In this paper, we present an accurate frequency offset estimation method for frequency-selective channels. Through the iterative use of the chirp z-transform (CZT) algorithm, an accurate frequency offset estimator is proposed, approaching the Cramer-Rao Bound (CRB) even at low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Further, the estimation can be achieved within one block of training sequence, thus avoiding the transmission of repetitive known blocks as is usually required in many conventional methods. Meanwhile, the overall complexity is acceptable. More importantly, the CZT operation can utilize the fast Fourier transform (FFT) structure that is favourable for digital signal processor (DSP) implementation. Simulation results show that two or at most three iterations of the CZT computation are sufficient for an accurate frequency offset estimation in the SNR range from 0 dB to 30 dB.


Thanks to a scholarship of the French government, in 2000 I had the possibility to work at the Medical Oncology Service (Professor D. Khayat) of the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France as an intern for 9 months. I describe the use of chemotherapy in France based on my experience. Chemotherapy for solid tumors is provided mainly on an outpatient basis. In the case of inpatients, the period is very short. The program works because of the patients' way of thinking, good supportive care, and a well-constructed visiting nursing system. Especially, administration of steroids, G-CSF and erythropoietin as a secondary prevention for myelosuppresion seemed very effective. This system would be helpful for chemotherapy provided on an outpatient basis in Japan.


Abstract. Water pollution with Cd and Pb has worldwide concern because of their health impact. Evaluation of their concentrations and potential human health risks of surface and groundwater south El-Minya Governorate, Egypt is the main aim of the study. Fifty-five samples were collected; 30 samples surface water and 25 samples groundwater. The samples were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) to determine Cd and Pb contents. The heavy metals levels in both of surface and groundwater exceeded the maximum allowable level for drinking water which set by WHO. The hazard quotient and hazard index showed that groundwater may pose a health risk to residents, especially the children, primarily due to the high Cd content. In addition, there might be some concern for adverse Carcinogenic health effects. The pollution returns to human activities. The water can be recommended for irrigation not for drinking.


Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have been described to have great potential to modulate course of the disease. Capacity to eliminate cancer cells primarily depends on the interplay between tumor and its microenvironment. Despite the great interest which this topic gathered over last decades the role of immune cells interaction with cancer has hardly been studied in acute myeloid leukemia patients. Multitude of patient-specific factors, as well as a great repertoire of different kinds of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, potentially affecting disease progression should be the motivation to investigate implication of tumor immune cells interplay in possibly maximized cohorts of patients. Due to technical reasons the traditional microscopy-based techniques do not allow for the desired high-throughput approach. In the present study we demonstrate an inter-platform-compatible method which allowed us to predict the gene expression component involvement of 37 cell populations representing different stages of hematopoietic linage differentiation. The predictions were done for an extensive set of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and bone marrow aspirate material sampled from cytogenetically normal (CN) AML cases. Our results nicely confirmed poor survival prognosis observed for the patients demonstrating high contribution of the CD34+, CD38- hematopoietic stem cells in their bone marrow samples HR = 2.05, 95%CI = 1.22-3.43, p-value = 6.73E-03. We also show that a specific Mature NK cell_CD56+ CD16+ CD3- component found in gene expression signatures of bone marrow samples correlated independently with significantly worse survival in CN AML patients HR = 2.56, 95%CI = 1.49-4.42, p-value = 7.03E-04. Same analysis carried for the CN AML PBMC samples indicated independent positive effects for the predicted involvement of the Erythroid_CD34+ CD71+ GlyA- and Hematopoietic stem cell_CD133+ CD34dim cell populations in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) CN AML cohort. Acknowledgements The research was supported by a grant from European Commission 7th Framework Programme: FP7-REGPOT-2012-CT2012-316254-BASTION, a grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland [IP2012 048172 (DN)], and a grant from the National Science Centre Poland [2013/10/E/NZ5/00778 (DN)]. Citation Format: Pawel Gaj, Dominika Nowis, Stefano Volinia. Immunophenotypic identities of clinical samples have the potential to correlate with overall survival in cytogenetically normal AML patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4501.


The aim of this thesis is to examine the impact of polygraphy disclosure and recidivism (particularly for sex offenders), gain greater understanding of some of the psychological mechanisms involved, and, in the light of this, consider the value of its application in forensic settings.

Chapter one presents a general introduction to the topic. Chapter two presents a systematic review of the relevant literature. In particular, it explores the utility of postconviction polygraph testing amongst sexual offenders, with a primary focus upon its influence in facilitating disclosure. The findings are generally supportive of the view that the polygraph is a useful technique for eliciting additional information from offenders, which, in turn, can assist in achieving a more accurate understanding of current risk and criminal history. It is noted, however, that there continues to be a paucity of high quality research evidence, in particular, a lack of adequately controlled studies. Further research is needed to gain more secure understandings of the polygraph's potential.

Chapter three offers a critique of the use of the postconviction polygraph in the monitoring, assessment and supervision of convicted sex offenders. This notes a degree of partisanship in arguments for and against its use. The chapter seeks to offer an analysis of available evidence concerning the utility of the post-conviction polygraph in encouraging disclosures amongst sexual offenders under investigation in both custodial and noncustodial settings. Those who support the use of the polygraph typically argue that such disclosure provides fuller histories of deviant sexual behaviour, admissions of previously unknown offences/victims, and increased reporting of other high-risk behaviours. However, noting the concerns of those opposed to its use, the ongoing challenges and shortfalls of the polygraph are also referenced. In the light of the analysis, it is proposed that the method should not be used in isolation but, where appropriate, in conjunction with a range of other assessment tools before reaching a risk-related conclusion concerning sexual offenders.

The 'bogus pipeline to the truth' effect is an argument used to challenge the veracity of polygraph data, as its underlying premise is that the value of the polygraph in eliciting disclosure is not grounded in its accuracy, but, rather, in false claims regarding its ability to detect deception (which, as a result, will often elicit more truthful responses from those being tested). In other words, disclosure can be derived from psychologically manipulating examinees by convincing them that the lie detector is significantly more accurate than it actually is.

In chapter four, an empirical research study explores the bogus pipeline effect upon disclosures made by students who were earlier exposed to cheating behaviour. Participants experienced within-group cheating by a study confederate and later placed in one of three conditions in which they were asked about the occurrence of cheating within their group. Two groups were attached to a bogus lie detector and informed that this was either 75% accurate or 100% accurate. Control participants were not attached to the lie detector, but simply asked if they had been present in a group that had cheated. Findings demonstrated that those participants attached to a bogus lie detector were more likely to disclose cheating within their group than those asked in the absence of the machine. However, there were no significant differences in rates of disclosure between the 75% and 100% condition. The influence of suggestibility, personality and gender upon disclosure amongst all conditions revealed no effects confounding the relationship.

A single case study is presented in Chapter five. It details some of the ways by which the psychologist can encourage a client with paranoid schizophrenia, and a history of sex offending, to reflect openly upon his psychological and behavioural circumstances. Subsequently, it considers whether a measure such as the polygraph, designed to encourage honest accounts and attributions, could be of value in work with those clients whose thought processes are distorted by psychotic conditions.

In contextualising this issue, the chapter describes and evaluates the usefulness of a ten week psychosis awareness group programme for a sexual offender treated within a medium security hospital. The influence of this psychoeducation programme on levels of understanding, disclosure and personal acceptance of his mental illness is discussed, and recommendations for further psychological work are made. Subsequently, the association between psychotic symptoms and sexual offending is explored, as is the suitability of a future polygraph for this client

In Chapter six a synoptic discussion of the work presented concludes the thesis. This addresses the current position on the bogus pipeline paradigm. Finally, the chapter seeks to provide an informed position concerning the use of the post-conviction polygraph in forensic settings.


In modern two-stroke SI engine applying one or two segments of catalytic converter in exhaust system is needed to fulfil requirements of emission of toxic components in burnt gases. In the paper catalytic conversion of toxiccomponents in exhaust gas as dependence of mixture preparation is presented obtained from experiment andsimulation. Paper gives mathematical model of gas flow in a exhaust system with taking into account resistant of gas flow through catalytic converter. On the base of mathematical model calculations of physical parameter of gas was done with overall engine output parameters. This enables optimisation of whole exhaust system at conservation of high temperature in the monolith. In the paper result of simulation were given in comparison to original engine. Also experimental results made on stand with 250 cc two-stroke two-cylinder engine with the same geometrical parameters of exhaust system as in calculations are included and compared with computational results.


Introduction. !e aim of the study was to determine intubation conditions in the patients receiving rocuronium in comparison to succinylcholine for rapid sequence intubation during the induction of anesthesia for operative management of bowel obstruction. Methods. In the randomized controlled study 30 adult patients with bowel obstruction undergoing urgent surgery were randomly allocated in two groups. For muscle relaxation the S-group of patients received succinylcholine (1.5 mg/kg) and the Rgroup rocuronium (1.2 mg/kg). Intubation conditions were evaluated using a grading system according to Viby-Morgenson. Primary outcomes were intubation conditions 1 minute a"er the application of a muscle relaxant. Secondary outcome measures were heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse oximetry; potassium and myoglobin serum level. Results. All patients were orotracheally intubated in the #rst attempt. During induction, we didn't observe vomiting or aspiration. Overall intubation conditions in the S-group were statistically signi#cantly better than in the R-group. A"er RSI there was a statistically signi#cant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in both groups and statistically signi#cant decrease in heart rate in the S-group. A"er RSI the potassium level in the S-group was signi#cantly higher in comparison to the R-group and serum myoglobin level nonsigni#cantly increased in the S-group and statistically signi#cantly decreased in the R-group. Conclusion. !e results show that rocuronium in RSI patients with bowel obstruction enables the same intubation conditions as succinylcholine and the same risk of aspiration which allows succinylcholine replacement and avoidance of its side effects.


