Despite their incredible performance, it is well reported that deep neural networks tend to be overoptimistic about their prediction confidence. Finding effective and efficient calibration methods for neural networks is therefore an important endeavour towards better uncertainty quantification in deep learning. In this manuscript, we introduce a novel calibration technique named expectation consistency (EC), consisting of a post-training rescaling of the last layer weights by enforcing that the average validation confidence coincides with the average proportion of correct labels. First, we show that the EC method achieves similar calibration performance to temperature scaling (TS) across different neural network architectures and data sets, all while requiring similar validation samples and computational resources. However, we argue that EC provides a principled method grounded on a Bayesian optimality principle known as the Nishimori identity. Next, we provide an asymptotic characterization of both TS and EC in a synthetic setting and show that their performance crucially depends on the target function. In particular, we discuss examples where EC significantly outperforms TS.


A protocol involving facile sequential C(sp(3))-H and C(sp(2))-H activation reactions of 3-alkylbenzofurans catalyzed by Pd(OAc)2 in the presence of pivalic acid, silver salt, and tricyclohexylphosphine 'on water' was developed. Aryl iodides were used as substrates in a tandem bisarylation reaction to generate 3-arylalkyl-2-arylbenzofurans in moderate to high yields at room temperature. The reaction revealed in this study is a rare example of consecutive C(sp(3))-H and C(sp(2))-H bond activation under mild reaction conditions.


The range of the microbial contamination of 1 g of dust in minimum-morbidity pig rearing houses is from 2.9 . 10(7) to 7.6 . 10(9) in the microbes growing on meat-peptone agar (MPA), from 4.6 . 10(7) to 4.6 . 10(8) in moulds growing on the Czapek-Dox agar, from 1.4 . 10(2) to 7.0 . 10(4) in the total number of microbes growing on End's agar, and from 3.1 . 10(2) to 5.7 . 10(3) in the typically lactose-positive microbes growing on End's agar. The numbers of microbes in 1 g of dust in the conventional pig houses are close to the numbers found in pig rearing houses with minimum morbidity. However, in the moulds on the Czapek-Dox agar, the range of the microbial contamination of dust in the minimum-morbidity pig houses was much higher. The highest level of the contamination of dust with microbes was found on all types of media from houses with continual operation. It was revealed by the control of the effectiveness of disinfection in the minimum-morbidity piglet rearing section, operated on the all-in all-out basis, that in a half of the cases studied the disinfection had low effectiveness. The total number of microbes per 1 sq. cm was lower than required on the basis of research published in literature, but the occurrence rate of positive smears with lactose-positive microbes after disinfection was higher in percentual expression.


Background Arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) is the leading cause of nontraumatic lower-extremity amputations. Multiple researches have suggested that circular RNAs (circRNAs) played vital regulatory functions in cancer and cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, the underlying effect and pathological mechanism of circRNAs in the formation and progression of ASO are still indistinct. Methods and Results This study used microarray analysis to investigate the expression portrait of circRNAs in normal lower extremity arteries and ASO arteries. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted using the KEGG database to study the enrichment of differentially expressed circRNAs (DE circRNAs) and predict their functions. The accuracy of microarray assay was verified by evaluating expression of the top 5 upregulated and 5 downregulated circRNAs (raw density of normal group ≥200) using RT-qPCR. A circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network was further predicted using software. Compared to the normal lower extremity group, the ASO arteries with HE and EVG staining presented hyperplastic fibrous membrane and luminal stenosis. A total of 12,735 circRNAs were identified, including 1196 DE circRNAs with 276 upregulated and 920 downregulated in ASO group based on |log2(FC)| > 1 and padj < 0.05. Among selected 10 circRNAs, RT-qPCR confirmed that hsa_circ_0003266, hsa_circ_0118936 and hsa_circ_0067161 were upregulated while hsa_circ_0091934 and hsa_circ_0092022 were downregulated in ASO group (p < 0.05). GO analysis presented that the DE circRNAs were primarily enriched in protein binding, intracellular part and organelle organization. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that MAPK signaling pathway, human T-cell leukemia virus 1 infection, proteoglycans in cancer were associated with the DE circRNAs. The circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interactive network revealed that both mRNAs and miRNAs linked to circRNAs played an indispensable role in ASO. Conclusion This study described the expression portrait of circRNAs in human ASO arteries, and revealed the molecular background for further investigations of the circRNA regulatory mechanism in the formation and progression of ASO.


This study was purposed to investigate the effect of RUNX1 on transcription activity of WNT5A promoter in mouse bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), and to explore the mechanism by which bone marrow environments regulate MSC. RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of RUNX1 in MSC isolated from mouse bone marrow and cultured in vitro; the chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was used to investigate the direct in vivo interaction between the RUNX1 and WNT5A promoter; retrovirus system was utilized to introduce the RUNX1 gene into MSC to detect the regulation of RUNX1 on the transcription activity of WNT5A promoter. The results showed that mouse bone marrow derived MSC was positive for Oil Red O, van Kossa and toluidine blue staining respectively and RUNX1 expressed in MSC. WNT5A promoter could be bound by RUNX1, and the expression level of WNT5A was enhanced with the increase of RUNX1. It is concluded that RUNX1 expresses in mouse bone marrow derived MSC, WNT5A is a direct target gene of RUNX1 and its transcriptional activity is regulated by RUNX1.


Cooperative coevolution is an approach for evolving solutions from different populations which are evaluated based on how well they perform together. The advantage of cooperative coevolutionary algorithms is the decomposition of the problem which allows us to learn different parts of the problem instead of the whole problem at once. However, previous research within the field of global optimization has shown that cooperative coevolutionary algorithms are biased towards equilibrium states. Since studies concerning cooperative coevolutionary algorithms used for solving multi-objective optimization problems were initiated, no attention has been paid to this issue. In this paper, we show empirical evidence of the existence of these problems within the multi-objective optimization field and present a novel cooperative coevolution framework which, through the use of the concept of Nash equilibrium, alleviates some of those optimization-related pathologies present in cooperative coevolutionary algorithms. We compare our proposed algorithm with respect to two algorithms that make use of the cooperative coevolutionary model to multi-objective optimization, NSCCGA (that makes use of Potter's coevolutionary model) and GCEA (a game theory based coevolutionary algorithm). The computational effort required by each algorithm (measured in terms of the number of fitness function evaluations) is also analyzed. Our preliminary results indicate that the proposed framework clearly outperforms the results of the aforementioned algorithms when using the Deb-Thiele- Laumanns-Zitzler (DTLZ) and the Zitzler-Deb-Thiele (ZDT) test suites.


Abstract Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are frequently used among patients with renal anemia, while a significant proportion of patients exhibit ESA hyporesponsiveness despite adequate dosing. Previous studies have suggested an inverse association between ESA hyporesponsiveness and statin use among patients receiving dialysis therapy. However, studies based on predialysis patients are extremely limited. Based on electronic medical records of a tertiary hospital in Beijing, China between April 2010 and April 2015, we investigated the association between statin use and ESA hyporesponsiveness among patients with predialysis-chronic kidney disease (CKD). Altogether 232 patients with CKD initiating ESA therapy and with hemoglobin levels monitored for at least 6 months were included in our analyses. Among them, 77 (38.5%) were long-term statin users (regular statin treatment for more than 3 months) before ESA initiation. Overall, 6.5% of the statin users and 17.1% of nonusers were considered to have ESA hyporesponsiveness. Long-term statin therapy was significantly associated with a lower proportion of ESA hyporesponsiveness in fully adjusted model (odds ratio 0.15, 95% confidence interval: 0.03–0.64). We found that long-term statin therapy was inversely associated with ESA hyporesponsiveness among predialysis patients with CKD. Further studies are needed to validate our observations, and to explore the potential mechanisms between ESA resistance and statin therapy.


The current study examined the short and long-term associated impact of participation in a school district supported four-year-old kindergarten (4K) program on early literacy skills and reading acquisition. Over 1100 children across five cohort years were included in the study. The early literacy skills of 4K participants and nonparticipants were assessed during their kindergarten year using the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills assessment system. In addition, student performance on the state mandated third grade reading assessment was also analyzed. Children who participated in the 4K program entered kindergarten with stronger fluency ofletter names and phonological awareness, as compared to nonparticipants. Comparisons to a comparison group indicated that, during mid-year assessments, 4K participants demonstrated stronger letter name fluency, phonological awareness, and phoneme segmentation fluency. 4K participation was also associated with lower reading risk status, as determined by DIBELS Instructional Recommendations scores. Despite differences in early literacy performance upon kindergarten entry, 4K participants did not differ relative to nonparticipants on the reading portion of the third grade Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam. Findings are discussed in terms of the relationship between 4K and kindergarten literacy skills, the relationship between 4K and future reading risk status, and the relationship between 4K and third grade reading assessments. Limitations and implications for future research are also discussed. Subject Early childhood education--Evaluation Kindergarten--Evaluation Reading (Preschool)--Evaluation Reading (Kindergarten)--Evaluation Permanent Link http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/68675 Part of UWEC Master's Theses Contact Us | Send Feedback The Impact of Participation in Four Year Old Kindergarten on Future Literacy Skills


This paper gives a report of a study that investigated peoples" perception of online buying tickets (e-ticketing) as well as why some people use this facility while some who do not use it stick to the traditional way to fulfill their needs. In addition, factors such as what inform peoples" eagerness and unwillingness to use internet facilities are also examined. The outcome of this research showed a comprehensively integrated framework that can be utilized by policy makers and business enterprises to understand the dynamic relationships among dimensions of perceived risk, user trustworthiness, usefulness, familiarity and confidence. Also, this study considered how price perception and internet security can be utilized to understand the consumers" perception. However, further research is needed to examine these factors in Malaysia with additional samples before generalization can be made. Moreover, it is also necessary to review consumers" purchasing behavior in making the decision to use the internet as a means of buying online rather than the traditional way.


