The study focuses on the Indian research output in terrorism, one of the burning social issue in whole World. The data for the present study was obtained from Scopus database for the period 2000–2017 (18 years). The study examines terrorism research output from India during on different parameters including the growth, document type-wise distribution of publications, productivity and impact of most productive institutions and authors, subject-wise break-up of the publications, highly cited publications, and preferred sources of publications in which Indian researchers publishes their works and contribution. It was found that the India contributes 1.72% to the global research output on terrorism. The highest, i.e., 74.31% contributions are appeared in journals and conferences. The top 6 productive authors together contributed 29 papers with an average of 4.83 papers per author and account for 5% (29 publications) share in the cumulative publications output of India during 2000–2017. Strategic Analysis, Economic and Political Weekly, India Quarterly, and International Studies are the leading journals in which majority of the terrorism related articles are published. The highest articles related to the terrorism research belong to 'Social sciences'. Top 11 highly cited articles are identified through Scopus database. The17 Indian institutions involved in terrorism research together have contributed 26.20% share (with 152 papers) in the cumulative publications output of India. The need of more research publications in the domain of 'Terrorism' is expected. Keywords: Terrorism Research, Bibliometric Study, Research Output, Scopus, India Cite this Article S.B. Patil. A Bibliometric Analysis of Terrorism Research Output of India during 2000-2017. Journal of Advancements in Library Sciences. 2019; 6(Special Issue 1): 120s–126s.


A case-control study among white men in western New York was conducted from 1975 through 1985 to examine diet and other risk factors for laryngeal cancer. Incident pathologically confirmed cases (250) and age- and neighborhood-matched controls (250) were interviewed to determine usual diet and lifetime use of tobacco and alcohol. Cigarettes were strongly associated with risk; pipes and cigars were not. Beer and hard liquor but not wine were associated with increased risk. Dietary fat and carotenoids were related to risk in opposite ways. The upper quartile odds ratio for dietary fat was 2.40 [95% confidence interval 1.26, 4.55], and the upper quartile odds ratio for carotenoids was 0.51 (0.26, 1.01). There was effect modification by smoking. Carotenoids were most negatively associated with risk among the lightest smokers, whereas dietary fat was most positively associated with risk among the heaviest smokers. Total calories, protein, and retinol were associated with increased risk; there was no relationship between laryngeal cancer and vitamin C, vitamin E, carbohydrate, or dietary fiber. This study again demonstrates the strong association between tobacco and alcohol and laryngeal cancer and also suggests that diets low in carotenoids and high in fat may increase risk.


The problem, difficult to sell the agricultural product, has brought to the attention. Whether to join in the farmers' cooperatives has been the focal point to discuss at present. From the point of view of the farmers' revenue, in this paper we apply the expected maximization method to develop the behavior decision models, and carry on the discussion. We obtain the condition of the behavior decision on farmers joining in the farmers' Cooperatives, and the best scale that the farmers' cooperatives should have, which provide the reference for the farmers ' behavior decision.


Objective

To enhance the production of A40926 by implementing a strategy of the combination of genetically engineered strain construction and medium optimization.
Results

The engineered strain of Nonomuraea gerenzanensis presented an increment of 30.6 percent in A40926 production compared with that of the parent strain. Subsequently, an assembling medium, which was defined as M9 medium and mainly comprised glucose, maltodextrin, soybean meal, peptone, L-valine, and other inorganic salts, was determined as the optimal medium among the tested nine media. The optimum concentration of medium components was glucose 10 g/l, maltodextrin 37.9 g/l, soybean meal 34.5 g/l, peptone 30.0 g/l, and L-valine 4.3 g/l, respectively. The optimized medium was verified experimentally, and A40926 yield increased significantly from 257 mg/l to 332 mg/l, as compared to the non-optimized medium. The strategy brought a significant increase of A40926 yield by 65.2 percent.
Conclusions

The engineered mutant with the genetic attributes of the co-expression of the dbv3 and dbv20 genes and the deletion of the dbv23 gene could obviously enhance the production of A40926. In addition, the optimization of medium was an effective and essential tool for the improvement of the secondary metabolites in Actinomyces.


Dear Editor, We read with interest the article ''Anatomic and hemodynamic evaluation of renal venous flow in varicocele formation using color Doppler sonography with emphasis on renal vein entrapment syndrome'' by Unlu et al. [1]. They reported that the nutcracker phenomenon may affect varicocele formation, by measuring the diameters and peak velocities (PVs) of the left renal vein (LRV). However, they did not measure the anthropometric parameters in their patients and age-matched normal controls [1]. Recently, Kim et al. reported close relationships among the findings of renal Doppler ultrasound, venography and pressure measurements in pediatric patients with varicoceles [2]. Also, some authors have suggested an inverse relationship between the prevalence of varicoceles and body mass index (BMI) [3 5]. Our previous reports demonstrated that a lower BMI may predispose towards a higher PV of the LRV in the aortomesenteric portion [6,7]. Taken together, we speculate that a low BMI may lead to compression (entrapment) of the LRV (nutcracker phenomenon) between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery (SMA), increasing backward pressure transferring to the left testicular vein, causing varicocele formation. Therefore, anthropometric parameters should always been considered when assessing male patients with varicoceles and further studies should be focused on the SMA angle abnormality in the pathogenesis of varicocele formation and the effect of the nutcracker phenomenon according to the etiologies (a low BMI or abnormal branching of the SMA) of recurrent varicoceles after varicocelectomy.


The aim of this paper is to analyze programs and policies run by national and foreign oil companies that affect the level of the economy of the people in Tjepu. While historical research usually focuses on events that are presented in chronological order, this study will add to the study of linkages between historical agencies/actors and the environment relating to the quality of the economy from generation to generation in the exploration and exploitation of national and foreign oil companies in Tjepu. This study uses historical methods, especially in collecting literature and field data including interviewing a number of people related to oil mining activities. The results of this study indicate that there are positive and negative sides of the existence of national and foreign oil companies operating in Tjepu. The existence of oil companies is opening up employment opportunities for local residents although the number is limited. In addition, the existence of oil companies also encourages the emergence of small businesses such as restaurants and other service businesses. But on the other hand, pollution due to mining activities also affects the health level of the community and pollutes the ground water in Tjepu


Social media plays a significant role in connecting people around the world. It has been found that professional recruiters are using Social Networking Websites (SNWs) to screen applicants in the hiring process. Pictorial images on SNWs play a significant role in this process, as they are readily available on the Internet and can have a significant influence on the decision of professional recruiters. This research is a replication and extension of the study conducted by Bohnert and Ross (2010). With the help of a scaling exercise in Study One, it was possible to know the exact placement of SNW visual images on the continuum of desirability for hiring.' Study Two incorporated these visual images in an experimental study of the impact of SNW visual images on the dependent variables of hiring suitability and recommended salary. Study Two extended Bohnert and Ross's research by using professional recruiters as research participants and used a repeated measures within-subjects design that produced strong results. In conclusion, it was found that having a positive image on social media may not increase a job applicant's chances of getting hired but a negative image will considerably decrease the opportunities of getting a job offer as well as lower the salary offered to the job applicant. --Leaf 1.


We present a new method for solving stochastic programs with joint chance constraints with random technology matrices and discretely distributed random data. The problem can be reformulated as a large-scale mixed 0-1 integer program. We derive a new class of optimality cuts called IIS cuts and apply them to our problem. The cuts are based on irreducibly infeasible subsets (IIS) of an LP defined by requiring that all scenarios be satisfied. We propose an efficient method for improving the upper bound of the problem when no cut can be found. We derive and implement a branch-and-cut algorithm based on IIS cuts, and refer to this algorithm as the IIS Branch-and-Cut algorithm. We report on computational results with several test instances from optimal vaccine allocation and a production planning problem from the literature. The computational results are very promising as the IIS branch-and-cut algorithm gives significantly better results than a stateof-the-art commercial solver.


Information theoretic sensor management approaches are an ideal solution to state estimation problems when considering the optimal control of multi-agent systems, however they are too computationally intensive for large state spaces, especially when considering the limited computational resources typical of large-scale distributed multi-agent systems. Reinforcement learning (RL) is a promising alternative which can find approximate solutions to distributed optimal control problems that take into account the resource constraints inherent in many systems of distributed agents. However, the RL training can be prohibitively inefficient, especially in low-information environments where agents receive little to no feedback in large portions of the state space. We propose a hybrid information-driven multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) approach that utilizes information theoretic models as heuristics to help the agents navigate large sparse state spaces, coupled with information based rewards in an RL framework to learn higher-level policies. This paper presents our ongoing work towards this objective. Our preliminary findings show that such an approach can result in a system of agents that are approximately three orders of magnitude more efficient at exploring a sparse state space than naive baseline metrics. While the work is still in its early stages, it provides a promising direction for future research.


