Abstract. Seasonality is ubiquitous in nature, and it is closely linked to water quality, ecology, hydrological extremes, and water resources management.
Hydrological signatures aim at extracting information about certain aspects of hydrological behaviour. Commonly used seasonal hydro-climatological signatures consider climate or streamflow seasonality, but they do not consider how climate seasonality translates into streamflow seasonality. In order to analyse the translation of seasonal climate input (precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration) into seasonal catchment output (streamflow), we represent the two time series by their seasonal (annual) Fourier mode, i.e. by sine waves. A catchment alters the input sine wave by reducing its amplitude and by shifting its phase. We propose to use these quantities, the amplitude ratio and the phase shift, as seasonal hydrological signatures. We present analytical solutions describing the response of linear reservoirs to periodic forcing to interpret the seasonal signatures in terms of configurations of linear reservoirs. Using data from the UK and the US, we show that the seasonal signatures exhibit hydrologically interpretable patterns and that they are a function of both climate and catchment attributes. Wet, rather impermeable catchments hardly attenuate the seasonal climate input. Drier catchments, especially if underlain by a productive aquifer, strongly attenuate the input sine wave leading to phase shifts up to several months. As an example application, we test whether two commonly used hydrological models (Identification of unit Hydrographs and Component flows from Rainfall, Evaporation and Streamflow – IHACRES; modèle du Génie Rural à 4 paramètres Journalier – GR4J) can reproduce the observed ranges of seasonal signatures in the UK. The results show that the seasonal signatures have the potential to be useful for catchment classification, predictions in ungauged catchments, and model building and evaluation. The use of potential evapotranspiration in the input restricts the applicability of the signatures to energy-limited (humid) catchments.


The high cost of labeling data for analysis has increased interest in semi-supervised learning. One of its most common types is constrained clustering, which is a type of learning that does not rely on class labels for a group of objects. Instead, there is only information if some pairs of objects must be in the same cluster or in different clusters. In some applications, identifying such constraints involves reduced cost since it is less information than a class label. At the same time, Active Learning (AL) aims to minimize the cost of creating labeled datasets, trying to identify which unlabeled data are more relevant for using during the learning process, considering the labels that are already available. This paper proposes three AL strategies to an evolutionary constrained clustering algorithm (FIECE-EM) based on Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM). Experiments were executed on 10 well-known datasets, as a way to measure the impacts of each strategy. We compare the results with baseline supervised algorithms as well as COBRAS, a state-of-the-art Active Learning algorithm for constrained clustering. Two of the proposed strategies obtained significantly better results than COBRAS in our empirical evaluation. Thus, the combination of FIECE-EM with these strategies can be considered viable alternatives for AL in a constrained clustering setting.


Line × tester analysis involving 15 lines and 4 testers in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) was carried out to access combining ability and heterosis with respect to latex yield and related components. The significance of GCA and SCA variances was evident from mean squares of all the seven traits indicating that additive as well as non-additive genes controlled the traits, yet additive genes were more important than the dominant genes for latex yield because variance due to GCA was higher than that of SCA. Among the female lines, I.S.41, SPS-32, SPS-45 and among testers T2 were better general combiner for latex yield and most other important traits. The hybrid SL11 (I.S.41) × T3 with highest SCA effect followed by SL15 (3004A) × T2 were better for latex yield. The line I.S.30 and I.S.44 having high negative GCA effect were important for dwarfness. The GCA effect of line I.S.41 was better for earliness and latex yield. The GCA effect of line SPS-45 was high for number of capsule and I.S.16 for less number capsule. The negative GCA effect of line I.S.44 was responsible for short plant height and peduncle length. The hybrid SL4 (I.S.5) × T2 was having high SCA effect for capsule index and negative GCA for line 3004A. The SCA effect for flower initiation for cross SL8 (I.S.16) × T2, SL11 (I.S.41) × T2 for days to flower, GCA effect for lines SPS-24, SPS-36 and IS-5 for days to flower may be useful material for earliness. The high useful SCA effect for dwarfness was in cross SL8 (I.S.16) × T2 and SL8 (I.S.16) × T4 for tallness. The parents involved in hybrid as promising were high × poor SL11 (I.S.41) × T3 and poor × high SL15 (3004A) × T2 for latex yield and for its component character were medium × high, medium × medium and medium × poor. The non additive (dominance) variance was higher than additive variance for flower initiation, days to flower, plant height; but additive higher for latex yield. Heritability was not much high in most of the traits expect flower initiation and genetic advance also medium to poor in most of the traits. Transgressive breeding may not be useful; heterosis breeding may be better choice. Multiple or reciprocal recurrent crossing which exploit both additive and non additive gene effects may be useful for genetic improvement of studied characters. Breeding methods i.e. bi-parental mating and or diallel selective mating, which accumulate favourable genes in homozygous state or helps in breaking linkage blocks, generating maximum variability for further selection, may be used in such situation in opium poppy.


Context: The importance of feature modeling languages for software product lines and the planning stage for a systematic literature review. Objective: A protocol for carrying out a systematic literature review about the evidence for identifying and classifying the errors in feature modeling languages. Method: The definition of a protocol to conduct a systematic literature review according to the guidelines of B. Kitchenham. Results: A validated protocol to conduct a systematic literature review. Conclusions: A proposal for the protocol definition of a systematic literature review about the identification and classification of errors in feature modeling was built. Initial results show that the effects and results for solving these errors should be carried out.


Based on the author's forty years of teaching experience, this unique textbook covers both basic and advanced concepts of optimization theory and methods for process systems engineers. Topics covered include continuous, discrete and logic optimization (linear, nonlinear, mixed-integer and generalized disjunctive programming), optimization under uncertainty (stochastic programming and flexibility analysis), and decomposition techniques (Lagrangean and Benders decomposition). Assuming only a basic background in calculus and linear algebra, it enables easy understanding of mathematical reasoning, and numerous examples throughout illustrate key concepts and algorithms. End-of-chapter exercises involving theoretical derivations and small numerical problems, as well as in modeling systems like GAMS, enhance understanding and help put knowledge into practice. Accompanied by two appendices containing web links to modeling systems and models related to applications in PSE, this is an essential text for single-semester, graduate courses in process systems engineering in departments of chemical engineering.


This study tested the effect of relationship marketing investment and shared values to trust, and also tested the effect of trust on intentions of prospective donors to donation. Thus, this study examines the role of trust in relationship marketing in nonprofit organizations. Data was collected using questionnaires from 124 respondents in the form of prospective donor in badan/lembaga amil zakat. Analytical techniques used to examine the relationships between research constructs in the form of shared values, relationship marketing investment, trust and intentions to donate was the technique of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results showed that the shared values affecting trust of the prospective donor in badan/lembaga amil zakat. This study also proves that the trust has a positive effect on intention prospective donors to donation.


Landscape influences fauna movement at different levels, from habitat selection to choices of movements' direction. Our goal is to provide a development frame in order to test simulation functions for animal's movement. We describe our approach for such simulations and we compare two types of functions to calculate trajectories. To do so, we first modelled the role of landscape elements to differentiate between elements that facilitate movements and the ones being hindrances. Different influences are identified depending on landscape elements and on animal species. Knowledge were gathered from ecologists, literature and observation datasets. Second, we analysed the description of animal movement recorded with GPS at fine scale, corresponding to high temporal frequency and good location accuracy. Analysing this type of data provides information on the relation between landscape features and movements. We implemented an agent-based simulation approach to calculate potential trajectories constrained by the spatial environment and individual's behaviour. We tested two functions that consider space differently: one function takes into account the geometry and the types of landscape elements and one cost function sums up the spatial surroundings of an individual. Results highlight the fact that the cost function exaggerates the distances travelled by an individual and simplifies movement patterns. The geometry accurate function represents a good bottom-up approach for discovering interesting areas or obstacles for movements.


Situation awareness (SA) is defined as one's perception of the elements of the environment, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future. The concept of SA is well known in the aviation industry, which is characterized by complexity and dynamism. The discipline of anesthesia shares these same environmental characteristics, yet the study of SA in this setting is in its infancy. Guided by Endsley's theory of SA, the purpose of this study was to provide educators with a best-evidence predictor model of SA in student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs). Seventy-one SRNAs were randomly selected from 3 US universities. A nonexperimental, correlational design and multiple regression analysis were used to measure the relationship between memory, cognition, and automaticity and SA. Findings from this study reveal cognition as the best predictor of SA in graduate SRNAs, with the addition of memory and automaticity contributing no additional predictive value to the model. The results of this study have the potential to make a positive impact on the admission, education, and training of SRNAs. This study contributes evidence for further research examining the use of high-fidelity simulation in promoting SA in SRNAs.


: Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are capable of converting multiple near-infrared (NIR) photons into shorter-wavelength one by utilizing real long-lived, ladder-like energy levels of lanthanide ions. Such unique anti-Stokes emissions are immune to the auto-fluorescence background interference and derive from moderate irradiation compared to conventional multi-photon fluorescence, ideally suitable for imaging applications, coupled with improved imaging depth by NIR excitation light, excellent photostability, multicolor sharp-band emissions and tunable long emission lifetimes. However, the critical concentration quenching on upconversion luminescence (UCL) generally observed in UCNPs sets barriers to obtain bright high doping UCNPs at low excitation power density, which hampers this promising luminescence probe applying to long-term live cell imaging. We explore the mechanism of Tm 3+ concentration quenching from ensemble and single-particle levels to design the new generation sub-25-nm ultra-bright highly Tm 3+ -doped UCNPs for high-contrast imaging at limited excitation power density condition. This achievement provides a new strategy for developing small-sized bright highly activator-doped UCNPs and will broaden the applications of UCNPs in microscopic imaging.