Objective: To describe the treatment adherence of outpatients with chronic myeloid leukemia at national institute of hematology & blood transfusion.
Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 170 outpatients at National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion from January 2022 to June 2022.
Results: 98.8% of patients came to the clinic for examination on time. The percentage of patients with drug adherence accounted for 68.8%. There were still many patients who did not comply because they forgot to take the medicine, stopped taking it on their own, and found it difficult to take the medicine. 42.35% of patients had limited knowledge about the disease. Adherence to the diet was relatively good. However, the salt and fat reduction diet was still not well implemented. The exercise regime was still limited, the percentage of people who do exercise occasionally and do not exercise accounted for 50.6%.
Conclusion: The rate of patient adherence to treatment was still not high. Interventions are needed to enhance the drug adherence of patients.


It has often been suggested that Britain's favourable position of attracting over 30 per cent of Japanese foreign direct investment (FDI) has been dependent on the flexibility of the labour market. However it is important to understand exactly what is meant by a flexible labour market. This article sets out to examine the full meaning of a flexible labour market drawing on the evidence of particular success in attracting FDI in the UK. It then considers the importance of the flexible labour market in relation to other possible factors influencing the decision whether to invest. Also advises of the benefit and costs for other countries wishing to formulate policies that attract greater amounts of FDI.


The Yb 3+ paramagnetic center of the trigonal symmetry (''oxygen'' paramagnetic center T2) in CaF2 and SrF2 single crystals is studied by EPR and optical spectroscopy. The Stark level energies of the Yb 3+ multiplets are established from absorption, luminescence and excitation luminescence spectra and the crystal field parameters are calculated. r 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.


Online communities of involuntary celibates (incels) are a prominent source of misogynist hate speech. In this paper, we use quantitative text and network analysis approaches to examine how identity groups are discussed on incels.is, the largest black-pilled incels forum. We find that this community produces a wide range of novel identity terms and, while terms for women are most common, mentions of other minoritized identities are increasing. An analysis of the associations made with identity groups suggests an essentialist ideology where physical appearance, as well as gender and racial hierarchies, determine human value. We discuss implications for research into automated misogynist hate speech detection.


We proposed recently a theoretical description for hydrodynamic flows in inhomogeneous liquids in the vicinity of solid interfaces, consistent with current theoretical descriptions of the thermodynamical equilibrium of liquids in the vicinity of solid surfaces and with the Onsager formalism for linear response theory in out-of-equilibrium liquids. We showed that these equations allow for describing diffusio-osmosis along a capillary and also wetting/dewetting dynamics of liquids on a solid substrate. We now apply this physical model to the wetting/dewetting dynamics of nano-particles in polymer blends, showing how they reach equilibrium at the interface between two liquids at rest and how they migrate from the non-preferred polymer to the preferred one under applied flow.


Thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) administration is known to induce a greater TSH response in normal subjects than in obese subjects. In obesity even GH and PRL response to various stimuli are blunted, presumably because of an augmented somatostatinergic tone in obese subjects. Further studies have shown that pyridostigmine (Pyr), an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, is capable of augmenting GH in obesity by means of somatostatin inhibition. In order to evaluate the possible interference of an increased somatostatinergic tone on TSH secretion, we studied the TSH response to a TRH bolus in 5 obese children with or without a pyr pretreatment. Similarly, we tested a group of 10 obese adult subjects, with TRH alone or TRH plus pyr administration, 30 min or 60 min before TRH. All subjects had a body weight of 30-50% greater than I.B.W. Our data show that a pretreatment with pyr, 60 min before TRH administration, significantly augments the TSH response in adult obese subjects but not in children; the modality of pyr administration seems to be crucial to evidenciate such an alteration since the pyr pretreatment is not effective when administered 30 min before TRH. The absence of this pyr effect in obese children induces to hypothesize that somatostatinergic tone is differentially modulated in children vs adult obese subjects.


Introduction:
 Many lymphoma patients receive high doses of glucocorticoids as part of standard therapy, and several recent observational studies have highlighted a possible risk of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) and excess bone fracture risk. As a substantial fraction of lymphoma patients become long-term survivors, studies that focus on mitigating the negative effects of treatment toxicities on survivorship are important. The objective of the SIESTA trial was to determine if primary prophylaxis with oral alendronate (ALN) is safe and effective against (GIO) in lymphoma patients.
 Methods:
 SIESTA was a single-center randomized and double-blinded phase 2 study performed at the Department of Hematology, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark, enrolling lymphoma patients that were planned for glucocorticoid-containing chemotherapy regimens such as (R-)CVP and all variants of (R)-CHOP. Patients were randomized to weekly oral ALN 70mg or placebo with a treatment duration of 52 weeks. Study assessments included bone mineral density (BMD) measurements at baseline, after completion of chemotherapy at 4-6 months (EOT), and after 12 months, as well as vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) at baseline and at 12 months. The primary study endpoint was change in lumbar spine T-score from baseline to 12 months. Key secondary endpoints were change in T-score from baseline to 12 months at total hip and femoral neck levels, vertebral compression fractures and early T-score changes. Biomarker analyses were exploratory. The target recruitment was 60 patients in a three-year period.
 Results:
 A total of 59 patients (36 Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 15 follicular lymphoma, 8 other) were enrolled with 22 of 30 patients in the ALN arm and 23 of 29 patients in the placebo arm completing the study (efficacy group). Patient characteristics in the two arms were balanced with exception of more advanced stage diseases (Ann Arbor stage III-IV) in the ALN arm (70·0% vs 41·4%), and a lower median baseline T-score at the lumbar spine in the ALN arm (median T-score -0·6 vs 1·0).
 Patients in the ALN group received a median of 3,291 mg prednisone versus 3,398 mg for the placebo group.
 Median change in T-score from baseline to 12 months at the lumbar spine level (primary endpoint) was +0·2 for the ALN arm and -0·2 for the placebo arm (P=0·013) (figure 1), with stronger effect for female patients (median change; ALN +0·25; placebo -0·25) (figure 2). ALN had no effect on BMD for total hip (P=0·30) and femoral neck (P=0·58) at 12 months (figure 1). ALN had no significant early effects on BMD for any measured sites (4-6 months). No new fractures were observed.
 Nine patients experienced AEs related to the upper gastro-intestinal (GI) system (7 grade 1-2, 2 grade 3-4) with 5 AEs being assessed as related to the study treatment (3 in the ALN group and 2 in the placebo group). One patient (placebo group) discontinued study treatment due to upper GI AE (bleeding ulcer).
 Biomarker analyses (C-terminal telopeptide cross links (CTX) as marker of bone resorption and N-terminal propeptides of collagen type 1 (P1NP) as marker for bone formation) showed reduced bone resorption for ALN treated patients opposed to the placebo treated patients. From baseline to EOT the mean change in CTX was -0.17 in the ALN group and 0.10 in the placebo group respectively (P<0.001). From baseline to 12 months the mean change in CTX was -0.19 in the ALN group and 0.00 in the placebo group respectively (P=0.002).
 Interpretation:
 ALN was a safe and effective primary prophylaxis against GIO in lymphoma patients planned for glucocorticoid-containing chemotherapy regimens. The treatment effects were clinically meaningful across all patient subgroups, but the largest effect size was observed in females. Biomarker analyses supported reduced bone resorption for ALN treated patients.
 Figure 1 Figure 1.

 Vestergaard: Novo Nordisk Foundation: Other: Head of Research at Steno Diabetes Center North Jutland funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Research Funding. El-Galaly: Abbvie: Other: Speakers fee; ROCHE Ltd: Ended employment in the past 24 months.


Two manganese(I) carbonyl complexes derived from 2-(pyridyl)benzothiazole (pbt) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) release carbon monoxide (CO) under low-power broad-band visible-light illumination. CO photorelease from [Mn(CO)3(pbt)(PTA)]CF3SO3 (1, where PTA = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane) is accompanied by an emergence of a strong fluorescence around 400 nm from almost nonfluorescent preirradiated 1. However, [Mn(CO)3(phen)(PTA)]CF3SO3 (2) showed no such phenomenon upon prolonged illumination under similar experimental conditions. The two analogous rhenium(I) complexes, namely, [Re(CO)3(pbt)(PTA)]CF3SO3 (3) and [Re(CO)3(phen)(PTA)]CF3SO3 (4), have also been synthesized and characterized to compare their photo properties with the manganese congeners. Complexes 3 and 4 exhibit moderate CO release upon irradiation with low-power UV light. All four complexes are highly soluble in anaerobic/aerobic aqueous media and are also considerably more stable when kept under dark conditions. The inherently luminescent rhenium complex 3 was utilized to demonstrate cellular internalization of these types of compounds by MDA-MB-231 (human breast cancer) cells, while the two biocompatible manganese(I) complexes (1 and 2) have been applied to assess the cell viability of these malignant cells upon CO delivery.