____________________________________________________________________________________ Justification and aim: We conducted an investigation to study the epidemiological behavior of the disease, its related vectors and the species that cause leishmania. Methods: As sources of information we used epidemiological bulletins from the Costa Rican Ministry of Health covering the years 2001 to 2007 and also those from the National Institute of Statistics and Census. The rates of incidence of the disease were calculated according to sex, age group, and distribution in different provinces and counties. These rates of incidence for the last 30 years were compared to an investigation that described the epidemiology of the disease from 1973 to 1975, in order to identify epidemiological changes of the disease. Having studied the bibliography of information compiled concerning this disease, we were able to describe the clinical forms and the geographic distribution of its vectors. ISSN 0001-6002/2009/51/3/158-164 Acta Médica Costarricense, ©2009 Colegio de Médicos y Cirujanos


Whole slide imaging (WSI) offers a convenient, tractable platform for measuring features of routine and special-stain histology or in immunohistochemistry staining by using digital image analysis (IA). We now routinely use IA for quantitative and qualitative analysis of theranostic markers such as human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2/neu), estrogen and progesterone receptors, and Ki-67. Quantitative IA requires extensive validation, however, and may not always be the best approach, with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors being one example in which a semiautomated approach may be preferable for patient care. We find that IA has great utility for objective assessment of gastrointestinal tract dysplasia, microvessel density in hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatic fibrosis and steatosis, renal fibrosis, and general quality analysis/quality control, although the applications of these to daily practice are still in development. Collaborations with bioinformatics specialists have explored novel applications to gliomas, including in silico approaches for mining histologic data and correlating with molecular and radiologic findings. We and many others are using WSI for rapid, remote-access slide reviews (telepathology), though technical factors currently limit its utility for routine, high-volume diagnostics. In our experience, the greatest current practical impact of WSI lies in facilitating long-term storage and retrieval of images while obviating the need to keep slides on site. Once the existing barriers of capital cost, validation, operator training, software design, and storage/back-up concerns are overcome, these technologies appear destined to be a cornerstone of precision medicine and personalized patient care, and to become a routine part of pathology practice.


Introduction and Aims: A main issue in the clinical management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) isto distinguish patients with progressive disease from patients remaining stable. Currently this is based on assessment of the decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and/or an increase of urinary albumin excretion. However, those markers are considered to be either late stage markers (i.e. eGFR) or have low sensitivityor specificity (i.e. UAE). Thus, there is an urgent need to define newearly biomarkers for the prediction of progression of CKD. Urinary protein-based biomarkers are an ideal source to diagnose renal disease. A previouslyestablished classifier based on 273 urinary peptides has been already validated for diagnosis and correlated to prognosis of CKD. In the context of iMode-CKD EU-project ( " Clinical and system-omics for the identification of molecular determinants of CKD " ) we aim to exploit the prognostic abilities of the CKD273-classifier to predict class change from CKD stage II to CKD stage III analysing the urinary proteome of 1721 subjects. Methods: During 3 years offollow-up period 214 patients out of 1721 subjects progressed from CKD stage II to CKD stage III. The previously established CKD273-classifier was compared to baseline albuminuria and baseline eGFR for the assessment of class changes. Results: The CKD273-classifier predicted significantly better the class change than albuminuria (area under the curve (AUC) of 0.659 and 0.566, respectively, P-value equal to 0.0001). Furthermore using the previously established threshold for CKD of 0.343 based on the published CKD273-classifier patients with a score above this threshold showed an age-, sex- and baseline eGFR-adjusted proportional hazard ratio of 2.55 (95% CI 1.82-3.58; Cox-regression model) to progress from CKD stage II to III. Baseline eGFR displayed a better correlation to the class change than CKD273 classifier (AUCof 0.804 and 0.659, respectively,P-value lessthan 0.0001). To study this in more detail, the cohort was divided in 3 groups of patients on the basis of baseline eGFR (89-80, 79-70 and 69-60 mL/min/1.73m2). Upon this division the classifier and baseline eGFR did not displaya significant difference in the prediction of the class change. The combination of baseline eGFR, baseline albuminuria and the CKD273-classifier as logistic regression improved the prediction of the class change (AUCof 0.757) compared to the individual use of the CKD273-classifier, baseline albuminuria and baseline eGFR (AUC of 0.720, 0.609, and 0.636 respectively) in the group with baseline eGFRof 79-70 mL/min/1.73m2. Conclusions: Our finding demonstrated, for the first time, a better performance of CKD273 classifier for the prognosis of CKD stage III comparing to classical markers.


Nursamsi I, Partasasmita R, Cundaningsih N, Ramadhani HS. 2018. Modeling the predicted suitable habitat distribution of Javan hawk-eagle Nisaetus bartelsi in the Java Island, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 19: 1539-1551. Javan hawk-eagle (Nisaetus bartelsi) is an endemic raptor of Java Island. The conservation status of Javan hawk-eagle (JHE) according to IUCN is endangered (EN) and included in CITES Appendix II list, and this species is also protected by the Indonesian government law based on act no. 5, year 1990. The position of Javan hawk-eagle as a top predator is now very threatened by habitat fragmentation, wildlife trade, and the declining quality of its habitat. The primary purpose of this study was to give preliminary information about the distribution of predicted suitable habitat for JHE as a means of finding potential releasing sites, as an evaluation for habitat protection, and even as an option for the development of new JHE protected areas. However, mapping the spatial distribution of potential habitat for JHE using terrestrial survey is problematic because it requires enormous time, fund, and human resources. The most possible approach is by using Ecological Niche Modeling (ENM)/species distribution modeling (SDM). In this study, modeling exercise was conducted by using a maximum entropy method as an adaptation from Maxent software ver. 3.4.1, with the utilization of JHE-nest coordinate data and 16 environmental variables datasets as the main input. The predicted suitable habitat distribution map has shown a good match with historical and present records of JHE and has fairly succeeded in capturing a wide range of habitat patches from tiny spots to quite large suitable habitat. Modeling results also showed that altitude, annual mean temperature, and two types of land cover (closed shrub, and forest area) are considered to be most important variables affecting the distribution of potential habitat for JHE. Moreover, about 17.77% (23,209 km2) area of Java Island has been projected to be suitable for Havan Hawk-Eagle's habitat, which mostly spread in mountainous areas while also appear in several lowland areas. This study suggests the importance of topographic, climatic, and land cover as pivotal predictors in determining the suitability of habitat for JHE. This study also shows that the modeling results have a good match with the historical records of JHE across the island, which suggests the overall accuracy of the model.


A-tracts in DNA due to their structural morphology distinctly different from the canonical B-DNA form play an important role in specific recognition of bacterial upstream promoter elements by the carboxyl terminal domain of RNA polymerase alpha subunit and, in turn, in the process of transcription initiation. They are only rarely found in the spacer promoter regions separating the -35 and -10 recognition hexamers. At present, the nature of the protein-DNA contacts formed between RNA polymerase and promoter DNA in transcription initiation can only be inferred from low resolution structural data and mutational and crosslinking experiments. To probe these contacts further, we constructed derivatives of a model Pa promoter bearing in the spacer region one or two An (n = 5 or 6) tracts, in phase with the DNA helical repeat, and studied the effects of thereby induced perturbation of promoter DNA structure on the kinetics of open complex (RPo) formation in vitro by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. We found that the overall second-order rate constant ka of RPo formation, relative to that at the control promoter, was strongly reduced by one to two orders of magnitude only when the A-tracts were located in the nontemplate strand. A particularly strong 30-fold down effect on ka was exerted by nontemplate A-tracts in the -10 extended promoter region, where an involvement of nontemplate TG (-14, -15) sequence in a specific interaction with region 3 of sigma-subunit is postulated. A-tracts in the latter location caused also 3-fold slower isomerization of the first closed transcription complex into the intermediate one that precedes formation of RPo, and led to two-fold faster dissociation of the latter. All these findings are discussed in relation to recent structural and kinetic models of RPo formation.


This study focuses on the long-term changes of collembolan communities occurring after the conversion of arable land to managed grassland. We analysed collembolan communities at grassland sites of different age that had been gradually converted over a period of 50 yr. Abundance and biomass responded rapidly and very positively to the conversion of arable land to grassland, while species richness was not affected. Collembolan assemblages changed only little during grassland maturation. The impact of land-use change on community structure was more obvious at the functional level because the colonization processes observed in our study mostly relied on hemiedaphic species. Vegetation and soil parameters were good predictors of collembolan community structure during development of managed grassland. The present study demonstrated that past landscape patterns and processes like land-use conversion and subsequent succession had a considerable impact on the present day pattern of species richness and community composition of Collembola within a landscape. Our results strongly differ from those obtained for other invertebrate groups, highlighting on the one hand the very diverse reactions of invertebrates to a common factor, and on the other hand the need to survey more than one taxa in order to draw conclusions on effects of land-use change on faunistic communities.


The aggregation behavior of FK906, which is a peptide like hypertensive agent, in aqueous solution was studied by static light scattering, 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and surface tension. These experiments showed a clear critical micelle concentration (cmc) at around 6.3 x 10(-3) to 1.3 x 10(-2) M of FK906 aqueous solution. The result of 1H NMR experiments revealed that FK906 aggregates primarily by hydrophobic interactions involving the benzyl moiety. The Debye plots from light-scattering studies showed that the apparent molecular weight of aggregated FK906 molecule is 1670 which corresponds to 2-3 molecules of FK906. The effect of alpha- and beta-cyclodextrins on the surface tension of FK906 aqueous solution was investigated. It appeared that the addition of alpha-cyclodextrin showed very small shift of cmc, but that of beta-cyclodextrin shifted the cmc to much higher concentration. The investigation on the surface tension of FK906 aqueous solution in the presence of beta-cyclodextrin indicated that FK906 forms a 1:1 complex with beta-cyclodextrin. On the basis of these experiments, it appears that beta-cyclodextrin has an ability to change the surface active property of FK906 in its aqueous solution. Therefore, it is expected that the addition of beta-cyclodextrin to FK906 aqueous solution may prevent the adsorption onto container walls and/or reduce the local irritancy.


