Social funds (SFs) aim to alleviate poverty by creating and upgrading social and economic infrastructure, promoting income-generating activities, and supporting the development of civil society and social capital. Social Funds also often contribute to employment through social protection interventions, such as public works programs. This note highlights some of the advantages and challenges of public works programs and reviews the experience of social funds in designing and implementing this kind of programs. The note looks at social funds as an implementation mechanism vis-a-vis more traditional models and focuses on the lessons learned from Egypt, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Yemen.


Patterns of leaf phenological diversity were documented in nine key tree species of a tropical deciduous forest in the Vindhyan region of India. Monthly leaf counts on 160 tagged twigs on ten individuals of each species were made through two annual cycles. Tree species exhibited a gradient of deciduousness (∼leafless duration), ranging from semi-evergreen species (entire population never becoming leafless) to 7-mo-deciduous species. The semi-evergreen species initiated leaf flush (bud break of vegetative bud) earlier around the spring equinox. In all deciduous tree species synchronous leaf-flush initiation, with low inter-annual variability, occurred during the hot dry summer (May–June, day temperature >40 °C), prior to the onset of the rainy season. Based on the quantification of leafless period, leaf-flush duration, and leaf strategy index (leaf-flush rate/leaf-fall rate, proposed in this study) in different species, four plant functional types were recognized: (a) semi-evergreen, spring flushing, showing leaf exchange, with mean leafless period 8 d, leaf-flush duration 6–7 mo and leaf strategy index <0.5 (Shorea robusta); (b) <2-mo-deciduous, summer flushing, leafless period 3–8 wk, leaf-flush duration 5–6 mo, and leaf strategy index >0.5−<0.7 (Anogeissus latifolia, Diospyros melanoxylon and Hardwickia binata); (c) 2–4-mo-deciduous, summer flushing, leafless period 2–3 mo, leaf-flush duration 4–5 mo, and leaf strategy index >0.8−<1.0 (Acacia catechu, Lagerstroemia parviflora and Terminalia tomentosa); and (d) >4-mo-deciduous, summer flushing, leafless period >4–7 mo, leaf-flush duration 3–4 mo, and leaf strategy index 1.0 (Boswellia serrata and Lannea coromandelica). Conspecific trees showed asynchrony with respect to leaf-flush completion, initiation and completion of leaf-fall, and extent of leafless period. Leaf strategy index (indicating rate of resource use and conservation) was strongly related with the leafless period in different species (r=0.82) and can serve as a useful index in leaf phenological studies and classification of plant functional types.


Author(s): Romain, Julie Marie | Advisor(s): Brown, Robert L | Abstract: The earliest extant depictions of the Ramayana in Indian art are found on narrative reliefs on Hindu temples dated to the sixth to eighth century, and are located primarily in the region governed by the Early Western Chalukyas (a.k.a. Chalukyas of Badami), who ruled from circa 550-750 CE in much of the Deccan and southern Maharashtra. The sixth to eighth century is significant as the period immediately following the florescence of a shared courtly culture, and the establishment of regional dynasties across the Indian subcontinent. The political culture of the court was highly aestheticized, and heavily informed by the Sanskrit literary tradition of eulogistic inscriptions, epic poems, and dramatic performances. The Valmiki Ramayana was among the most popular heroic narratives; the story of Rama, an avatar of the god Vishnu, was considered a paragon of Hindu kingship. The goal of this dissertation is to understand how Rama's life was represented in literature and visual art, and what it signified for the king and members of his royal entourage. Through a comparative analysis of narrative depictions of the Ramayana in plays and temple reliefs dated to the sixth to eighth century, I identify a shared visual lexicon that reflects a courtly worldview. The methodology employed in my analysis emphasizes the social history underlying the monuments in order to think about their secular meaning. This dissertation is a reconsideration of material that has primarily been studied in terms of its religious function, iconographic meaning, and stylistic attributes. Chapter 1 provides a historiography of the study of Hindu temples, and the impact of previous scholars' emphasis on the religious symbolism of the temple. My analysis of literary and art historical evidence is presented in Chapters 2 and 3. Chapter 2 looks at the literary evidence of aesthetic treatises and plays that informed the artists who produced the relief sculptures that are the subject of Chapter 3.


This paper addresses the issue of liquidity trap. The term is adopted from J. Keynes to define an economy in the state of zero bound interest rate and imminent deflation. The discussion is based on findings from  P. Krugman's theoretical model of an endowment economy (1998). Critical analysis is applied to recommendations for escaping from the liquidity trap which involves introduction of negative real interest rate by appropriate decisions of financial authorities aiming at structural reforms, fiscal and monetary expansion. This analysis, outlined in general terms by P. Krugman and his critics, focuses on critical assessment of theoretical consequences of discussed proposals, particularly those formulated as calls for "credible promises to be irresponsible", and practical effects of escaping from the liquidity trap which has been undertaken by Japan, so far largely to no avail. Also, this paper presents the author's evaluation of ways out of the liquidity trap attempted over the years and related to the current financial crisis, highlighting  the issues of inflation targeting, exchanges rates, and debt.


The use of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels is one of the most promising ways to generate electricity. However, the complex technical parameters associated with them make the choice between different PV panels a complicated task. The aim of the article is the analysis and multi-criteria evaluation of PV panels available on the Polish market and to indicate the optimal solar PV panels according to the adopted technical criteria. The practical goal was achieved using a fuzzy approach, taking into account the uncertainty of operational parameters. Based on the applied approach and multi-criteria NEAT F-PROMETHEE method, a fuzzy decision model was built for the evaluation of PV panels. The results of this model were compared with the results of an analogous model that did not take into account the uncertainty of the data. As a result of the research, it was found that the results of the fuzzy model should be considered more reliable, because fuzzy numbers allow for capturing more data than real numbers, which translates into greater reliability of the results of the fuzzy model.


Introduction/Background* Significant intraoperative blood loss can be encountered in complex pelvic surgery and impact on post-operative outcomes. There are a number of key anaesthetic techniques that can be used to optimise a patient in preparation for and to mitigate against predicted and unpredicted blood loss. Methodology We performed a systematic review of the literature to identify the current perioperative anaesthetic strategies for optimisation of the patient and reducing blood loss in complex pelvic surgery. Result(s)* This article explores the pre-operative and intraoperative techniques to reduce both the volume and physiological impact of blood loss. Preoperative optimisation aims to identify patients that are at risk. This includes those with significant comorbidities or abnormal clotting disorders. Anticoagulation/antiplatelet therapies may require adjustment. Pre-operative anaemia should also be managed. Intraoperative techniques are essential for reducing the rate of blood loss. Hypothermia leads to reversible disruption of the coagulation cascade and therefore techniques to maintain normothermia are required. Relative hypotension and avoidance of tachycardia both reduce blood loss but require close monitoring to ensure adequate tissue perfusion. Using regional anaesthesia can further support this. The use of pharmacological agents, such as tranexamic acid, have been demonstrated to reduce blood loss in pelvic surgery. Blood products such as clotting factors can specifically target and correct coagulopathies using point of care testing. Cell salvage allows use of autologous blood and clotting factors, reducing the need for cross-matched blood and the associated risks of transfusion. Notably, reducing blood loss into the surgical field allows for improved visualisation of the anatomy and performance of surgical instruments used to cauterise bleeding, thus further improving haemorrhage control. Conclusion* In conclusion, minimising blood loss during surgery requires input from the multidisciplinary team. Preoperative assessments should be held in a timely fashion to implement strategies for patient optimisation. Careful consideration and planning should be given to the intraoperative stage. Application of the strategies mentioned in this review will reduce the risk of significant intraoperative haemorrhage, aiming to improve the morbidity and mortality associated with complex pelvic surgery. 1083 LAPAROSCOPIC REPAIR OF EXTERNAL ILIAC VEIN INJURY


Our work on photonic crystal structures exhibiting large densities of optical states, including high-quality nanocavities and two-dimensional coupled nanocavity arrays, is presented. Applications ranging from nanoscale and nonlinear optics to quantum information processing are discussed


In recent decades, the relationship between Science and Art has been gradually strengthened through the use of diagnostic, conservation, and valorization technologies. New technologies can also be used to support the creation and durability of bio-artworks. Within such a context, starting from the Spring of 2014, we performed in situ experimentations to eventually increase the durability of the graphical artwork of William Kentridge on the Lungotevere embankments, whose creation was scheduled in the following years. We applied various combinations and concentrations of three different biocides (Algophase, Biotin R, and Preventol R80) and two water repellents (Hydrophase surfaces and Silo 111) on 34 test areas. However, the artist preferred to leave his artwork to a natural fading. Right before the realization of the graphical artwork "Triumph and Laments of Rome" in 2016, just the black biological colonizations mainly composed of cyanobacteria were removed through pressurized water. We monitored the artist's work through analyses of images and colorimetric variations and such drawings showed a duration of 4 years in the natural conditions of recolonization. Here we show how the recolonization of treated and control areas, analyzed with the same methods, showed an increased duration, 3 years longer than under natural conditions in the case of Preventol R80® and Biotin R® plus Silo 111®. The tested solutions showed differential effectiveness and multiple possibilities of use to support the maintenance of the artwork if the artist wanted to preserve his artwork for a longer period.


Reveiw for: Stacey, E., & Gerbic, P. (Eds.). (2009). Effective blended learning practices: Evidence-based perspectives in ICT facilitated education. Information Science Reference: New York (pp. 359). Review for: Conole, G., & Oliver, M. (Eds.). (2007). Contemporary perspectives in e-learning research: Themes, methods and impact on practice. London: Routledge. Review for: Abrioux, D. A. M. X., & Ferreira, F. (Eds.). (2009). Open schooling in the 21st century. Perspectives on distance education. Commonwealth of Learning: Vancouver (pp. xii, 204).