"The scientific and technological progress registered in the last decades has contributed to the development of radars with supreme radar detection abilities to better detect the air attack means of the enemy. These means, in turn, have contributed to the improvement of the parameters of the airborne surveillance systems in order to detect and to counter aerial threats. The structural and functional dynamics of the aerial surveillance systems have pursued continuous adaptation to the complexity of the battlefield environment in modern warfare, ensuring the information necessary for the coherent and effective engagement of forces in the conduct of military operations."


This paper is based on an ongoing multi-participant study which focuses on the development of concepts for unmanned or "Normally Unattended Installations" (NUIs) that can be used for the economic recovery of stranded oil and gas reserves considered too small for traditional floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels, and too far away from existing facilities for tie-backs.
 The primary objective of the study is to apply existing technologies in novel ways and to utilize recent advances in digitalization to develop low manning concepts by facilitating remote control, remote monitoring, and reducing maintenance requirements. The study engaged key technology vendors and operators, who provided operational expertise and defined future operation philosophies. Concepts are being validated by classification societies, yards and installation contractors.
 The specific NUI concept explored in this paper is an unmanned production buoy that proved to be technically and economically feasible for the recovery of small hydrocarbon pools in deeper water. The case study is a realistic approximation of a small deepwater offshore development in the North Sea, however, it is not based on any specific prospect. The case study Basis of Design (BoD) has been defined to cover a range of API gravities, ensuring that the resultant topsides design concept is robust and applicable to a range of real field developments in the future without significant re-configuration.
 The study into the technical and economic feasibility of the unmanned production buoy considered alternatives for gas compression, treatment, separation; heating and cooling, power generation, automation systems, and digitalization. This paper presents the outcomes with respect to production buoy design, operating philosophy, automation and digitalization.


The purposes of this study were to investigate the factors that influence academic staff at Rajamangala University of Technology Suvarnabumi (RMUTSB) to stay or leave the university, and to create a retention strategy model. This study applied a mixed methods research design. The participants, for both quantitative and qualitative methods, were randomly selected from academic staff working at four campuses. The researcher generated a questionnaire to obtain a quantitative representation of the data. There were 191 respondents who were 82.33% of all the University's academic staff. Next, the researcher supplemented the quantitative data using in-depth interviews of 16 participants. Based on manual coding, there were 7 categories which were important criteria for staff in their decision to stay at or resign from RMUSTB. The retention strategy created from the quantitative data and supplemented by the qualitative data included four main components: (1) Benefits; (2) Organizational Culture; (3) Personal Satisfaction; and (4) Strategy. This study drew two implications: (1) Practical implications and guidelines for the university and campuses administrators and (2) Practical implications for educational policy makers. Keywords : Retention, Turnover, Job Satisfaction, Retention Strategy, Academic Staff, Higher Education


This study is devoted to iconographic types of presentations of the martyrdom of St. Demetrios in post-Byzantine art, but it also includes later examples from the 18th and the 19th centuries, when the scene was entirely simplified. It also discusses the inclusion of presentations of the death of St. Demetrios in other iconographic cycles, as well as its significance for the iconographic formulae in presentations of the death of some other saints.


As the disparity between compute and I/O on high-performance computing systems has continued to widen, it has become increasingly difficult to perform post-hoc data analytics on full-resolution scientific simulation data due to the high I/O cost. Error-bounded data decomposition and progressive data retrieval framework has recently been developed to address such a challenge by performing data decomposition before storage and reading only part of the decomposed data when necessary. However, the performance of the progressive retrieval framework has been suffering from the over-pessimistic error control theory, such that the achieved maximum error of recomposed data is significantly lower than the required error. Therefore, more data than required is fetched for recomposition, incurring additional I/O overhead. In order to tackle this issue, we propose a DNN-based progressive retrieval framework that can better identify the minimum amount of data to be retrieved. Our contributions are as follows: 1) We provide an in-depth investigation of the recently developed progressive retrieval framework; 2) We propose two designs of prediction models (named D-MGARD and E-MGARD) to estimate the amount of retrieved data size based on error bounds. 3) We evaluate our proposed solutions using scientific datasets generated by real-world simulations from two domains. Evaluation results demonstrate the effectiveness of our solution in accurately predicting the amount of retrieval data size, as well as the advantages of our solution over the traditional approach to reducing the I/O overhead. Based on our evaluation, our solution is shown to read significantly less data (5% - 40% with D-MGARD, 20% - 80% with E-MGARD).


The most discernible and devastating impacts of climate change are caused by events with temporary extreme conditions ("extreme events") or abrupt shifts to a new persistent climate state ("tipping points"). The rapidly growing amount of data from models and observations poses the challenge to reliably detect where, when, why, and how these events occur. This situation calls for data-mining approaches that can detect and diagnose events in an automatic and reproducible way. Here, we apply a new strategy to this task by generalizing the classical machine-vision problem of detecting edges in 2D images to many dimensions (including time). Our edge detector identifies abrupt or extreme climate events in spatiotemporal data, quantifies their abruptness (or extremeness), and provides diagnostics that help one to understand the causes of these shifts. We also publish a comprehensive toolset of code that is documented and free to use. We document the performance of the new edge detector by analyzing several datasets of observations and models. In particular, we apply it to all monthly 2D variables of the RCP8.5 scenario of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). More than half of all simulations show abrupt shifts of more than 4 standard deviations on a time scale of 10 years. These shifts are mostly related to the loss of sea ice and permafrost in the Arctic. Our results demonstrate that the edge detector is particularly useful to scan large datasets in an efficient way, for example multimodel or perturbed-physics ensembles. It can thus help to reveal hidden "climate surprises" and to assess the uncertainties of dangerous climate events.


This paper explores the possibility of improving navigation solutions and easing integration requirements by using non-linear filters based on direct solutions-to the GPS equations. An alternative approach to navigation with GPS and integration of GPS with other sensor systems is discussed. This two-stage method is based on the use of statistical point estimation. After discussing the underlying concept of two-stage estimation, problems encountered in the statistics of point estimation of position and bias from GPS solutions are surveyed. This is followed by a presentation of a closed form maximum likelihood estimator for position and bias based on the assumption of Gaussian errors. To the authors' knowledge, this MLE algorithm has not previously been published. Applications to the integration of the GPS with the INS are presented.<<ETX>>


This paper proposes a navigation algorithm that provides a low-latency solution while estimating the full nonlinear navigation state. Our approach uses Sliding-Window Factor Graphs, which extend existing incremental smoothing methods to operate on the subset of measurements and states that exist inside a sliding time window. We split the estimation into a fast short-term smoother, a slower but fully global smoother, and a shared map of 3D landmarks. A novel three-stage visual feature model is presented that takes advantage of both smoothers to optimize the 3D landmark map, while minimizing the computation required for processing tracked features in the short-term smoother. This three-stage model is formulated based on the maturity of the estimation of the 3D location of the underlying landmark in the map. Long-range associations are used as global measurements from matured landmarks in the short-term smoother and loop closure constraints in the long-term smoother. Experimental results demonstrate our approach provides highly-accurate solutions on large-scale real data sets using multiple sensors in GPS-denied settings.


Brazil has witnessed dramatic progress towards eliminating child labour and achieving universal basic school enrolment in the last two decades. Indeed, in the period from 1992 to 2009, economic activity among 7-15 year-olds fell by more than half, from 18 percent to less than seven percent, while school attendance rose from 85 percent to 97 percent. What were the factors underlying this success? Was it driven primarily by policy? And, if so, which policies were most influential? Or, alternatively, was the progress more a product of demographic trends, or of broader changes in the Brazilian macro-economy and labour market? The current report takes up these questions using data from the multi-year Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicilios (PNAD) survey programme. It looks in detail at trends in child labour and schooling over the 1992-2008 period, and analyses the reasons behind these trends, in an attempt to draw concrete policy lessons from the Brazilian experience applicable in countries lagging behind in terms of child labour elimination efforts.


Background: Recent studies have indicated that the risk associated with tamoxifen may be substantially higher for uterine malignant mixed müllerian tumors and uterine sarcomas. Case: We present 2 cases of ovarian carcinosarcomas in patients with a personal history of breast carcinoma who were treated for a prolonged period with tamoxifen. Conclusions: To our knowledge, these 2 cases are the first to describe the possible association between ovarian carcinosarcomas and previous personal and familial history of breast carcinoma and\or prolonged use of tamoxifen. These cases may suggest that like in the uterus, tamoxifen has a possible delayed effect, which might be responsible for the formation of aggressive tumors of unclear pathogenesis in the ovaries.


A case is reported of a 20-year-old woman with generalized severe gingival overgrowth covering almost all of the teeth with diastemata, diagnosed as idiopathic gingival fibromatosis. After initial therapy, the patient underwent surgery consisting of a full-mouth internal beveled gingivectomy. Postoperatively, the maxillary anterior teeth spontaneously moved to almost optimal positions. Removing the cause by gingivectomy can lead to spontaneous correction of the pathologic tooth migration. With supportive periodontal treatment, the patient showed no recurrence of gingival enlargement or repositioning of the teeth at the 5-year follow-up.


Four studies investigated the prefactual (alternative preoutcome predictions) and counterfactual (alternative postoutcome "what might have beens") mental simulations of defensive pessimists and optimists. In Study 1, defensive pessimists engaged in upward (better than expected) prefactual thinking, whereas optimists engaged in downward (worse than actuality) counterfactual thinking in reaction to a course exam. In Study 2, defensive pessimists preferred upward prefactual thinking and optimists preferred no prefactual thinking when prefactual thoughts were directly manipulated. In Studies 3 and 4, defensive pessimists and optimists differed in reactions to manipulated success and failure, and these reactions were further moderated by the opportunity to engage in prefactual thinking and the possibility of a second try. Individual differences in strategies of prefactual and counterfactual thinking are discussed.