The basal transcription of the CXC chemokine, melanocyte growth stimulatory activity (MGSA)/growth-regulated protein (GRO)-α, is up-regulated in Hs294T melanoma cells compared with the normal retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Previous studies characterized a cytokine-inducible, functional nuclear factor (NF) -κB consensus element in the immediate 5′ regulatory region of the MGSA/GRO-α gene at −78 bp. Although the cytokine-inducible mechanisms for transcription of this gene are fairly well delineated, the mechanisms involved in its basal up-regulation of transcription in Hs294T melanoma cells are poorly understood. Recently, we demonstrated an increased rate of IκB-α degradation in Hs294T cells, which leads to an increased nuclear localization of NF-κB (R. L. Shattuck-Brandt and A. Richmond. Cancer Res., 57: 3032–3039, 1997). Here we demonstrate that Hs294T melanoma cells have elevated basal IκB kinase (IKK) activity relative to RPE cells, causing an increased constitutive IκB-α phosphorylation and degradation. We also show here that the resultant elevated nuclear NF-κB (p50/p65) in these cells is responsible for the increased basal transcription of MGSA/GRO-α. Pretreatment of Hs294T or RPE cells with proteasome inhibitors MG115 or MG132 captures the slower migrating, constitutively phosphorylated form of IκB-α in Hs294T melanoma cells, but not in RPE cells. In addition, a phospho-specific antibody that specifically recognizes the inhibitory form of IκB that is phosphorylated at Ser-32 reacted with IκB-α in Hs294T cell, but not in unstimulated RPE cells. Although the basal level of protein expression of IKK-α or IKK-β are the same in both Hs294T and RPE cells, immunoprecipitation with IKK-α antibody combined with activity assay reveal a constitutively active IKK complex in Hs294T melanoma cells. Cotransfection of a 350-bp MGSA/GRO-α promoter-luciferase reporter construct with either the dominant negative IKK-α or the repressors of NF-κB, the IκB-α wild type or mutants lacking the inducible phosphorylation sites, demonstrates that the increased basal MGSA/GRO-α transcription in the Hs294T cells is due to the enhanced nuclear activation of NF-κB.


The idea of smart cities is timely considering that urbanisation is inevitable. While smart city as a concept has gained popularity over the past few years, there is vagueness in the definition, as multiple aspects including governance, public transport and traffic, waste management, entertainment and safety among others, need to be considered.

Europe is among the most urbanised regions on the globe. It is estimated that by 2020 around 80% of Europeans will be living in urban areas, in several countries the proportion will be 90% or more. As we continue to magnetise towards urban hubs we need smart cities – places where networks and services are made more efficient with the use of digital and telecommunication technologies for the benefit of inhabitants, businesses and the environment. The EU is trying to ensure that smart solutions for cities can be explored, implemented and replicated.

The present paper defines some of the aspects of the smart city as safety as well as specific models of smart and safe city will be discussed.


Generally speaking, the support of technological innovation has been viewed in terms of input such as R&D and instruments such as legal protection. The literature on innovation highlights the interactive nature of the innovation process in which non-technological activities are essential. However, few works have taken into account the role of other innovative strategies such as marketing and organisational innovation, a role which may differ according to whether the firm is involved in manufacturing or in services. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to fill this gap by highlighting the effects of non-technological innovation strategies on technological innovation. For the empirical work, we used firm-level data drawn from the Community Innovation Survey 2006 for Luxembourg. Our results show that the effects of non-technological innovations differ depending on the phase of the innovation process. Marketing and organisational innovations significantly increase the likelihood of innovation, but not the commercial success of innovation. The study also shows the differentiated effects of the two types of non-technological innovation in manufacturing and service, and confirms the key role of organisational innovation for services.


The goal of this paper is to show the possibility of combining fault detection analysis, detection, modeling, and control of the doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) wind turbine using intelligent control and diagnostic techniques. To enable online detection of problems inside the power electronics converter we apply the wave direct analysis method which enables a complete model for fault detection that includes the power electronic stage itself. A neural network system based on Hebbian networks is applied for fault classification with good detection results in simulation. For controlling the wind turbine a number different artificial intelligence techniques are presented including fuzzy logic and an adaptive fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS) which combines the characteristics of fuzzy logic and neural networks. A Grey predictor is also integrated in the control scheme for predicting the wind profile. The combined fault detection and control scheme are validated using simulation results. The software devel...


In many examinations, essays of different exami nees are rated by different rater pairs. This paper dis cusses the estimation of rater effects for rating designs in which rater pairs overlap in a special way. Two models for rater effects are considered: the additive model and a nonlinear model. An illustration with em pirical data is provided.


The South African wildlife industry has expanded tremendously over the past two decades. The number of wildlife sold on auctions increased from about 8000 animals in 991, to 211 00 animals in 2004. The turnover received from these auctions increased from R8.9 million to R1 04 million during this period. In 2001 , fenced wildlife production units in South Africa reached an area of 11 million hectares. Most of these units are situated in the Limpopo province, following by the Northern Cape and the Eastern Cape (Eloff 2000). Domestic hunters contribute 70% towards the total turnover of the wildlife industry, focusing mostly on hunting for meat and biltong, while foreign hunters (mostly trophy hunting) contribute 20% towards the total turnover (Van der Walt 2003). The remaining 0% of the turnover is gained through wildlife harvesting and eco-tourism.


Due to a collective federal goal of providing Americans with guaranteed sources of lifetime income, namely annuities, as a retirement income strategy, numerous regulations and proposed rules have been issued that allow the use of annuities in defined contribution retirement plans. Despite this goal, annuities are rarely offered to participants in a 401(k) plan. This can be explained, in part, by confusion in properly applying these rules to 401(k) plans. Because of the widespread belief that the "Annuity Safe Harbor" lacks well-defined and measurable standards, many retirement plan fiduciaries simply refuse to expose themselves to the greater risk of liability associated with annuities.This article provides a compass to guide advisers and 401(k) plan fiduciaries safely into the Annuity Safe Harbor, specifically when selecting and monitoring annuity providers and products. First, the background of using annuities for retirement income is explored. Next, the article identifies obstacles to the selection and monitoring of annuity providers and products and provides an overview of recently issued federal regulations and proposed rules expanding the use of annuities in 401(k) plans. In light of impediments to guaranteed lifetime income for 401(k) participants, federal legislative and regulatory actions are proposed. Lastly, guidance is offered from industry experts and recent cases involving the breach of fiduciary duties.


Fifteen years after the Israeli Supreme Court decided in Mizrahi that Israel's "Basic Laws" amount to Israel's formal Constitution and it enjoys the power of judicial review, the debate about Israel's constitutional development is far from over. This essay makes the following four propositions: First, the Israeli political branches have been debating the wrong question. Rather than lingering on the threshold question of whether or not Israel has a formal Constitution at all, they should be discussing what kind of Constitution is developing in Israel. Second, the consensus among scholars who recognize Israel's formal Constitution is that its existence is best explained by the Constituent Authority theory. But they have adopted a myopic understanding of Israel's constitutional development. Like so many other aspects of Israel's national evolution, a single theory cannot adequately explain the existence of its formal constitution. Rather, this national rite of passage occurred incrementally, supported by four different, and at times conflicting, constitutional theories, each with its own strengths and weaknesses as suitable analytical frameworks. Third, depending on the theory one ascribes to Israel's constitutional development, present and future constitutional debates may be resolved differently. As examples, I illustrate how the theories diverge when applied to two contemporary constitutional matters: (1) whether referenda can be used to decide territorial concessions; and (2) whether Ultra-Orthodox Yeshiva students may be singled out for special financial treatment. Broader questions of judicial power are even more pressing, and I further explore how the various theories may affect the use of the legislative override power to overcome judicial review. Last, underlying my discussion is the assertion that there is a strong nexus between the process of enactment of a constitution and the kind of judicial review - whether strong or weak - that may emerge. This thesis deviates from the conventional view that the nature of judicial review is solely dependent on the mechanisms adopted in the constitutional document itself, rather than on the processes by which the constitution was adopted. I pursue this scheme in discussing the ramifications of the Israeli case study for Commonwealth constitutionalism in particular and comparative purposes more broadly.


This study offers an examination of the relationships between chief executive officer (CEO) servant leadership, the executive characteristics of narcissism, founder status, and organizational identification, and firm performance in a sample of 126 CEOs in technology organizations. Analysis of data gathered over multiple periods revealed a negative relationship between CEO narcissism and servant leadership, and a positive relationship between founder status (i.e., founder or nonfounder) and servant leadership. Furthermore, CEO organizational identification served as a partial mediating mechanism linking narcissism and founder status to servant leadership. In turn, CEO servant leadership predicted subsequent firm performance (measured as return on assets). The results of this study have implications for researchers interested in better understanding the predictors and consequences of servant leadership and for practitioners concerned with combating negative or selfish executive leadership behaviors and employing servant leadership for the organization's benefit.


Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is an uncommon condition characterized by gas filled cysts within the bowel wall. We present a case of a 40-year old male who complained of abdominal pain and distension. The clinical diagnosis was intestinal obstruction and intraoperative impression was intestinal lymphangioma. The resected segment of the bowel showed multiple thin walled, tense, air-filled cysts on the serosal surface, which collapsed with a popping sound when pricked. The histologic diagnosis was pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis has varied clinical manifestations, course and outcome depending on its benign or fulminant form. There are varying theories regarding its pathogenesis and it is seen in association with a variety of diseases. Hence it should be interpreted with relevance to its entire clinical context, as it may not be a disease in itself but a sequel to other conditions.


