Model-based reinforcement learning is a compelling framework for data-efficient learning of agents that interact with the world. This family of algorithms has many subcomponents that need to be carefully selected and tuned. As a result the entry-bar for researchers to approach the field and to deploy it in real-world tasks can be daunting. In this paper, we present MBRL-Lib -- a machine learning library for model-based reinforcement learning in continuous state-action spaces based on PyTorch. MBRL-Lib is designed as a platform for both researchers, to easily develop, debug and compare new algorithms, and non-expert user, to lower the entry-bar of deploying state-of-the-art algorithms. MBRL-Lib is open-source at https://github.com/facebookresearch/mbrl-lib.


Drawability is first distinguished from stretchability and the relative amounts of drawing and stretching in any particular forming operation are quantitatively defined. The generalized definition of drawability is based on the definition of the boundary of the product, with which a quantitative definition of draw-in is established. Drawability is then defined as the maximum draw-in at the completion of the cup. It is shown, both theoretically and experimentally, that the draw-in is maximized by choosing the right size, shape, and orientation of the blank to match a particular shape and size of the cup and the boundary. The definition of drawability, hitherto associated with the drawing of round cups, as the Swift test, is generalized to include cups of all shapes. The drawability index so determined can be used not only to compare two materials in the same process, as can be done in the Swift test, but also to compare two processes using the same material, which has hitherto been impossible.


fever. To date, 11 cases of secondary bacteremia after rotavirus gastroenteritis have been reported from different locations.1,3–5 It can be concluded that this complication of rotavirus gastroenteritis is uncommon but real, especially in neonates and young infants, and can be complicated by sepsis3,4 or even septic shock.5 Pediatricians should be aware of this rare but potentially serious complication of rotavirus gastroenteritis. When suspected, blood cultures should be obtained and empiric antibiotic therapy should be considered.


The conventional foam drainage technology needs to be defoamed, which is not convenient for its popularization and application. In view of this problem, from the point of molecular design, a temperature-responsive surfactant was designed and synthesized. In the synthetic process, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether carboxylic acid, diethanolamine and sodium chloroacetate were used as raw materials. First, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether carboxylic acid reacted with diethanolamine to generate a tertiary amine with hydroxyl catalyzed by sulfoxide chloride, and the intermediate product then reacted with sodium chloroacetate by the quaternary amine reaction to afford the target temperature-responsive surfactant. The foaming agent can achieve conformational transformation in the temperature range of 20 °C to 120 °C, resulting in the structural change of the self-assembly and regulating the stability of the foam, which makes the formed foam burst rapidly at low temperatures and be super-stable at high temperatures. The indoor evaluations show that the foaming height of the foaming agent is basically unchanged at the same temperature after 4 temperature-changing cycles, and the temperature-controlled defoaming rate reaches 90%, indicating that it has the intelligent temperature response switching performance of "high-temperature defoaming, low-temperature defoaming". Its preparation process is simple, low-cost, and environmentally friendly. It is expected to be popularized and applied in the field of gas fields, expand the application scope of foam drainage technology, reduce the cost of foam drainage, and help the efficient development of gas fields.


the ring opening will be guided by the relative stability of the intermediate radicals rather than the ease of approach of the hydride reagent such as in the classical SN2-type reduction condition~,~~ we would expect different product distributions under these condition^.^^*^ These expectations have been borne out, and in this communication we report our preliminary results in this area. We also report applications of related chemistry for the deoxygenation of highly functionalized epoxides including epoxy nucleosides. The resulting compounds are potential intermediates for the synthesis of dideoxy nucleosides used in anti-AIDS chem~therapy.~ Dropwise addition of 1.05 equiv of a THF solution of Cp,TiCI to a mixture of I ,I'-epoxyethylcyclohexane and IO mmol of cyclohexa- 1 ,4-diene in THF at room temperature followed by acidic (1 N HCI) workup yielded 92.0% of I-cyclohexylethanol. Minor amounts (1.5% and 0.9% respectively) of I-ethyl-I-cyclohexanol and 1 -( 1 -chlorocyclohexyl)ethanol were also isolated. With lithium triethylborohydride, as expected, the only product formed is 1ethyl-I-cyclohexanol (eq la,b).


Tracing the curiosity of children, educators, and researchers at a childcare centre in Melbourne, Australia and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, we wonder how we might connect digitally across continents while thinking with place-specific encounters and tensions. In this article we share stories and unexpected (in)tensions that arise during a FaceTiming inquiry to invite questions that unsettle sedimented notions of who and what belongs inthe colonized places in which our settler educator practices take place. Provoked by Donna Haraway's SF string figure method and situating our work within a common worlds framework, we seek new ways of connecting and transiting between our respective contact zones. In this article, we follow and pull at unsettling threads with the giving and receiving of two puppets, Bunjil and Waa, as they travel from their home in the Australian settler contact zone to the hands of those in the Canadian settler contact zone. These practices trace how these woven threads presence transit (in)tensions continue to stretch our thinking and modes of participating in our attempts at becoming accountable within the common worlds and our stories. How might this messy work make visible our accountabilities and inheritances in places of ongoing settler colonialism?


Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a significant cause of acute respiratory disease in children and young adults. We describe a case of a 15-year-old boy who presented with an unusual scarlatiniform rash in the setting of a positive Mycoplasma pneumonia IgM but negative anti-streptolysin antibody. While mycoplasma infections with cutaneous manifestations such as scarlatiniform exanthema have been described in textbooks, there are no reports in the primary literature. We wish to highlight the recognition of alternate presentations of mycoplasma, and briefly discuss the role of molecular mimicry in its pathogenesis.


Advances in localization-based technologies and the increase in ubiquitous computing have led to a growing interest in location-based applications and services. High accuracy of the position of a wireless device is still a crucial requirement to be satisfied. Firstly, the rapid development of wireless communication technologies has affected the location accuracy of radio monitoring systems employed locally and globally. Secondly, the location is determined using standard complex computing methods and needs a relatively long execution time. In this paper, two geolocalization techniques, based on trigonometric and CORDIC computing processes, are proposed and implemented for Bluetooth-based indoor monitoring applications. Theoretical analysis and simulation results are investigated in terms of accuracy, scalability, and responsiveness. They show that the proposed techniques can locate a target wireless device accurately and are well suited for timing estimation.


Background: The importance of breastfeeding is well known. One of important factors affecting breastfeeding is socioeconomic status. We investigated the relationship between socioeconomic status and breastfeeding to promote future breastfeeding projects. Methods: Data were collected from the 2013 - 2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). We evaluated the demographic information and parents' socioeconomic status of 1,220 children under 60months.Results: A total 1,220 children were included in this study. Some of the socioeconomic factors were associated with breastfeeding. Mothers' education level (≥13years: odd ratio[OR], 2.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-6.42), middle high of mother's income level (OR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.18-2.84), no smoking status (OR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.28-7.36), body mass index(BMI) (< 25(kg/m 2 ): OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.12-2.95) were associated with breastfeeding (p<0.05). Also, fathers' age (30s: OR, 4.88; 95% CI, 1.82-13.04), education level(≥13years: OR, 7.94; 95% CI, 3.12-20.18) were associated with breastfeeding (p<0.05). After controlling for the confounding factors, mothers' BMI, fathers' age and educational level were statistically significant.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that socioeconomic factors were associated with breastfeeding in Korea. Keywords : Breastfeeding, Parental, Socioeconomic status, Korea


In the patient with early rheumatoid involvement of the knee, synovectomy is the procedure of choice, and in the patient with late involvement, joint debridement, patelloplasty, patellectomy, arthroplasty, proximal tibia1 osteotomy, and finally arthrodesis should be considered.

In the management of rheumatoid arthritis of the hip, results are not as succcessful as with pure degenerative joint disease, and frequent revisions are probable. When possible, the first procedure should be arthroplasty with a large, loose-fitting cup in association with synovectomy of the hip. When changes in the femoral head are such that a cup cannot be accepted, then an initial prosthetic replacement should be considered. After resorption of the femoral head beneath the cup, a prosthetic revision can be performed. Should it fail, the prosthetic revision can be converted into a resection type of excisional artroplasty. With severe, progressive arthritic involvement of both hips, bilateral excisional arthroplasties should be considered initially. In this regard, my colleagues and I are not yet definite in our feelings. Treatment of a totally ankylosed hip joint may include either excisional arthroplasty or cup or prosthetic arthroplasty, whichever seems most feasible under the circumstances. The frequent bilaterality of disease involvement creates one of the most severe problems in orthopaedics, and one of the most demanding since management of both hips may involve additional revisions of one or both hips. Each situation must be considered individually, with the understanding that, if excisional arthroplasty must be done eventually on one hip, differences in leg length will create additional problems in walking.

In the rheumatoid foot, surgery on the fore part of the foot basically involves excisional arthroplasty, whereas that of the hind part involves bone stabilization by arthrodeois. Flexion deformities of the toes can easily be corrected manually by osteoclasis, or if the joints of only are toe are involved, the proximal joint can be resected or it can be fused by the use of an intramedullary Kirsehner wire.


OSGi (Open Service Gateway Initiative) is an open industry standard. The OSGi specifications describe a dynamic module system for Java. It is a platform for managing Java software modules, which are called bundles. Bundles can be combined to form larger applications. An important aspect of the OSGi framework is the management of the dependencies between bundles. The OSGi framework was intented to operate on a machine. Recently, different approaches have emerged which are trying to facilitate remote access to services through bridging between the otherwise isolated framework instances. The disadvantages of the bridging approach is that it does not provide a unified access to local and remote services and it does not provide dynamism. Achieving this would unavoidably mean altering the framework implementation. However, the middleware should not impose any restrictions on OSGi services. In particular, it should be possible to use existing bundles and services in distributed setups without any need for modification. This thesis presents the Virtual OSGi framework, a distributed OSGi framework implementation, which is able to transparently run on multiple machines, yet acting like a single OSGi framework. The Virtual OSGi framework does so by adding a virtualization layer on top of each individual OSGi runtime. The underlying infrastructure of the system is a peer to peer network based on a distributed hash table. Beside maintaining non-invasiveness, other challenges that needed to be dealt with, were the connection and communication of different OSGi frameworks, which are spread across the system. Furthermore, the treatment of bundles and their lifecycle. Finally, for the treatment of remote services, their registration and how an application will call them, the Virtual OSGi Framework makes the contribution of unifying local and remote services, without posing any restriction to the services that are registered in the framework. Finally, in this thesis, we compare the Virtual OSGi framework with other distributed systems, and we discuss what are its advantages and disadvantages of the Virtual OSGi approach.