This paper evaluates the outcomes from an ambitious wildflower harvesting programme in South Africa's Western Cape, which has sought to achieve positive outcomes in terms of socio-economic development and biodiversity conservation. Indigenous wildflowers, harvested according to conservation principles, are processed into 'Cape Flora' bouquets and sold into international and domestic markets. The principal supply chain provides an example of ethical trade due to the explicit environmental and social standards that are required at local sites of production. The incorporation of such standards represents an attempt to engender economic and social upgrading within the value chain. In this sense, the programme is consistent with dominant policy discourses, which suggest that exploiting potentially profitable niches within international trade flows represents a 'high road' to economic growth and transformation. The paper focuses upon the job creation and social impacts of the programme in the context of efforts to overcome South Africa's deeply entrenched socio-economic disparities and high poverty levels. Despite impressive growth in production and exports during the global financial crisis, there have been mixed outcomes in terms of benefits to stakeholders at the upstream end of the supply chain. The paper concludes by considering the extent to which local initiatives operating under the framework of ethical trade possess the potential to facilitate effective social and economic upgrading.


The article concerns itself with the assessment of leadership abilities in young, urban adults in North Dakota. The perceived leadership skills of young, urban, North Dakotans was deemed the decisive factor for the continued future of communities. This study used a written survey to cull their data. Those areas of their perceived strengths and weaknesses are reviewed. Also, how these impact communities.


A series of 14 primary and two metastatic rat rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) induced with nickel sulfide was studied by light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, indirect immunofluorescence, avidin-biotin-peroxidase immunohistochemistry and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Monoclonal or affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies were used for the immunohistochemical demonstration of vimentin, desmin, alpha-smooth muscle (alpha-sm) actin and alpha-sarcomeric (alpha-sr) actin. By histological and ultrastructural studies, four categories of RMS were diagnosed on the basis of the neoplastic cell types. These were: (1) well-differentiated RMS (n = 2), (2) pleomorphic RMS (n = 8), (3) embryonal RMS (n = 4), and (4) embryonal myosarcomas (n = 2). Immunohistochemically, all these neoplasms expressed desmin and alpha-sr actin, reflecting their rhabdomyoblastic origin. Two dimensional gel electrophoresis performed on five neoplasms demonstrated alpha, beta and gamma actins spots in all cases. This study demonstrates that the alpha-sr actin antibody represents a good marker for rhabdomyoblastic differentiation is useful in the diagnosis of RMS since it was present in all morphologically confirmed RMS and in two ultrastructurally undifferentiated sarcomas positive for desmin. Neoplastic cells positive for alpha-sm actin were noted in 11 confirmed RMS. Double indirect immunofluorescence showed that all alpha-sm and alpha-sr positive cells also contained desmin. Co-expression of alpha-sr and alpha-sm actins was studied in serial sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissue. Both alpha-sm and alpha-sr actins were localized in some rhabdomyoblasts. This study confirms our previous observations in human tumors and shows, for the first time, that alpha-sr and alpha-sm actins can be present in the same neoplastic cell in vivo.


Robertsonian translocation is a rare event out of which maternally inherited ROBS is about 1%. Maternally inherited Robertsonian Translocations (14; 21) have not been reported from North East India. A female baby was born with sluggish reflexes, flat occiput and facial dysmorphism. In suspection of chromosomal abnormality the baby was subjected to cytogenetic evaluation at our lab. Age of the mother and father of the baby was 28 years and 33 years respectively. The baby was the first child of the parents. Parents were phenotypically normal. After karyotype of the baby was found to be 46, XX, t (14; 21) (q10:q10) and the karyotype of the mother was found to have 45, XX, t(14;21) (q10:q10) whereas her father was cytogenetically normal i.e. 46, XY. The heterozygous carrier for ROBs is phenotypically normal though the total number of chromosomes may be 45 but they can transmit the translocation to their baby along with an extra copy of 21 chromosome resulting in unbalanced translocation. This is supported by the present case as the baby had a karyotype of 46, XX, t (14; 21) (q10:q10) and her mother had a karyotype of 45, XX, t (14; 21) (q10:q10). ROBs may be sporadic or familial. In familial cases one of the parents is a carrier of balanced translocation. If such translocations are seen in the mother the recurrence rate of an unbalanced trisomy child is much higher compared to translocations of paternal origin.


The Police and Magistrates' Courts' Act (1994) is intended to give substantial new powers to local police authorities (LPAs). These bodies will be made responsible for developing local objectives and planning and monitoring police activity thereafter. Additionally it is intended that the LPA will in due course be made responsible for introducing fixed term appointments for chief officers. The FTAs, which will be effective for periods of between four and ten years, may alter the relationship between chief officer and police authority. This is because the LPA of the future is clearly expected to make a judgement about contract renewal, at least in part, upon the basis of performance and the extent to which local and national targets have been reached by the police force.


An architecture is proposed for data-intensive services enabled by next generation dynamic optical networks. The architecture supports new data communication services that allow for coordinating extremely large sets of distributed data. The architecture allows for novel features including algorithms for optimizing and scheduling data transfers, methods for allocating and scheduling network resources, and an intelligent middleware platform that is capable of interfacing application level services to the underlying optical technologies. The significance of the architecture is twofold: 1) it encapsulates "optical network resources" into a service framework to support dynamically provisioned and advance scheduled data-intensive transport services, and 2) it establishes a generalized enabling framework for intelligent services and applications over next generation networks, not necessarily optical end-to-end. DWDM-RAM is an implementation version of the architecture, which is conceptual as well as experimental. This architecture has been implemented in prototype on OMNInet, which is an advanced experimental metro area optical testbed that is based on novel architecture, protocols, control plane services (optical dynamic intelligent network-ODIN), and advanced photonic components. This paper presents the concepts behind the DWDM-RAM architecture and its design. The paper also describes an application scenario using the architecture's data transfer service and network resource services over the agile OMNInet testbed.


To determine the accuracy of foot position sense in the means of foot placement, young adults were asked to place either medial edge or lateral edge of their feet along the base line on the floor as close as possible, and the edge of placed feet were scanned by using laser displacement gauge. From the collected data, constant error, the distances between the edge of placed feet and the base line on the floor, and absolute error, the absolute distances between the edge of placed feet and the base line on the floor were defined and compared between the medial or lateral trials, and dominant leg or indominant leg. The statistical analysis showed significant differences of constant error between the trials only. The trials to place their medial edge tend to place their feet away from the base line, and the trials to place their lateral edge tend to place their feet in to the base line. These results indicate that we tend to expect the position of our feet more medially than actual, and these discrepancy may be one of a reasons of tripping or banging of our feet to the obstacles while walking.


CONTEXT
Respiratory dysfunction is a component of every organ failure scoring system developed, reflecting the significance of the lung in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. However, existing systems do not reflect current practice and are not consistently evidence based.

OBJECTIVE
We aimed to review the literature to identify the components of respiratory failure associated with outcomes in children, with the purpose of developing an operational and evidence-based definition of respiratory dysfunction.

DATA SOURCES
Electronic searches of PubMed and Embase were conducted from 1992 to January 2020 by using a combination of medical subject heading terms and text words to define respiratory dysfunction, critical illness, and outcomes.

STUDY SELECTION
We included studies of critically ill children with respiratory dysfunction that evaluated the performance of metrics of respiratory dysfunction and their association with patient-centered outcomes. Studies in adults, studies in premature infants (≤36 weeks' gestational age), animal studies, reviews and commentaries, case series with sample sizes ≤10, and studies not published in English in which we were unable to determine eligibility criteria were excluded.

DATA EXTRACTION
Data were abstracted into a standard data extraction form.

RESULTS
We provided binary (no or yes) and graded (no, nonsevere, or severe) definitions of respiratory dysfunction, prioritizing oxygenation and respiratory support. The proposed criteria were approved by 82% of members in the first round, with a score of 8 of 9 (interquartile range 7-8).

LIMITATIONS
Exclusion of non-English publications, heterogeneity across the pediatric age range, small sample sizes, and incomplete handling of confounders are limitations.

CONCLUSIONS
We propose definitions for respiratory dysfunction in critically ill children after an exhaustive literature review.


In an earlier period it was shown that an ovarian hormone interacting with hereditary factors is responsible for the development of mammary gland carcinoma in mice. It was shown, furthermore, that the number and age of the mice so affected depend in a quantitative manner on the length of time during which the hormone has a chance to act on the recipient tissue, or, expressed differently, on the total quantity of hormone given off during this period. By diminishing this time and the quantity of hormone, the incidence of tumors can be diminished proportionately, and if a certain threshold has been reached the appearance of tumors can be prevented altogether. Strains and families of mice can be separated, which, in accordance with their hereditary characteristics, respond with very unequal readiness to approximately the same quantity of hormone. An analysis of the sexual cycle made it appear probable that, of the two ovarian hormones, it is the follicular hormone which is responsible for this effect. These investigations have also shown that a relatively small quantity of the hormone, sufficient to induce estrus if acting at regular intervals, is enough to accomplish the carcinomatous transformation of normal mammary gland tissue in that number of individuals which accords with the degree of the hereditary tendency of the family or strain to which they belong. From these investigations it seemed probable that in males mammary gland cancer appears only exceptionally because here the amount of available estrin remains below the threshold. During this period, therefore, the first attempts were made to produce mammary gland carcinoma in male mice (1) by means of transplantation of ovaries into castrated males, and towards the end of this period Murray (2), who also used this method, succeeded in a number of cases.