Background: Psychological factors are among the most influential parameters in education. Among these effective traits, personal features centering around the self, have been of utmost importance specially in one's future of education and psychological wellbeing. Due to their critical period of life in terms of cognitive development, teenagers are subject to considerable academic and mental transformation at school. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to predict life satisfaction and academic performance based on locus of control and self-esteem among school students. Patients and Methods: Overall, 315 high school first-grade students (143 girls and 172 boys) were chosen from an Iranian city using random cluster sampling and responded to three scales of self-esteem (RSES; Rosenberg, 1965), locus of control (SCS; Ingels et al. 1992) and brief multi-dimensional students Life satisfaction scale (BMSLSS; Seligson, Huebner et al. 2003). Moreover, academic performance was measured via the students' total score average in the second semester of 2014 2015 academic year. Results: Using Pearson's correlation coefficients and multi-variate analysis (stepwise regression method), the data analysis indicated that locus of control and self-esteem have a positive relationship with life satisfaction and predict twenty-five percent of variance changes of the variable. In addition, the results showed that the variables of locus of control and self-esteem have a positive and significant relationship with academic achievement and these two variables characterize eleven percent of the academic achievement variance changes. Conclusions: In conclusion, the findings of this study revealed that locus of control and self-esteem play crucial roles in developing students' life satisfaction and academic performance.


ABSTRACT Turkey provided medical aid to more than 70 countries during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article explains the distribution of Turkish medical aid across countries relying on a novel dataset which draws on online news published by Turkey's state-run news agency and a pro-government news outlet between February 1st and July 31st, 2020. The findings show that receiving Turkish medical aid is extensively related to the determinants underlying Turkey's foreign aid policy. In particular, recipient countries' historical ties to the Ottoman Empire, their level of imports from Turkey, and their needs based on the state of their general health system are seen to be significant predictors of receiving Turkish medical supplies during the coronavirus pandemic. Regarding partial evidence of cultural similarity, Turkic identity is a predictor of receiving medical aid, whereas Islamic affinity does not have a significant association. Therefore, I find that Turkey has adopted a selective strategy in response to an indiscriminately damaging crisis while keeping a majority of the elements of its foreign aid repertoire in play.


Background Post-stroke spasticity is an important complication that greatly affects survivors' functional prognosis and daily activities. Increasing evidence points to aberrant contralesional neuromodulation compensation after brain injury as a possible culprit for increased spasticity in patients with severe stroke. Hyperactivity of the contralesional premotor area (cPMA) was supposed to be highly correlated with this progression. This study aims to demonstrate the immediate and short-term efficacy of continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) targeting cPMA on upper limb spasticity in severe subacute stroke patients. Methods This trial is a single-center, prospective, three-group randomized controlled trial. Forty-five eligible patients will be recruited and randomized into three groups: the sham-cTBS group (sham cTBS targeting contralesional PMA), the cTBS-cM1 group (cTBS targeting contralesional M1), and the cTBS-cPMA group (cTBS targeting contralesional PMA). All subjects will undergo comprehensive rehabilitation and the corresponding cTBS interventions once a day, five times a week for 4 weeks. Clinical scales, neurophysiological examinations, and neuroimaging will be used as evaluation tools in this study. As the primary outcome, clinical performance on muscle spasticity of elbow/wrist flexor/extensors and upper-limb motor function will be evaluated with the modified Ashworth scale and the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity Scale, respectively. These scale scores will be collected at baseline, after 4 weeks of treatment, and at follow-up. The secondary outcomes were neurophysiological examinations and Neuroimaging. In neurophysiological examinations, motor evoked potentials, startle reflex, and H reflexes will be used to assess the excitability of the subject's motor cortex, reticulospinal pathway, and spinal motor neurons, respectively. Results of them will be recorded before and after the first cTBS treatment, at post-intervention (at 4 weeks), and at follow-up (at 8 weeks). Neuroimaging tests with diffusion tensor imaging for all participants will be evaluated at baseline and after the 4-week treatment. Discussion Based on the latest research progress on post-stroke spasticity, we innovatively propose a new neuromodulation target for improving post-stroke spasticity via cTBS. We expected that cTBS targeting cPMA would have significant immediate and short-term effects on spasticity and related neural pathways. The effect of cTBS-cPMA may be better than that of cTBS via conventional cM1. The results of our study will provide robust support for the application of cTBS neuromodulation in post-stroke spasticity after a severe stroke. Clinical trial registration This trial was registered with chictr.org.cn on June 13, 2022 (protocol version). http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=171759.


Although allergen avoidance can lead to significant improvements in symptoms of allergic rhinitis, there are very few studies in this area. Sunglasses could be effective for protection of eyes from pollen as a cheap, comfortable, and simple avoidance option for allergens. The aim of this study is to determine if wearing sunglasses can decrease ocular symptoms.


A 67‐year‐old male underwent general anesthesia for left atrial appendage occlusion. During the procedure, the patient developed catecholamine refractory hypotension requiring the administration of several vasopressin boluses to maintain adequate perfusion pressure. At the conclusion of the procedure, mild venous bleeding necessitated the administration of protamine. This led to a further decrease in the patient's blood pressure. Tamponade and continued volume loss were quickly ruled out leading to a diagnosis of vasoplegia syndrome (VS). The patient was appropriately treated with a vasopressin infusion with normalization of blood pressure and no significant morbidity or adverse outcome. With the use of general anesthesia during structural heart interventions on the rapid rise, we discuss the two common causes for vasoplegia along with evidence‐based treatments and possible prevention strategies.


The present study investigated the predictive influence of students' reactive emotional coping and racial socialization experiences on teachers' perceptions of classroom behavior adjustment problems. Participants were 148 African American male youth attending a secondary school in a large northeastern city. Behavioral outcomes included teacher ratings of student behavioral overactivity in different classroom situations. Results using hierarchical regression analyses show that measures of social rejection sensitivity, anger expression, and racial socialization predict teacher-observed behavioral overactivity, with overt anger expression being the most powerful predictor. Findings suggest that racial socialization and particular styles of emotional coping are important determinants for teachers' impressions of classroom behavior for some African American adolescent males. Implications for future research and interventions with African American male youth in urban secondary schools are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Data on the percentage of transfer passengers at airports are hardly available from official sources. However, such information can be useful for various analyses, such as assessments of airport cost drivers, lobbying and policymaking, or just airport categorization. We show how so-called segment split data provided by the Sabre-ADI (Airport Data Intelligence) database, which are compiled from MIDT booking data and estimates for non-CRS bookings, can be used to estimate transfer rates at the airport level. Hereby, segment-split means that the total of departing passengers at the airport level can be split by local, beyond, behind and bridge passengers. While the former two groups of passengers do not change planes at all, or at other airports only, the latter two are counted as transfer passengers at the airport in question. We briefly discuss the reliability of the Sabre-ADI dataset and then conclude with a short use case showing the development of the transfer rate over time at selected airports.


This paper examines the construction and implementation of a regional transferable discharge permit system for phosphorus runoff from agricultural-related sources. The impact on behavior at the firm level is also examined. Results indicate that firms may respond to binding environmental constraints by both engaging in the trade of discharge permits and decreasing the output that can cause phosphorus runoff. The criticisms within the literature of building transferable discharge permit systems that ignore transactions costs are also addressed.


Prognosis was analyzed as a function of histologic grade, axillary gland spread and hormonal receptors in a consecutive series of 1000 patients with breast cancer (stages I and II) treated by conservative tumorectomy and axillary curettage, combined with radiotherapy, and followed up for between 3 and 12 years. The three factors analyzed are of major importance in that they constituted a veritable tumoral identity card. Grade I tumors, the absence of glandular spread and the presence of hormonal receptors are correlated with cancer of good prognosis, whereas grade III tumors, major axillary spread and absence of hormonal receptors are related to a poor prognosis. Their interactions are studied by comparing associations of good and poor prognostic factors, allowing determination of populations at low and high risk of therapeutic failure.


This paper presents the spatial distribution of changes in the value of the pre− dicted insulation index of clothing (Iclp) in the Norwegian Arctic for the period 1971-2000. For this study, data from six meteorological stations were used: Ny−Alesund, Svalbard Air− port, Hornsund, Hopen, Bjornoya and Jan Mayen. The impact on the atmospheric circula− tion to the course of the Iclp index was analyzed using the catalogue of circulation types by Niedźwiedź (1993, 2002), the circulation index according to Murray and Lewis (1966) modified by Niedźwiedź (2001), the North Atlantic Oscillation Index according to Luter− bacher et al. (1999, 2002), and the Arctic Oscillation Index (Thompson and Wallace 1998).


The Panamanian Ministry of Health, through the Interamerican Development Bank, contracted the Gorgas Memorial Laboratory to conduct epidemiologic studies on leishmaniasis and malaria in eastern Panama from July 1984 through June 1985. Preliminary results of the biomedical and entomologic teams investigating the epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the eastern part of the country are presented in this short report. The principal findings of the study revealed 1) a large disparity in the incidence and prevalence of the disease among the five communities investigated; 2) the appearance of self-cures without the benefit of effective treatment; 3) a relatively high percentage of subclinical cases; and 4) determination of the sandfly vector species for each community. Also reported here is a case of a double infection with two distinct species of Leishmania, L. mexicana and L. amazonensis, in a single individual.