Seismic events can be relocated relative to a reference event by using the group-velocity dispersion curves of surface waves. Since group velocity is a function of the travel path, surface waves from two events in the same locale should show identical group velocities when viewed at any one seismograph station. A computer technique has been developed for comparing the group-velocity curves of any event with the curves of a reference event and for determining the relocation which causes the curves to best coincide. The method is evaluated by relocating eight intermediate-size nuclear explosions of the Nevada Test Site series. With precise curve fitting, the surface-wave locations are slightly more accurate in southern Nevada than the standard body-wave determinations. The surface-wave origin times are considerably more accurate. In areas of sparse station coverage or of many small earthquakes, the surface-wave method can be expected to improve seismic locations significantly.


The paper discusses the implications of the increasing capacity of synchronous generators at the remote ends of rural distribution networks where the line resistances are high and the X/R ratios are low. Local voltage variation is specifically examined and two methods of compensation are proposed. The first of them is a deterministic system that uses a set of rules to switch intelligently between voltage and power factor control modes, while the second is based on a fuzzy inference system that adjusts the reference setting of the automatic power factor controller in response to the terminal voltage. Extensive simulations have verified that the proposed approaches may increase the export of real power while maintaining voltage within the statutory limits.


Background: COVID-19 is an infectious disease, typically characterised by a dry cough, shortness of breath, fever, fatigue, and/or loss of taste and smell. National Early Warning Scores (NEWS2) are used to detect deterioration in hospital and out-of-hospital settings. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) recommend NEWS2 for management of COVID-19 patients, but there is little evidence to support this.Aim: To investigate the relationship between NEWS2 values (and component scores) and hospital mortality in hospitalised COVID-19 patients in the West-of-England.Methods: Electronically recorded, routinely collected, observational physiological measurements (e.g. pulse, temperature, etc) were collated on all adult patients in participating hospitals between March and June 2020. First and maximum NEWS2 values, and their component scores, were calculated from the physiological measurements. Mortality status was presented by first and maximum NEWS2 and component scores, and areas under the curve (AUC) for 2, 7 and 30-day mortality were calculated.Results: Of 1,263 patients, 26% died during their hospital admission, 7% were admitted to ICU and subsequently discharged from hospital, and 67% were discharged without ICU.Most patients had low first NEWS2 values: 50% NEWS2=0-2, 27% NEWS2=3-4, 14% NEWS2=5-6, and 9% NEWS2=7+. However, many patients had a high maximum score: 14% NEWS2=0-2, 22% NEWS2=3-4, 17% NEWS2=5-6, and 47% NEWS2=7+. Patients with higher first and maximum scores were more likely to die, require ICU admission, and have longer length of stay. The AUCs for 2-day, 7-day and 30-day mortality were 0.77, 0.70 and 0.65, respectively. An increase in most first and maximum component scores were associated with an increased risk of mortality.Conclusion: NEWS2 is a reasonably good predictor of short-term mortality in this population, and the respiratory components are of the most value individually. These findings support the RCP's recommendations to use NEWS2, alongside clinical judgement, in the assessment of COVID-19 patients.


Thioredoxin (Trx) is an intracellular redox protein with extracellular cytokine-like and chemokine-like activities. We show here that, although plasma Trx levels are unrelated to survival of HIV-infected individuals with CD4 cell counts above 200/μl blood, survival is significantly impaired (P = 0.003) when plasma Trx is chronically elevated in HIV-infected subjects with CD4 T cell counts below this level (i.e., with Centers for Disease Control (CDC)-defined AIDS). Relevant to the mechanism potentially underlying this finding, we also present data from experimental studies in mice showing that elevated plasma Trx efficiently blocks lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced chemotaxis, an innate immune mechanism that is particularly crucial when adaptive immunity is compromised. Thus, we propose that elevated plasma Trx in HIV-infected individuals with low CD4 T cell counts directly impairs survival by blocking pathogen-induced chemotaxis, effectively eliminating the last (innate) barrier against establishment of opportunistic and other infections in these immunodeficient individuals.


In this work 2-(bis(cyanomethyl)amino)-2-oxoethyl methacrylate (CMA2OEM) molecule has been characterized theoretically. First, the potential energy surface has been calculated to find the lowest energy state of the molecule. After the most stable state of the molecule, Mulliken atomic charge and nonlinear-optical properties were investigated. Also in the study, binding poses of CMA2OEM molecule and anti-apoptotic proteins, such as BCL-2, BCL-w, MCL-1, AKT1 and BRAF were investigated. The molecular docking results showed that the most stable complex was obtained with this molecule and BRAF protein. The molecular docking results showed that the most stable complex was obtained with this molecule and serine/threonine-protein kinase protein. This study suggested that molecular docking approach may be a potential tool to identify the hydrogen bond interactions in order to treat a disease. Finally, this new ligand could pave the way to experimental studies.


BACKGROUND: Basal-like and claudin-low are two major subgroups of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC). The clinical subtype claudin-low is represented by MDA-MB 231 cells. The Notch and NF-κB signaling pathways are known to regulate proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis by regulating the transcription of target genes. Both pathways are commonly active in TNBC. There is strong evidence for cross-talk between these pathways: We previously published that in cervical cancer cells, Notch-1 can activate NF-kB through nuclear IKKα. We published that Notch-1 can activate the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), also through nuclear IKKα and the IKK signalosome in T-LL cells. However, the mechanism(s) of IKK downstream of Notch remain unknown. Notch1 is highly expressed in TNBC, and Notch ligands Jagged1 and 2 correlate with poor prognosis. IKKα (CHUK) is expressed in all subtypes of TNBC. We investigated whether Notch-1 can activate NF-kB in TNBC cells of claudin-low and basal like subtypes, whether this requires IKKα and how IKKα is activated. METHODS: We used Retroviral RNAi transduction of MDA-MB231 cells to establish Notch1 siRNA. ChIP (chromatin Immunoprecipitation), CoIP (co-immunoprecipitation), Western blot, luciferase reporter assays, co-culture MDA-MB 231 cells with LTK-JAG mouse fibroblasts, qPCR, xenograft tumors in nude mice. RESULTS: We have determined that phosphorylation of Akt is mediated through a non-canonical Notch signaling pathway and this is dependent on PTEN status. Unlike the canonical Notch pathway, Notch activation by Jagged1-expressing stroma cells leads to phosphorylation of Akt within minutes of contact between Jagged1-expressing stroma cells in PTEN wt , MDA-MB 231 cells through a non-transcriptional mechanism. Our data suggest that Notch complexes with PI3K subunits, p85 and p110, after ligand-mediated activation. Inhibition of Notch activity through GSIs (γ-secretase inhibitors) leads to decreased phosphorylation of Akt. Dominant-negative AKT abolishes IKKα phosphorylation. Additionally, the combination of the AKT inhibitor, perifosine and gamma-secretase inhibitor MRK-003 is synergistic in vitro and highly active in MDA-MB231 xenografts. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a novel non-canonical cross-talk mechanism including Jagged, Notch, AKT and IKKα connecting three major oncogenic pathways in TNBC: Notch, AKT and NF-kB. Moreover, our findings suggest that Akt inhibitors may be combined with GSI for therapeutic purposes. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-261. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-261


The gold standard for the partial restoration of sensorineural hearing loss is cochlear implant surgery, which restores patients' speech comprehension. The remaining limitations, e.g., music perception, are partly due to a gap between cochlear implant electrodes and the auditory nerve cells in the modiolus of the inner ear. Reducing this gap will most likely lead to improved cochlear implant performance. To achieve this, a bending or curling mechanism in the electrode array is discussed. We propose a silicone rubber–hydrogel actuator where the hydrogel forms a percolating network in the dorsal silicone rubber compartment of the electrode array to exert bending forces at low volume swelling ratios. A material study of suitable polymers (medical-grade PDMS and hydrogels), including parametrized bending curvature measurements, is presented. The curvature radii measured meet the anatomical needs for positioning electrodes very closely to the modiolus. Besides stage-one biocompatibility according to ISO 10993-5, we also developed and validated a simplified mathematical model for designing hydrogel-actuated CI with modiolar hugging functionality.


Results of Co and Ni substituted AlN in the zinc blende phase are presented. For spin up states, the hybridized N-2p and Co/Ni-3d states form the valance bands with a bandgap around the Fermi level for both materials, while in the case of the spin down states, the hybridized states cross the Fermi level and hence show metallic nature. It is found that, Al0.75Co0.25N and Al0.75Ni0.25N are ferromagnetic materials with magnetic moments of 4 μB and 3 μB, respectively. The integer magnetic moments and the full spin polarization at the Fermi level make these compounds half-metallic semiconductors. Furthermore it is also found that the interaction with the N-2p state splits the 5-fold degenerate Co/Ni-3d states into t2g and eg states. The t2g states are located at higher energies than the eg states caused by the tetrahedral symmetry of these compounds. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011


Background
In pulmonary sarcoidosis, respiratory tract lesions almost always appear, and residual lung shadows require treatment in about 20% of cases. Pulmonary fibrosis is among the three leading causes of death. Treatment strategies are urgently needed to inhibit the progression of pulmonary fibrosis by combining antifibrotic drugs and immunosuppressive drugs such as corticosteroids. Establishing consensus on the process of pulmonary fibrosis progression is important for determining the most effective treatment.