The present study deals with modelling and validation of a planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) design fuelled by gas mixture of partially pre-reformed methane. A 3D model was developed using the ANSYS Fluent Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tool that was supported by an additional Fuel Cell Tools module. The governing equations for momentum, heat, gas species, ion and electron transport were implemented and coupled to kinetics describing the electrochemical and reforming reactions. In the model, the Water Gas Shift reaction in a porous anode layer was included. Electrochemical oxidation of hydrogen and carbon monoxide fuels were both considered. The developed model enabled to predict the distributions of temperature, current density and gas flow in the fuel cell.


Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to chicken thiamin carrier protein (TCP) have been produced by hybridoma technology to identify the crucial epitopes involved in bioneutralization of the vitamin carrier. The monoclonality of these mAbs (A4C4, F3H6, H8H3, C8C1 and G7H10) was sought to be confirmed by sub-class isotyping; they all belong to IgG1, k type. The epitopes recognized by all the five mAbs are conserved in TCP from the chicken to the rat as assessed by liquid phase RIA and immunoprecipitation of 125I-labelled proteins from pregnant rat serum. Among these mAbs. passive immunization of pregnant rats with the mAb C8C1 only on three consecutive days (day 10, 11 and 12) resulted in embryonic resorption. These results demonstrate the importance of epitopic structure specified by the mAb C8C1 on TCP during pregnancy in rats.


Attachment theorists have long recognized that multiple attachments characterize the typical experience of most children. But an appreciation of attachment networks is new, and this commentary draws on some of the most theoretically provocative themes of the contributions to this special issue. These include: how the quality of attachment relationships and the contexts of their development colors the security derived from them and the developmental outcomes they influence; the impact of relationships on other relationships in the attachment network; and the multiple ways attachment theory can influence public policy for children and families.


Blended high‐resolution sub‐hourly precipitation fields are increasingly needed for nowcasting and automatic warnings systems. Here we present a 7‐year (2012–2018) assessment of (5‐min) precipitation characteristics for the topographically complex region of Switzerland. We use CombiPrecip, a blended radar—rain‐gauge product that provides high resolution (1 km2) hourly precipitation fields. Five‐minute fields (CPCD), fine enough to disentangle even the shortest convective events from longer‐lasting precipitation, are obtained by temporally disaggregating these hourly fields. A rain‐gauge verification of the sub‐hourly precipitation fields shows that CPCD out‐performs the radar‐only estimates both in terms of quantitative error and in detecting wet/extreme periods, making CPCD sufficiently accurate to be used with confidence as input fields for hydrological modelling or for regional model validation. The quantitative error of CombiPrecip at the 60 (10)‐min time‐scale, as expressed by the scatter, is 40% (22%) lower than that of the radar‐only product. Radar‐gauge discrepancies are large and the quantitative error of CPCD increases by 30% when decreasing aggregation times from 60 to 10 min. Although summertime 5‐min precipitation extremes are strongest and more frequent on average south of the Alps, where they contribute to approximately 10% of the seasonal total precipitation, the most intense extremes are observed over the Jura Mountains in the afternoon and the highest wet 5‐min frequency in the Prealps around the same time. Intense precipitation is more evenly distributed throughout the day south of the Alps. Extreme intensity and frequency peaks 2 hr earlier in the Prealps, the Jura Mountains and the Alps (~1600 UTC) compared to the Swiss Plateau (~1800 UTC). Extremes are less intense and frequent at high elevations (>2,000 MASL) than over the Swiss Plateau (<800 MASL).


This PHD thesis deals with the evolutionary algorithms for mining frequent patterns and discovering useful and interesting Boolean association rules from large data sets. Initially, the classical algorithms for mining frequent patterns and single and multi- objective evolutionary algorithms for discovering association rules using different measures are studied. Secondly, the problem of extracting frequent patterns using classical algorithms and obtaining a set of high quality association rules relying on the evolutionary algorithms are addressed.
The objectives of this thesis are as follows:
1. Designing evolutionary algorithms for extracting frequent patterns from large data sets.
2. Designing multi-objective evolutionary algorithms for discovering a reduced set of high quality Boolean association rules from categorical data sets.
3. Improving the single seed based genetic algorithm by designing a multiple seeds based genetic algorithm for mining Boolean association rules.
To accomplish these objectives, this research evolved different evolutionary algorithms for mining frequent patterns efficiently, and obtaining high quality Boolean association rules (BARs).
Firstly, the method named GeneticMax, a new approach based on a genetic algorithm, is used to mine maximal frequent item sets by accessing a large data set for fewer number of nodes. This method is improved by another approach named Hybrid GeneticMax. This new model which outperforms the GeneticMax algorithm if there are a reasonable amount of infrequent items in 1- item sets. This proposal shows the power of using an evolutionary algorithm along with a local search mechanism for generating maximal frequent item sets from a lexicographic tree. On the other hand, this research proposed particle swarm optimization (PSO) based approach, a new heuristic algorithm for mining association rules for both frequent and infrequent items. This approach can mine rules for more than three items.
Secondly, a new multi-objective evolutionary model named Association Rules Mining with Genetic Algorithm Using an Adaptive Mutation Method (ARMGAAM), which is very useful for mining reduced sets of Boolean association rules from categorical data sets. Another method named Mining Boolean Association Rules with Evolutionary Algorithm (MBAREA), a new evolutionary model which extends the existing Association Rule Mining with Genetic Algorithm (ARMGA) and Multi-objective Association Rule Mining with Genetic Algorithm (ARMMGA), maximizes two objectives; performance and interestingness. The former method uses a re-initialization technique along with an adaptive mutation method whereas the latter uses a class based mutation method along with a best population technique. Both methods discover a reduced set of BARs from different data sets with a good trade-off among the number of generated rules and different measures.
Finally, MSGA, a new genetic algorithm based on multiple seeds for producing an effective initial population, has a higher search efficiency along with good convergence speed, prevents the limitation of selecting an effective single seed for generating an initial population for mining BARs. Of particular note, the selection of above mentioned evolutionary algorithms depends on the specific needs of users.


In the distribution process, a large number of transportation costs are required because the costs incurred are unstable and also depend on field and weather conditions. In addition, the road conditions in Medan are getting congested, so that traffic jams have to be dealt with by the delivery party. Therefore a strategy is needed to minimize costs so that problems do not arise in distributing products to various regions. The information system that will be built to help resolve cases that occur in service providers, especially at the JNE Medan Main Branch, uses a method known as a method of transportation. Vogel's Approximation Methods (VAM) is a transportation method used to regulate the distribution from sources that provide the same product to places where it is optimally needed.


This paper presents a novel method for solving nonlinear filtering problems. This approach is particularly appealing in practical situations involving imprecise stochastic measurements, thus resulting in very broad posterior densities. It relies on the concept of a box particle, which occupies a small and controllable rectangular region having a non-zero volume in the state space. Key advantages of the box particle filter (Box-PF) against the standard particle filter (PF) are in its reduced computational complexity and its suitability for distributed filtering. Indeed, in some applications where the sequential importance resampling (SIR) PF may require thousands of particles to achieve an accurate and reliable performance, the Box-PF can reach the same level of accuracy with just a few dozens of box particles.


Four types of responses to glucose changes have been described in the arcuate nucleus (ARC): excitation or inhibition by low glucose concentrations <5 mmol/l (glucose-excited and -inhibited neurons) and by high glucose concentrations >5 mmol/l (high glucose–excited and –inhibited neurons). However, the ability of the same ARC neuron to detect low and high glucose concentrations has never been investigated. Moreover, the mechanism involved in mediating glucose sensitivity in glucose-inhibited neurons and the neurotransmitter identity (neuropeptide Y [NPY] or pro-opio melanocortin [POMC]) of glucosensing neurons has remained controversial. Using patch-clamp recordings on acute mouse brain slices, successive extracellular glucose changes greater than and less than 5 mmol/l show that glucose-excited, high glucose–excited, glucose-inhibited, and high glucose–inhibited neurons are different glucosensing cell subpopulations. Glucose-inhibited neurons directly detect decreased glucose via closure of a chloride channel. Using transgenic NPY–green fluorescent protein (GFP) and POMC-GFP mice, we show that 40% of NPY neurons are glucose-inhibited neurons. In contrast, <5% of POMC neurons responded to changes in extracellular glucose >5 mmol/l. In vivo results confirm the lack of glucose sensitivity of POMC neurons. Taken together, hypo- and hyperglycemia are detected by distinct populations of glucosensing neurons, and POMC and NPY neurons are not solely responsible for ARC glucosensing.


Alloy 12.5 percent chromium (AMS 5350, ASTM A 743; Grade CA 15) is a corrosion-resistant and heat-resistant alloy with which a broad range of mechanical properties may be obtained through thermal processing. It is readilyhardened and tempering temperatures up to 732°C (1350°F) produce a broad range of strength coupled with good impact resistance. This paper presents the problems encountered within master alloy preparation and castings resulting from such preparation, with mechanical properties meeting specification requirements but resulting in field failures upon impact. Specific details regarding the chemical and mechanical property evaluations of the contaminated material are described. Controlled additions of contaminant (tin) of varying concentrations were made to laboratory melts and subjected to specification test requirements. Test results show the deleterious effect of tin on impact values with no change in results when compared with standard specification mechanical property requirements. A request for changes in chemical composition residual elements has been made with supporting test data.


