Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important leguminous crop widely grown from Terai to high hills of Nepal covering 10,529 hectare land producing 15550 mt with the productivity of 1477 kgha-1 and Jumla occupies almost 21% of the total bean cultivated area of the country. For the experiment, twelve genotypes of common bean were collected from different locations of Nepal. The experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station Vijayanagar, Jumla Nepal from July, 2016 to October, 2016 in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications and twelve treatments. Different agro-morphological characters were observed and wide variability was recorded in growth habit, flower color, seed color, seed shape, seed length (0.76-1.7cm), pod color, pod length(9.1-14.3 cm), plant height (57.1-116.5 cm), days to flowering (38-52 days) and maturity (74-90 days), number of pods plant-1 (9-22 seeds), number of seeds pod-1 (4-8 pods), hundred grain weight (18.3-54.7gm) and yield (2339-4164KgHa-1). Significant differences were found among genotypes for days to flowering, pod length, no of seeds pod-1 and yield hectare-1.The coefficients of determination illustrate the positive and significant association of grain yield hectare-1 with number of seeds pods-1, therefore these traits should be considered for genetic improvement through breeding.


Aims and Background: Premolar extraction is often associated with variations in the soft tissue profile that lead to considerable improvements in the facial profile. This study compared the changes in the facial profile of hard and soft tissues and investigated possible differences in the various facial parameters between patients who were treated with and without premolar extraction. Materials and Methods: A total of 98 orthodontically treated patients were divided into two groups with an equal number of participants. Premolar extraction was performed in the test group only. A total of 33 landmarks were identified on each cephalometric radiograph. The intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated. We evaluated changes in measurements between pre- and post-treatment by performing the signed-rank test. We used the Kruskal–Wallis test to compare changes between the groups. Results: No significant differences were observed in the treatment outcomes of skeletal and soft tissue variables in class I and class II participants between the test and control groups (P > 0.01). However, significant differences were noted in the treatment outcomes of dental variables in class II participants between the groups. Dental variables did not show any significant difference in class III patients between the groups. Conclusion: This study showed that skeletal and soft tissue changes were similar in skeletal except for few dental parameters following orthodontic treatment with and without premolar extraction.


The study examined the factors that contribute to stay–leave decision-making of women who are domestic violence victims, focusing on background factors (origin, education, and occupational status); interactional factors (severity of violence, previous separations, and previous stays in a shelter); and social factors (social support and woman's expectations of the shelter). In addition, it examined the contribution of the interaction of woman's expectations of the shelter × psychological violence to the woman's decision to leave/stay with her partner. Six months after returning to the community, 221 women who had stayed in a shelter for at least 3 months were located: 92 were Israeli-born Jews (41.6%), 49 were Israeli-born Arabs (22.2%), 51 were Former Soviet Union immigrants (23.1%), and 29 were Ethiopian immigrants (13.1%). Of them, 56.6% reported returning to their partners, and 43.4% reported leaving their partners. Education, occupational status, psychological violence severity, previous shelter stays, familial support, and expectations of having concrete needs fulfilled by the shelter made a significant contribution to the woman's leaving the abusive relationship. Furthermore, Israeli Arab women were more likely to stay with their partners. Finally, the interaction of the expectation that concrete needs would be met × psychological violence made a significant contribution to leaving the relationship. The study emphasizes the need to expand the resources of domestically abused women and also highlights specific groups requiring special attention upon shelter entry: Arab women, women who previously stayed in shelters, and women characterized by a lack of resources and a high degree of psychological violence.


The theory of the previously described thermoelectric transformer is developed in general terms and applied to a transformer that is based on the Nernst and Ettingshausen effects. It is shown that the thermomagnetic (Nernst-Ettingshausen) transformer possesses certain advantages over the Peltier-Seebeck transformer. Thus, it is in principle possible to obtain voltage multiplication exceeding unity from a thermomagnetic transformer with a single-element primary and a single-element secondary. However, it is considered preferable to obtain high voltage multiplication by employing a multi-element secondary, since a very short response time can then be achieved. A simple reciprocal thermomagnetic transformer made from a bismuth alloy has been tested.


Objectives: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are a multiple inflammatory status in small intestines and colon. Bromelain and Papain were cysteine proteases enzymes extracted from pineapple and papaya, and possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Therefore, this comparative work aimed to examine the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect of bromelain and papain in intestinal inflammation of rats and to evaluate the most potent effect of both types of enzymes. Methods: Forty rats were used in this study (8 rats/group), G1: control group, G2: (Indo group) intestinal inflammation was induced by two doses of Indomethacin (7.5 mg/kg body weight) apart 24 h. G3: (Indomethacin + Bromelain) intestinal inflamed rats treated by oral dose of bromelain (1000 mg/kg/day). G4: (Indomethacin + Papain) intestinal inflamed rats treated by oral dose of papain (800 mg/kg/day). G5: (Indomethacin + Sulfasalazine) intestinal inflamed rats treated by oral dose of sulfasalazine (500 mg/kg/day). Oxidative stress and inflammatory markers were measured along with histological assessment. Results: Indomethacin-induced intestinal inflammation (in both Jejunum and Ileum) characterized by increased oxidative stress biomarkers: Xanthine oxidase, Catalase, Glutathione reductase, and Protein carbonyl and Inflammatory biomarkers: Tumor necrosis factor-α, Interleukin-10, Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, Nuclear factor-kappa β, C-reactive protein, and Prostaglandin E2, as compared to control rats. On the other hand, administering either bromelain or Papain would effectively decrease symptoms of intestinal inflammation and modulate biomarkers of oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Conclusion: Comparing results revealed that bromelain showed the most potent protective effect and possesses an apparent role in protection against the development of intestinal inflammation.


Abstract Traditional methods of reseeding degraded arid and semi-arid rangeland are expensive and frequently unsuccessful due to high rates of seed predation and seedling mortality. A runoff-based method is described that protects seeds from predation and degradation until soil moisture is available, then deposits them in favorable microsites for germination and establishment. Seeds are placed in three, 2 cm-diameter × 8 cm PVC tubes. The small tubes are capped with crepe paper and glued inside of a 7.5 cm-diameter × 15 cm-long tube which is capped with hardware cloth. The tubes are placed in small rills, gullies, arroyos or riparian areas and the seeds are released sequentially from the 3 tubes as flow depth increases. Seeds are deposited beneath piles of litter where soil moisture and temperature are more favorable for seedling establishment.


An epithelial-mesenchymal cell transformation occurs during the development of the endocardial cushions in the atrioventricular (AV) canal of the heart. We hypothesized that the transcription factor Slug is required for this epithelial-mesenchymal cell transformation since Slug is required for similar transformations during gastrulation and neural crest differentiation in chicken embryos. We found by RT-PCR and immunostaining that the temporal and spatial localization of Slug in the embryonic chicken heart is consistent with a role for Slug in endocardial cushion formation. Moreover, we found that Slug expression by AV canal endothelial cells is induced by a signal provided by AV canal myocardium. Slug appears to be required for epithelial-mesenchymal cell transformation in the chicken heart since treatment of AV canal explants with antisense Slug oligodeoxynucleotides inhibited mesenchymal cell formation in vitro. Antisense Slug oligodeoxynucleotides prevented endothelial cell-cell separation, suggesting that Slug acts early in the transformation pathway.


Following the observation of parity violation in weak interactions in 1956, the discovery of CP violation in the decay of neutral kaons in 1964 was a great shock. Since then considerable experimental and theoretical work has been devoted to understanding its occurrence and origin, particularly in the context of the standard model. Recent experimental data have enabled us to understand the kaon system rather completely, and in conjunction with data from the decays of B mesons a meaningful test of the predictions of the standard model has been possible. Before reviewing the data and its consistency with theoretical predictions, we explain the origin of CP violation in the standard model, and present the phenomenology of mixing and CP violation in the decay of the K0 . Finally, we indicate which experimental results over the next 5-10 years are likely to have the biggest impact on our understanding of the origin of CP violation.


Condensin is a multi-subunit SMC complex that binds to and compacts chromosomes. Unlike cohesin, in vivo regulators of condensin binding dynamics remain unclear. Here we addressed this question using C. elegans condensin DC, which specifically binds to and represses transcription of both X chromosomes in hermaphrodites for dosage compensation. Mutants of several chromatin modifiers that regulate H4K20me and H4K16ac cause varying degrees of X chromosome derepression. We used fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) to analyze how these modifiers regulate condensin DC binding dynamics in vivo. We established FRAP using the SMC4 homolog DPY-27 and showed that a well-characterized ATPase mutation abolishes its binding. The greatest effect on condensin DC dynamics was in a null mutant of the H4K20me2 demethylase DPY-21, where the mobile fraction of the complex reduced from ~30% to 10%. In contrast, a catalytic mutant of dpy-21 did not regulate condensin DC mobility. Separation of catalytic and non-catalytic activity is also supported by Hi-C data in the dpy-21 null mutant. Together, our results indicate that DPY-21 has a non-catalytic role in regulating the dynamics of condensin DC binding, which is important for transcription repression.