Leishmaniasis is caused by protozoans of the Leishmania genus, which includes more than 20 species capable of infecting humans worldwide. In the Americas, the most widespread specie is L. braziliensis, present in 18 countries, including Bolivia. The taxonomic position of the L. braziliensis complex has been a subject of controversy, complicated further by the recent identification of a particular subpopulation named L. braziliensis atypical or outlier. The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic analysis of the L. braziliensis complex in Bolivia and to describe the associated clinical characteristics. Forty-one strains were analyzed by sequencing an amplified 1245 bp fragment of the hsp70 gene, which allowed its identification as: 24 (59%) L. braziliensis, 16 (39%) L. braziliensis outlier and one (2%) L. peruviana. In a dendrogram constructed, L. braziliensis and L. peruviana are grouped in the same cluster, whilst L. braziliensis outlier appears in a separate branch. Sequence alignment allowed the identification of five non-polymorphic nucleotide positions (288, 297, 642, 993 and 1213) that discriminate L. braziliensis and L. peruviana from L. braziliensis outlier. Moreover, nucleotide positions 51 and 561 enable L. peruviana to be discriminated from the other two taxa. A greater diversity was observed in L. braziliensis outlier than in L. braziliensis-L. peruviana. The 41 strains came from 32 patients with tegumentary leishmaniasis, among which 22 patients (69%) presented cutaneous lesions (11 caused by L. braziliensis and 11 by L. braziliensis outlier) and ten patients (31%) mucocutaneous lesions (eight caused by L. braziliensis, one by L. braziliensis outlier and one by L. peruviana). Nine patients (28%) simultaneously provided two isolates, each from a separate lesion, and in each case the same genotype was identified in both. Treatment failure was observed in six patients infected with L. braziliensis and one patient with L. peruviana. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


The current and electric field pulses associated with M‐component following dart leader‐return stroke sequences in negative rocket‐triggered lightning flashes were analyzed in detail by using the data from Shandong Artificially Triggering Lightning Experiment, conducted from 2005 to 2010. For 63 M‐components with current waveforms superimposed on the relatively steady continuing current, the geometric mean values of the peak current, duration, and charge transfer were 276 A, 1.21 ms, and 101 mC, respectively. The behaviors of the channel base current versus close electric field changes and the observation facts by different authors were carefully examined for investigation on mechanism of the M‐component. A modified model based on Rakov's "two‐wave" theory is proposed and confirms that the evolution of M‐component through the lightning channel involves a downward wave transferring negative charge from the upper to the lower channel and an upward wave draining the charge transported by the downward wave. The upward wave serves to deplete the negative charge by the downward wave at its interface and makes the charge density of the channel beneath the interface layer to be roughly zero. Such modified concept is recognized to be reasonable by the simulated results showing a good agreement between the calculated and the measured E‐field waveforms.


The EV charging infrastructure is categorized as AC charging points called as EVSE (Electric Vehicle supply equipment) and DC charging ports called as Quick Chargers. The size of modern Li-ion batteries for EV applications is around 20–25 kWh, and hence the required power output of the quick charger is expected to be around 50 kW, so as to complete the charging in under thirty minutes. The high capacity requirement makes the quick chargers both bulky and expensive. The AC chargers available in the market deliver about 6.6kW and need the onboard chargers to rectify the charger output to a regulated DC output, to charge the battery. The specifications of the onboard chargers are constrained by the dimensions & specifications of the isolation transformer. It is therefore proposed to do away with the isolation transformer and have a suitable filtering mechanism to suppress the high frequency disturbances from reaching the sensitive equipment onboard the charger. The paper studies the effect of such a strategy on the power quality with the help of two power conversion strategies for controlling a 3×1 matrix converter.


Purpose. The effect of different phospholipids in stabilising the tear film was investigated to determine if particular polar head groups gave greater stability than others. Methods. Purified phosphatidylcholine (PC), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylserine (PS) and cardiolipin (CL) were used. These were applied to a model eye loaded with an artificial tear fluid and the tear breakup time (TBUT) was measured. Three variants of the artificial tear fluid were utilised: buffered saline alone; one with proteins and mucins; and one containing proteins, mucins and lipids. Results. TBUT was improved by the presence of phospholipids. In particular, the best performance was with PI applied to artificial tear fluid containing proteins mucins and lipids. Use of buffered saline as the artificial tear fluid gave very short break-up times. Conclusion. Increase in tear film stability by phospholipids is probably not due to the charge carried by the polar head group, but more likely due to the charge distribution, and the presence of hydroxyl groups in the head group also tends to increase stability, possibly through specific interactions with proteins and mucins in the subphase.


Birnessite MnO2 nanotubes of high specific surface area have been used as one electrode material in supercapacitors with a commercial-carbon-based second electrode ((NH4)2SO4(aq.) electrolyte). Assembled cells have been subjected to full electrochemical testing at temperatures ≤80 °C. At elevated temperatures, specific capacitance as high as 700 F g−1 has been observed. The increase in specific capacitance with temperature has been found to be at a cost to cycling performance. Furthermore, the time spent at elevated temperatures "at rest" has been shown to have a major effect on device lifetime. It has been found that at 80 °C, without cycling, such devices lose all significant capacitance after 21 days. The findings herein are believed to have major implications for transport, storage lifetime and ultimate utilization of such systems.


Fire safety requirements on lift system used for evacuation in supertall buildings were discussed in this paper. Designs for fire and smoke protection for lift systems for evacuation were reviewed. Lifts are not yet designed to be used by most of the occupants in fire. Two major safety concerns were identified on the hazards due to smoke spread to the lift shafts and lobby; and the fire resisting construction required under big fires. Fire safety protection for evacuation is not demonstrated to be adequate for supertall buildings. Key issues and problems need to be addressed were discussed.


Kenneth Burke's New Rhetoric (1951) was meant to describe language as the basis of the interaction of individuals, objects, and courses of events in the human communication process. However, his theory can also be a useful rhetorical model to explain hypertext as a language event that relies on nested dialogues of visible text and invisible scripting. Moreover, Burke's belief that the purpose of discourse is to share knowledge with others provides a striking parallel to Vannevar Bush's original theory about hypertext. Even Burke's metaphor of a drama fits the purpose and process of hypertext. >


Turbine blade cooling is one of the major technologies to enhance the performance of gas turbine and combined cycle power plants. In this study, two cases of coolant pre-cooling schemes were applied in combined cycle power plant: decrease of coolant mass flow needed to cool turbine blade and increase of turbine inlet temperature (TIT). Both schemes are benefited by the decrease of coolant temperature through coolant pre-cooling. Under the same degree of pre-cooling, increasing TIT exhibits larger plant power boost and higher plant efficiency than reducing coolant flow. As a result, the former produces the same gas turbine power with a much smaller degree of pre-cooling than the latter. Another advantage of increasing TIT is a higher plant efficiency. Even with an assumption of partial achievement of the theoretically predicted TIT, the method of increasing TIT can provide considerably larger power output.


The present paper deals with the history of the vulgar in Genova in the 15th and 16th century. As a starting point, the author discusses the very close relationship between the city's political and literary-linguistic history. It is shown that two systems had coexisted since the Middle Ages: one in enconomastic poems and another for vernacular ones. The period examined was already a time of subordination for Genova compared with Tuscany; therefore, it is important that we show the elements of the vulgar in different types of texts.


The stability condition is derived for the compact two-dimensional finite-difference-time-domain (2-D/FDTD) scheme which was recently proposed for the dispersion analysis of waveguiding structures. It is shown that the upper limit of the Courant number depends on the desirable propagation constant beta and is always smaller than the one for the standard FDTD scheme in two dimensions. The dispersion equation for the numerical scheme is derived also and is used to examine the impact of grid size on the accuracy of the calculated eigenvalues (frequencies) for the dominant and higher-order modes.<<ETX>>


Partnering is an ideal field if someone is seeking to move from a scientific to a more business-oriented discipline. Partnering's goal is to identify and acquire external innovation. These discoveries are then included in a company's pipeline and help bring novel treatments to patients. Advanced scientific training is essential in the identification and evaluation of these external assets. Here I describe how partnering works in a pharmaceutical company and offer advice on how to make a successful transition from a PhD program to a business career.


For the Dirac equation with potential V(r) obeying ∫∞0(1+r)‖V(r)‖dr<∞ we prove a relativistic version of Levinson's theorem that relates the number of bound states in the spectral gap [−m,m] to the variation of an appropriate phase along the continuous part of the spectrum. In the process, the asymptotic properties of the Jost function as E→±m are analyzed in detail. The connection with the nonrelativistic version of Levinson's theorem is also established.


The Continuum Shakespeare Dictionaries provide authoritative yet accessible guides to the principal subject-areas covered by the plays and poetry of Shakespeare. The dictionaries provide readers with a comprehensive guide to the topic under discussion, its occurrence and significance in Shakespeare's works, and its contemporary meanings. Entries range from a few lines in length to mini-essays, providing the opportunity to explore an important literary or historical concept or idea in depth. Entries include: apothecary, bear-baiting, Caesar, degree, gentry, Henry V, kingdom, London, masque, nobility, plague, society, treason, usury, whore and youth. They follow an easy to use three-part structure: a general introduction to the term or topic; a survey of its significance and use in Shakespeare's plays and a guide to further reading.


Should EGTCs have competences, and not only tasks? The question points at a controversy about the nature of cross-border cooperation, and more specifically, of cross-border governance structures. The EGTC regulation and its dominant interpretation, say that EGTCs have tasks, not competences. However, the discussions that took place while negotiating the Aachen Treaty chapter about CBC, signed in 2019 between France and Germany – whose common border presents a number of EGTCs – have shown that different visions exist on the topic. The chapter outlines the rationales underlying these visions, and their complementarity for the development of cross-border integration. It also explores how these visions replicate challenges and discussions about the European project itself. Some theoretical hypotheses on institutional vs functional approaches, based on literature about multi-level governance and pragmatic sociology, are presented and applied to the European context. The underlying influence of Saint Simon's functional approach on French vision and policies, but also on personalism and integral federalism (in particular Denis de Rougemont), and therefore on discussions about the EU is explored. The chapter describes the specific case of CBC and EGTCs as tools for its governance, and how the controversy about EGTCs' tasks or competences has been reactivated by the negotiation of the Aachen Treaty. It assesses its relevance against the evidence of effective governance of cooperation and investigates the influence of Saint Simon and Rougemont on visions about CBC issues, in the light of the Covid crisis; and ends with some conclusions and recommendations for cross-border governance and the use of the EGTC tool.


