Identification of the skin sensitisation hazard of chemicals has traditionally relied on the use of animals. Progress in the development of alternative methods has been prompted by the increasing knowledge of the key biological mechanisms underlying this human health effect, as documented by the OECD's recent report summarising the key biological events leading to skin sensitisation ("Adverse Outcome Pathway" (AOP) for skin sensitisation). Within this AOP the activation of cellular signalling pathways, such as the Keap1-Nrf2antioxidant/electrophile response element (ARE)-dependent pathway, known to play a relevant role in keratinocytes' responses to skin sensitisers, is postulated to be a key event. Therefore, test methods able to provide information on the ability of a chemical to activate this or other relevant pathways in keratinocytes, may contribute to skin sensitisation hazard and safety assessment. The KeratinoSensTM test method measures ARE-Nrf2 activation through a luciferase reporter gene. The test method has undergone a validation study addressing mainly the test method's transferability and withinand between-laboratory reproducibility. Following independent scientific peer review by EURL ECVAM's Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC) and having considered the input from regulators, stakeholders, international partners and the general public, EURL ECVAM concluded that the KeratinoSensTM may prove a useful component of integrated approaches such as Weight of Evidence (WoE) or Integrated Testing Strategies (ITS) for skin sensitisation hazard assessment. In addition to this, the KeratinoSensTM may also be able to contribute to the assessment of sensitising potency, e.g. by supporting sub-categorisation of sensitisers according to UN GHS. However it is recognised that further efforts are required to explore how KeratinoSensTM data may contribute to potency assessment.


In this paper, we describe our approach to utilizing the compute power of the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.) processor as an accelerator for computationally intensive portions of high performance computing applications. We call this approach "hybrid programming" because it distributes application execution across heterogeneous processors. IBM developed a hardware implementation and software infrastructure that enables this hybrid computing model as part of the Roadrunner project for Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). In the hybrid programming model, a process running on a host processor, such as an x86_64 architecture processor, creates an accelerator process on an accelerator processor, such as the IBM® PowerXCell8i. The PowerXCell8i is a new implementation of the Cell Broadband Engine architecture. The host process then schedules compute intensive operations onto the accelerator process. The host and accelerator process can continue execution concurrently and synchronize when needed to transfer results or schedule new accelerator computation. We describe the Data Communication and Synchronization (DaCS) Library and Accelerated Library Framework (ALF) which are designed to allow applications to create new applications and adapt existing applications to exploit hybrid computing platforms. We also describe our experience in using such frameworks to construct hybrid versions of the familiar Linpack benchmark and an implicit Monte Carlo radiation transport application named Milagro. Performance measurements on prototype hardware are presented that show the performance improvements achieved to date, along with projections of the expected performance on the final Roadrunner system.


Abstract. Convective clouds play an essential role for Earth's climate as well as for regional weather events since they have a large influence on the radiation budget and the water cycle. In particular, cloud albedo and the formation of precipitation are influenced by aerosol particles within clouds. In order to improve the understanding of processes from aerosol activation, over cloud droplet growth to changes in cloud radiative properties, remote sensing techniques become more and more important. While passive retrievals for spaceborne observations have become sophisticated and commonplace to infer cloud optical thickness and droplet size from cloud tops, profiles of droplet size have remained largely uncharted territory for passive remote sensing. In principle they could be derived from observations of cloud sides, but faced with with the small-scale structure of cloud sides, classical passive remote sensing techniques are rendered inappropriate. In this work the feasibility is demonstrated to gain new insights into the vertical evolution of cloud droplet effective radius by using reflected solar radiation from cloud sides. Central aspect of this work on its path to a working cloud side retrieval is the analysis of the impact unknown cloud surface geometry has on effective radius retrievals. Using extensive 3D radiative transfer calculations on the basis of realistic droplet size resolving cloud simulations, the sensitivity of reflected solar radiation to cloud droplet size is examined. Sensitivity is enhanced by considering the pixel surrounding to resolve ambiguities caused by illumination and cloud geometry. Based on these findings, a statistical approach is used to provide an effective radius retrieval. An in-depth sensitivity study of the presented approach on the basis of a wide range of radiative transfer test cases demonstrates the feasibility to retrieve cloud particle size profiles from cloud sides.


Country risk, sustainability an economic safety are becoming more important in the contemporary economic world. The aim of this paper is to present the importance of comparison formalisation of country risk, sustainability, and economic safety indices for strategic alignment. The work provides an analysis on the relationship between country risk, sustainability an economic safety in EU countries, based on statistical data. Investigations and calculations of rankings provided by Euromoney Country Risk Index, European Economic Sustainability Index as well as for Economic Security Index were made and the results of EU country ranking based on three criteria were provided. Furthermore, the data for the Baltic States was summarised and the corresponding index of consistency for random judgments was evaluated.