A forest land application of biosolids study was initiated in 1991 in the lower Coastal Plain of South Carolina (SC). A major objective of this project was to quantify the magnitude and duration of old-field loblolly pine (Pinus taeda, L.) growth response to a one-time biosolids application after canopy closure. The study area is located on Alcoa property in Berkeley County, SC. The soil series, Goldsboro (Fineloamy, Aquic Paleudults) was delineated by a NRCS soil mapper in a 1982 planted loblolly pine stand. Gross treated and interior permanent measurement plots were installed in a randomized complete block design. Forty feet of untreated buffer was maintained between plots. All living loblolly pines were tagged, numbered, and measured for dbh and total height in February-March 1992. Berkeley County Water and Sanitation Authority (BCW&SA) biosolids (5.7 percent total-N, 15 percent solids, extended aeration treated) were applied one-time in April 1992 at 0, 650, and 1300 pounds of total-N per acre (5.7 and 11.4 dry tons/acre). The stand was operationally thinned (third row with logger select in between) in August 1993 reducing SPA from 560 to 300 (BA/ac from 120 to 65 square feet). Stand data from age 10-years-old to age 17-years-old show a dramatic growth increase in mean dbh increment (0.5 and 1.0 inch), total height increment (2.0 and 2.7 feet), volume/tree (30-35 percent), and volume/acre increment (37-38 percent) in the biosolids versus the control plots. Diameter distributions 7 years after biosolids application favored more chip and saw (8-9 cords/acre) and less pulpwood (1-3 cords/acre) in the biosolids versus control plots. Total wood value/acre was increased by $555 to $595 (at $19/cd pulpwood and $73/cd chip and saw (Timber Mart-South 2000) in the biosolids plots versus the control plots by age 17-years-old. 1Assistant Professor Forest Productivity, Warnell School of Forest Resources University of Georgia, P.O. Box 8112 GSU, Statesboro, GA 30460. Citation for proceedings: Outcalt, Kenneth W., ed. 2002. Proceedings of the eleventh biennial southern silvicultural research conference. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS–48. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 622 p.


This paper evaluates performance of an inchworm drive with frictional anisotropy and a ciliary vibration drive for an active scope camera, which is a snake-like rescue robot used at disaster sites. The previous type of the active scope camera is equipped with a ciliary vibration drive and can travel in rubble. However, it has been found that the vibration drive is not effective on soft or uneven roads. Therefore, the authors propose using not only a vibration drive but also an inchworm drive. The inchworm drive developed in this paper shows a running performance that is different from that of a vibration drive. Hence, complementary running performance is expected using this combination of drive mechanisms. In particular, the authors focus on carrying out running experiments on surfaces that exist at disaster sites.


Across the animal kingdom, dopamine plays a crucial role in conferring reinforcement signals that teach animals about the causal structure of the world. In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, the dopamine system has largely been studied using a rich genetic toolbox. Here, we suggest a complementary pharmacological approach applying the dopamine-synthesis inhibitor 3-Iodo-L-tyrosine (3IY), which causes acute systemic inhibition of dopamine signaling. Using Pavlovian conditioning, across developmental stages (3rd instar larva versus adult), valence domains (reward versus punishment), and types of reinforcement (natural versus optogenetically induced), we find that 3IY feeding specifically impairs associative learning, whereas additional feeding of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), a precursor of dopamine, rescues this impairment. This study establishes a simple, quick, and comparably low-cost approach that can be combined with the available genetic tools to manipulate and clarify the functions of the dopaminergic system – in D. melanogaster and other animals.


Examination of the central hemodynamics in patients with chronic renal failure and of symptomatic arterial hypertension revealed two hemodynamic variants of hypertension, namely, that corrected by dialysis arterial hypertension is based on an increase of the cardiac output associated with decrease of the peripheral resistance in the course of treatment and that noncorrectable by dialysis hypertension characterized by a stably high resistance of the arteriolar bed associated with an increased minute blood volume. It was also established that working overloading by resistance and volume results in essential disorders of the intracardiac hemodynamics.


This thesis examines the impacts of silvicultural activities on productivity and financial returns of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands on drained peatlands in Finland. The effects of ditch network maintenance operations (DNM) and thinnings, with different timings and intensities, were studied. Based on stand development simulations, the best regimes for different types of stands according to site type, climatic area, and stand silvicultural status were defined from the viewpoint of both wood production and financial profitability. Certain aspects affecting the management outcomes, such as the timing of the first thinning, were examined using data from thinning experiments. Long-term predictions of the impacts of different management regimes were carried out by simulating the development of well-representative model-stands which were composed from appropriate inventory data sets. The MOTTI stand simulator used to perform the simulations enables the predictions by utilizing specific models for drained peatland stands. In addition to natural stand dynamics, these models describe the effects of silvicultural treatments on the development of a given stand. The mean annual increment of merchantable wood (MAImerch) was used as the measure of wood productivity, and the financial feasibility of the regimes was compared using net present value (NPV) analysis. Silvicultural treatments, when applied to appropriately match stand condition, increased both the productivity and financial returns of stand management. Applying DNM resulted in a small increase in MAImerch. When thinning was introduced along with DNM, their combined effect on wood productivity was considerable. According to current operational practices, DNM is generally combined with thinning. In some cases, e.g., in sites of low productivity, the need for DNM may become apparent prior to the thinning stage. As for profitability, thinnings proved to be crucial. The regimes with heavy and late thinnings were generally more profitable than those with normal thinnings. Further, early thinning (relative to stand volume) lacked appeal when seeking a financially profitable removal from the first thinning. In young stands with an initially poor silvicultural condition, however, applying even a low-yielding first thinning considerably increased the NPV when compared to a regime with no thinning at all. Generally, the regimes resulting in the best profitability included heavier thinnings and fewer DNM and thinning treatments than did the regimes resulting in the best yield results. This study demonstrates considerable potential for profitable wood production-oriented management in pine stands on drained peatlands despite their challenging circumstances and long rotations. The results can be used for defining new and more site-specific silvicultural guidelines for various types of drained, pine-dominated peatland stands within the entire range of boreal conditions.


In this paper, a robust adaptive controller is proposed for trajectory tracking of robot manipulators with the unknown friction coefficient and bounded disturbance. A new adaptive control law is developed based on sliding mode and derived from the Lyapunov stability analysis. The introduction of a boundary layer solves the problem of chattering. The proposed adaptive controller is globally asymptotically stable and guarantees zero steady state error for joint positions. The estimated friction coefficients can also approach the actual coefficients asymptotically. A simulation example is provided to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm.


In these times of globalization, reengineering, of systematic processes in which higher institutions play a preponderant and transforming role; from this perspective universities justify their existence by promoting the formation of new entrepreneurs with a humanistic, technological and scientific spirit, through the necessary tools for students to develop their skills in their specialties in the world of work. In this context it is necessary to identify the level of articulation in the formative process of the new administrators of companies that are formed in our institution with the growing demands of entrepreneurship.


Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is an important grain legume in sub- Saharan Africa. It is useful both as grain and vegetable. The crop is affected by many factors that constrain its production, with pests and diseases being the most important. Seed-borne pathogens have been found to be foundation to a myriad of crop diseases that affect cowpea and it is imperative to find alternative means of controlling their abundance seeing that excessive use of synthetic pesticides can be baleful to both man and the environment. An experiment was set up to isolate and identify seed-borne pathogens of cowpea seeds obtained from Institute of Agriculture and Research, Samaru, Zaria and to investigate the efficacy of plant extracts as an alternative to synthetic fungicides. Three treatments [Ginger ( Zingiber officinale ), Garlic ( Allium sativum ) and Ciba plus (Jubaili Bros.)] were tested for their efficacy in inhibiting mycelial growth of seed-borne fungi of cowpea. A total of eight fungal pathogens were observed with Aspergillus flavus having the highest frequency of occurrence (70%) and Fusarium spp. having the highest mean mycelial growth (77.66% P<0.05). Garlic was highly effective in inhibiting the mycelial growth of Fusarium spp. (93.97% P < 0.05) and Cibaplus completely inhibited the growth of Macrophominaphaseolina and Aspergillus flavus (100% P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the efficacy of all three treatments in the control of Collectotrichum gleosporioides and Rhizoctonia. solani . Plant extracts which are ecofriendly, have shown that they have fungitoxic effects on seed-borne pathogens of cowpea but they require further investigations into their standardization and formulations to ensure sustainability.


Abstract : The recent success of deep learning is driving a trend towards structurally complex computer vision models that combine feature extraction with predictive elements into integrated pipelines. While some of these models have achieved breakthrough results in applications like object recognition, they are difficult to design and tune, impeding progress. We feel that visual analysis can be a powerful tool to aid iterative development of deep model pipelines. Building on feature evaluation work in the computer vision community, we introduce ML-o-scope, an interactive visualization system for exploratory analysis of convolutional neural networks, a prominent type of pipelined model. We present ML-o-scope's time-lapse engine that provides views into model dynamics during training, and evaluate the system as a support for tuning large scale object-classification pipelines.


A 35-year-old patient with a previous history of recreational drug use, mainly cocaine, presented to the UTHSCSA Dental School with grossly carious remaining dentition. The pattern of the wear and caries on the teeth also indicated other recreational drug such as methamphetamine over a long period of time. He was planned for extractions of the remaining teeth and placement of immediate dentures considering the patient's wish for not being edentulous for the healing period.


The present paper constructs coresets for weight-constrained anisotropic assignment and clustering. In contrast to the well-studied unconstrained least-squares clustering problem, approximating the centroids of the clusters no longer suffices in the weight-constrained anisotropic case, as even the assignment of the points to best sites is involved. This assignment step is often the limiting factor in materials science, a problem that partially motivates our work. We build on a paper by Har-Peled and Kushal, who constructed coresets of size $\mathcal{O}\bigl(\frac{k^3}{\epsilon^{d+1}}\bigr)$ for unconstrained least-squares clustering. We generalize and improve on their results in various ways, leading to even smaller coresets with a size of only $\mathcal{O}\bigl(\frac{k^2}{\epsilon^{d+1}}\bigr)$ for weight-constrained anisotropic clustering. Moreover, we answer an open question on coreset designs in the negative, by showing that the total sensitivity can become as large as the cardinality of the original data set in the constrained case. Consequently, many techniques based on importance sampling do not apply to weight-constrained clustering.