Personality dashes among senior managers can weaken leadership and wreak havoc on the entire hospital. What traits should raise red flags when hiring or promoting executives and how can conflicts be averted? The second part of our cover package looks at hospitals that nurture talent within their own ranks by creating leadership training programs.


This present study assessed the impact of drying process parameters, that is temperature and drying duration, on the dry matter content, pH, titratable acidity, yeasts and lactic acid bacteria content of granule starter of African opaque sorghum beer. Probiotic properties of the dry starter were tested. The aim was to establish levels of temperature and duration of drying that lead to a longer shelf life and optimum activity of the starter. Results show that the drying temperature has significant effects on the titratable acidity, yeasts and lactic acid bacteria contents of the granule starter while the level of dry matter was significantly affected by both temperature and duration of drying. The optimal drying conditions providing a stable granule starter with optimum viability of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were established to 43°C and 24 h. Both wet and dried starters showed inhibitory effect on the meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus . Keywords: sorghum, opaque beer, starter, yeats, probiotic, Response Surface Methodology


Classical supply chain design relies on a hierarchical organization to store and distribute products over a given geographical area. Within this framework a shortage in a stock affects the whole downstream of the supply chain regardless of the inventory kept in others locations. Within the Physical Internet approach, inventories are distributed in hubs towards the market and source substitution is allowed. The Physical Internet aims to integrate logistics networks into a universal system of interconnected services through the development of protocols and standards for the routing of smart containers of various sizes. This organization enables a distributed storage of goods in hubs thanks to containerization, thus the feasibility of multi-sourcing to one ordering point. This contribution measures the impact of such an organization on stock levels and inventory costs with service level set as a constraint. The analysis focuses on the resources levels (transportation and inventory) needed by the current supply model and by the Physical Internet in order to serve a market with a (Q,R) stock policy. Starting with two supply models and with the definition of cost models as well as inventory policy, the work is based on computer simulation. The analysis tested 3 different families of criterion in order to select dynamically the source when an order is requested: Source Substitution, Minimum Ratio and Minimum Sum. The source substitution, one of the simplest, was found the more efficient and stable according to different scenarios.


Eating disorders are far more prevalent in women than men, with only 10% of cases occurring in males. This discrepancy may be partially explained by biological and cultural factors, but it also suggests diagnostic difficulties. This article compares diagnostic features of eating disorders in both genders, emphasizing the most common pitfalls to its recognition in men, in order to reduce the number of undiagnosed cases.


Dental health is of great importance due to multiple reasons as this region of the body is in frequent contact with the majority of disease causative agents. Apparently, all dental diseases seem to be equally affecting both genders and age groups so we conducted this research work to compare the various common dental cases between males and females as well as adults and children. There 1387 patient in total 816 (58.83%) were females and 571(41.17%) were males, 203(14.64%) were children and 1184(85.36%) were children. Dental Caries, Periodontitis, Oral ulcers and sub-mucosal fibrosis were almost equally distributed in males, females, children and adults no significant difference was seen on statistical analysis carried on chi-square p-values 0.2 and 0.12 respectively. Conclusion: Dental diseases are equally affecting males, females, adults and children no statistical difference exists in between


The digital filtering was proven to be useful in processing convolved signals. In this paper an application of this method in order to improve the resolution of nuclear and magnetic resonance spectra is presented, An emphasis is laid on the possibility of diminishing the noisy secondary effects. The processing was achieved using the FFT algorithm. Some practical results obtained are delivered.


Abstract Objective This study aimed to determine the rate of preterm birth (PTB) during hospitalization among women diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) between 23 and 37 weeks of gestation and whether this rate differs by gestational age at diagnosis of infection. Study Design Retrospective, cross-sectional study of all women diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection between 23 and 37 weeks of gestation within a large integrated health system from March 13 to April 24, 2020. Cases with severe fetal structural malformations detected prior to infection were excluded. Women were stratified into two groups based on gestational age at diagnosis: early preterm (230/7 to 336/7 weeks) versus late preterm (34 to 366/7 weeks). We compared the rate of PTB during hospitalization with infection between the two groups. Statistical analysis included use of Wilcoxon rank sum and Fisher exact tests, as well as a multivariable logistic regression. Statistical significance was defined as a p-value <0.05. Results Of the 65 patients included, 36 (53.7%) were diagnosed in the early preterm period and 29 (46.3%) were diagnosed in the late preterm period. Baseline demographics were similar between groups. The rate of PTB during hospitalization with infection was significantly lower among women diagnosed in the early preterm period compared with late preterm (7/36 [19.4%] vs. 18/29 [62%], p-value = 0.001). Of the 25 patients who delivered during hospitalization with infection, the majority were indicated deliveries (64%, 16/25). There were no deliveries <33 weeks of gestation for worsening coronavirus disease 2019 and severity of disease did not alter the likelihood of delivery during hospitalization with SARS-CoV-2 infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.24–1.59). Increased maternal age was associated with a lower likelihood of delivery during hospitalization with SARS-CoV-2 infection (aOR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.58–0.96), while later gestational age at diagnosis of infection was associated with a higher likelihood of delivery during hospitalization (aOR: 2.9; 95% CI: 1.67–8.09). Conclusion The likelihood of PTB during hospitalization with SARS-CoV-2 infection is significantly lower among women diagnosed in the early preterm period compared with late preterm. Most women with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the early preterm period recovered and were discharged home. The majority of PTB were indicated and not due to spontaneous preterm labor. Key Points Preterm delivery is less likely among women diagnosed in the early preterm compared with late preterm. Most women infected in the early preterm period recovered and were discharged home undelivered. The majority of preterm birth were indicated and not due to spontaneous preterm labor.


Eukaryotic DNA repair enzymes must interact with the architectural hierarchy of chromatin. The challenge of finding damaged DNA complexed with histone proteins in nucleosomes is complicated by the need to maintain local chromatin structures involved in regulating other DNA processing events. The heterogeneity of lesions induced by DNA-damaging agents has led us to design homogeneously damaged substrates to directly compare repair of naked DNA with that of nucleosomes. Here we report that nucleotide excision repair in Xenopus nuclear extracts can effectively repair a single UV radiation photoproduct located 5 bases from the dyad center of a positioned nucleosome, although the nucleosome is repaired at about half the rate at which the naked DNA fragment is. Extract repair within the nucleosome is >50-fold more rapid than either enzymatic photoreversal or endonuclease cleavage of the lesion in vitro. Furthermore, nucleosome formation occurs (after repair) only on damaged naked DNA (165-bp fragments) during a 1-h incubation in these extracts, even in the presence of a large excess of undamaged DNA. This is an example of selective nucleosome assembly by Xenopus nuclear extracts on a short linear DNA fragment containing a DNA lesion.


AIMS
To compare the oxidative metabolism of (S)-mephenytoin and proguanil in vitro and to determine the involvement of various cytochrome P450 isoforms.

METHODS
The kinetics of the formation of 4'-hydroxymephenytoin and cycloguanil in human liver microsomes from 10 liver samples were determined, and inhibition of formation was studied using specific chemical inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies directed towards specific CYP450 isoforms. Expressed CYP450 enzymes were used to characterize further CYP isoform contribution in vitro. Livers were genotyped for CYP2C19 using PCR amplification of genomic DNA followed by restriction endonuclease digestion.

RESULTS
All livers were wildtype with respect to CYP2C19, except HLS#5 whose genotype was CYP2C19*1/CYP2C19*2. The Km, Vmax and CLint values for the formation of 4'-hydroxymephenytoin from (S)-mephenytoin and the formation of cycloguanil from proguanil ranged from 50.8 to 51.6 and 43-380 microm, 1.0-13.9 and 0.5-2.5 nmol mg-1 h-1, and 20.2-273.8 and 2.7-38.9 microl h-1 mg-1, respectively. There was a significant association between the Vmax values of cycloguanil and 4'-hydroxymephenytoin formation (rs=0.95, P=0.0004). Cycloguanil formation was inhibited significantly by omeprazole (CYP2C19/3A), troleandomycin (CYP3A), diethyldithiocarbamate (CYP2E1/3A), furafylline (CYP1A2), and (S)-mephenytoin. 4'-Hydroxymephenytoin formation was inhibited significantly by omeprazole, diethyldithiocarbamate, proguanil, furafylline, diazepam, troleandomycin, and sulphaphenazole (CYP2C9). Human CYP2E1 and CYP3A4 monoclonal antibodies did not inhibit the formation of cycloguanil or 4'-hydroxymephenytoin, and cycloguanil was formed by expressed CYP3A4 and CYP2C19 supersomes. However, only expressed CYP2C19 and CYP2C19 supersomes formed 4'-hydroxymephenytoin.

CONCLUSIONS
The oxidative metabolism of (S)-mephenytoin and proguanil in vitro is catalysed by CYPs 2C19 and 1A2, with the significant association between Vmax values suggesting that the predominant enzymes involved in both reactions are similar. However the degree of selectively of both drugs for CYP isoforms needs further investigation, particularly the involvement of CYP3A4 in the metabolism of proguanil. We assert that proguanil may not be a suitable alternative to (S)-mephenytoin as a probe drug for the CYP2C19 genetic polymorphism.