Our review
Among more than 2500 cases of sarcoidosis treated at our hospital, cases that led to chronic respiratory failure were analyzed for CT findings of pulmonary fibrosis. Early in sarcoidosis, granulomatous lesions appeared along the bronchovascular bundle. As pulmonary fibrosis progressed, a central consolidation developed on the central side in the direction of lymph flow, a peripheral consolidation developed on the pleural side, and a central-peripheral band developed connecting the two. Infiltrative or wedge-shaped shadows sometimes formed in the immediate subpleural area, appearing as a pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis-like lesion. Traction bronchiectasis may form cysts at the periphery or may congregate to form a honeycomb lung-like structure. Combination of these lesions led to shrinkage of the upper lobe. Patients with multiple peripheral cysts/bullae had a unique disease course characterized by wheezing and concomitant pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary aspergillosis.

Conclusion
Further understanding of the process of pulmonary fibrosis progression is needed. Summarizing imaging findings and understanding their contribution to respiratory impairment will contribute to comprehensively evaluating the stages of pulmonary fibrosis progression and establishing an optimal treatment strategy.


To obtain more accurate reconstructions of past salinities and climate it is necessary to merge regional datasets of saline lake diatoms and water chemistry; a prerequisite of which is to standardize taxonomic practice. To illustrate this process, an investigation of the identity of a small Cyclotella species, frequently observed in the diatom community of saline lakes, is described. This taxon, which has been referred to in earlier literature as Cyclotella caspia, is of interest because it is present in fossil African assemblages, yet is absent from the modem flora of this region. Uncertainties over its correct identification prevented material in a North American dataset from being used as an analogue in salinity reconstructions. LM and SEM investigations reveal that there are no significant differences between Recent North American and Holocene sub-fossil North American and African material which suggests that the salinity optimum calculated from the North American water chemistry data can be used for ...


Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Al-Ghazālī expressed many ideas on the theory of knowledge in his different works including Iḥyā' 'ulūm aI-dīn as well as al-Risālah al-laduniyyah . The former work is accepted by the scholars as securely attributed to al-Ghazālī, while the authenticity of the latter has been questioned by them. This article tries to compare al-Ghazālī's views on the classification of sciences between the theory revealed in these two works to show their similarities and differences. In order to assess the mentioned purpose, this article attempts to divide the sciences explained in the Iḥyā' and the Risālah into three different but linked categories, i.e., sciences which "come upon one" ( ḥuḍūriyyah ) and sciences which are acquired ( ḥuṣuliyyah ); revealed ( shar'iyyah ) and rational (' aqliyyah ) sciences; theoretical ( nazariyyah ) and practical (' amaliyyah ) sciences. This article argues that both works have similarities as well as differences.


Communicative planning initiatives are being increasingly implemented across both the North and South of the globe. Influenced by Habermas' theory of communicative rationality, this form of planning concentrates upon consensus building between different signified interest groups. The paper explores how communicative planning in the eastern Caribbean country of St Lucia disciplines people's conduct from the perspectives of Foucault's concept of governmentality and Laclau and Mouffe's theorization of hegemony. Linking the latter to an analysis of Massey's non-bounded conceptualization of the local, it is argued that, as geographers, we may do better to concentrate less upon the deterministic effects of common styles of government and more upon the moments which bring their themes temporarily and spatially into being. In doing so, some initial steps are made toward proposing the concept of space-time-politics, drawing upon Wittgenstein's work on 'aspect-seeing'. In concluding, I argue that we should not see terms such as 'consensus', 'empowerment' and 'the local' as pre-existing moral justifications for political action, but instead as the product of relations of space-time-politics.


This paper studies the relationship between stock prices and three types of uncertainty: economic policy uncertainty, stock market volatility, and geopolitical risks. In particular, our aim is to determine whether these forms of uncertainty play the same role in developed and developing countries. With this purpose, we take Spain and Brazil as representative cases. In order to provide new insights into the abovementioned relationship, a cointegration approach is applied, specifically an ARDL model, using monthly data from the period January 2006-December 2019 for a series of financial and macroeconomic variables. The results obtained reveal that there is no uniform effect of uncertainty in stock markets of developing and developed countries. First, in Spain, there is a high perception of uncertainty in economic policy and stock market volatility, which impact negatively in share prices, both in the short and long term. Regarding Brazil, the global uncertainty in the stock markets has effects on share prices, in both time horizons. By contrast, geopolitical risks do not show any significant impact on Brazilian and Spanish share returns.


This paper develops a multi-criteria decision making method (MCDM) method to evaluate the employee performance in a logistics company. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used for the weights of criteria and employees. Technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) is used for ranking the overall performance of the employees. Result shows that the proposed method is a generalized method and is applicable for the performance appraisal problem.


After many years depending upon the traditional mathematics of the engineer and physicist, the reviewer found coming to grips with various areas of discrete mathematics difficult and frustrating - a common experience. Some of the problems arose from lack of suitable textbooks and comprehensible tutorial papers. Most such contributions tend to the arcane and they have little appeal to anyone seeking to apply discrete mathematics to practical problems. Thus the availability of a text written in the spirit and style of `The Engineer's Error-Coding Handbook' would have been a godsend then to the reviewer as it will be for those approaching this topic for the first time. The author has concentrated on problem-solving of simple but real practical problems. In fact flicking over the pages will gladden the heart of the practically inclined for it is written in the style of an engineer with illustrations of system diagrams and tables showing detailed, but not pedantic, working out of posed problems. The text is split into six parts, namely, error-detection, error-correction, time-domain Reed - Solomon coding, frequency-domain Reed - Solomon coding, packaging the data and practical considerations. The first part introduces in a simple and clear way the important ideas of redundancy, parity, the concept of the Hamming distance and so forth. Various types of parity-checking are introduced and simple outline system diagrams of their implementation are shown. The following part concentrates on some of the details and includes straightforward and simple discussion of cyclic redundancy checking including introductions to the generator polynomial and finite fields and gives complete detailed workings of examples. It also includes a discussion on performance and hardware implementation. This part essentially sets up the ideas for detailed treatment of the topics mentioned above. It also establishes the method of presentation repeated throughout the book e.g. a simple explanation of what exactly the problems to be tackled are about, followed by generous explanation of how to work problems out and ending with a discussion. This book is a set of problems together with a set of detailed solutions. This latter will be particularly useful for those undertaking self-study. One could argue that the serious student will quickly outgrow this text but this is exactly why it deserves to succeed. Diligent study of it will provide a real feeling for this important topic. Whether one wants to practise or to move into the research world, this book can act as an excellent launch-pad. The title `The Engineer's Error-Coding Handbook' is unfortunate; it really is `The Engineer's Error-Coding Primer' for it is aimed at enlightenment of a subject difficult to learn, and it is certainly not a cook-book. The impact of discrete mathematics on engineering and computer science is growing fast and other textbooks on various topics in this area written in Houghton's style would be very welcome indeed.


Author research impact was examined based on citer analysis (the number of citers as opposed to the number of citations) for 90 highly cited authors grouped into three broad subject areas. Citer-based outcome measures were also compared with more traditional citationbased measures for levels of association. The authors found that there are significant differences in citer-based outcomes among the three broad subject areas examined and that there is a high degree of correlation between citer and citation-based measures for all measures compared, except for two outcomes calculated for the social sciences. Citer-based measures do produce slightly different rankings of authors based on citer counts when compared to more traditional citation counts. Examples are provided. Citation measures may not adequately address the influence, or reach, of an author because citations usually do not address the origin of the citation beyond self-citations.


Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794) is well known as the father of modern chemistry. His work on the chemistry of oxygen and the development of the concept of mass balance lighted the way for future chemists to apply rigorous scientific methods in their work. However, Lavoisier also made considerable contributions to other scientific disciplines, including meteorology and atmospheric science. This paper will survey the life of Antoine Lavoisier and his considerable scientific contributions. We will highlight his work on lightning and his attempts to develop a meteorological network for temperature and humidity measurements to support weather prediction.


We present TraJECT-3D (Track and Junction based Exploit over Complex Terrain), a realistic generator of node movement trajectories for simulating tactical Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks (MANETs). TraJECT-3D models the macro- and micro-mobility of different types of tactical nodes (e.g., soldiers, scouts, vehicles, UAVs) with a bidirectional track and junction strategy. The novel aspects and distinguishing features of our mobility model are: (1) supporting a three dimensional topology which is essential for realistic modeling of tactical scenarios in difficult terrains, and (2) considering variable size group mobility, multiple mission-based formations, and the inclusion of aerial traffic at the macro-mobility level and correlated movements at the micro-mobility. TraJECT-3D is validated by illustrating how the interactions between terrain characteristics, macro-mobility and micro-mobility models reproduce typical phenomena of tactical networks. Evaluation results show that the choice of mobility model heavily impacts node movement and density over terrain which in turn has a large impact on the performance of networking protocols.


The Karpinka Lake prospect is a strata-bound uranium deposit hosted by Aphebian meta-sediments located just to the south of the important unconformity-type deposits at Key Lake in northern Saskatchewan. The uranium occurs as disseminated uraninite and brannerite in sillimanite-bearing quartz-feldspar-biotite gneisses which, on the basis of major element data, are interpreted to represent metamorphosed arkoses. Sulfides, predominantly pyrrhotite, occur in amounts up to 10 volume percent in the uraniferous gneisses. These zones are flanked by sulfide-poor gneisses containing over 10 percent titanomagnetite and ilmenite. The uraninite is commonly in contact with sillimanite and the brannerite is commonly rimmed by sulfides. Both minerals have similar U/Th ratios of approximately 35:1.Bulk chemical analyses suggest that the host rocks were leached of sodium prior to metamorphism. The mineralized rocks show higher than background concentrations of copper, molybdenum, and vanadium.U-Pb isotopic analyses of the uraniferous phases indicate that the deposit is at least 1,800 m.y. in age. This age is approximately the same as that of the Hudsonian orogeny and is interpreted to reflect metamorphic resetting of the isotopic clock. The 1,800-m.y. age for the Karpinka Lake mineralization is at least 500 m.y. greater than the oldest dates obtained for the nearby unconformity-type deposits.It is proposed that the Karpinka Lake deposit represents a metamorphosed epigenetic sand-stone-type uranium deposit. A model is presented which involves sulfidation of iron-titanium oxide-rich arkoses and subsequent alteration of these rocks by uranium-bearing solutions. Uraninite is inferred, from its association with sillimanite, to have formed by uranium adsorption on precursor kaolinitc produced by alteration of detrital feldspar or felsic volcanic fragments. Brannerite is considered to have formed by uranium adsorption on titania sponges created by the alteration of iron-titanium oxides.The demonstrable existence of Aphebian strata-bound uranium mineralization and the observation that the Saskatchewan unconformity-type deposits are controlled by faults parallel to the Aphebian gneissosity lend support to previous suggestions that the basement supplied the uranium for the younger unconformity-type deposits.