The licensing of African healers in the province of Natal, South Africa combined with urbanization, medical commodification, and an overcrowded biomedical market led to ideological and commercial competition between White biomedical practitioners and African healers in the early twentieth century in southeastern Africa. This article examines the historical antecedents of this competition and focuses on the role that competition, race, and gender played in the construction of local biomedical and African ideas of medical authority. Adopting the idea that medicine is an important site of power, contestation, and cultural exchange, I aim not only to document these historical changes in African therapeutics, but to problematize current ideas of biomedicine's colonial hegemony.


This study investigated differences related to fear of COVID-19, fear to leave home and ten aspects of working adults' life between genders and working places. 455 working adults in Malaysia participated in the online survey through convenience sampling technique. The results showed that the main effect for gender was significant (Wilks' Λ = 0.88, F(2, 375) = 4.10, p = 0.001, multivariate η2 = 0.12.), indicating that fear of COVID-19, fear of leaving home, and aspects of working adults' life tests differ for males and females. Moreover, the results showed that the main effect for working place was significant (Wilks' Λ = 0.94, F(2, 375) = 1.81, p = 0.045, multivariate η2 = 0.06) but the interaction of gender and working place was not significant. Furthermore, individuals working from home reported higher fear to leave home and more severe effect on occupational aspect than those who worked at the workplace.


Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) comprises a heterogeneous group of disorders which originate from various important genetic lesions in B and T progenitor cells, including mutations that lead to stage-specific developmental arrest and those that impart the capacity for unlimited self-renewal, resulting in clonal expansion of immature progenitor cells. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia occurs in both children and adults but its incidence peaks between 2 and 5 years of age. Causation is multifactorial and exogenous or endogenous exposures, genetic susceptibility, and chance have roles. Survival in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia has improved to roughly 90% in trials with risk stratification by biological features of leukaemic cells and response to treatment, treatment modification based on patients' pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenomics, and improved supportive. The promoter methylation pattern of DNA in cancer cells is different with the normal cells. Suppressor with morphogenetic effect on genitalia family member (SMG1) belongs to a family of phosphoinositide 3-kinase-related kinases and is the main kinase involved in nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Materials and Methods: This study was performed to investigate the correlation between SMG1 promotor methylation and its expression levels in acute lymphoblastic leukemia using methylation specific PCR (MSP). Our patients and control samples were collected from Children's Medical Center of children medical center of Imam Khomeini  hospital of Tehran. To confirm the MSP results, we used Quantitative Real time-PCR (qRT-PCR ) to measure the expression level of mRNA to find out if there is any relation between pattern of methylation and expression. Results: After performing MSP, we found that SMG1 promoter was hypermethylated. Hyper methylation of SMG1 was detected in 67/74% (21/31) of ALL samples compared to control group. SMG1 mRNA expression was down- regulated 2.74 fold  compared to control group. Conclusion: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of methylation pattern on gene expression. Our findings suggest that SMG1 acts as a functional tumor suppressor gene which was down-regulated by CpG islands hypermethylation in ALL patients. It was shown that the methylation of SMG1 was occurred in the 67/74% of samples. K e y w o r ds: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). SMG1, DNA Methylation


The time variation, i.e., time-selective fading, of on-body channels in body area networks is dominated by the body dynamics, which not only contribute to dynamic scattering, but also modify the geometry of links over time. In this letter, we experimentally investigate the Doppler spectra of narrowband on-body channels in anechoic (at 2.45 GHz) and indoor (at 4.2 GHz) environments for people walking. The body dynamics resulting from people walking are shown to directly affect the Doppler spectrum, and empirical models are proposed to describe the global and/or local Doppler spreads.


Aims For many years a multiprofessional 22q11 clinic has been running in this hospital which has offered a single appointment after diagnosis. The aim of this study was to assess the ongoing, unmet health needs of this diverse group of patients, by comparing current clinical practice to published recommendations.1 Methods From a genetic database, individuals with 22q11 deletion were identified. Their electronic hospital records were examined. All recorded encounters with health care professionals were reviewed. For each patient all medical specialities involved in their care and all diagnoses were recorded. Results From the genetic database 143 patients were identified. 55 of these were aged over 18 and so excluded from the study. From the remaining 88 patients aged under 18, 43 had no active hospital record and were excluded, leaving 45 patients in the study. 17 patients (37%) had a cardiology diagnosis. 26 patients (57%) had palate dysfunction and were reviewed by the SALT/plastics multiprofessional team. 4 patients (8%) were seen by respiratory or immunology. 5 patients (11%) had an endocrinological diagnosis. 7 patients (15%) had been seen for renal/urological tract abnormalities. 5 patients (11%) were seen by gastroenterology. 23 patients (51%) had learning difficulties or speech delay. For 14 patients (31%), there was evidence of multiprofessional care, involving local and tertiary teams. For 43 patients, aged under 18, who were excluded from this study, it is uncertainif they have had any follow-up following their diagnosis. Conclusion The 22q11 deletion patient group has a diverse phenotype and these patients have a wide range of ongoing needs. The SALT/Plastic team have a well-established multidisciplinary approach in our region; combining orthodontic, ENT, plastic, SALT and clinical psychologist input at regular clinical reviews. However, even this team do not meet all of the publsihed guideline recommendations. The care received by the significant proportion of patients who did not see this team is even more variable and less standardised. This study provides evidence, to support the decision in our region, to establish a single multidisciplinary paediatric clinic for patients with 22q11 to improve and standardise their ongoing care. Reference Practical guidelines for managing patients with 22q11.2deletion syndrome. Bassett AS, J Pediatr. 2011 Aug;159(2)332-9.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2011.02.039 Epub 2011 May12


Recent advancements in the production of hepatocytes from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC-Heps) afford tremendous possibilities for treatment of patients with liver disease. Validated current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) lines are an essential prerequisite for such applications but have only recently been established. Whether such cGMP lines are capable of hepatic differentiation is not known. To address this knowledge gap, we examined the proficiency of three recently derived cGMP lines (two hiPSC and one hESC) to differentiate into hepatocytes and their suitability for therapy. hPSC-Heps generated using a chemically defined four-step hepatic differentiation protocol uniformly demonstrated highly reproducible phenotypes and functionality. Seeding into a 3D PEG-DA fabricated inverted colloid crystal (ICC) scaffold converted these immature progenitors into more advanced hepatic tissue structures. Hepatic constructs could also be successfully encapsulated into the immune-privileged material alginate. This is the first report we are aware of demonstrating cGMP-compliant hPSCs can generate cells with advanced hepatic function potentially suitable for future therapeutic applications.


In this work, a hybrid method that includes metaheuristic algorithms has been proposed for solving optimization problems. The proposed method was implemented as employing three metaheuristic algorithms which are Artificial Bee Colony, Differential Evolution and Particle Swarm Optimization in an order. The success of the developed method is presented by testing on 12 continuous optimization test functions which are widely used in the literature. The experimental results show that the proposed hybrid method gives better results than the individual algorithms that make up it.


Infants at Risk of HCV Infection As hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections appear to be increasing among women of childbearing age, public health officials worry that more infants are at risk of contracting the virus. To help determine the extent of HCV among US women of childbearing age, CDC investigators analyzed data from Quest Diagnostics' national laboratory network. The results showed that from 2011 to 2014, the HCV detection rate increased by 22% among girls and women aged 15 to 44 years, from 139 per 100 000 women tested in the laboratory network for any reason to 169 per 100 000 (Koneru A et al. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;65[28]:705-710).


Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) is a water-soluble synthetic polymer, widely used in materials for functional films and moldings, fiber fabric sizing agents, paper coating resins, and adhesives. PVOH is mainly applied in the form of an aqueous solution, yet after its application, insolubility (water resistance) is required. To achieve this, additives are introduced. These additives used with PVOH are cross-linking agents which react with the hydroxyl groups and modified functional groups in PVOH. Because of the poor reactivity of unmodified PVOH, it does not react with cross-linking agents that have functional reactive groups. Therefore, modified PVOH that reacts with a cross-linking agent more successfully is required. These chemical bonding sites are so low in abundance that it is difficult to characterize the cross-linking structure. Solid-state 13C NMR is a powerful technique that can be used for the structural analysis of a polymer material. However, its sensitivity is low, hence it is difficult to determine crosslinking in a polymer, as it makes up only a small proportion of the product. Therefore, solid-state 13C NMR sensitivity can be enhanced by high-field dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) using strong electron polarization. In this study, the reaction of acetoacetylated PVOH with a cross-linking agent, adipic dihydrazide, was analyzed. This crosslinked PVOH is the most popular vinyl alcohol polymer on the commercial market. The sensitivity enhanced 13C NMR spectra reveal that the carbonyl of the acetoacetyl group of PVOH crosslinks with adipic hydrazide by forming an imine bond (>C
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 N–) this study also shows that the product has only seven crosslinking sites per molecular chain with a polymerization degree of 1000 and is water resistant.


The effect of anatomic variation on the risk of overuse injuries has not been adequately evaluated. To determine the association of several common anatomic characteristics (genu varum, genu valgum, genu recurvatum, and lower limb length differences) with risk of overuse injury, we made prospective morphologic measurements of young men prior to beginning 12 week of Army infantry training. The training included frequent running, marching, calisthenics, and other vigorous activities. Lower extremity anatomic landmarks were high-lighted, and front- and side-view photographic slides were taken of the 294 study volunteers. The slides were compute digitized, and the following measures calculated: pelvic width to knee width ratio (to assess genu valgum/varum), quadriceps angle (Q-angle), knee angle at full extension, and lower limb length differences. The cumulative incidence of lower limb overuse injury was 30%. Relative risk of (RR) of overuse injury was significantly higher among participants with the most valgus knees (RR = 1.9). Those with Q-angle of more than 15 degrees had significantly increased risk specifically for stress fractures (RR = 5.4). Anatomic characteristics were associated with several other types of injuries, including pain and nonacute muscle strain due to overuse. This pilot study provides evidence that some lower limb morphologic characteristics may place individuals at increased risk of overuse injuries.