Background
Eighty-eight thousand fall accidents occur each year in Switzerland among people aged 65 and over, which cause a lot of personal suffering and economic costs  Beratungsstelle für Unfallverhütung BFU, 2019). The exercise at home program "DomiGym - Bewegungsangebot zu Hause" (in short: DomiGym) of Pro Senectute Switzerland aims to maintain mobility, counteract the risk of falls and promote social contacts as well as social participation and psychosocial health. Vulnerable, elderly people enjoy with DomiGym an adapted, regular training program focused on strength and balance, in their own homes or in their neighborhoods.
Methodology
The implementation and effects of the DomiGym offers in the cantons of Zug and Zurich were evaluated using various methodological approaches: tests of strength (Chair-Stand-Test; Mehmet et al., 2019), of balance (Modified Romberg; Agrawa et al., 2011) and of functional mobility (Timed-Up-and-Go-Test; Marks, 2016) as well as written surveys of participants (based on standardized scales used in the Swiss Health Survey).
Results
On average participants reduced fall risk and improved functional mobility and leg strength (p < 0.05). In a subsample of the canton of Zug, the Timed-Up-and-Go-Test (functional mobility and fall risk) improved by an average of 2.3 seconds (p < 0.005) and the balance test (Romberg) improved by 1.8 seconds (p = 0.005).
Over the course of a training series the reduction in fall risk proved clinically relevant in both cantons. Scores on the Timed-Up-and-Go-Test fell on average below the threshold of 13.5 seconds discriminating between fallers and non-fallers. Chair-stand test: Participants improved on average from an initial very high fall risk to an increased fall risk (below 15 seconds). In fact the subsample of canton Zug improved by an average of 3.96 seconds (clinically relevant with regard to the reduction of falls) and the subsample of canton Zurich improved by an average of 2.17 seconds (approximately clinically relevant; threshold value 2.3 seconds; Meretta et al., 2006).
DomiGym improved the general health (67%) of most participants and either maintained the original walking level (80%) or even improved it (15%). The majority of DomiGym participants do gymnastic exercises at least weekly outside of DomiGym training. DomiGym participants positively change their movement behavior in everyday life.
Conclusions
Pro Senectute's DomiGym reaches older people who cannot or do not want to attend out-of-home physical activity programs. The implementation of DomiGym improves the physical functions of leg strength, functional mobility, and balance, as well as the risk of falls in vulnerable elderly people. It can be assumed that DomiGym reduces the frequency of falls in the long term, contributes to the preservation of mobility and independence in everyday life, including a longer stay in their own homes.
References
Agrawa, Y., Carey, J. P., Hoffman, H. J., Sklare, D. A., & Schubert, M. C. (2011). The modified Romberg balance test: Normative data in US adults. Otology & Neurotology, 32(8), 1309-1311. https://doi.org/10.1097/MAO.0b013e31822e5bee
Beratungsstelle für Unfallverhütung BFU. (2019). Status 2019: Statistik der Nichtberufsunfälle und des Sicherheitsniveaus in der Schweiz. Strassenverkehr, Sport, Haus und Freizeit [Status 2019: Statistics on non-occupational accidents and safety levels in Switzerland. Road traffic, sports, home and leisure]. BFU. https://doi.org/10.13100/bfu.2.360.01
Marks, D. (2016). Aufstehen – Gehen – Umdrehen – Gehen – Hinsetzen – Timed-up-and-go-Test [Stand up – walk – turn around – walk – sit down – timed-up-and-go test]. physiopraxis, 14(07/08), 56-57. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0042-108951
Mehmet, H., Yang, A. W. H., & Robinson, S. R. (2019). What is the optimal chair stand test protocol for older adults? A systematic review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 42(20), 2828-2835. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2019.1575922
Meretta, B. M., Whitney, S. L., Marchetti, G. F., Sparto, P. J., & Muirhead, R. J. (2006). The five times sit to stand test: Responsiveness to change and concurrent validity in adults undergoing vestibular rehabilitation. Journal of Vestibular Research, 16(4-5). 233-243. https://doi.org/10.3233/VES-2006-164-510


A new unbiased stereological estimator, the rotator, was used to estimate the mean volume of pigmented substantia nigra (SN) neurons in three Parkinson's disease (PD) brains and agematched controls. Average pigmented neuron volume was 31300 μm3 (5200) in controls and 28900 μm3 (120) in patients. Estimating the absolute size distribution, revealed that PD patients had ≈ 80% less total SN pigmented volume than controls. Compared with biased methods, in addition to dramatic improvements in efficiency and accuracy, results obtained by the unbiased rotator suggest that primarily the largest pigmented neurons in SN are lost in PD.


Probiotic products' economic value and market popularity have grown over time as more people discover their health advantages and adopt healthier lifestyles. There is a significant societal and cultural interest in these products known as foods or medicines. Products containing probiotics that claim to provide health advantages must maintain a "minimum therapeutic" level (107-106 CFU/g) of bacteria during their entire shelf lives. Since probiotic bacteria are susceptible to degradation and reduction by physical and chemical conditions (including acidity, natural antimicrobial agents, nutrient contents, redox potential, temperature, water activity, the existence of other bacteria, and sensitivity to metabolites), the most challenging problem for a food manufacturer is ensuring probiotic cells' survival and stability enhancement throughout the manufacturing stage. Currently, the use of plant-based hydrogels for improved and targeted probiotic delivery has gained substantial attention as a potential approach to overcoming the mentioned restrictions. To achieve the best possible results from hydrogels, whether used as a coating for encapsulated probiotics (with the goal of stomach protection) or as carriers for direct encapsulation of live microorganisms should be applied kind of procedures that ensure high bacterial survival during hydrogels application. This paper summarizes polysaccharides, proteins, and lipid-based hydrogels as carriers of encapsulated probiotics in delivery systems, reviews their structures, analyzes their advantages and disadvantages, studies their mechanical characteristics, and draws comparisons between them. The discussion then turns to how the criterion affects encapsulation, applications, and future possibilities.


