In some conversations involving persons with Alzheimer's disease, the participants may have to deal with the difficulty that they do not share a common ground in terms of not only who is alive or dead, but even more, who could possibly be alive. It is as if the participants face a reality disjunction. There are very few empirical studies of this difficulty in conversations involving persons with Alzheimer's disease or other kinds of dementia diagnoses. Often studies of confabulation have a focus on the behavior and experience of the healthy participants, but rarely on the interaction and the collaborative contributions made by the person with dementia. In the present article, we discuss various strategies used by all participants in an everyday conversation. The material consists of an hour long everyday conversation between a woman with Alzheimer's disease and two healthy participants (relatives). This conversation is analyzed by looking at the organization of the interaction with an emphasis on how the participants deal with instances of reality disjunctions. The result from the analysis demonstrates that both the healthy participants as well as the person with dementia together skillfully avoid the face threats posed by reality disjunctive contributions by not pursuing argumentative lines that in the end might jeopardize both the collaborative and the personal relations.


The purpose of this study is to discuss the various issues regarding de-industrialisation and to systematically analyse the causes of this phenomenon. In addition, the effect of the recent increase in foreign direct investment on de-industrialisation will be analysed. Unlike extant studies, this study employs a more reliable method of estimation, known as the generalised method of moments system, for establishing the importance of foreign direct investment (FDI) with regard to de-industrialisation. For a general assessment of the different factors of de-industrialisation, including FDI, this study classifies the causes of de-industrialisation in OECD countries into external and internal factors. As a result, the analysis has proved that not only internal and external factors are major factors of de-industrialisation, FDI inflow and outflow are also major factors.


OBJECTIVE
The association between alcohol use and erectile dysfunction (ED) has not been explored adequately. The aim of this study is (i) to determine the prevalence of ED in patients with Alcohol use disorder (AUD), (ii) the association of ED with sociodemographic and clinical variables, (iii) the association between severity of drinking and sociodemographic and clinical variables, and (iv) the assess the change in ED after one month of abstinence from alcohol.

METHODS
203 consecutive patients were recruited into the study after taking written informed consent. Sociodemographic data was collected using a proforma and ED was assessed using International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5). The patients were also followed up after 1 month of abstinence to assess the change in erectile function.

RESULTS
The prevalence of ED was 68.5%. Out of the 203 subjects, 28.1% had mild ED, 24.1% had mild to moderate ED, 9.9% had moderate ED and 6.4% had severe ED. Significant association were seen between ED and age, marital status, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, total duration, and severity of drinking. A significant association was seen between severity of drinking and age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, alcoholic liver disease, tobacco use and duration of drinking. The improvement in ED after 1 month abstinence was found to be significant.

CONCLUSIONS
ED is a common problem in patients with AUD. Routine assessment of sexual functioning is warranted in patients with AUD and the information that ED improves with abstinence can provide an impetus to change.


Alternative modes of organisation have evoked interest especially recently in agricultural economics with the wake of New Institutional Economics (NIE). Economics has previously neglected the "inside" of the firm, taken for granted that it would be organised and operated optimally. NIE started to look at the organisation from the point of view of optimal operations and the conditions of these with as early start as Coase (1937). There is a keen practical interest in organisational forms in agriculture in Central-Eastern Europe that was created by transition and the specific problems of restructuring agriculture. The picture was complicated by the fact that a number of the CEE countries aspired (successfully) for entering the European Union and this formed a new challenge for the Common Agricultural Policy. This paper attempts to analyse the facts that accompanied the transition of organisational forms in agriculture in Hungary in the following structure: in Section 1 it analyses the causes of prejudices against specific organisational forms, in Section 2 it looks at the effect of the institutional environment on the choice of organisational forms, in Section 3 discussion of choice of organisational forms will follow from the transaction cost perspective, and in Section 4 some conclusions will be drawn.


We determine the limit distributions of sums of deterministic chaotic variables in unimodal maps assisted by a novel renormalization group (RG) framework associated to the operation of increment of summands and rescaling. In this framework the difference in control parameter from its value at the transition to chaos is the only relevant variable, the trivial fixed point is the Gaussian distribution and a nontrivial fixed point is a multifractal distribution with features similar to those of the Feigenbaum attractor. The crossover between the two fixed points is discussed and the flow toward the trivial fixed point is seen to consist of a sequence of chaotic band mergers.


Liver cirrhosis is a chronic and relatively common disease without a definitive cure in most cases. Few studies have investigated affected individuals perceptions of the disease. This qualitative study aimed to describe the perceptions of individuals (n = 27) with liver cirrhosis toward their disease. Interview data was analyzed using conventional content analysis. Data analysis revealed two main themes: the first theme was "perceived sensitivity to the cirrhosis," which was characterized by concerns about disease transmission to others, concerns about seeing symptoms as a reason in referring to medical centers, hiding disease from others, feeling remorse or guilt in having disease, and personal beliefs about cause of disease. The second theme was the "perceived severity of the cirrhosis," which was characterized by feelings of disease exacerbation due to tension and stress, discomfort due to continuation of annoying symptoms, discomfort due to ascites, and fear and hope while waiting for liver transplantation. The findings indicate a perceived threat from liver cirrhosis. Such perceived threats and their characteristics could help nurses and other healthcare providers to be aware of this perception in their care of individuals living with liver cirrhosis.


Volume 3 contains records for water discharge at 123 gaging stations; stage only at 5 gaging stations; stage and contents at 15 lakes and reservoirs; water quality at 62 gaging stations; and data for 35 partial-record and 6 flood-hydrograph partial-record stations. Also included are lists of discontinued surface-water discharge or stage-only stations and discontinued surface-water-quality stations; crest-stage and flood-hydrograph partial-record stations, reconnaissance partial-record stations, and low-flow partial-record stations. Additional water data were collected at various sites, not part of the systematic data-collection program, and are published as miscellaneous measurements.


Policy gradients methods are a popular and effective choice to train reinforcement learning agents in complex environments. The variance of the stochastic policy gradient is often seen as a key quantity to determine the effectiveness of the algorithm. Baselines are a common addition to reduce the variance of the gradient, but previous works have hardly ever considered other effects baselines may have on the optimization process. Using simple examples, we find that baselines modify the optimization dynamics even when the variance is the same. In certain cases, a baseline with lower variance may even be worse than another with higher variance. Furthermore, we find that the choice of baseline can affect the convergence of natural policy gradient, where certain baselines may lead to convergence to a suboptimal policy for any stepsize. Such behaviour emerges when sampling is constrained to be done using the current policy and we show how decoupling the sampling policy from the current policy guarantees convergence for a much wider range of baselines. More broadly, this work suggests that a more careful treatment of stochasticity in the updates---beyond the immediate variance---is necessary to understand the optimization process of policy gradient algorithms.


Purpose of reviewProtease-activated receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors that transmit cellular responses to coagulant proteases in a variety of cell types in the vasculature and other tissues. Several other proteases can activate protease-activated receptors in vitro and may affect their function in vivo. While a role for these receptors in hemostasis and thrombosis has been established, their functions in inflammatory and other responses have yet to be fully elucidated. In addition, the mechanisms responsible for protease and cell type-specific signaling mediated by these receptors are largely undefined. Here, we highlight recent advances in understanding the roles and regulation of protease-activated receptor signaling. Recent findingsRecent studies have increased our knowledge of the function of protease-activated receptor signaling in platelets and its contribution to thrombosis. In other cell types, recent work has revealed new connections between these receptors and signaling effectors important for vascular development and inflammatory responses. Other studies have advanced our understanding of protease and cell type-specific responses as well as novel regulatory mechanisms for control of protease-activated receptor signaling. SummaryThus, elucidating the signaling and regulatory mechanisms of protease-activated receptors in various tissues and cell types is important for understanding their biological function as well as for designing therapeutic strategies to control their function.


This paper develops a general framework for analysing and calculating dynamic road toll. The
optimal network flow is first determined by solving an optimal control problem with statedependent
responses such that the overall benefit of the network system is maximized. An
optimal toll is then sought to decentralise this optimal flow. This control theoretic formulation
can work with general travel time models and cost functions. Deterministic queue is
predominantly used in dynamic network models. The analysis in this paper is more general
and is applied to calculate the optimal flow and toll for Friesz's whole link traffic model.
Numerical examples are provided for illustration and discussion. Finally, some concluding
remarks are given.


Three representative forest gaps with pit-mound microsites formed by uprooted trees were selected within the 2.55 hm2 plot in a Pinus koraiensis-dominated broad-leaved mixed forest in Xiao Xing'an Mountains of Northeast China. The cleared land and closed stand were set up as the controls, and the PAR, air temperature and relative humidity in the centers of different size gaps and in mound top as well as the total radiation and precipitation in the gap centers were measured between July and September, 2011 by using multichannel automatic meteorological stations. The differences of the microclimate between the gap centers and mound top in different months were compared, and the monthly and diurnal variations of the microclimatic factors in the gap centers and in the mound top under typical weather conditions were analyzed. The results showed that the mean monthly PAR and air temperature in the three gaps of different sizes were in the order of large gap > medium gap > small gap, and the mean monthly relative humidity was in the order of small gap > medium gap > large gap. For the same size gap, the mean monthly PAR and air temperature were higher in the mound top than in the gap center, whereas the mean monthly relative humidity was higher in the gap center than in the mound top. Both the mean monthly total radiation and the mean monthly air temperature in the forest gaps and in the controls were in the order of July > August > September and of cleared land > large gap > medium gap > small gap > closed stand, while the mean monthly relative humidity was in the order of closed stand > small gap > medium gap > large gap > cleared land. The differences in the mean monthly relative humidity between closed stand and various gaps and between closed stand and cleared land reached significant level. The monthly precipitation from July to September decreased in the order of cleared land > large gap > medium gap > small gap > closed stand. Whether in sunny days or in overcast days, the mean daily PAR and air temperature were higher in mound top than in gap center, and the mean daily relative humidity was in opposite. Whether in mound top or in gap center, the mean daily PAR and air temperature were higher in sunny days than in overcast days, while the mean daily relative humidity was higher in overcast days than in sunny days.