The analysis and comparison of genomes relies on different tools for tasks such as annotation, orthology prediction and phylogenetic inference. Most tools are specialized for a single task and additional efforts are necessary to integrate and visualize the results. To fill this gap, we developed zDB, an application that integrates an analysis pipeline and a visualization platform. Starting from annotated Genbank files, zDB identifies orthologs and infers a phylogeny for each orthogroup. A species phylogeny is also constructed from shared single-copy orthologs. The results can be enriched with Pfam protein domain prediction, COG and KEGG annotations and Swissprot homologs. The web application allows searching for specific genes or annotations, running Blast queries and comparing genomic regions and whole genomes. The metabolic capacities of organisms can be compared at either the module or pathway levels. Finally, users can run queries to examine the conservation of specific genes or annotations across a chosen subset of genomes and display the results as a list of genes, Venn diagram or heatmaps. Those features will make zDB useful for both bioinformaticians and researchers more accustomed to laboratory research. zDB is perfectly suited to process datasets with tens to hundred of genomes on a desktop machine. IMPORTANCE Genome comparison and analysis rely on many independent tools, leaving to scientists the burden to integrate and visualize their results for interpretation. To alleviate this burden, we have built zDB, a comparative genomics tool that includes both an analysis pipeline and a visualization platform. The analysis pipeline automates gene annotation, orthology prediction and phylogenetic inference, while the visualization platform allows scientists to easily explore the results in a web browser. Among other features, the interface allows users to visually compare whole genomes and targeted regions, assess the conservation of genes or metabolic pathways, perform Blast searches or look for specific annotations. Altogether, this tool will be useful for a broad range of applications in comparative studies between two to hundred genomes. Furthermore, it is designed to allow sharing datasets easily at local or international scale, thereby supporting exploratory analyses for non-bioinformaticians on the genome of their favorite organisms.


In a recently discovered letter the Roman emperor hadrian grants to the civic authorities of the port of miletus permission to establish a corporation of shippers. Confronting this new text with the relevant legal and other epigraphic evidence, this paper explores the implications of this text for our understanding of the process for and, the motivations behind, setting up such a corporation.


The Smart Park (also known as Taman Pintar) is a major educational tourist destination in Yogyakarta, which offers a variety of attractions that are very interesting for tourists. The main purpose of tourists visiting Smart Park is to obtain an educational tourism experience. This subjective experience raises specific challenges for Smart Park as it works towards being a competitive destination. The purpose of this study is to analyze the aspects of the educational tourism experience that are affected by tourism demand and supply. Data were collected from surveys that were sent to 150 respondents and were analyzed using path analysis. The results show that tourism demand and supply contributed to the variation of tourism activities by 45.1%, while the remaining was explained by other variables, such as national budget, local budget, ticket sale, and cooperation with some stakeholders. Tourism supply had a higher effect than tourism demand. Tourism demand did not particularly affect tourism experience. However, the results of the path analysis indicate that tourism supply had direct and indirect effects on tourism experience through the variation of tourism activities, with the indirect effect being the most predominant. In the management of Smart Park, there is still a gap between tourism demand and supply, so the tourism experience has not been maximized to its full potential.


We propose an online, end-to-end, neural generative conversational model for open-domain dialogue. It is trained using a unique combination of offline two-phase supervised learning and online human-in-the-loop active learning. While most existing research proposes offline supervision or hand-crafted reward functions for online reinforcement, we devise a novel interactive learning mechanism based on hamming-diverse beam search for response generation and one-character user-feedback at each step. Experiments show that our model inherently promotes the generation of semantically relevant and interesting responses, and can be used to train agents with customized personas, moods and conversational styles.


The purpose of carrying out the present work is to design, manufacture & test the progressive springs on an FS vehicle. This is one type of helical spring with a variable spring rate. The main purpose of designing progressive springs is to avail all the advantages of the variable spring rate over the linear spring rate and better ride quality along with roll control, compared to linear rate springs. We took several factors of vehicle dynamics under consideration before settling on progressive springs. Before starting with the design procedure, we had set objectives and followed the standard methodology of spring design to get the required output. Along with that, we took design philosophy under consideration. We reviewed all the parameters before finalizing the spring material as it is one of the major factors. We carried out all the necessary design calculations to complete the dimensions and stiffness of the spring. The conclusion helped us to achieve better ride quality and roll control accompanying the optimized spring design satisfying all the necessities such as load, stiffness, and deflection of progressive springs.


This paper presents circuit design of a low-power delay buffer. The proposed delay buffer uses several new techniques to reduce its power consumption. Since delay buffers are accessed sequentially, it adopts a ring-counter addressing scheme. In the ring counter, double-edge-triggered (DET) flip-flops are utilized to reduce the operating frequency by half and the C-element gated-clock strategy is proposed. A novel gated-clock-driver tree is then applied to further reduce the activity along the clock distribution network. Moreover, the gated-driver-tree idea is also employed in the input and output ports of the memory block to decrease their loading, thus saving even more power. Both simulation results and experimental results show great improvement in power consumption. A 256 times 8 delay buffer is fabricated and verified in 0.18 mum CMOS technology and it dissipates only 2.56 mW when operating at 135 MHz from 1.8-V supply voltage.


Today people from a wide range of socio-cultural backgrounds are entering the teaching profession. The changing profile of pre-service teachers prompted inquiry into personal and professional influences in understanding diversity and inclusive practices. Two teacher educators collaborated across Australian universities to explore reflexive practices in preparing pre-service teachers for their complex teaching roles in the twenty-first century. Modes of delivery were an on-campus Inclusive Education unit with situated learning opportunities in community settings and a fully online Inclusive Education unit. Findings revealed that reflexive learning was a key mediating strategy in expanding the participants' consciousness. Participants engaged in confronting assumptions, raising awareness of diverse learning needs and critiquing social justice principles and equity issues. By creating a supportive learning environment, teacher educators were able to shift pre-service teachers from mere acceptance of diversity to a commitment to ethical decision-making and quality inclusive education.


Therapeutic arterial embolization with autologous clot is readily applied in urology. The procedure is particularly effective in those cases where a temporary blockage of the artery is required, enough to cause a definitive haemostasis in noble parenchymas sensitive to ischaemia. However this method is not limited only to poor risk patients ("life-threatening"); it may be preferable to surgical operation, as in the case studied, of postraumatic, intraparenchymal arterovenous fistula. In their presentation, the authors also take into consideration several technical side-effects, helping towards correct execution.


Sinorhizobium fredii RT19, a strain of freeliving bacteria, was subjected to salt shock and its protein expression profiles were analyzed by differential display proteome approaches. The results of separation by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D PAGE) showed that the number of resolved proteins was 481, 465 and 424, corresponding to salt-free control, 5 and 50 min 1 mol/L salt treatment, respectively. Among the resolved proteins, 82 in total had altered expression in response to salt-shock stress. 26 out of the 82 proteins were induced and 23 were completely inhibited, while 12 were up-regulated and 21 down-regulated in response to salt shock. In addition, the appearance of differentially displayed proteins responding to different salt shock periods is also reported. The identity of the 26 induced proteins was revealed by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) followed by database searching. Among them, 20 were assigned to proteins with known functions. Their roles in response to salt shock stress are discussed.


We study the quantum corrections on the Szekeres system in the context of canonical quantization in the presence of symmetries. We start from an effective point-like Lagrangian with two integrals of motion, one corresponding to the Hamiltonian and the other to a second rank killing tensor. Imposing their quantum version on the wave function results to a solution which is then interpreted in the context of Bohmian mechanics. In this semiclassical approach, it is shown that there is no quantum corrections, thus the classical trajectories of the Szekeres system are not affected at this level. Finally, we define a probability function which shows that a stationary surface of the probability corresponds to a classical exact solution.


ABSTRACT Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) could be obtained from organic waste anaerobic digestion. The ability and interaction of different SCFAs on denitrification were investigated in this study. Two kinds of SCFAs (acetate and propionate with 5 different ratios) and 4 kinds of SCFAs (acetate, propionate, butyrate and valerate with 10 different ratios) were evaluated. Using acetate (Ac) and propionate (Pr) as carbon sources, the highest nitrate removal efficiency of 97.5% was obtained. When using the mixture of acetate (Ac), propionate (Pr), butyrate (Bu) and valerate (Va) as the carbon source, the highest nitrate removal efficiency obtained was 92.0%. The denitrification performance was affected significantly by different kinds and proportions of SCFAs. In addition, nitrite accumulation and chemical oxygen demand consumption for different contents of SCFAs were also analyzed.


Given the great similarities between the problems which the Energy Law of Mongolia attempts to solve and the energy-related problems encountered in our country, the interpretation and analysis of the said law will provide some enlightenment on a number of important issues to be dealt with in the energy legislation of our country.