P HYSICIANS AND PATIENTS HAVE ALWAYS HAD A great fascination with the invisible pathogen. Koch's criteria, set out as early as 1882, have generally been ignored, that is, a microorganism must be (1) present in every case of the disease and (2) isolated from the host with the disease and grown in pure culture, (3) the specific disease must be reproduced when a pure culture of the microbe is inoculated into a healthy susceptible host, and (4) the pathogen must be recoverable from the experimentally infected host. In 1892, when various bacteria had already been identified, Dimitrii Ivanovsky demonstrated that an infectious agent underlying tobacco mosaic virus disease was small enough to pass through a filter that trapped all known pathogens. Based on this method, which has to be considered cutting edge for that period, a human illness with an unknown etiology was believed to be caused by an unknown blood poison: multiple sclerosis (MS). The Greek word for poison is virus, and when the invention of the electron microscope allowed the visualization of viruses in the 1930s, modern virology was born.


In the present work the mixtures water–sodium decylsulfate (C10OS)-poly(vinylpyrrolidone)
(PVP) and water–sodium decylsulfonate (C10S)–PVP have been investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy employing 4-(N,N-dimethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)) ammonium-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-1-oxyl chloride (TEMPO-choline, TC) as spin probe. TC cations condense on the surface of the aggregates formed by anionic surfactants, acting as counterions, and fit their NO moiety in the outer shell of the hydrophobic core. In water–C10OS–PVP mixtures the nitrogen isotropic hyperfine coupling constant of TC (〈AN〉), reported as a function of the surfactant molality at constant PVP composition, shows two breakpoints: the former (critical aggregation concentration, c.a.c.) corresponds to the formation of surfactant–polymer clusters while the latter (c2) corresponds to the formation of free surfactant micelles. The trend of the correlation time (τC) of the nitroxides in the same system shows that the electrostatic repulsion among the clusters formed onto the PVP macromolecules favours a broadening of the polymer coil and a stiffening of its chain. In contrast, in water–C10S–PVP mixtures no surfactant–polymer interaction could be detected. The effect of the molecular structure of the surfactant headgroup on the surfactant–polymer interaction has been discussed in terms of charge density distribution. In order to further highlight the importance of the headgroup molecular structure on the surfactant association behaviour, the micellisation process of the sodium alkylsulfates (CnOS, n = 6,8,10) has been investigated by the same experimental approach, and the results have been compared with those, previously reported (A. M. Tedeschi, G. D'Errico, E. Busi, R. Basosi and V. Barone, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2002, 4, 2180, ref. 46), relative to the sodium alkylsulfonates (CnS). CnOS micelles are more ordered and compact with respect to the CnS ones. For the former class of surfactants the electrostatic interaction with TC is stronger and the hydrophobic behaviour of the TC solubilization site is higher.


The first reorganization of odor representations in the nervous system occurs at the synapse between olfactory receptor neurons and second-order neurons in olfactory bulb glomeruli. Signal transmission at this synapse is modulated presynaptically by several mechanisms, a major one being mediated by GABAB receptors, which suppress presynaptic calcium influx and subsequent transmitter release from the receptor neuron terminal. Here, we imaged stimulus-evoked calcium influx into the receptor neuron terminal in anesthetized mice and used odorant and electrical stimulation combined with in vivo pharmacology to characterize the functional determinants of GABAB-mediated presynaptic inhibition and to test hypotheses on the role of this inhibition in olfactory processing. As expected from previous studies, blocking presynaptic GABAB receptors in vivo increased odorant-evoked presynaptic calcium signals, confirming that GABAB-mediated inhibition modulates the strength of receptor inputs. Surprisingly, we found that the strength of this inhibition was affected little by the nature of the input, being independent of the spatial distribution of activated glomeruli, independent of the sniff frequency used to sample the odorant, and similar for weak and strong odorant-evoked inputs. Instead, we found that tonic inhibition was a major determinant of receptor input strength; this tonic inhibition in turn was dependent on glutamatergic transmission from second-order neurons in the glomerular layer. Thus, rather than adaptively shaping odor representations in an activity-dependent manner, a primary role of presynaptic inhibition in vivo may be to modulate the magnitude of sensory input to the brain as a function of behavioral state.


Deformations of contacts between the workpiece and locators/clamps resulting from large contact forces cause overall workpiece displacement, and affect the localization accuracy of the workpiece. An important characteristic of a workpiece-flxture system is that locators are passive elements and can only react to clamping forces and external loads, whereas clamps are active elements and apply a predetermined normal load to the surface of workpiece to prevent it from losing contact with the locators. Clamping forces play an important role in determining the final workpiece quality. This paper presents a general method for determining the optimal clamping forces including their magnitudes and positions. First, we derive a set of "compatibility" equations that describe the relationship between the displacement of the workpiece and the deformations at contacts. Further, we develop a locally elastic contact model to characterize the nonlinear coupling between the contact force and elastic deformation at the individual contact. We define the minimum norm of the elastic deformations at contacts as the objective function, then formulate the problem of determining the optimal clamping forces as a constrained nonlinear programming problem which guarantees that the fixturing of the workpiece is force closure. Using the exterior penalty function method, we transform the constrained nonlinear programming into an unconstrained nonlinear programming which is, in fact, the nonlinear least square. Consequently, the optimal magnitudes and positions of clamping forces are obtained by using the Levenberg-Marquardt method which is globally convergent. The proposed planning method of optimal clamping forces, which may also have an application to other passive, indeterminate problems such as power grasps in robotics, is illustrated with numerical example.


Paranasal sinuses are air-filled hollow sacs seen around the skull bone. These sacs precisely surround the nasal cavity. There are four paired sinuses surrounding the nasal cavity. This article attempts to trace the history of anatomy of paranasal sinuses from early 16th century till date. The advent of nasal endoscopes has added another dimension to the anatomical study of paranasal sinuses. The entire subject of anatomy of paranasal sinuses has been rewritten after endoscopes were started to be used commonly.


PURPOSE
To prospectively compare the effect of a protocol with a fixed contrast material injection dose and one with a dose tailored to patient body weight on pancreatic enhancement at dynamic computed tomography (CT) of the pancreas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was approved by the institutional review board, and patients gave informed consent. Seventy-eight patients suspected of having pancreatic tumor were randomly assigned to one of two protocols (39 patients in each protocol). In protocol 1, a fixed contrast material dose (120 mL of iohexol 300) was delivered at an injection rate of 4.0 mL/sec; in protocol 2, a dose tailored to the patient's body weight (2.0 mL/kg) was injected over the course of 30 seconds. Scans were started 25, 45 (pancreatic parenchymal phase [PPP]), and 70 (portal venous phase [PVP]) seconds after the initiation of contrast material injection. Pancreatic enhancement during the PPP and hepatic enhancement during the PVP were compared by using the Student t test in patients whose body weight was less than 60 kg (group A) or 60 kg or greater (group B). A radiologist who was blinded to the injection protocol used measured the CT number of each organ.

RESULTS
With protocol 1, mean pancreatic enhancement during the PPP was 94.1 HU in group A and 76.1 HU in group B; the difference was statistically significant (P = .02). With protocol 2, mean pancreatic enhancement was 89.5 HU in group A and 84.7 HU in group B; there was no significant difference (P = .45). Mean hepatic enhancement with protocol 1 during the PVP was 59.6 HU in group A and 48.5 HU in group B (P < .01); with protocol 2, it was 55.4 HU in group A and 58.3 HU in group B. The difference was not statistically significant (P = .34).

CONCLUSION
The dose protocol tailored to the patient's body weight yielded satisfactory pancreatic and hepatic enhancement irrespective of patient weight.


AIM
To evaluate the apical extrusion of debris associated with several root canal preparation systems in vitro.

METHODOLOGY
Forty-five extracted human mandibular premolars with single canals and similar lengths were used. The root canals were instrumented using ProTaper Next (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland), Twisted File (SybronEndo, Orange, CA, USA) or WaveOne (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). Debris extruded apically during instrumentation was collected into pre-weighed Eppendorf tubes. The Eppendorf tubes were then stored in an incubator at 70 °C for 5 days. The Eppendorf tubes were weighed to obtain the final weight of the Eppendorf tubes plus extruded debris. Three consecutive weights were obtained for each tube. The groups were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance on Ranks and Tukey's test.

RESULTS
The ProTaper Next group produced the highest mean extrusion value whilst WaveOne produced less debris compared with all the other instruments (P > 0.05). There was a significant difference between the ProTaper Next and WaveOne group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
Apically extruded debris was associated with all instrumentation techniques. The WaveOne system extruded less debris compared with the Twisted File and ProTaper Next.


This article presents a study about youth protagonist experiences of young people who take part in a social and environmental collective. It sets up an exploratory fi eld research with a qualitative approach, which was attended by three members of a young collective of social-environmental actions. Data were collected by conducting a focus group and analyzed through constructive-interpretative analysis. The study revolves around the theoretical concepts of youth and the environmental role of experience and the ethical-political subject. The results indicate that youth protagonist experiences of participation by young people are products and producers of new relationships with each other, and others will be through personal transformation, by collective autonomy promotion, by the possibility of sociopolitical organization and by the expansion of the political collective commitment. The fi ndings indicate that experiencing social and environmental activities made it possible for young people to strengthen social and political commitment and increased awareness as agents of change in their reality, in themselves and others, with respect to caring for the environment; thus, in this way demonstrating a caring concern, buoyed in ethical political conduct.


In this study influences of maternal prenatal stress on the cortisol reactions of children to a vaccination were determined. Prenatal stress at around 16 weeks of gestation was measured through questionnaires and a cortisol day curve. Cortisol reactions were determined preceding and following the vaccination. A total of 24 children (age between 3.11 and 5.9 years, mean age 4.9 years) and their mothers participated in this study. Multilevel analysis (hierarchical linear modelling) was used to analyze the data. Children of mothers who had higher concentrations of morning cortisol during pregnancy had higher concentrations of cortisol as compared to children of mothers who had lower concentrations of morning cortisol. Furthermore, more daily hassles and a higher level of fear of bearing a handicapped child during pregnancy were associated with higher concentrations of cortisol in the children.