This paper describes the experiences gained through implementing on-line courses for Engineering education at Murdoch University. It describes the procedure by which the School of Engineering embarked on the process of developing its entire curriculum as suitable for web-based delivery, and the important considerations that led to a successful implementation of this strategy. It also describes both good and bad examples of web-based delivery, and suggests future developments required to further enhance the learning experience.


– The The objective of the present investigation is to determine the level of contamination of the karstic aquifers by infiltration of whey in the San Francisco, Florida and Vigaspampa hamlets, Celendín province. Cajamarca, Peru 2021. For which the mapping of the study area was carried out, to determine the calcareous formations, as well as the elevation and/or depressions that favor the emanation of the springs, to later be complemented by the sampling of 3 springs specifically located in each hamlet, thus, to later carry out the physicochemical, chemical and biological analyzes of the samples sent to the laboratory. Later, with the database, the Easy Quim 4.0 Software was used to appreciate the graphs that show the polluting variations of the analyzed waters, using the Piper and/or Schoeller Diagram. Then, a comparison of the three test points was made, in order to be able to recognize the contamination of the groundwater, since the results obtained from the laboratory were evaluated, with the environmental quality standards (ECA) established by the Peruvian government in the Supreme Decree No. 004-2017-MINAM which establishes the national standards for the environmental quality of category A1 water in the Peruvian territory, in addition to the maximum permissible limits (LMP) DS No. 031-2010-SA for effluents of domestic wastewater, from the housing sector. In this way, the results were found with a contamination much greater than that provided by Peruvian laws, in environmental quality, taking into account the geology of the study area.


The usage of Wikis for the purpose of knowledge management within a business company is only of value if the stored information can be found easily. The fundamental characteristic of a Wiki, its easy and informal usage, results in large amounts of steadily changing, unstructured documents. The widely used full-text search often provides search results of insufficient accuracy. In this paper, we will present an approach likely to improve search quality, through the use of Semantic Web, Text Mining, and Case Based Reasoning (CBR) technologies. Search results are more precise and complete because, in contrast to full-text search, the proposed knowledge-based search operates on the semantic layer.


During these recent decades, the restructuring system of electricity market has been taken places around the whole world. Due to the restructuring (deregulation), the electrical power system has been divided into three separates categories according to the function. First stage of power system is the generation companies (GENCOs), followed by transmission companies (TRANSCOs) and distribution companies (DISCOs). The competitive environment will be handling by a non-profit entity, independent system operator (ISO) that functioning as the system securities that have to make sure that the power system continues to operate in a stable and economical manner. However, restructuring system can give effect during the energy transmission. One of the transmission issues is regarding the power losses. To overcome the losses, generators must generate more power. The issue regarding the transmission losses in deregulated system is how to allocate it to the user and charge them in fair ways as in for instance the pool trading model, it is hard to trace the power contribution and losses of each user in transmission line. In addition, the users didn't want to pay the losses, it means that the ISO have to responsible for the losses and it will be unfair to put the responsible to ISO alone. Therefore, in this project, the allocation of transmission losses and loss cost methods which are the pro-rata and proportional sharing method will be investigated. Comparison between those methods will be done in order to identify which types of method that reflect an efficient and fair way to distribute the cost of the transmission losses to the user. These chosen methods will be tested on IEEE bus system.


The Titanium has many superior characteristics which are specific strength, heat resistance, corrosion resistance, organism compatibility, non-magnetic and etc. and their quantity are abundant. this study performed turning operation of Ti-6Al-4V alloy using the TiAlN Coated Tool which treated Physical Vapor Deposition. Experimental works are also executed to measure cutting force, tool wear, chip figuration and surface roughness for different cutting conditions. As a result of study. Cutting depth influences on the cutting force much more than the feed rate and the value of the cutting force is the most stable at the depth of 1.0mm. And tool wear was serious at over 100m/min of cutting speed and cutting condition was excellent at 1.0mm of cutting depth.


This study aims to shed light on the debate concerning the choice between discrete-time and continuous-time hazard models in making bankruptcy or any binary prediction using interval censored data. Building on the theoretical suggestions from various disciplines, we empirically compare widely used discrete-time hazard models (with logit and clog-log links) and continuous-time Cox Proportional Hazards (CPH) model in predicting bankruptcy and financial distress of the United States Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Consistent with the theoretical arguments, we report that discrete-time hazard models are superior to continuous-time CPH model in making binary predictions using interval censored data. Moreover, hazard models developed using failure definition based jointly on bankruptcy laws and firms' financial health exhibit superior goodness of fit and classification measures, in comparison to models that employ failure definition based either on bankruptcy laws or firms' financial health.


Two accelerator configurations, the linac/compressor ring scheme and the linac/RCS scheme, are commonly used to provide the proton beam power for a short-pulse spallation neutron source. In one configuration, a full-power linac provides the beam power and a compressor ring shortens the pulse length from 1-ms down to 1 /spl mu/s. In the other, rapid cycling synchrotrons (RCSs) provide the beam power and also shorten the pulse length. A feasibility study of a staged approach to a 5-MW proton source utilizing RCS technology, allowing intermediate operation at 1 MW, was performed at ANL and is presented in this paper. This study is complementary to a study in progress at ORNL based on a linac and an accumulator ring. Our 1-MW facility consists of a 400-MeV injector linac that delivers 0.5-mA time-averaged current, a synchrotron that accelerates the beam to 2 GeV at a 30-Hz rate, and two neutron-generating target stations. In the second phase, the 2-GeV beam is accelerated to 10 GeV by a larger RCS, increasing the facility beam power to 5 MW.