Introduction: Intracanal Medicaments (ICMs) play a major role in disinfection of root canal system. The use of interappointment ICM during endodontic treatment may affect the mechanical properties of dentin which results in decreased fracture resistance of teeth. The use of synthetic medicament is associated with many limitations such as antibiotic overdose, side effects and cytotoxic reactions. In order to overcome this, recent research has been directed towards herbal ICMs with better efficacy and lesser side effects. Aim: To evaluate the effect of a novel herbal ICM Calendula officinalis L. (CO) on fracture resistance of root dentin in comparison to Calcium Hydroxide (CH). Materials and Methods: This in vitro study was conducted in the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, SRM Dental College and Hospital, Ramapuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Thirty freshly extracted single rooted human premolar teeth were selected for the in vitro study and randomly assigned into three groups: Group 1: No medication (Control group) (n=10), Group 2: CH (n=10), Group 3: CO (n=10). The samples were decoronated and biomechanical preparation was done followed by placement of respective ICMs in the root canal space, sealed with glass ionomer cement and immersed in saline for a storage period of 7 and 14 days. Each group was subdivided into 5 teeth, depending on the storage period. After each storage period, ICMs were removed and samples were subjected to fracture resistance test using universal testing machine. Data were analysed using One-way Anova followed by Tukey HSD post-hoc test with level of statistical significance set at p<0.05. Results: On evaluation of compressive strength, CO group showed more fracture resistance compared to CH group on 7th day and no statistical significant differences were seen between CO and CH groups on 14th day. Conclusion: CO can be efficiently used as an alternative to CH because of its low toxicity and increased resistance to fracture.


This paper presents a number of thoughts about the use of the Living Lab methodology, which are based on experiences gained in the ongoing MOCATOUR project. The central topic of the MOCATOUR project is to establish novel computational methods to facilitate tourists with personalised and contextualised access to and annotation of cultural and historic information while they freely explore a city. We present a brief description of the scenario in which the Living Lab methodology is applied. We then outline the positive as well as problematic aspects of this research methodology for mobile environments with a focus on affective computing.


Introduction:
 Dysfunction of the cerebrovasculature, manifested by poor reperfusion and loss of autoregulation, is a feature of ischemia and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Oxidative stress is implicated in this effect. Conventional antioxidants have not proven clinically effective. Nanomaterials are an emerging class of antioxidants with potential advantages including quenching of oxidative radicals without need for enzymatic transformation.

 Objectives:
 We tested whether the carbon nanomaterials, poly(ethylene gylcol)-functionalized hydrophilic carbon clusters (PEG-HCCs) are antioxidants and determined their effect on the cerebrovasculature following mild experimental TBI and hypotension.

 Methods:
 HCCs were generated by treating single wall carbon nanotubes with oleum and nitric acid. HCCs were functionalized with PEG via coupling to carboxcylic acids. The ability to quench superoxide anion (SO) was determined in solution and b.End3 cultured brain endothelial cells after administering the electron chain transport inhibitor Antimycin A (AntA) using dihydroethidium (DHE) fluorescence flow cytometry.
 In-vivo
 studies were performed in Long Evans rats following mild TBI (3m/s; 2.5 mm deformation; 80 ms duration) and 50 mins. hemorrhagic hypotension followed by resuscitation with Lactated Ringers (
 Figure
 :
 Resus
 ) then by shed blood (
 Hospital
 ). Treatment with 2 mg/kg PEG-HCCs in 1 mL or PBS was initiated prior to the "Hospital" phase. Laser Doppler perfusion (LDF) was measured to 6 hours post-TBI.

 Results:
 DHE fluorescence induced by AntA was eliminated by post-treatment with PEG-HCCs (2-4 mg/L; 15 min post-AntA). At that concentration, there was no innate toxicity in cells determined by clonogenic and trypan blue assay. Only pre-treatment with a 10X excess of SO dismutase (SOD) achieved comparable DHE effect. PEG-HCC post-treatment improved cell survival after a higher dose of AntA, to 65% of baseline compared to 23% for SOD.
 In-vivo
 following TBI, hypotension reduced relative LDF to approximately 30% (
 Fig
 ). Administered just prior to shed blood nanotubes restored LDF to 100% of baseline while the vehicle group remained significantly lower at 56%. LDF declined in all groups over time.

 Conclusions:
 PEG-HCCs are biocompatible with b.End3 cells and rapidly protected these cells from oxidative stress. PEG-HCCs at a clinically realistic time point improved cerebrovasculature dysfunction post-TBI/hypotension. The duration of effect is consistent with blood half life after a single dose. Longer term dosing studies are underway to establish the effect on outcome and reperfusion injury.


As a new kind of two-dimensional carbide material, Ti3C2Tx has revealed its exceptional potentials in many applications. Herein, we successfully prepared the Ag/Ti3C2Tx composite by powder metallurgy and investigated its comprehensive properties by compared with Ag/Ti3AlC2 composite. The Ag/Ti3C2Tx was found to possess the 29% lower resistivity(30×10-3 μΩ·m) than Ag/Ti3AlC2(42×10-3 μΩ·m) and excellent machinability with intermediate hardness (64 HV), showing broad application prospect as non-toxic electrical contact materials. The improved conductivity of Ag/Ti3C2Tx composite is attributed to the metallicity of Ti3C2Tx itself, the good interface bonding between the Ti3C2Tx and Ag, and the microstructural features rendered by the deformability of Ti3C2Tx. Although the arc erosion resistance of Ag/Ti3C2Tx needs to be further improved, it is a powerful and potential alternative material for the Ag/CdO in the further.


High profitability and customer satisfaction are of supreme importance for any business. To achieve both objectives, an organisation must design a structured approach. To achieve profitability, organisations look to principles of lean manufacturing and techniques such as EFQM, and business excellence. This paper reviews such methodologies across different industries, comparing techniques and elements. Its objective is to determine which methodologies are most applicable to the Swedish mining industry and propose a method to achieve lean mining. To this end, the paper looks at the methodologies of a food manufacturing industry, an automobile component manufacturing company, the manufacturing and service sector, and the oil and gas industry. It finds that the method used in the oil and gas industry is more relevant to mining, even though it has some flaws. Further research is needed to adapt this method to the mining industry.


The existing open cluster membership determination algorithms are either prior dependent on some known parameters of clusters or are not automatable to large samples of clusters. In this paper, we present, ML-MOC, a new machine learning based approach to identify likely members of open clusters using the Gaia DR2 data, and no a priori information about cluster parameters. We use the k-Nearest Neighbours (kNN) algorithm and the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) on the high-precision proper motions and parallax measurements from Gaia DR2 data to determine the membership probabilities of individual sources down to G ~20 mag. To validate the developed method, we apply it on fifteen open clusters: M67, NGC 2099, NGC 2141, NGC 2243, NGC 2539, NGC 6253, NGC 6405, NGC 6791, NGC 7044, NGC 7142, NGC 752, Blanco 1, Berkeley 18, IC 4651, and Hyades. These clusters differ in terms of their ages, distances, metallicities, extinctions and cover a wide parameter space in proper motions and parallaxes with respect to the field population. The extracted members produce clean colour-magnitude diagrams and our astrometric parameters of the clusters are in good agreement with the values derived by the previous works. The estimated degree of contamination in the extracted members range between 2% and 12%. The results show that ML-MOC is a reliable approach to segregate the open cluster members from the field stars.


Serum and 24-h urinary uric acid were measured in 29 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism pre- and post-operatively. No significant difference was observed. A positive correlation was found between the ratios of urinary calcium/creatinine and urinary uric acid/creatinine pre-operatively but not after surgery. The serum uric acid level showed an increase from the first to the third day post-operatively and returned to normal within a week, but in patients undergoing other urological operations there was no post-operative increase. On a low calcium diet the level of serum uric acid was found to be increased. These findings suggest that primary hyperparathyroidism has some influence on uric acid metabolism.