To assess whether and how the activation of the renin-angiotensin system that occurs in response to changes in posture contributes to the maintenance of blood pressure, we measured blood pressure, heart rate, plasma noradrenaline and plasma active and inactive renin in patients with essential hypertension in the supine, sitting and standing positions, (each sustained for 30 min), before and after administration of captopril. These studies were performed before and after a brief period of diuretic therapy. Both in the normal and in the sodium depleted state captopril reduced the normal adaptive response of blood pressure to changes in body position, whereas the responses of heart rate and plasma noradrenaline to these stimuli were unaffected by captopril. In contrast, the postural increases in active renin were magnified after captopril while inactive renin was unchanged throughout these acute studies. Our results indicate that during mild but rather prolonged postural stresses the generation of angiotensin by active renin supports blood pressure either through its direct vasoconstrictive effect and/or by potentiating the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. It is unlikely that the changes in active renin depend upon conversion from the inactive form.


This paper presents a reusable microdispenser intended for continuous flow dispensing of variable and controlled volumes of liquid against high back-pressures. The microdispenser consists of two active valves and a dispenser chamber, all actuated by the volume change associated with the solid-to-liquid phase transition of paraffin wax. It is fabricated using stainless steel sheets, a flexible printed circuit board, and a polyimide membrane. All are covered with Parylene C for insulation and fusion bonding at assembly. A finite element method (FEM) model of the paraffin actuator is used to predict the resulting flow characteristics. The results show dispensing of well-defined volumes of 350 and 540 nL, with a good repeatability between dispensing sequences, as well as reproducibility between devices. In addition, the flow characteristics show no back-pressure dependence of the dispensed flow in the interval 0.5-2.0 MPa. The FEM model can be used to predict the flow characteristics qualitatively.


Compared to the eastern Pacific and eastern Atlantic, tropical cyclogenesis associated with breakdown of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) was less documented over the western North Pacific (WNP). A typical case in boreal summer 2006 over the WNP, in which tropical cyclogenesis is induced by ITCZ breakdown in association with synoptic‐scale wave train (SWT), is examined through observation analysis and numerical simulations. Observational analysis displays that a northwest–southeast‐oriented SWT developed and propagated northwestward several days prior to ITCZ breakdown. Furthermore, the comparisons of simulation results reveal the role of the SWT in ITCZ breakdown. On one hand, the SWT within the ITCZ region is conducive to break down the ITCZ by enhancing the potential vorticity (PV), strengthening the meridional PV gradient and producing an evident sign reversal of PV gradient. On the other hand, the anomalous anticyclonic circulation related to the SWT north of ITCZ can reduce the meridional scale of PV band and thus increase the meridional PV gradient to accelerate ITCZ breakdown.


Edge and Fog computing paradigms are used to process big data generated by the increasing number of IoT devices. These paradigms have enabled cities to become smarter in various aspects via real-time data-driven applications. While these have addressed some flaws of cloud computing some challenges remain particularly in terms of privacy and security. We create a testbed based on a distributed processing platform called the Information flow of Things (IFoT) middleware. We briefly describe a decentralized traffic speed query and routing service implemented on this framework testbed. We configure the testbed to test countermeasure systems that aim to address the security challenges faced by prior paradigms. Using this testbed, we investigate a novel decentralized anomaly detection approach for time-sensitive distributed smart transportation systems.


We present the analysis of a new set of radio and optical observations of a large sample of Byurakan Blue Compact Galaxies. III spectra were obtained with the Nancay 300-m and Green Bank 43-m radio telescopes. CCD-images were taken with the KPNO 0.9-m and Whipple Observatory 1.2-m telescopes. Dark Matter (DM) to luminous mass ratios in these BCGs were found to vary from about less than 0.5 up to 14. Recent data taken from the literature indicate this same range. This result lias important consequences on models of dwarf galaxy formation, indicating possibly different formation mechanisms. The standard CDM model of dwarfs formation requires large DM halos. However the formation of dwarfs as tidal debris resulting from strong interactions of massive spirals leads naturally to dwarfs with low content of DM. On Fig. 1 we show DM to luminous mass ratio versus rotational velocity for our BCGs and some other galaxies.


Records of 866 kits born in 203 litters over a peri od of 132 weeks were used to evaluate the effects o f season of birth (raining, dry) on litter birth char acteristics. Other factors investigated included th e effects of generation of birth (1, 2), number of ma ting (1, 2), parity (1, 2, 3, 4) and doe number of teats (8, 9, 10). Other traits investigated included gest ation gain (GG), kindling loss (KL), litter size at birth (LSB), neonatal mortality (NEOM), live birth percen tage (LB), mortality per litter (ML), litter weight (LWT) and mean kit weight (MKW). Gestation gain was t ken as the difference between doe weight at mating and the weight taken one day pre-partum. Kindling loss was taken as the difference in doe weight one day prepartum and its weight immediately after kindling. Litter weights divided by number of individuals for each litter gave the mean kit bi rth weight, while the gestation length was obtained as the difference between the dates of successful mati ng nd kindling. Out of the 866 kits produced in two generations, 371 were born in the rainy season (April to September) and 495 in the dry season (October to March). Season of birth did not signifi cantly (P>0.05) influence litter size at birth, liv e birth percentage and mean kit birth weight, althoug h the percent survival was slightly higher during the dry season. The percentage survival at birth fo r the first four parities were 4.07±1.63, 4.04±1.29 , 3.96±1.10 and 3.56±1.46, respectively; correspondin g values for gestation length were 31.6±2.7, 31.6±1.8, 31.9±1.6 and 32.2±1.7, respectively. Litt er size at birth and mean kit birth weight for sing le mating were 3.95±1.36 and 38.95±7.87, respectively. Corresponding values for double mating were 3.82±1.45 and 39.14±10.22, respectively. Litter siz e at birth and mean kit birth weight for does with 8, 9 and 10 teats were 4.12 and 41.73 g, 4.11 and 42.3 1 g and 4.48 and 41.01 g, respectively. Second generation kits were born in lower litter size and litter weight, they had lower mean kit weight and l ive birth per litter. Parity, number of mating and doe number of teats had no significant effect (P>0.05) on the investigated bio-economic traits. The present r sults showed that selection of replacement does may not be done with accuracy using external charac teristics like doe number of teats. It may be possible to undertake an all year round breeding in commercial rabbitry under tropical condition. The rainy season however remained the best season that favours farmer productivity, especially under forage based backyard rabbitry.


Summary.  Objective: We sought to evaluate deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis compliance according to time of admission in a medical intensive care unit (MICU). Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study at a closed tertiary MICU. We classified patients into three groups (week days, weekends, and week nights), according to time of admission. An unweighted risk factor score (RFS) was calculated from 20 known risk factors. We defined DVT prophylaxis compliance as any type of prophylaxis (mechanical or pharmacologic) for RFS ≤ 3 or both types of prophylaxis for RFS > 3. Non‐compliance was defined as no prophylaxis or single‐type prophylaxis for RFS > 3. Results: We analyzed 105 admissions. Eighty (76.19%) patients received compliant DVT prophylaxis, and 25 (23.81%) patients received non‐compliant regimens of whom 11 (10.48%) were not on any prophylaxis. DVT prophylaxis compliance was not different across the three admission groups. The non‐compliant DVT prophylaxis group had a higher RFS (3.48 ± 2.1 vs. 2.25 ± 1.5; P = 0.011), a trend towards fewer female patients (40% vs. 60%; P = 0.079), and a higher percentage of admissions by interns at the first postgraduate year (PGY) level (28% vs. 5.4%; P = 0.01). Logistic regression revealed that only RFS and PGY level were independent predictors for compliance (P = 0.015 and 0.005 respectively). Time of admission was not a significant factor. Conclusions: Time of admission did not influence DVT prophylaxis compliance. Compliance improved with higher PGY level and lower RFS. A higher level of knowledge probably explains the association with PGY level; however, we cannot explain the inverse relationship between RFS and compliance.


A new method has been developed for analysis of well test data that allows the direct calculation of the location of arbitrary reservoir boundaries detected during a well test. The method is based on elements of ray tracing and information theory, and is centered on the calculation of an instantaneous "angle of view" of the reservoir boundaries. In the absence of other information, the relative reservoir shape and boundary distances are retrievable in the form of a diagnostic image. If other reservoir information, such as 3-D seismic, is available, the full shape and orientation of arbitrary (non-straight-line or circular arc) boundaries can be determined in the form of a reservoir image. The well test imaging method can be used to greatly enhance the information available from well tests and other geological data, and provides a method to integrate data from multiple disciplines to improve reservoir characterization. This paper covers the derivation of the analytical technique of well test imaging and shows examples of application of the technique to a number of reservoirs.


This paper introduces the risk minimisation objective in the Stochastic Vehicle Routing Problem (SVRP). In the studied variant of SVRP, technicians drive to customer sites to provide service. The service times and travel times are stochastic, and a time window is required for the start of the service for each customer. Most previous research uses a chance-constrained approach to the problem. Some consider the probability of journey duration exceeding the threshold of the driver's workload while others set restrictions on the probability of individual time window constraints being violated. Their objectives are related to traditional routing costs whilst a different approach was taken in this paper. The risk of missing a task is defined as the probability that the technician assigned to the task arrives at the customer site later than the time window. The problem studied in this paper is to generate a schedule that minimises the maximum risk and sum of risks of the tasks. The duration of each task may be considered as following a known normal distribution. However the distribution of the start time of the service at a customer site will not be normally distributed due to time window constraints. Therefore a multiple integral expression of the risk was derived, and this expression works whether task distribution is normal or not. Additionally a deterministic heuristic searching method was applied to solve the problem. Experiments are carried out to test the method. Results of this work have been applied to an industrial case of SVRP where field engineering individuals drive to customer sites to provide time-constrained services. This original approach allows organisations to pay more attention to increasing customer satisfaction and become more competitive in the market.


Voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels (Ca(v) channels), a big family of Ca(2+) channels, gating of which is regulated in a voltage-dependent manner, play a crucial role as a molecular mechanism linking the extracellular neuronal and humoral signals to the intracellular Ca(2+) signals, with which various types of cells alter their function. Ca(v) channels, therefore, are important targets of drug development for therapeutic agents of cardiovascular and neuronal diseases. By further combined application of novel molecular biological techniques and electrophysiological (patch-clamp) procedures, specific tissue distribution of individual types of Ca(v) channels has been identified in more detail. It is evident now that Ca(v) channels play an important role in regulation of not only physiological and pathophysiological function of excitable cells, but also other non-excitable cells, responsible for immunological response, gene expression, apoptosis, and cell proliferation, providing further potential for development of novel agents for treatment of diverse cell disorders.


Along with high longitudinal resolution of optical coherence tomography, confocal optical coherence microscopy (OCM) provides high transversal resolution due to relatively high numerical apertures. However, the presence of relatively high numerical apertures leads to limited depth of field, which reduces the speed of OCM and decreases the advantage of Fourier domain detection. In this paper we propose a numerical processing technique for three-dimensional image reconstruction in Fourier domain OCM. It takes into account not only the defocus of different parts of imaged volumetric sample, but also the effects of upper layers' refractive index on imaging the sample inner structure. Besides providing sharp coherence gated imaging, this technique also allows for determining both the geometrical thickness and refractive index of the sample layers.


Aim: To investigate whether kaempferol exhibited protective effects on osteoarthritis chondrocytes by modulating the XIST/miR-130a/STAT3 axis. Methods: qRT-PCR and western blot assays were used for gene and protein determination. Dual luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were employed to study the interaction between miRNA and lncRNA or genes. Results: Kaempferol decreased proinflammatory cytokine production and extracellular matrix degradation in C28/I2 cells. Additionally, kaempferol ameliorated XIST expression and enhanced miR-130a expression. XIST interacted with miR-130a, and STAT3 was identified as a target of miR-130a. Knockdown of XIST expression suppressed proinflammatory cytokine production and extracellular matrix degradation in C28/I2 cells. Overexpression of STAT3 rescued the effects of XIST knockdown. Conclusion: Kaempferol inhibited inflammation and extracellular matrix degradation by modulating the XIST/miR-130a/STAT3 axis in chondrocytes.


Absolute poverty lines are often derived from the cost of obtaining sufficient calories. Where staples vary across regions, such poverty lines may differ depending on whether they are set using national or regional food baskets. Regional poverty lines are open to the objection that they may be contaminated by income effects. This paper explores this issue by focusing on Uganda, a country where widening spatial inequalities in the 1990s have caused concern. Conflicting results from earlier studies have suggested that the spatial pattern of poverty in Uganda is very sensitive to whether national or regional food baskets are used in setting poverty lines. We confirm this suggestion by comparing the spatial profile of poverty in 1993 using national and regional poverty lines. However, since the regions consuming the more expensive staple sources of calories are also those with higher incomes, using simple regional poverty lines is problematic. Instead, a method of setting regional poverty lines is considered that adjusts for income differentials between regions. Even with this adjustment, the use of regional food baskets implies markedly different spatial profile of poverty in Uganda to the use of a national food basket. It is argued that a preference for regional or national poverty lines depends on how one conceives of welfare. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.


Microglia are resident immune cells of the central nervous system. Their development and maintenance depend on stimulation of Colony Stimulating Factor-1 receptor (CSF1R). Microglia play an important role in neurodevelopment and a population of microglia that expresses the complement receptor CD11c is critical for primary myelination. This population is virtually absent in the healthy adult brain but increases dramatically upon neuroinflammatory conditions, and these microglia are suggested to play a protective role in central nervous system (CNS) diseases. To date, the molecular trigger for their expansion is unknown. Here we showed that stimulation of CSF1R by either of its ligands, CSF1 and interleukin (IL)-34, can induce expansion of CD11c+ microglia. In addition, such stimulation resulted in amelioration of EAE symptoms and decreased demyelination. Treatment with CSF1R ligands also induced expression of the chemokine CCL2, and we showed that experimental overexpression of CCL2 in the brain led to a dramatic increase of CD11c+ microglia, independent of CCR2. Moreover, this led to elevated CSF1 expression, suggesting a positive feedback loop between CSF1R and CCL2. These data provide new insights to microglia biology and open new perspectives for modulating microglial activity in neuroinflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis.


This paper is a descriptive research which concerns the level of human life needs depicted in T. B. Silalahi's Novel Toba Dreams. This study focuses on the level of life needs which are wanted to be quickly achieved as the key to success. The purpose of this study is to describe the level of life needs of the antagonist named Ronggur based on Maslow's life needs theory (1987). The fundamental problem is the behavior of the protagonist, Sergeant Tebe, who wants his first child Ronggur to be a role model in the indigenous Batak family. This research applied Maslow's theory which divides hierarchy of needs into psychological needs, safety needs, love and belongingness needs, esteem needs, and needs for self actualization. The findings indicate that all the antagonist's life needs could be achieved by hook or by crook. This study can give a lesson that the community can reach and meet their needs depending on the strength of wills.

Keywords: needs hierarchy, psychological needs, safety needs, love and belongingness needs, esteem needs, needs for self actualization.


LoRaWAN is one of the most promising standards for long-range sensing applications. However, the high number of end devices expected in at-scale deployment, combined with the absence of an effective synchronization scheme, challenge the scalability of this standard. In this paper, we present an approach to increase network throughput through a Slotted-ALOHA overlay on LoRaWAN networks. To increase the single channel capacity, we propose to regulate the communication of LoRaWAN networks using a Slotted-ALOHA variant on the top of the Pure-ALOHA approach used by the standard; thus, no modification in pre-existing libraries is necessary. Our method is based on an innovative synchronization service that is suitable for low-cost wireless sensor nodes. We modelled the LoRaWAN channel with extensive measurement on hardware platforms, and we quantified the impact of tuning parameters on physical and medium access control layers, as well as the packet collision rate. Results show that Slotted-ALOHA supported by our synchronization service significantly improves the performance of traditional LoRaWAN networks regarding packet loss rate and network throughput.


Independent lung ventilation (ILV) is a life-saving procedure in unilateral pulmonary pathologies. ILV is underused in clinical practice, mostly due to the technically demanding placement of a double lumen endotracheal tube (ETT). Moreover, the determination of ventilation parameters for each lung in vivo is limited. In recent years, the development of 3D printing techniques enabled the production of highly accurate physical models of anatomical structures used for in vitro research, considering the high risk of in vivo studies. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of double-lumen ETT on the gas transport and mixing in the anatomically accurate 3D-printed model of the bronchial tree, with lung lobes of different compliances, using various ventilation modes. The bronchial tree was obtained from Respiratory Drug Delivery (RDD Online, Richmond, VA, USA), processed and printed by a dual extruder FFF 3D printer. The test system was also composed of left side double-lumen endotracheal tube, Siemens Test Lung 190 and anesthetic breathing bag (as lobes). Pressure and flow measurements were taken at the outlets of the secondary bronchus. The measured resistance increased six times in the presence of double-lumen ETT. Differences between the flow distribution to the less and more compliant lobe were more significant for the airways with double-lumen ETT. The ability to predict the actual flow distribution in model airways is necessary to conduct effective ILV in clinical conditions.


This paper presents an analysis of a simple oscillator designed for stabilized frequency divider application. The oscillator combines some of the characteristics of sinusoidal and relaxation oscillators to provide a high degree of frequency stability while allowing sufficient tendency for synchronization. The analytical results are obtained in a graphical form which is easy to handle and which could be used as a design procedure for stabilized frequency dividers. Synchronization of the oscillator is described for the case of an input signal consisting of narrow pulses. It is shown that the circuit can maintain a given frequency division ratio regardless of variations in, the amplitude of such a synchronization signal. The results of the graphical analysis are confirmed by experimental observations. Performance data are presented indicating that the circuit is capable of frequency division ratios of 30 to 40 without requiring close control of the power supply voltage.


AIM
COVID-19 was first seen in China at the end of December 2019. The disease spread rapidly and was declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. Only urgent surgi cal cases and oncological surgeries that cannot be postponed were performed during this pandemic process. As a wasting disease, colorectal cancer (CRC) itself and its corresponding treatment may weaken the immune response to respiratory bacteria, makes patients more susceptible to virus infection. Besides, colorectal cancer patients are immunosuppressed because of the side effects of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy taken. The choice of surgical procedures and perioperative management of the patients with CRC has become even more important in the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact on CRC surgery is unknown. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the preopartive, intraoperative, and postoperative findings of patients operated for colorectal cancer in our clinic.

MATERIAL-METHOD
We defined the 'COVID-19' period as occurring between 12-03-2020 and 31-08-2020. All the enrolled patients were divided into two groups, pre-COVID-19 group (Pre-CG; 66 cases) and COVID-19 group (CG; 43 cases). A total of 109 patients with CRC were included in this study. Patient characteristics, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative clinicopathological findings were compared between groups.

RESULTS
The waiting times before admission increased in CG (Pre-CG [5.34±2.55] vs CG [18.13±9.11]; p<0.001). After admission, the waiting time before surgery was longer in CG (Pre-CG [2.04±1.34] vs CG [5.53±6.00]; p<0.001). There were no significant difference between the groups in terms of operation method (laparoscopic/open), operation type (emergency/elective), surgical procedure, combine organ resection, intraoperative blood transfusion requirment, operation time (p values, respectively; p=0.082; p=0.474; p=0.317; p=0.656; p=0.617; p=0.696). In this study, no significant difference was found between the groups in terms of postoperative complications (p=0.357) and mortality (p=0.826). It was found that the ICU stay was significantly shorter in CG (Pre-CG [11.63±2.22] vs CG [1.48±0.76]; p=0.008).