Abstract A free-falling instrument has been built to measure temperature, salinity and turbulent shear from near surface to within 15 cm of the ocean bottom. A probe guard mounted at the lower end of the instrument protects sensitive shear and temperature sensors from bottom sediments. The noise level in the shear signal corresponds to a dissipation rate of 3.0 × 10−7 W m−3, with vibrations of the probe guard providing the largest component of the noise. The signals are transmitted through a neutrally buoyant line to the ship where they are displayed in real time and recorded for later analysis. The profiling technique is capable of 20 profiles per hour through 50 m of water. Simultaneous profiles of turbulent microstructure and density can now be consistently obtained through the entire water column.


A new method for locating faults in two-terminal transmission lines is discussed. The procedure is based on the fundamental components of fault and prefault voltage at 50/60 Hz measured at the two ends of a transmission line. The methodology allows one to establish a direct calculation procedure that is independent of fault and prefault currents, fault type, fault resistance, synchronisation condition of register devices located on line ends, and prefault condition, either balanced or not. This is achieved by defining a new concept called 'distance factor'. The technique developed was validated at two levels: first, from exact data obtained using a fault simulation software program, which allows the accuracy to be evaluated, and secondly, from erroneous voltage data taken at the ends of the line or from erroneous source impedances, which allows assessment of the sensitivity against incorrect data.


Indigenous Peoples have stewarded marine environments since time immemorial. Due to colonialism, Indigenous Peoples suffered impacts to their rights and abilities to holistically manage ocean systems. We situate the value systems embedded within manifest destiny and colonialism as the root systems that generated a plague of conservation issues that impact Indigenous Peoples today (e.g., fortress and green militarized conservation praxes). This paper is written by Indigenous scholars using Two-Eyed Seeing, reflexivity, and decolonizing methods (e.g., symbology, storytelling, and Indigenous beading) to unsettle the ways that marine conservation should be facilitated. Our framework operationalizes Indigenous value systems embedded within "the seven R's": respect, relevancy, reciprocity, responsibility, rights, reconciliation through redistribution, and relationships. This framework underlines the need for marine conservation efforts to center Indigenous voices and futures and Tribal management of marine systems. Marine system managers can use this paper as a guide for decolonizing marine conservation approaches, operationalizing Indigenous value systems in marine management, and building decolonial relationships with Indigenous Peoples and waters.


Resisting Allegory gathers essays from the final two decades of Harry Berger, Jr.'s lifelong engagement with Spenser's great poem The Faerie Queene, making clear the scope and coherence of the critical vision elaborated in a series of seminal and still-challenging critical arguments. Spenser's great poem provides the occasion for a searching and comprehensive interdisciplinary exploration of reading practices—those the author advocates as well as those he adapts or criticizes in entertaining a wide range of critical arguments with his celebrated combination of intellectual generosity and rigorous questioning. No one writes the way Berger does; no one can combine theoretical scope with close reading the way he can. His distinctive voice, style, and attention to method offer a model to students and younger scholars and should command attention in courses on the method and theory of criticism.


The normal-state properties of a high-Tc superconductor are studied using a mean-field approximation. It is found that the excess holes in the oxygen orbitals form unusual metallic bands. The spin of the moving hole is bound as a singlet to the underlying copper spins because of strong exchange interaction. Thus the charge carrier has charge e and spin zero. Binding causes the holes to be heavy, but not as heavy in a Kondo lattice system. It is also found that the condensation (or binding) temperature, the Fermi temperature and the band gap are distinct (i.e. there is no scaling).


The spatial properties of laser beams can be used to encode, transfer and detect quantum information into high order modes with high efficiency. We demonstrate the use of such states, including spatial squeezing and entanglement.


The article concerns the events at the Moscow court after the death of the Grand Prince Vasiliy III. Until the autumn of 1534, there was a keen struggle, in which the Grand Princess Elena Vasilievna Glinskaya won a victory. In historiography there exists an opinion that the struggle was connected with different approaches to foreign policy issues and the urge to push aside the descendants of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, who were adherents of peaceful relations with this western neighbor of Russia. However, the author believes that this point of view does not reflect the actual situation, since among Moscow nobility there were no powerful forces striving to maintain peace with Lithuania based on cession of territory required by the royal government. Besides, the natives of western and south-western regions of Russia did not represent a single group with common goals and positions with respect to foreign and domestic policy. In the author's opinion, the question was of a struggle for power, which was won by the Grand Princess.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the feasibility of using human umbilical cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) and demineralized bone matrix (DBM) scaffolds to repair critical-sized calvarial defects in athymic rats.

METHODS
Human UCB-MSCs were isolated, expanded and osteogenically induced in vitro. Osteogenic differentiation of UCB-MSCs was evaluated by Alizarin Red staining and measurement of calcium content respectively, and then the cells were seeded onto DBM scaffolds. Bilateral full-thickness defects (5 mm in diameter) of parietal bone were created in an athymic rat model. The defects were either repaired with UCB-MSC/DBM constructs (experimental group) or with DBM scaffolds alone (control group). Animals were harvested at 6 and 12 weeks post-implantation respectively, and defect repair was evaluated with gross observation, micro-CT measurement and histological analysis.

RESULTS
Micro-CT showed that new bone was formed in the experimental group at 6 weeks post-implantation, while no sign of new bone formation was observed in the control group. At 12 weeks post-transplantation, scaffolds had been degraded almost completely in both sides. It was shown that an average of (78.19 +/- 6.45)% of each defect volume had been repaired in experimental side; while in the control side, only limited bone formed at the periphery of the defect. Histological examination revealed that the defect was repaired by trabecular bone tissue in experimental side at 12 weeks, while only fibrous connection was observed in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS
Tissue-engineered bone composed of osteogenically-induced human UCB-MSCs on DBM scaffolds could successfully repair the critical-sized calvarial defects in athymic rat models.


Dioxin (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin; TCDD) causes an oxidative stress response in liver and several extrahepatic tissues. The subcellular sources and underlying mechanisms of dioxin-induced reactive oxygen, however, are not well understood. In this study, we examined whether mitochondria, organelles that consume the majority of cellular oxygen, might be a source of dioxin-induced reactive oxygen. Female C57BL/6 mice were treated with dioxin (15 microg/kg body wt ip) on 3 consecutive days, and liver mitochondria were examined at 1, 4, and 8 weeks after the first treatment. Mitochondrial aconitase activity, an enzyme inactivated by superoxide, was decreased by 44% at 1 week, 22% at 4 weeks, and returned to control levels at 8 weeks. Dioxin elevated succinate-stimulated mitochondrial H2O2 production twofold at 1 and 4 weeks; H2O2 production remained significantly elevated at 8 weeks. The enhanced H2O2 production was due to neither increased Mn-superoxide dismutase activity nor decreased mitochondrial glutathione peroxidase activity. Dioxin treatment augmented mitochondrial glutathione, but not glutathione disulfide levels, a result that might be explained by increased mitochondrial glutathione reductase activity. Liver ATP levels were significantly lowered at 1 and 4 weeks, the peak times of mitochondrial reactive oxygen production. Increased dioxin-stimulated reactive oxygen at 1 and 4 weeks did not appear to be related to the observed decrease in cytochrome oxidase activity, since State 3 and State 4 respiration were not diminished. To our knowledge, this is the first report to show that dioxin increases mitochondrial respiration-dependent reactive oxygen production, which may play an important role in dioxin-induced toxicity and disease.


Overestimation or underestimation of functional capacity in community-dwelling older people with cognitive impairment was evaluated between the responses of subjects and family members (proxies) by cognitive function level. Out of all the residents aged 65 years and over living in Yoita town, Niigata Prefecture in 2000 (n = 1,673), 1,544 voluntarily participated in the interview survey held at community halls or at home (92.3% response). They underwent the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for assessment of cognitive function and answered questionnaires comprising socio-demographic, psychological, physical and medical, and social activity items (2000/11). According to the age of the subject and MMSE score, we defined cognitive decline (MMSE scores < 1 SD below age-specific means, n = 371). 158 pairs among 371 subjects with cognitive decline and their proxies participated in a follow-up survey (2001/11). The subjects themselves underwent MMSE again. 136 subject-proxy pairs reported any complaints of memory-related problem and evaluated higher-level functional capacity (TMIG-IC, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence). We established criteria at follow-up survey as follows: control (n = 29), MMSE scores > 1 SD below age-specific means and CDR (Clinical Dementia Rating) = 0: mild cognitive decline (MCD) (n = 54), 21 < or = MMSE scores < 1 SD below age-specific means or CDR = 0.5); and severe cognitive decline (SCD) (n = 53), MMSE scores 20 < or = CDR > 0.5. SCD subjects significantly overestimated total and Instrumental Self-Maintenance scores in TMIG-IC more than control or SCD subjects. Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that complaints of memory by the proxy, response by spouse, and higher levels of education were extracted as significantly independent variables affecting overestimation for functional capacity. On the other hand, aging affected underestimation.


