or concurrently with radiation. Future research should also focus on irreversible pan-HER inhibitors, or combination agents able to overcome primary and acquired resistance, and on relevant biomarkers that would allow for a better therapeutic index of these molecules.


Australian states have introduced an outright ban on commercial artificial tanning sunbeds. This was based on evidence from systematic reviews affirming a strong association between tanning bed use and increased risk of melanoma. The implementation of the ban provides an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the legislation in preventing access to artificial UV radiation. Compliance with the ban has been enforced and monitored by government departments. We additionally monitored online tanning bed advertisements before and after the ban, showing a decline over time in the number of sunbeds advertised for sale on gumtree.com.au and ebay.com.au, from a peak of 115 advertisements in May 2014 to 50 or fewer per month from February 2015. There was also an increase in advertised price, with the percentage of sunbeds offered in Victoria on gumtree.com.au at higher than $2 000 increasing from around 25% between January and June 2014 to 65% in the quarter following the introduction of the ban. Advertisements on gumtree.com.au from individuals wishing to access a sunbed in a private home in Victoria increased from only isolated instances in the months immediately prior to the ban, to between 25 and 77 advertisements per month in the quarter following the ban. In summary, the introduction of an outright ban of commercial sunbeds has achieved a dramatic reduction in the availability of harmful artificial UV radiation sources in Australia. Long‐term benefits to the health of the population and a reduction in costs to the health system are expected to result.


Background: Referral centers are important for tertiary university hospitals to receive patients from other clinics. However, no data are available about the clinical characteristics of patients transferred through a transfer center, particularly obstetrics and gynecologic patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients transferred from local clinics through a referral center to our tertiary university hospital between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2011. One nurse and one doctor evaluated the medical charts. We excluded patients who transferred to the emergency room from other clinics. Results: A total of 249, 842, 93, and 76 patients were seen for diagnosis, management, operation, and delivery. Six patients received no recommendation from local clinics. A total of 178 patients were admitted and operated on the same day. Conclusions: The Korean government does not require that patients go to tertiary center by law, and it is advantageous that patients can choose their hospital. But a patient's needs and the primary and secondary clinic's requirements for transferring patients should be evaluated and considered in a multicenter study, and the role of the referral center should be remodelled accordingly.


Accurate interpretation of radioiodine whole body scan is extremely crucial to avoid unwarranted radioiodine ablative therapy in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. We reported a rare case of special hair artifact due to Nocturnal Driveling in a 32-year-old woman on post-therapeutic scans which showed a crescent intense activity in left lateral head, like neo-appeared metastasis. Additional projections after the hair was moved aside demonstrated that the activity was caused by hair contamination, likely from sialorrhea during sleep. The report enriches artifacts on radioiodine scans


In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic strongly affected all sectors, including education. Across the globe, governments enacted policies restricting people's movement, affecting the educational assessment industry. During the lockdown, South Africa's National Benchmark Tests (NBTs) were cancelled. In contrast to paper-pencil and linear tests deployed for NBTs, computer-adaptive testing (CAT) is a modern alternative. CAT technology is widely used for licensing and certification exams in most developed nations. CAT is expected to be used by many educational assessment companies in sub-Saharan Africa for their high-stakes exams due to its reduced testing time and algorithms that produce stable and reliable results. This paper aims to provide an overview of the 4IR tools that will enable creation of a comprehensive CAT, such as feasibility studies, item bank development, test-and-calibrate item banks, and specifications for the final CAT. To successfully implement CAT, these steps are essential. The importance of thorough research and documentation in each stage of the CAT cannot be overemphasized. Based on Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) artificial intelligence tools, we conclude that CAT is an excellent modality to adopt for ensuring accurate evaluations of examinees' abilities within high-stakes exams.

Keywords: CAT framework, Computerised adaptive testing, Fourth industrial revolution, Linear testing, National benchmark tests


Most effective nematicides for the control of root-knot nematodes are banned, which demands a better understanding of the plant-nematode interaction. Understanding how gene expression in the nematode-feeding sites relates to morphological features may assist a better characterization of the interaction. However, nematode-induced galls resulting from cell-proliferation and hypertrophy hinders such observation, which would require tissue sectioning or clearing. We demonstrate that a method based on the green auto-fluorescence produced by glutaraldehyde and the tissue-clearing properties of benzyl-alcohol/benzyl-benzoate preserves the structure of the nematode-feeding sites and the plant-nematode interface with unprecedented resolution quality. This allowed us to obtain detailed measurements of the giant cells' area in an Arabidopsis line overexpressing CHITINASE-LIKE-1 (CTL1) from optical sections by confocal microscopy, assigning a role for CTL1 and adding essential data to the scarce information of the role of gene repression in giant cells. Furthermore, subcellular structures and features of the nematodes body and tissues from thick organs formed after different biotic interactions, i.e., galls, syncytia, and nodules, were clearly distinguished without embedding or sectioning in different plant species (Arabidopsis, cucumber or Medicago). The combination of this method with molecular studies will be valuable for a better understanding of the plant-biotic interactions.


HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS A 54-year-old woman was referred for ambulant checkup after an episode of acute renal failure due to severe gastroenteritis and recurrent arthralgias. Physical examination was unremarkable except for the presence of palpable small cervical lymph nodes. INVESTIGATIONS Serum IgM levels showed a polyclonal increase. All the other routinely examined parameters were within normal limits. Microscopical blood smear examination revealed binucleated lymphocytes. Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood showed a polyclonal B-cell lymphocytosis despite normal numbers of leukocytes and lymphocytes. PCR analysis identified cells with a t(14;18) translocation (bcl-2/IgH rearrangement). DIAGNOSIS A routine medical checkup disclosed the diagnosis of persistent polyclonal B-cell lymphocytosis. This rare benign lymphoproliferative disorder is characterized by binucleated lymphocytes, polyclonal expansion of B-cells, and a polyclonal increase in serum IgM. The diagnosis was established despite the lack of leukocytosis or lymphocytosis in the peripheral blood. CONCLUSIONS Because of its benign and indolent course without the need for chemotherapy, it is important to discriminate the disorder of persistent polyclonal B-cell lymphocytosis from other malignant lymphoproliferative diseases.


The combination of fludarabine and mitoxantrone (FN) has been a well-tolerated and effective regimen for the treatment of indolent lymphomas. Rituximab is an active agent for the treatment of CD20-positive B-cell lymphomas. In the present study, we sought to determine the activity of FN chemotherapy followed by maintenance Rituximab in indolent lymphomas. Patients with indolent lymphoma received fludarabine 25 mg/m2 day 1–3 and mitoxantrone 10mg/m2 every 28 days. Patients who attained a response (CR or PR) received 4 weekly doses of Mabthera 375mg/m2 1 month and 3 months after completion of treatment. The primary endpoint of the study was to evaluate the response to this regimen and secondary endpoints were survival and toxicity. Forty-six patients were included in the study. The median follow-up time was 29 months. Six patients were stage I, 8 stage II, 3 stage III and 29 stage IV. Histology was distributed as follows: small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) 15 patients, splenic marginal zone lymphoma 3, lymphoplasmocytic lymphoma 1, marginal zone B-cell lymphoma 16 (extranodal 12 and nodal 4), follicular grade I 6 and follicular grade II 5 patients. The median number of delivered cycles was 6. Fifty-two percent of patients attained a complete response (CR) and 39% a partial response (PR) for an overall response rate of 91%. One patient had stable disease, one had progression of the disease, whereas 2 were non-evaluable. After a median follow-up of 29 months, 34 of 46 patients (74%) are alive and disease-free. Grade III and IV toxicities included neutropenia (28%), thrombocytopenia (7%), anemia (4%), and diarrhea (2%). In conclusion, FN followed by Rituximab maintenance is an active and well-tolerated regimen in the treatment of patients with indolent lymphomas.


Berlin is dotted with structures damaged by war or eroded by neglect. Since unification, several groups have appropriated such spaces for alternative cultural and social projects, intentionally displaying architectural decrepitude. Cultural centres such as the Tacheles and the Haus Schwarzenberg stand out against freshly painted façades and commercial enterprises. They react against gentrification and urban beautification, both of which have characterised Berlin's urban and architectural makeover since 1989. The display of ruination also attempts to represent a conflicted history, and is related to Germany's fraught relationship to memory. This article groups these projects, and their attitude towards decay, under the rubric of 'counterpreservation' and suggests that the fascinating spell of counterpreservation is inseparable from the 'irresistible decay' that Walter Benjamin associated with ruins. Through a close reading of the Haus Schwarzenberg building, it teases out the evocative potential of ruined spaces as they engage the embodied perception of space in unscripted, unpredictable ways.