The classification in the curriculum differenciate the students of senior high school into three streamings: IPA (Hard Science), IPS (Social Science), and Bahasa (Languange) Programs. The Hard Science and Social Science Programs have the same time allocation for English subject so they study Englsih for the same periods of time, that is 4 sessions a week. However, the public opinion claims that the students of the Hard Science Program are higher qualified than those of the Social Program. This situation raises a question whether the English achievement of the students of  both programs is different or not. Thus, this study is intended to investigate whether there is a significant difference in the English achievement of the students of the Hard Science and Social Science Programs. In addition, it is also to find the factors that may contribute to the different achievement of the students of both programs.  The population of this study is all the students of SMA Negeri 2 Jombang majoring in the Hard Science and Social Science Programs. The samples in this study are Grade XI IPA-6 which respresents the Hard Science Program and Grade XI IPS-2 as the representative of the Social Science Program. They are chosen purposively that is both classes are taught by the same English teacher. Furthermore, the data are obtained by using document of scores, observation sheets and questionnaires (for the students and for the teacher). Then, the data from the document of scores of the students are analyzed using t-test to determine whether the difference of the English achievement of the students of both programs is significant or not. While, the data from the observation sheets and questionnaires are analyzed using the table of frequency distribution and percentage, and also presented in a descriptive form.  The result shows that the mean score of the students of the Hard Science Program is 74.39 and that of the Social Science Program is 74. The calculation using the t-test shows that the obtained t-value is 0.175. It is much smaller than the appropriate t-value in the t-table of 1.671 which is needed in a directional test for the level of significant of 0.05. It means that the null hypothesis in this study is accepted and the research hypothesis is rejected. So, there is no significant difference in the English achievement between the students of the Hard Science and the Social Science Programs. Furthermore, there are some factors that might influence the same English achievement of the students of both programs, namely context variable, presage variable and process variable. Based on the result of the data analysis, it can be concluded that the students of the Hard Science and the Social Science Programs have the same iv    much. I know you always see me and give your prayers from the heaven. To my only younger sister "Dek Silvi", thanks for your love and support. I know you will be like me someday. I also want to send my special gratitude for my late grandma for all her prayers and trust in me. Why should you you leave me before I can show that I could fulfill your dream? I hope that this is the best decision for us both. And to my "Mas Andri", thanks for your sincere love, support, and prayers. Thanks for your time you have spent and everything you have given to me. I cannot imagine how my life would be without you. Finally, I can complete this thesis. I hope you can also be happy with my final work. For all of my friends in the English Education 2004, you are my inspirations. My greatest friends, "Mbak Uus", Laras, "Djoko", Shan"Ngeng", thank you for all the support and inspirations. I do not forget to say thanks to the "443C-ers" (my boarding house mates) who have given me endless support and encouragement: Isrin, Fida, Mbak Herlin, Fatim, Cho, Senja, Ani, Eni, Diah, Retno, Uus, Tika, Ida, Nia and Elis. The best ship in the world is friendship. I love you all, Girls! I thank God for blessing me with friends like you all. Finally, I would like to say thank you to all people who mean so much for me. May Allah always bless us. Amin.


Particle deposition and penetration in buildings has been widely studied, but the effect of indoor characteristics merits further investigation, so improved experimental methods may be needed. The present study measured indoor and outdoor concentrations of PM2.5 and estimated PM2.5 deposition rates and penetration factors under a variety of different indoor situations, with a novel method (blower-door method). The blower-door method is compared with the standard decay and rebound method for an idealized room (a portable building test cell; 6.08 m  ×  2.40 m  ×  2.60 m) under eight testing scenarios (empty, cardboard boxes in three arrangements, terry cloth wall covering, and three sets of window holes); run three times to establish the coefficient of variation representing precision. Results show that higher induced indoor–outdoor pressure differences cause a larger variation of estimated effective deposition rate on different indoor surfaces. The deposition rate and penetration factor may be influenced by indoor surface materials. The blower-door method gives higher precision for the estimates, and detects subtle differences in penetration factors, which may be difficult using the decay and rebound method.


The integration of sensors in engine components has been a long-standing wish of engine manufacturers and researchers. Conventional probes are particularly difficult to mount in moving engine parts and require time-intensive and costly preparation, while often still not reaching the site of interest close enough. The advances recently made in the field of printed electronics enable new possibilities for sensor integration that previously were not possible. Particularly, crankshaft engine bearings are an interesting component to apply those new sensors to.
 An important enabling factor for the successful sensor integration has been the increasing market penetration of polymer overlays for crankshaft bearings. The driving force behind this development was the pressure from legislation to reduce CO2 emissions, which in turn brought about new technologies such as start-stop and mild hybrids. Engine components now have to operate in much more aggressive environments, which in many cases only polymer overlays withstand. The unique application process of those coatings together with their material properties, such as robustness and non-conductivity, now allow embedding of electronic components right at the running surface of the bearings.
 This paper details the development of a printed sensor that has been integrated into the bearing polymer overlay coating. Various results from respective rig testing of the sensor feedback throughout different load and speed conditions during operation are reported.


We consider a multi-tank train stowage planning problem of coil (TSPP) where the given coils are assigned into the tanks of the train. Different from stowage problems in previous studies, this problem has its characteristics such as the multi-tank transportation mode, the minimum load restriction of each tank and the rigorous balance constraints. We formulate the problem as a novel mixed integer linear programming model which objectives are to maximize the total weight of loaded coils and to minimize the differences of stack positions of the coils in each tank. The NP-hardness of the problem and intractableness of optimally solving the model motivate us to develop an improved tabu search algorithm to solve it approximately. The algorithm is initiated by a two-stage heuristic where a multi-exchange neighborhood is designed to further improve the initial solutions. And then K-cycle move is used regarded as a diversification strategy in tabu search. Computational results using real data from a specialty steel manufacturer show that for small problems, which can be solved optimally by the model, the proposed algorithm can generate close-to-optimal solutions. For large practical problems the algorithm can obtain good solutions within a shorter time compared with the upper bound.


We apply the renormalized singles with the correlation (RSc) Green function in the GW approximation for accurate quasiparticle (QP) energies and orbitals. The RSc Green function includes singles contributions from the associated density functional approximation (DFA) and considers correlation contributions perturbatively. GRScWRSc uses the RSc Green function as the new starting point and in the formulation of the screened interaction. GRScW0 fixes the screened interaction at the DFA level. For the calculations of ionization potentials, GRScWRSc and GRScW0 significantly reduce the starting point dependence and provide accurate results with errors around 0.2  eV. For the calculations of core-level binding energies, GRScWRSc slightly overestimates the results because of underscreening, but GRScW0 with GGA functionals provides the optimal accuracy with errors of 0.40  eV. We also show that GRScWRSc predicts accurate dipole moments. GRScWRSc and GRScW0, are computationally favorable compared with any self-consistent GW methods. The RSc approach is promising for making GW and other Green function methods efficient and robust.


Consecutive five-year long eddy covariance measurements in a lowland tropical rice-rice system were used to investigate the impacts of gross primary productivity (GPP), climate drivers and ecosystem responses (i.e. ecosystem respiration, RE) on the inter-annual variability (IAV) of the net ecosystem exchange (NEE), which is directly related to the agricultural productivity and climate change. The IAV of carbon dioxide fluxes in two crop growing phases i.e. dry and wet season along with fallow period were analysed. The respiratory fluxes build up during the non-growing season were lower by net uptake in growing season. Annual cumulative value of NEE was negative (sink) in both the crop growing season. The variability of climate drivers and changes in the ecosystem responses to drivers revealed a large intra-annual as well as inter-annual variability of net ecosystem fluxes. NEE was found to be strongly correlated with GPP and RE and also with other metrological variables such as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), precipitation, air temperature and soil temperature. The anomalies of NEE, GPP and RE were observed to be less in 2017 and 2018 which may be due to lower temperature anomalies recorded in these years. Further understanding of biological mechanisms is needed which is involved in the variation of climatological variables to improve our ability to predict future IAV of NEE.


Breast cancer is the second leading cause of female cancer-related deaths between the ages of 40 and 50 years in industrialized nations. The essential fatty acid arachidonic acid is suggested to play an important role in the development of various cancers, including breast cancer. Arachidonic acid can be metabolized by COXs and lipoxygenases resulting in the production of bioactive lipids, known to play a role in tumor development. In this review, we aim to provide a brief summary of our understanding of the roles of these enzymes in breast cancer tumorigenesis and progression and the use of COX and lipoxygenase inhibitors for breast cancer treatment and/or prevention.


The hyperaemic response in the vasculature of the forearm skin following induced ischaemia was studied with a transcutaneous oxygen (tcpO2) electrode. Electrode temperatures of 35-37 degree C allowed optimal recordings of the postischaemic reaction. During arterial occlusion there was a fall in tcpO2 to zero in 1-3 min. Re-establishment of circulation resulted in a biphasic reaction, with a steep rise overshooting the baseline recording by 1-3 kPa and a slower return to baseline level. At higher electrode temperatures (greater than 39 degree C) there was no overshoot due to hyperaemia. The postischaemic peak response was well reproducible from one occasion to another in the same subject. Simultaneous recording of energy consumption for the heating of the electrode permitted detection of artifacts and environmental changes unrelated to postischaemic hyperaemia, therefore validating the tcpO2 recordings but only at electrode temperatures greater than 35 degree C. The tcpO2 technique used at 35-37 degree C easily detects relative blood flow changes and seems suitable for comparative studies. The method is non-invasive and permits continuous recordings in well-defined skin areas in human subject; significant advantages compared with other methods available.


1 A high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was used to study the pharmacokinetics of methimazole after oral administration of carbimazole to women in various stages of pregnancy. 2 In one patient it was possible to conduct the study in the first and third timesters: there was an appreciable increase in the apparent clearance of methimazole. 3 Based on the assumption of complete absorption and hydrolysis of carbimazole to methimazole the mean apparent clearance was found to be significantly higher in pregnant patients receiving 10 mg carbimazole than in non-pregnant patients receiving the same dose.


Many musculoskeletal pains are related to poor posture. According to a number of authors, poor posture predisposes an individual to severe joint stress and increases muscle energy expenditure, thereby creating tensional stress in these structures. Muscular Chain Therapy (MCT) is a technique that uses modified yoga positions to treat postural pathologies, among others, fitting these yoga positions into the Mezieres concept of muscular chains. The body works as a whole chain and these chains can be subdivided into the following: Posterior Chain; Inspiratory Chain; Hip Adductor Chain; Arm Internal Rotator Chain; Arm Adductor Chain and Arm Elevator-Abductor Chain. The aim of the present study was to review Muscular Chain Therapy assessment and treatment, and how it works in terms of treating postural deviations and related musculoskeletal pain.