NHCH3 (X = Gly 1, Ala 2, Aib 3, Leu 4 and D-Ala 5), have been investigated by Raman and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Solid state Raman spectra are consistent with s-turn conformations in all five peptides. These peptides exhibit similar conformations of the disulfide segment in the solid state with a characteristic disulfide stretching frequency at 519 ± 3 cm-1, indicative of a trans-gauche-gauche arrangement about the Cα—Cβ—S—S—Cβ—C αbonds. The results correlate well with the solid state conformations determined by X-ray diffraction for peptides 3 and 4. CD studies in chloroform and dimethylsulfoxide establish solvent dependent conformational changes for peptides 1, 3 and 5. Disulfide chirality has been derived using the quadrant rule. CD results together with previously reported nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.) data suggest a conformational coupling between the peptide backbone and the disulfide segment.


The nature of change and transformation of the economic system of Ukraine is analyzed in the paper. The content of global transformation processes that cause them, are determined. It is proven the exhaustion of reproductive potential of the model of liberal market fundamentalism, the concept of which was chosen as the basic paradigm of development of the national economy, the negative effects of the weakening of the state's role in the management and controls the spread of purely market principles of conduct in all aspects of life are clarified. Directions of modernization restructuring of the national economy are determined. The first direction is transition to high-industrial level of economic development and creates conditions for transition to a post-industrial economy by modernizing industrial and technological base for innovative principles and development of post-industrial sectors. The second direction is playing a market economy mechanism in cooperation with government regulation, strengthening the role of the state in certain national development goals and maintaining business cooperation with a partner. The relevance of the research problems caused by the aggravation of choice vector transformation changes the national economic system, formation process of updating the ultimate goal of transformational changes, identify ways and methods to achieve in terms of economic crisis and the emergence of threats to national statehood. The proposed directions of transformational changes in governance and the role of government in society in accordance with the principles of partnership provided the absolute dominance of the public interest create a real background for task solution of economic development and improving the quality of life.


In distributed detection systems with wireless sensor networks, communication between sensors and a fusion center is not perfect due to interference and limited communication power of the sensors to combat noise. The problem of optimizing detection performance with imperfect communication between the sensors and the fusion center over wireless channels brings a new challenge to distributed detection. In this paper, a distributed detection system infrastructure is provided, and a multiaccess channel model is included to account for imperfect communication between the sensors and the fusion center. The J-divergence between the distributions of the detection statistic under different hypotheses is used as a performance criterion instead of the probability of error in order to provide a tractable analysis. Optimizing the performance (in terms of the J-divergence) under a total communication power constraint on the sensors is studied, and the optimal power allocation is provided


A magnetic map of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Campus, in Ile-Ife, was produced from ground magnetic measurements on all the roads and footpaths. The study was aimed at improving our knowledge of the structural disposition of the lithologies within the area. The magnetic data obtained were subjected to diurnal corrections, removal of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field, reduction to the magnetic equator, pseudogravity transformation and residualization to enhance the anomalies. The residual magnetic and pseudogravity anomaly maps were qualitatively and quantitatively interpreted using the total horizontal derivative, second vertical derivative, pseudogravity transformation, Euler deconvolution, and 2-D forward modeling techniques. The derivative maps showed that the area is clearly divided into three main magnetic (and pseudogravity) anomaly zones, demarcated by five contact locations (C1 to C5), which had close associations with the main lithologies of grey (or banded) gneiss, granite-gneiss and mica schist. The contact C1 indicated that the granite-gneiss might not be as extensive in the northwest as suggested by the geological map, while C4 and C5 indicated that the mica schist might in fact be less extensive, and the grey gneiss more extensive in the south. Two faults, F1 and F2, mapped by earlier workers in the north and south of the area respectively were centered along two broad quasi-linear NE-SW trending zones with relatively higher magnetic susceptibility and density than the host rocks. The faults were strike-slip faults, steeply dipping and could be associated with a zone of prominent magnetic low and pseudogravity high. The depth to the fault zones derived from Euler deconvolution solutions and forward modeling ranged from 18 to 40 m. The study concluded that the magnetic character of the two fault zones suggested zones of weakness in the upper crust through which more mafic rocks might have infiltrated. Keywords : Ground magnetic, Pseudo-gravity, Subsurface Geology, Strike-slip Fault


Two-dimensional (2D) ferroelectric (FE) materials are promising compounds for next-generation nonvolatile memories due to their low energy consumption and high endurance. Among them, α-In2Se3 has drawn particular attention due to its in- and out-of-plane ferroelectricity, whose robustness has been demonstrated down to the monolayer limit. This is a relatively uncommon behavior since most bulk FE materials lose their ferroelectric character at the 2D limit due to the depolarization field. Using angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we unveil another unusual 2D phenomenon appearing in 2H α-In2Se3 single crystals, the occurrence of a highly metallic two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the surface of vacuum-cleaved crystals. This 2DEG exhibits two confined states, which correspond to an electron density of approximately 1013 electrons/cm2, also confirmed by thermoelectric measurements. Combination of ARPES and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveals a direct band gap of energy equal to 1.3 ± 0.1 eV, with the bottom of the conduction band localized at the center of the Brillouin zone, just below the Fermi level. Such strong n-type doping further supports the quantum confinement of electrons and the formation of the 2DEG.


Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 is one of the most important enzymes involved in the metabolism of drugs. Multiple, clinically relevant, genetic variants of this gene have been identified and, among them, a gene deletion as well as multiplications of the gene. These large structural mutations in CYP2D6 occur at a relatively high frequency in several populations. Genotyping of CYP2D6 could therefore be applied to individualize drug therapy to improve therapeutic efficacy and decrease adverse effects in patients. However, a prerequisite for the pharmacogenetic screening of CYP2D6 in a clinical setting is the development of fast, reliable and cost-effective techniques for the routine genotyping of patients. In the case of CYP2D6, besides the general problems that arise in the detection of large gene deletions and multiplications, the presence of two highly homologous pseudogenes, CYP2D7 and CYP2D8, forms an extra challenge. This review provides an overview of the techniques that have been described to detect the CYP2D6 gene deletion and multiplication: Southern-blotting RFLP, long-template PCR, and real-time PCR. Of these techniques, real-time PCR is the only technique giving quantitative information about the exact copy number of the gene. Considering all of the other advantages of this method over other methods, such as cost-effectiveness and suitability for high throughput screening, real-time PCR is the most promising method for the genotyping of large structural alterations in the CYP2D6 gene in a routine clinical setting.


An efficient protocol for the cryopreservation of madder (Rubia akane Nakai) hairy root cultures was developed using droplet-vitrification and alternative loading and vitrification solutions formulated previously in our laboratory. Among eight preculture treatments tested, the highest post-cryopreservation regeneration was obtained for explants incubated in liquid half-strength MS medium with progressively increased sucrose concentration (0.3 M for 54 h, then 0.5 M for 16 h). Loading of precultured explants improved their post-cryopreservation regeneration by 50-75% compared with non-loaded control. Combining loading solution C4 (35% PVS3) and vitrification solution B5 (80% PVS3) was the most effective, while applying six PVS2-based solutions at room temperature resulted in low post-cryo regeneration. Treatment duration was optimized to 30 min for loading and to 10-20 min for vitrification solution. Apices of primary and secondary hairy roots showed similar post-cryo regeneration (88 and 95%, respectively), which was significantly higher than regeneration of root sections without apices (65%). Droplet-vitrification produced higher post-cryo regeneration than 'classical' vitrification in cryovials. Our results suggest that droplet-vitrification using alternative loading and vitrification solutions is an efficient method for cryopreservation of R. akane hairy root cultures.


From the existing calculations of the hyperpolarizability, gamma , of Li 1s22s 2S, it is evident that this quantity is very difficult to obtain reliably. The authors present a state-specific approach for the computation of linear and non-linear polarizability of polyelectronic ground or excited states and apply it to the prototypical He 1S and Li 2S states. The problem is formulated as one of searching for the complex eigenvalue of a non-Hermitian matrix, H, constructed from multidimensional function spaces, Q and P, which are chosen according to the spectral features and electronic structure of the system under investigation. For example, in the present case, singly and selected doubly excited states are included, representing valence and core-valence electron correlation and field-induced excitations. On the other hand, for reasons of economy the pair correlation of the K-shell electrons in Li is neglected. The results, alpha (He) = 1.389 au, gamma (He) = 42.78 au and alpha (Li) = 164.9 au, gamma (Li) = 3.7 x 104 au are compared with previous ones, obtained from methods using fixed basis sets or rij-dependent expansions. For gamma (Li), the observed discrepancy suggests that additional theoretical and certainly experimental information would be very useful.


Abstract A carburetor is a mechanical device that provides necessary support to the superstructure of an internal combustion engine. The function of the carburetor is to mixes the air and fuel for internal combustion engine. A carburetor is used in the two wheeler vehicle. The development of carburetor through conventional manufacturing got many challenges to complexity in design geometry and high competitions in industry due to cost management. Hence a study on petrol powered carburetor is considered in this paper. The computer aided design (CAD) model of the carburetor is created using reverse engineering technique. By the help of a 3D scanner the point cloud data of the existing carburetor is acquired and then the point cloud data is converted in to 3D CAD model. The CAD model is used for the CFD analysis and 3D printed for the prototype of model. A prototype is developed using fused deposition modeling for visualization of the carburetor. Keywords : Reverse engineering, 3D scanning, 3D CAD model, ANSYS Fluent, Rapid prototyping Cite this Article Chetan R. Gole, Jaya Christiyan K.G. Reverse Engineering and CFD Analysis of Carburetor. Recent Trends in Fluid Mechanics. 2018; 5(3): 22–32p.