On a biological level, cancer is defined as a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body (American Cancer Society 2012). The psychological impact of living through a cancer diagnosis can be just as profound as the biological cancer growth and the physical changes it may create in an individual. Survival is just as much an emotional task as it is a physical one. Fear, uncertainty and helplessness are all emotions that can occur before, during and even after treatment and can cause a person to feel they have lost control over their daily lives and their future. This paper suggests that community programs can be effective in helping individuals affected by cancer regain their sense of control over their lives byencouraging positive lifestyle changes through a strong focus on education and stress reduction.


Abstract Gait analysis is a systematic study of human movement. Combining wearable foot pressure sensors and machine learning (ML) solutions for a high-fidelity body pose tracking from RGB video frames could reveal more insights into gait abnormalities. However, accurate detection of heel strike (HS) and toe-off (TO) events is crucial to compute interpretable gait parameters. In this work, we present an experimental platform to study the timing of gait events using a new wearable foot pressure sensor (ActiSense System, IEE S.A., Luxembourg), and Google's open-source ML solution MediaPipe Pose. For this purpose, two StereoPi systems were built to capture stereoscopic videos and images in real time. MediaPipe Pose was applied to the synchronized StereoPi cameras, and two algorithms (ALs) were developed to detect HS and TO events for gait and analysis. Preliminary results from a healthy subject walking on a treadmill show a mean relative deviation across all time spans of less than 4% for the ActiSense device and less than 16% for AL2 (33% for AL1) employing MediaPipe Pose on StereoPi videos. Finally, this work offers a platform for the development of sensor- and video-based ALs to automatically identify the timing of gait events in healthy individuals and those with gait disorders.


The axial induction exerted by utility-scale wind turbines for different operative and atmospheric conditions is estimated by coupling ground-based LiDAR measurements and RANS simulations. The LiDAR data are thoroughly post-processed in order to average the wake velocity fields by using as common reference frame their respective wake directions and the turbine hub location. The various LiDAR scans are clustered according to their incoming wind speed at hub height and atmospheric stability regime, namely Bulk Richardson number. Time-averaged velocity fields are then calculated as ensemble averages of the scans belonging to the same cluster. The LiDAR measurements are coupled with RANS simulations in order to estimate the rotor axial induction for each cluster of the LiDAR data. First, a control volume analysis of the streamwise momentum is applied to the time-averaged LiDAR velocity fields to obtain an initial estimate of the axial induction over the rotor disk. The calculated thrust force is imposed as forcing of an axisymmetric RANS simulation in order to estimate pressure, radial velocity and momentum fluxes. The latter are combined with the LiDAR streamwise velocity field in order to refine the estimate of the rotor axial induction through the control volume approach. This process is repeated iteratively until achieving convergence on the rotor axial induction while minimizing difference between LiDAR and RANS streamwise velocity fields. This procedure allows to single out the reduction in thrust load while the blade pitch angle is increased transitioning from region 2 to 3 of the power curve. Furthermore, an enhanced thrust force is observed for a fixed incoming wind speed and transitioning from stable to convective stability regimes. The presented technique is proposed as a data-driven alternative to the blade element momentum theory typically used with current actuator disk models in order to quantify rotor aerodynamic thrust for different operative and atmospheric conditions.


A gas turbine engine is an advanced apparatus for propulsion and power generation that has been developed over the last 60 years. The energy for this production
of propulsion and power in a gas turbine is generated by combustion.
It is feasible and relatively easy to solve the governing equations in combustion for one dimensional laminar hydrocarbon combustion with detailed chemistry. This has been done for several hydrocarbon fuels that are representative for liquid fuel combustion. The complex chemistry that is solved completely in a laminar flame is mostly modelled in simulations of turbulent combustion. Essential to this modelling is a correct understanding of the processes that govern the chemistry. Via the route of a numerical perturbation method, the CSP-method, this understanding can be developed. After analysis with CSP, the next step to a model describing turbulent combustion in gas turbines is taken using the CFI combustion model. This model comprises the definition of a reaction progress variable representing the reduced chemistry yielding from CSP, a mixture fraction variable and an enthalpy variable. The thesis presents a version of the CFI combustion model for application in evaporating fuel sprays.


The development of biomaterials required continuous improvements in their properties for new tissue engineering applications. Implants based on biocompatible materials and biomaterial-based dressings are susceptible to infection threat; moreover, target tissues can suffer injuring inflammation. The inclusion of nature-derived bioactive compounds usually offers a suitable strategy to expand or increase the functional properties of biomaterial scaffolds and can even promote tissue healing. Honey is traditionally known for its healing property and is a mixture of phytochemicals that have a proven reputation as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant agents. This review discusses on the potential of honey and other honeybee products for biomaterial improvements. Our study illustrates the available and most recent literature reporting the use of these natural products combined with different polymeric scaffolds, to provide original insights in wound healing and other tissue regenerative approaches.


As well as representing a presidium of legality and contributing to re-inject in formal economy a huge mass of resources retrieved from shadow economy, the management for social purposes of properties confiscated to the mafia (a growing phenomenon in Southern Italy regions, and beyond) may represent a widespread territorial workshop for the bottom-up establishment of integrated 'alter-economy' supply chains, inspired by the social and cultural ethics of the fair trade. In perspective, these alternative chains could compete with capitalism for the control of significant market shares, by aiming at the contraction of just those pockets of diseconomy where criminal economy lurks and prospers. This latter, in fact, by the enormity of the sums conveyed, significantly affects the course of formal economy, eventually appearing not as a distortive drift of global capitalism, but rather as one of its logical outcomes.


This paper describes VIPR, an inexpensive tremor detection and mitigation device to help Parkinson's patients. It is built using a Raspberry PI, an accelerometer, power switches and a wristband with rows of coin motors, and python code. More than 10 million people world-wide have visible symptoms of Parkinson's disease. There is no known cure for the disease and the annual cost for treatment is estimated to be >$50Billion. Whole body vibration therapy has been widely researched but is expensive and not easily available. This device fits around a patient's wrist and uses an accelerometer to detect the onset of tremors and turns on the vibrating coin motors in the wristband at different levels depending on the tremor intensity. The data is continuously logged and sent to a care giver via a SMART phone connection. The accelerometer in the device is used to measure the change in acceleration in X,Y, and Z directions every 0.2 seconds and the data is compared to a threshold value to determine if the movement is a tremor or not. Once its established that it's a tremor, a relay switch turns on the coin motors on the wrist. Data was collected on Parkinson's patients to establish the efficacy of the vibrating wrist band and the threshold. The band was found to effectively improve the motor response of the patients while performing simple tasks such as writing and moving objects. This inexpensive device was found to be effective and can be used to improve the quality of life of Parkinson's patients.


Abstract This is a review of the thermal and compressional behavior of cancrinite-group minerals with a description of the mechanisms, at the atomic scale, that govern their P-T-induced structure evolution. The open-framework structure of this group of feldspathoids is characterized by the [CAN] topology, which contains large parallel channels (confined by 12-membered rings of tetrahedra), surrounded by columns of cages. At least two structural "subgroups" can be identified according to the nature of the constituents filling the cages, irrespective of the channel population. The minerals of the "cancrinite subgroup" show [NaH2O]+ clusters into the cages and those of the "davyne subgroup" contains [CaCl]+ clusters. Beside a similar bulk compressibility and expansivity at room conditions for all the minerals of the group, a different elastic anisotropy, coupled with different deformation mechanisms of the tetrahedral framework, were found to be mainly controlled by the nature of the population filling the cages. The role played by the channel populations appears to be secondary. These experimental findings allow us to provide a model of the structure evolution in response to the different cage content, i.e., NaH2O+ and CaCl+. The high-temperature studies of the hydrous members of the cancrinite subgroup reveal a slow dehydration process, often irreversible at the timescale of the experiments and leading to quasi-anhydrous high-temperature forms that keep their crystallinity even up to 800–900 K (at room P). The experiments at high pressure on the cancrinite-group minerals show a high-P stability, at least up to 7–8 GPa (at room-T), which is quite surprising if we consider their microporous nature. The P-induced stability is the effect of a pronounced structural flexibility, which in turn is based mainly on tilting of rigid tetrahedra around O atoms that behave as hinges. The character and the mechanisms that govern the P-T-induced P63-to-P63/m phase transition in the compounds of davyne subgroup are also discussed.


Low-frequency dielectric spectroscopy and thermally stimulated discharge measurements of charge-density wave (CDW) system ${\mathrm{K}}_{0.3}{\mathrm{MoO}}_{3}$ are presented. Below 80 K two distinct relaxational processes are observed, which freeze at finite temperatures bearing close resemblance to the phenomenology of the dielectric response of glasses. We compare our results to the case of $\mathrm{o}\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{TaS}}_{3}$ in which the glass transition on the level of CDW superstructure has been recently reported and discuss the possibility that it is a universal feature of CDW systems.


In this paper, the conversion of a PC or laptop-controlled microwave moisture meter to a stand-alone meter hosting its own embedded system is discussed. The moisture meter uses low-power microwaves to measure the attenuation and phase shift of the sample, from which the dielectric properties are calculated. The dielectric properties are then used to determine instantaneously and nondestructively the moisture content in the grain or seed sample. The previous system consisted of the moisture meter being controlled via USB interface by an external laptop or PC. Though effective, the system lacked full portability and was susceptible to laptop crashes and interruptions in communication between the meter and laptop. To improve the system, a microcontroller was selected in the design of an embedded system for the moisture meter. The microcontroller provides a graphical 144 x 32 pixel LCD and 16-button keypad to facilitate user interaction. The embedded system provides the following functionalities: user interface (input/output), event execution, process control, data acquisition, and data storage. Initial testing shows that the moisture meter with the new embedded system maintains the performance and accuracy observed in the original PC or laptop controlled meter. The integration of the embedded system with the microwave moisture meter provides a cost-effective, portable, and robust solution for microwave moisture sensing.