The present study was planned with the objectives to study physical and chemical characters, microbial analysis poultry dressing unit effluent. A total of six (6) poultry dressing units were selected from Parbhani city for sample collection on weekly basis for a period of eight (8) weeks. Physical characters studied were colour, odour, total solids (TS), turbidity and hardness, pH, BOD and COD as chemical characters of effluent water. Microbial analysis was done in relation to MPN for coliform, Staphylococcus sp. and Clostridium sp. screening of the samples. It was observed that 50.00% of effluent water showed red colour and 93.75% samples were positive for offensive odour. A significant (P< 0.05) difference in total solids (TS), turbidity, hardness, pH, BOD and COD were observed among poultry dressing. The mean total solids (TS) of effluent water observed was 3241.67 ± 18.00 mg/L and mean turbidity value was 159.42 ± 0.68 NTU. The hardness and pH values of effluent differs significantly (P< 0.05) amongst poultry dressing units with 533.85 ± 4.50 mg/L of hardness and pH of 7.08 ± 0.04 was observed. The mean BOD and COD values were 152.53 ± 0.46 mg/L and 251.25 ± 2.35 mg/L respectively. The MPN for coliform observed before alum treatment were ranged from 1100 to >2400 MPN per 100 ml and all 48 samples (100.00%) screened resulted into showing presence of Staphylococcus and Clostridium sp. colonies. Evaluation of poultry dressing unit effluent water as compared to IFC standards in relation to pH, BOD, COD and total coliform bacteria revealed that the effluent showed values of some parameters within limits of guideline values except BOD, COD and total coliform bacterial count. The results concluded that the physical and chemical characters of poultry dressing unit effluent differ significantly (P< 0.05) amongst poultry dressing units.


Summary: The liquid malar-lift technique describes an approach to correct the midcheek groove by injecting monophasic cross-linked hyaluronic acid into the deep medial cheek fat, deep lateral cheek fat, and the superficial fat compartments, that is the superficial medial cheek fat and superficial middle cheek fat, respectively. The selective volume loss in the deep fat compartments of the face with aging is restored with the liquid malar-lift technique, and the midcheek groove is corrected in harmony with the patient's unique facial anatomy.


Oceanic wind-driven currents such as the Gulf Stream have shaped immense depositional anticlines at the distal edges of detrital source areas along the present and past continental margins. These currents generally parallel the continents with high velocities, commonly sweeping to the base of the slopes. In contrast, the deeper geostrophic currents shape the continental rises as they move slowly along topographic strike. Occasionally, both systems are intersected by turbidity currents flowing down the margins at extremely high velocities. A striking example of wind-driven current deposition occurs in the Florida Strait where calcareous sands from the Florida reef vicinity are swept along a trough by the Gulf Stream and then onto a broad anticlinal rise. A similar slope-trough-rise profile is observed at the Anton Dohrn Seamount where the North Atlantic Current has shaped another rise from the available sediments as it veers around this buttress. A wind-driven current origin can plausibly explain the Poza Rica trend in Mexico. As the Golden Lane reef contributed its Tamabra talus downslope into swift currents of the Chicontepec foredeep, anticlines were shaped at the base of the slope, simulating the Anton Dohrn Seamount. Significant reserves in anticlines formed by wind-driven currents will be found beyond the reefs and laterally away from the deltas in the "poor" environment where the subtle slope-trough-rise has been unrecognized. Reservoirs such as Poza Rica attest to the excellent structural, reservoir, and source qualities which can be realized in an inspired search for such targets. End_of_Article - Last_Page 625------------


The article analyzes the complex and problematic relationship between populist insurgency and the return of the class struggle. The 'populist moment' is interpreted as a counter-movement with respect to the disruptive social results of the thirty-year period of neo-liberal globalization and as an obligatory passage, in the current historical conjuncture, to reactivate the possibility of a distributive conflict in a practicable political space, that of the National State. After the initial onset, however, populism is structurally inadequate, due to its very logic of functioning, to give form to a class struggle anchored in the pluralism of social interests and to resist the risk of reactionary drifts and colonization from above by the dominant economic forces.


We will present an investigation of the near-surface decay of turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) using observations from the Boundary Layer Late Afternoon and Sunset Turbulence (BLLAST) field campaign that took place in June and July 2011 in Southern France. We investigate the turbulence decay using observations of a near-surface TKE budget (Nilsson et al. 2015a). An important new aspect of the analysis of the near-surface TKE budget is that even very near the surface the dissipation rate of TKE was found to be influenced by the boundary layer depth.The observations were used together with idealized vertical mixed-layer profiles for TKE budget terms to build a simple model for the evolution of TKE (Nilsson et al. 2015b). There are 3 main inputs to the model: near-surface buoyancy flux, wind speed at one height in the surface layer and boundary layer depth. The model is evaluated for TKE and TKE budget terms using measurements and is then used to elucidate some new aspects on the evolution of TKE during the afternoon transition. The simple model is used to illustrate weak turbulence conditions that start to form in the upper part of the boundary layer surprisingly early, during unstable conditions in the afternoon. We refer to these conditions as a pre-residual layer.Many different turbulence decay rates in the afternoon transition are shown to occur in situations of time-varying wind. In cases of increasing wind speed during the afternoon, the near-surface TKE can also increase depending on the amount of shear generation. These new results point out limitations associated with the concept of time-dependent exponent decay laws on the form t-n which have often been used to describe turbulence decay.References:Nilsson, E., Lohou, F., Lothon, M., Pardyjak, E., Mahrt, L., and Darbieu, C.: Turbulence Kinetic Energy budget during the afternoon transition – Part 1: Observed surface TKE budget and Boundary layer description for 10 Intensive Observation Period days, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 2015a.Nilsson, E., Lothon, M., Lohou, F., Pardyjak, E., Hartogensis, O., and Darbieu, C.: Turbulence Kinetic Energy budget during the afternoon transition – Part 2: A simple TKE model, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 2015b.


We construct an SIR-type model for COVID-19, incorporating as a parameter the susceptible individuals' cautiousness level. We determine the model's basic reproduction number, study the stability of the equilibria analytically, and perform a sensitivity analysis to confirm the significance of the cautiousness level. Fixing specific values for all other parameters, we study numerically the model's dynamics as the cautiousness level varies, revealing backward transcritical, Hopf, and saddle-node bifurcations of equilibria, as well as homoclinic and fold bifurcations of limit cycles with the aid of AUTO. Considering some key events affecting the pandemic in Indonesia, we design a scenario in which the cautiousness level varies over time, and show that the model exhibits a hysteresis, whereby, a slight cautiousness decrease could bring a disease-free state to endemic, and this is reversible only by a drastic cautiousness increase, thereby mathematically justifying the importance of a high cautiousness level for resolving the pandemic. © 2022, Intercollegiate Biomathematics Alliance. All rights reserved.


(Pb,La)(Zr,Sn,Ti)O3 (PLZST) antiferroelectric (AFE) materials have been widely investigated for advanced pulsed power capacitors because of their fast charge-discharge rates and superior energy-storage capacity. For practical applications, pulsed power capacitors require not only large energy density but also high energy efficiency, which are very difficult to achieve simultaneously. To address this problem, we herein investigate the energy-storage properties of PLZST AFE ceramics with a high Sn content by considering that the introduction of Sn can make the polarization versus electric-field (P-E) hysteresis loops slimmer. The results show that an optimum Sn content leads to the realization of both large recoverable energy density (Wre) and high energy efficiency (η) in a single material. With a Sn content of 46%, the PLZST AFE ceramic exhibits the best room-temperature energy storage properties with a Wre value as large as 3.2 J/cm3 and an η value as high as 86.5%. In addition, both its Wre and η vary very slightly in the wide temperature range of 20–120 °C. The high Wre and η values and their good thermal stability make the Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.50Sn0.46Ti0.04)O3 AFE ceramic a promising material for making pulsed power capacitors usable in various conditions.(Pb,La)(Zr,Sn,Ti)O3 (PLZST) antiferroelectric (AFE) materials have been widely investigated for advanced pulsed power capacitors because of their fast charge-discharge rates and superior energy-storage capacity. For practical applications, pulsed power capacitors require not only large energy density but also high energy efficiency, which are very difficult to achieve simultaneously. To address this problem, we herein investigate the energy-storage properties of PLZST AFE ceramics with a high Sn content by considering that the introduction of Sn can make the polarization versus electric-field (P-E) hysteresis loops slimmer. The results show that an optimum Sn content leads to the realization of both large recoverable energy density (Wre) and high energy efficiency (η) in a single material. With a Sn content of 46%, the PLZST AFE ceramic exhibits the best room-temperature energy storage properties with a Wre value as large as 3.2 J/cm3 and an η value as high as 86.5%. In addition, both its Wre and η vary v...


To support Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) in the San Francisco Bay (v2.1), time series of historical and 21st-century near-surface wind fields (eastward and northward wind arrays) were simulated throughout the Bay.
While global climate models (GCMs) provide useful projections of near-surface wind vectors into the 21st century, resolution is not sufficient enough for use in regional wave modeling projects, such as CoSMoS. Short-duration high wind speeds, on the order of hours, are of key importance in wave and subsequent coastal flood modeling. Here we present temporally downscaled wind data for historical (1975-2004) and projected (2010-2100) time periods, developed using a method similar to constructed analogues (CA), suitable for use in local wave models.