Objective: to report the treatment of a patient with Tourette syndrome (TS) utilizing nutritional supplements and dietary change along with chiropractic manipulative therapy (CMT), saccadic eye exercises, and audio therapy. Case presentation: The patient is a 27-year-old female diagnosed with TS at age 23. Motor complaints centered on an eye blink. Vocal tics include throat clearing and sniffing. Obsessive compulsive components were described as touch-based and/or number-based. Intervention and Outcome: Primary measures included the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), Yale- Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BCOS), and the Health Status Questionairre-12 (HSQ-12). Secondary measures included documentation of appendicular coordination, balance, gait, and saccadic eye movements. Treatment consisted of vertebral and extremity adjusting, saccadic eye exercises, audio therapy, and supplementation of magnesium, vitamin B6, and omega 3 fatty acid for 4 weeks. At baseline the YGTSS score was 52, Y-BOCS was 22 and the HSQ-12 was 53. At two weeks, the YGTSS: 22 and the Y-BOCS: 17. At completion the YGTSS: 14, the Y-BOCS: 12, and the HSQ-12: 82.1. Conclusion: The patient's clinical picture indicated marked improvement in her symptoms. Although natural history cannot be disregarded, the clinical results documented suggest that a multimodal approach of diet, manipulation, and functional neurologic exercises may help in the management of Tourette syndrome symptoms. A controlled study is warranted.


Worldwide around 7 million people suffer myocardial infarctions per year according to White et al. (2008). Around one third of these patients having acute myocardial infarction die within the first hour of having symptoms usually due to fatal arrhythmia. Characteristic ST segment elevation in the 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG) accompanied by clinical symptoms of chest pain provide the most rapid way to diagnose those patients who should receive thrombolysis to help dissolve thrombus and restore blood flow. In fact, since the early 1980s, thombolysis has been the cornerstone of treatment for patients having ST segment elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMI) by improving outcomes and preserving left ventricular function. There are in fact many large randomised clinical trials which support early thrombolysis and these can be found in the Fibrinolytic Therapy Trialists' (FTT) Collaborative Group publication from 1994. This document reinforces the importance of early reperfusion with 30 lives per 10000 being saved by thrombolysis given within 6 hours of presentation and 20 lives per 1000 saved if initiation is between 6 and 12 hours.


ABSTRACT Motherhood roles lie at the intersection of gender, professional, family, and social identities and are highly contextualized in culture, making them particularly relevant for acculturation success. We provide an empirical example of how schools act as acculturation agents, using the experiences of career-oriented migrant mothers whose children attend elite private schools in Santiago, Chile. This study contributes to consumer acculturation research and to research on matricentric feminism, which positions mothers' concerns as the starting point for theories, politics, and practices of empowerment. We employ Turner's notion of root paradigms to discuss how schools maneuver their unique institutional agentic power, acculturating career-oriented migrant mothers and their families into a cultural framework of female domesticity and intensive mothering.


Novel dienes, formed by reaction of α-ylidene and α-alkoxylidene lactones with the lithium salt of acetonitrile, are readily converted into benzofuran precursors by a highly regioselective (and in the case of the former derivatives) a highly stereoselective Diels–Alder reaction.


The aim of this study was to evaluate different-density genotyping panels for genotype imputation and genomic prediction. Genotypes from customized Golden Gate Bovine3K BeadChip [LD3K; low-density (LD) 3,000-marker (3K); Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA] and BovineLD BeadChip [LD6K; 6,000-marker (6K); Illumina Inc.] panels were imputed to the BovineSNP50v2 BeadChip [50K; 50,000-marker; Illumina Inc.]. In addition, LD3K, LD6K, and 50K genotypes were imputed to a BovineHD BeadChip [HD; high-density 800,000-marker (800K) panel], and with predictive ability evaluated and compared subsequently. Comparisons of prediction accuracy were carried out using Random boosting and genomic BLUP. Four traits under selection in the Spanish Holstein population were used: milk yield, fat percentage (FP), somatic cell count, and days open (DO). Training sets at 50K density for imputation and prediction included 1,632 genotypes. Testing sets for imputation from LD to 50K contained 834 genotypes and testing sets for genomic evaluation included 383 bulls. The reference population genotyped at HD included 192 bulls. Imputation using BEAGLE software (http://faculty.washington.edu/browning/beagle/beagle.html) was effective for reconstruction of dense 50K and HD genotypes, even when a small reference population was used, with 98.3% of SNP correctly imputed. Random boosting outperformed genomic BLUP in terms of prediction reliability, mean squared error, and selection effectiveness of top animals in the case of FP. For other traits, however, no clear differences existed between methods. No differences were found between imputed LD and 50K genotypes, whereas evaluation of genotypes imputed to HD was on average across data set, method, and trait, 4% more accurate than 50K prediction, and showed smaller (2%) mean squared error of predictions. Similar bias in regression coefficients was found across data sets but regressions were 0.32 units closer to unity for DO when genotypes were imputed to HD density. Imputation to HD genotypes might produce higher stability in the genomic proofs of young candidates. Regarding selection effectiveness of top animals, more (2%) top bulls were classified correctly with imputed LD6K genotypes than with LD3K. When the original 50K genotypes were used, correct classification of top bulls increased by 1%, and when those genotypes were imputed to HD, 3% more top bulls were detected. Selection effectiveness could be slightly enhanced for certain traits such as FP, somatic cell count, or DO when genotypes are imputed to HD. Genetic evaluation units may consider a trait-dependent strategy in terms of method and genotype density for use in the genome-enhanced evaluations.


Human activity is almost always intentional, be it in a physical context or as part of an interaction with a computer system. By understanding why user-generated events are happening and what purposes they serve, a system can offer a significantly improved and more engaging experience. However, goals cannot be easily captured. Analyzing user actions such as clicks and purchases can reveal patterns and behaviors, but understanding the goals behind these actions is a different and challenging issue. Our work presents a unified, multidisciplinary viewpoint for goal management that covers many different cases where goals can be used and techniques with which they can be exploited. Our purpose is to provide a common reference point to the concepts and challenging tasks that need to be formally defined when someone wants to approach a data analysis problem from a goal-oriented point of view. This work also serves as a springboard to discuss several open challenges and opportunities for goal-oriented approaches in data management, analysis, and sharing systems and applications.


This paper presents a ubiquitous marketing environment using pervasive technologies to facilitate added-value services in lodging operations. The key is to integrate comprehensive technologies and ubiquitous marketing services, facilitating an added-value system, to provide and manage added-valued marketing services. Added-valued marketing services are studied regarding both website and Smartphone application. One prototype website is a "Reservation Management and Marketing Added-value System," and another is a "Ubiquitous Protector System for Travelers" for Smartphone. The added-value services provide consumers, lodging personnel and third-party services providers with benefits regarding usability, support, and development without being limited by time and location. Regarding the consumers, lodging personnel can track the whereabouts of consumers to not only ensure traveler safety but also market tours. Regarding the lodging personnel, the web system can promote cooperation between different businesses. For example, lodging personnel could have advanced cooperation with the manager of a scenic spot. Regarding the third-party services providers, the integrated system provides them a convenient way for marketing purposes, such as announcing preferential programs and keeping favorites (interests) of each consumer. The system not only enables a direct connection with the manager and services providers, but it also provides consumers instant access to the services and equipment. Additionally, the system increases the quality of service and facilitates the easy achievement of maximum efficiency. Based on developments in the lodging industry, this paper provides a study case for additional reference value.


Abstract Populations of Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) and Blue-winged Warblers (V. pinus) have coexisted in the Hudson Highlands for a century. Previous researchers in our study area suggested this unusual coexistence might be due to a low frequency of hybrids. However, during the 1998–1999 breeding season we found that 10% of the males were hybrids, a value similar to many studies elsewhere. We observed that hybrid males ceased singing and other conspicuous behaviors early in the breeding season. Pair formation and nesting by hybrids appeared to be rare, perhaps because of the reduced vigor of their displays. Most of the fieldwork by previous researchers in this area was conducted after the date when hybrids cease singing, which may account for prior reports of the absence of hybrids.


Social entrepreneurship is a process of starting or managing a new business of a manufacturing or service nature with the primary purpose of helping the community – mainly in the areas of poverty, unemployment, human rights, education, medicine, environment etc. Social enterprises may be established for profit or no-profit and they involve taking risks associated with accomplishing its main purpose. The Indian Scenario : In India, social entrepreneurship is a growing phenomenon wherein a good number of highly educated and learned people- most of them who have left their lucrative jobs in India or overseas , are striving to bring a positive change in various social areas as their commitment towards a social  cause . Their ultimate goal is to bring about sustainable and quality solutions to improve the standard of living of their fellow citizens. Although a lot of work is done in this sector, a lot remains to be done. Particularly, the younger generation has to be aware of the need for social entrepreneurship and must develop an inclination to take up a social cause so as to bring about a sustainable change. A general observation indicates that most of the educated youth want to take up high package jobs or enter the already established family business.  This paper attempts to find out the students' intention to become an entrepreneur, social entrepreneur or take up a job /employment after finishing their education. A group of 120 students of undergraduate courses in Commerce were administered a questionnaire to find out their inclination. The paper studies if there is a statistical relationship between selected variables (classified as personal reasons for starting a business in the questionnaire) and students 'intention for entrepreneurship. Each independent variable is tested against the dependent variable i.e students' intention to entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship or employment.