This is a welcome revision of a concise text, which has enjoyed great popularity in the short courses in gross anatomy currently given in American medical schools. As with most such books, the presentation is mainly regional. The descriptions are concise and lucid; allusions to functional and clinical correlations are adequate to indicate the significance of anatomic facts, and to encourage the search for further information. Significant data on variations are inserted within the pertinent descriptive matter where such facts may be readily learned. In line with most new texts, key references are supplied. An interesting glossary defines eponyms commonly used in anatomy. The structures of the limbs are described in considerable detail, the action of muscles being helpfully grouped together. The brain, except for its blood vessels, is not described. This is disappointing since its inclusion would help to emphasize some regional correlations. Considerable space is devoted to the


Activation of the TNFR1 death receptor by TNFα can induce cell survival or cell death signaling, however, the mechanisms regulating this TNFR1 signaling switch are poorly understood. TNFα-induced apoptosis is reported to require higher-order clustering and internalization of activated TNFR1, whereas surface retention of the activated receptor has been shown to promote survival signaling mediated by NFκB and MAPKs. Studies from our group have identified a novel glycosylation-dependent mechanism that controls this signaling switch. Specifically, we have found that TNFR1 localization and activity are regulated by the addition of a distinct sugar, an α2-6 linked sialic acid, by the enzyme ST6Gal-I, a Golgi sialyltransferase whose expression is upregulated in many cancer types. The sialylation effect on TNFR1 was examined in epithelial and monocytic cancer cell lines with forced overexpression or knockdown of ST6Gal-I, as well as in primary monocytes obtained from mice with ST6Gal-I knock-in or knockout. Data from these models indicate that α2-6 sialylation of TNFR1 blocks TNFα-induced apoptosis, and the suggested mechanism underlying this inhibition of apoptosis is the sialylation-driven inhibition of TNFR1 oligomerization and internalization, as observed through immunoblotting, immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. Considering sialylated TNFR1 is retained on the plasma membrane following activation, we hypothesize that ST6Gal-I functions to not only block TNFR1-mediated cell death but also divert the cell9s activity to favor survival. Supporting this hypothesis, cells with elevated levels of ST6Gal-I exhibit heightened expression and activation of many pro-survival factors, such as NFκB, MAPKs and AKT, in addition to decreased activation of caspase-3. Since levels of ST6Gal-I are elevated in multiple tumor cell populations, our group proposes that ST6Gal-I protects tumor cells against TNFα-induced apoptosis within the inflammatory tumor microenvironment. As preliminary support for this concept, peritoneal ascites fluid was collected from ovarian cancer (OC) patients, and the acellular, cytokine-rich fraction was incubated with OC cell lines with or without forced ST6Gal-I expression. Expression of ST6Gal-I conferred strong protection against cell death induced by soluble ascites. Based on these collective findings, we postulate that sialylation of TNFR1 by ST6Gal-I diverts the cellular response to TNFα from apoptosis to survival, providing a mechanism by which tumor cells can evade immune cell killing. Citation Format: Andrew Holdbrooks, Matthew J. Schultz, Zhongyu Liu, Daniel Bullard, Susan L. Bellis. Glycosylation of the TNFR1 death receptor controls cell fate. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3566.


The robustness of control systems with respect to model uncertainty is considered using simple frequency domain criteria. Available and new results are derived under a common framework in which the minimum singular value of the return differences transfer matrix is the key quantity. In particular, robustness results associated with multivariable control systems designed on the basis of linear-quadratic (LQ) and the linear-quadratic Gaussian (LQG) design methodologies are presented.


The financial crisis revealed that the Southeast Asian development model had a serious design fault in not bolstering it by social protection. Labour flexibility is no substitute for this omission as proven by growing unemployment rates in the region. Introducing social protection as an integrated part of market economies has gained new attention. It is realised that through the lack of well functioning social protection systems the crisis countries have unnecessary problems to cope with the growing social tensions. Three countries are being confronted with dramatically increasing unemployment rates; in income terms they are thrown back in time by about five to ten years. Now that the Southeast Asian experiment has proven its faults it is time to prepare seriously for the uncertainties of the future. In doing so governments can take advantage from European experience. The broad variety and long-standing experience of European social protection systems could be a valuable source of information for all those looking for solu  tions in Southeast Asia. Despite much criticism, Europe has managed its recur  ring economic problems quite successfully - in which the wide social protection system has probably played a more prominent role than usually acknowledged. a model


Background: Middle childhood and adolescence are critical times for the growth, development, and establishment of healthy eating habits. The Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region has been through economic and nutrition transitions over the past 20 years, which are likely to have affected the nutritional status of this group. Objective: This review aimed to collate data on the nutritional status and dietary patterns of school-aged children (SAC) and adolescents (5-19 years) across the ECA region in order to inform policy and programming decisions. Methods: A systematic search of the literature in Pubmed, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect databases was conducted (April 2019), complemented by a systematic review of nationally representative surveys. Inclusion criteria were any data on micronutrient deficiencies, overweight, stunting, wasting, thinness, or dietary patterns in SAC and adolescents in the 21 UNICEF-defined countries of ECA, published since the year 2000. Results: Results included 134 published papers and 6 sources of survey data. The majority of studies were conducted in Turkey (56%), with all other countries having fewer than 10 studies each; 8 countries in the region having no studies on this age group at all. The most significant nutrition issue was overweight and obesity. Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly anemia, emerge as a further challenge. Dietary patterns were worse in urban areas and boys. Conclusions: The findings of this review suggest that there are 3 critical areas that need immediate attention: the promotion of healthy diets and physical activity to address high levels of overweight/obesity, anemia prevention efforts, and addressing the considerable data gaps for SAC and adolescent nutrition.


We report the case of a gentleman, FAV, who developed a grave anomia and selective comprehension deficit following a left temporo-occipital infarction. His word retrieval abilities were significantly more impaired for living things than for man-made artefacts. There was no difference between his performance when naming to confrontation and naming to verbal description. However, further assessment revealed a more fine-grain deficit at the level of comprehension. FAV had significantly more difficulty with fruit and vegetables than animals or nonliving foods on a number of tests probing semantic knowledge. These results are discussed within the context of current theories of the organisation of conceptual knowledge. We conclude that this pattern of performance and other fine-grain category effects within the realms of living and nonliving things are best explained by a multiple processing pathways account.


In Rome and throughout the provinces of the Imperium Romanum, the emperor was omnipresent. Even if only few of the Roman rulers actually visited the different parts of their empire more frequently, the population was well familiar with their name and image. The dissertation (finished in 2015) dealt with questions concerning the form of imperial representation in various public media and the dynamics of communication and dissemination between Rome and the Roman provinces from Augustan times to the end of the Severan dynasty (31 v. Chr. – 235 n. Chr.).


The approach used to optimize a transistorized pulsewidth-modulated inverter used in an uninterruptible power supply is detailed. Through the use of computer modeling with a space state-model, a variety of scenarios for the optimal inverter design were evaluated. The computer modeling resulted in an optimized feedback control loop, which provided the best level of response while minimizing the amount of switching losses to achieve the highest level of efficiency.<<ETX>>


HPV contributes to the pathogenesis of H&NC. H&NC patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage and are more disposed to lymph node metastasis. There is conflicting evidence with regard to distant metastasis in H&NC. Identification of potential candidate genes which can be used as predictors of prognosis in HPV positive/negative H&NCs are needed. We initiated the study using publicly available microarray gene expression datasets from the GEO. Functional enrichment analysis of significant genes was done using the DAVID. The PPI network was constructed in the STRING and visualized using Cytoscape. The CytoHubb plugin was utilized to identify the key genes in this complicated network. The MCODE plugin was applied to screen out significant gene modules. Hub genes identified were analysed for overall survival (OS) in GEPIA. Analysis of the miRNA and transcription factors targeting the hub gene with significance was done using miRNet. GEO datasets GSE39366, GSE40774, GSE117973 were used in this study. We identified 67 overlapping DEGs which were significant. Gene Ontology identified key terms as 'cellular component', 'biological process', and 'molecular function' respectively. Cytoscape and MCODE revealed two significant modules. The common hub genes identified using cytohubb plugin. CAV1 has been reported to be significantly associated with OS in H&NC patients. 3 targeting miRNA and 54 transcription factors were identified using miRNet. In-silico survival and expression analyses revealed CAV1 as a candidate gene that may be used to predict the course of disease progression in HPV positive and HPV negative H&NC patients. Further invitro studies validating CAV1 and its three target miRNAs as predictors of prognosis in H&NC are highly warranted.


Both the Kingsbury dual-tree and the subsequent Selesnick double-density dual-tree complex wavelet transform approximate an analytic function. The classification of the phase dependency across scales is largely unexplored except by Romberg et al.. Here we characterize the sub-band dependency of the orientation of phase gradients by applying the Helmholtz principle to bivariate histograms to locate meaningful modes. A further characterization using the Earth Mover's Distance with the fundamental Rudin-Osher-Meyer Banach space decomposition into cartoon and texture elements is presented. Possible applications include image compression and invariant descriptor selection for image matching.


This paper addresses the design and application of an observer-based nonlinear controller employing a CMOS-MEMS nano-Newton force sensor. The sensor is designed using AMI 0.5µm 3-Metal 2-Polysilicon CMOS technology capable of sensing an out-of-plane force perpendicular to the probe tip; it is suitable for biomedical applications that measures external force excitation of less than 100 Hz. Measurement errors occur when there are in-plane movements of the probe tip; these errors can be controlled by the actuators incorporated within the sensor. Observer-based controller is necessitated in real-world control applications where not all the state variables are accessible for on-line, real-time measurements, and/or where the measurements are corrupted by noise.


Prostate cancer occurs more frequently among older males and such elderly individuals often have chronic underlying disorders for which various drugs are administered for treatment. The levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a widely used prostate cancer marker, are influenced by a number of drugs, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and statins. In the present study, the drugs prescribed to patients on a repeat prescription collected at the pharmacy of the Gifu Pharmaceutical University (Gifu, Japan) were examined for their effects on the levels of PSA expression in prostate cancer LNCaP cells. Among the 14 drugs investigated, betamethasone, an agonist of the glucocorticoid receptor, was found to increase the levels of PSA mRNA expression in the LNCaP cells. This betamethasone-induced expression was mediated, at least in part, through androgen receptor (AR) transcriptional activation. Dexamethasone, a typical agonist of the glucocorticoid receptor, was also found to stimulate the AR transcriptional activity, however, to a lesser extent than betamethasone. Therefore, it would be interesting to examine in future studies whether the serum PSA levels in prostate cancer patients are influenced by betamethasone.