Background: The radiopacity of contemporary adhesive systems has been mentioned as the indication for replacement of restorations due to misinterpretation of radiographic images. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the radiopacity of contemporary bonding agents and to compare their radiodensities with those of enamel and dentin. Methods and Materials: To measure the radiopacity, eight specimens were fabricated from Clearfil SE Bond (CF), Xeno V (XE), Adper SE Bond (ASE), Magic Bond (MB), Single Bond 2 (SB), Scotchbond Multipurpose (SM), and gutta-percha (positive control). The optical densities of enamel, dentin, the bonding agents, gutta-percha, and an aluminium (Al) step wedge were obtained from radiographic images using image analysis software. Statistical Analysis: The radiographic density data were analyzed statistically by analysis of variance and Tukey's test (α =0.05). Results: Significant differences were found between ASE and all other groups tested and between XE and CF. No statistical difference was observed between the radiodensity of 1 mm of Al and 1 mm of dentin, between 2 mm of Al and enamel, and between 5 mm of Al and gutta-percha. Five of the six adhesive resins had radiopacity values that fell below the value for dentin, whereas the radiopacity of ASE adhesive was greater than that of dentin but below that of enamel. Conclusion: This investigation demonstrates that only ASE presented a radiopacity within the values of dentin and enamel. CF, XE, MB, SB, and SM adhesives are all radiolucent and require alterations to their composition to facilitate their detection by means of radiographic images.


It is a current concern in the wood preservation field to avoid the use of toxic chemicals and develop new technologies based on low environmental impact agents and sustainable principles. Under this expectation, an intended state-of-the-art is introduced on the application of natural products such as traditional tar and wood oils as well as tannins and plant extracts. A particular revision to heartwood chemical components is offered. The combined methods of using natural and chemical components are reviewed, considering as outstanding the mixtures of natural organic constituents with cooper and boron salts that seem to be under encouraging experimentation. Fungicides and anti-termite applications are commented as well the leaching problem of inorganic salts. Chemical modification of wood structure through the formation of adducts and the treatment with nanomaterials are promising tools that will change the actual view and performance of wood preservation techniques.


Understanding how health care organizations can achieve care coordination internally is essential because it is difficult to achieve, but essential for high-quality and efficient health care delivery. This article offers an answer by providing a synthesis of knowledge about coordination from organization theory, where coordination is a central research topic. The article focuses on intra-organizational coordination, which is challenging especially across boundaries such as departments or professions. It provides an overview of the classic coordination mechanisms, e.g., standardization of work processes, but also of recent insights that have identified the conditions that are required to achieve coordination, and how these conditions can be provided by formal mechanisms, such as standardization, but also informally by drawing on features of the emerging situation. Such research highlights the contribution of, e.g., routines like those guided by care pathways or of artifacts like displays. The coordination insights are also discussed as regards inter-organizational care coordination.


Both supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms have been used to learn partition-based index structures for approximate nearest neighbor (ANN) search. Existing supervised algorithms formulate the learning task as finding a partition in which the nearest neighbors of a training set point belong to the same partition element as the point itself, so that the nearest neighbor candidates can be retrieved by naive lookup or backtracking search. We formulate candidate set selection in ANN search directly as a multilabel classification problem where the labels correspond to the nearest neighbors of the query point, and interpret the partitions as partitioning classifiers for solving this task. Empirical results suggest that the natural classifier based on this interpretation leads to strictly improved performance when combined with any unsupervised or supervised partitioning strategy. We also prove a sufficient condition for consistency of a partitioning classifier for ANN search, and illustrate the result by verifying this condition for chronological $k$-d trees.


Objectives Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a condition with a high morbidity and mortality, and accompanied by a range of concomitant disorders organs and systems. These disorders both contribute to the cause of the CHF and have a key role in the progression and response to treatment. However, less is known about the role of gastrointestinal tract in heart failure. We assumed that the changed endocrine function of gastrointestinal tract under heart failure condition might play some influence on the cardiac performance. Methods To verify the assumption, we developed transverse aortic constriction (TAC) model and sham in mice. After 3 months, heart failure was confirmed by echocardiography. We analysed gene expression profiles of ileum and myocardial samples. Among all the genes detected on the microarray, we selected the genes whose expression was significantly different in ileum samples between sham and TAC groups. Subsequently, the functional analysis of these genes was performed and the biological functions most significant to the dataset were identified. Results Based on the established statistical approach, 1467 genes were identified in ileum samples, of which 462 were up-regulated in TAC group. Further refining the screening condition and performing a literature-based search. Gene of interleukin 33 (Il33) was identified with high expression level and strong connection with the regulation of cardiomyopathy. Conclusions In conclusion, the identification of genes that are differentially expressed in ileum of heart failure mice supports the suggestion that microarray analyses may be useful in studying the role of gastrointestinal tract in heart failure. Inflammatory Il33 might mediate the intestinal influence on the heart function in heart failure mice. These results need further investigation and validation.


Rullicia Muliawati (1530621021) Muhammadiyah University of Sukabumi. "Influence of Production Targets and Profit to Income at Manufacturing Companies". Supervised by Mr. Gatot Wahyu Nugroho, M.Ak., CA. And Mr. Elan Eriswanto, SE., MM.

This study aims to determine the Influence of Production and
Income Targets on Profit at Manufacturing Companies. Variables used in this study are the production targets and income as an
independent variable and profit as a dependent variable. The scale of financial statements of manufacturing companies registered
at PT. Glostar Indonesia, while the sample used is a report of production targets and profit / loss per month from 2014-2016. The data were collected and then analyzed using classical assumption test, multiple linear regression analysis, partial hypothesis test and simulatan, and coefficient of determination test ( ).
The test result show that the classical assumption is appropriate for the data sampled in this study, and from partial hypothesis testing shows that the income and production targets have no effect on profit, while The result of hypothesis testing simulatan show that production target and earnings have significant influence to earnings. And While the determination coefficient test ()
shows the variable production targets and income is able to explain
the variable earnings.


The focus of the present paper is upon the problem of short-term food insecurity, as manifested in variability in year to year per capita consumption. The author argues that fluctuations in per capita food consumption levels are the direct result of a shortage of foreign exchange which limits the capacity of low income countries to obtain the level of food imports necessary to offset a sudden shortfall in domestic production and/or an increase in world prices. It is suggested, therefore, that the international community could play a significant role in the alleviation of the food insecurity problem in LDCs through the provision concessionary finance for the funding of exceptional food import requirements.


Red meat is a good source of a number of nutrients such as iron, zinc and B vitamins. However, consumption of red and processed meat has been associated with unfavourable health outcomes including an increased risk of colon cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the association between diets with varying levels of red meat (RM), processed red meat (PRM) and total red and processed meat (TRPM) with nutritional adequacy in adults. A secondary analysis was conducted using data from 1068 adults aged 19–64 years from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) years 1–4 (2008/09-2011/12). Adults (221 men and 517 women) were classified into tertiles according to TRPM consumption, with tertile 1 (T1, 0-41 g/day) and tertile 3 (T3, 87-344 g/day) representing diets with the lowest and highest intake of TRPM, respectively. Intakes were obtained from 4-day diet diaries. ANCOVA was used to determine statistically significant differences between tertiles of TRPM, RM and PRM consumption and macro-and micro-nutrient intakes, plasma ferritin and haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations (biomarkers of iron status) controlling for age, sex, total energy intake (kJ), BMI, social class and smoking status. Participants with fasted blood glucose above 7 mmol/L or taking medicines known to affect blood analytes were excluded from the statistical analysis. The mean TRPM, PRM and RM consumption was 70·3 (SD 54·0), 36·6 (SD 37·4) and 33·7 (SD 36·3) g/day, respectively. Furthermore, 56 % of participants consumed less than SACN recommendations (<70 g/day) for TRPM. Intakes of saturated fat, MUFA, trans-fat, thiamine, haem iron (dietary) and plasma Hb concentration were significantly higher in diets of participants in the high TRPM, RM and PRM tertiles (T3), respectively (all P< 0·05). In addition, protein, niacin, iron and zinc intakes were significantly higher for T3 compared with T1 for TRPM and RM, respectively (all P< 0·05). Furthermore, total fat and sodium intakes were higher for T3 compared with T1 for TRPM and PRM, respectively (all P-trend = 0·0001). Carbohydrate, vitamin E, biotin and manganese intakes were significantly lower for TRPM, RM and PRM, respectively (all P < 0·05). Calcium and iodine intakes were significantly lower for TRPM (calcium: P-trend = 0·009; iodine: P-trend = 0·0001) and RM (calcium: P-trend = 0·001; iodine: P-trend = 0·0001), respectively. Vitamin B12 (P-trend = 0·019), iron (P-trend = 0·002), non-haem iron (P-trend = 0·0001) and selenium (P-trend = 0·006) intakes were significantly lower for T3 compared with T1 for PRM. Moreover, the percentage of participants not meeting the Lower Recommended Nutrient Intake (LRNI) were lower for high TRPM (T3) compared with low TRPM consumers (T1) for iron (27 vs. 3 %), zinc (11 vs. 1 %), selenium (49 vs. 11 %) and vitamin B6 (13 vs. 1 %). This study suggests that around half (56 %) of the UK population has TRPM intakes that are in line with current recommendations. Diets containing high RM (44-225 g/d) have an overall better nutrient profile compared with diets containing high PRM (42-284 g/d). Furthermore, dietary patterns that contain low TRPM (0-41 g/day) may have implications for iron, zinc, vitamin B6 and selenium intakes and status in British adults. This work was supported by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).


In this paper a new method for controlling over unstable periodic orbits embedded in chaotic attractor is presented. This method first finds out the approximation of unstable equibrium points in chaotic attractor from the system map graph; and then, the nonlinear feedback control is used to achieve the purpose of controlling over chaos. The main characteristic of this method is to exert control actions at any time in the chaotic state without knowing any concrete modes in the chaotic system. In addition, this method is characterized by the very strong ability to resist interference, very fast convergence speed, simple controlling structure, being easy to achieve its structure, so that the simulation results indicate the effectiveness of this method.