A numerical procedure for predicting cavity signatures for a dipole-dipole array configuration in hole-to-hole resistivity measurements has been developed. This electrode geometry is implemented from the general solution for a point source of current near an air-filled cylindrical cavity or an air-filled cylinder surrounded by a concentric conductive or resistive halo region embedded in a homogeneous conducting host medium to simulate hole-to-hole resistivity measurements. Cavity signatures obtained for several vertical offset distances between the source and detector dipoles as well as multiply spaced dipole-dipole responses suggest that a processing technique may be devised to identify directly the position of the cavity inhomogeneity with respect to the boreholes. The results also show that the presence of a concentric halo region more conductive than the host medium influences the overall signature by either reducing or enhancing the effect of the air-filled cavity depending upon the halo size and conductivity contrast. In comparison, a halo region more resistive than the host medium always influences the composite signature by enhancing the effect of the air-filled cavity.


This guide was created to show students within the STEM program common research practices and resources that can be used to assist them with their studies.


1. Department of Sport Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tarbiat Modarres, Tehran, Iran 2. Department of Sport Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran 3. Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran


This paper reports on the informal, out-of-class activities of the K2 (Kanji and Katakana) gym that was conducted twice (once each in 2009 and 2010) over a five-week period in the Department of International Studies, Macquarie University. The primary objectives of this project were (1) to provide Japanese language learners at different levels of proficiency with opportunities to practise character and vocabulary learning skills and (2) to explore the efficiency of informal study on the learning of Kanji/Katakana and vocabulary in Japanese. A total of 17 and 9 students participated in the K2 gym in 2009 and 2010, respectively. In the gym, the participants practised Kanji/Katakana using worksheets, repetition sheets and sample sentence/translation sheets under the supervision of native Japanese-speaking postgraduate students. At the end of the fifth week, both participants and postgraduate student assistants provided feedback on the K2 gym activities. The feedback was predominantly positive. The project was significant not only for the Japanese language students who received individual feedback from native speakers in a non-threatening learning environment but also for the postgraduate assistants who gained experience supervising the gym in their interaction with the participants and made some very practical suggestions. Possibilities for future activities are provided.


It is a touchstone for the success of ITER and future fusion reactor whether the present high performance negative-ion-based NBI (N-NBI) heating systems work properly. The LHD and JT-60U are only two facilities where N-NBI systems are working for high power plasma heating / current drive in the world. Because handling of negative hydrogen / deuterium ions was amateur technology, it has taken a long time to improve its skill. In LHD, we succeeded in improving the performance of one of three beam lines dramatically in 2003 by adopting a multi-slot grounded grid for the accelerator of ion source. The effort on improving the performance was also done in other beam lines with conventional ion sources in parallel. The guidelines of improving are optimization of magnetic multi-cusp configuration for efficient negative ion production, and increasing the transparency of the grounded grid for reduction of heat load on it. As a result the available beam power has been increased, that is, successive injection power level more than 10MW became possible throughout four-month long experimental campaign, although the maximum injection power has been almost the same. The averaged negative ion beam current density at the exit of ion source, which was evaluated from the port-through injected power, was achieved up to 350A/m which is larger than the required value of ITER NBI in hydrogen beam operation. Pulse length at high beam power level has also been extended owing to the reduction of heat load on the grounded grid. These results (increase in available power and pulse length) have contributed to expand the operation region of LHD. By continuous R&D, we also have found the way of solving an associated problem of multi-slot grounded grid system, that is, mismatched conditions of optimum beam optics in vertical and horizontal directions. According to this result, better beam divergence can be realized, and the increase in the total injection power is expected in the next experimental campaign.


Antenna design trade-offs associated with providing an area coverage communication link via a geosynchronous satellite, where the geographical area to be serviced by the associated adaptive antenna system is characterized by a narrow-cone angle directed at an a priori known region on the earth's surface, are considered. Interference sources within and just surrounding the coverage area are adaptively nulled; interference sources located far from the coverage area are minimized by designing the antenna system to have low sidelobes outside the coverage area. This minimizes the number of adaptive channels which must be processed, with subsequent decrease in satellite weight and power requirements. The antenna design trade-off is between the phased array (PA) and the multiple-beam antenna (MBA). Three specific performance factors are considered in the MBA/PA design trade-off: susceptibility to out-of-coverage-area interference sources which use up the adaptive degrees of freedom allocated to the desired coverage area; effects of reduced link margin for low-gain thinned arrays; and nulling bandwidth restrictions imposed on spread spectrum communication systems. Three classes of PA's are considered: filled arrays, high gain thinned arrays, and low-gain thinned arrays.


Microphysical processes within mixed-phase convective clouds can have cascading impacts on cloud properties and resultant precipitation. This paper investigates the role of microphysics in the lake-effect storm (LES) observed during intensive observing period 4 of the Ontario Winter Lake-effect Systems field campaign. A microphysical ensemble is composed of 24 simulations that differ in the microphysics scheme used (e.g., Weather Research and Forecasting Model microphysics options or a choice of two bulk adaptive habit models) along with changes in the representation of aerosol and potential ice nuclei concentrations, ice nucleation parameterizations, rain and ice fall speeds, spectral indices, ice habit assumptions, and the number of moments used for modeling ice-phase hydrometeors in each adaptive habit model. Each of these changes to microphysics resulted in varied precipitation types at the surface; 15 members forecast a mixture of snow, ice, and graupel, 7 members forecast only snow and ice, and the remaining 2 members forecast a combination of snow, ice, graupel, and rain. Observations from an optical disdrometer positioned to the south of the LES core indicate that 92% of the observed particles were snow and ice, 5% were graupel, and 3% were rain and drizzle. Analysis of observations spanning more than a point location, such as polarimetric radar observations and aircraft measurements of liquid water content, provides insight into cloud composition and processes leading to the differences at the surface. Ensemble spread is controlled by hydrometeor type differences spurred by processes or parameters (e.g., ice fall speed) that affect graupel mass.


Radioactive sulphate was used to determine the effects of X-rays on the uptake of sulphate by the various tissues of the mouse in vivo and by calf costal cartilage in vitro. Sulphate uptake proved uniformly radioresistant. The effects of various protective substances were tested on costal cartilage. Only nitrogen and L-cysteine protected; some enhanced the radiation effect.


Post-translational modification of proteins by ubiquitin (Ub) is a versatile process, highly dynamic, and involved in nearly all aspects of biologic functions in eukaryotes. Dysregulation of ubiquitylation has been implicated in a plethora of pathologic conditions ranging from developmental abnormalities and autoimmune to neurodegenerative diseases and a variety of cancers. Ub is attached, via isopeptide bonds, to lysine residues in the target protein through a cascade of enzymatic reactions. These Ub-moieties can then serve as substrates for the conjugation of additional Ubs, forming poly-ubiquitin chains, again through the formation of isopeptide bonds between the C-terminus of one Ub and any of seven lysine, or N-terminal methionine in the target Ub. The reversibility, heterogeneity, and diversity of these modifications combined with the lack of suitable tools have made it difficult to properly isolate and characterize poly-ubiquitylated cellular proteins. This chain complexity known as the "Ub code" requires diverse technical approaches to unravel its complexity. Recent publications have demonstrated that antibodies against Ub display linkage bias or are of poor quality for experiments requiring precise measurements. However, in 2009 a novel technology called TUBEs (Tandem-repeated Ub-Binding Entities) was developed. TUBEs have revolutionized the Ub field by allowing poly-ubiquitylated proteins to be purified from cellular extracts. Development of TUBEs that selectively bind K48, K63 poly-ubiquitylated proteins has helped understand the role of modified proteins in cell physiology. In addition, derivatives of chain selective TUBEs have been used to develop novel assays for DUBs and ubiquitin ligases. This presentation will describe variants of TUBEs and their applications, as well as the new iterations of TUBEs aimed at identifying Ub-linkage specific functions and their biologic relevance. Citation Format: Rajesh Singh, Don Bosco Than, Sarah Julius, Xiaolong Lu, Peter Foote, Chengcheng Song. Deciphering the ubiquitin code with polyubiquitin chain selective affinity matrices [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2017 Oct 26-30; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2018;17(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B070.


Ornamental fish production is an important component of the aquaculture industry and the ornamental fish trade is a foreign exchange earner besides being a source of employment. Goldfish, Carassius auratus are in demand in world markets due to their attractive colours. When aquaculture production becomes more intensive, the incidence of disease including infectious diseases has increased. The use of antibiotics and other chemotherapeutics for controlling diseases has been criticized for their negative impacts. Immunostimulants could not be used widely because of various disadvantages. Application of medicinal herbs in disease management is gaining success, because herbal treatment is cost effective, eco-friendly and has minimal side effects. This book emphasizes the influence of five herbal additives (garlic, ashwagandha, phyllanthus, aloe and tulsi) on the growth, gonad development and disease resistance in goldfish, Carassius auratus. It is hoped that this publication presented in an easy- to- read style with a number of photographs and illustrations would be of great use to all students who have fisheries in their curriculum and also a standard guide for the researchers.


OBJECTIVE
HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders persist despite early antiretroviral therapy (ART) and optimal viral suppression. We examined the relationship between immunopathogenesis driven by various pathways of immune activation and discrete neurocognitive performance domains in youth with HIV (YWH).