CONCLUSIONS
In this study, it was seen that the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect morbidity and mortality in CRC surgery, but it prolonged admission waiting and operation waiting times. Since there is very little data in the literature regarding the effect of COVID-19 on CRC surgery, our study will guide future studies on this subject.

KEY WORDS
Colorectal Cancer, Coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19, Surgery.


This paper reports a polymer-based technology suitable for implementation of micro-heat-pipes for low temperature InP/InGaAs based processes. Many published approaches for implementing heat pipes at micro scale require wafer-to-wafer bonding and sintering. The temperature required for standard wafer-to-wafer bonding or sintering is normally in excess of 500/spl deg/C and is beyond the thermal budget of many low temperature InP/InGaAs-based processes. This technology enables a heat-pipe to be miniaturized with mainly organic materials at a temperature below 110/spl deg/C, eliminating the needs for high-temperature wafer-to-wafer bonding and sintering. Measurements have been carried out and are presented to substantiate this presentation.


Abstract The paper focuses on the manifestation of multilingual awareness (MLA) and the impact of Estonian in Russian-language blogs by ethnic Russians. MLA can be defined as "an ability to focus on linguistic form and to switch focus between form and meaning" (Jessner, Ulrike. 2014. On multilingual awareness or why the multilingual learner is a specific language learner. In Miroslaw Pawlak & Larissa Aronin (eds.), Essential topics in applied linguistics and multilingualism. Studies in Honor of David Singleton, 175–184. Wien: Springer.). The purpose is to show that metalinguistic comments form as a subcategory of metalinguistic awareness, i.e., the latter conditions the former but not vice versa. I consider not only explicit examples of metalinguistic comments, such as discussion on differences between Russian of Russia and Russian in Estonia, proficiency in Estonian, sometimes including discussions on fine points of Estonian grammar, but also implicit and more subtle examples, such as visual separation of Estonian stems and Russian inflections, playful switches from Cyrillic to Latin characters and back within a sentence or even a word. All blogs are in the Live Journal environment, a medium which combines features of stand-alone blogs and social networks. The bloggers are reasonably proficient in Estonian and work or study in a predominantly Estonian-language environment. Data comes from fifteen blogs from the period 2008–2012. The bloggers position themselves as autonomous language users and consider blogs as their private virtual space with an individual language policy. This is in accordance with the views of some contact linguists (e.g., Thomason, Sara Grey. 2007. Language contact and deliberate change. Journal of Language Contact 1. 41–62.), who consider change by deliberate decision as one of the mechanisms of contact-induced language change.


The daytime F layer trough is studied by means of an extensive network of ground-based ionospheric sounders in the northern hemisphere under conditions of solar maximum near winter solstice. The trough is observed to be a continuous band having an instantaneous extent of thousands of kilometers consisting of depletions in the daytime electron density, often by an order of magnitude. It lies in regions of sunward ionospheric-magnetospheric convection, an afternoon sector corresponding to the dusk cell, a morning sector corresponding to the dawn cell, and morphology and activity dependence consistent with convection. As detected in the diurnal distributions of f0F2, the trough is a persistent feature at high latitudes, appearing on each day of a 31-day period of continuous observation, and, although highly variable from day to day, is apparent in the monthly medians. The afternoon trough, which is detected independently by at least five and as many as 17 stations on each day, is generally continuous and stationary for a duration of many hours in magnetic latitude/magnetic local time coordinates. The trough contracts during quiet conditions so as to lie above 70° magnetic latitude but expands during disturbed conditions so as to extend from 75° to 52° magnetic latitude. The trough has a pronounced dependence on longitude, appearing principally in the afternoon in eastern magnetic longitudes but in the morning in western magnetic longitudes, an effect so prevalent that it produces large east-west local time asymmetries in the diurnal distributions of median daytime F layer electron densities throughout a wide range of latitudes. The longitudinal dependence is found to result from the relation between the two principal coordinate systems of the ionosphere-magnetosphere interaction: solar geomagnetic coordinates in which the convection pattern and the resultant daytime trough reside, and solar terrestrial coordinates in which solar ion production and the undisturbed daytime F layer in general reside; as a consequence of the fact that these coordinate systems vary with respect to one another with longitude, the trough varies within the daytime F layer with longitude.


Experimental researches using high power optical lasers combined with free electron lasers (FELs) open new frontiers in high energy density (HED) sciences. Probing and pumping capabilities are dramatically improved due to the brightness of the XFEL pulses with ultrafast duration. Besides, the peak intensities of Ti:sapphire laser Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) systems reach petawatt (PW)-class with operating in few tens of fs and commercially available at a few Hz of repetition rate. We have been developing an experimental platform for HED sciences using high power, high intensity optical lasers at the XFEL facility, SACLA.Currently, an experimental platform with a dual 0.5 PW Ti:Sapphire laser system is under beam commissioning for experiments combined with the SACLA's x-ray beam for research objectives that require more peak power in the optical laser pulses with a few tens of fs. The optical laser system is designed to deliver two laser beams simultaneously with the maximum power of 0.5 PW in each into a target chamber located in an experimental hutch 6 (EH6) at BL2, which was recently commissioned as a SACLA's 2nd hard x-ray beamline. A focusing capability using sets of compound refractive lenses will be applied to increase the x-ray fluence on the target sample. One of the most key issues for the integrated experimental platform is development of diagnostics that meets requirements both from the high power laser (e.g. resistance to harsh environments) and from the XFEL (e.g. adaptation to the available data acquisition system). The status and future perspective of the development including automatic laser alignment systems will be reported in the presentation. We will discuss the most promising and important new physics experiments that will be enabled by the combination of PW-class lasers and the world-class FEL's x-ray beam.


Physical activity is one of the key factors in determining the personal health and well-being of human beings in daily life conditions. Healthy ageing and physical activity has a strong association and ageing has become one of the highly concentrated area of research community in the past decade due to the expected increase in the elderly population. A statistical survey published by European Union (EU) in 2012 shows that the elderly population (over 65 years) of Europe, is expected to increase from 87.5 million to 152.6 million (65.1 million increase) during the period from 2010 to 2016 [1]. Physical inactivity and more sedentary life style can lead towards many chronic and life threatening diseases in older adults such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and other lethal diseases. These damages can be controlled by performing various activities and vigorous exercises in daily life, in addition to medications to promote a healthier lifestyle [2].


When ethnographers in the 1950s and 1960s did fieldwork among the Canadian Mi'kmaq Indians, they were worried about the future of Mi'kmaq culture. Not many Mi'kmaq in the thirties had heard about their traditional culture hero Kluskap, and if they had, it was through books or the television series "The Adventures of Glooscap". Thirty years later, in 1989, the Mi'kmaq strongly rejected the plans to establish a superquarry at Kelly's Mountain on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Their main reason was that the mountain with its cave is believed to be the dwelling place of Kluskap and the place from where he is expected to return to his people. Is the modern Mi'kmaq knowledge about Kluskap only their readbacks of texts by non-native authors? This paper seeks to examine the Mi'kmaq relation to that Kluskap tradition which had been depicted by non-Native authors in television series, theatre plays, and books. How do the modern Mi'kmaq evaluate mainstream society's texts about their culture hero? (Less)


Objective of the study: Although many e-commerce startups have been established in recent years, there is a high rate of business failure in start-up community. In addition, e-commerce in Vietnam is still at a beginning stage with many potentials and risks. The research aims to find impact factors which lead to the success of e-commerce startups in Vietnam. Methodology/approach: The qualitative method was applied to identify appropriate measurement scales. Then, the quantitative questionnaire survey was leveraged to test the research framework based on data from local e-commerce startups. Originality/Relevance: This research focuses on evaluating the impact of founder factors, e-service factors, and external factors on the success of startups in Vietnam. Main results: Research findings show that four factors have significant contribution to e-commerce startups' success including risk-taking propensity, achievement orientation, reliability of e-service quality, and e-networking. Among the four, risk-taking propensity is the most contributed factor in ecommerce startups' success. Theoretical/methodological contributions: The study helps to test the measurement scales and contributes an empirical study regarding to the success of startups in a developing country like Vietnam. Social/management contributions: Managerial implications for e-commerce incubators, entrepreneurs, and government are also recommended to improve the success rate of e-commerce startups in Vietnam.


This paper presents a low cost system for measuring characteristic power supply parameters with ZigBee protocol connectivity. Its main feature is its use of the ZigBee protocol as the communication medium between the various modules. The hardware system is based on the ADE7758 integrated circuit, an Atmega32 microcontroller and an Xbee module. The system provides continuous mains monitoring, sending data to the control unit when necessary. A description is given of the main communication-system parameters of interest to us here, for the purposes of this application: power consumption and response time.