Ten patients with healthy lungs were subjected to radiology, sonography, spirometry and blood gas analysis before and after an interscalene brachial plexus block prior to shoulder surgery. Winnie's interscalene block induced ipsilateral hemidiaphragmatic paresis that was confirmed by radiology and sonography. Changes in forced expiratory vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were significant and PaO2 declined by an average of 1.3 kPa. These changes should not cause further clinical symptoms in sitting patients with unaffected lungs. In patients with pulmonary disease, this method of nerve block should be limited to cases for which there is a clear indication.


This study looks at the relationship between corruption and foreign direct investment (FDI) in natural resources using a panel of 20 Latin American countries from 1995-2019. We find that lower levels of corruption have a positive and significant impact on resource FDI supporting the grabbing hand hypothesis. A one-point increase in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) is associated with an increase between 52-57 million dollars across models with varying controls. Results also show a nonlinear relationship between CPI and resource FDI, suggesting that when a country becomes less corrupt and improves its economic, social and political performance, it usually attracts more resource FDI. The analysis is robust to alternate measures of corruption (CPI, ICRG, and WGI) and different specifications of the dynamic panel model. Finally, the study highlights significant precautions and pre-conditions required to increase economic development when attracting natural resource-based FDI.


This report describes a project whose purpose is to develop a semi-pelagic trawl for squid and butterfish. Background of this fishery in New England is presented, as well as the constraints of the existing fleet. The approach used to meet the project objectives was the development of a rigging technique applied to a 156 x 80cm 4-seam bottom trawl. This novel technique included 5.5 meter droplines, a third set of bridles, and a flexible headrope kite. The rigging arrangement, however, could be applied to most bottom trawls. The net design and the model test results are reported, together with the results from instrumented sea trials and commercial use.


A series of para-substituted aryltrimethyl-silicon, -germanium, and -tin compounds were treated at room temperature with no-carrier-added (n.c.a.)77Br and 131I to compare their utility as substrates for regiospecific aromatic halogenation. Dichloramine-T was used as an in situ oxidant in acidic, polar, or non-polar reaction solvents. N.c.a. aromatic halodemetallation was regiospecific for all substrates, radiochemical yields were generally higher for 131I than 77Br, and halogenation yields increased as Si < Ge < Sn. Arguments are presented for a substitution mechanism involving a σ-complex intermediate with bond formation as the yield-determining step. Although high yields were obtained for the n.c.a. aromatic halogenodestannylations irrespective of aromatic substituent or solvent, significant chlorination occurred as a side-reaction. N.c.a. aromatic halogenodegermylation produced high radiochemical yields with insignificant chlorination, but the radiohalogenation yields were sensitive to ring deactivation and solvent effects. N.c.a. aromatic halogenodesilylation gave high yields only in activated aromatic systems. The relative benefits of each demetallation reaction for regiospecific n.c.a. radiolabelling or preparative halogenation of aromatic rings are outlined.


Aim Clinical evaluation of the effect of using low profile versus self-aligning attachment mandibular over-denture on oral health related quality of life and denture retention.
Material and Methods Forty-two patients were carefully selected, complete dentures fabricated, then two implants were placed in the canine region for each patient. Low profile attachments were used in group I and self-aligning attachments in group 2.
Results Regarding oral health-related quality of life, there was a statistically significant improvement. Regarding overdenture retention, the low profile attachment group showed statistically significant higher retention force compared to that of the self-aligning group at the time of insertion; however, there was no statistically significant difference between two groups at the 6 months follow-up.
Conclusion Both types of attachments offer good oral health-related quality of life for completely edentulous patients with limited inter-arch space. Regarding overdenture retention, low profile attachments presented higher retention values than self-aligning attachments at the beginning of the study but faster retention loss than self-aligning attachment over time.


OBJECTIVE
To simulate the computational hemodynamics of large intracranial aneurysms and analyze the hemodynamics of three types of large intracranial aneurysms.

METHODS
A total of 32 patient-specific models of large intracranial aneurysms were constructed with the data of DSA (digital subtraction angiography). According to the location of outflow vessel, plane of main vortex and impact zone, large intracranial aneurysms were classified into type A (outflow vessel in the plane of main vortex), type B1 (outflow vessel out of plane of main vortex, impact zone at the lateral wall of aneurysm) and type B2 (outflow vessel out of plane of main vortex, impact zone at the dome of aneurysm). Blood flow was assumed to be laminar and incompressible and blood Newtonian fluid. The time-dependent pulsatile boundary condition was deployed at inlet. CFD ICEM and Fluent software packages were used to simulate the computational hemodynamics of large intracranial aneurysms.