DESIGN
Observational cross-sectional study METHODS:: YWH, ages 20 to 28, enrolled in Adolescent Medicine Trials Network 071/101 were assessed for biomarkers of macrophage, lymphocyte activation and vascular inflammation using ELISA/multiplex assays. Standardized neurocognitive tests were performed, and demographically-adjusted z-scores were combined to form indices of attention, motor, executive function, verbal and visuospatial memory. Cross-sectional analysis of the relationship between 18 plasma inflammatory biomarkers and each neurocognitive domain was performed. Linear regression models were fit for each combination of log-transformed biomarker value and neurocognitive domain score, and were adjusted for demographics, socioeconomic status, substance use, depression, CD4 T cell count, HIV viral load, and ART status.

RESULTS
Study included 128 YWH [mean age 23.8 (SD 1.7) years, 86% men, 68% African American]. Verbal and visuospatial memory domains were most significantly impaired in the cohort (z = -1.59 and -1.0, respectively). Higher sCD14 was associated with impaired visuospatial memory, which remained robust after adjusting for other biomarkers, demographics, and HIV-associated covariates. Among biomarkers of vascular inflammation, sICAM-1 was negatively associated with verbal memory and attention, while sVCAM-1 was positively associated with executive function and visuospatial memory. Specific neurocognitive domains were not associated with sCD163, LPS, or CCL2 levels.

CONCLUSIONS
Impaired visuospatial memory in YWH is associated with immune activation, as reflected by higher sCD14.


The ranging performance of the Long Term Evolution (LTE) positioning reference signal (PRS) is enhanced with respect to traditional correlation-based approaches in multipath channels. For that purpose, a joint maximum likelihood (ML) channel and time delay estimation is introduced for the PRS signal. The estimation can be implemented by using the least-squares (LS) criterion that benefits from the multicarrier flexible waveform. Preliminary results are shown with a comparison of the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of this ML estimator and the corresponding Cramér-Rao Bound (CRB) expression for a specific urban pedestrian channel model.


High direct solar radiation and the vast desert areas in Iran are the main factors to the attraction in using solar technologies such as floating solar chimney power plant (FSCPP) for electrical and thermal productions of energy. This article studies the performance of floating solar chimney technology for manufacturing purpose. In order to find the best area for the FSCPP, 14 different areas across the country are considered. The results revealed that FSCPP can produce 5–200 MW of electrical energy. Then a study was performed according to the return of finance rate, net price value, and finance return period criterions. The results showed that these power plants are able to be built in large scales of 100 and 200 MW of electricity with the annual capacity of 311 and 641 GW, respectively. However, a comparison between the cost analysis of two tested models shows that the 200 MW power plant with the cost of 14,273.64 Rials is more beneficial.


Ten Pasteurella haemolytica isolates from the nasal passages of cattle, untypable by the indirect hemagglutination procedure, were grouped into three serotypes by the rapid plate agglutination procedure. Serological specificity and serum absorption results showed that the 10 indirect hemagglutination-negative isolates belonged to three distinct serotypes and were not members of established serotypes that lack the specific soluble antigen that forms the basis of serotyping by indirect hemagglutination. All isolates were biotype A.


In this paper the original experimental method of determination of sign of Soret´s coefficient and approximately method
of determination its value in coloidal fluid is presented. For heating of place, in which the change of nanoparticles concentration is
observed, the Ar laser beam with the wave-length was used. The change of light absorption in heating place by He-Ne or Ar laser
beam was diagnosed.


The evolution of magnetic order from the microscopic to the macroscopic regime may be studied with the use of nanometer-scale clusters. A variety of new techniques can be employed to control the size of the magnetic clusters from the atomic level. Molecular beams are used to construct and measure the magnetic properties of isolated metallic clusters. Superparamagnetic metallic particles embedded in a metal exhibit dramatic field-dependent changes in electrical conduction, providing a measure of spin-dependent scattering. Related efforts in semiconductor hosts with the use of ion implantation have generated room-temperature ferromagnetic clusters that can be directly imaged by magnetic force microscopy.


Ninety-five patients with periodontitis of slight and medium severity were examined, 21 of them without concomitant diseases, 44 with essential hypertension, and 30 with diabetes mellitus. Besides clinical signs of periodontal abnormalities, the examinations revealed using phase-contrast microscopy four groups of microorganisms in the periodontal pouch contents: cocci, immovable and movable bacilli, and tortuous forms. Multidimensional analysis of clinico-laboratory data revealed a relationship between the counts of some microorganisms and severity of periodontal pathology.


Various whole cell-based biosensors have been reported in the literature for the last 20 years and these reports have shown great potential for their use in the areas of pollution detection in environmental and in biomedical diagnostics. Unlike other reviews of this growing field, this mini-review argues that: (1) the selection of reporter genes and their regulatory proteins are directly linked to the performance of celllular biosensors; (2) broad enhancements in microelectronics and information technologies have also led to improvements in the performance of these sensors; (3) their future potential is most apparent in their use in the areas of medical diagnostics and in environmental monitoring; and (4) currently the most promising work is focused on the better integration of cellular sensors with nano and micro scaled integrated chips. With better integration it may become practical to see these cells used as (5) real-time portable devices for diagnostics at the bedside and for remote environmental toxin detection and this in situ application will make the technology commonplace and thus as unremarkable as other ubiquitous technologies.


Intrinsic values associated with ICT services activities in productive ageing. Given the advances made in ICT services that have been widely used, elderlies need to be equipped with the knowledge in using the services. The lack of ICT usage among elderlies is because of the low motivation to use the ICT applications. This in turn could be due to the lack of intrinsic values associated with the use of ICT applications among elderlies. This study explores further the features of ICT services needed to support intrinsic values activities. Brainstorming sessions is conducted in this study where it involved six ICT experts in order to identify ICT services features to support intrinsic value activities. Intrinsic motivation features are significant features in ICT services to support intrinsic value activities for productive ageing. There are five intrinsic motivation features identified in this research, which are autonomy, competence, relatedness, altruism and curiosity. The ICT services to support intrinsic value activities model comprises of the ICT services characteristics that are transactive, community-based with online communication channels, and incorporated with intelligent agents.


This research gathered local wisdom towards career building of people in Kamchanoad Community, Baan Muang subdistrict, Baan Dung district, Udon Thani province. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with village headmen, community board, teachers, monks, Kamchanoad forest managers and revered elderly aged over 60 years old. All of these 30 interviewees have resided in Kamchanoad Community for more than 40. Descriptive data analysis result revealed that the most prominent local wisdom of Kamchanoad community is their beliefs and religion. Most people in the community have strongly maintained local tradition, the festival of appeasing Chao Pu Sri Suttho on the middle of the 6th month of Thai lunar calendar which falls on the same day with Vesak Day. 100 percent of the people in this community are Buddhist. They believe that Naga, an entity or being, taking the form of a serpent, named "Sri Suttho" lives in Kamchanoad forest. The local people worship the serpent and ask for blessings. Another local wisdom of this community is Sinh fabric weaving. Keywords—Local Wisdom, Careers, Kamchanoad Community.


Histone posttranslational modifications play fundamental roles in the regulation of double-stranded DNA break (DSB) repair. RNF20/RNF40-mediated monoubiquitination of histone H2B on lysine 120 (H2Bub) has been suggested as a potential mediator of DSB repair, although the nature and function of this posttranslational modification remain enigmatic. ABSTRACT Histone posttranslational modifications play fundamental roles in the regulation of double-stranded DNA break (DSB) repair. RNF20/RNF40-mediated monoubiquitination of histone H2B on lysine 120 (H2Bub) has been suggested as a potential mediator of DSB repair, although the nature and function of this posttranslational modification remain enigmatic. In this report, we demonstrate that RNF20 and RNF40 are required for DSB repair leading to homologous recombination (HR) and class switch recombination, a process driven by nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ), in mouse B cells. These findings suggest a role for RNF20 and RNF40 in DSB repair proximal to NHEJ/HR pathway choice and likely in the signaling of DSBs. We found that DSBs led to a global increase in H2Bub but not the transcription-associated posttranslational modifications H3K4me3 and H3K79me2. We also found that H2AX phosphorylation was dispensable for H2Bub and that ATM and ATR jointly regulate ionizing radiation (IR)-induced H2Bub. Together, our results suggest that RNF20, RNF40, and H2Bub may represent a novel pathway for DSB sensing and repair.


The purpose of this research is to describe the application of group investigation learning model in improving learning achievement of vocational school students in Indonesia. This research used qualified approach and applied classroom action. Subjects were students of first year of Sales Skills Program Vocational School in Malang Indonesia. Data collection techniques used were: in-depth interviews, observation, documentation, literature studies and tests. Data analysis technique used interactive technique. The results showed that: learning model group investigation has been carried out properly and vocational students have better learning achievement. Investigation group learning model can improve learning achievement of vocational school students.


Buerger disease is characterized by progressive distal extremity ischemia in persons with recent tobacco consumption. Typically, affected persons are young men. There have been case reports of Buerger disease in older men. Almost all of the reported cases were characterized with progressive, severe disease requiring amputation. We report a case of an older man with features of Buerger disease without significant proximal progression despite active smoking. Arteriographic and pathologic studies confirmed the diagnosis.