OBJECTIVES
Stereotactic radiotherapy is gaining popularity although its use in head and neck cancer (HNC) is not well defined. The primary objective was to review the published evidence regarding the use of stereotactic radiotherapy in head and neck cancer.

METHODS
A literature search was performed by using MEDLINE and EMBASE databases for eligible studies from 2000 to 2019 and 26 relevant studies were identified.

RESULTS
Literature demonstrates a heterogeneous use of this technique with regards to patient population, primary or salvage treatment, dose fractionation regimens, outcomes and follow up protocols. Carotid blow out syndrome (CBOS) is a risk as with other forms of reirradiation but alternative treatment regimens may reduce this risk.

CONCLUSION
At present there is a lack of evidence regarding SBRT as a primary treatment option for HNC and definitive answers regarding efficacy and tolerability cannot be provided but there is growing evidence that SBRT reirradiation regimens are safe and effective. In lieu of evidence from large Phase III trials, we define appropriate OAR constraints and prescription doses, with accurate plan summation approaches. Prospective randomised trials are warranted to validate improved treatment outcomes and acceptable treatment morbidity.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE
This article provides a comprehensive review of evidence of use of stereotactic radiotherapy in head and neck cancer site (either as a primary treatment or as re-irradiation). We also provide an evidence-based approach to the implementation and practical consideration of stereotactic radiotherapy in head and neck cancer.


An analytical approach is developed for evaluating the expected range increase and variations in coverage range, while using an M-element adaptive antenna array at the base station (BS). The analysis is based on the match filter bound an the bit error rate probability for a frequency non-selective Rayleigh fading channel. Results for a ten element uniform linear array (ULA) indicate the expected range increase over a BS with only a single antenna can be nearly doubled. A 1.6 to 1.7 increase is also likely with a five-element array.


We report recent progress in the study of neoclassical internal transport barriers (N-ITBs) in the compact helical system (CHS) experiment. N-ITBs have been observed in electron cyclotron (EC) heated NBI plasmas. The improved confinement region for electrons is expanded compared with that of previous N-ITB plasmas heated by only EC heating. Moreover, the ion temperature is found to be increased simultaneously by two to three times (Ti(0) ~ 400–500 eV), with a steep gradient region at ρ ~ 0.6. From measurement of the averaged peak energy intensity using a soft x-ray CCD camera, it is confirmed that the impurity confinement is also improved with N-ITBs. The radial electric field is observed to bifurcate into ion and electron root (Er ~ 15 kV m−1), and a rather large electric field shear (dEr/dr ~ −300 kV m−2) is produced in the layer between ion and electron root.


Estimating temporal patterns in travel times along road segments in urban settings is of central importance to traffic engineers and city planners. In this work, we propose a methodology to leverage coarse-grained and aggregated travel time data to estimate the street-level travel times of a given metropolitan area. Our main focus is to estimate travel times along the arterial road segments where relevant data are often unavailable. The central idea of our approach is to leverage easy-to-obtain, aggregated data sets with broad spatial coverage, such as the data published by Uber Movement, as the fabric over which other expensive, fine-grained datasets, such as loop counter and probe data, can be overlaid. Our proposed methodology uses a graph representation of the road network and combines several techniques such as graph-based routing, trip sampling, graph sparsification, and least-squares optimization to estimate the street-level travel times. Using sampled trips and weighted shortest-path routing, we iteratively solve constrained least-squares problems to obtain the travel time estimates. We demonstrate our method on the Los Angeles metropolitan-area street network, where aggregated travel time data is available for trips between traffic analysis zones. Additionally, we present techniques to scale our approach via a novel graph pseudo-sparsification technique.


PURPOSE
To validate the nursing diagnosis anxiety as experienced by adult patients undergoing bone marrow transplant (BMT).

METHODS
Using a descriptive, longitudinal design, data were collected on the first day of conditioning, 25 days later, and 100 days post-transplant. Study tools included the State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Graphic Anxiety Scale (GAS), and the Defining Characteristics Tool (DCT).

FINDINGS
A significant positive correlation was found between patient STAI and GAS scores and STAI and DCT scores at Times 1 and 2, between DCT and GAS scores at Time 2, and between patient DCT scores and significant other DCT scores at Times 1 and 2. Eighteen critical and supporting defining characteristics were identified by the patient, 20 by the significant other, and 9 by the nurse. Significant others were found to be a valid resource in identification of the patients' level of anxiety, as well as the defining characteristics of anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS
A tool that consists of the critical and supporting defining characteristics of anxiety, as experienced by patients undergoing BMT, is recommended for further development and testing. Use of a visual analog scale to assess anxiety in clinical environments should be considered.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
Availability of clinically valid and reliable tools to help assess anxiety in this patient population could enhance patient outcomes. Recognizing and incorporating significant others' assessment of patient anxiety is important data to be considered in the planning and delivery of patient care.


The objectives to be achieved in this research are (1) Describing attitudes towards the profession, work motivation, work discipline, and teacher performance at State Junior High Schools in Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency, and (2) Analyzing the direct relationship between attitudes towards the profession, work motivation and work discipline with teacher performance. It is quantitative research with a causal relationship design. The population was 348 teachers of State Junior High Schools in the Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency. Sampling was carried out using the Proportionate Random Sampling technique to obtain a sample of 186 teachers. A questionnaire was used as the only means of collecting data. Data analysis to test hypotheses using Path analysis techniques. The results of this study are: (1) there is a direct relationship: (a) between attitudes towards the profession and the discipline of work of teachers; (b) between work motivation and work discipline of teachers; (c) between attitudes towards the profession and teacher performance; (d) between work motivation and teacher performance; (e) between work discipline and teacher performance; and (2) there is no indirect relationship: (a) between attitudes towards the profession and teacher performance through work discipline; (b) between work motivation and teacher performance through work discipline at State Junior High Schools in Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency. Based on the results of this study it is suggested that the school should conduct activities that can maintain and improve teachers' attitude towards the professions, motivation, and discipline


Plasma flows can be driven by turbulent stresses from excited modes in magnetized plasmas. Our recent numerical simulation of resistive drift wave turbulence in a linear device has shown that the radial inhomogeneity of the neutral density affects azimuthal flow generation by changing the phase structure of the most unstable eigenmodes. Eigenmode analyses show that the mode structure has a complex Bessel-type function shape in the central region of the plasma, and the imaginary part arises from the radial inhomogeneity of the damping term caused by ion-neutral collisions. The amplitude of turbulent stress is proportional to the inhomogeneity under a marginally stable condition. Global structural formation is an important factor for determining the plasma turbulent state, and this result clearly shows that several kinds of radial background distributions, the plasma and neutral densities in this case, can influence the global structures.


An anomalous wavevector dependence in the spin wave linewidth associated with fluctuations out of the easy plane is observed for the first time in the one-dimensional easy-plane ferromagnet CsNiF3 by means of inelastic polarized neutron scattering. The linewidths of the spin waves, one attributed to spin fluctuations out of the easy plane and another in the easy plane, are studied separately throughout the Brillouin zone. The zone boundary narrowing of the linewidth associated with the spin fluctuations in the easy plane is observed for the first time in agreement with the classical spin wave theory. The deviations from the classical result at large qc and high temperature are interpreted as an expression of the quantum nature of the S = 1 spin chain.


Cocoa polyphenols are thought to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Thus, cocoa-containing foods may have significant health benefits. Here, we studied the impact of chocolate liquor on vascular lesion development and plaque composition in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. Apolipoprotein E (apoE)-knockout mice were assigned to two groups and fed a Western diet that contained 250 g/kg of either chocolate liquor or a polyphenol-free isoenergetic control paste for 16 weeks. In addition to fat, protein, and fibers, the chocolate liquor contained 2 g/kg of polyphenols. Compared with the control group, mice fed the chocolate liquor had larger plaque areas in the descending aorta and aortic root, which were attributed to a higher mass of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and collagen. Vascular lipid deposits and calcification areas did not differ between the two groups. The aortic tissue level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA was 5-fold higher in the mice fed chocolate liquor than in the control mice. Chocolate-fed mice exhibited an increased hepatic saturated to polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio than the controls. Although the chocolate liquor contained 14 µg/kg of vitamin D2, the chocolate liquor-fed mice did not have measurable 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 in the serum. These mice even showed a 25% reduction in the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 compared with the control mice. Overall, present data may contribute to our understanding how chocolate constituents can impact vascular lesion development.