We examine the effect of the special credit guarantee program introduced by the Japanese government between 1998 and 2001. To alleviate the credit crunch faced by small businesses, the program provided 30 trillion yen of loan guarantees which was more than 10% of total small business loans outstanding. We contrast the moral hazard hypothesis with relaxing borrowing constraint hypothesis to examine the widely-held negative assessments of the program. We evidence an increase of long-term loans ratio and profitability among existing program users. It is consistent more with the relaxing borrowing constraint hypothesis than with moral hazard. To evaluate the special guarantee program, we need to compare this positive effect with the default cost of guarantee users.


This paper provides a short overview of ritual African hallucinogens. In addition to examples already listed by Schultes and Hofmann in their classic text books, Boophane disticha, Alchornea floribunda, Monadenium lugardae, Mostuea spp. and Voacanga bracteata are identified as African botanicals with proven or alleged hallucinogenic potential.


Background After induction of anesthesia, lung resistance increases. The authors hypothesized that prophylactic bronchodilator treatment with intravenous colforsin daropate, a water-soluble forskolin derivative, before tracheal intubation would result in decreased lung resistance and increased lung compliance after tracheal intubation when compared with placebo medication. Methods Forty-six adult patients were randomized to placebo or colforsin daropate treatment. Patients in the control group received normal saline; patients in the colforsin group received 0.75 &mgr;g · kg−1 · min−1 colforsin daropate intravenously until the study ended. Thirty minutes after the study began, the authors administered 5 mg/kg thiamylal and 5 &mgr;g/kg fentanyl for induction of general anesthesia and 0.3 mg/kg vecuronium for muscle relaxation. A 15-mg · kg−1 · h−1 continuous infusion of thiamylal followed anesthetic induction. Four, 8, 12, and 16 min after tracheal intubation, mean airway resistance (Rawm), expiratory airway resistance (Rawe), and dynamic lung compliance (Cdyn) were measured. Results Patients in the colforsin group had significantly lower Rawm and Rawe and higher Cdyn after intubation than those in the control group. Differences in Rawm, Rawe, and Cdyn between the two groups persisted through the final measurement at 16 min. At 4 min after intubation, smokers had a higher Rawm and a lower Cdyn than nonsmokers in the control group. After treatment by intravenous colforsin daropate, Rawm, Rawe, and Cdyn values were similar for smokers and nonsmokers after tracheal intubation. Conclusions Prophylactic treatment with colforsin daropate produced lower Rawm and Rawe and higher Cdyn after tracheal intubation when compared with placebo medication. Pretreatment before intubation may be beneficial and advantageous for middle-aged smokers.


This investigative study examines the business of insurance from a loss exposure and coverage development perspective and compares its findings with current market practices dealing with cyber risk(s). It discusses the importance of government regulation of data and privacy protection for the public, in general, and insurance buyers, in particular. Evidence shows incomplete communication among information technology professionals, risk managers and insurance underwriters. Their efforts are inadequately coordinated, and each industry seems to have its own set of risk management guidelines. Evidence shows that insurance policies – including risk classification and policy wording – are not standardized, likely resulting in coverage gaps and a litigious claims environment. More importantly, the insurance market treats all insurable loss exposures and the parties exposed to them in cyberspace using a single policy approach – an approach for a world of risk in which human activities, artificial intelligence and machine-learning become complicated and are increasingly interconnected. This multiplicity-in-cause, multiplicity-in-outcome nature of the risks in the cyber world, of which coverages every individual and business will need, requires the insurance industry to evaluate whether this single policy approach is appropriate, and separately to agree on meaningful standardization of coverages. Finally, this study proposes that, as the cyber world adds more risks on top of cybersecurity-related loss exposures, the business of insurance is in transition to operations in the physical-cyber market.


In the present study, in order to investigate the psychological effect of ornamental foliage plants on human being, the authors carried out the following two experiments.The experiment (1) was the evaluation of the impression of ornamental foliage plants. The authors obtained the information about the impression of sixteen kinds of ornamental foliage plants through questionnaires from one hundred and two students (seventy-eight male and twenty-four female) who served as subjects. As the results, the ornamental foliage plants which were evaluated as "restful" were Cupressus macrocarpa "Gold Crest", Ficus benjamina "Rich" and Dracaena fragrans "Massangeana". The ornamental foliage plants which were evaluated as "refreshing" were Chrysalidocapus lutescens and Dracaena fragrans "Massangeana".The experiment (2) was the psychological rating of the rooms with ornamental foliage plants by means of semantic differential method. Sixteen types of rooms without plants or with ornamental foliage plants were rated by sixteen students (eight male and eight female) using twenty-two SD scales and factor analysis was performed. As the results, the first factor "evaluation", the second factor "activity" and the third factor "energy" were extracted by the factor analysis. The rooms with plants were evaluated higher than the rooms without plants in the first factor "evaluation" and the second factor "activity". As for the arrangement of plants, the rooms with plants interspersed in the room were evaluated a little higher in the first factor "evaluation" than the rooms with plants in line inside the window.


According to the World Health Organization, Adverse Drug Reaction is defined as 'any response to a drug which is noxious and unintended, and which occurs at doses normally used in human for prophylaxis, diagnosis, or treatment of sickness, or for the changes of physiological capacity'. Monitoring of ADR is carried out by different methods of which, spontaneous reporting is commonly practiced. However, lack of knowledge and awareness are the barriers of under-reporting. Health care professionals are expected to consider ADR reporting as their professional obligation, since ADR reporting is important to improve patient care, safety and overall health. The success or failure of a spontaneous reporting system depends on the active participation of health care professionals. Knowledge, Attitude, Practice study (KAP) measures the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of a community. It serves as an educational diagnosis of the community. The main purpose of this KAP study is to explore the changes in Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of the community. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted for a 6-month's duration in a tertiary care hospital. Data of total 175 Healthcare professionals was collected, interpreted by Chi-square test and was analyzed in our study. Knowledge, Attitude, Practice were analyzed based on the responses given in the questionnaire form of survey. P-value is defined as the probability of the null-hypothesis being true. If the p-value is less than level of significance (0.05), it indicates that, a significant difference exists, i.e. Null hypothesis is rejected and the Alternative hypothesis is accepted, if the p-value is greater than the level of significance (0.05), it indicates that there is no significant difference of KAP among health care professionals. This study assesses the Knowledge, Attitude, Practice of ADR's reporting among Healthcare professionals and also explains the major factor responsible for under-reporting.


We present the design of a 2D MEMS micromirror with indirect static actuation based on gyroscopic effects. Additionally to the primary resonant oscillation we introduce a second one, disturbing the angular momentum of the former. This under special conditions leads to a directed torque about a third axis. This concept thus uses only resonant actuation by still enabling static deflection, potentially being more energy efficient compared to current technologies. After discussion of the used manufacturing process, the MEMS design workflow and the resulting fully functional micromirror design is shown. In first experimental results we then show a proof of concept for the manufactured micromirror devices.


We provide an overview of classical and newer methods for the control of confounding of time-invariant interventions to permit causal inference in public health evaluations. We estimated the causal effect of gender on all-cause mortality in a large HIV care and treatment program supported by the President's Emergency Program for AIDS Relief in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, between 2004 and 2012. We compared results from multivariable modeling, three propensity score methods, inverse-probability weighting, doubly robust methods, and targeted maximum likelihood estimation. Considerable confounding was evident, and, as expected by theory, all methods considered gave the same result, a statistically significant approximately 20% increased mortality rate in men. In general, there is no clear advantage of any of these methods for causal inference over classical multivariable modeling, from the point of view of either bias reduction or efficiency. Rather, given sufficient data to adequately fit the multivariable model to the data, multivariable modeling will yield causal estimates with the greatest statistical efficiency. All methods can adjust only for well-measured confounders-if there are unmeasured or poorly measured confounders, none of these methods will yield causal estimates.


The histopathologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural findings of a unique case of an atypical bronchial carcinoid tumor containing abundant stromal amyloid are presented. The differential diagnosis from other neuroendocrine tumors that can produce amyloid is discussed.


Abstract:The Trans-New Guinea language Mian has a four-valued gender system that has been analyzed in detail as semantic. This means that the principles of gender assignment are based on the meaning of the noun. Languages with purely semantic systems are at one end of a spectrum of possible assignment types, while others are assumed to have both semantic and formal (i.e., phonologyor morphology-based) assignment. Given the possibility of gender assignment by both semantic and formal principles, it is worthwhile testing the empirical validity of the categorization of the Mian system as predominantly semantic. Here, we apply three machine learning models to determine independently what role semantics and phonology play in predicting Mian gender. Information about the formal and semantic features of nouns is extracted automatically from a dictionary. Different types of computational classifiers are trained to predict the grammatical gender of nouns, and the performance of the computational classifiers is used to assess the relevance of form and semantics in relation to gender prediction. The results show that semantics is dominant in predicting the gender of nouns in Mian. While it validates the original analysis of the Mian system, it also provides further evidence that claims of an equal contribution of form-based and semantic features in gender assignment do not hold for at least a proper subset of languages with gender.