Automated segmentation of buildings' façade and detection of its elements is of high relevance in various fields of research as it, e. g., reduces the effort of 3 D reconstructing existing buildings and even entire cities or may be used for navigation and localization tasks. In recent years, several approaches were made concerning this issue. These can be mainly classified by their input data which are either images or 3 D point clouds. This paper provides a survey of image-based approaches. Particularly, this paper focuses on window detection and therefore groups related papers into the three major detection strategies. We juxtapose grammar based methods, pattern recognition and machine learning and contrast them referring to their generality of application. As we found out machine learning approaches seem most promising for window detection on generic façades and thus we will pursue these in future work.


tion may explain the small fall in core temperature seen Refirences in some of our patients. A higher initial water temI . CARLSON CA. BOYSEN PG, BANNER MJ. GRAVENSTEIN JS. Conventional vs high frequency jet ventilation for extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy. Awsthesiology 1985; 6 3 A530. 2. S c ~ u t . r r AM, ESCH J. KWHS E. MEYER WH. Improved efliciency of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy during high frequency jet ventilation. Anesthesiology 1985; 6 3 A l l l . 3. CHAUSSY C. (ed.). Extracurpored shock nave lirhotripsy. Basel: S. Karger, 1982; 34-5. perature than we used may be the solution.


The Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope (GSMT), along with other proposed Extremely Large Telescopes (ELT's) with apertures over 20-m, is likely to impose rather different site selection criteria than those for existing large telescopes. Advantageously, remote-sensing techniques allow rather more objective comparisons than was possible in the past, and the general task is aided by numerical modeling and new ground-based measurement techniques. In recognition of the difficulty of the site-selection process, co-operation between the several ELT projects is the norm. A description is given of the site survey for the GSMT, begun in late 1999, and now part of the GSMT studies and evaluation project, run by the Associated Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) New Initiatives Office (NIO).


We propose a web-accessible image visualization and processing framework well-suited for medical applications. Exploiting client-side HTML5 and WebGL technologies, our proposal allows the end-user to efficiently browse and visualize volumic images in an Out-Of-Core (OOC) manner, annotate and apply server-side image processing algorithms and interactively visualize 3D medical models. Server-side implementation is driven by a file-based, simple, robust and flexible Remote Procedure Call (RPC) scheme well suited for heterogeneous applications. We demonstrate the efficiency of our approach with both an interactive medical image segmentation and a 3D rendering of segmented anatomical structures. As a secondary contribution, we improve the segmentation algorithm with the introduction of user-defined anatomical priors.


The authors present a comparative analysis of the issue of legal consents for surgical procedures between Ethiopia and Poland. The analysis is based on the procedures performed as part of the Polish medical mission "Polish Medical Team Helping Hand". As part of this project, the authors performed ten surgical procedures for percutaneous spine stabilization in soldiers injured during the war with gunshots of the spine and after falling from a height. All soldiers signed informed written consent to the procedure. However, the authors noticed a significant role of additional oral/ verbal (not written) information in discussing the details of the procedure, which in Polish hospitals must be in writing for formal and legal reasons. The authors conclude that while the written consent for surgical treatment is key and necessary both in Poland and in Ethiopia, in the case of medical procedures performed in Ethiopia, oral communication between the doctor and patients and oral explanations are more binding even regardless of the language barrier.


While the punctuated equilibrium model has been employed in paleontological and archaeological research, it has rarely been applied for technological and social evolution in the Holocene. Using metallurgical technologies from the Wadi Arabah (Jordan/Israel) as a case study, we demonstrate a gradual technological development (13th-10th c. BCE) followed by a human agency-triggered punctuated "leap" (late-10th c. BCE) simultaneously across the entire region (an area of ~2000 km2). Here, we present an unparalleled, diachronic archaeometallurgical dataset focusing on elemental analysis of dozens of well-dated slag samples. Based on the results, we suggest punctuated equilibrium provides an innovative theoretical model for exploring ancient technological changes in relation to larger sociopolitical conditions—in the case at hand the emergence of biblical Edom–, exemplifying its potential for more general cross-cultural applications.


ABSTRACT Introduction: Chronic heart failure is characterized by reduced exercise capacity. Invasive exercise hemodynamics are not routinely performed unless patients undergo transplant or left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) assessment, though now with readily available noninvasive devices, exercise hemodynamics are easily obtained. Our contention is that this is a valuable opportunity to acquire a more accurate measure of cardiac status in heart failure. Exercise hemodynamic measures such as cardiac power output can be carried out cheaply and effectively. Recent studies have highlighted the added value of exercise hemodynamics in prognostication of heart failure, and their role in assessing myocardial recovery in LVADs. Areas covered: In this review, we explore the literature available on Medline until 2019 focusing on resting and exercise hemodynamics alongside the methods of assessment (invasive and noninvasive) in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and patients with implanted LVADs. Expert opinion: Hemodynamics measured both at rest and exercise are expected to play a significant role in the work up of transplant and LVAD patients. Furthermore, there is the potential to utilize noninvasive assessment in a complimentary fashion to support patient selection and improve the monitoring of response to treatment across the full cohort of heart failure patients.


In 2018, the World Bank and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) jointly issued a position paper on Culture in City Reconstruction and Recovery (CURE), reflecting the shared commitment of these two organizations to place culture at the forefront of the reconstruction and recovery of cities in post-conflict, post-disaster, and urban distress situations. The paper presented a new approach, the CURE Framework, intended to help practitioners integrate culture and cultural heritage into post-crisis recovery processes. The CURE Framework draws from existing frameworks and tools for reconstruction and recovery in urban settings. It seeks to knit together people-centered and place-based approaches to produce integrated policies that share a common cultural thread. The Technical Note on Overall Operational Guidance provides further elaboration on the guidance and tools introduced in chapter three of the CURE position paper, 'Implementing the CURE Framework.' The Technical Note on Peacebuilding and Recovery adapts the CURE Framework for implementation in fragile and conflict areas, and the Technical Note on Disaster Risk Management reviews the role of culture, cultural heritage, and the CURE principles in the context of the disaster risk management (DRM) discipline. The technical notes are meant to be used concomitantly by practitioners working in post-crisis settings.


A laboratory-scale study was conducted using a combination of SSF and FWS constructed wetland planted with Limnocharis flava and Eichhornia crassipes to treat landfill leachate. The effects of hydraulic loading rate (HLR) on pollutant removal in landfill leachate as well as the difference in performance between the planted and control system were investigated. The HLR in the system was varied at 0.39 m/d and 0.55 m/d. The results showed that the SSF-FWS constructed wetland was successful in reducing the pH value, TSS and turbidity. The removal efficiency of TSS and turbidity were achieved 98.32% and 97.43%, respectively at 0.39 m/d HLR. The study concluded that different HLR and the presence of wetland plants have given significant effects on the constructed wetland performance.


IN recent years there have been many papers covering the choice of powerplant for the supersonic transport aeroplane and several relating specifically to the Concorde. The subjects which have been covered include the choice of engine cycle, development history, propulsion controls and other design aspects. In the majority of these papers the environmental conditions which the supersonic engine experiences have been stressed but only brief references have been made to the ways and means whereby these conditions can be simulated on the test bed or in altitude test facilities.


latest evolutions in GIS technology and spatial information acquisition technology have led to a more distributed data method and computing environment. "Cloud" expertise has appeared as technologies by its focus on large-scale asset sharing and reduced cost for large-scale data storage technology. Specially, the problems of big volume of spatial data in some of the emergency cases which make the needs for elastic way for storing and analysis and computing all of these resources. In this paper we proposed an architecture for spatial data processing based on cloud computing technology. The results showed better performance in comparison to previous works.


A control system consisting of a decentralized feedback controller,a centralized feedforward controller and decoupler is presented for the middle Route of South-to-North Water Transfer Project in China. The feedback controller is kind of the level-discharge cascade PI controller, which has the merits as diminishing unknown disturbances and reducing the coupling effects of the control action to the downstream canal pools. The volume compensation algorithm is used in the feedforward controller for reducing time delay phenomena appeared in scheduled delivery of the long distance canal system. And the decoupler is designed to decrease the coupling effects of the control action from the upstream pools. This controller is tested in part of the middle Route of South-to-North Water Transfer Project operated under constant downstream water depth by means of numerical simulation. The results show that the control system can significantly reduce time delay and improve control quality of the system.


Three acetylcholinesterase (AChE) forms were detected and recovered from foot or gill tissues of the benthonic bivalve mollusk Scapharca inaequivalvis. A study was performed to investigate changes in catalytic and hydrodynamic features of these enzymes, as well as in their expression levels, after a 4‐d or a 15‐d exposure to a sublethal concentration (0.1 μl/L) of the pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF). Both considered organs hold, in either CPF‐exposed or untreated animals, two nonamphiphilic AChE forms, G2 and G4, which copurified on a procainamide‐containing affinity gel and were separated by density gradient centrifugation. A third AChE form, an amphiphilic membrane‐anchored G2, was also purified on the same affinity matrix from both organs. All enzymatic forms are true AChEs and are poorly inhibited by CPF. They show different increases in the maximum velocity (Vmax) and in the Michaelis constant (Km) values after CPF exposure. Consequently, catalytic efficiency of AChEs, as defined by the ratio Vmax:Km, rises in the gills and drops in the foot. This would produce an overexpression of AChE‐specific mRNAs. The effect was longer lasting in the foot. The combined results indicate that overexpression of enzymes in the presence of organophosphate (OP) may be a consequence of OP resistance itself. Again, the resistance of the organism to CPF seem to depend mainly on the resulting increase in AChE content.