The mononuclear iron(III) complexes [Fe(LH2)(H2O)Cl](ClO4)2.2H2O (1) and [Fe(LH2)(H2O)2](ClO4)3.H2O (2) have been prepared by reacting [Pb(LH(2))](ClO4)2 with FeCl3.6H2O and Fe(ClO(4))(3).6H(2)O, respectively. Complex 2 upon treatment with 1 equiv of alkali produces the oxo-bridged dimer [{Fe(LH2)(H2O)}2(mu-O)](ClO4)4.2H2O (3). In these compounds, LH2 refers to the tetraiminodiphenol macrocycle in the zwitterionic form whose two uncoordinated imine nitrogens are protonated and hydrogen-bonded to the metal-bound phenolate oxygens. The aqua ligands of complexes 1-3 get exchanged in acetonitrile. Reaction equilibria involving binding and exchange of the terminal ligands (Cl-/H2O/CH3CN) in these complexes have been studied spectrophotometrically. The equilibrium constant for the aquation reaction (K(aq)) [1]2+ + H2O <==> [2]3+ + Cl- in acetonitrile is 8.65(5) M, and the binding constant (K(Cl)-) for the reaction [1]2+ + Cl- [1Cl]+ + CH3CN is 4.75(5) M. The pK(D) value for the dimerization reaction 2[2]3+ + 2OH- <==> [3]4+ + 3H(2)O in 1:1 acetonitrile-water is 9.38(10). Complexes 1-3 upon reaction with Zn(ClO4)(2).6H(2)O and sodium acetate (OAc), pivalate (OPiv), or bis(4-nitrophenyl)phosphate (BNPP) produce the heterobimetallic complexes [{FeLZn(mu-X)}2(mu-O)](ClO4)2, where X = OAc (4), OPiv (5), and BNPP (6). The pseudo-first-order rate constant (k(obs)) for the formation of 4 at 25 degrees C from either 1 or 3 with an excess of Zn(OAc)2.2H2O in 1:1 acetonitrile-water at pH 6.6 is found to be the same with k(obs) = 1.6(2) x 10(-4) s(-1). The X-ray crystal structures of 3, 4, and 6 have been determined, although the structure determination of 3 was severely affected because of heavy disordering. In 3, the Fe-O-Fe angle is 168.6(6) degrees, while it is exactly 180.0 degrees in 4 and 6. Cyclic and square-wave voltammetric (CV and SWV) measurements have been carried out for complexes 1-4 in acetonitrile. The variation of the solvent composition (acetonitrile-water) has a profound effect on the E(1/2) and DeltaE(p) values. The binding of an additional chloride ion to an iron(III) center in 1-3 is accompanied by a remarkable shift of E(1/2) to more negative values. The observation of quasi-reversible CV for complexes containing a Fe(III)-O-Fe(III) unit (3 and 4) indicates that in the electrochemical time scale unusual Fe(III)-O-Fe(II) is produced. The 1H NMR spectra of complexes 3-6 exhibit hyperfine-shifted signals in the range 0-90 ppm with similar features. The metal-hydrogen distances obtained from T(1) measurements are in good agreement with the crystallographic data. Variable-temperature (2-300 K) magnetic susceptibility measurements carried out for 3 and 4 indicate strong antiferromagnetic exchange interaction (H = -2JS1.S2) between the high-spin iron(III) centers in the Fe-O-Fe unit with J = -114 cm(-1) (3) and -107 cm(-1) (4).


In 1789, King Chongjo, ruler of the Yi dynasty, ordered General Yi Duk-moo to compile an official textbook on all martial art forms present in Korea. The result, the Muye Dobo Tongji, is the only surviving classical text on the Korean arts of war. Based on the earliest known Korean martial arts treatise, the Muye Chebo(1599), the Muye Dobo Tongji clearly shows the influence of neighboring Japanese and Chinese armies. Through hundreds of wars and invasions, Korean soldiers adapted battlefield skills and tactics from their enemies, creating a unique system. Organized into 24 disciplines comprised of empty hand fighting, weaponry and horsemanship, this is an accurate historical snapshot of the warrior arts of the late 18th century. This marks the first time this volume is available in English. Carefully translated from the original text and illustrated with reproductions of ancient woodblock carvings, this book provides fascinating insights into Korea's martial arts legacy.


Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative bacterium that has recently been identified as a leading nosocomial pathogen. Infections by this pathogen result in significant mortality due to antibiotic resistance. An effective vaccine would help alleviate the burden of disease incurred by this pathogen; however, there are currently no licensed vaccines offering protection against Acinetobacter baumannii infection. In this study, considering the fact that outer membrane protein A is one of the most promising vaccine candidates, we predicted T cell and B cell epitopes on this protein using sequence-based epitope prediction tools and determined whether or not mice immunized with these peptides induce an immune response. We selected consensus epitopes including five peptides in different tools with the highest score. 48 female C5BL/6 SPF injected subcutaneously with the peptides (peptide1 to peptide 5 separately) in 100 μL of the solution and sham groups received adjuvant and PBS alone on the same schedule: on day 0 (primary dose) and two booster doses were administered on days 14 and 28. At the end of time, animals euthanized by Isoflurane, and collected sera for assessment of specific antibodies against each peptide by ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Immunization of mice showed one of the novel synthetic peptides (peptide 1 (24-50 amino acids)) elicited immune responses. We conclude to combine theoretical methods of epitope prediction and evaluating the potential of immunogenicity for developing vaccines is important.


The traditional image of the African family that has long grant a place of choice to the elderly does match maybe any more the reality of today. The WHO report on violence and health 2002 and some studies carried out in other African countries suggest that elder abuse also exists in sub-Saharan Africa. To describe how the young Congolese adults consider their elderly and mistreatments that can result. A cross sectional study was realized between January and April, 2008 with 300 youth and adults aged 15 to 55 years (203 ≤ 25 years old), living in Brazzaville or in Pointe-Noire. The sample of 300 people was constituted according to the method of non-probability sampling. The data collection was made on the ground by state employees of the Ministry of Health, social affairs and family by means of a pre-established questionnaire containing open and closed questions. Youth and adults have contrasted and contradictory representations of the elderly. In 70% of the cases they said have good relationships with the elderly and qualified them as wise persons and as models but, conversely, more than 50% of them found them unwanted and disturbing. Witchcraft accusations are frequent with often serious consequences. Social transformations dispossess little by little the elderly people of their status and their prerogatives in Congo-Brazzaville. They come along with a change of look and behavior of the young adults towards them. Elder abuse in Congo-Brazzaville is an underestimated problem insufficiently denounced and fought.


We study the dynamics of a droplet moving on an inclined rough surface in the absence of inertial and viscous stress effects. In this case, the dynamics of the droplet is a purely geometric motion in terms of the wetting domain and the capillary surface. Using a single graph representation, we interpret this geometric motion as a gradient flow on a Hilbert manifold. We propose unconditionally stable first/second order numerical schemes to simulate this geometric motion of the droplet, which is described using motion by mean curvature coupled with moving contact lines. The schemes are based on (i) explicit moving boundaries, which decouple the dynamic updates of the contact lines and the capillary surface, (ii) a semi-Lagrangian method on moving grids and (iii) a predictor-corrector method with a nonlinear elliptic solver upto second order accuracy. For the case of quasi-static dynamics with continuous spatial variable in the numerical schemes, we prove the stability and convergence of the first/second order numerical schemes. To demonstrate the accuracy and long-time validation of the proposed schemes, several challenging computational examples - including breathing droplets, droplets on inhomogeneous rough surfaces and quasi-static Kelvin pendant droplets - are constructed and compared with exact solutions to quasi-static dynamics obtained by desingularized differential-algebraic system of equations (DAEs).


The reactions of a set of amino acid and peptidyl C10-esters of deacetylcephalothin (1-5) have been examined with purified enzymes in vitro. Each of the compounds examined is a substrate for the Escherichia coli TEM-2 beta-lactamase, and enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of the lactam bond gives release of an amino acid or a peptidyl fragment from a cephem nucleus. 7 beta-(2-Thienylacetamido)-3-[[(beta-chloro-L-alanyl)oxy]methyl]-3- cephem-4-carboxylate (4) gives time-dependent inactivation of E. coli JSR-O alanine racemase in a process that requires beta-lactamase for the initial liberation of beta-chloro-L-alanine from the cephalosporin. Alanine racemase is similarly inactivated by 7 beta-(2-thienylacetamido)-3-[[[(beta-chloro-L-alanyl)-beta-chloro- L- alanyl]oxy]methyl]-3-cephem-4-carboxylate (1), but this inhibition requires the sequential action of both beta-lactamase and alanine aminopeptidase. Analysis of the enzymatic transformations of 7 beta-(2-thienylacetamido)-3-[[[(beta-chloro-L-alanyl)-L- alanyl]oxy]methyl]-3-cephem-4-carboxylate (3), monitored by high-field 1H NMR, reveals that (1) beta-lactamase releases the dipeptide beta-chloro-L-alanyl-L-alanine from 3 and (2) leucine aminopeptidase effects stoichiometric hydrolysis of the dipeptide to beta-chloro-L-alanine and L-alanine. These biochemical findings are discussed with reference to the mechanism of antibacterial action of 1 against beta-lactamase-producing, penicillin-resistant microorganisms [Mobashery, S., Lerner, S. A., & Johnston, M. (1986) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 108, 1685].


This dissertation is primarily focused on the Buellia species with pluriseptate spores, often referred to the section or genus Diplotomma, and secondarily on the Physciaceae. An ultrastructural study at family level gives new information on spore characters. Variations in the composition and structure of the spore wall layers and septa are described.A phylogenetic analysis of the Physciaceae, based on morphological and chemical characters, is presented. In the resulting trees the species with pluriseptate spores appear in a poorly resolved clade together with other crustose species with 1-septate spores. A subsequent analysis, excluding foliose and fruticose species, shows that the species with pluriseptate spores do not form a monophyletic group, and that only a few are grouped together with the type species of Diplotomma. Due to low resolution, poor branch support, and uncertainty concerning the typification of Buellia all species treated are retained in Buellia.Altogether 35 species with pluriseptate spores are treated, including ten new to science, viz. B. aeruginosa, B. morsina, B. muriformis, B. oidaliella, B. pallido-marginata, B. romoletia, B. rubroreagens, B. terricola, B. tombadorensis, and B. tri-septata. Historical outlines are presented, and information on life strategy, morphology, chemistry, ecology, and distribution is given. All species are similar and macroscopically not easily distinguished, having crustose thalli and blackish apothecia, but there is a great variation in microscopic characters, secondary chemistry, substrate preferences, habitat ecology, and distribution range. Several names are typified and many synonyms are listed. References are given to all species referred to Diplotomma in literature.