Trandolapril has no sharp peak in its zero-order spectrum, therefore it is difficult to be measured by direct spectrophotometry. In this study, direct univariate spectrophotometric methods were developed and validated for determination of Trandolapril and Verapamil combination in pure and tablet dosage forms. The first method for measuring both Trandolapril and Verapamil is Absorbance Subtraction (AS), this method depends on the presence of iso-absorptive point in the zero-order curve at 217 nm. It has the advantage of measuring the concentration of both Trandolapril and Verapamil from unified regression equation at the iso-absorptive point. The second, third and fourth methods were applied on the first order spectra of the studied drugs. Second method is Derivative Subtraction (DS) for Trandolapril and Derivative subtraction followed by spectrum subtraction (DS-SS) for Verapamil. The third and fourth methods are constant value and concentration value methods. In the concentration value method, the concentration of the drugs is determined from the graphical representation without the use of regression equations. All the developed methods were validated as per International Conference on Harmonization guidelines and the results proved that the developed methods are simple, accurate, and selective. Moreover, a statistical comparison between the developed methods and a reference method was done. Also, One-way ANOVA statistical test was done between all the proposed spectrophoto-metric methods and results showed no significant differences.


An automatic histogram specification method is proposed for image enhancement. Parameterized fuzzy number (PFN) is adopted for the representation of image histogram. The desired histogram PFN is automatically constructed by the fuzzy addition of the tuning PFN and the original one. The tuning PFN is implied from the fuzzy inference rules. The mapping function is decided by the relations between the desired PFN and the original one. The effectual results are demonstrated by the mapping functions which meet the image enhancement requirements. The performance and effectiveness are shown by the analysis and the resultant image in comparison with other methods.<<ETX>>


Objective: Facial visible difference has a range of impacts not only functional and aesthetic but also in terms of the emotional and social wellbeing of patients. The aim of the study is to develop a theory that explains a person's experience of the orthognathic treatment.

Methods: The study was a qualitative cross-sectional grounded theory study. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the experience of orthognathic patients undergoing treatment in a NHS hospital in the UK. Face to face interviews with 22 orthognathic patients (4 male and 18 female; age range 18-66 years) were conducted. Of these, 12 participants had had surgery six-eight weeks prior to the interview, six were in the decision making phase for orthognathic treatment and four participants had had the surgery one-two years prior to the interview. Further theoretical sampling and data collection was carried out from online blogs and forums on orthognathic treatment. Grounded theory methodology was used for the analysis of the data collected.

Results: Analysis of the interviews indicated that during the process of orthognathic surgery, patients go through a status passage of 'normal facing'. Orthognathic patients were inducted into this passage through their dentists, peer influence in the form of teasing and bullying about facial appearance, knowledge of orthodontic treatment gained from peers and their own perceptions of self-image. Decision making for orthognathic treatment influenced this status passage of 'normal facing', which, in turn, was influenced both positively and negatively by external factors. Temporality played a key role in normal facing. The factors that influenced the shape of this passage were the patient's social support system, post-surgery recovery, quality of care, age of the patient, patient's own life priorities, the preparedness of the patients in the form of information about the treatment, and the role of professionals involved in care provision. 'Normal facing' appeared to positively influence the patient's coping behaviour and self-perception.

Conclusions: Orthognathic patients undergo a scheduled status passage of 'normal facing', which appears to be influenced by various clinical, demographic and psychosocial factors. This status passage consequently influenced the person's self-perception.


PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES
To compare coagulation values of blood samples drawn from heparinized central venous catheters (CVCs) and peripheral veins.

DESIGN
Correlational.

SETTING
Adult, acute-care hematology/oncology unit in a 1,000-bed teaching hospital.

SAMPLE
Twelve adult patients with cancer who had varied diagnoses and patent CVCs.

METHODS
Simultaneous blood samples were drawn from the CVC and a peripheral vein and were tested for prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT).

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES
PT and aPTT values.

FINDINGS
PT and aPTT values were significantly prolonged in samples drawn from CVCs when compared to peripherally drawn samples.

CONCLUSIONS
Accurate coagulation values cannot be obtained from a heparinized CVC.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE
Blood for coagulation values should be obtained from peripheral veni-puncture. Further research should explore the effects of various catheters, heparin dwell time, and systemic anticoagulation on coagulation values.


Many autistic individuals camouflage socially atypical behaviours. Evidence suggests autistic females camouflage more than autistic males. Although camouflaging may confer some benefits, it is also associated with negative outcomes including poorer mental health and well-being. Those with high autistic traits but no clinical diagnosis are not seldom included in camouflaging research, therefore we cannot ascertain whether camouflaging plays a role in the underdiagnosis of autistic females. Data from young adults with a diagnosis of autism (n = 78), high autistic traits but no diagnosis (n = 177) or low autistic traits (n = 180) revealed autistic females reported camouflaging significantly more than other groups. Males and females with low autistic traits reported significantly lower camouflaging than high trait and diagnosed groups. Loneliness was a key predictor of camouflaging for the diagnosed group only. Camouflaging was found to predict lower psychological quality of life for the diagnosed group, and lower social quality of life for the high trait and low trait groups. Overall, findings indicated that, although all groups reported camouflaging, the motivations for doing so may be different for diagnosed autistic individuals. It is important for stakeholders and society to improve understanding of autism and acceptance of atypical behaviour to alleviate possible negative outcomes associated with camouflaging. Lay Abstract Many autistic people use strategies that help them adapt in social situations and hide behaviours that may seem different to non-autistic individuals – this is called camouflaging. Camouflaging may help autistic people fit in socially; however, it might also lead to poorer well-being. It has been suggested that autistic females camouflage more than autistic males. This article explored differences between males and females who have an autism diagnosis, have characteristics of autism but no diagnosis and those with few autistic characteristics. It is important to include these groups as camouflaging may make it more difficult to get an autism diagnosis and therefore make it less likely a person will receive support. We found that autistic women camouflaged more than all other groups. The group with few autistic characteristics (males and females) camouflaged the least. Loneliness was found to be a possible reason for camouflaging for the diagnosed autistic group only. In terms of outcomes related to camouflaging, it was found that those who camouflaged most had a lower quality of life; this was true of all groups. This tells us that there may be different reasons to camouflage, and different outcomes related to camouflaging for those with many characteristics of autism (including those with a diagnosis), and those with few. It is important that clinicians, teachers, parents and other stakeholders are aware of the negative outcomes associated with camouflaging so that more support can be provided for those who need it.


The vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase) complex of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is comprised of two sectors, V1 (catalytic) and VO (proton transfer). The hexameric (A3B3) cylinder of V1 has a central cavity that must accommodate at least part of the rotary stalk of V-ATPase, a key component of which is subunit D (Vma8p). Recent electron microscopy (EM) data for the prokaryote V-ATPase complex (Thermus thermophilus) suggest that subunit D penetrates deeply into the central cavity. The functional counterpart of subunit D in mitochondrial F1FO-ATP synthase, subunit γ, occupies almost the entire length of the central cavity. To test whether the structure of yeast Vma8p mirrors that of subunit γ, we probed the location of the C-terminus of Vma8p by attachment of a large protein adduct, green fluorescent protein (GFP). We found that truncated Vma8p proteins lacking up to 40 C-terminal residues fused to GFP can be incorporated into functional V-ATPase complexes, and are able to support cell growth under alkaline conditions. We conclude that large protein adducts can be accommodated at the top of the central cavity of V1 without compromising V-ATPase function, arguing for structural flexibility of the V1 sector.


Working in dairy management changed my perspective on veterinary medicine and the services that veterinarians should provide to clients, especially on larger dairy farms. While the cows are the main income producers on a dairy farm, there is a lot more to running a farm than managing cows. Labor, capital, crops, manure, and feed procurement all need to be managed, along with all of the other tasks connected with running a small business. So cow management may not always be at the top of the owner's mind, and is usually delegated to employees. Veterinary emergencies are not true farm-level emergencies. Clients want good emergency service but a successful intervention only benefits one cow. True emergencies are those that affect the farm's ability to produce and sell its product: a refrigeration failure, a drug residue in a milk tank, equipment failures, labor issues. Vets tend to focus too much on per cow averages and diseases. Profit is determined by the total amount of milk or milk solids the farm sells, not the per-cow average production. Averages tend to have bias and momentum. Management should focus on cows that are not performing well and try to prevent future cows from having the same problem. Monitoring should focus on things that can be changed quickly and promise quick results, like reforming a failing colostrum program. Many traditional veterinary services only benefit one cow. It is better to focus on interventions that help the productive cows in the herd. They have trouble executing those recommendations. Change on a dairy farm is not easy and may affect many people. Advice should come with an implementation plan.


The principal obstacle in successfully recognising handwritten data is the inherent degree of intra-class variability encountered. This calls for subclass modelling of handwritten data based on the statistically significant variations within the main classes. A novel multi-prototyping approach based on statistical clustering techniques is investigated as an appropriate solution to this problem and very encouraging results have been achieved.