This paper deals with the role of ancient music theory in Gioseffo Zarlino's Istitutioni harmoniche and, within its framework, in particular with mathematical and physical considerations and their relevance to audible music. An outline of the treatise is followed by a presentation of Zarlino's justification of music as scienza and arte. Finally, two case studies are presented on joining ancient theory with contemporary musical practice: the division of the interval and the system of the senario.


High-resolution satellite images (HRSIs) obtained from onboard satellite linear array cameras suffer from geometric disturbance in the presence of attitude jitter. Therefore, detection and compensation of satellite attitude jitter are crucial to reduce the geopositioning error and to improve the geometric accuracy of HRSIs. In this work, a generative adversarial network (GAN) architecture is proposed to automatically learn and correct the deformed scene features from a single remote sensing image. In the proposed GAN, a convolutional neural network (CNN) is designed to discriminate the inputs, and another CNN is used to generate so-called fake inputs. To explore the usefulness and effectiveness of a GAN for jitter detection, the proposed GANs are trained on part of the PatternNet dataset and tested on three popular remote sensing datasets, along with a deformed Yaogan-26 satellite image. Several experiments show that the proposed model provides competitive results. The proposed GAN reveals the enormous potential of GAN-based methods for the analysis of attitude jitter from remote sensing images.


The former ex-patriate German priest and political activist, Joseph Mainzer, had made music the means of attempting to ameliorate the miseries of the poor in Germany, Belgium and France. His massed gratuitous singing classes became one of the sights of Paris late in the 1830s until the suspicions of the French police were aroused and he was forced to abandon them. After he took refuge in England in 1841, similarly large classes were begun in London under the title 'Singing for the Million', the title also given to his English textbook.


Oscar Wilde's plays on upper-class Victorian society are set apart from contemporary drama both by their wit and their reappraisal of conventions, particularly in dealing with transgressive women. The fallen woman's prominence in popular culture and the stage during a period of intense suffragism attests to woman's role as a touchstone of moral stability, contemporary plays viewing deviant women as threats to a man's world. Wilde mocks society's confinement of women, fallen or not, into prescribed roles and undercuts customary morality but fears self-determining women's disruptive power. A tool of perceiving this ambivalence is the self-fashioning dandy, who repudiates social constraints and yet foils transgressive women's attempts at self-fashioning. The surface mockery of conventional fears of female aspirations as threats to masculine orderliness conceals a greater fear of female autonomy as a threat to masculinity itself. This study locates the dramatic and moral urgency of Wilde's five major plays, Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband, The Importance of Being Earnest and Salome in this conflicting response to the feminine, which also determines his choice of theme and form both in his comedies of manners and symbolic drama.


A long-term fertilizer experiment was conducted on the rice–wheat cropping system at four locations in India. Trends in partial factor productivity of applied nitrogen, benefit : cost ratio of fertilizer application, grain yield, changes in soil organic carbon, and available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) were studied in control (N0P0K0), N (N120P0K0), NP (N120P80K0), NK (N120P0K40) and NPK (N120P80K40) fertilizer treatments. On average at all locations, continuous rice–wheat cropping for 16 years decreased the yield of rice by 57% in unfertilized plots and by 32% in plots receiving nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. Over the same period wheat yields only declined in unfertilized plots by 18%; in plots receiving nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium yields increased by 18% and they increased by 33.6% in plots receiving nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer. Partial factor productivity of applied nitrogen (the ratio of output value to the cost of a specific input) exhibited similar trends. Profit from fertilizer application, however, increased over the 16-year cycle by 130% in rice and by 262% in wheat in the treatment given nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. The long-term rice–wheat cropping system became depleted in soil organic carbon and available nitrogen and phosphorus at two locations but increased in organic carbon, available nitrogen and potassium at the third location. The available phosphorus and potassium content of the soil also increased at the fourth location.


Many microorganisms form symbioses with plants that range on a continuous scale, from parasitic to mutualistic. Among these, the most widespread mutualistic symbionts is the arbuscular mycorrhiza, formed between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and vascular flowering plants and other plants. A study of diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Camellia sinensis was conducted in four plantation territories of Uttarakhand. Microscopic analysis of the mycorrhizal status of roots has revealed that samples from all four locations belonged only to AM fungi. The mycorrhizal colonization level was found high thus reflecting the mycotrophic nature of C. sinensis (L.). Results of isolation and identification of spores from all field-collected soil samples has revealed relatively higher spore count. All recovered spores were found to belong to the Glomales Order, represented by Glomaceae family. Isolation has also brought into notice that three groups were dominant: the first one included light yellow colored spores, second, corresponded dark yellow-brown colored spores and third, magenta colored spores. The morphological characters indicated that the spore populations consisted of 3 – 6 morphotypes. The Glomus genus was represented by three species; that is, Glomus mossae, Glomus fasciculatum, Glomus sp. 1 (an unidentified species). Keywords: Glomus mossae, Glomus fasciculatum, Mycorrhiza , Camillia sinensis African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 9(33), pp. 5313-5319, 16 August, 2010