In this study  the potential bioinseticide of the essential oil (OE) extracted from the rhizomes of the species Curcuma zedoaria (Zingiberaceae) was evaluated. The rhizomes were collected during dormancy (winter) and budding (summer). The EO was obtained by hydrodistillation (2h) and identified by GC/MS. In addition, a multivariate exploratory analysis was done to determine the analysis of the major compounds (PCA). The EO yield in dormancy was 0.61± 0.07 (%) and in budding 0.55 ± 0.08 (%). The bioassays on Aedes aegypti larvae and pupae were done by immersion test at different EO concentrations which ranged from 500.00 to 0.003 mg mL-1 (v/v). The results on the larvae and pupae indicated LC99.9 of (0.01 and 1.38 mg mL-1) for EO in dormancy, and (0.08 and 2.63 mg mL-1) for EO during budding, respectively. The action mechanism of EOs in both periods was determined by autobiographic method evaluating the inhibitory potential on the acetylcholinesterase enzyme, indicating greater inhibition of the EO enzyme during dormancy (0.039 mg mL-1) when compared to the EO during budding (0.156 mg mL-1). The projection representation of the EO chemical classes in both evaluated periods indicated that oxygenated sesquiterpenes are the major compound class (46.99% in dormancy) and (43.59% in budding). The projection of major chemical compounds of EOs presented three compounds with greater mass flow distancing: epicurzerenone (18.20% and 12.10%); 1.8 cineole (15.76% and 12.10%) and β-elemene (4.43 and 0.01%) that are found in greater amounts in the dormancy EO when compared to budding, respectively. These results corroborate with the greater potential on Ae. aegypti larvae and pupae found for the dormancy EO. The results are promising because they show in which vegetative cycle phase C. zedoaria EO presents greater bioinsecticide potential.


A new iridium complex containing coumarin derivative as a cyclometalated ligand (1L) and a carbazole-functionalized β-diketonate (2L) as the ancillary ligand, namely, Ir(III)bis(3-(pyridin-2-yl)coumarinato-N,C4)(1-(9-butyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)-4,4,4-trifluoro-butane-1,3-dionato-O,O) (Ir(1L)2(2L)), was synthesized. The crystal structure of Ir(1L)2(2L) was determined via combined wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which showed π–π the interactions of Ir(1L)2(2L) molecules stacking along the crystal axes. The doped light-emitting diodes using this novel Ir(1L)2(2L) complex as the phosphorescent dopant were fabricated. At a Ir(1L)2(2L) concentration of 6.0 wt%, a green-yellow emitting OLED was achieved with a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 6.11% and a maximum luminous efficiency of 22.55 cd A−1 at the current density of 6.06 mA cm−2, and a maximum luminance of 6653 cd m−2 at 10.7 V. Furthermore, two reference complexes Ir(1L)2(acac) and Ir(1L)2(TTA) were also used as emitters to fabricate OLED devices with the same device configuration. The maximum luminous efficiency of Ir(1L)2(acac) doped device was measured to be 20.04 cd A−1 at 2.15 mA cm−2 (10.0 wt%), while the doped device of Ir(1L)2(TTA) had a maximum luminous efficiency of 16.59 cd A−1 at 1.36 mA cm−2. The better performances of Ir(1L)2(2L) doped devices could be largely attributed to an improved hole-transporting property due to the introduction of the carbazole moiety.


Increased numbers of great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) in the Baltic Sea may have local impacts on fisheries and salmonid hatcheries. We studied spatial and temporal variability in cormorant diet, and potential consumption of hatchery salmonids, by analysing knee subcutaneous adipose tissue fatty acids (FA) of specimens (N = 77) collected along Swedish and Finnish coasts in different seasons during 2013–2017. The FA profiles of the subspecies sinensis and carbo were similar, with large individual variation. The proportion of C18 polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) was the largest in the north, whereas the proportion of C20–22 monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) increased towards the south, reflecting diminishing freshwater and increasing marine food web characteristics towards the south. As an exception, the C20–22 MUFA percentage was high in sinensis collected in June 2017 from the northern Baltic Sea. The source of C20–22MUFAs was probably hatchery salmonids, raised on ocean fish hatchery feed and released 10 days before, near the cormorant capture site. The FA profiles of northern and southern cormorants differed from each other both in early and late summer samples, suggesting spatially different diets. The largest individual variation was found in 22:1n-11, characteristic of ocean zooplanktivorous fish, and likely originating from Atlantic wild or Baltic Sea hatchery-reared fish. This study shows that adipose tissue FA profiles can be used as proxies for seabird diet monitoring and indicators of predation on hatchery-reared fish. Obtaining quantitative estimates on the proportions of dietary fish species requires future feeding experiments, allowing calibration between the FA compositions and diet.


Laser scanners are nowadays extensively used in industries due to their high accuracy, resolution and robustness. However, the specifications provided with most laser scanners are debatable and without proper analysis the output results from the scanners cannot be trusted. The performance of laser based scanners depends on many aspects including ambient lighting condition, surface reflectivity, surface roughness and stand-off distance. In this paper, a set of performance evaluation tests for a three dimensional (3D) laser scanner is presented. An initial definition of the best strategy for testing prior to its use is proposed. The performance of the scanner was evaluated under different operating conditions such as different surface reflectivity, viewing angle, surface roughness and stand-off distance. The optimum working range of the laser scanner was established and the regions where the laser scanner produces inappropriate data was identified and quantified. A similar testing approach can be used for any industrial laser scanner prior to its application to minimize any unambiguity in measurements. This will also enable the users to have confidence in the measurements returned by laser scanners.


This study explores the challenges of using English as a medium of instruction in both public and private primary schools in Gusau local government area of Zamfara state, Nigeria. Nigeria is a multi-lingual nation with over 400 local or indigenous languages, and English has been adopted as the second language as well as the language of instruction in the country's education system. This study was carried out in order to ascertain the pattern of using English as medium of instruction, and the challenges as well as the effects of using it as medium of instruction. Three research questions guided the study. The methodology involved descriptive survey design. The area of the study consists of 206 primary schools, 152 public (government owned) and 54 private. Purposive and proportionate stratified random sampling was used to select 220 teachers from 13 public and 8 private primary schools that were sampled for the study. Results indicate non-effective implementation of English as medium of instruction in the primary schools which is contrary to the provision in the National Education Policy of Nigerian Federal Government. The teachers and pupils also have various challenges associated with using English as medium of instruction, especially due to local languages or mother tongue influences. However, some of these challenges can be overcome by implementing the recommendations that arise from the findings of this study.


Introduction Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory condition characterised by increased numbers of neutrophils, macrophages and CD8+ T cells. However, recent evidence suggests that both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells can influence the pathogenesis of the disease. We aim to characterise the T cell subsets from both airway and parenchyma. Method Macroscopically normal lung parenchyma and bronchial airway tissue was obtained from 10 patients (average age=65.3±4.5 years, FEV1/FVC=0.57±0.04) undergoing lung resection for carcinoma and dissected into explants. Tissue explants were acetone fixed, embedded in GMA and sections immunostained for CD3, CD4, CD8 and for mast cells (AA1) as a positive control. Positive cells were counted and numbers corrected for tissue area. To examine T cell migration, explants from the same patients were incubated for 24 h at 37°C. Cells that moved out of the explants into the supernatant were recovered, stained for T cell markers (CD3-FITC, CD8-APC) and analysed via flow cytometry. Results We found very few T cells in lung parenchyma (CD3+ cells=1.1±0.3/mm2) though there were substantial numbers of mast cells (65.6±13.9/mm2). There were twice as many CD4+ cells compared to CD8+ cells. In contrast, the airway had more T cells present (CD3+=2.8±1.1/mm2) and again CD4+ T cells predominated. We also used flow cytometry to characterise the CD4:CD8 ratio in T cells that migrated out of the explants. Parenchymal supernatants contained substantial numbers of T cells with significantly more CD4+ T cells than CD8+ (CD4=28.5±4.1%, CD8=20.4±2.3%, p<0.05). However in the airway, the ratio of CD4:CD8 cells was closer to 1:1 (CD4+=26.5±7.4%, CD8+=23.2±6.7%). Preliminary evidence suggests that the presence of mild/moderate airways obstruction does not affect the total number of T cells in either the parenchyma or the airway or the CD4:CD8 ratio in either compartment. There is also no evidence that the patient's smoking status affects T cell number or distribution. Conclusion More CD3+ cells are seen in the bronchial tissue than in the parenchyma and the majority of these are CD4+. CD3+ cells also migrate spontaneously out of the explants in both compartments and account for the majority of cells recovered in the supernatant.


This article considers the 'right to die' debate from the perspectives of older lesbians and gay men, drawing upon data gathered for a PhD in law. My argument is that older lesbians and gay men are multiply disadvantaged (a) by an increased risk of feeling that life is not worth living due to affective inequalities (inadequate informal and formal social support) and (b) by a denial of access to the right to die both under such circumstances and/or if they wish to resist the normativities associated with a passive, medicalized death. I argue for the need to distinguish between a wish to die because of deficiencies in the care system and a wish to die in order to control how, when and where one's life ends. My analysis highlights the contextual contingencies of 'vulnerability' in relation to the right to die and interrogates the heterosexist and disciplinary reproductive normativities underpinning the notions of 'natural' deaths.


This paper presents an interactive dynamic controller used to generate locomotion patterns for humanoid robots. The purpose of this work is to provide animators and artists easy and intuitive tools to design expressive motions for humanoid robots. A review of similar work in the computer animation community has guided our choices regarding the implementation and level of interaction between the user and an inverse dynamics solver. We have used our controller on a model of the Aldebaran humanoid robot Nao, and have generated a few expressive locomotion patterns that are presented in the experimental section of this paper.