One of the enduring legacies of the United States Civil War is that democracy in the workforce is an essential part of societal democracy. But the past century has seen a marked decline in the number of unionized employees, a trend that has increased with the rise of the internet and low-paying, gig-economy jobs that lack union protection. William B. Gould IV takes stock of this history and finds that unions, frequently providing inadequate energy and resources in organizing the unorganized, have a mixed record in dealing with many public-policy issues, particularly involving race. But Gould argues that unions, notwithstanding these failures, are still the best means to protect essential workers in health, groceries, food processing, agriculture, and the meatpacking industry, and that the law, when properly deployed, can be a remedy not only for trade union-employer relationships, but also for the ailments of democracy itself.


Virtual reality affords experimentation with human abilities beyond what's possible in the real world, toward novel senses of interaction. In many interactions, the eyes naturally point at objects of interest while the hands skilfully manipulate in 3D space. We explore a particular combination for virtual reality, the Gaze + Pinch interaction technique. It integrates eye gaze to select targets, and indirect freehand gestures to manipulate them. This keeps the gesture use intuitive like direct physical manipulation, but the gesture's effect can be applied to any object the user looks at --- whether located near or far. In this paper, we describe novel interaction concepts and an experimental system prototype that bring together interaction technique variants, menu interfaces, and applications into one unified virtual experience. Proof-of-concept application examples were developed and informally tested, such as 3D manipulation, scene navigation, and image zooming, illustrating a range of advanced interaction capabilities on targets at any distance, without relying on extra controller devices.


Dynorphin receptor binding sites in hippocampal membrane preparations were assessed in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats at 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age. At 4 weeks of age, before hypertension is manifested, SHRs had significantly more hippocampal dynorphin receptor binding sites than WKY controls. At 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age, however, when hypertension is seen, SHRs showed significantly fewer hippocampal binding sites than WKY rats. No receptor affinity changes for dynorphin were seen between the two strains of rats at any age. These results suggest that hippocampal receptor changes involving the opioid system may play a role in the central component of blood pressure control.


Abstract. The deniable encryption algorithms productivity increasing is investigated in this paper. This investigation is relevant because of effective schemes for information and its users protection. But these algorithms is very complex and lumped. It really affects them. That's why deniable encryption algorithms have not been widespread in data processing and information security systems. The execution time reducing methods and tools exploration is the main goal of this work. The divide and conquer method has been discussed and investigated in this paper. It has been implemented into the data processing system of the deniable encryption algorithms. Nothing modifies have been implemented into the base algorithm. It allows to make it universal and apply to other deniable encryption algorithms. The series of experiments have been completed by authors to verify the hypothesis. The base deniable encryption algorithm discussing is the first stage of investigation. Its vulnerabilities have been found and investigated. Another algorithm is based on the divide and conquer method applying. It has been implemented into the modified data processing system. The both algorithms efficiency has been investigated by the experiments with the real with public and secret information files. The experiments have been completed on the prepared equipment. This equipment simulates the user's workplace with real hardware and software. According to the results the deniable encryption algorithms productivity has been reached by the divide and rule method. Also the method has been verified by the different size encryption keys. The base deniable encryption algorithms have not been modified. The results have been compared with other authors' investigations. In the end authors' hypothesis has been proved. But some restrictions of this results reaching have been set by the authors.
Keywords: deniable encryption; information security; sensitive data; the divide and conquer method; unauthorized access; coercion; productivity; cipher.


The development of methods (1, 2) for the growth and multiplication of P. knowlesi in vitro permits a study of the importance of various nutritional and environmental factors in the life of this malarial parasite. Although some deductions may be made concerning the needs of parasites growing within the host, greater certainty attends observations made upon organisms grown in vitro. Indeed, certain questions, such as whether parasites will survive anaerobically, must perforce be answered by experimentation outside of the animal host. We will present in this paper data concerning the effect of certain environmental factors upon the growth of P. knowZesi in vitro and some observations on the nutritional requirements of this parasite. Studies by previous workers have dealt mainly with the survival of parasites in in vitro systems where multiplication of the parasite population did not occur (see reference 2 for literature). The most careful experiments have been those of Trager (3,4) in which survival of P. Zophurae was observed in cultures for as long as 10 to 16 days. In these experiments, however, the death rate far exceeded the rate of reinvasion particularly after the first few days. Nevertheless, Trager obtained definite evidence of a nutritional need for pantothenic acid and glucose, and observed beneficial effects upon the addition of glutathione, fresh normal red cells, and embryo extract to the cultures. He also pointed out the toxic effects of a high oxygen tension on surviving P. lophurae. Trager's studies have been repeated and, on the whole, confirmed by Hawking (S), although he did not obtain the prolonged survival reported by Trager. Hawking's cultures of erythrocytic stages of P. gallinaceum seldom survived for more than 3 or 4 days. The absence of multiplication of parasites even during the first day of culture paralleled Trager's results.


A method is described for ideally reconstructing the profile from a surface profiling measurement containing a reasonable amount of null measurement data. The proposed method can conjecture lost information and rectify irregular data that result due to bad measuring environments. signal transmission noise. or instrument-induced errors. The method adopts the concept 0/ computer graphics and consists of several processing steps. First, a search for valid data in the neighborhood of the null data is performed. The valid data are then grouped and their contours are extracted. By analyzing these contours, a bounding box can be obtained and the general distribution of the entire area encompassing the valid and null data is determined. Finally, em ideal surface model is overlaid onto the measurement results based on the bounding box, generating a complete reconstruction of the calculations. A surface-profiling task on a liquid crystal display photo spacer is used to verify the proposed method. The results are compared to those obtained through the use of a scanning electron microscope to demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed method.


We studied the modal contributions to heat conduction across an interface between crystalline Si and amorphous SiO2, using the interface conductance modal analysis (ICMA) method. Our results show that >70% of the thermal interface conductance (TIC) arises from the extended modes. Using ICMA, we could also determine the contribution of interfacial modes to the TIC. Interestingly, we observed that although the number of these modes is 15%). Such an observation shows the non-negligible role of localized modes in facilitating heat conduction across systems with interfaces between dissimilar materials, specifically in a system that is straightforward to fabricate and study experimentally. Our observations suggest that neglecting the contribution of localized modes would be an oversimplification of the actual mechanisms at play. Determining the individual mode contributions is therefore of vital importance, since these values are directly utilized in predicting the temperature dependent TIC, which is important to silicon on insulator technologies with a myriad of applications within microelectronics and optoelectronics.We studied the modal contributions to heat conduction across an interface between crystalline Si and amorphous SiO2, using the interface conductance modal analysis (ICMA) method. Our results show that >70% of the thermal interface conductance (TIC) arises from the extended modes. Using ICMA, we could also determine the contribution of interfacial modes to the TIC. Interestingly, we observed that although the number of these modes is 15%). Such an observation shows the non-negligible role of localized modes in facilitating heat conduction across systems with interfaces between dissimilar materials, specifically in a system that is straightforward to fabricate and study experimentally. Our observations suggest that neglecting the contribution of localized modes would be an oversimplification of the actual mechanisms at play. Determining the individual mode contributions is therefore of vital importance, since these values are directly...


High-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) with autologous stem-cell is effective against a wide range of malignant diseases. This approach is increasingly used for treating hematologic malignancies and selected solid tumors. Since 1990, the number of autologous transplantations has exceeded the number of allogeneic transplantations.


Osteopetrosis is an inherited metabolic disease which produces an excessive accumulation of bone caused by deficiency of osteoclasts. It is characterized by systemic bone sclerosis, cranial deformation and failure of tooth eruption due to defective bone resorption. In this study, morphological change of the mandible was observed in growing osteopetrotic (op/op) mutant mice. Deformation of the condylar process, non-ossification of the condyle head and underdevelopment of the lateral pterygoid muscle were observed in the mutant mice. Although these phenomena were brought about by failure of the bone remodeling, it was simultaneously suggested that the ossification of the condyle head concerned with the mastication.


In this paper, a method of shaping waveforms at drain for designing an inverse Class-F power amplifier is presented. The second and fourth harmonics are controlled by a simplified structure by employing the bias circuit. Then by tuning the phase of the second and fourth harmonic, and also third and fifth harmonic components in the load, the de-embedded voltage and current waveforms at drain are shaped into approximate half-sinusoidal and square, respectively. With this kind of waveform, less power dissipation can be achieved because of less overlap between the waveforms. Load pull simulation predicts 82% PAE by this method with optimal load and source impedance. The fabricated circuit is exhibited and measured. PAE reached 72.4% with 38.4 dBm output power at one-tone frequency 2.14GHz.


Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may be characterized by skeletal muscle abnormalities. Pioglitazone has a certain therapeutic effect on skeletal muscle metabolism in PCOS patients.Objective To investigate the other effects of pioglitazone on skeletal muscle and its mechanism.Methods We used weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify potential key genes and signaling pathways involved in pioglitazone affecting skeletal muscle in PCOS patients. First, download the chip data of GSE8157 from GEO database. Then, modules related to genes expressed in skeletal muscle of PCOS patients before and after pioglitazone treatment were screened by WGCNA, and core genes and differential gene analysis methods were further selected according to the correlation characteristics between modules and clinical manifestations. Finally, the selected genes were enriched for analysis.Results Four significantly up-regulated genes were screened out by differential gene analysis: MTBP, MAPK14, RBBP6 and PTPRC. They are both associated with cell cycle regulation and immune cell (T cell) antigen receptor signaling.Conclusions The effect of pioglitazone on skeletal muscle of PCOS patients is mainly reflected in the regulation of abnormal expression of cell cycle and immune cell-related genes. Among them, HFE gene has the most obvious regulation effect on T lymphocyte activity, which may be a potential gene target for the treatment of PCOS.