BIOPHYSICS OF CALCIUM CHANNELS. BIOPHYSICS OF CALCIUM CHANNELS: AN OVERVIEW. CALCIUM CHANNEL PERMEABILITY AND IONIC BLOCK. Introduction. Divalent Permeant and Blocking Ions. An Apparent Paradox. Block by Mg. Mg Blockage of Currents Carried by Monovalents Ions Through Calcium Channels. Ca++ Block of Sodium Currents Through LVA Calcium Channels. Voltage Dependent Block. Conclusions. ACTIVATION AND DEACTIVATION OF NEURONAL HIGH VOLTAGE ACTIVATED, FAST DEACTIVATING CALCIUM CHANNELS. Introduction. Activation Kinetics of HVA Calcium Channel Currents. Are Calcium Channels Occupied by Ions When Gated? Models for Activation. Modulation of Calcium Channel Activation. Conclusions and Perspectives. CALCIUM CHANNEL INACTIVATION. Introduction. Ion Channel Inactivation. Mechanisms of Calcium Channel Inactivation. Modulation of Calcium Channel Inactivation. Summary and Conclusions. THE PHYSIOLOGY OF CALCIUM CHANNELS. THE PHYSIOLOGY OF CALCIUM CHANNELS: AN OVERVIEW. CALCIUM CHANNELS IN EXCITATION-CONTRACTION COUPLING. Introduction. Skeletal Muscle. Cardiac Muscle. Vascular Smooth Muscle. Summary. CALCIUM CHANNELS AS TRIGGERS OF SECRETION. A General Overview of Cellular Secretion. Sources of Trigger Ca++. Influx of Ca++ Through Voltage Gated Channels as a Trigger for Exocytosis. Conclusions. CALCIUM CHANNELS IN SENSORY TRANSDUCTION: A CASE STUDY IN PHOTORECEPTORS. Introduction. Physiology of Transduction in Vertebrate Photoreceptors. Gain and Kinetics of Phototransduction. Molecular Mechanisms of Phototransduction. Control of the Gain and Kinetics of Phototransduction. Regulation of Cytoplasmic Free Ca++ Concentration in the Rod Outer Segment. Properties of Ca++ Permeable Ion Channels of the Rod Outer Segment Membrane. Signal Processing in Sensory Receptor Cells. Cone Photoreceptors. Conclusion and Perspective. CALCIUM CHANNELS AND PATTERNS OF ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY IN NEURONS. Introduction. Types of Calcium Channels. Localization of Calcium Channels. Interactions Between Voltage and Transmitter Gated Calcium Channels. Calcium Channels and Burst Firing Patterns. Summary. CALCIUM CHANNELS IN THE REGULATION OF CELL DEVELOPMENT AND CELLULAR INTERACTIONS. Introduction. Calcium Conductances Appear Early in the Differentiation of Neurons and Myocytes. Effects of Ca++ Influx on Differentiation of Myocytes. Ca++ Influx and Neuronal Survival. Ca++ Influx Effects on Neurite Outgrowth. Ca++ Effects on Neurotransmitter Metabolism and Neuronal Receptors. Possible Roles of Ca++ Influx in Cell Interactions. Evidence for the Role of Ca++ in Gene Regulation. Summary. PHARMACOLOGY OF CALCIUM CHANNELS. THE MANNER IN WHICH DRUGS MAY AFFECT THE FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR OF CALCIUM CHANNELS: AN OVERVIEW. EFFECTS OF INORGANIC IONS ON CALCIUM CHANNELS. Introduction. Dependence of Calcium Channel Structural Integrity on Inorganic and Organic Ions. Inorganic Cations and Calcium Channels. Summary. DRUGS ACTING ON CALCIUM CHANNELS. Introduction. Structure Activity Relationships. Sites of Action. Modes and Selectivity of Action. Effects of Calcium Channel Ligands in Animal Models. Endogenous Substances Acting on Calcium Channel Ligand Receptors. Chronic Regulation of Calcium Channels. Actions at Other Sites. Conclusions and Summary. MODULATION OF CALCIUM CHANNELS BY NEUROTRANSMITTERS, HORMONES, AND SECOND MESSENGERS. Introduction. Modulation of Calcium Channels. Summary. MODULATION OF CALCIUM CHANNELS IN CLINICAL MEDICINE. CALCIUM CHANNELS IN CLINICAL MEDICINE: AN OVERVIEW. MODULATION OF CALCIUM CHANNELS IN THE TREATMENT OF ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE. Introduction. Mechanisms and Experimental Background. Chronic Stable Effort Angina. Angina Caused by Coronary Spasm: Vasospastic Angina. Silent Ischemic Episodes. Mixed Angina. Angina at Rest. Acute Myocardial Infarction. Reperfusion Injury. Failure of Calcium Antagonists to Benefit Acute Myocardial Infarction. Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty. Summary: Calcium Channel Blockers in Anginal and Ischemic Syndromes. MODULATION OF CALCIUM CHANNELS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CARDIOMYOPATHIES. Introduction. Basic Abnormalities of Myocardial Perfusion in Cardiomyopathies. Calcium Channel Blockers in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Calcium Channel Blockers in Dilated Cardiomyopathies. Restrictive Cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathic Syrian Hamster. Distributed Ca++ Metabolism in Cardiomyopathic Hamsters. Assessment of Cardiac Necrosis. Comparative Effects of Calcium Channel Blockers Upon Myopathic Hearts. Competition Between Gallopamil and Adrenergic Agents. Electrophysiological Studies in Isolated Cardiocytes from CM Hamsters. Patch Clamp Studies of Macroscopic Inward Currents by Whole Cell Voltage Clamp Records. Summary and Conclusions. EXPERIENCES WITH CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS IN THE TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION. Introduction. Types of Calcium Channel Blockers. Left Ventricular Hypertrophy. Effects on Renal Function. Metabolic Effects. Efficacy. Combinations With Other Drugs. Importance of the Pre-Treatment Blood Pressure. Acute Administration. Side Effects. Beyond Antihypertensive Effects. CONTROL OF CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS BY MODULATION OF THE SLOW MYOCARDIAL CALCIUM CHANNEL. Introduction. The Role of Calcium Channels in the Genesis of Cardiac Arrhythmias. Electropharmacologic Considerations. Calcium Channel Blockers in Supraventricular Arrhythmias. Ventricular Arrhythmias. Calcium Channel Blockers and Sudden Death. Choice Among Calcium Channel Blockers in Combination With Other Antiarrhythmic Agents. Side Effects, Contraindications and Precautions in the Use of Calcium Channel Blockers as Antiarrhythmic Drugs. Conclusions. THE EFFECTS OF CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS ON PLATELETS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF VASCULAR DISEASE. Introduction. Calcium Channel Blockers and Platelets. Calcium Channel Blockers and Blood Vessels. Use of Calcium Channel Blockers in Vascular Diseases. Conclusion. CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS IN NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS. Introduction. Normal Ca++ Transport and Metabolism. Pathological Ca++ Accumulation. Calcium Channel Entry Blockers. Conclusions. USE OF CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. Introduction. Psychiatric Patients. Clinical Effects of Calcium Channel Blockers in Psychiatric Patients. Possible Mechanism of Action. Summary and Conclusions.