RESULTS
The distributions of hemodynamic variables during the cardiac cycle were analyzed for wall shear stress, velocity and streamlines. The velocity ratio (ratio of aneurysmal flow velocity to parent artery flow velocity) of type A, B1 and B2 was 0.186 ± 0.019, 0.706 ± 0.077 and 0.208 ± 0.041 respectively. The wall shear stress ratio (ratio of aneurysmal wall shear stress to parent artery wall shear stress) of types A, B1 and B2 was 0.081 ± 0.029, 1.019 ± 0.139 and 0.103 ± 0.031 respectively. The flow velocity and wall shear stress were the highest in type B1 group, followed by those in type B2 group and the lowest in type A group.

CONCLUSION
As reflected by the location of impact zone, the location of outflow vessel and inflow-angle can influence the level of blood flow in aneurysm sac.


In human binocular vision, the two retinal images are unified into a single image with perception of depth through a mechanism called `binocular sensory fusion.' The term cyclopean vision refers to the unified visual scene of the world obtained from fusion of the images projected to the two eyes. This paper describes an algorithm which simulates the fusion process for depth perception. The disparity information of the entire image is obtained by a convolution operation followed by a local maxima detection. The computation burden, and therefore, the processing time, is largely reduced.


Most lake, canal, and pond management programs in the United States use herbicides labeled for aquatic use because many of these products, which are registered by the US Environmental Protection Agency, are relatively inexpensive and can effectively control undesirable plants without excessive damage to desirable species. Managers of these resources have expressed an interest in alternative methods for aquatic weed control that could reduce the use of traditional synthetic herbicides. We studied the effects of acetic acid and d-limonene on growth of the invasive aquatic species rotala (Rotala rotundifolia) and crested floatingheart (Nymphoides cristata), as well as on the native wetland plants spatterdock (Nuphar advena) and giant bulrush (Schoenoplectus californicus). We applied acetic acid and d-limonene (alone and in combination) once as foliar treatments to healthy plants, then grew out the plants for 8 weeks after treatment to observe damage resulting from treatments. We also evaluated diquat dibromide at three concentrations as "industry-standard" synthetic treatments for comparison. A 0.22% concentration of diquat dibromide eliminated most or all vegetation of rotala, crested floatingheart, and giant bulrush, but was much less damaging to spatterdock. Single-product applications of acetic acid or d-limonene had little effect on any of the four species evaluated. Some combinations of acetic acid and d-limonene provided acceptable control of rotala and selectivity on spatterdock and giant bulrush, but no treatments reduced crested floatingheart growth by more than 40%. Treating rotala with acetic acid and d-limonene instead of diquat dibromide would result in a 25-fold increase in material costs, which would make this option unaffordable for most aquatic system managers.


This article is about school development, based on empirical data taken from Sweden's northernmost county, Norrbotten, situated in the Barents region of northern Europe. The survey includes all of the county's 13 municipalities. The aim of this article is to illustrate school leaders' views of school development in the organisation and municipality where they work. We chose a quantitative study as the method for obtaining answers to our questions. A questionnaire relating to leadership and school development was sent to 170 addressees. The statements in the questionnaire were put to respondents on the basis of previous research results that showed the importance of collective learning, leadership and the organisation of educational activities. The results from the survey show overwhelmingly positive answers from the respondents; they usually agree completely or partially with the statements. The result shows, for example, that there is a developed vision, there is consensus within the organisation, lessons learned in activities are documented, and teachers/educationists are encouraged to talk to each other about the structure of their teaching. The result is a picture of awareness on the part of the respondents of the importance of school leadership for children and young people's development into citizens. The mainly positive answers that the respondents have submitted, however, mean that there is a gap between what is actually implemented in activities and the respondents' own views. In order to verify the results, the study needs to be continued in more detail through interviews with a number of the respondents and take into account teachers' opinions regarding school development and leadership.


We present conductance characteristics of point contact junctions realized between a normal Pt-Ir tip and YBa2Cu3O7−x/La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (YBCO/LCMO) bilayers. The point contact characteristics show a zero bias conductance peak, as a consequence of the formation of Andreev bound states at the YBCO Fermi level. The temperature evolution of the spectra reveals a depressed zero bias peak and a reduced superconducting energy gap, both explainable in terms of spin polarization effects due to the LCMO layer.