Foreground (FG) pixel labeling plays a vital role in video surveillance. Recent engineering solutions have attempted to exploit the efficacy of deep learning (DL) models initially targeted for image classification to deal with FG pixel labeling. One major drawback of such strategy is the lacking delineation of visual objects when training samples are limited. To grapple with this issue, we introduce a multi-view receptive field fully convolutional neural network (MV-FCN) that harness recent seminal ideas, such as, fully convolutional structure, inception modules, and residual networking. Therefrom, we implement a system in an encoder-decoder fashion that subsumes a core and two complementary feature flow paths. The model exploits inception modules at early and late stages with three different sizes of receptive fields to capture invariance at various scales. The features learned in the encoding phase are fused with appropriate feature maps in the decoding phase through residual connections for achieving enhanced spatial representation. These multi-view receptive fields and residual feature connections are expected to yield highly generalized features for an accurate pixel-wise FG region identification. It is, then, trained with database specific exemplary segmentations to predict desired FG objects. The comparative experimental results on eleven benchmark datasets validate that the proposed model achieves very competitive performance with the priorand state-of-the-art algorithms. We also report that how well a transfer learning approach can be useful to enhance the performance of our proposed MV-FCN. keywordsDeep learning, Foreground-background clustering, Video-surveillance


Mammalian spermatozoa undergo important plasma membrane maturation steps during epididymal transit. Among these, changes in lipids and cholesterol are of particular interest as they are necessary for fertilization. However, molecular mechanisms regulating these transformations inside the epididymis are still poorly understood. Liver X receptors (LXRs), the nuclear receptors for oxysterols, are of major importance in intracellular cholesterol homeostasis, and LXR−/−-deficient male mice have already been shown to have reduced fertility at an age of 5 months and complete sterility for 9-month-old animals. This sterility phenotype is associated with testes and caput epididymides epithelial defects. The research presented here was aimed at investigating how LXRs act in the male caput epididymidis by analyzing key actors in cholesterol homeostasis. We show that accumulation of cholesteryl esters in LXR−/− male mice is associated with a specific loss of ABCA1 and an increase in apoptosis of apical cells of the proximal caput epididymidis. ATP-binding cassette G1 (ABCG1) and scavenger receptor B1 (SR-B1), two other cholesterol transporters, show little if any modifications. Our study also revealed that SR-B1 appears to have a peculiar expression pattern along the epididymal duct. These results should help in understanding the functional roles of LXR in cholesterol trafficking processes in caput epididymidis.


The random forest (RF) algorithm by Leo Breiman has become a standard data analysis tool in bioinformatics. It has shown excellent performance in settings where the number of variables is much larger than the number of observations, can cope with complex interaction structures as well as highly correlated variables and return measures of variable importance. This paper synthesizes 10 years of RF development with emphasis on applications to bioinformatics and computational biology. Special attention is paid to practical aspects such as the selection of parameters, available RF implementations, and important pitfalls and biases of RF and its variable importance measures (VIMs). The paper surveys recent developments of the methodology relevant to bioinformatics as well as some representative examples of RF applications in this context and possible directions for future research. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


conditions you depict in the words in inverted commas would disappear ? Your argument is not sound. Macdonasd is right in thinking that your pessimistic attitude may do real harm. He quotes others to show that maximum production is still far from being attained from land in Africa, although he seems to feel sure that India, Java, Mauritius, and Jamaica can no longer be expected to improve their output. Baker and White say the population of South-east Central Africa is far below optimum. He rightly says that the population problem is one of balance. He says further that "the economy of grossly undeveloped countries can be improved more readily and more to the general advantage of the world by an increase in the supporting capacity of the land than by a restriction of population, though ultimately that must come." It must come when famine naturally follows unrestricted population increase, but it may come before that if the spirit of man is so broken by exploitation either by his fel.ow men or by an outraged Nature exploited by himself. Another Baker tells how certain African tribes' deliberately set themselves to commit race suicide when their own foolish exploitation of their forest lands had made desert of fertile land. Their action was the wisest they knew to remedy their desperate plight. Life was not worth living, so they altruistically refused to pass it on to their offspring. Europeans are not so wise. They only speak of such action2: they do nothing about it. They do worse: they destroy what is of real value to keep up the price of the real in terms of the fictitious value-the mere token gold, and its even more fictitious substitute, paper money. They lend the fictitious money to those in need of real (food, clothing, etc.) produced by themselves. Their piling loan on debt and debt on loan to maintain the " gold standard " is no less absurd and complicated than the Ptolemaic astronomers' "piling cycle on epicycle, orb on orb" to maintain the geocentric theory of astronomy. The " balance " referred to by Macdonald is as great a simplification of present-day finance as was the Copernican astronomy a simplification of the Ptolemaic. One has only to equate the surplus products of each country to its needs from other countries to work out from these equations a unit of value that is indissolubly linked with the life of man on earth and so incapable of falling, in less than a generation, to less than half its previous value, as our old pound sterling has done. Even the smallest unit-value quantity of any of the necessaries of life would be of more use to a millionaire in a desert than a bag of gold.-I am, etc.,


Measurement of proliferative responses of human lymphocytes is a fundamental technique for the assessment of their biological responses to various stimuli. Most simply, this involves measurement of the number of cells present in a culture before and after the addition of a stimulating agent. This unit contains several different prototype protocols to measure the proliferation response of lymphocytes following exposure to mitogens, antigens, allogeneic or autologous cells, or soluble factors. Each of these protocols can be used in conjunction with an accompanying support protocol which contains methods for pulsing cultures with [3H]thymidine and determining incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA. The protocols described here provide an estimate of DNA synthesis and cell proliferation in an entire cell population, but do not provide information on the proliferation of individual cells.


Abstract : The goal of model-based verification (MBV) is to reduce the number of defects. Like any other quality assurance (QA) technique, it is not equally efficient in every situation. It is critical to determine where and how to use MBV to achieve the largest impact in terms of the number and criticality of defects found with a reasonable amount of effort. This document provides guidance for defining the scope, formalism (approach and tools), and perspective for applying MBV. The critical (important or risky) aspects of the system and its development, including both programmatic and technical issues, drive these choices and form the basis for these guidelines.


A highly efficient CuBr-catalyzed coupling of ketones, amines and alkynes (KA(2)) forming propargylic amines bearing a quaternary carbon center with the broadest scope so far has been developed.


The notion of 'culture' as an essential attribute of individuals and groups, owed to national or ethnic background, is critiqued in this paper as unhelpful to the project of understanding how diverse participants in virtual learning environments (VLEs) individually and jointly construct a culture of interaction. An alternative conceptualisation of culture in VLEs is proposed, which views online discussion as just one of the sites in which the culture of a VLE is negotiated. Other sites are to be found in institutional practices of teaching and learning at a distance, and in the wider cultural narratives of the Internet. Examples from two online Masters courses in online and distance education are used to contextualise this concept of culture, exploring the differences in patterns of participation that are produced by contrasting institutional cultures, despite the fact that such participation is explicitly valorised as the means and the subject of the learning that goes on in both these courses. Some implications for the understanding and management of student diversity in these environments are considered, in particular the need for emerging cultural narratives around VLEs to reflect all aspects of student engagement in distance education, not just those which relate to online interaction.


Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC. often referred to as prsniparni by ayurvedic physicians in Kerala and Tamilnadu, is a member of the well known group of plants -dasamoola (roots of ten plants). It has been mentioned to have high therapeutic value in Ayurveda and it is used as a major ingredient in more than 68 ayurvedic formulations. The present study deals with the major variations observed in anatomical, physicochemical and phytochemical characters in D. gangeticum due to change in season and region. Phytochemical changes due to various seasons and different regions were studied by performing HPTLC densitometric quantification of lupeol in methanol extract of roots. Microscopic variation observed in the quantity of cell inclusions, number of fibers and wall thickness of lignified cells. Physicochemical parameters also showed variation. The percentage of lupeol was very low in young plants then increase with growth and maximum percentage of lupeol was observed in the flowering stage. In the case of geographical variation the quantity of lupeol was high in the roots collected from high altitude area and lowest in the ones collected from the plains. The study showed that as the seasonal variation is associated with the vegetative and reproductive stages of the plant, it has direct influence with the variation in chemical constituents of the plants. The region where the plants grow has also influence in the chemical constituents of the plants. Key-words: Desmodium gangeticum, prisniparni, dasamoola, physico-chemical, phytochemical, lupeol.


Experiments were designed to determine whether vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), reported to stimulate basal PRL secretion, affects PRL processing by lactotrophs. Initially, rat anterior pituitary quarters were incubated for 2 h with [3H]leucine, with and without 10(-5) M VIP, and immunoreactive and immunoprecipitable rPRL were measured during 56 mM KCl perifusion to determine total and 3H-labeled PRL, respectively. Inclusion of VIP increased immunoreactive PRL (P less than 0.05), decreased immunoprecipitable PRL (P less than 0.01), and, therefore, decreased the specific activity of labeled PRL (P less than 0.001). These results suggested an enhanced release of newly synthesized PRL before KCl depolarization, thus decreasing the release of labeled PRL. To discriminate between the two PRL pools, newly synthesized and storage, pituitary quarters were incubated with and without 10(-5) M VIP for 4 h with [14C]leucine, 2 h in cold medium and 2 h with [3H]leucine. Immunoprecipitable PRL was measured during perifusion with 56 mM KCl. Data were depicted as the 3H/14C disintegrations per min ratio of PRL released/3H/14C disintegrations per min of total tissue to account for any differences in tissue labeling. This ratio was greater for tissue labeled in the presence of VIP (P less than 0.002). To determine whether VIP, as a secretagogue, differentiates between the newly synthesized and storage pools, VIP was added after pulse chase, as previously described. No preferential release was observed between the two groups. Finally, using the same [3H]- and [14C]leucine-labeling protocol with and without 10(-5) M VIP, tissue was perifused with medium 199 for 1 h, with 10(-5) M TRH for 30 min, with medium 199 for 30 min, and with 56 mM KCl for 1 h. Inclusion of VIP increased the 3H/14C released/3H/14C total tissue ratio during basal perifusion (P less than 0.04) and TRH exposure (P less than 0.05). Within the control group, the TRH ratio was greater than basal (P less than 0.003). These experiments suggest that newly synthesized PRL is preferentially secreted over stored PRL from tissue incubated with VIP during pulse-chase labeling; however, addition of VIP as a secretagogue did not affect either PRL pool preferentially.