ABSTRACT Bacteria growing in the human large intestine live in intimate association with the host and play an important role in host digestive processes, gut physiology, and metabolism. Fecal bacteria have been investigated extensively, but few studies have been done on biofilms that form on digestive wastes in the large bowel. The aims of this investigation were to investigate the composition and metabolic activities of bacterial communities that colonize the surfaces of food residues in fecal material, with respect to their role in the fermentation of complex carbohydrates. Fresh stools were obtained from 15 healthy donors, and food residues were separated by filtration. Adherent bacteria were removed by surfactant treatment for microbiological analysis and fermentation studies. Scanning electron microscopy and fluorescent in situ hybridization in conjunction with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were used to visualize intact biofilms. Results showed that bacterial populations strongly adhering to particulate matter were phenotypically similar in composition to unattached communities, with bacteroides and bifidobacteria predominating. Biofilms comprised a mixture of living and dead bacteria, and CLSM showed that bifidobacteria in the biofilms occurred as isolated dispersed cells and in microcolonies near the interface with the substratum. Fermentation experiments with a variety of complex carbohydrates demonstrated that biofilm populations were more efficient in digesting polysaccharides, while nonadhering communities fermented oligosaccharides most rapidly. Acetate was the principal fermentation product formed by biofilm bacteria, whereas higher levels of butyrate were produced by nonadherent populations, showing that the two communities were metabolically distinct.


This thesis focuses on the quantitative spectroscopic study of the O dwarf population in 30 Doradus (Large Magellanic Cloud, LMC), aiming at clarifying some long-standing open questions about the formation, evolution and physical properties of O stars during their main-sequence phase, where they spend most of their lifetime.
This work has been conceived within the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey (VFTS), which has provided high quality optical spectra of hundreds of O stars in the H II region 30 Doradus, located within the LMC. The VFTS O dwarf population is an ideal laboratory to test our theoretical predictions and the e?ects of metallicity in order to shed light on the main open questions about O dwarf stars.
The main problems studied in this thesis are basically divided into four blocks:
(1) O Vz stars, a subclass of O-type dwarf stars, have been suggested to be younger than normal O dwarfs, thus representing a direct link from the formation phase to the ?rst stages in the evolution of massive stars, but this suggestion required further investigation.
(2) The use of a calibration of the stellar parameters with spectral type for O stars is necessary to characterize their physical properties and evolutionary state when only photometry and low-resolution spectroscopy are available.
(3) The determination of the stellar mass of an O star is a di?cult task as shown by the mass discrepancy between evolutionary and spectroscopic masses reported by di?erent authors in the last decades.
(4) Several O dwarfs with relatively low luminosities and located within environments with di?erent metallicity have shown thinner winds than predicted, a feature known as the weak wind problem.
We have performed a quantitative spectroscopic analysis of a sample of 105 apparently single-star VFTS O dwarfs using the IACOB Grid-Based Automatic Tool (IACOB-GBAT), an accurate and fast method that compares, by means of a chi^2 algorithm, observed and synthetic H and He line pro?les in an automated way. It is based on a pre-computed grid of almost 200000 stellar atmosphere models calculated with the fastwind code. Using the IACOB-GBAT, we have performed a series of tests aimed at (1) checking the behaviour of the automatic tool, and (2) investigating the e?ects of several sources of error (i.e., nebular contamination, erroneous rotational velocities and wrong continuum normalization) on the determination of the stellar parameters. We have ?nally derived mean values and uncertainties of stellar and wind parameters for our sample of stars, which have been used to study the problems described above.
From the investigation of O Vz stars in 30 Doradus by comparing analytical results and fastwind predictions we can say that the Vz phenomenon can be explained by the natural combination of stellar parameters, mostly depending on e?ective temperature and wind-strength. As a population, O Vz stars tend to be younger and have weaker winds than O V stars, but the Vz characteristic does not imply necessarily a young object with a thin wind. The large number of O Vz stars in 30 Doradus is a consequence of the low metal content of the host region.
We have provided new spectral type calibrations for e?ective temperatures and gravities of O dwarfs in the LMC, which are now the most complete calibrations, in terms of homogeneity and number of stars. In contrast to previous studies, we have not seen a clear e?ect of metallicity on the temperature scale.
A systematic di?erence between evolutionary and spectroscopic masses has been derived for the O dwarfs in 30 Doradus, with a certain tendency to increase with higher temperatures and lower gravities.
Finally, almost half of the O dwarfs in our sample present winds which cannot be properly characterized with optical diagnostic. These objects are potential candidates to have weak winds, but alternative diagnostics, such as those provided by the UV spectral range, are necessary.