Objective: Implementing a surveillance system is one of effort to monitor trends and contain outbreaks. This evaluation had been done for the first time to describe the performance of COVID-19 surveillance system in Yogyakarta District and provide recommendations. Method: This study type was a descriptive evaluation study. Surveillance data COVID-19 routinely collected from data managers since March 16 to September 20, 2020. The interview was conducted to 5 epidemiologists in Yogyakarta District of Health. The indicators of evaluation were simplicity, flexibility, completeness, acceptability, positive predictive value, representativeness, and timeliness. Results: A total of 18 PHCs, 7 COVID-19 referral hospitals, and 2 non-referral COVID-19 hospitals reported confirmed cases. A total of 333 confirmed cases were recorded during the evaluation. The median age of confirmed cases was 43 years (range: 2–84 years) of which 54% were male. The highest case was from Umbulharjo sub district namely 21% (70/333).  Positive predictive value was 7.4% that was still above standard value of guidelines, namely <5%. The completeness of the data from the data manager was 90% (301/333). Average time between reports received by the health office and the date of laboratory confirmation results is 1 day (range: 0-8 days). The greatest strength of the system was acceptability and representativeness. Conclusions: The quality of COVID-19 surveillance data has not met the aspect of positive predictive value and completeness. Increased weekly specimen tests should be done and an investigation report could be a source of data to complete the data in the data manager.


We theoretically investigate scanning nearfield optical microscopy (SNOM) of semiconductor quantum dots. A general theoretical framework is developed that accounts for photo excitation and relaxation in complex dielectric environments. We find that in the nearfield regime bright and dark excitonic states become mixed, opening new channels for the coupling to the electromagnetic field.


Despite Palestinian university students' problems with the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based Test, no researchers approached this research area in the Palestinian English as a Foreign Language context. The present study attempted to answer a question focusing on Palestinian university students' problems with the reading sections of the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based Test and the revised Test of English as a Foreign Language paper-delivered test. The participants were 65 fourth-year students studying English at Al-Aqsa University. The researcher employed four instruments: a test, a group semi-structured interview, and two individual semi-structured interviews. Results showed the students' problems with the reading sections of the two types of tests, such as the irrelevance of the topics of the tests to the students' content background knowledge, students' lack of exposure to lengthy passages, students' slow reading speed, and the students' lack of linguistic proficiency. Additionally, the study offered many recommendations for Educational Testing Service experts and Al-Aqsa university students and instructors.


This article discusses content recommender systems which solve the top-N problem. A mathematical model of the content recommender system based on fuzzy sets, the criterion of assessing the quality of recommendations and solution algorithm are presented in the article.


-The MDT chambers of the ATLAS Muon Spectrometer will operate in a heavy LHC background environment mainly from photons and neutrons. The ionization produced by neutron recoils is much higher than the one from photons or muons and can be simulated by the use of alpha particles. A systematic study of the behavior of the ATLAS Monitored Drift Tubes (MDTs) under controlled irradiation has been performed. The presence of alpha particles results in the reduction of the gas gain due to space charge effects. The gas gain reduction has been studied in a single tube set up using a well controlled radium (Ra) source in order to enrich the tube gas (Ar/CO2) with the alpha emitter Rn and irradiate the tubes internally. The results are confronted with Garfield simulations.


The interactions between mitochondrial function and Ca2+ homeostasis are very complex. Mitochondria are known to serve as dynamic calcium storage compartments, and also form intimate contacts with other calcium-handling organelles, such as the endoplasmic reticulum. Calcium enters mitochondria, not only during pathological processes, but also during physiological calcium responses. This organelle does not simply passively buffer excessive calcium but actively utilizes calcium signals to regulate integral cell activities, such as oxidative phosphorylation and the Kreb9s cycle. A consolidated microplate-based workflow is described for assessing the relationship between mitochondria and global calcium responses. Two novel small molecule probes were implemented in the assay. Mitochondrial membrane potential was monitored using a dual-emission fluorescent probe that is roughly 10-25-fold more sensitive than the conventional carbocyanine dye, JC-1. Calcium mobilization was examined using a novel fluorescent calcium indicator dye that is significantly brighter than Fluo-4 AM dye. The assay is readily performed using a fluorescence microplate reader equipped with a dual-reagent dispenser. Proof-of-principle studies were performed by evaluating cell response to two agents, diazoxide, a putative opener of the potassium-ATP channel, and BML-258, a novel sphingosine kinase-1 inhibitor. The assay workflow is suitable for monitoring calcium mobilization and mitochondrial membrane potential changes across a broad spectrum of biological targets. The easy-to-use protocol is automation-friendly and can be performed in a convenient 96-well or 384-well microplate format. The assay should provide insight into the interaction between calcium signaling and mitochondrial energetic status, relevant to a range of phenomena, including ischemia/reperfusion injury. It should also serve as a high-throughput approach for identifying specific small molecule pharmacological agents targeted to this complex interrelationship. 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 4028.


Power in processing cores (microprocessors, DSPs) is primarily consumed in the datapath part. Among the datapath functional modules, multipliers consume the largest amount of power due to their size and complexity. We propose a low power BIST scheme for datapaths built around multiplieraccumulator pairs. The target is low average power dissipation between successive test vectors. This is achieved by taking advantage of the regularity of multiplier modules and achieving very high fault coverage by a linearsized test set with as small as possible input switching activity. The proposed BIST scheme is more efficient than pseudorandom BIST for the same high fault coverage target. Up to 77.25% power saving is achieved in the set of experimental results provided in the paper.


Introduction Life threatening haemorrhage from vascular complications of pancreatitis are rare but, need to be effectively managed even in a district general hospital (DGH) setting. We report our experience of gastrointestinal bleeding due to local complications of pancreatitis which were effectively managed by radiological intervention. Methods All mesenteric angiograms done in our hospital over a period of 7 years were reviewed retrospectively along with their case notes. All such procedures in our hospital were performed by a single interventional radiologist. Results Out of 31 patients identified in this period 28 patients had bleeding secondary to peptic ulcers. Three patients had bleeding due to vascular complications of pancreatitis. Patient I: A 58-year-old lady had developed pancreatic pseudocyst secondary to azathioprine induced pancreatitis. He presented with hematochezia but, gastroscopy was normal. Urgent mesenteric angiogram revealed beaded pancreatico-duodenal artery in spasm adjacent to the pseudocyst. This was embolised with control of upper GI haemorrhage. Patient II: A 59-year-old man with alcohol induced pancreatitis and pseudocyst presented with UGI bleeding. OGD revealed blood in the stomach and duodenum but, no source of bleeding was identified. Mesenteric angiogram revealed pseudoaneurysm of the gastroduodenal artery adjacent to the pseudocyst which was embolised with control of haemostasis. Patient III: A 64-year-old man with a known pseudocyst presented with UGI bleeding. CT angiogram revealed bleeding into the pseudocyst secondary to a pseudoaneurysm of the gastroduodenal artery. This was treated with mesenteric emobolisation. Conclusion Haemorrhage due to vascular complications of pancreatitis usually present as a life threatening emergency and associated haemodynamic compromise. Surgery is often difficult due to the lack of trained pancreatico-biliary surgeons in most DGHs. Radiological embolisation is an effective treatment which should be readily available in hospitals admitting such patients. Foundation trusts ought to invest in such resources to prevent unwarranted mortality. Competing interests None declared.


This guide is intended to provide a basis for guiding copyright and fair use compliance standards and practice among the members of the Mitchell College community.


This book is based on a series of meetings held in Cardiff, Great Britain, in 1975 and 1977. The object of the book is "helping practicing dermatologists to solve clinical problems especially by using simple office techniques." With this in mind, most of the book's 19 chapters do, in fact, lead to such helpful hints, either in direct practice or in ordering various laboratory, microbiological, or histological techniques. All of the authors are European and most are English. Subjects range from a short, much needed, discussion of the design and conduct of dermatologic clinical trials to discussions on the investigation of skin collagen, glucosaminoglycans, porphyria, skin lipids, and skin fibrinolytic activity. There are four chapters on immunology that cover patch tests, lymphocyte function, complement, and immune complexes. Up-to-date and useful chapters outlining the use and abuse of transmission and scanning electron microscopy are included along with detailed discussions of cell


Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are one of the important enzymes in terms of not only drug metabolism but also physiological functions. The marked sex difference in GST activity has been found in rat and mouse liver cytosol, and such differences in rat liver are suggested to be primarily due to the differences in the subunit composition of GSTs in both sexes. In addition, GST activities of rat liver cytosol are known to be largely influenced by treatment with inducers such as phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene and various hormones. GSTs are widely distributed in mammalian species, and multiplicity of GST has been demonstrated so far. The present review also describes multiple forms of GST from the viewpoint of enzymology and immunology.


Despite extensive research efforts in the field of cerebral ischemia, numerous disappointments came out. Indeed, even if experimental studies showed up a huge number of promising drugs, most of them unfortunately failed to be efficient in clinical trials. Based on these reports, factors that play a significant role in causing outcome variation were identified and recently reviewed in the Rodent Stroke Model Guidelines for Preclinical Studies. Herein, we provide improvements to this first edition as regards to the functional evaluation section, especially regarding long-term evaluation. Indeed, as in clinical practice (Rothrock et al 1995), animals display a certain degree of spontaneous recovery after stroke (Hunter et al 1998; Roof et al 2001; Zausinger et al 2000; Zhang et al 2000). Typically, the neurological impairment, assessed by basic items, usually disappears during the initial week following stroke in rodents (Bederson et al 1986). As a contrary, more demanding sensorimotor and cognitive tasks underline other deficits, usually long-lasting. Unfortunately, studies addressing such behavioral impairments are less abundant. Therefore, because the characterization of long-term functional recovery is critical for evaluating the efficacy of potential therapeutic agents in experimental stroke, behavioral tests that proved to be sensitive enough to detect long-term deficits are reported here. Overall, since the ultimate goal of any stroke therapy is the restoration of normal functions, an objective appraisal of the behavioral deficits should be done.


Cashew production in Africa accounts for 30% of the world's total production, of which only 10% is processed. In this regard, African farmers are actively organizing with the support of relevant international institutions to develop cashew processing industry, with a view to increasing income and promoting agricultural diversification. According to WTO statistics, almond, walnut and cashew are the top three in the world nut trade. As early as the 1970s, cashew production in Africa once dominated the world (70%), but by the beginning of this century it had dropped to 30%. The reason is the emergence of India and the Republic of Benin, in which the output and processing volume of Cashew in India are ranked first in the world. Driven by this situation, cashew cultivation in Africa has experienced many years of crisis and finally recovered in an all-round way, especially in the Republic of Benin, Kenya and Tanzania.