Abstract Staurosporine (STS) is a very potent broad-range kinase inhibitor, and its antiproliferative properties made it a lead compound for protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors with therapeutic potential. Because STS also causes hypotension, we investigated in this study whether it directly interferes with the terminal steps of aldosterone biosynthesis; these are catalysed by a mitochondrial steroid hydroxylase system consisting of adrenodoxin reductase, adrenodoxin, and the cytochrome P450 enzyme hCYP11B2 (aldosterone synthase). Here we demonstrate that nanomolar concentrations of STS significantly reduced aldosterone synthase activity in transiently transfected COS-1 cells and in stably transfected V79MZh11B2 cells (IC50=11 nM). However, STS did not inhibit bovine aldosterone synthase in a reconstituted steroid hydroxylation assay. In transiently transfected COS-1 cells, the protein level of adrenodoxin (but not that of adrenodoxin reductase or of hCYP11B2) was significantly reduced after treatment with 2 nM STS. Finally, we show that STS treatment (1 μg/day) of mice reduced their aldosterone/renin ratio by almost 50% (p=0.015). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a direct in vivo effect of STS on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. We conclude (i) that the hypotensive effect of staurosporine is at least partly due to inhibition of aldosterone biosynthesis via adrenodoxin depletion, and (ii) that aldosterone biosynthesis can be regulated in vivo at the level of adrenodoxin availability.


This book presents the application of a mathematical model in the process of decision-making on the subject of components supply of an APS (Advanced Planning System) production-programming model in a textile garment industry. This is the report of the Research Project: Information Technologies for the integration of manufacturing, with emphasis on production scheduling. The objective is to integrate and manage the manufacturing materials supply from the cutting process, having as a principle the sequencing criteria previously defined in the production programming model. The management occurs proactively, as the programmer identifies critical items of factory supply by making the necessary interventions. From the combination of supply and demand, the production management focuses on finding an overall increase in company productivity both by eliminating the lack of raw material in the manufacture process, and by minimizing the excess of cut material according to standard predetermined cutting setup types.


The development of communication devices, especially cellular phones has necessitated the advances of several portable and wearable technologies, such as Bluetooth headsets within wireless body area networks (WBAN). Such wearable devices use the human body as a communication channel; hence, a comprehensive understanding of the transmission mechanism between such devices is vital. This study presents an investigative study to characterise the electromagnetic transmission between a body-mounted Bluetooth headset antenna and a mobile phone handset antenna. Commercially used antennas have been used to study various factors affecting on-body communication links including handset-to-body separation and presence of blocking objects. A thorough numerical modelling, supported by the measurements, has been carried out to demonstrate the importance of surface waves in the on-body Bluetooth transmission.


Objectives : The object of this study is measuring energy (skin capacitance) distribution on the specific acupionts and analyzing change patterns of meridian energy according to time or synchronous time. Methods : To check energy distribution using the meridian energy measurement system(DMM-1000), ten specific acupoints(ST34, ST36, ST40, ST41, ST42, ST43, ST44, ST45, BL21, CV12) were chosen. We checked the energy distribution and analyzed the change patterns before and after meal. We checked the state of the energy of ST meridian which is considered to have relation to stomach organ activity. Based on the hypothesis regarding energy difference due to Qi flowing, we compared energy potential on 10 specific acupoints. Results and Conclusions : Electric energy of each specific acupoint was different according to subjects and time. Through this study, we proposed an indispensable condition of energy difference due to Qi flowing through meridian.


ABSTRACT To achieve China's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the development of the Internet economy has become an important choice for emission-reduction strategies, but the relevant emission-reduction mechanisms are still unclear. Accordingly, by constructing a system-generalized method of moments (system-GMM) approach following the STIRPAT framework, we explore the effect of the Internet economy on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through the mediating effect of traffic demand and the moderating effect of technological innovation using panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2006 to 2017. The results indicate that: (1) the Internet economy mitigates CO2 emissions in China; for example, a 1% increase in the Internet economy indexes causes a 0.135% decrease in CO2 emissions; (2) the development of the Internet economy has an indirect effect on CO2 emissions by decreasing traffic demand; (3) technological innovation is a favorable moderator that expands the direct and indirect emission-reduction effects of the Internet economy; and (4) the mitigating effect of the Internet economy on CO2 emissions is significant at the lower quantiles (i.e. 10th, 25th, and 50th), which suggests the Internet economy is a superior predictor of CO2 emissions.


This article reports the findings of a study that sought to investigate whether computer-based vs. paper-based test-delivery mode has an impact on the reliability and validity of an achievement test for a pedagogical content knowledge course in an English teacher education program. A total of 97 university students enrolled in the English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher education program were randomly assigned to the experimental group that took the computer-based achievement test online and the control group that took the same test in paper-and-pencil based format. Results of Spearman Rank order and Mann-Whitney U tests indicated that test-delivery mode did not have any impact on the reliability and validity of the tests administered in either way. Findings also demonstrated that there was not any significant difference in test scores between participants who took the computer-based test and those who took the paper-based test. Findings were discussed in terms of the idea that computer technology could be integrated into the curriculum not only for instructional practices but also for assessment purposes.


We present here a strategy for the preparation of nonsymmetrically substituted stilbenes using a one-pot two-step double Heck strategy. First a protocol is developed for the selective preparation of a range of styrenes using ethene as the alkene coupling partner. Then conditions are found for the effective coupling of the styrenes with aryl halides using a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio of the two components. The use of the microwave apparatus to perform the reactions offers a convenient method for synthesis as well as for safely, easily, and accurately loading vessels with gaseous reagents.


This paper reports the (13)C NMR characterization of functionalized MCM-41's and describes the chemistry that occurs in the pores of these materials in the process of forming gold nanoparticles. Nanoparticles formed on hexagonal mesoporous silica (MCM-41) by hydrogen reduction of chloroauric acid have little affinity for pure silica surfaces. The gold can be removed from the support with very mild treatment, for example, solvent extraction. The loss of gold from the substrate can be prevented using a pore functionalization methodology that entails synthesis of the silica containing polydentate amine functionality chemically bound in the mesopores. The synthetic scheme introduces solvents and templating reagents (surfactants) into the mesopores that are chemically reactive under the conditions required for gold particle formation. Extensive base-catalyzed elimination and nucleophilic substitution reactions involving the tetraalkylammonium surfactant occur during the reduction of chloroauric acid to gold.


With the nation's treaty obligations proliferating and foreign affairs cases taking up a growing share of the Supreme Court's docket, it is surprising how undertheorized the field of treaty interpretation remains. To fill this void, some have suggested that textualism, which has had a major impact on statutory interpretation over the past two decades, should be applied to treaty interpretation. This Note rebuts that notion and suggests instead that courts draw from modern contract theory in developing canons of treaty interpretation. AUTHOR. Yale Law School, J.D. zoo6; Harvard College, A.B. 20oo. The author wishes to thank Professor William N. Eskridge, Jr., for introducing him to the field of statutory interpretation and for advising the research project that led to this Note. He also wishes to thank Professor Akhil Amar, Aaron Crowell, Justin Florence, Kate Wiltenburg Todrys, and Kimberly Gahan for their comments on earlier drafts. Finally, he wishes to thank Rebecca Iverson Mahoney for all of her love and support.


Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are degenerative, musculoskeletal conditions associated with morphological and functional deformities. The etiology of TMD is considered multifactorial in nature and has been related to trauma, malocclusion, parafunctional habits such as bruxism, nail-biting, and non-nutritional sucking. The occurrence of TMD associated with parafunctional habits is in the ratio of women to men in 4:1. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between parafunctional habits and temporomandibular disorders among dental patients. In this retrospective study, 51 patients with TMD as cases and 51 patients without TMD as controls were included in the study. Presence of parafunctional habits like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, nail biting, lip biting and mouth breathing were assessed in both the groups using case sheets. Demographic details like age, gender were recorded. Excel tabulation and SPSS version 23 was used for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics was done to describe the age and gender of the study population and they were expressed in frequency and percentage. Chi-square t test was used to test the associations between parafunctional habits and TMD; age and parafunctional habits; gender and parafunctional habits and results obtained. In this study, of 102 patients, 54.90% were males and 45.10% were females and the 21-30 years age group had a maximum number of participants (50.98%). TMD was predominantly present (29.41%) in patients with parafunctional habits than in patients without parafunctional habits (22.55%) and the results were statistically significant. (p = 0.001). The association between age and parafunctional habits was statistically not significant (p>0.05). The association between gender and parafunctional habits was statistically not significant (p>0.05). Within the limits of the study, it is evident that there is a strong association between parafunctional habits and Temporomandibular disorders among the dental patients. Thus parafunctional habits can be considered as a risk factor for TMD. It was also observed that there was no significant association of age and gender of the patients with parafunctional habits.


Each year, hundreds of people go to hospital emergency rooms because of injuries related to space heaters. When clothing comes in contact with a heating element or flame it can catch fire. Leaking gas can cause explosions. Inhaling carbon monoxide from a malfunctioning, poorly vented, or unvented gas heater can cause death. This document is FCS5233-02, one of a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date: May 2002. Revised: December 2005.