This paper presents a new magnetic levitation spherical reluctance driving joint. It analyses the theory of air-gap magnetic of the driving joint and the mechanism of the generation of the magnetic levitation force and electromagnetic torque which based on the principle of reluctance motor. The mathematical model and the inverse system decoupling model of the driving joint have been established. The decoupling linearization and the state feedback closed-loop control system have been achieved in this paper also. The research of the result of system simulation provides us the decoupling characteristic and the dynamic characteristic of the driving joint system.


Ten studies were conducted in northeastern Illinois from 2007 to 2015 to evaluate treatment formulations, rates, and application timing and methods for protection of green (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), white (F. americana) and blue ash (F. quadrangulata) trees from the emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). Annual mid-May, June, July, and September basal soil drenches, basal broadcast applications, and basal trunk spray applications of imidacloprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran used alone, imidacloprid + clothianidin, dinotefuran + clothianidin, and trunk injections of emamectin benzoate were evaluated. Imidacloprid applied alone at 0.57 g a.i./2.54 cm dbh or greater, clothianidin and dinotefuran alone at 0.93 g a.i./2.54 cm dbh or greater, imidacloprid + clothianidin at 0.57 g a.i. + 0.28 g a.i.2.54 cm dbh or greater, dinotefuran + clothianidin at 0.47 g a.i. + 0.46 g a.i./2.54 cm dbh or greater, or emamectin benzoate applied at 0.2 to 0.6 g a.i./2.54 cm dbh provided good protection of ash trees up to 61 cm mean dbh. Canopy thinning was strongly correlated with the number of larval galleries/m2 (R2 = 0.95; P < 0.001) and adult EAB exit holes per m2 of branch surface area (R2 = 0.94; P = 0.002). Severe drought conditions may have contributed to a differential PCL response for treated large green ash trees growing in narrow residential parkways compared to trees growing in open park-like-landscape settings. Choice of active ingredient(s), product formulation(s), application methods and timing, EAB pressure, host susceptibility, and abiotic factors, and their role in implementing an EAB pest management plan are discussed.


Causal analysis in program evaluation has primarily focused on the question about whether or not a program, or package of policies, has an impact on the targeted outcome of interest. However, it is often of scientific and practical importance to also explain why such impacts occur. In this paper, we introduce causal mediation analysis, a statistical framework for analyzing causal mechanisms that has become increasingly popular in social and medical sciences in recent years. The framework enables us to show exactly what assumptions are sufficient for identifying causal mediation effects for the mechanisms of interest, derive a general algorithm for estimating such mechanism-specific effects, and formulate a sensitivity analysis for the violation of those identification assumptions. We also discuss an extension of the framework to analyze causal mechanisms in the presence of treatment noncompliance, a common problem in randomized evaluation studies. The methods are illustrated via applications to two intervention studies on pre-school classes and job-training workshops. C � 2015 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.


The normalized "ramen diet" of college students has become of greater concern as calls to eradicate hunger and homelessness on campuses gained traction in recent years, but little information is available on how this social movement began. This thesis traces the trajectory of the college basic needs movement and examines the challenges faced in implementing intervention mechanisms. Using a mixed-methods research design, I interviewed key leaders and conducted content analysis of media coverage of this issue, in addition to drawing upon insights from over three years of field work at the UC Berkeley Basic Needs Committee.I argue that the college basic needs movement gained traction due to the combined effects of the widespread economic downturn during the 2007-2009 Great Recession, escalating student debt and cost of college, published research studies that legitimized the student experiences, and grassroots efforts to institutionalize intervention mechanisms. These factors contributed to the shift from individual campus initiatives to a holistic, collective movement and allowed its leaders to acquire resources and influence policy changes to combat this crisis. While the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the movement trajectory, it has raised awareness towards the changed reality of the college student experience and uplifted the importance of the holistic framework integrated in the movement. Ultimately, the college experience was not built for basic needs insecure students, and social service programs were not built for college students--addressing this fundamental misalignment will be a continued focus for the movement to eradicate hunger, malnourishment, and homelessness in higher education.


In this letter, we propose an unambiguous tracking technique for the new multiplexed binary offset carrier (MBOC) modulated signals, which will most likely be employed in both European Galileo system and modernized global positioning system (GPS). The discriminator used in this technique is based on a pseudo correlation function. It uses two kinds of gating correlators and a novel combination function, which completely removes side peaks from the correlation function while keeping the sharp main peak. Results demonstrate that this technique is totally unambiguous while maintaining the same level of tracking performance with respect to thermal noise as the traditional MBOC tracking method.