ABSTRACT Introduction For childhood strabismus, early surgical intervention improves both motor and sensory outcomes. Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injection is an alternative to incisional surgery that is fast, less invasive, and preserves a more normal biomechanical construct. This study was undertaken to assess the safety and effectiveness of BTX-A for horizontal concomitant strabismus in children in our institution. Patients and Methods Records of all children less than age 18 years with follow-up at least 12 months who were treated with BTX-A for horizontal concomitant strabismus at Beijing Children's Hospital between December 2014 and February 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. Bilateral injections of BTX-A (Henli, 1.25 IU to 5 IU/0.1 ml) were made into the medial or lateral rectus muscles according to the angle of deviation. Reinjection was permitted if the initial alignment was not satisfactory within 1 to 6 months post-injection. Motor success was defined as a final misalignment ≤10 PD. Sensory success was defined as the presence of any evidence of sensory fusion, distance stereopsis, or near stereopsis at the last visit. Results Seventy-one patients were included. Fifty-two had esotropia, and 19 had exotropia. There was a significant decrease in the angle of deviation in all treated patients. The overall motor success rate was 60.6%. The motor success rate was highest in children with esotropia <50 PD (81.5%). Motor success was better for children with partially accommodative esotropia and acquired non-accommodative esotropia (80%, 83.3%, respectively) than for children with infantile esotropia (47.4%). Compared with the esotropia group, the fusion was significantly higher in the exotropia group (p = .007), and the proportion of patients with stereoacuity of better than 100 sec arc was higher also in the exotropia group (71.4%, p = .007), evidence of sensory outcomes were significantly better in the exotropia group. Complications were few. Twenty patients (28.2%) developed transient ptosis after injections; transient vertical deviations were seen in 3 patients (4.2%); and subconjunctival hemorrhage was seen in 5 patients (7%). Conclusions BTX-A appears to be an effective treatment for the management of horizontal strabismus with motor outcomes best in children with acquired smaller-angle esodeviations. Children with exodeviations had better sensory outcomes in this cohort. A randomized controlled study comparing incisional surgery to BTX-A will be important for guiding future treatment decisions.


Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of education and experiential learning on counseling student's perceptions of substance use and counseling those with substance-related problems. Some counselors report having had negative experiences and beliefs about substance use, abuse, and persons with substance related-problems. A counselor's negative beliefs and experiences can impair their capacities of working effectively and empathetically with persons who seek help for substance abuse problems. Research reports that education can assist helping professionals to be able to work more efficiently with clients with substance abuse struggles by increasing awareness of substance abuse problems, enhancing empathy, increasing professional's ability to relate with what clients may be experiencing, training in appropriate interventions, and referral skills.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study measured changes in students' attitudes toward addictions following completion of a 15-week addictions counseling course, which incorporated multiple experiential activities in conjunction with information about the effects of various substances and different treatment modalities.

Findings

– The results revealed significant changes in treatment intervention and non-stereotyping.

Originality/value

– These changes suggest education might affect attitudes toward substance abuse. The implications of this study can guide counselor educators in designing effective addictions courses and can lead to future discussions on how to use experiential learning in the classroom.


In response to the intensive use of antibiotics since their discovery in the 1930s, bacteria increasingly have evolved resistance to these critical medications. Because of this evolutionary process, antibiotics have an unusual characteristic that gives rise to a negative externality: Current use erodes their future usefulness. Society is squandering the limited supply of this precious resource for low-value uses, such as treating minor infections. The price of this profligacy? Patients in the future may die from bacterial infections that become resistant to all antibiotics. This negative externality is a market failure, calling for governmental measures to rationalize antibiotic use. Applying the economic literature on exhaustible resources, this article argues that the state should grant infinite-term patents on antibiotics. In addition to encouraging pricing that will prolong the useful life of antibiotics, infinite-term patents may create incentives for drug makers to hold some antibiotics in reserve to meet the extraordinary demand that will arise if and when there is a bacterial plague. The government also should subsidize the use of tests to determine the nature and resistances of infections, increase subsidies and research spending on vaccinations, and gather more information about the extent and nature of the threat posed by resistant bacterial pathogens.


We describe the cloning and characterization of the human KIN17 cDNA encoding a 45 kDa zinc finger nuclear protein. Previous reports indicated that mouse kin17 protein may play a role in illegitimate recombination and in gene regulation. Furthermore, overproduction of mouse kin17 protein inhibits the growth of mammalian cells, particularly the proliferation of human tumour-derived cells. We show here that the KIN17 gene is remarkably conserved during evolution. Indeed, the human and mouse kin17 proteins are 92.4% identical. Furthermore, DNA sequences from fruit fly and filaria code for proteins that are 60% identical to the mammalian kin17 proteins, indicating conservation of the KIN17 gene among metazoans. The human KIN17 gene, named (HSA)KIN17, is located on human chromosome 10 at p15-p14. The (HSA)KIN17 RNA is ubiquitously expressed in all the tissues and organs examined, although muscle, heart and testis display the highest levels. UVC irradiation of quiescent human primary fibroblasts increases (HSA)KIN17 RNA with kinetics similar to those observed in mouse cells, suggesting that up-regulation of the (HSA)KIN17 gene after UVC irradiation is a conserved response in mammalian cells. (HSA)kin17 protein is concentrated in intranuclear focal structures in proliferating cells as judged by indirect immunofluorescence. UVC irradiation disassembles (HSA)kin17 foci in cycling cells, indicating a link between the intranuclear distribution of (HSA)kin17 protein and the DNA damage response.


Purpose : One of the elements of success in each organization in achieving its goals is the competency of organization managers who can be effective in creating innovative behaviors. Therefore, the aim of this study is examination of the effects of the managers in training departments. Methodology : This paper has applied objective and descriptive-survey and correlational methodology. The statistical population of the study consisted of 355 managers of educational departments of Fars province universities. Using Morgan table, 185 people were selected by simple random sampling as case study. The data collection tool on dimensions of competency and entrepreneurial behavior was developed by a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity was measured by confirmatory factor analysis with factor load of more than 0.4 as well as face validity (expert approval) and reliability by Cronbach's alpha more than 0.7 (managers' competency questionnaire with 0/93 and entrepreneurship behavior questionnaire with 0/87 validity). Findings : Data were analyzed by SPSS and PLS software. The composite validity amount, the extracted variance and factor load have been achieved based on modeling for elements of competency and entrepreneurship behaviors. Conclusion : The results of structural equation modeling showed that there is a meaningful relationship between dimensions of managers' competency including communicative skills, encouragement and innovation, leadership skills, applying professional positive capabilities, team empowerment and decision-making and entrepreneurial behavior. competency in competency pattern related to effective educational working relations. We can conclude that effective relations with sub-managers, employees, superior managers based on communicative skills and considering organizational positions and valuation of experienced experts' idea and successful managers can contribute to developing competency.


In the absence of network neutrality, consumers are vulnerable to arbitrary traffic discrimination policies applied by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). In this paper we propose a framework that gives ISPs flexibility to practice differentiation, while being open so consumers can make informed choices, and accountable so regulators can oversee adherence. We begin by outlining the SDN-based architecture of our solution, comprising the segregation of traffic into a chosen number of classes, and dynamic partitioning of bandwidth amongst classes based on utility functions. We then highlight the flexibility of our framework in accommodating a wide range of behaviors, from fully-neutral to per-applicationtype and per-subscriber-tier differentiation. We evaluate our scheme via simulations of real traffic mixes to show how ISP differentiation policies can be tuned to meet a range of user needs, and implement our scheme in a testbed network to demonstrate practical feasibility. We believe our proposal is a promising approach to keeping ISPs, consumers, and regulators happy in a post-neutral world.


Background: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently reveal social behavior disturbance. Nevertheless, little is known regarding the impact of MS on social cognition, particularly theory of mind (ToM), and its neural basis. Objectives: To explore how ToM is affected in MS and its neural correlates. Methods: Enrolled 60 consecutive MS patients and 60 healthy controls (HC) matched on age, sex, and education. Participants underwent ToM testing (Eyes Test, Videos Test) and 3 T brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Using Freesurfer software, cortical and subcortical gray matter (GM) volumes were calculated. Results: MS patients performed worse on Eyes Test (58.7% ± 13.8% vs 81.9% ± 10.4%, p < 0.001) and Videos Test (75.3% ± 9.3% vs 88.1% ± 7.1%, p < 0.001). Eyes Test performance in MS was positively correlated with the volume of subcortical structures (amygdala, putamen) and cortical regions (entorhinal cortex, fusiform gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, superior parietal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, medial orbitofrontal cortex, anterior and posterior cingulate gyrus). In regression analysis, amygdala volume was the single predictor of performance (R2 change = 0.064, p = 0.031), and a mediation analysis indicated that it contributes for the differences observed between MS and HC. Conclusion: Patients with MS have impairment on social cognition. Amygdala atrophy was the main predictor probably due to its central position within the "social brain" network.


Methidiumpropyl-EDTA.Fe(II) [MPE.Fe(II)] and EDTA.Fe(II) were used to investigate the structure of Drosophila melanogaster ribosomes. Cleavage reactions were performed on intact ribosomes in cell lysates in vitro and analyzed by primer extension with reverse transcriptase using oligodeoxynucleotide primers. Regions of 18S and 28S ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) which are accessible to MPE.Fe(II) and EDTA.Fe(II) are located almost exclusively within expansion segments. The accessibility of these regions to cleavage indicates that they are likely exposed on the surface of eukaryotic ribosomes. These results provide information about the overall tertiary structure of rRNA in ribosomes.