The purpose of this study was to optimize black garlic encapsulation parameters (core/coating ratio, extract concentration, and coacervate/maltodextrin [MD] ratio) using central composite design of the response surface methodology based on encapsulation efficiency (EE) (%). The optimum parameters were determined as 4.0 for the coating material/core ratio, 50% for the extract concentration, and 6.0 for the MD/coacervate ratio depending on the EE (%). The antioxidant activity values were determined as 101 and 134 µmol Trolox/100 g dry weight (DW) for the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) methods, respectively, whereas the total phenolic content was 49 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g DW for the encapsulated black garlic samples. S-Allyl-l-cysteine (SAC), γ-l-glutamyl-SAC (GSAC), γ-l-glutamyl-(S)-trans-1-propenyl-l-cysteine, and allicin were the organosulfur (OS) compounds determined in the samples. The SAC concentration of the encapsulated black garlic samples was determined as 22.36 mg/g, whereas the GSAC content was found at a lower concentration (0.33 mg/g) compared to SAC. The allicin content was quantified to be 0.31 mg/g. The encapsulated samples were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The FT-IR analysis revealed specific functional groups, including hydroxyl, carbonyl, and glycosidic linkage. The interaction between lentil protein isolate and pectin was strong enough to encourage capsule formation as visualized in the SEM images. This study shows the potential of black garlic coacervates as a functional ingredient for the food industry due to their stability, solubility, and preservation of OS and antioxidant compounds.


The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of PPs, MLNs and spleen in the pathogenesis of chronic colitis induced in mice. For the first series of studies, we transferred sorted, naïve (CD4+CD45RBhigh) T-cells (5x105 cells) into sham-operated RAG-1-/- mice or into RAG-1-/- mice that had their MLNs, spleen or both tissues surgically removed. We found that at 8 wks following T-cell transfer, all four of the surgically-manipulated RAG-1-/- groups developed moderate-severe colitis that was not different among the four groups. Flow cytometric analysis revealed large and similar numbers of IFN-γ producing T-cells within the colonic lamina propria (LP) of all four groups. For the second series of studies we intercrossed lymphotoxinβ-deficient (LTβ-/-) mice with RAG-1-/- animals to generate LTβ-/-xRAG-/- offspring that were devoid of Peyer's patches and most peripheral lymph nodes. Surprisingly, and in contrast to what has been reported for LTβ-/- mice, we found no evidence of MLNs in the LTβ-/-xRAG-/- mice suggesting that lymphocytes may be required for MLN development in LTβ-/- mice. Adoptive transfer of CD45RBhigh T-cells into splenectomized LTβ-/-xRAG-/- mice or their littermate controls (LTβ+/+x RAG-/-) induced rapid onset of colitis suggesting that neither the PPs, MLNs nor the spleen are required for induction of disease. The mechanisms by which naïve T-cells are converted to colitogenic effector cells in this model are currently under investigation.


Historically, tax policies were formulated principally to deal with domestic economic and social concerns (OECD, 1998:13). While the domestic tax systems of essentially closed economies also had an international dimension - a limited form of the residence basis of taxation - in respect of the amount of tax that was to be levied on certain foreign-sourced income of domestic residents and including the taxation of locally-sourced income of non-residents, "the interaction of domestic tax systems [was] relatively [minimal], given the limited mobility of capital" (1998:13). But the situation changed in recent decades as a consequence of the accelerating globalisation of trade and investment, fundamentally altering the relationships among domestic tax systems, requiring countries to continually assess "their tax systems and public expenditures with a view to making adjustments where appropriate [so as] to improve the 'fiscal climate' for investment" (1998:13).


【This study aims to develop the program for design of a reinforced earth retaining wall. For this purpose, the external stability such as overturning, sliding and bearing capacity and the internal stability such as pull-out failure and tensile rupture of the reinforced earth retaining wall with the reinforcement spacing and the backfill inclination were examined. In addition, the calculated results from the developed program were verified by comparing with the simulated results based on the three-dimensional finite element analysis. It is expected that this program contributes to effective design of the reinforced earth retaining wall.】


An inverse method to directly optimize the electrode configuration (positions, sizes, and driving voltages) for radio frequency (RF) capacitive hyperthermia was proposed. The main algorithm, based on the two-dimensional finite element method (2-D-FEM) solution of Laplace and bio-heat transfer equations, iteratively modified the individual boundary potentials around an object thereby making a calculated temperature distribution approach a target temperature distribution. A penalty function governed continuity and smoothness among the boundary potentials so that the optimized boundary potentials became attainable for two plate electrodes. Case simulations demonstrated the viability of the algorithm. For instance, in a computed tomography (CT)-based human abdomen model which had deep-and shallow-seated tumors, the optimized electrodes produced a temperature distribution suitable for heating the tumors; the average temperature differences between the tumors and normal tissues were 3.5/spl deg/C for the deep-seated and 7.6/spl deg/C for the shallow-seated tumors within 600 s of heating. A drawback with the present algorithm is that the choice of penalty coefficient and modification of the boundary potentials to coincide with the use of two plate electrodes are carried out manually. These procedures would be automated.


ESR measurements have been performed on samples of neutral polypyrrole, polypyrrole-perchlorate, oxygen-doped polypyrrole, and poly($\ensuremath{\beta}$,${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$-dimethylpyrrole perchlorate). A narrow Lorentzian line is observed in oxidized, highly conducting films, but no correlation between conductivity and either linewidth or intensity is found. Electrochemically cycled films, which remain highly conducting, show little or no detectable ESR absorption. It is deduced that the ESR signal seen in the as-prepared material does not arise from the current-carrying species, but rather from accidental neutral $\ensuremath{\pi}$-radical defects. The absence of paramagnetism in the metallic state is discussed within the framework of bipolaron formation.


In this paper we extend Lin and Zhao's notions of loops and loop formulas to normal logic programs that may contain variables. Under our definition, a loop formula of such a logic program is a first-order sentence. We show that together with Clark's completion, our notion of first-order loop formulas captures the answer set semantics on the instantiation-basis: for any finite set F of ground facts about the extensional relations of a program P, the answer sets of the ground program obtained by instantiating P using F are exactly the models of the propositional theory obtained by instantiating using F the first order theory consisting of the loop formulas of P and Clark's completion of the union of P and F. We also prove a theorem about how to check whether a normal logic program with variables has only a finite number of non-equivalent first-order loops.


The interplay between labour markets and welfare states is at the core of debates about the new Europe, which will be shaped as the result of the Lisbon process. Recently the concept of 'flexicurity' has moved to the centre of the discussion. Can interfaces between welfare states and labour markets be developed, where flexibility and security come together having 'flexicurity' as the outcome? How can flexicurity develop within different national employment systems? Can the design and implementation of flexicurity arrangements be guided by a set of common principles on flexicurity?


Sediment desorption batch technique experiments were conducted to study the influence of different types of natural organic matter (NOM) of sediment, initial solid-phase solute loading levels and temperatures on the desorption rates of 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene. A 4-parameter biphasic first-order kinetic model described the desorption of 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene from the sediments. The results indicate that the rate constants k(s) for the slowly desorbing fraction of each sample is up to 2 orders of magnitude lower than the corresponding rate constants k(r), for the rapidly desorbing fraction, suggesting that the slow desorption is the rate-limiting step. Desorption rate constants for the slowly desorbing fraction are found to range from 1.19 x 10(-3) h(-1) to 2.88 x 10(-3) h(-1) for sediments that contain different types of NOM, respectively; rates and extents of 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene on several sediments increases with lower degree of sediment NOM condensation. When the sorbed initial solid-phase 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene concentration increases from 13.3 microg x g(-1) to 25.3 microg x g(-1), the constant k(s) increases from 1.26 x 10(-3) h(-1) to 2.52 x 10(-3) h(-1). Moreover, the rate constants for desorption increase strongly with increasing temperature, and the activation enthalpies for slow desorption appears to be 9.45-21.43 kJ x mol(-1), which can provide information on the feasibility of bioremediation of aged contaminants.


In this paper we claim that an integration of FrameNet and WordNet will improve interoperability, user-friendliness and usability of both lexical resources. If the former provides a sophisticated representational structure compared to a narrow lexical coverage, the latter on the other side supplies a dense network of word senses and semantic relations although not supporting advanced accessibility (i.e., via frames). According to the integration perspective we present in the paper, we introduce LexiPass methodology, which combines Burckardt's tool 'WordNet Detour of FrameNet' with basic statistical analysis, enabling frame-guided search and extraction of domain synsets from WordNet.


Quantum physics has deeply changed the scientific perception of reality. The physical realization of quantum states is a vast resource for humankind: it can be used for a surprisingly large manifold of purposes; among those, the generation of truly random numbers, the possibility of distributing a shared private key for cryptography, or new ways to perform computation. Today, the most practical approach of creating and manipulating quantum states relies on playing with photons, i.e. light. Indeed most of quantum information processing experiments are accomplished via optical means. This situation is the consequence of the extraordinary development of photonic tools over the last decades, in terms of sources (lasers, quantum dots...), processing (optical fibers, filters, multiplexers, crystals, waveguides...), and detectors (photodiodes, superconducting nanowires, transition edge sensors...). "In this manuscript we present some (modest) contributions to the field, done during a PhD in the group of applied physics at University of Geneva (Switzerland)".