This study was undertaken to determine the cost and returns from milk production and to identify the various constraints in milk production and marketing. The study was conducted in the Kohima and Dimapur districts of Nagaland state. Primary data was collected during 2010-11 from 120 milk-producing households. Tabular analysis was employed to work out the cost and returns from milk production while Garrett's Ranking Technique (GRT) was used to identify the major constraints in milk production and marketing. The overall average net maintenance cost per day for crossbred and local cows were worked out to be Rs. 80.46 and Rs. 41.04, respectively. The average daily milk yield of milch crossbred and local cows was 4.34 litres and 1.47 litres, respectively. The average costs of milk production for crossbred milch cows and local milch cows were Rs 18.52 and Rs 28.15 per litre, respectively. The net returns was found to be positive for crossbred cows while it was negative for local cows across all the categories of households. The constraints were studied separately for cooperative members and non-members. Low availability and high price of concentrate was the major production constraint in both member and nonmember households followed by lack of availability of green fodder. Low price of liquid milk was found to be the major marketing constraint among the cooperative members while delay in payment by unorganized sector was the major constraint in case of non-members.


We present a mathematical formalism to predict speckle-like interferometric out-of-focus patterns created by irregular scattering objects. We describe the objects by an ensemble of Dirac emitters. We show that it is not necessary to describe rigorously the scattering properties of an elliptical irregular object to predict some physical properties of the interferometric out-of-focus pattern. The fit of the central peak of the 2D autocorrelation of the pattern allows the prediction of the size of the scattering element. The method can be applied to particles in a size range from a tenth of micrometers to the millimeter.


—A general procedure is suggested for calculating the upper (Voigt) and lower (Reuss) bounds of the average elastic constants of an anisotropic medium from crystallographic directions. The elastic tensors of Hooke's law can be expanded into irreducible representations of the rotation group. The Voigt/Reuss-averaged elastic constants depend on the second and fourth moments of the distribution function rather than on the entire function used for the averaging. In this case, the distribution function depends on one angle, while the elastic constants depend on two variables. The limitations imposed by the probability theory on the moment values are investigated and used to derive general constraints on the Voigt (Reuss) bounds of elastic constants.


Structural color pigments have attracted increasing interest in a wide variety of research fields. The color is usually angle dependent and iridescent. However, most applications of the pigments require constant color regardless of the viewing angle. Thus, the development of structural color pigments without iridescence is anticipated. Here, we present novel non-iridescent structural color pigments derived from liquid marble microreactors. Using hydrophobic microparticles to encapsulate colloidal crystal suspension drops in marble microreactors, the resultant pigments have hierarchical micro/nanostructures and ordered colloidal crystal arrays on their surfaces. These structural features impart the structural color pigments with the desired non-iridescence.


Ukraine is on the invasion front of spotted-wing Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) spreading in Europe. Despite this globally important pest was confirmed only on the southernmost tip of its territory, recently published species distribution models expect its occurrence also in other Ukrainian regions. Therefore, we conducted two-year monitoring (2018-2019) during the whole fruit ripening season; samples were collected on the whole Ukrainian territory; standard bait traps and active capture by an insect net were employed. Individuals of the species were recorded only at the end of the vegetation season (August–October) and only in the westernmost part of Ukraine (Transcarpathian region); in the region predicted by recent ecological niche modeling. The late occurrence of D. suzukii probably reflects the presence of suitable food/fruit for the larvae at the end of the growing season. Our results confirm the importance of monitoring of this pest, together with the investigation of factors that may affect its invasion.


Macerate the colocynth in the spirit for four days with a gentle heat; add the aloes, scammony, and soap, to the expressed liquor; then evaporate to a proper eonsistence, the cardamoms being added towards the end. Compound colocynth pill. (Ph. Lond. 1851). Extract of colocynth, 3 i; extract of aloes, powdered, 3 vj; scammony, powdered, 3 ij; cardamom (husked), powdered, 3 ss; soft soap, 3 iss. Mix the powders togetlher; tlhen, the rest being added, beat all together to form a mass. Compound colocynth pill. (Ph. Edin. et Dubl.) Aloes and scamnony, of each, Si; colocynith pulp, ~ss ; Castile soap, 3 ij; sulphate of potash, 3 i; oil of cloves, 3 i. These are made into a mass: the Edinburgh PharmacopoDia directs rectified spirit to be used instead of soap.


The media must become more critical of unproven interventions

One of the more fascinating medical stories of recent times was that surrounding the findings of the women's health initiative trial of hormone replacement therapy.

This was not simply because the findings were so significant, in challenging long held assumptions about the merits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in disease prevention. Of equal interest has been the diversity of the medical profession's response to the findings.

The trial, part of which was published last year ( JAMA 2002;288:321-33), showed increased risk of cardiovascular events from continuous combined oestrogen-progestogen hormone replacement, although it showed benefits for hip fractures and bowel cancer. The relative risks for invasive breast cancer, coronary heart disease, and stroke were increased, although the absolute risks were small.

Soon after the study's publication, Canadian epidemiologist Professor David Sackett wrote of the "arrogance" of preventive medicine in promoting unproven interventions and estimated that hundreds of thousands …


Plantations of Tree Born Oilseeds to produce biodiesel and Carbon Forestry will be very effective solution for overcome problem of fossil fuel scarcity and global warming. Pongamia pinnata (L.) is an important species which have big potential for that and can be planted all over tropics. But there is very little information available about genetics, physiology and cultivation practices of Pongamia. Present book try to fill the information gap at some extent. It contains brief information about biological feature and distribution of species. It also takes account of genetic variation, its important and method to study it. Role of molecular markers in genetic variation study and tree domestication process is discussed in this monograph. Its include study of genetic variation in Pongamia population in Konkan region with Polymeric Chain Reaction- Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (PCR-RFLPs) and Chloroplast Simple Sequence Repeats (cpSSR). Base on study further tree improvement program is suggested. This book is useful for forestry students, personals and geneticists, plant breeders, biodiesel companies etc.


Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the leading causes of acute viral hepatitis. Transmission of HEV mainly occurs via the fecal-oral route (ingesting contaminated water or food) or by contact with infected animals and their raw meat products. Some animals, such as pigs, wild boars, sheep, goats, rabbits, camels, rats, etc., are natural reservoirs of HEV, which places people in close contact with them at increased risk of HEV disease. Although hepatitis E is a self-limiting infection, it could also lead to severe illness, particularly among pregnant women, or chronic infection in immunocompromised people. A growing number of studies point out that HEV can be classified as a re-emerging virus in developed countries. Preventative efforts are needed to reduce the incidence of acute and chronic hepatitis E in non-endemic and endemic countries. There is a recombinant HEV vaccine, but it is approved for use and commercially available only in China and Pakistan. However, further studies are needed to demonstrate the necessity of applying a preventive vaccine and to create conditions for reducing the spread of HEV. This review emphasizes the hepatitis E virus and its importance for public health in Europe, the methods of virus transmission and treatment, and summarizes the latest studies on HEV vaccine development.


Let K be a field equipped with a valuation. Tropical varieties over K can be defined with a theory of Gröbner bases taking into account the valuation of K. While generalizing the classical theory of Gröbner bases, it is not clear how modern algorithms for computing Gröbner bases can be adapted to the tropical case. Among them, one of the most efficient is the celebrated F5 Algorithm of Faugère. In this article, we prove that, for homogeneous ideals, it can be adapted to the tropical case. We prove termination and correctness. Because of the use of the valuation, the theory of tropical Gröbner bases is promising for stable computations over polynomial rings over a p-adic field. We provide numerical examples to illustrate time-complexity and p-adic stability of this tropical F5 algorithm.


A 1.5-year-old, 37.7 kg, female alpaca was evaluated for a 2-week history of weight loss, left ear droop, and deviation of the rostral mandible to the right. Antemortem radiography and postmortem examination revealed otitis interna, media, and externa, destruction of the left tympanic bulla, and subluxation and septic arthritis of the left temporomandibular joint.


The purpose of this research was to investigate the general properties and main ingridients of Hwangtoh, which is the Korean loess. It is well known as a raw material of pottery shown to be widely scattered on the earth, especially in Korea. It belongs to primary clay that was found to be rich on mountain surface or field. In this study, XRF Spectral method was employed to analyze the chief ingredients of Hwangtoh, being found to consist of 43∼50% SiO₂, 2∼34% Al₂O₃, 2∼3% Mg, 2∼3% Na and 1∼2% K. The ferric oxide contents of Hwangtoh from San Chung, Ha Dong, Ko Ryung, Ouk Chong, Bang Gae and Song Kwang were 6.46, 7.96, 11.26, 9.36, 9.06 and 9.28 %, respectively. The general characteristics of Hwangtoh from different places were studied by determining the content of water and the capacity to maintain temperature. Based on the above results, Hwangtoh could be said to have better quality than primary clay of Kaolin dose, and also would be able to find an application in construction formulations.


Abstract Human religiousness is a complex and multidimensional reality embedded in basic human needs and connected with people's desires, anxieties, and hopes. The aim of the paper is to assess religiousness, considered in terms of meaning and cognitive emotion regulation strategies, in adolescents. The religious meaning system is a multidimensional construct encompassing convictions, beliefs, emotional connotations, and the rules of worship. In situations of negative events or unpleasant experiences, young people resort to various coping strategies. Cognitive emotion regulation strategies concern relatively stable conscious ways of regulating emotions, which consist in mentally handling the incoming information that evoke emotions. The study concerned young people aged 13 to 16 years (N = 130). Religiousness was assessed using D. Krok's Religious Meaning System Questionnaire (RMSQ) and cognitive coping strategies were measured using the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) by N. Garnefski and V. Kraaij. The results show that there are relations between religiousness, understood in terms of the young participants' meaning system, and adaptive as well as maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. The results of the study are discussed in the light of theory and research.