A survey is given of theories for the origin of large-scale structure in the universe: clusters and superclusters of galaxies, and vast black regions practically devoid of galaxies. Special attention is paid to the theory of a neutrino-dominated universe—a cosmology in which electron neutrinos with a rest mass of a few tens of electron volts would contribute the bulk of the mean density. The evolution of small perturbations is discussed, and estimates are made for the temperature anisotropy of the microwave background radiation on various angular scales. The nonlinear stage in the evolution of smooth irrotational perturbations in a lowpressure medium is described in detail. Numerical experiments simulating large-scale structure formation processes are discussed, as well as their interpretation in the context of catastrophe theory.


The 2008 presidential election has been widely touted as historic because a woman and an African American became viable candidates for a major party, thereby thrusting gender and race into the spotlight. Of course, gender and race have always been present as informal criteria for U.S. presidential candidates. At the constitutional founding, only white propertied men with sufficient affluence to be gentlemen of leisure were deemed suitable for national office (Wood 1991). Following the traditions of kings and military leaders, the executive was assumed to be an elite man and the institution itself became associated with men and fashioned in the preferences of its founders (March and Olsen 1989). For the presidency, founding fathers sought a heroic man, capable of leading in the extra-legal realm that they recognized could not be fully anticipated in law (Kann 1998). Since then, presidential campaigns have always been about what kind of man should hold an office predicated upon masculinity. While certainly presidential candidates' characters have been most discussed, the quality of each candidate's masculinity has been embedded in the sizing up of presidential timber, character, and the person.


Previous research has shown that there are many defects associated with email use within the workplace. This paper describes the effectiveness of email training in enabling employees to write better emails. Employees were asked to evaluate the emails they received from specified senders before and after the senders had received training. These emails were marked against a set of ten criteria that covered different aspects of email, including whether the email had a suitable subject line, whether it was relevant and if it was easy to read. By comparing the results before and after the training it is possible to see how effective the training has been and which areas of email use benefited the most from the training. The results show that some of the email defects are more receptive to training than others. The data also shows the relationships between the evaluation criteria used. This is important because it shows how some of the problems with email are related; similarly it shows how an improvement in one area is likely to lead to an improvement in another. This paper highlights some of the problem areas often associated with email and shows the effect of training in reducing these email defects.


BACKGROUND: Pulmonary complications after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) are uncommon but have significant cost impact. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are 2 of the 5 top procedures requiring inpatient stay within the United States. Subsequent pulmonary complications therefore may impose substantial cost burden for US health care. The purpose of this study was to describe the incidence, risk factors, and clinical implications of pulmonary complications (ie, pneumonia, respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism [PE], and aspiration) after TJA in the United States. METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was queried for all patients undergoing primary, elective THA and TKA between years 2004 and 2014. Pulmonary complications were defined as the occurrence of pneumonia, respiratory failure, PE, or aspiration after TJA. Demographic and clinical characteristics, inpatient cost, length of stay (LOS), and mortality were compared between patients with and without documented perioperative pulmonary complications. Given the stratified nature of the NIS database, estimates of incidence throughout the United States were made with application of trend weights to observed database frequencies. Analyses of estimated annual complication rates were made using χ2 tests. RESULTS: Between 2004 and 2014, an estimated 2,679,351 patients underwent elective primary THA. A total of 5,527,205 patients were estimated to have undergone elective primary TKA. THA 1.42% (95% CI, 1.37%–1.47%) and 1.71% (95% CI, 1.66%–1.76%) of TKA procedures were complicated by pneumonia, respiratory failure, PE, or aspiration. During this time, the incidence of perioperative pulmonary complications decreased from 1.57% (95% CI, 1.41%–1.73%) to 1.01% (95% CI, 0.92%–1.10%) after THA (P < .0001) and from 2.03% (95% CI, 1.88%–2.18%) to 1.33% (95% CI, 1.25%–1.42%) after TKA (P < .0001). The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of experiencing a pulmonary complication was highest among patients with history of significant weight loss (aOR = 4.77; 99.9% CI, 3.97–5.73), fluid/electrolyte disorders (aOR = 3.33; 99.9% CI, 3.11–3.56), congestive heart failure (CHF; aOR = 3.32; 99.9% CI, 3.07–3.58), preexisting paralytic condition (aOR = 2.03; 99.9% CI, 1.57–2.61), and human immunodeficiency virus infection (aOR = 2.00; 99.9% CI, 1.06–3.78). Perioperative pulmonary complications were associated with increased LOS (THA = 3.03 days; 99.9% CI, 2.76–3.31; TKA = +2.72 days; 99.9% CI, 2.58–2.86), increased hospital costs (THA = +9163 US dollars; 99.9% CI, 8054–10,272; TKA = +7257 US dollars; 99.9% CI, 6650–7865), and increased mortality (THA: aOR = 121; 99.9% CI, 78–187; TKA: aOR = 150; 95% CI, 97–233). CONCLUSIONS: Despite a decline in overall incidence, perioperative pulmonary complications represent a significant potential source of perioperative morbidity and mortality. The current study highlights potential risk factors for pulmonary complications. Recognition of these factors may help to better stratify patients and mitigate risk of potential complications. This is particularly true of respiratory failure as it is associated with the high increases in resource utilization and mortality in this group.


Today, the CDIO engineering education concept has gotten attention widely and use in the field of international education. We describe the content of CDIO vision, syllabus and standards, discuss the content of software engineering personnel training practice teaching system, and propose the Three-dimensional software engineering practice teaching system based on CDIO on the basis of software talent training goal. We also summarize the software engineering talents cultivation practice teaching reform scheme and results combining with the implementation of the software engineering undergraduate professional practice teaching reform in this paper.


Compression tests of Mg-4Al-3Ca1.5Zn-1Nd-0.2Mn Magnesium alloy as-extruded were carried out on the Gleeble-3500 thermo-mechanical simulator. The compression testing temperatures were in the range of 200-350℃ at intervals 50℃, while the imposed constant true strain rates were 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10S-1.True stress-strain data were employed for constitutive analysis following the sine-hyperbolic Arrhenius equation. The related material constants n, α and β, as well as the activation energy Q for each temperature regime have been determined considering the strain compensation using the cubic polynomial fitting method. And then, incorporating the strain compensation on the constitutive equations for experimental alloy is established.


These lectures review certain topological defects and aspects of their cosmology. Unconventional material includes brief descriptions of electroweak defects, the structure of domain walls in non-Abelian theories, and the spectrum of magnetic monopoles in SU(5) Grand Unified theory.


As previously shown with adenosine, somatostatin, which is ineffective alone, enhanced the alpha 1-adrenergic-agonist-stimulated production of inositol phosphates in cultured striatal astrocytes. This effect was suppressed in cells pretreated with pertussis toxin. It required external calcium and was selectively antagonized by both mepacrine, an inhibitor of phospholipase A2, and 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid, a nonmetabolizable analog of arachidonic acid. In addition, a long-lasting elevation of cytosolic calcium and a release of arachidonic acid were observed only under the combined stimulation of somatostatin and alpha 1-adrenergic receptors. Arachidonic acid could in turn inhibit glutamate uptake into astrocytes, and the resulting external accumulation of glutamate could account for the somatostatin-evoked amplification of the alpha 1-adrenergic-agonist-stimulated hydrolysis of inositol-phospholipids. The effect of somatostatin was indeed reproduced by glutamate or glutamate uptake inhibitors and suppressed by enzymatic removal of external glutamate. Thus, astrocytes may contribute to long-term plasticity events in glutamatergic synapses through regulation of external glutamate levels.


In the scope of investigating phase equilibria and thermodynamic magnitudes related to equipment design and optimization for edible oil industry, this paper reports refractive index on mixing and ultrasonic velocity of binary systems enclosing a collection of n-alkanes (n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, n-nonane), or esters (ethyl acetate, vinyl acetate, propyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, butyl acetate) + olive oil at temperatures from 288.15-298.15 K. From these physical properties, the corresponding derived magnitudes, changes of refractive indices on mixing and change of isentropic compressibilities were computed, being fitted by a modified Redlich-Kister polynomial. Due to the fact of industrial processes design to be strongly computer oriented, consideration was also given to quantify how accurate different theoretical estimation models work. The validity of estimation of these thermodynamic properties was tested by different models, which were selected attending to ease of use, wide range of application and accuracy. From the obtained results we can conclude that an adequate agreement between experimental and computed data, both in magnitude or sign in all range of compositions, was observed.


An electrochemical-catalytic converter can allow, for the first time since the implementation of environment regulation, the combustion efficiency of the automotive engines to be pursued to the maximum. This converter does not consume any reductant and can be carefree. Complete emissions control for zero pollution of the automotive engines can be achieved.


Plug-in components are a means for making feature-rich applications customizable. Combined with plug-and-play composition, end users can assemble customized applications without programming. If plug-and-play composition is also dynamic, applications can be reconfigured on the fly to load only components the user needs for his current work. We have created Plux.NET, a plug-in framework that supports dynamic plug-and-play composition. The basis for plug-and-play in Plux is the composer which replaces programmatic composition by automatic composition. Components just specify their requirements and provisions using metadata. The composer then assembles the components based on that metadata by matching requirements and provisions. When the composer needs to reuse general-purpose components in different parts of an application, the component model requires genericity. The composer depends on metadata that specify which components should be connected and for general-purpose components those metadata need to be different on each reuse. We present an approach for generic plug-ins with component templates and an implementation for Plux. The general-purpose components become templates and the templates get parameterized when they are composed.