The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, namely Covid-19, one of the greatest pandemics in human history posed some new challenges to the human beings for its prevention and control as it is an airborne respiratory disease and highly contagious. The most common practices suggested by WHO and government of India are; to wear a face mask, keep social distancing etc. It becomes much more important when the whole world is opening its economy. In such situations, there are a number of places where maintaining social distances or wearing a face mask is quite a tough job for example Laboratories and eating messes and canteens of schools and colleges. Thus, the present studies focus on the designing of economic PODS which may be helpful in controlling the spread of airborne disease in mass gathering places like in educational institutions in particular laboratories and eating messes. The present studies first emphasize on the flow field analysis of human cough by assuming it as a turbulent jet using CFD. Then, based on the physical dimensions covered by the coughing jets a further detailed study is conducted on 23 number of PODS of various shapes and sizes using CFD to select a suitable POD so that the effect of coughing in a laboratory/mess can be minimized to contain the infections. A POD with 1 m length and 30 cm height having an arc inside (POD 20) is found to be the best POD to contain the airborne infections.


ABSTRACT. The fine structure and function of a honey bee's (Apis mellifera Linn.) proventriculus were studied by scanning electron microscopy and video‐recording. Our observations revealed that the proventriculus is used to engulf pollen and other particles which contaminate the nectar carried into the crop. The four lips are closed and opened, pulled backwards and straightened by the external circular muscles and internal longitudinal muscles. Combs of filiform‐hairs (70 μm in length) located on the margins of the lips 'catch' and filter particles from the fluid. By repeated filtering, opening and closing actions of the hairs and lips, particles are filtered and collected in pouches between the ventricular folds to form boluses and are eventually passed into the midgut. In the present experiment, particle sizes ranging from 0.5 to 100 μm in diameter, including dandelion pollen (Taraxacum officinale Web.), Torula yeast (Candida utilis Lodder et Kreger‐Van Rij), bee disease spores of Nosema apis Zander and Bacillus larvae White, and man‐made particles can be filtered by the hairs. Small particles (0.23 μm in diameter) filter through the hair and return back to the fluid. Large particles (100–200 μm in diameter) are caught between the stylets of the mouthparts and are not ingested. These observations suggest that the particle size plays an important role in determining what can be taken by the mouthparts and the proventriculus and what can later be utilized as a food source by the bee. The role of the proventriculus in disease transmission is also discussed.


Numerous studies have revealed student self-efficacy in science education. The main purpose of this study was to review university students' efficacy in science. The review intended not only to summarize, but also to explore the instrument, sample selectivity, validity, and reliability as reported in empirical studies. For this purpose, four papers from science education view were deduced from the experiencing data by using selection study method. Each of the paper focuses on physics, chemistry, and biology. How the researchers conducted an analysis of data, and they're finding have described in this paper. In addition, the overview of the development process of the science self-efficacy scale and the implication for the future research also described in this study. The result of the study showed that, first, the most item parameter can be estimated with relative stability for samples of 200 participants and so this might consider the minimum number desired for survey study. Second, the self-efficacy scale in university science student should cover seven dimensions: conceptual understanding, higher-order thinking skills, practical work, everyday application, science communication, self-learning strategy, and self-assessment. Third, there were several criteria for conducting data analysis in selfefficacy scale by considering the result of Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), loading factor must be weighted greater than .4, the eigenvalue larger than 1 confirming at least fourfactor loadings over .6 and the factor should explain at least 56% of the variance.


The effect of substituents on the spectra and ionization potentials of electrons in chromophoric groups can in a general way be divided into two major contributions, namely, (a) inductive effects which act mainly by changing the binding of electrons in the ground state, and (b) resonance effects which stabilize the molecular ion. When the substituent is a fluorine atom these effects are large but of opposite sign. The magnitude of the inductive effect is shown to be in some cases as much as several electron volts by considering sets of molecules where resonance stabilization of the molecular ion is negligible, for example, hydrocarbons and their perfluoroderivatives, NH3 and NF3, the perfluoromethyl halides, etc. In other classes of molecules, such as the trifluoromethyl radicals, the fluorinated ethylenes and aromatics, large resonance stabilization of the molecular ion occurs along with the inductive effect and as these are of opposite sign, relatively small changes of ionization potential result from the substitution. The study of the dependence of increases of ionization potential due to inductive effects on the distance of the substituted fluorine from a chromophore shows how this is reduced as the separation increases. Many of the longer wavelength bands of various chromophores show shifts on substitution which are in the opposite direction to the changes which occur in the ionization potential. It is suggested that these can in many cases be attributed to the different spatial dependence of resonance and inductive effects. The interplay of this spatial variation and the dimensions of the upper orbital, especially when this has a large overlap with the substituting group, can produce energy changes in the excited orbitals which make the bands appear to behave anomolously on substitution. New values for the ionization potentials of the fluorinated ethylenes, aromatics and alkyl halides are given.


The Wietrznia quarry in Kielce is situated between the shallow-water Devonian carbonate platform in the Kielce region and the deeper Łysogory basin. This palaeogeographic setting affected carbonate sedimentation in Late Devonian times. The transitional facies of the Wietrznia Frasnian comprises two overlapping types of deposits: (1) micritic and marly limestone of shelf basin facies and (2) coarse-grained limestone of fore-reef facies. The first type includes laminated- and graded micritic limestone and nodular limestone. The second includes intraformational conglomerates and breccias, and crinoidal limestone. The limestones in the middle Wietrznia Beds formed within storm wave base in a shallow (possibly only a few tens of metres) sea that deepened eastwards. Storms are likely to have been the main cause of erosion and transport. In the western part of the quarry, proximal tempestites show evidence of amalgamation and cannibalism as do some high-energy flat-pebble conglomerates. With abating storm winds, finer-grained graded and laminated limestones accumulated. Toward the eastern part of the quarry, the high-energy effects of near-shore storm waves are less evident; the deposits there are transitional or more distal tempestites.


Prayer materials in Luke's Gospel are rich and unique. 1 P. T. O'Brien has correctly observed that "[p]rayer is a signi ̃cant motif in the Lukan writings as both the terminology and the contexts make plain." 2 The verb proseuvcomai (meaning "to oˆer petition"), for example, is used nineteen times in the Gospel of Luke alone. In fact, thirtỹve of the eighty-six NT occurrences of the term are in Luke-Acts, whereas only ten occurrences are in Mark and ̃fteen in Matthew. When the noun proseuvch is included in the count, the Lukan writings use the term forty-seven times, whereas Matthew employs it seventeen times, Mark twelve, John never, the Pauline writings thirty-three times, and others three times. In Luke's Gospel alone, proseuvcomai or proseuvch occur twenty-two times. 3 In the NT, deovmai and its noun dehsÇÍ , appear thirty-four times: 4 Luke uses these terms nineteen times, Paul ten times. 5 Acts also uses kravzw (twice) and proskarterevw (three times) in prayer contexts, and even the adverb oJmoqumadovn is used to express unity in prayer in Acts 1:14 and 4:24. These statistics, however, may be misleading, since the Gospel of Luke and Acts are longer than any other books in the NT. More important for our purpose is not the frequency of the terms, but the fact that most of Luke's prayer texts come in Lukan special material. 6 O. G. Harris noted that Luke not only "has sixteen prayer terms where his sources do not," but also that "these terms appear at signi ̃cant points in his Gospel." 7 The purpose of this paper is to investigate the theology of prayer in the Gospel of Luke. 8 We will begin with a survey of scholars' views regarding Luke's theology of prayer. Two themes have been suggested: (1) prayer and


Introduction – The submaximal exercise capacity assesses the functional capacity of the individual, which can be measured by the Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and by the Four Minute Step Test (4MST). Objective – To compare the cardiorrespiratory responses and perceived exertion between the 6MWT and 4MST in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) participants in a cardiac rehabilitation program. Methodology – Cross-sectional study composed of seven men (58.7 ± 9.37 years). The cardiovascular responses were analyzed (peripheral oxygen saturation – SpO2; heart rate HR; systolic blood pressure SBP; diastolic blood pressure DBP), dyspnea and lower limb (LL) fatigue were assessed by the modified Borg scale. The tests were administered in according to American Thoracic Society (ATS, 2002) guidelines. Results – Significant differences were observed (p < 0,05) in the deltas of SBP, DBP between the tests. Conclusion – Our results suggest that both the 6MWT as the 4MST estimate submaximal exercise capacity, but the 4MST requires a higher metabolic demand, observed by greater increase in blood pressure. Descriptors: Cardiovascular Diseases; Exercise Test; Fatigue; Arterial Pressure; Rehabilitation. Saúde (Santa Maria), Santa Maria, Vol. 40, n. 1, Jan./Jul, p.117-124, 2014 ISSN: 0103-4499


Background: In addition to IgA anti-endomysial antibodies, IgA anti-smooth muscle antibodies have been observed in a number of patients with coeliac disease (CoD), but only limited data exist on the frequency and antigen specificity of IgA against cytoskeletal proteins in CoD. Methods: We evaluated the sera of 42 untreated CoD patients, follow-up sera of 26 CoD patients after treatment, and 116 control sera for IgA reactivity to cytoskeletal proteins from the human umbilical cord (HUC) by immunoblotting, and compared the results with anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA (anti-tTG IgA) ELISA and immunofluorescence results. Results: Serum IgA from CoD patients most frequently recognized a 57-kD antigen in HUC cytoskeletal extract, identified as desmin using mass spectrometry and internal peptide sequencing. Increased IgA reactivity to the human desmin band was detected in 22 children with untreated CoD (52.4%), in 4 treated CoD patients (15.4%), and in 12 control subjects (10.3%) (p < 0.01); similar results were obtained with anti-chicken desmin IgA ELISA. Anti-tTG IgA levels (increased in 71.4% of untreated CoD patients) correlated significantly with anti-desmin IgA levels in untreated CoD, and both autoantibody reactivities decreased in response to a gluten-free diet. Pre-adsorption experiments and affinity purification of anti-desmin IgA antibodies further confirmed that desmin is an IgA autoantigen in CoD and is recognized by antibodies which are not cross-reactive with tTG. Conclusions: Anti-desmin IgA antibodies are frequently occurring if not the predominant cytoskeletal antibodies in children with untreated CoD and could be related to the disease process in the small intestine.