Three 3D polymeric complexes containing polynuclear Co(ii) units, [Co3(bpda)3(bib)2]·H2O (1), [Co5(OH)2(H2O)2(bpda)4(bib)2]·2H2O (2), and [Co2(OH)(bib)(bpt)]·H2O (3) (H2bpda = biphenyl-2,4'-dicarboxylic acid, H3bpt = biphenyl-3,4',5-tricarboxylic acid, bib = 1,4-bis(1-imidazolyl)benzene), have been prepared by urothermal synthesis. Complex 1 exhibits an unusual (4,6)-connected 3D network based on binuclear Co(ii) clusters and Co2+ centers bridged by bpda2- and bib ligands. Complex 2, containing a novel pentanuclear Co(ii) cluster, features a porous 3D MOF with a regular nanosized tunnel. Complex 3 contains an interesting tetranuclear Co(ii) cluster and displays an amazing 3D porous MOF built from double-layered 2D [Co2(μ3-OH)(bpt)3]n networks pillared by two rows of bib spacers. In the title complexes, polycarboxylate acids serve to construct and stabilize the polynuclear Co(ii) clusters, while bis(imidazole)s help to expand the dimensionality of MOFs. Complexes 2 and 3 show antiferromagnetic properties. Compound 3 with high surface area, high yield, high purity, and high chemical stability was used as a precursor to fabricate Co,N-codoped porous carbon materials by simple carbonization under an Ar atmosphere. The catalytic properties of the Co,N-codoped porous carbon material derived from complex 3 (denoted as CoNC-3) as an ORR electrocatalyst were studied. CoNC-3 displays superior electrocatalytic performances for the ORR.


Macular hole has been believed to be a disorder of vitreomacular interface, which forms as a result of abnormal vitreous traction from incomplete vitreous detachment. However, our recent studies demonstrated that dynamic forces, caused by mobile posterior cortical vitreous with fluid currents, exist already at early stages of macular hole development. Therefore, in eyes with flexible vitreous, the contributions of tractional forces due to vitreous shrinkage are unlikely. These facts indicate that in the development of idiopathic macular holes, there is a greater contribution of dynamic forces than has been previously reported. This review also evaluates the recent findings in the assessment of the idiopathic macular holes and the recent therapeutic strategies for optimal management. Inner limiting membrane is considered to improve anatomical closure rate; however, it is still questionable if peeling is necessary in holes less than 250 µm. There are plenty of publications indicating that in the management of small and medium size hole (less than 400 µm), use of long-lasting gas and face-down position is not always required; however, it may be necessary for the treatment of large holes. Ocriplasmin and expansile gas had been reported to be successful for management of small- and medium-sized holes and vitreomacular attachment.


The preparation and use of diethyl (3-trethylsylyl-2-propynyl) phosphonate as a reactant with aldehydes and ketones for the synthesis of terminal conjugated enynes is reported. The reagent is readily obtained and purified by simple procedures amenable to scale up. The scope of the Horner-Wafsworth-Emmons reaction using the reagent has been briefly explored


Coastal areas are among the most biologically productive, dynamic and valued ecosystems on Earth. They are subject to changes that greatly vary in scale, time and duration and to additional pressures resulting from anthropogenic activities. The aim of this work was to investigate the shoreline evolution and the main environmental changes of the coastal stretch between the towns of Licata and Gela (in the Gulf of Gela, Sicily, Italy). The methodology used in this work included the analysis of: (i) shoreline changes over the long- and medium-term periods (1955–2019 and 1989–2019, respectively), (ii) dune system fragmentation and (iii) the impact of coastal structures (harbours and breakwaters) on coastal evolution. The shoreline change analysis mainly showed a negative trend both over the long- and medium-term periods, with a maximum retreat of 3.87 m/year detected over the medium-term period down-drift of the Licata harbour. However, a few kilometres eastward from the harbour, significant accretion was registered where a set of breakwaters was emplaced. The Shoreline Change Envelope (SCE) showed that the main depositional phenomena occurred during the decade between 1955 and 1966, whereas progressive and constant erosion was observed between 1966 and 1989 in response to the increasing coastal armouring.


A connection method between KONE OPTIMA selective chemistry analyser and external computer network by RS-232?C serial communication interface is introduced in this article.It enables the chemistry analyser to make still greater role in the hospital's network information management system.


The satisfaction and effective motivation of the employees is a top priority of every health unit, aiming to improve the productivity and quality of the services, which are provided under the pressure of the limited financial resources. The success of the management lies in its ability to create those conditions which favor the job satisfaction and motivate the employees to increase their performance.
Surveys-researches have shown that employees' satisfaction and motivation are determined by various factors such as the individual's personal characteristics, organizational and social factors. Thus, the subject of this research is to evaluate the level of work-job satisfaction and the investigation of the main factors that contribute to the motivation of employees working in the health sector. The sample used consists of 245 employees working in "Sotiria" Regional Chest Diseases Hospital of Athens.
The research shows that the levels of the respondents' satisfaction vary, depending on the particular aspect of the task-job. Employees tend to be generally satisfied with their colleagues and supervisors. In contrast, they seem to be dissatisfied with their rewards and their promotion possibilities. The research concluded that in a general level the participants-respondents are medium satisfied with their work.
Regarding employees' motivation, an important finding was the fact that the factor "pay raise" was fourth in the preference scale. This means that money is not the only, nor the main motive that motivates human beings to work-perform. Factors such as recognition and development overtake money in increasing the efficiency.
Given the results of the research, it is obvious that the hospital management should implement suitable techniques aiming to increase the level of job-work satisfaction and motivation in order to occupy employees that perform at a good level and identify themselves with its objectives.


A smart grid can be considered as a complex network where each node represents a generation unit or a consumer. Whereas links can be used to represent transmission lines. One way to study complex systems is by using the agent-based modeling (ABM) paradigm. An ABM is a way of representing a complex system of autonomous agents interacting with each other. Previously, a number of studies have been presented in the smart grid domain making use of the ABM paradigm. However, to the best of our knowledge, none of these studies have focused on the specification aspect of ABM. An ABM specification is important not only for understanding but also for replication of the model. In this study, we focus on development as well as specification of ABM for smart grid. We propose an ABM by using a combination of agent-based and complex network-based approaches. For ABM specification, we use ODD and DREAM specification approaches. We analyze these two specification approaches qualitatively as well as quantitatively. Extensive experiments demonstrate that DREAM is a most useful approach as compared with ODD for modeling as well as for replication of models for smart grid.


A comprehensive chemical aerosol characterization was carried out at a kerbside in downtown Budapest in spring 2002. Several filter samplers were deployed in parallel for day and night collections, and a total of 23 parallel collections were made. All samples were analysed for the particulate mass (PM) by weighing. Depending on the sampler type and/or collection substrate, further analyses were performed for up to 46 elements by a combination of particle-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) spectrometry and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), for major anions and cations by ion chromatography and for organic carbon and elemental carbon by a thermal-optical transmission technique. Some of the elements measured could clearly be associated with traffic-related sources, e.g. Cu and Sb were attributed to emissions from brake linings. Aerosol chemical mass closure calculations were made for the separate fine (<2 μm) and coarse (2-10 pm) size fractions and also for the PM 10 aerosol. For reconstituting the gravimetric PM, eight aerosol types were considered, and three aerosol types were deduced from the PIXE/INAA elemental data set. Organic matter and elemental carbon were the dominant aerosol types in the fine fraction; they explained on average 43 and 21%, respectively, of the fine PM. The coarse PM consisted mainly of crustal matter (49%) and organic matter (30%). The large contribution from crustal matter (road dust) to the coarse fraction is consistent with other data from kerbside sites in Europe.


Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (HNIW) particles were heated isothermally at (204.0±0.5), (208.0±0.5), (212.0±0.5), and (216.0±0.5) ℃ for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min under (2.0±0.1) MPa pressure in an argon atmosphere. Residues obtained at (208.0±0.5) ℃ were studied by elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-DSC-MS) and thermogravimetry-Fourier transform infrared (TG-FTIR) spectroscopy. Results showed that after isothermal decomposition of HNIW crystals at about 210.0 ℃ for 60 min residues were formed with an average molecular formula of C2H2N2O. Unreacted HNIW is present in the residue and is more thermally unstable than the original HNIW. We confirmed that HNIW crystals decomposed stepwise under isothermal conditions. Three stages were found to exist during the thermal decomposition of HNIW residues. The first decomposition stage consists of an initial decomposition of unreacted HNIW, the second stage comprises an elimination reaction of five-membered ring amides and nitrogen heterocyclic compounds and in the third stage five-membered ring amides are degraded and secondary reactions involving NO2 occur. The main gaseous products in every stage are discussed.


We describe the development of the LHAPDF library from its initial implementation following the Les Houches meeting in 2001 to its present state as a functional replacement for PDFLIB. Brief details are given of how to install and use the library together with the PDF sets available. We also describe LHAGLUE, an add-on PDFLIB look-a-like interface to LHAPDF, which facilitates using LHAPDF with existing Monte Carlo generators such as PYTHIA and HERWIG.


This article analyzes the process that I call Liquid Lowering which turns high vowels $i$ and ɨ into $e$ before liquids, schematically i ɨ → e/ – rl. The process began to operate in Polish in the 16th century. I look at the modern reflexes of Liquid Lowering in Standard Polish and in Kurpian, a dialect of Polish that dates back to the 17th century, and argue that the rule is dead in Standard Polish but not in Kurpian, where it is productive in derived environments. The modeling of Liquid Lowering as a phonological process has implications for phonological theory. In particular, it calls for the recognition of derivational levels, as envisaged by Derivational Optimality Theory. It is argued that Standard Optimality Theory, with its principle of strict parallelism, cannot account for the data because it runs into insoluble ranking paradoxes. Furthermore, the analysis bears on the issue of abstractness by positing vowels that never occur phonetically. The abstract vowels are exchanged for the actually occurring vowels before reaching the surface representation. I term this type of shift change virement.