Access to justice for all in South Africa, as most clearly set out in sections 34 and 35 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, is necessary to realise various other fundamental rights and to improve living standards. There are insufficient free legal services available to the indigent in South Africa, especially in civil matters, thereby often making meaningful access to justice unattainable. This study considers possible approaches, challenges and opportunities for law graduate community service in South Africa (hereinafter "community service") to expand the ambit and impact of free legal services to the indigent. This would promote the constitutional imperative of access to justice, focussing on civil matters. This study concentrates on the access to justice potential of and challenges to such community service. Such challenges will be shown to include its proper utilisation and control through the adequate supervision of graduates. This paper argues that graduate community service has the capacity to promote better access to justice and hence that steps should be taken for its introduction in some form. Community service and means for law graduates to perform this as a necessary part of vocational training before entering the legal profession are provided for in section 29 of the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014 (LPA). But despite parts of the Act being operative, community service is neither in operation nor do regulations yet exist for its implementation. The specific vocational training element(s) for law graduates is worthy of separate study and is not the focus of this paper. Such a separate study would include opportunity creation such as gaining the necessary practical experience and the establishment of employment opportunities and training challenges for graduates during community service. In the pre-LPA era it would have been necessary to focus more on whether community service for law graduates should be included in legislation or not as part of graduates' vocational training and as a key component of free legal service delivery. Some such arguments are alluded to as community service has yet to be implemented and its implementation is not a fait accompli. But because it is now included in the LPA as a legal aid service delivery possibility, this study instead focusses on the need for the effective and appropriate implementation and operation of community service to turn the requirements and encouraging promise of the LPA on community service into reality. The paper explores issues such as the necessary and appropriate supervision and placement of law graduates completing community service. The research very briefly touches on whether community service would best be compulsory for graduates as part of their vocational training or merely one possible route towards admission to the legal profession. Lessons are sought for legal community service in South Africa from existing medical post-study community service schemes as to the role which such schemes have played in expanded service provision and impediments experienced in reaching such goals. These lessons are applied to proposals for the implementation and operation of law graduate community service. This study considers how community service could and should be a key component of a multifaceted and co-ordinated approach to expand and improve free legal services for the indigent in civil matters in South Africa with its gross inequality, unemployment and poverty. For this goal to be realised, there must be mechanisms for its effective roll-out and operation.


Both the numerical models used in atmospheric data assimilation and the forward interpolation from the analysis mesh to the observations are subject to discretization errors. To examine the effect of these errors, a generalized Kalman filter, in which both model and observation errors are functions of the signal, is formulated. Far from the red model error spectrum assumed in many studies, the formulation yields a model error spectrum which increases with wavenumber to reach a maximum at the truncation limit. The resulting second-moment equations are studied in the context of the one-dimensional linear advection equation and, even for this simple equation, found to be quite complex. For example, it is found that signal/error correlations, not normally considered in standard Kalman filter theory, can play an important role. Two types of (semi-Lagrangian) model discretization and two types of forward interpolation are examined in this paper. The first type uses Fourier interpolation (and has no error), while the second type uses cubic spline interpolation (and has amplitude and phase errors). To facilitate understanding of the general case, various simpler cases are considered first, e.g., the case of a uniform observation network with the same number of observations as analysis meshpoints reveals important analogies between the forward interpolation error and the model discretization error. It is found that the perfect-model assumption can result in degeneracy for any observation network when the signal/error correlation is properly accounted for. The case of a single observation (coinciding with an analysis gridpoint) strikingly illustrates the importance of the signal/error correlations and suggests that simple model error parametrization based purely on the model discretization error, and neglecting these correlations, would seriously underestimate the forecast and analysis errors. In this paper, it is assumed that the analysis mesh can resolve all scales in the signal. The effect of unresolved scales is considered in a companion paper. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0870.1997.00003.x


We provided a series of one-hour supplemental learning opportunities (SLOs) outside of, but coordinated with, a sophomore-level engineering problem-solving course. The SLOs were designed to engage different aspects of active/real-world learning style preferences by adopting one of two approaches: 1) a structured and engaging classroom lecture environment with onpaper, problem-solving exercises, or 2) a hands-on, kinesthetically-active laboratory environment with integrated on-paper, problem-solving exercises. Preand post-SLO assessments revealed that students learned from both types of SLOs. Analysis of course exam grades revealed that students who attended one type of SLO did not consistently outperform students who attended the other type of SLO. Students whose preferences for sensory learning (as indicated by their scores on the Index of Learning Styles) were most strongly matched by the style of their SLO group (i.e., strongest sensory preferences attending kinesthetically active SLOs, and least sensory preferences attending classroom active SLOs) performed better on course exams than students with moderate sensory learning preferences attending either SLO group, and better than students whose preferences for sensory learning were least matched by the style of their SLO group. In some cases, the observed performance differences were statistically significant, although the mean grade point averages of students in the strongest, moderate, and least-matched groups were not statistically significant. Further analysis should help reveal to what degree student performance was related to learning style and SLO style match as opposed to other factors.


Advances in High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) are enabling a new class of synchronous otating machines, both motors and generators. Compared to conventional machines of equivalent rating, these machines are expected to be less expensive, lighter, more compact, efficient, and provide significantly superior stable operation in a power system. The field windings are made with HTS conductor material (BSCCO, or Bi-2223) which operates at 35-40 K and can be cooled with inexpensive, off-the-shelf cryocoolers available from a number of manufacturers throughout the world. HTS motors and generators are attractive for use in naval and commercial maritime industry applications. This paper discusses recent superconducting work relating to these new machines at American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) and other companies. HTS rotating machine technology is maturing rapidly, and ship builders as well as the end-users will benefit enormously from these


St?ptoria musiva is an endemic pathogen that causes leaf spots and cankers on hybrid poplar (Populus spp.) clones. Although canker incidence was lower in eastern Ontario, a 1984 study found little difference in the morphology and physiology of different isolates of S. musiva collected from plantations in the north central United States and those collected in eastern Ontario. By 1987, however, a high incidence of severe cankers in a few plantations was observed. A survey of canker incidence in all plantations (203 ha) of six exotic P. nigra x maximowiczii (NM) clones found that 7g0/o of the area was affected to some degree with Septoria damage. This represented 11% of the total area planted to hybrid poplar (1,450 ha) in eastern Ontario. Three things are speculated to have contributed to the increase in Septoria damage: (i) the area planted to susceptible NM clones had increased dramatically since 1981, (ii) the amount and type of secondary inoculum produced by the fungus in these exotic clones, rather than in the native poplar, may differ in aggressiveness and (iii) precipitation levels for the 1986 growing season were higher than normal. Five of the clones were determined to be too susceptible for further plantation establishment.


Performing exercise during the first hours of hypoxic exposure is thought to exacerbate acute mountain sickness (AMS), but whether this is due to increased hypoxemia or other mechanisms associated with exercise remains unclear. In 12 healthy men, AMS symptoms were assessed during three 11-h experimental sessions: 1) in Hypoxia-exercise, inspiratory O(2) fraction (Fi(O(2))) was 0.12, and subjects performed 4-h cycling at 45% Fi(O(2))-specific maximal power output from the 4th to the 8th hour; 2) in Hypoxia-rest, Fi(O(2)) was continuously adjusted to match the same arterial oxygen saturation as in Hypoxia-exercise, and subjects remained at rest; and 3) in Normoxia-exercise, Fi(O(2)) was 0.21, and subjects cycled as in Hypoxia-exercise at 45% Fi(O(2))-specific maximal power output. AMS scores did not differ significantly between Hypoxia-exercise and Hypoxia-rest, while they were significantly lower in Normoxia-exercise (Lake Louise score: 5.5 ± 2.1, 4.4 ± 2.4, and 2.3 ± 1.5, and cerebral Environmental Symptom Questionnaire: 1.2 ± 0.7, 1.0 ± 1.0, and 0.3 ± 0.4, in Hypoxia-exercise, Hypoxia-rest, and Normoxia-exercise, respectively; P < 0.01). Headache scored by visual analog scale was higher in Hypoxia-exercise and Hypoxia-rest compared with Normoxia-exercise (36 ± 22, 35 ± 25, and 5 ± 6, P < 0.001), while the perception of fatigue was higher in Hypoxia-exercise compared with Hypoxia-rest (60 ± 24, 32 ± 22, and 46 ± 23, in Hypoxia-exercise, Hypoxia-rest, and Normoxia-exercise, respectively; P < 0.01). Despite significant physiological stress during hypoxic exercise and some AMS symptoms induced by normoxic cycling at similar relative workload, exercise does not significantly worsen AMS severity during the first hours of hypoxic exposure at a given arterial oxygen desaturation. Hypoxemia per se appears, therefore, to be the main mechanism underlying AMS, whether or not exercise is performed.


Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs), being safe, inexpensive, and pollution-free, are a promising candidate for future large-scale sustainable energy storage. However, in a conventional AZIBs setup, the Zn metal anode suffers oxidative corrosion, side reactions with electrolytes, disordered dendrite growth during operation, and consequently low efficiency and short lifespan. In this work, we discover that purging CO2 gas into the electrolyte could address these issues by eliminating dissolved O2, inhibiting side reactions by buffering the local pH change, and preventing dendrite growth by inducing the in situ formation of a ZnCO3 solid electrolyte interphase layer. Moreover, the CO2-purged electrolyte could enable a highly reversible plating/stripping behavior with a high Coulombic efficiency of 99.97% and an ultralong lifespan of 32,000 cycles (1600 h) even under an ultrahigh current density of 40 mA cm-2. Consequently, the CO2-purged symmetrical cells deliver long cycling stability at a high depth of discharge of 57%, while the CO2-purged Zn/V2O5 full cells exhibit outstanding capacity retention of 66% after 1000 cycles at a high current density of 5 A g-1. Our strategy, the simple introduction of CO2 gas into the electrolyte, could effectively mediate the zinc anode's critical issues and provide a scalable and cost-effective pathway for the commercialization of AZIBs.


. The gastric evacuation (at 11 oC and 19 oC) and the relation between prey size and fish size of juveniles of Buglossidium luteum and Arnoglossus thori (Pisces, Heterosomata) are studied. The fish were collected at 20 m depth in the Banyuls Bay (France, Western Mediterranean). B. luteum showed a very rapid evacuation rate at 19 oC (2h to 4h for a IgDW meal) and a slower one at 11oC (9h 30min for a IgDW meal). A. thori showed similar rates at both temperatures (6h 20min to 7 h 30 min for a IgDW meal). The relationship between prey size and predator size showed that A. thori always took larger prey than B. luteum. The diet of the latter changes only slightly with the increasing size of the fish. In contrast, the diet of A. thori changes more rapidly towards larger prey. A hypothesis explaining the contradictory evidence concerning the effect of fish and meal size on gastric evacuation is proposed.