Nasopharynx is a particular anatomic structure, located between the respiratory and digestive systems, and it is the geographic centre of all otorinolaringologic pathologies. Numerous filogenic, ontogenic and embryogenic factors contribute to the anatomic and physiologic structure of nasopharynx. These factors may directly contribute to the development of several pathologies, as the embryogenic pathology, or even in an indirect way, through the interaction with the environment, as the inflammatory and neoplastic pathologies, of which the nasopharyngeal carcinoma acquires great significance. The objective of this study was to endorse the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the study of nasopharynx, contributing to a wider knowledge about the different kinds of diseases associated with this anatomic structure.


Purpose
This study aims to focus on the development and upgrading of the Hagley Park cricket oval in Christchurch for the 2015 Cricket World Cup and how this hallmark event was used a catalyst to rebrand the city following the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on the findings from research conducted between 2012 and 2016. Data for the analysis were collected from mainstream media, sport organisations websites and government archives. In addition, a two-round series of semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders was undertaken in the aftermath of the Cricket World Cup.

Findings
In the case of Christchurch, the earthquakes and the destruction of much of the downtown provided a recovery opportunity, with the 2015 Cricket World Cup used to expedite the development of a new sporting venue in the city centre and rebrand the city to international tourists and sport enthusiasts.

Research limitations/implications
The Hagley Park cricket oval case study provides evidence on the rhetoric of urban competitiveness and the use of hallmark sporting events to reframe urban development in post-disaster contexts.

Originality/value
This research provides further evidence on the logics of disaster capitalism and how cities embark on costly redevelopment projects for sports and events whilst overlooking exacerbating vulnerabilities among the local community.


Adenosine is an extracellular signaling molecule that is generated in response to cell injury where it orchestrates tissue protection and repair. Whereas adenosine is best known for promoting anti-inflammatory activities during acute injury responses, prolonged elevations can enhance destructive tissue remodeling processes associated with chronic disease states. The generation of adenosine and the subsequent activation of the adenosine 2B receptor (A2BR) is an important processes in the regulation of both acute and chronic lung disease. The goal of this study was to examine the contribution of the A2BR in models of bleomycin-induced lung injury that exhibit varying degrees of acute and chronic injury. Intratracheal bleomycin exposure results in substantial acute lung injury followed by progressive fibrosis. In this model, genetic removal of the A2BR resulted in enhanced loss of barrier function and increased pulmonary inflammation, with few differences in indexes of pulmonary fibrosis. These results support an anti-inflammatory role for this receptor in this model of acute lung injury. In contrast, systemic exposure of mice to bleomycin resulted in modest acute lung injury together with progressive pulmonary fibrosis. In this model, the effects of A2BR removal on acute lung injury were negligible; however, there were substantial reductions in pulmonary fibrosis, supporting a profibrotic role for this receptor. A2BR-dependent regulation of IL-6 production was identified as a potential mechanism involved in the diminished pulmonary fibrosis seen in A2BR knockout mice exposed to i.p. bleomycin. These studies highlight the distinct roles of A2BR signaling during acute and chronic stages of lung injury.


This research, which is based on a sample of records from the former mental hospitals of Rome and Volterra, aims at giving an account of both the legal changes and the new perception of the individual. Spurred on by philosophical reflections and significant epistemological changes, around the 1960s there was an irreversible crisis of the traditional psychiatric paradigm based on the total objectification of the patient and on the impersonal and serial management of the "interned" population. This specific context has proved to be crucial because it is at the centre of different and contradictory philosophical reflections on the subject: 1) in the first place, the establishment of phenomenology which highlighted the central importance of the person identified with all the manifestations of his/her existence; 2) secondly, the vital importance of the psychology of the «rational man» and seeing human existence as a «presence in the world»; 3) furthermore the free acceptance of psychoanalysis with its emphasis on the fragmentation or the different manifestations of the ego; 4) finally, «the investigation of the human being», recalling Michel Foucault, a reflection which however would end up stressing devices for controlling the individual.


Hedging and boosting are significant communicative resources to construe and attain persuasion in different fields and particular genres of academic writing. They are both two sides of the same coin in the sense that they both contribute to the persuasive import of academic communication. Although boosting is a much less researched phenomenon than hedging, it is a key aspect of rhetorical persuasion in academic writing. This paper is devoted to the analysis of the use of boosters in a corpus of articles from three different disciplines (Marketing, Biology and Mechanical Engineering), and in this sense it is complementary to our previous article (Vazquez and Giner, 2008) in which we explored the use of epistemic markers used as hedges in the same corpus of RAs. Based on computer readable data, and combining quantitative and qualitative methods, the article argues that boosting deserves particular attention if we want to fully interpret the phenomenon of academic persuasion.


Mass balance and metabolism of formoterol were investigated in six healthy men in an open study. Mean age was 49.7 years (range: 40-63). Simultaneous oral (mean dose 88.6 nmol, 49.3 MBq) and i.v. (mean dose 38.2 nmol, 21.4 MBq) doses of tritium-labeled formoterol were administered. The combination of these two administrations was aimed at simulating the fate of inhaled formoterol. Total radioactivity was monitored for 24 h in blood plasma and for at least 4 days in urine and feces. Formoterol and metabolites were determined using liquid chromatography plus radiodetection, directly after centrifugation in urine and after sample workup in blood plasma and feces. Metabolites were identified in urine, sampled from two subjects, using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Mean total recovery was 86% of the administered formoterol dose, 62% in urine and 24% in feces. Tritiated water was generated and because its in vivo turnover is slow, the terminal decline of total radioactivity was slow and dose recovery was incomplete during the sampling period. Formoterol was conjugated to inactive glucuronides and a previously unidentified sulfate. The phenol glucuronide of formoterol was the main metabolite in urine. Formoterol was also O-demethylated and deformylated. Plasma exposure to these pharmacologically active metabolites was low. O-demethylated formoterol was seen mainly as inactive glucuronide conjugates and deformylated formoterol only as an inactive sulfate conjugate. Intact formoterol and O-demethylated formoterol dominated recovery in feces. Mean recovery of unidentified metabolites was 7. 0% in urine and 2.0% in feces.


Advances in analytical methods have enabled the detection of emerging contaminants at ever lower concentrations in freshwaters. However, such measurements need to be linked to effect-based assays to identify risks. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) forms part of a chemical's environmental risk assessment (ERA), and current regulatory testing guidelines to calculate fish BCFs use hundreds of fish per chemical. Due to ethical concerns a reduction in the numbers of animals used is desired, and there is a need to identify in vitro or in silico alternatives which meet regulatory acceptance. This study describes the successful demonstration of a FIsh Gill Cell culture System (FIGCS) to assess an often overlooked parameter in pharmacokinetics: the excretion of drugs across the gill. The FIGCS tolerates the application of natural waters on its apical surface, mimicking the situation of the live fish, and thus in combination with advanced analytical methods, offers an opportunity to take lab-based testing used for ERA, such as compound uptake, biotransformation or excretion directly into field for validation with natural waters. Here we used the basic drug propranolol and the acidic ibuprofen as a demonstration of the FIGCS utility in three separate experiments. Excretion across the apical membrane showed saturation kinetics, suggesting the involvement of carrier-mediated processes. Both propranolol and ibuprofen were excreted across the epithelium from the media (internal blood equivalent) to the water, with ibuprofen excretion being considerably slower than propranolol excretion. Further studies indicate that ibuprofen may be complexing with fetal bovine serum (FBS) reducing bioavailability; in contrast propranolol efflux rate was unaffected, indicating that drugs behave differently in the presence of FBS and other plasma proteins. A key issue in future ERA is to better understand the effects of mixtures of different pollutant classes found in environmental samples, and this model offers an ethical path to do this.


This narrative review evaluates translational research with respect to five important risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD): physical inactivity, high salt intake, smoking, diabetes and hypertension. We discuss the translational research around prevention of CKD and its complications both at the level of the general population, and at the level of those at high risk, i.e. people at increased risk for CKD or CKD complications. At the population level, all three lifestyle risk factors (physical inactivity, high salt intake and smoking) have been translated into implemented measures and clear population health improvements have been observed. At the 'high-risk' level, the lifestyle studies reviewed have tended to focus on the individual impact of specific interventions, and their wider implementation and impact on CKD practice are more difficult to establish. The treatment of both diabetes and hypertension appears to have improved, however the impact on CKD and CKD complications was not always clear. Future studies need to investigate the most effective translational interventions in low and middle income countries.


Despite consensus that neighborhoods influence children's outcomes, we know less about the mechanisms that cause neighborhood inequality and produce those outcomes. Existing research overlooks how social networks develop among people at similar points in the life course through repeated interactions in neighborhoods. Existing studies do not illuminate the ways in which these geographically based networks can influence life–altering decisions. In this article, we use qualitative interviews with White, middle–class parents in gentrifying neighborhoods in a large Northeastern city to examine how parents decided where to send their children to kindergarten. Parents reported relying heavily on information that they received from their network of other neighborhood parents whom they had befriended on the playground or at daycare in the course of their daily child–rearing routines. The daily routines of child rearing led to rich and important social networks. But tensions also emerged among parents as they made different decisions about where to send their children to kindergarten. By focusing on how life course stages affect how people use space and interact in neighborhood spaces, we can better understand how neighborhood spaces shape the decision–making process of school choice.


Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are units of measure for a particular profession that describe the professional's unique abilities and work. EPAs can be used in two ways: as a link between individual competencies for mastery and overall professional responsibilities in practice; and as a mechanism for faculty to assess the student's progression using levels of decreasing supervision. Currently used in medical education, implementation and utilization of EPAs within pharmacy education has potential benefits and challenges. This article will describe, highlight benefits of, and share mitigation strategies for implementing EPAs within pharmacy education.


The history of fragment-based drug discovery, with an emphasis on crystallographic methods, is sketched, illuminating various contributions, including our own, which preceded the industrial development of the method. Subsequently, the creation of the BMSC fragment cocktails library is described. The BMSC collection currently comprises 68 cocktails of 10 compounds that are shape-wise diverse. The utility of these cocktails for initiating lead discovery in structure-based drug design has been explored by soaking numerous protein crystals obtained by our MSGPP (Medical Structural Genomics of Pathogenic Protozoa) consortium. Details of the fragment selection and cocktail design procedures, as well as examples of the successes obtained are given. The BMSC Fragment Cocktail recipes are available free of charge and are in use in over 20 academic labs.


The incremental health risk for workers of the road-paving sector using rubberized asphalt was assessed based on the outcome of monitoring campaigns carried out during paving operations where both rubberized and standard asphalt were used. The exposure of workers to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) released in the asphalt fumes were measured by means of personal samplers and dermal sampling pads, followed by laboratory analysis. Based on monitoring data, the incremental cancer resulted significantly lower for rubberized asphalt in comparison with standard asphalt. The laboratory measurement of PAH released by the 2 asphalt mixtures to understand the cause of the observed difference and the PAH emission potential of rubberized and standard asphalt mixtures is undergoing.


On May 16, 1988, the National Cancer Institute issued a "Clinical Alert" that has generated considerable publicity regarding three clinical trials involving node-negative breast cancer patients who received either adjuvant chemotherapy or hormonal therapy vs observation only. These randomized prospective trials, conducted by the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast Project and the Intergroup Study (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, Southwest Oncology Group, and Cancer and Leukemia Group B), represent an important step in extending the use of systemic therapy to yet another subset of breast cancer patients. Unfortunately, the incomplete dissemination of information about these trials and the exaggerated interpretations of the results by the lay press and others have led to considerable confusion about specifically which node-negative breast cancer patients should receive postoperative chemotherapy or hormonal therapy as "standard treatment." For example, the New York Times (May 21, 1988) published a front-page article under the headline "Cancer Drug Therapy Urged for


The main objective of these studies was to determine the in vitro effects of prolactin (PRL) and testosterone (T) on steroidogenic function in post-ovulatory cumuli oophori containing unfertilised (ufCOCs) or fertilised (fCOCs) oocytes and to determine the differences between ufCOCs and fCOCs. In vivo, progesterone (P4) content was distinctly higher in isolated ampullae containing ufCOCs than in those containing fCOCs. Moreover, the expression of androgen (ARs) and prolactin (PRL-Rs) receptors was distinctly higher in ufCOCs than in fCOCs. Also, in vitro P4 profiles were generally higher in incubated ufCOCs, which had very high secretion rates of this steroid, especially after treatment with PRL+T. Testosterone significantly increased P4 levels only in incubated fCOCs, while the anti-androgen dihydroxyflutamide (2-Hf) markedly decreased P4 levels in both ufCOCs and fCOCs. Among post-incubation ufCOCs fertilised in vitro, the highest fertilisation rate was observed for oocytes in ufCOCs exposed to PRL+T, while those incubated with 2-Hf or T+2-Hf were not fertilisable. These studies establish differences in steroidogenic function and expression of ARs and PRL-Rs between post-ovulatory ufCOCs and fCOCs, with higher concentrations of P4 being observed in the microenvironment of ufCOCs. PRL+T stimulated P4 production by ufCOCs and increased in vitro fertilisation rate.


Abstract: Sediment deposition and resuspension of particulate material are key factors in the functioning of coastal ecosystems. This paper reports the results of a study from February 2001 to June 2002 of a rocky sublittoral sponge community influenced by seasonal sand deposition. The largest impacts on the assemblages were a reduction in diversity, losses and substitution of species, and a shift from a relatively mature and stable community to a more unstable, less diverse community dominated by encrusting species more adapted to the local environmental conditions. These observations are consistent with studies that show that morphological diversity of sponge communities decreases when perturbation increases. Encrusting sponges such as Microciona sp. and Spirastrella decumbens were the most abundant and persistent throughout the study, followed by boring sponges of the genus Cliona. Massive species such as Haliclona caerulea, massive branching species such as Mycale sp., and cushion-shaped species such as Callyspongia californica were present only before deposition events. The general fluctuation in the patterns was consistent with the environmental conditions in this bay; the results suggest that the changes in the sponge assemblages may be due partly to great fluctuations in sediment deposition produced by a change in the direction of the dominant winds (from north to south) during the transition from the drought to the rainy season. This change provoked an increase in sedimentation/resuspension (up to 13 kg·m-2·d-1 in May 2001) and water movement in the zone, which were key factors influencing the structure and composition of sponge assemblages.


The prime purpose of this paper is to investigate the motivating factors that make university students participate in classroom activities and these factors correlate with their learning and grades. Furthermore, the study tried to identify whether intrinsic motivational factors drove them more to be part of in-class activities or extrinsic motivational factors. The topic under consideration required a qualitative case study with an exploratory design to identify these factors. The study was based at a renowned private sector university in Karachi. The research study used a purposive sampling method and gathered data by conducting semi-structured short interviews of students and faculty with some probing on the answers. The results led to a list of factors such as pedagogy, motivation, role of faculty attitude, role of student attitude, and marks-driven motivation. The findings support the notion that extrinsic motivators play a significant role in class participation of students at the tertiary levels.


The aim of the current study was to investigate the pathogenesis of pituitary adenoma through screening of the differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) and proteins in normal pituitary and pituitary adenoma tissues, and analyzing the interactions among them. Following the acquisition of gene expression profiling data from a public functional genomics data repository, Gene Expression Omnibus, DEGs were screened in normal pituitary and pituitary adenoma tissues. Upregulated and downregulated DEGs were further identified through gene ontology functional enrichment analysis. Subsequently, the DEGs were mapped to the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database, and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks of the upregulated and downregulated DEGs were constructed. Finally, the functional modules of the PPI network of the downregulated DEGs were analyzed. In total, 211 upregulated and 413 downregulated DEGs were screened between the normal pituitary and pituitary adenoma samples. Downregulated DEGs were associated with certain functions, including the immune response, hormone regulation and cell proliferation. Upregulated genes were associated with cation transport functions. Five modules were acquired from the PPI network of the downregulated DEGs. Transcription factors, including signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), interleukin 6 (IL-6), B-cell lymphoma 6 protein, early growth response 1, POU1F1, jun B proto-oncogene and FOS were the core nodes in the functional modules. In summary, the DEGs and proteins were identified through screening gene expression profiling and PPI networks. The results of the present study indicated that low expression levels of hormone- and immune-related genes facilitated the occurrence of pituitary adenoma. Low expression levels of IL-6 and STAT3 were significant in the dysimmunity of pituitary adenoma. Furthermore, the low expression level of POU1F1 contributed to the reduction in pituitary hormone secretion.


To determine the main expression site of major yolk protein (MYP) gene and the mechanisms for adaptation to starvation and refeeding in Strongylocentrotus intermedius, MYP mRNA expression amounts were analysed using a real-time RT-PCR. The results showed that MYP could be transcribed in the intestine, stomach, gonad and coelomocytes, and that the intestine was the main expression site of MYP gene in non-starved urchins. The MYP synthesis in the intestine decreased during 15 days of starvation (67.70%, 52.58% and 71.35% of the control at 5, 10 and 15 days of fasting respectively) and then increased dramatically by different amounts (the peaks were 2.71-, 12.16- and 7.89-fold that of the control respectively) during the refeeding stages. Nevertheless, the expression amounts in the gonads did not decline, but increased continuously during all periods of fasting (2.66-, 3.72- and 13.19-fold that of the control at 5, 10 and 15 days of starvation respectively) and during the refeeding stages. At the end of the recovery feeding experiment, the levels reached 9.58-, 17.48- and 100.69-fold that of the control. These data suggested that the 'priority' strategy for the sea urchin is to reduce MYP expression amounts in the intestine if food is limited and to increase MYP gene expression in the gonad to protect reproductive function.


This publication is concerned with the development of a novel high sensitivity instability detection die for a laboratory size extruder. The high sensitivity detection system consists of piezoelectric transducers placed along the die length to monitor local pressure fluctuations, having temporal and pressure resolutions of up to ∆t ~ 10−3 s and ∆p ~ 10−5 bar, at a nominal pressure of 500 bar. The system is tested on short chain branched polyethylenes, namely on the detection and characterization of the sharkskin instability. It is shown that the determined instabilities are related to characteristic peaks in the corresponding in-situ pressure Fourier-transform spectra and that other peaks are caused by different, but defined, sources. The in situ results obtained are validated through optical image analysis of the instabilities. The implementation of high sensitivity detection systems on industrial processing equipment could lead to new methods for online process optimization, specifically maximum processing throughput at minimum energy consumption, and additionally in quality control.


The simultaneous realization of high efficiency, stable spectra, high color rendering index (CRI), and low-efficiency roll-off in a fluorescent white organic light-emitting diode (WOLED) still remains a big challenge. Here, we demonstrate high-performance conventional fluorescent-dopant-based WOLEDs by strategic management of singlet and triplet excitons within an efficient emissive zone. This design consists of two separated red/green sub-EMLs with ultralow doping concentration and a sandwiched sub-EML doped with red and green fluorescent dyes at a relatively high concentration, which can harness all electrogenerated excitons and reduce the energy loss to the utmost extent. Accordingly, the resulting WOLED realizes an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 18.2% with a maximum power efficiency of 44.6 lm W-1. At the practical luminance of 1000 cd m-2 for the lighting source, the EQE still remains as high as 16.2% with a CRI of 82 and stable color spectra. A comprehensive understanding of the device working mechanism is performed to guide design of efficient and stable fluorescent WOLEDs.