BACKGROUND Blood transfusion is frequently required in children undergoing cardiac surgery and is associated with altered postoperative outcome. This may be due to alterations in red blood cell properties related to the storage process. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of blood storage duration on postoperative morbidity and mortality in children undergoing cardiac surgery. DESIGN A retrospective review of a paediatric cardiac surgery database. SETTING Department of Anaesthesiology, Queen Fabiola Children's University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium. PARTICIPANTS Children transfused with one or two units of blood in the perioperative period. INTERVENTIONS None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Storage duration was used to allocate children to the Group 'Young' or the Group 'Old' (cut-off = 7 days). The primary endpoint was a composite based on the incidence of hospital mortality and/or the incidence of at least one organ failure. RESULTS From 1014 children in the database, 570 were included in the final analysis. One hundred and eighteen patients were included in the Group 'Young' [median (interquartile range, IQR) storage duration 6 (5 to 7) days] and 452 in the Group 'Old' [storage duration 14 (11 to 19) days]. No difference was found in mortality, length of ICU stay, mechanical ventilation duration, postoperative infection and major organ dysfunction. Duration of storage used as a continuous variable did not influence the incidence of the composite endpoint when evaluated by univariate or multivariate logistic regression analyses. CONCLUSION Red blood cell storage duration did not influence postoperative morbidity and mortality in paediatric cardiac surgery patients transfused with one or two units of blood.


The present study describes the development and an initial assessment of the psychometric properties of the Decisional Process Inventory (DPI). The DPI served as an empirical test of Gestalt therapy homeostasis theory for conceptualizing and facilitating career development and decision-making. The inventory is intended to assess career decidedness or individual level of progress toward reaching a career-decided state. The DPI consists of 70 items that address respondents' perceptions and experiences of the career decision-making process. Participants responded to the DPI (n = 248), the Career Decision Scale (CDS; Osipow, Carney, Winer, Yanico, & Koschier, 1976) (n = 242), the Occupational Alternatives Question (OAQ; Zener & Schnuelle, 1976) (n = 244), and the Gestalt Contact Styles Questionnaire-Revised (GSCQ-R; Woldt & Kepner, 1986) (n = 243). Results supported the content validity of the items and criterion-related validity of the inventory. Seven factors related to the career decision-making process are described.


Political parties are the most important tools in creating a democratic society. But this only happens when they organize themselves democratically, not oligarchical as what is seen at almost all political parties in Indonesia. Most of party management is left entirely to a handful of people or even to only one person, the chairman. Thereby, the political party design is very dependent on the general chairman. The chairman power becomes very infinite and tends to be authoritarian. In fact, one-man-centered power will only lead to corrupt and undemocratic leadership. There should be a balancing institution within the institution of political parties to conduct the mechanism of checks and balances and the general chairman authoritarianism can be minimized or even prevented completely. At last, it is expected that there is a process of democratization within the internal political parties as absolute environment for political parties to become the pillar for the upholding of democracy of the nation. Keywords: democratization, political parties, checks and balances


Principal components analysis (PCA) is a fundamental algorithm in data analysis. Its online version is useful in many modern applications where the data are too large to fit in memory, or when speed of calculation is important. In this paper we propose ROIPCA, an online PCA algorithm based on rank-one updates. ROIPCA is linear in both the dimension of the data and the number of components calculated. We demonstrate its advantages over existing state-of-the-art algorithms in terms of accuracy and running time.


Forty-three contributors, most of them from Europe and with the largest contingent from Italy, have been brought together to produce 24 chapters that deal with miscellaneous aspects of floods and landslides. The book is divided into four parts: an overview of the hazards; tools and methodology; management and socioeconomic aspects: and case studies. It is associated with the aims of a European Commission course held in Orvieto in 1996 that sought to bring the attention of young scientists to the importance of integrated risk assessment. Many of the scientists who have contributed to the book are of considerable distinction. Among the tools and methods that are discussed in Part 2 are dendrogeomorphology, the use of weather radar for rainfall and flow forecasting, numerical modelling techniques for predicting ground instability, cartographic techniques, meteorological modelling and realtime flood forecasting systems. The case studies described in Part 4 include landslides in the Dolomites, mass movements in Austria, landslides in the Piedmonte region of north Italy and the Varenna Valley near Genoa, and bedload mobilization in the Belgian Ardennes. The weakest part is that on management and socioeconomic aspects, with the management of landslides being given sparse attention. This means the integration of risk assessment is not quite as complete as one might have liked. There is also some range in the depth of treatment provided by individual chapters, two of which are only just over four pages long and one of which (on real-time flood forecasting systems by R.J. Moore) is over 40 pages long. It is, therefore, a volume of variable quality, but within it there are some valuable chapters and some interesting material. It provides a clear indication of the quality of European research on floods and landslides.


The atmospheric moisture budget over Antarctica and the Southern Ocean was analysed for the period 1979–2001 on the basis of the ERA‐40 reanalysis of the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts. Meridional transport by transient eddies makes the largest contribution to the southward water vapour transport. The mean meridional circulation contributes to the northward transport in the Antarctic coastal areas, but this effect is compensated by the southward transport by stationary eddies. The convergence of meridional water vapour transport is at its largest at 64–68°S, while the convergence of zonal transport is regionally important in areas of high cyclolysis. Inter‐annual variations in water vapour transport are related to the southern annular mode (SAM). The eastward transport has a significant (95% confidence level) positive correlation with the SAM index, while the northward transport has a significant negative correlation with SAM near 60°S. Hydrological balance is well‐achieved in the ERA‐40 reanalysis: the difference between the water vapour flux convergence (based on analysis) and the net precipitation (precipitation minus evaporation, based on 24‐h forecasts) is only 13 mm yr−1 (3%) over the Southern Ocean and − 8 mm yr−1 (5%) over the continental ice sheet. Over the open ocean, the analysis methodology favours the accuracy of the flux convergence. For the whole study region, the annual mean flux convergence exceeded net precipitation by 11 mm yr−1 (3%). The ERA‐40 result for the mean precipitation over the Antarctic continental ice sheet in 1979–2001 is 177 ± 8 mm yr−1, while previous estimates range from 173 to 215 mm yr−1. For the period 1979–2001, the ERA‐40 data do not show any statistically significant trend in precipitation over the Antarctic grounded ice sheet and ice shelves. From the ERA‐40 data, the annual average net evaporation (evaporation minus condensation) is positive over the whole continent. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society


As a result of the research of pedagogical practices of the Master of Educational Development Social Research entitled good educational practices in Virtual Learning Environments (AVA, in Spanish)) of higher education was developed. In this process found a number of aspects that reveal what must possess any educational practice in an AVA, where Cyber culture constituted from their particular discursive practices, a transverse axis in contemporary digital society. The methodology of this research was based on the Cyberetnography or Virtual Ethnography through immersion, description and interpretation of the interactions of teachers (tutors) and students in the AVA. The findings allow envision that virtual environments are designed as educational settings in which educational practices anchored in socio-cultural meanings are possible.


ABSTRACT X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy is an inherited disease caused by abnormal accumulation of very long chain fatty acids. The diagnosis of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy can be confirmed with the mutation of ABCD1 gene. The main symptom of the X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy is spastic paraparesis, and autonomic dysfunction is rare in X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. Here, we presented an X-ALD case of a 46-year-old Asian male with severe autonomic dysfunction. Impairment of the autonomic nervous system may closely relate to mitochondrial defect.


Rhythmic motoneuronal activity was recorded from segmental motor nerves of moving (spinal swimming) and paralysed (fictive swimming) spinal dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula), and, in the paralysed preparation, microelectrode recordings were made from spinal cord motoneurons. The motoneurons could be divided into two groups, according to their activity patterns. Group I (n = 31) were inactive during fictive swimming and did not respond to gentle tactile stimulation; when recorded from intracellularly they showed stable to weakly oscillating (< 1 mV) membrane potentials. Group II (n = 15) fired bursts of action potentials in phase with the motor nerve activity, which were superimposed upon larger (up to 17 mV) depolarizations, and responded to gentle tactile stimulation. Two of these cells discharged also in the interburst interval of the nerve activity. Decreases in cycle period of the fictive swimming (i.e. increases in locomotor frequency) were instantaneously accompanied by increases in the amplitude of the rectified and integrated motor nerve signal, which represents peak activity of group II motoneurons, and decreases in the duration of the motor burst. Similar instantaneous changes were seen in the firing frequency and burst duration of individual group II motoneurons. The conformity between unit and population behaviour with changing speed of fictive swimming, and the close correspondence observed between the form of the excitatory postsynaptic potentials recorded from individual motoneurons and the form of the integrated neurogram, suggest that the group II motoneurons receive a common excitatory drive. Re- and decruitment of motoneurons were virtually absent during these changes of speed. During unstimulated spinal swimming, regular left-right alternating EMG activity is recorded from the red but not from the white part of the myotome. The ratio of group I to group II motoneurons (31: 15) recorded in this study agrees with the previously reported proportion of axons in the spinal motor nerve that project to the white and red muscle fibres, respectively. We suggest, therefore, that group II motoneurons innervate the red and superficial muscle fibres and group I the white fibres. The different activity patterns of the two motoneuronal groups in the spinal fish probably reflect the different ways the red and white muscle systems are used during locomotion.