BACKGROUND
An established finding suggests that, in balancing variability in patient demand and length of stay, an average bed occupancy of 85% should be targeted for acute hospital wards. The notion is that higher figures result in excessive capacity breaches, while anything lower fails to make economic use of available resources. Although concerns have previously been raised regarding generic use of the 85% target, there has been little research interest into alternative derivations that may better represent the diverse range of conditions that exist in practice.

METHODS
Computer simulation is used to model the process of acute patient admission and discharge. Patient arrivals are assumed to be independent of one another (i.e. random) with length of stay distributions obtained through fitting to patient-level data from all of England.

RESULTS
Target average occupancy increases with ward size, ranging from 45 to 79% for a relatively small 15-bed ward to 64 to 84% for a relatively large 50-bed ward. Regarding ward specialty, for a typical 25-bed ward, values range from 57 to 58% for Gynaecology to 67 to 74% for Adult Mental Health. These increase to 62 to 63% and 75 to 82% respectively if the tolerance on breaching capacity is relaxed from 2% to 5% of days per year.

CONCLUSION
An unconditional 85% target serves as an overestimate across the vast majority of settings that typically exist in practice. Hospital planners should consider ward size, specialty, and capacity-breach tolerance in determining a more sensitive assessment of bed occupancy requirement. This study provides hospital planners with a means to reliably assess operational performance and readily calculate optimal capacity requirements.


Abstract Fabrication of electro-conductive fiber is a novel process. Nanocomposites of multiwall carbon nanotube/polyamide66 were produced by electrospinning with different amounts of multiwall carbon nanotube. Field emission scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of samples proved the existence of multiwall carbon nanotube distribution in polyamide 66 nanofibers. Results showed that electro conductivity of electrospun multiwall carbon nanotube/polyamide 66 nano fiber has increased in comparison with electrospun polyamide 66. Moreover, UV blocking of samples was investigated which has shown that using multiwall carbon nanotube in polyamide 66 increases UV blocking of fibers. Furthermore, anti-bacterial activity of nanocomposite showed that these nanocomposites have antibacterial property against both Staphylococcus Aureus and Escherichia Coli bacteria according to AATCC test method.


By adding a correlation processor in a conventional radar, target resolution power can be improved and the accuracy estimation of the target in both azimuth and range can be obtained. In this paper, some experimental results obtained by analyzing a great number of primitive target reports are shown. The azimuth estimation precision and the method used to discriminate between two adjacent targets are discussed. In addition, some statistical data for the target reports that only have a single CPI are presented.


This study aimes to search for validity evidence using a scale for evaluating the intelligence of visually impaired children. The instrument (Scale of Intelligence of visually impaired children - professional version, EPIC-DV) is composed of 29 phrases that evaluate the areas of verbal, logical, quantitative and memory reasoning), which must be judged by the professional within a scale Likert score of 5 points, according to the intensity of the behavior present in the child evaluated. The sample consisted of 10 professionals working in specialized institutions (M = 45.7 years, SD = 13.1), who evaluated 30 visually impaired children aged seven to twelve (M = 9, 76, SD = 1.81), of both sexes and different levels of schooling. Of these, 8 presented acquired deficiency and 22 of congenital type, being still 23 diagnosed with low vision and 7 with blindness. The results indicated that most of the areas evaluated did not present significant differences between the groups, according to the degree of disability. The influence of the variable type of disability was found only for verbal reasoning, with congenital deficiency children performing better. In general, the results suggest that the EPIC-DV can be used as a follow-up instrument, complementary, within a broader process and aimed at assessing the cognitive abilities of children and adolescents with visual impairment, independent of degree or type of disability. KEY WORDS : Visual Impairment, Vision Disorders, Cognitive Fitness, Validity of the Test, Measures, Psychological Evaluation. doi: 10.21703/rexe.20181733ccampos32


Abstract Title: Art influences in today´s advertisingimages – A qualitative study of advertisingimages and work of art Number of pages: 46 Author: Sanna Olsson Tutor: Else Nygren Course: Media and Communication Science C Period: Autumn 2009 University: Division of Media and Communication, Uppsala University Purpose: The purpose with this composition is to analyse how art has influenced todays advertising images, to see wich influences that can be descovered. Method/Material: Since this is an imageanalys the main material has been consisted of advertising images, a total of seven. In addition, art images have been used as comparative material. The advertising images have been strategically selected, however they are modern and aestetically appealing. A number of questions have been formulated wich is the basis of the analys. Main results: Primarily the study found that art has influenced today's advertisingimages in different ways. Especially the emotionell and spiritual part has been captured in today's adertisingimages in ways that could only come from art. The depth and spirit in the image is a way to reach out to the recipients on a much deeper level. This is exactly what art was all about. Advertising is no longer only informative and plane, it is almost in some ways similair to art. Keywords: advertising, advertisingimage, work of art, imageanalysis, art, message, marketing, perspective, messagetypes, tecniques, motifs, photograph, digital photograph, image editing, acquaintance-making, external-making, humor, irony, visual commmunication, Honda, Chevrolet, McDonalds, Ramorama, Scrabble, Bjorn Gustafsson, Citroen Total.


Chlorella sp. isolated from municipal wastewater and entrapped in calcium alginate as algal sheets was employed to remove inorganic nutrients from domestic secondary effluents in parallel-plate bioreactor after starvation. The key factors affecting the nutrient removal efficiency, system stability and reuse efficiency of screens were discussed. The results show that cell density and starvation time significantly affected the nutrient uptake. A complete removal of NH 4 + -N and PO 4 3- -P was achieved within 4 h of treatment with the optimal cell density in the mixture of algal and 3 mm gel sheets after third cycle. Six cycles of wastewater treatment were accomplished in 18 days, achieving higher removal efficiency. NH 4 + -N removal efficiency was 81% after 1.25 h and 98.81% after 4 h, while PO 4 3- -P removal efficiency was 77.4% after 1.25 h and 100% after 4 h. It was confirmed that the immobilized Chlorella sp. has great potentialities in nutrient removal. Key words: Immobilized Chlorella, starvation, wastewater treatment, nitrogen removal, phosphorus removal.


This thesis is about the role of housing as a consumption good and a risky asset, and how it interacts with other choices like consumption, default, and migration over the lifecycle. In the first chapter the focus is on a quasi natural experiment in the State of Nevada, which abolished deficiency judgments for purchase mortgage loans made after October 2009. We test the effect of the law change on mortgage supply and demand, as well as on mortgage default. We find strong evidence that lenders tightened their lending standards. Households, by contrast, neither increased their mortgage applications, nor do they appear to have changed mortgage default behaviour. The second chapter develops the theme of mortgage default and consumption insurance in a more structural way. We estimate a model of consumption, housing demand and labor supply when individuals may file for bankruptcy and default on their mortgage over the lifecycle. Bankruptcy and mortgage default comply with the basic institutional framework in the US, allowing for the choice between chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcy. The final chapter estimates a lifecycle model of consumption, housing choice and migration in the presence of aggregate and regional shocks, using the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). Using the model I estimate the value of the migration option and the welfare impact of policies that may restrict mobility. The option to move is equivalent to 4.4% of lifetime consumption. I also find that, were the mortgage interest-rate deduction to be eliminated, the aggregate migration rate would increase only marginally by 0.1%. In a new steady state the elimination of the deduction is equivalent to an increase of 2.4% of lifecycle consumption.


The use of radionuclides for the intra-operative localization of tumours has increased steadily over the past 15 years. We reviewed more than 15 years experience of a peripatetic service using a sterilizable probe system in operating theatres throughout the UK for localizing bone and soft tissue lesions. The technique requires the positive concentration of an appropriate radiopharmaceutical, together with a suitably designed detector system which can be sterilized for use during surgery. All surgical procedures were undertaken following initial positive imaging studies. A well-collimated nuclear probe with a 5 mm diameter CdTe detector was sterilized with ethylene oxide gas and coupled to a digital counter and ratemeter for use in the operating theatre. A total of 68 surgical procedures have been undertaken at 35 hospitals. Fifty-eight patients underwent excision of osteoid osteoma subsequently proven by histology. The other lesions successfully resected included osteoblastoma, hamartoma, Brodie's abscess, chronic bone infection, ectopic parathyroid adenoma and metastatic neuroblastoma. The technique can now be regarded as the method of choice for the surgical localization of osteoid osteoma. The successful detection of lesions at surgery can be assured providing that clear localization of the radiopharmaceutical occurs on the pre-operative images. The intra-operative use of conventional and new tumour-specific radiopharmaceuticals is reviewed and we confirm an increasing role for the surgical-probe-guided localization of primary and metastatic tumours.


This research conducts studies of the use of the Sequential Forward Floating Selection (SFFS) Algorithm and Sequential Backward Floating Selection (SBFS) Algorithm as the feature selection algorithms in the Forest Fire case study. With the supporting data that become the features of the forest fire case, we obtained information regarding the kinds of features that are very significant and influential in the event of a forest fire. Data used are weather data and land coverage of each area where the forest fire occurs. Based on the existing data, ten features were included in selecting the features using both feature selection methods. The result of the Sequential Forward Floating Selection method shows that earth surface temperature is the most significant and influential feature in regards to forest fire, while, based on the result of the Sequential Backward Feature Selection method, cloud coverage, is the most significant. Referring to the results from a total of 100 tests, the average accuracy of the Sequential Forward Floating Selection method is 96.23%. It surpassed the 82.41% average accuracy percentage of the Sequential Backward Floating Selection method.