Molluscan shells protect the soft body from predators and the external environment and consist of calcium carbonate in an organic matrix. The interaction between calcium carbonate and the organic matrix forms the microstructure of the molluscan shell. In this review, we discuss several organic molecules that may be important in the formation of the shell microstructure. The iridescent color of pearls is attributed to the characteristic nacreous microstructure of molluscan shells. The Japanese pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata, is used in pearl aquaculture in Japan. The shell of P. fucata consists of two layers, prismatic and nacreous. Prismalin-14 in the prismatic layer interacts with calcium carbonate and binds to chitin. Pif in the nacreous layer interacts with aragonite crystals and plays important roles in forming the organic framework in a compartment-like structure. In contrast, limpets have a crossed lamellar microstructure in their shells. The organic matrices of limpet shells induce the formation of spindle-like aragonite crystals. Recent studies have increased our understanding of the calcification process of molluscan shells, and the findings can be applied to increase yields of high-quality pearls, lowering the cost and energy of pearl aquaculture.


This qualitative study explored the experiences of mental health employees working with Indigenous clients living with mental illness. Interviews were conducted with 20 mental health workers to identify strategies they adopt to facilitate community engagement with Indigenous clients. Using a thematic analysis approach, 'Brokering community engagement' was the umbrella theme from which two subthemes related to community engagement for the service and clients emerged (1) enabling connections –community and family; and (2) recovery and reconnecting with community. Participant insights enabled a deeper understanding of the role of community in the recovery process for Indigenous clients and highlight the importance of community engagement as a primary, yet multifaceted strategy used by mental health workers in the communities they serve.


Multi-task learning in Convolutional Networks has displayed remarkable success in the field of recognition. This success can be largely attributed to learning shared representations from multiple supervisory tasks. However, existing multi-task approaches rely on enumerating multiple network architectures specific to the tasks at hand, that do not generalize. In this paper, we propose a principled approach to learn shared representations in ConvNets using multitask learning. Specifically, we propose a new sharing unit: "cross-stitch" unit. These units combine the activations from multiple networks and can be trained end-to-end. A network with cross-stitch units can learn an optimal combination of shared and task-specific representations. Our proposed method generalizes across multiple tasks and shows dramatically improved performance over baseline methods for categories with few training examples.


Indium trichloride reacts with 3 equiv of lithium amide in diethyl ether to give In(NRR')(3) (R = Ph or t-Bu, R' = SiMe(3); R = t-Bu, R' = SiHMe(2)) and with 3 or 4 equiv of LiNMe(SiMe(3)) to yield Li[In{NMe(SiMe(3))}(4)]. The chloride also reacts with LiNPh(2) in THF to give the salt Li[In(NPh(2))(3)Cl] and with LiNRR' in pyridine to yield the neutral adduct In(NRR')(3)(py) (R = R' = Ph; R = Me, R' = SiMe(3)). The volatile liquids In[N(t-Bu)(SiHMe(2))](3) and In[NMe(SiMe(3))](3)(py) react with p-Me(2)Npy to form the solid compounds In[N(t-Bu)(SiHMe(2))](3)(p-Me(2)Npy) and In[NMe(SiMe(3))](3)(p-Me(2)Npy), respectively. X-ray crystallographic studies show that In(NPh(2))(3)(py), In[N(t-Bu)(SiHMe(2))](3)(p-Me(2)Npy), and the ether adduct of In[NPh(SiMe(3))](3) contain nearly planar In(amide)(3) fragments. Crystallographic studies also show that the anion in the salt [Li(THF)(4)][In(NPh(2))(3)Cl] is nearly tetrahedral and in [Li(p-Me(2)Npy)][In{NMe(SiMe(3))}(4)] the tetrahedral-like anion is bound to the Li cation via two amide nitrogens. The Li in the latter structure is also bonded to p-Me(2)Npy, resulting in a planar three-coordinate geometry for Li. Crystal data are the following. C(31)H(52)N(3)OSi(3)In at -50 degrees C: P2(1)/n (monoclinic), a = 11.003(2) Å, b = 18.678(3) Å, c = 17.618(3) Å, beta = 95.42(1) degrees, and Z = 4. C(41)H(35)N(4)In.C(7)H(8) at -50 degrees C: P&onemacr; (triclinic), a = 10.112(2) Å, b = 12.786(3) Å, c = 15.870(5) Å, alpha = 87.42(2) degrees, beta = 74.95(2) degrees, gamma = 78.15(2) degrees, and Z = 2. C(25)H(58)N(5)Si(3)In at -50 degrees C: P2(1)/c (monoclinic), a = 9.797(3) Å, b = 18.203(6) Å, c = 19.592(5) Å, beta = 100.27(2) degrees, and Z = 4. C(52)H(62)ClInLiN(3)O(4) at 23 degrees C: P2(1)/n (monoclinic), a = 16.076(2) Å, b = 17.185(2) Å, c = 18.447(3) Å, beta = 97.41(1) degrees, and Z = 4. C(23)H(58)InLiN(6)Si(4) at 23 degrees C: P&onemacr; (triclinic), a = 15.792(3) Å, b = 16.345(3) Å, c = 16.678(3) Å, alpha = 62.69(1) degrees, beta = 81.00(1) degrees, gamma = 86.94(1) degrees, and Z = 4.


With new emerging technologies, such as satellites and drones, archaeologists collect data over large areas. However, it becomes difficult to process such data in time. Archaeological data also have many different formats (images, texts, sensor data) and can be structured, semi-structured and unstructured. Such variety makes data difficult to collect, store, manage, search and analyze effectively. A few approaches have been proposed, but none of them covers the full data lifecycle nor provides an efficient data management system. Hence, we propose the use of a data lake to provide centralized data stores to host heterogeneous data, as well as tools for data quality checking, cleaning, transformation and analysis. In this paper, we propose a generic, flexible and complete data lake architecture. Our metadata management system exploits goldMEDAL, which is the most generic metadata model currently available. Finally, we detail the concrete implementation of this architecture dedicated to an archaeological project.


Both host cytokines and microbial metabolites can influence the differentiation of naïve T cells near the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. While some differentiated T cells mitigate inflammation, others promote it; thus T cells near the GI tract exist in a delicate homeostasis that allows for simultaneously tolerating commensal microbes and destroying harmful pathogens. Environmental stimuli coupled with genetic predisposition can disrupt this homeostasis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) ensues. A promising treatment for IBD involves culturing a patient's naïve T cells, differentiating them into anti-inflammatory T cells, and transplanting them back into the original patient in a process known as adoptive transfer. One bottleneck in translating this technique from the laboratory to the clinic is in the determination of appropriate stimulation conditions prior to transplantation. Since the biochemical pathway underlying this differentiation is largely unknown, only data driven models can be used to model the effect of various stimulation conditions on the percentages of anti-inflammatory Tregs and pro-inflammatory Th17 cells. This work develops such models where a special emphasis is placed on determining empirical models that maximize the prediction accuracy. Neural network models are used due to both their flexibility for choosing model structures and their ability to reflect complex phenomena.


Aims The Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) is common after cardiac surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), leading to difficulty in distinguishing between a bacterial infection or SIRS. Early diagnosis of post-operative infection is of fundamental importance in order to improve outcomes and reduce antibiotic over use. This study examined the predictive value of the biomarkers procalcitonin (PCT), lactate, neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) and the biphasic APTT waveform (bAPTT). Methods Consecutive children admitted for cardiac surgery at a tertiary paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) were enrolled in the study. None of our patients had a bacterial infection (BI) at admission. Receiver operating curves (ROC) were created to determine the predictive value of the biomarkers to diagnose BI. Results In total, 88/368 children (24%) developed BI. Median PCT in children with BI was 0.16 ng/ml (IQR 0.06–0.98) compared with 0.10 ng/ml (IQR 0.–0.36) in the non-infected group (p=0.03). Median lactate in children with BI was 1.42 mmol/L (IQR 0.93–2.37) compared with 1.20 mmol/L (0.93–1.79) in the non-infected group (p=0.03). The other biomarkers were not significantly different between BI and non-BI groups. The median inotrope score in first 12 hours was 10 (IQR 5–15) in those with BI compared with 7 (5–12) in the non-infected group (p=0.002). Prolonged hospital stay (p=0.001) and increased duration of mechanical ventilation (p=0.001) were more common in children with BI. CPB time was increased in children with BI (median 133 min, IQR 75–183) compared with those without BI (median 101 min, IQR 60–147) (p=0.005).Using ROC curves to predict BI, the AUC for PCT was 0.58, lactate 0.46, inotrope score in the first 12 hours 0.60, CPB 0.60, and circulatory arrest time 0.55 respectively. Conclusion None of the biomarkers studied demonstrated strong predictive value for BI. The increased health utilisation of postoperative infection is highlighted by increased PICU and hospital stay. Children at higher risk of developing post-operative infection can be identified as those with prolonged bypass and crossclamp times, and those with high inotrope scores in the first 12 hours of admission.


written by Ruth Carver Gardner, a daughter of Prof. W. O. Carver, who himself contributed the final chapter. With surprising success the co-authors complement each other, and the book has a pleasing unity. The reading of the book brings a varied reward. Foremost, of course, is an intimate touch with a vibrant Christian personality. In addition, one gains a knowledge of the historical development of mission work in China, particularly of the South China Baptist Mission, the Publication Society, and Shanghai University. Then, for the thoughtful reader, there is material out of which to formulate sound guiding principles for the Baptist enterprise in China in the future. H. C. GOERNER


These proceedings try to cover all aspects of ultra-clean Si-technology: cleaning, contamination control, Si-surface chemistry and topography, and its relationship to device performance and process yield. New areas of concern included, cleaning at the interconnect level, resist strip and polymer removal (dry and wet), cleaning and contamination aspects of metallization, wafer backside cleaning and cleaning after Chemical-Mechanical-Polishing (CMP). Wet cleaning processes are still the dominant technology, despite the new results that have been obtained using dry cleaning processes. The conference also looked at the topic of ozonated DI-water as a replacement for hydrogen peroxide, or even sulfuric-based mixtures, which could potentially offer economical and environmental savings.