The paper deals with the problems of media relations management in governmental organizations in Russia. Governmental Public Relations (PR) became one of the fastest developing areas of the PR-industry in contemporary Russia. The study uses expert survey method in order to unveil true mechanisms of governmental public relations in Russia. The authors of the study have interviewed sixteen high-ranking experts. The findings of the study shows that governmental PR in Russia are very well developed in the executive branch of power while it is close to zero in the jurisdictional branch and very weak in the legislative branch of power. Another important result deals with the significant role of governmental financial support to the mass media, which influences governmental PR in the way of corruption and miscommunication with the public. Keywords: PR, governmental PR, media relations, political communication JEL Classifications: D73, H83


Systemic inflammation is linked to a range of neurological diseases. Reductions in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and the presence of brain hypoxia have been detected in animal models of inflammation and in multiple sclerosis, a disease with significant inflammation. Reduced CBF combined with hypoxia could exacerbate damage in neuroinflammatory conditions. To study this link, we used in-vivo 9.4T MRI to quantify CBF and R2*, a marker of deoxyhemoglobin, following systemic inflammation induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide. We found reduced CBF and increased R2* in 4 regions, including the cortex and hippocampus—indicating that inflammation is accompanied by hypoxia and reduced CBF.


Diversions from rivers must be protected from negative effects on migratory and non-migratory fish species. Diversions to canals often have to be screened to prevent removal and loss of fish. The fish screen facilities must meet regulatory agency requirements concerning approach conditions, velocities, screening material, and facility configuration. The fish screens may be placed at the entrance to the canal or within the canal. This paper includes an example of a fish screen structure placed in the canal downstream from the diversion from the river. The fish separated by the screens are bypassed back safely to the river.


We recently introduced Misrepair-accumulation theory as an interpretation on aging mechanism. For better understanding this theory, we discuss here in more details the new concept of Misrepair and the concept of accumulation of Misrepairs. I. Aging takes place uniquely on the systems that have a well-defined structure: an organization of its sub-structures. Aging of a non-living system is a result of accumulation of injuries (damage) of its structure. II. A generalized concept of Misrepair is important for reaching to a unified understanding of aging changes. In the situation of a severe injury, incorrect repair is a repair essential for maintaining structural integrity for increasing the surviving chance of an organism. With the same mechanism as that in " Misrepair of DNA " , the term of " Misrepair " can be used for describing all kinds of incorrect repairs on different types of living structures, including molecules, cells and tissues. A new concept of Misrepair is therefore proposed and defined as incorrect reconstruction of an injured living structure. Misrepair mechanism is beneficial for the survival of an organism, and it is essential for the survival of a species. III. Alteration of structure made by Misrepair is irreversible; therefore Misrepairs accumulate and disorganize gradually a structure, which appears as aging of it. Accumulation of Misrepairs takes place on molecular, cellular and tissue levels respectively: on tissue level, it appears as disorganization of cells and extracellular matrixes (ECMs); on cellular level, it appears as deformation of cytoskeleton and change of cell shape; and on DNA, it appears as accumulation of DNA mutations and alteration of DNA sequence. An essential change in aging of an organism is an irreversible change of the spatial relationship between cells/ECMs in a tissue. In conclusion, aging of an organism is a result of accumulation of Misrepairs on tissue level.


The article asks whether a role remains for subchapter S in reforming the taxation of corporations. It considers whether all three approaches to taxing entities — subchapters C, K, and S — remain necessary and whether as part of reform, some simplification is possible or desirable. The conclusions are summarized as follows: (1) Corporate tax reform for large publicly held corporations cannot be divorced from individual tax reform — the relationship of rates matters. (2) In the absence of corporate integration (that is, two levels of tax are retained), conduit taxation for some business entities is desirable. (3) While ideally, one uniform system of conduit taxation for entities not subject to subchapter C might be highly attractive, any uniform system complex enough to deal with complicated business arrangements is too complex for simple arrangements. Thus, a two-track conduit system is appropriate. (4) While subchapter S might not have been the design choice ex ante, it has become a coherent and administrable version of a simpler conduit system. (5) Subchapter S should not be turned into subchapter K.


We study a simple model in which arbitrageurs trade assets in infinitely repeated stages and a financial crisis may occur due to redemption requests of investors on arbitrageurs. If the asset is undervalued, the arbitrageurs buy the asset to make profits. But the mispricing may become even larger in the next period and the arbitrageurs will take huge losses temporarily. Even though the asset price will recover its fundamental value in the end, the temporary losses of the arbitrageurs can force the arbitrageurs to liquidate the funds due to the redemption requests and stay away from the market in all the subsequent stages. Thus, patience of arbitrageurs (the relative weight to the future profits) affects possibility of a financial crisis. This paper shows two properties on the discount factor. First, a financial crisis without external shocks can arise only when arbitrageurs are impatient, and second, if such a crisis may arise, high patience of arbitrageurs mitigates the crisis but enlarges the pre-crisis mispricing. The model setup mimics the modern financial markets and some of them may be viewed as market frictions which prohibit market efficiency. The simplicity of the model allows a closed-form solution.


BACKGROUND
Reports of increasing risk for type 1 (T1) and type 2 diabetes mellitus in youth are emerging, but information on socioeconomically diverse populations is limited.

METHOD
The Chicago Childhood Diabetes Registry is a city-wide study of patients 0-17 years old at onset. Incidence data came from medical records and interviews; census data provided denominators; analyses used Poisson regression. Non-type 1 (nT1) patients had a type 2-like clinical course or related indicators.

RESULTS
There were 1,366 incident cases: 719 in non-Hispanic Black (NHB), 379 in Hispanic, 229 in non-Hispanic White (NHW), and 39 in children of other ethnicities. Average annual incidence was 16.0 (95% CI: 14.6, 17.6)/10(5) for boys, 20.1 (18.3, 22.1)/10(5) for girls, and 18.1 (16.9, 19.3)/10(5) overall. Risk was 21.6 (19.6, 23.8)/10(5) for NHB, 14.6 (13.0, 16.4)/10(5) for Hispanic, and 18.1 (15.9, 20.6)/10(5) for NHW. Children aged 10-14 years experienced the highest incidence, irrespective of ethnicity. T1 was predominant in all ethnic groups, except NHB, where the rates of T1 and nT1 were similar. Over ten years there was a marked increase in all childhood diabetes in Chicago, averaging 2.73% (95% CI: 0.49, 5.02) per annum, adjusted for age. This increase was confined to nT1, with an average annual percent change of +6.23% (2.28, 10.34), while T1 incidence remained stable.

CONCLUSIONS
Incidence of childhood diabetes increased between 1994-2003, driven primarily by nT1, suggesting a role for behavioral and/or environmental determinants of insulin resistance. These estimates are likely to be conservative, if nT1 cases were more apt to be missed.


Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) is one of the most promising tropical fruits for export. The major constraint to increase fruit production of the spesies is the long juvenile period. Seedless, sweet and juicy variety of mangosteen had been found in Malinau. In vitro propagation technique offers possibility to produce sufficient number of seedlings any time. This research was aimed at obtaining the appropriate media formula to enhance shoot proliferation. This research consisted of shoot induction and multiplication and shoot elongation. The materials were the fresh mangosteen seeds from the Malinau mangosteen trees. The explant used in the trial was seeds which were divided into four slices. The use of 8 to 16 mg BA L-1 combined with 0.2 mg thidiazuron L-1 resulted in the best shoot induction of 52 shoot buds per explant at the 6th week after planting with the mean height of 0.3 cm. Upon subculturing in to the similar media, the number of shoot tends to increase. For multiplication, low concentration of BA (2 to 4 mg L-1) and thidiazuron 0.05 mg L-1 were applied to increase the numbers of shoots. The total shoot number obtained in the media with 0.05 thidiazuron without BA was 11.25 and in the media with 2 mg BA L-1 + 0.05 mg thidiazuron L-1 was 8.7 shoot explant-1. The result showed that the best media for shoot elongation was MS + 1 mg BA L-1 + 2 mg kinetin L-1. The length of the shoots were in the range of 0.5-0.8 cm. Keywords: BA, Garcinia mangostana, in vitro culture, shoot multiplication, thidiazuron


The effectiveness of students' memorization of textual information was investigated in this study with 50 high school students. The information was presented to the participants in three different types: 10 distinct alphabets, 10 distinct numbers, and a combination of 5 distinct alphabets and 5 distinct numbers. This information was divided into three different chunking methods: One-Chunk where the whole information was told all at once, Two-Chunks where the information was divided into 5 and 5, and Three-Chunks where the information was delivered in 3-3-4, 4-3-3, and 3-4-3 fashions. The statistical results revealed that a single type of information (either all alphabets or all numbers) was found to be easier to recall than the combined information. Furthermore, dividing the information into two or three chunks was found to enhance human memorization more significantly. In addition, the study showed that when a combined type of information was shown, grouping the information into two chunks was more effective to enhance short-term memory than providing it in one chunk. Educational implications can be drawn from this study that in order to assist students to memorize and retain learning materials more effectively, it is essential to help classify them into 2-3 groups when being delivered. Also, learning should emphasize more on how to help students learn to take in information more effectively by themselves through the use of tree thinking, binary thinking, and computational thinking.