181 Background. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase activity, through cytokine and growth factor stimulation, is upregulated in ulcerative colitis and colon cancer, suggesting that the activation of EGFR is a response to colitis and colon cancer in humans. We previously presented that EGFR activation reverses TNF-mediated colon epithelial cell apoptosis. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that EGFR tyrosine kinase regulates cytokine-mediated colon epithelial cell survival. Method. Young adult mouse colon (YAMC) cells, colon cancer HT-29 cells, EGFR-null mouse colonic epithelial (EGFR-/-MCE) cells, and stable clonal cell lines expressing either wild-type (wt) or kinase-inactive (ki) EGFR were developed by transfecting EGFR-/-MCE cells with either wt or ki cDNA, and controls consisting of vector (v) only were used for these studies. Cells were treated with cytokines only, which include TNF (100 ng/ml), IL-1 (10 ng/ml) and IFN-γ (100 ng/ml), or in the presence of either a PI 3-kinase inhibitor (wortmannin 100 nM or LY294002 5 μM), MAP kinase inhibitor (U0126 10 μM), MMP inhibitor (GM6001 50μM or TAPI-1) or EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (AG1478 150 nM). Apoptosis and signal transduction pathway activation were determined by TUNEL staining and Western blot analysis, respectively. Results. In EGFR-/-MCE, ki and v cells, TNF induced apoptosis 3-, 5- fold compared to YAMC or wt cells. Furthermore treatment of YAMC or wt cells with TNF in the presence of the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor increased apoptosis 10-fold. Similarly, treatment of YAMC or wt cells with TNF failed to increase apoptosis except in the presence of either PI 3-kinase inhibitor, which increased the apoptotic response 10-fold. In the HT-29 cells, TNF enhanced apoptosis 10-fold in the presence of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, but not other cytokines, IL-1 and IFN-γ. Although treatment of YAMC and wt cells with TNF in the presence of U0126, blocked ERK1/2 MAP kinase activation, there was no induction of apoptosis. TNF stimulated AKT/PKB activation via EGFR tyrosine kinase activation in wt cells but not in ki or v cells, and this EGFR transactivation by TNF is blocked with either MMP inhibitor, suggesting TNF-stimulated EGFR transactivation abrogates TNF-induced intestinal cell apoptosis. Conclusion. Loss of EGFR signals and EGFR tyrosine kinase activity significantly increases TNF-initiated colon epithelial cell apoptosis and conversely, EGFR tyrosine kinase activation blocks TNF-induced apoptosis. These effects should be mediated through activation of the PI 3-kinase/AKT pathway. This novel observation has significant implications for understanding the role of EGFR regulation in maintaining intestinal epithelial cell homeostasis in an environment of chronic inflammation, injury and repair, such as inflammatory bowel disease and tumorigenesis.


Capital structure composition decisions are considered as very crucial for the overall success of firms. Lodging industry warrants an even greater emphasis on these decisions for the nature of this industry. This study empirically investigates the effect of credit availability on the leverage of large and small lodging firms in the United States using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). This study uses the Case-Schiller home price index to identify the three time points of differing credit availability to businesses in the United States. Leverage, net leverage, and short-to-long-term debt ratios of large and small U.S. lodging firms were analyzed at these differing credit availability time points to assess any significant differences. Significant effects of credit availability were found on the leverage and net leverage of both large and small lodging firms, but no significant effect was found on the short-to-long-term debt ratio of U.S. lodging firms. Interestingly, the leverage levels were found to be highest at the average availability of credit than when compared to the high and low availability of credit.


Electrostatic wave streamers are excited in an inhomogeneous plasma by a resonant disturbance generated by a mesh antenna biased with an oscillating signal. These low-frequency streamers are observed to move away from the mesh antenna through the under and overdense regions in the plasma. The average velocities of the downward and upward wave streamers are observed to be vd ≈ 2.51 × 105 × cm/s and vu ≈ 1.63 × 105 cm/s, respectively. Based on the order of the velocities of the wave streamers as that of the ion acoustic wave, we name them as ion acoustic wave streamers. Considering the flow of the ions in the plasma due to the density gradient, a theoretical model is developed that explains the nature and propagation characteristics of these experimentally observed streamers.


We address the problem of hyperspectral image (HSI) pixel partitioning using nearest neighbor - density-based (NN-DB) clustering methods. NN-DB methods are able to cluster objects without specifying the number of clusters to be found. Within the NN-DB approach, we focus on deterministic methods, e.g. ModeSeek, knnClust, and GWENN (standing for Graph WatershEd using Nearest Neighbors). These methods only require the availability of a k-nearest neighbor (kNN) graph based on a given distance metric. Recently, a new DB clustering method, called Density Peak Clustering (DPC), has received much attention, and kNN versions of it have quickly followed and showed their efficiency. However, NN-DB methods still suffer from the difficulty of obtaining the kNN graph due to the quadratic complexity with respect to the number of pixels. This is why GWENN was embedded into a multiresolution (MR) scheme to bypass the computation of the full kNN graph over the image pixels. In this communication, we propose to extent the MR-GWENN scheme on three aspects. Firstly, similarly to knnClust, the original labeling rule of GWENN is modified to account for local density values, in addition to the labels of previously processed objects. Secondly, we set up a modified NN search procedure within the MR scheme, in order to stabilize of the number of clusters found from the coarsest to the finest spatial resolution. Finally, we show that these extensions can be easily adapted to the three other NN-DB methods (ModeSeek, knnClust, knnDPC) for pixel clustering in large HSIs. Experiments are conducted to compare the four NN-DB methods for pixel clustering in HSIs. We show that NN-DB methods can outperform a classical clustering method such as fuzzy c-means (FCM), in terms of classification accuracy, relevance of found clusters, and clustering speed. Finally, we demonstrate the feasibility and evaluate the performances of NN-DB methods on a very large image acquired by our AISA Eagle hyperspectral imaging sensor.


Drawing on my experience as professor of Anthropology in Greece, this paper focuses on student practices like rote learning and plagiarism academics commonly consider inimical to meaningful learning, intellectual empowerment and the cultivation of critical independent thinking. In this paper I refrain from viewing such practices from the standard academic perspective according to which they must be eradicated, and try to appreciate them from the perspective of the students who engage in them. I suggest that they serve as means through which students navigate in and cope with the university environment, but they also provide a point of view from which the university appears as a setting within which the "bad habits" academics so despise are sensible and helpful.


Lifting wavelet is a useful method to analyze the abrupt signal because lifting wavelet can simultaneously show the local characteristic of time domain signal and frequency domain signal. The dynamic power quality disturbance in modern power supply can usually engender the fault signal such as voltage sag, voltage swell and voltage interruption. Lifting wavelet and Fourier transform are used respectively to detect these three fault signals of dynamic power quality disturbance. The simulation results show that lifting wavelet can accurately and effectively detect the singularity of fault signals, but Fourier transform fails to detect these fault signals. Lifting wavelet is a very good tool to detect the singularity of dynamic power quality disturbance.


Antithesis and rapidity mark the pattern inVihangA.Naik's poems with a complete correctness that deserves an amount of considerable appreciation. He had used imagery in a vivid and descriptive language to add an inner depth to his work. As a result, it appealed to the human senses deepening the reader's understanding of the work. He makes use of particular words that creates an emotional intensity in the reader's mind. Antithesis is a contrast or opposition either rhetorical or philosophical and this term was cultivated especially by Pope and other eighteenth century poets. In philosophy, an antithesis is a second argument or principle brought forward which sharply contrasts ideas that are juxtaposed in a balanced or parallel phrase structure. It is a literary device to put two contrasting ideas together and this emphasizes the difference between the two ideas and adds an interest to writing. His poetic world consists of antithetical statements that have been part of our everyday speech and are profoundly employed in the arguments and discussions in his poems. He had employed it in not only sentences but also in modern society and events. This paper mainly deals on the fact upon how he had used it extensively by equally showing the good and the bad facets of city life. He occupies a distinctive position as a poet and his poems involve contemplation or absorption into spirituality in respect to modern life, much beyond the earthly vision or the worldly understanding. He reflects upon the mind that has been lost in thematerialistic pursuit of the world. His simple theme of city life is expressed with stark sincerity and his influence upon the reader is immense and builds up an emotion that compass his poetic style by introducing a new range of experiences in city life.


Despite an extensive research base in the domain of analyses for academic writing, a study of how pedagogic perceptions are revealed in students' actual writing performance is relatively an under-researched area. This study aimed at finding out the relationships between teachers' beliefs and textual evidence in regard to students' use of cohesion in academic writing. Structured questionnaire and open-ended interviews were used to gauge teachers' perceptions about the subject. Cohesion analysis of the samples of students' academic essays was performed and collated with the teachers' perceptions. The results revealed statistically significant correlations between pedagogic perceptions as well as between textual manifestations of cohesion use in the sample texts. Both agreement and disagreement were observed between what teachers believed about students' ability to use cohesion as a text-forming resource and the textual analysis of cohesion. The study proposes a review of pedagogic practices with focus on academic writing literacy as well as a further research initiative with a larger sample to conduct a micro-level analysis of cohesion to be collated with both teachers' and students' beliefs.