In most low rate speech coders the quality of the synthesized speech depends greatly on the performance of the spectral coding stage, in which the spectral envelope is encoded. The spectral envelope estimation vocoder (SEEVOC) is a successful spectral envelope coding method, and also plays an important role in speech coding based on the sinusoidal model. This paper investigates the properties and limitations of the SEEVOC algorithm, which requires an estimate of the coarse pitch. Our analysis of the effect of inaccurate coarse pitch gives a new insight into the spectral envelope estimator, and shows that it is important to start with a reasonably accurate coarse pitch value. Also, we optimize and generalize the properties of the SEEVOC algorithm and propose a new method to improve pitch estimation based on the sinusoidal speech model.


The U-Bar Formation (Aptian-Albian) consists of five members: they are (in ascending order) brown limestone, oyster limestone, limestone-shale, reef limestone, and suprareef limestone. These members crop out in the area southwest of the Big Hatchet Mountains, Hidalgo County, New Mexico. The U-Bar Formation is overlain by the Mojado Formation (Albian) and underlain by the Hell-to-Finish Formation (pre-Aptian). A composite stratigraphic section (3,115 ft; 950 m) southwest of the Big Hatchet Mountains has been compiled from measured sections at Pierce Tank and Hell-to-Finish Tank. The brown limestone member contains thin-bedded, fine-grained, ledge-forming, silty, gypsiferous, dolomitic to oolitic limestones, arkosic sandstones and siltstones which weather red-brown to dusky red. The sparse fauna contains fragmented diminutive bivalves, Ostrea-type bivalves, and turritelloid-type gastropods. The yellow-gray to red-brown oyster limestone member primarily contains thin-bedded, fine to medium-grained, clastic, silty limestones and covered shale intervals. Massive limestones, thin-bedded arkosic sandstones, and siltstones occur near the base and middle of the member. This richly fossiliferous member contains some limestones consisting almost entirely of small Exogyra and Ostrea-type bivalves. Also common are Pecten, turritelloid-type gastropods, and serpulid worm tubes which commonly encrust Ostrea-type bivalves. The limestone-shale member contains thin to medium-bedded ledge-forming, fine-grained limestone. These pitted blue-gray to medium-gray weathering limestones contain a sparse fauna of turritelloid-type gastropods, small, thin-shelled bivalves, fragmented echinoid spines, and abundant Orbitolina, and large Lunatia-type gastropod steinkerns in the upper part of the member. The reef limestone member is a massive, fine to medium-grained limestone. The light-gray weathering limestone contains fragmented Ostrea-type bivalves, rudists, and abundant orbitolinids at the base. The suprareef limestone member (locally thin) is a medium-grained, clastic limestone, weathering light gray and containing abundant orbitolinids in the base and fragmented Ostrea-type bivalves above. The fossils commonly are iron-stained and weather in relief. End_of_Article - Last_Page 771------------


We have carefully examined the organocopper-mediated reduction-alkylation of gamma-acetoxy or gamma,gamma-difluoro-alpha,beta-unsaturated-delta-lactams for the synthesis of (Z)-alkene- or (E)-fluoroalkene-containing diketopiperazine mimetics. Reduction of acetates 2, 12, 14, and difluorolactam 18 with higher-order cuprate reagents (Me3CuLi2 x LiI x 3 LiBr), followed by trapping the resulting metal dienolate with an electrophile in a one-pot procedure gave alpha-alkylated-beta,gamma-unsaturated-delta-lactams in good yields. Because of side-chain steric repulsion, we found that alkylation using relatively large electrophiles such as BnBr gave mostly 3,6-trans isomers by kinetic trapping of metal enolates. On the other hand, MeI-mediated alkylations predominantly provided the unexpected 3,6-cis isomers despite the presence of a bulky benzyl side chain. Based on density functional theory calculations, we concluded that formation of the 3,6-cis isomers was due to the occurrence of oxa-pi-allyllithium complexes 29 and 31.


New fixed point results for a pair of non-self mappings defined on a closed subset of a metrically convex cone metric space (which is not necessarily normal) are obtained. By adapting Assad-Kirk's method the existence of a unique common fixed point for a pair of non-self mappings is proved, using only the assumption that the cone interior is nonempty. Examples show that the obtained results are proper extensions of the existing ones.


Impulse noise in images is present because of bit errors in transmission or introduced during the signal acquisition stage. There are two types of impulse noise, they are salt and pepper noise and random valued noise. In our proposed method, first we apply the Stationary wavelet transform for noise added image. It will separate into four bands like LL, LH, HL and HH. The proposed algorithm replaces the noisy pixel by trimmed median value when other pixel values, 0's and 255's are present in the selected window and when all the pixel values are 0's and 255's then the noise pixel is replaced by mean value of all the elements present in the selected window. This proposed algorithm shows better results than the Standard median filter (MF), decision based algorithm (DBA). The proposed method performs well in removing low to medium density impulse noise with detail preservation up to a noise density of 70% and it gives better Peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and mean square error (MSE) values.


OBJECTIVE
To test whether intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is related to eating disorder (ED) pathology.

METHOD
Thirty individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), 19 with bulimia nervosa (BN), and 28 healthy control women (CW) completed the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS).

RESULTS
AN and BN groups showed higher IU compared with CW. In AN and BN, Harm Avoidance and Depression scores were positively correlated with IU. In AN but not BN, IU was related positively to Drive for Thinness and Body Dissatisfaction.

DISCUSSION
Elevated IU is associated with AN and BN. Anxious traits may be inherent in EDs and IU could be a developmental factor contributing to anxiety, mood, and ED behavior in AN and BN.


Microwave magnetic properties are studied for rhombohedral structure Nd2Fe17N3-δ with planar magnetic anisotropy Its resin composites show the permeability μ′0 = 4.15 at low frequency, the natural resonance frequency fr = 1.71 GHz and the resonance bandwidth 6.66 GHz. The calculated static permeability of Nd2Fe17N3-δ reaches 133. The microwave magnetic properties are determined by the c-axis anisotropy field, basal plane anisotropy field and high saturation magnetization. Based on microwave measurement and theoretical fitting on complex permeability spectra, Nd2Fe17N3-δ may be a promising microwave absorber with bandwidth wider than traditional hexaferrites materials in GHz ranges.


In this paper, we discuss GeoWeb technologies, specifically those created via volunteered geographic information (VGI) as a means of analyzing the political contours of mapmaking. Our paper is structured around two case studies of VGI projects that allow for consideration for the political efficacy (and potential drawbacks) of these geospatial technologies. We use de Certeau's constructs of strategies and tactics as a conceptual framing, which allows for a political reading of geographic data couched in the context of everyday life, as well as opening up inquiry into the politics of making, accessing and interpreting spatial data. We conclude by suggesting provocations for future research on the GeoWeb and VGI at the intersection of geography and information science.


Abstract Glaciar Coronas is one of the small cirque glaciers located in the Maladeta Range, central Spanish Pyrenees. The ice extends from 3220 to 3065 m a.s.l. Using early and modern photographs and aerial photographs, we study the evolution of the glacier during the 20th century, with particular focus on evaluating the variations in area, ice thickness and the withdrawal of the ice front. This information is compared with some basic climatic data (quarterly and annual evolution of temperatures and precipitation) recorded in the nearby Seira observatory. The results show that ice wastage, clearly associated with the main regional climatic evolution, has been dominant during the 20th century at Glaciar Coronas, but the rate has varied and has not been continuous. Three periods have been detected: (1) 1920s–early 1960s: ice depletion period; (2) early 1960s–mid-1980s: stabilization of the deglaciation process; (3) mid-1980s–1998: marked ice depletion period. The study shows a decrease in area of Glaciar Coronas from 19 ha in 1928 to 2.4 ha in 1998. The decrease in length from 1928 to 1998 has been 325 m.


The income share of the super-rich in the United States has grown rapidly since the early 1980s after a period of postwar stability. What factors drove this change? In this study, we investigate the institutional, policy, and economic shifts that may explain rising income concentration. We use single-equation error correction models to estimate the long- and short-run effects of politics, policy, and economic factors on pretax top income shares between 1949 and 2008. We find that the rise of the super-rich is the result of rightward-shifts in Congress, the decline of labor unions, lower tax rates on high incomes, increased trade openness, and asset bubbles in stock and real estate markets.


Selected mapping (SLM) scheme without side information (SI) using specially designed phase symbols to reduce peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) was recently published. The PAPR reduction performance was achieved at the cost of degraded bit error rate (BER) performance. This paper will present a new pilot phase symbol generation improving the PAPR reduction performance without BER performance deterioration.


As of the fourth quarter of 2007, 74.9% of white non-Hispanic families but only 48.5% of Hispanic families owned homes. We argue that low rates of homeownership in Hispanic communities create a self-reinforcing mechanism that contributes to this large disparity. In part, this occurs because proximity to other homeowners belonging to a family's social network improves access to information about how to become a homeowner. Role model effects may also be relevant. We investigate these issues using household-level data on out-of-state movers from the 2000 Decennial Census. Three especially important results are obtained. First, proximity to Hispanic homeowners in the 1995 place of residence increases the propensity of a Hispanic family to own a home in 2000. Second, that effect is especially strong with respect to proximity to weak English-speaking Hispanic homeowners. Third, these patterns hold regardless of the Hispanic family's own ability to speak English. From a policy perspective, these results suggest that local programs designed to promote homeownership among weak English-speaking Hispanic families likely increase Hispanic homeownership beyond just the immediate program participants.