Gelatinase A (72-kDa type IV collagenase) is a metalloproteinase that is expressed by many cells in culture and is overexpressed by some tumor cells. It has been suggested that the serine proteinase neutrophil elastase might play a role in the posttranslational processing of gelatinase A and that noncatalytic interactions between gelatinase A and components of the extracellular matrix might alter potential processing pathways. These questions were addressed with the use of gelatin substrate zymography, gelatinolytic activity assays, and amino acid sequence analysis. We found that neutrophil elastase does proteolytically modify gelatinase A by cleaving at a number of sites within gelatinase A. Sequential treatment of gelatinase A with 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA) and neutrophil elastase yielded an active gelatinase with a 4-fold increase in gelatinolytic activity. The increased gelatinolytic activity correlated with that of a 40-kDa fragment of gelatinase A. Matrix components altered the proteolytic modifications in gelatinase A that were mediated by neutrophil elastase. In the absence of gelatin, neutrophil elastase destructively degraded gelatinase A by hydrolyzing at least two bonds within the fibronectin-like gelatin-binding domain of gelatinase A. In the presence of gelatin, these two inactivating cleavage sites were protected, and cleavage at a site within the hemopexin-like carboxyl-terminal domain resulted in a truncated yet active gelatinase. The results suggest a regulatory role for extracellular matrix molecules in stabilizing gelatinase A fragments and in altering the availability of sites susceptible to destructive proteolysis by neutrophil elastase.


Suspended particulate matter (SPM) is regarded as an energy source and a water quality indicator in coastal and marine ecosystems. To estimate SPM from ocean color sensors and land observing satellites, an accurate and robust atmospheric correction must be done. We evaluated the capabilities of ocean color and land observing satellite for estimation of SPM concentrations over Louisiana continental shelf in the northern Gulf of Mexico, using the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat-8, and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on Aqua. In high turbidity waters, the traditional atmospheric correction algorithms based on near-infrared (NIR) bands underestimate SPM concentrations due to the inaccurate removal of the aerosol contribution to the top of atmosphere signals. Therefore, atmospheric correction in high turbidity waters is a challenge. Four atmospheric correction algorithms were implemented on remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) values to select suitable atmospheric correction algorithms for each sensor in our study area. We evaluated short-wave infrared (SWIR) and NIR atmospheric correction algorithms on Rrs products from Landsat-8 OLI and Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (MUMM) and SWIR.NIR atmospheric correction algorithms on Rrs products from MODIS-Aqua. SPM was retrieved from a band-ratio SPM-retrieval algorithm for each sensor. Our results indicated that SWIR atmospheric correction algorithm was the suitable algorithm for Landsat-8 OLI and SWIR.NIR atmospheric correction algorithm outperformed MUMM algorithm for MODIS.


Psychometric theory focuses primarily on tests that are homogeneous, measuring only one attribute of a psychosocial entity. However, the complexity of psychosocial behavior often requires tests that are heterogeneous, measuring more than one attribute. In this presentation, reliability and internal consistency are extended to heterogeneous tests under the rubric of congeneric test theory. The extensions show that reliability and internal consistency have very similar properties. Reliability and internal consistency are shown to be unique up to a linear transformation. Whereas internal consistency is a lower bound to reliability in the homogeneous case, it is a strict lower bound in the heterogeneous case. Reliability equals internal consistency if and only if the test is homogeneous and true-score equivalent. An analytic argument shows that neither reliability nor internal consistency can detect whether a test is homogeneous or heterogeneous. The reliability (internal consistency) of a heterogeneous test is the sum of the sub-tests' reliabilities (internal consistencies) plus the sum of reliabilities (internal consistencies) involving the correlations among the sub-tests. Higher-order tests are tests in which items measure first-order attributes, first-order attributes reflect second-order attributes, and so on. Reliability (internal consistency) can be partitioned into the sums of direct reliability (direct internal consistency) for the first-order attributes and indirect reliabilities (indirect internal consistencies) for the second- and higher-order attributes. Simple examples demonstrate that internal consistency may be a poor approximator to the reliability of congeneric tests. Given that reliability for congeneric tests can now be estimated by modern statistical software, the need for internal consistency is diminished. However, internal consistency may be useful in bounding or approximating reliability in general linear latent variable models.


Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a highly-prevalent multifactorial disease, with primary symptoms including heartburn and regurgitation. Despite the widespread pharmacologic treatment of GERD, antireflux surgery is cur-rently the most effective and definitive treatment for the disease. An accurate indication for surgery and the appropriate preoperative workup are the best predictors of surgical success in those patients. Several factors affect the decision of performing anti-reflux surgery, including the patient's response to anti-acid medication and therapy duration, presence of side-effects, and progression of disease. Other diagnoses, such as esophageal cancer, must also be ruled out. A proper preoperative workup includes esophageal symptom evaluation and esophageal testing. Ambulatory pH testing is the gold standard for GERD diagnosis, and it is crucial for the assessment of the relationship between symptom presen-tation and reflux episodes. High-resolution manometry evaluates esophageal body motility and lower esophageal sphincter function, playing an important role in the definition of the surgical technique to be adopted. Upper GI endoscopy is the exam of choice for the diagnosis of disease progression and presence of other complications. Esophagram provides a detailed anatomy of the esophagus and stomach. In summary, a meticulous preoperative workup done by experts is crucial for improving patient outcomes.


Simple pneumocephalus most frequently arises as a complication of a head injury in which a compound basal skull fracture with tearing of the meninges allows entry of air into the cranial cavity. It can also follow a neurosurgical operation. Tension traumatic pneumocephalus with intraventricular extension is an extremely rare, potentially lethal condition that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. We report the case of subdural and intraventricular accidental tension pneumocephalus occurring in a 26-year-old man as a result of skull fracture. This case is combined with rhinorrhea and meningitis that suggest some difficulties to treat. The operative procedure associated with medical treatment was performed and a good result was obtained.


An increasing number of applications with reliability requirements are being deployed in distributed systems that span large geographic distances or manage large numbers of objects. We consider the process group mechanism as an appropriate application structuring paradigm in such large-scale distributed systems. We give a formal characterization for the attribute "large scale" as applied to distributed systems and examine the technical problems that need to be solved in making group technology scalable. Our design advocates multiple roles for group membership over a minimal set of abstractions and primitives. The design is currently being implemented on top of "off-the-shelf" technologies for both communication and computation.


We ask whether a reinforcement learning agent learns better by first learning the skills to perform smaller tasks in a complex environment or by learning the skills in the complex environment from the start. This is investigated empirically in a non-trivial game environment. We use the premise of curriculum learning where an agent learns different skills in independent and isolated environments referred to as dojos in this paper. The skills learned in the dojos are then used as different actions as the agent decides which skill to perform that best applies to the current game state. We evaluate this with experiments conducted in the Minecraft gaming environment. We find that dojo learning is able to achieve better performance with faster training time in certain environments. The main benefit of this approach is that the reward functions can be finely tuned in the dojos for each action as compared to the traditional methods. However, the skills learned in the individual dojos become the limiting factor in performance as the agent is unable to combine these skills effectively when put in certain complex environments. This can be mitigated if the dojo modules are further trained to result in similar results as the standard method.


Sarcomas were induced in radiation chimeras CBA/CBAT6T6 by subcutaneous implantation of plastic films 13 months after the irradiation and donor bone marrow transplantation. Of the 12 tumours examined, 11 possessed host kariotype and one--donor karyotype. Development of connective tissue cells from the bone marrow precursors presumably played no significant role in the histogenesis of plastic sarcomas.


Emotion dysregulation is fundamental to a range of psychiatric disorders. Leading psychological treatments are often designed to teach several emotion regulation strategies. However, teaching a wide range of strategies may be an inefficient way to enhance emotional functioning. We propose a framework of emotion dysregulation to guide the development of more efficient and flexible interventions. We review motivational (i.e., self-efficacy), between-situation (i.e., increasing frequency, quantity, or quality of adaptive strategy use; decreasing frequency of maladaptive strategy use), and within-situation mechanisms (i.e., using more or fewer strategies in a given situation; optimally ordering strategies) as well as temporal targets of emotion regulation interventions (i.e., short-term effectiveness vs. long-term adaptiveness). Throughout, we detail recommendations for researchers to test these mechanisms and targets.


The purpose of this talk is to advocate a particular way of thinking about processes and their relationship to objects and events. The point of view put forward is unorthodox in that it regards processes as being in some ways more closely akin to objects than to events, specifically with regard to their relationship to the directly experienced world and their capacity for undergoing change over time. A consequence of this is that the traditional distinction between continuants and occurrents becomes overshadowed by a more prominent distinction, that between the world of direct experience (made up of, inter alia, objects and processes) and the world of historical record (made up of events). In conclusion, a number of remarks are offered concerning the implications of this shift of viewpoint for formal ontology.


A 13-b self-calibrating algorithmic A/D converter with sample and hold and eight-channel multiplexer has been implemented in a standard 3-/spl mu/m CMOS technology. Digital circuitry including a sequencer, instruction RAM, and microprocessor interface have been incorporated to implement a complete data-acquisition peripheral. The conversion algorithm, calibration technique, and gain trimming circuitry are described. A bandgap voltage reference with buffered output and additional output voltage proportional to absolute temperature has also been implemented. Experimental data show that the integral and differential linearity meets 1/2 LSB (least significant bit) at the 13-b level; the dynamic performance is such that harmonic distortion of better than 84 dB below the fundamental is achieved.