1. alpha 1-Adrenoceptor (phenylephrine in the presence of propranolol) and beta 2-adrenoceptor (fenoterol)-mediated positive inotropic effects were investigated in human ventricular preparations isolated from five non-failing (prospective organ donors) and from eight explanted failing hearts with end-stage idiopathic dilative cardiomyopathy (NYHA IV). 2. For comparison, the nonselective beta-adrenoceptor agonist isoprenaline, the phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), the cardiac glycoside dihydroouabain, and calcium were studied. 3. Furthermore, the influence of IBMX on adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) PDE activity as well as total beta-adrenoceptor density, beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptor subtype distribution, and alpha 1-adrenoceptor density were compared in nonfailing and failing human heart preparations. The radioligands (-)-[125I]-iodocyanopindolol for beta-adrenoceptor binding and [3H]-prazosin for alpha 1-adrenoceptor binding were used. 4. The inotropic responses to calcium and dihydroouabain in failing human hearts were unchanged, whereas the maximal alpha 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptor-mediated positive inotropic effects were greatly reduced. The inotropic effects of the other cyclic AMP increasing compounds, i.e. isoprenaline and IBMX, were also reduced to about 60% of the effects observed in nonfailing controls. The potency of these compounds was decreased by factors 4-10. 5. The basal PDE activity and the PDE inhibition by IBMX were similar in nonfailing and failing preparations. 6. The total beta-adrenoceptor density in nonfailing hearts was about 70 fmol mg-1 protein. In failing hearts the total number of beta-adrenoceptors was markedly reduced by about 60%. The betal/beta2-adrenoceptor ratio was shifted from about 80/20% in nonfailing to approximately 60/40% in failing hearts which was due to a selective reduction of beta1-adrenoceptors. The beta2-adrenoceptor population remaining unchanged. alpha-Adrenoceptor density was increased from about 4 fmol mg-' protein in nonfailing to 10 fmol mgprotein in failing hearts.7. Changes in PDE activity and adrenoceptor downregulation cannot completely explain the reduced positive inotropic effects of alpha 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists in failing human hearts. This supports the hypothesis that impairment of other processes such as the coupling between receptor and effector system, i.e. the respective G-proteins, are equally important in end-stage heart failure.


HMPA is known to increase the reduction potential of SmI2. However, in many cases, the transferred electron returns from the radical anion of the substrate back to the Sm(3+). This could be avoided by an efficient trapping of the radical anion: e.g., by protonation. However, bimolecular protonation by a proton donor from the bulk may be too slow to compete with the back electron transfer process. An efficient unimolecular protonation could be achieved by using a proton donor which complexes to SmI2, in which case the proton is unimolecularly transferred within the ion pair. A derivative of HMPA in which one of the methyl groups was substituted by a CH2CH2OH unit was synthesized. Cyclic voltammetry studies have shown that it resembles HMPA in its ability to enhance the reduction potential of SmI2, and reactivity studies show that it has also efficient proton shift capabilities. The various aspects of this additive were examined in the reactions of SmI2 with three substrates: benzyl chloride, methyl cinnamate, and anthracene.


In recent times, research is focused on optimal techniques for efficient and effective distribution and utilization of energy in future grids. Aim of the researchers is to plan such a system which can timely manage and meet the power demand requirements effectively. Domestic appliances consume the massive part of the total electricity. Household energy consumption is considered the most inelastic and uncontrollable as compared with the consumption of any other end user. Demand side management in smart grids is an optimized approach in future smart grids in which consumers are well aware of their energy consumption and they can make decision accordingly. This can evenly distribute loads throughout the day and reduce system tension and outages. This research paper presents household EMS (EMS) in which controllable or non-critical loads are controlled systematically and shifts the peak hours loads to the off-peak hours and distribute the total energy evenly throughout the day. Previously different models have been designed to distribute the loads flatly throughout the day while this EMS technique distribute the loads evenly as well as reduces the electricity costs effectively. Previous works lack flexibility for additional loads; EMS model described here is flexible and adjusts for "On Demand" loads.


OBJECTIVES
Diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases in Jordan. However, little is known about nutrient intakes of minority groups in Jordan with and without diabetes. Our study aimed to examine if the intake of energy, macronutrients and some micronutrients differed between normal and diabetic adults among Circassians and Chechans in Jordan.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS
This cross-sectional study was conducted among 437 Circassians (160 males and 277 females) and 355 Chechans (119 males and 236 females) aged > or = 18 years. They were recruited from the Chechan and Circassian communities living in Jordan.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
A participant was defined as affected by type 2 diabetes mellitus if diagnosis was known to patient or if his or her condition complied with the American Diabetes Association definition. One 24-hour dietary recall for each participant was collected by face-to-face interview.

RESULTS
Most of the measured anthropometric and biochemical parameters showed a significant difference between normal individuals and those with impaired fasting glucose or diabetes. Intakes of nutrients involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes including protein, fat and fiber did not differ between stratified participants according to blood glucose status for both Circassians and Chechans.

CONCLUSIONS
Intake of nutrients did not differ in participants with normal blood glucose from those who had impaired fasting glucose or diabetes in the two studied populations. These two populations may need genetic studies to identify the risk factors other than dietary and lifestyle factors for type 2 diabetes.


Many of the ethical concerns raised by genetic testing and screening relate to accuracy, cost, and confidentiality. Perhaps the most serious worry-one that is not without merit-is that the new genomics is a disguised version of the old eugenics. On balance, however, genetic testing and screening seem to be in society's best interests.


ABSTRACT Chronic inflammation is a common denominator linking a wide range of health conditions, including tissue response to radiation exposure. This pilot study investigates whether inflammatory cytokines—interleukins IL-6, −8, −10, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)—can be used as early biomarkers of radiation-induced adverse health effects in occupationally exposed individuals. The study included 33 workers externally exposed to gamma radiation from the nuclear industry with cumulated doses from 0.11 to 190 mSv and 42 non-exposed controls of comparable age and socio-economic status. IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, TNFα and IL-10 were analyzed by enzyme-linked assay (ELISA) in blood plasma samples. Total antioxidant status (TAS) of blood plasma was determined by a colorimetric assay. The radiation-exposed and control groups measured significantly different levels of MCP-1, TNFα and IL-10. Seventy-five percent of radiation workers had either high MCP-1 levels or low IL-10 levels and 30% had all three cytokines dysregulated. Approximately 50% of workers showed upregulated antioxidant status, which appeared to compensate the pro-inflammatory cytokine shift in these individuals. In contrast, only 2% of the control subjects were found to have three dysregulated cytokines, and all of them measured within the normal TAS range. The present study may represent an important step towards the establishment of a reliable set of biomarkers for health-risk estimation in population cohorts exposed to low radiation doses.


The United States Criminal Justice System and court structure are two separate court systems, one at the federal level and another at the state level. In criminal proceedings, many courtrooms principally convict either by trial or by guilty plea, and many result in dismissing cases. It is necessary to examine the scope of the crime problems that criminal courts face and the organizational context as well as the policies in which they operate. The Fourth Amendment rights in particular, limits to searches and seizures are important procedures in the ongoing prosecution of crimes in America. The right of the people to remain secure in persons and properties against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated. The police have the power to search and seize, but individuals are protected against unreasonable police intrusion. The Fifth Amendment Miranda rights protect any person from custodial interrogation by the police. It is required that all arrestees be given their Miranda warnings and if they are invoked they must be scrupulously honoured.


A participatory mobile sensing system is designed to enable clients to voluntarily collect environmental data using embedded sensors and a mobile device while going about their daily activities. Due to the spatio-temporal nature of the data, and the significant benefits of the data to the general public, it is necessary to employ an efficient and effective query processing model for the mobile clients to access the data that can be visualized via an interactive multimedia interface. This article introduces a unified on-demand and data broadcast model to serve queries in the context of a mobile sensing system. The contributions of this article include the following: (i) it presents a novel data structure and indexing method to support the system; (ii) it provides flexibility for the client to issue query using on-demand or broadcast channel according to the server load and broadcast schedule; (iii) it enables new data access and processing for the mobile client; and (iv) it is designed for a multiple channels/receivers environment in a 4G wireless network. The proposed model uses a holistic query processing approach for the mobile sensing system that offers substantial efficiency and autonomy for mobile clients when retrieving data. The results of the experiments undertaken affirm the effectiveness of its performance.


Abstract A taxonomic synopsis of Virola (Myristicaceae) is presented for Mesoamerica. Fourteen species are recognised, amongst them six are described and published as new, based on morphology: V. allenii D.Santam. & Aguilar, sp. nov. from Costa Rica, V. otobifolia D.Santam., sp. nov. from Panama and V. amistadensis D.Santam., sp. nov., V. chrysocarpa D.Santam. & Aguilar, sp. nov., V. fosteri D.Santam., sp. nov. and V. montana D.Santam., sp. nov. from both Costa Rica and Panama. Additionally, a lectotype is designated for V. koschnyi, accompanied by an epitype in view of the fragmentary material. Finally, we recognise V. laevigata and V. nobilis as morphologically distinct species, though these are frequently considered synonymys of V. guatemalensis and V. surinamensis, respectively. Of the fourteen accepted species, twelve of them are endemic to Mesoamerica, while the remaining two species (V. elongata and V. sebifera) extend into South America. Illustrations, species diagnoses and distribution maps for each species are provided, as is an identification key to all species.