In this article, A6061 and its reinforcement particles like aluminium oxide/glass fibres/SiCp/B4C (4% and 5%) with mixed composite and aluminium oxide/SiCp/B4Cmixed without glass fibre composite are produced with different proportions using the stir casting method. Here, some experimental study is carried out on the composite layer through scanning electron microscopy and XRD test to show the influence of the reinforcement on A6061, and the percentage of gold-silver-copper (AuAgCu), aluminium-zinc (ZA), and palladium deuteride is increased in this composition and justified through the graphical representation of the XRD image. Mechanical properties of the stir casting composites were evaluated through microhardness, wear test under 200 rpm and 300 rpm and 20N and 50N, and tensile tests. ,e results were compared with the properties of the base metal, with glass fibre reinforcement specimen and without adding glass fibre specimen; this will help us to check the strength and weakness of the glass fibres in A6061.


Service-learning is an experiential pedagogy which integrates curriculum and volunteer service through ongoing reflection. Research suggests that service-learning offers notable benefits for post-secondary English-as-an-additional-language (EAL) students. However, most of the researchers have studied EAL students within the United States; far fewer have examined EAL students in the Canadian context. This paper reports on a study of the impact of service-learning on EAL students at a Canadian university in British Columbia. A first-year service-learning elective has been offered at the university since Fall 2009. This course is taught by faculty from the ESL Department who have a Master's degree or equivalent in a related field. This study investigated the impact of the elective on EAL students' English proficiency. Data were collected from students through surveys, interviews, and journals. Additionally, the grade point averages (GPA's) of EAL students in first-year university English composition were examined, comparing those EAL students who took the service-learning elective (Group A) with those who did not (Group B). Grade analysis showed whereas Group B had a GPA of 2.15 on a 4.33 scale for first-year English composition, the subset of Group A who took first-year English composition in the semester immediately following service-learning achieved a GPA of 2.55. The results supported service-learning as an effective pedagogy for EAL students.


This paper presents a time-domain method for estimating the jitter in ring oscillators that is due to power supply noise. The method is used to analyze and compare the RMS cycle-to-cycle jitter of ring oscillators constructed from three possible delay elements: a CMOS digital inverter, a differential pair, and a current steering logic (CSL) inverter. Spice simulations verify the analysis method, and the results indicate that both the differential pair and CSL inverter provide superior supply noise immunity to the CMOS digital inverter.


BACKGROUND
Belonging to ethnic minorities is a risk factor for traumatized children. this study investigated the influence of exposure to rocket attacks during the 2006 Lebanon War on Jewish and two groups of arab Israeli students and the effect of implementing a teacher-delivered intervention focusing on resilience enhancement.

METHOD
Children from both ethnic groups (N = 1,372) were assessed for stressful life events, symptoms and parental concern regarding adaptation before the 16- week program (t1) and after its completion (t2).

RESULTS
arab children reported more severe symptoms at t1. the three groups showed a significant decrease to the same level at t2. Both ethnic groups differed in the level of parental concern and in the way stressful life events affected children's symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS
the results suggest that school-based programs with teachers as clinical mediators could be a valuable, cost-effective cross-cultural model of intervention after mass trauma, moderating vulnerabilities of ethnic minorities.


Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for mismatch repair (MMR) proteins is recommended in endometrial carcinomas as a screening test for Lynch syndrome, and mismatch repair deficiency (MMRd) is reported in ∼30% of cases. However, few studies have evaluated the rate of MMR loss in uterine carcinosarcomas. A 5-year retrospective database search of uterine carcinosarcomas was performed at 3 academic institutions. The histologic diagnoses, type of carcinoma present, and MMR IHC interpretations were confirmed by a gynecologic pathologist. One hundred three cases of uterine carcinosarcomas with available MMR IHC results were identified. Ninety-nine cases (96%) showed intact expression and 4 cases (4%) showed loss of MLH1/PMS2. All MMRd carcinosarcomas identified in this series had an endometrioid carcinomatous component and wild-type p53 expression. In contrast, the majority of MMR intact carcinosarcomas had a serous morphology and aberrant p53 expression. Three additional cases initially diagnosed as carcinosarcoma also revealed MMRd; however, given the lack of clear mesenchymal differentiation, these cases were reclassified as dedifferentiated endometrial carcinomas and were subsequently excluded from the carcinosarcoma category. No cases of Lynch syndrome were identified among carcinosarcoma patients, as all 4 MMRd cases were due to somatic MLH1 hypermethylation. In summary, we found that the rate of MMRd is markedly lower in uterine carcinosarcoma when compared with endometrial carcinoma. In the setting of MMR loss, a diagnosis of dedifferentiated carcinoma should be considered as almost half of the MMRd tumors which were called carcinosarcomas initially were reclassified as dedifferentiated on review. However, given the interobserver variability in the classification of carcinosarcoma versus dedifferentiated carcinoma a universal screening approach that includes uterine carcinosarcoma is still recommended.


In case of the continuous welded rail(CWR) track is supported by the railway bridge, the additional axial force is occurred in the CWR due to the track-bridge interaction. In the various design codes such as Korean code, European code, UIC code, etc, three important loads(temperature variation in the bridge-deck, braking/acceleration and the bending of the bridge-deck resulted from the passing train) are treated as the independent loading case. This conventional method completely neglects the influence of the loading history, and may have some error because of the behavior of the longitudinal resistance connecting the rail and the bridge-deck is under the highly nonlinear. In this study, the algorithm for the modified method considering the sequential nonlinear loading combination and the effect of the loading history is proposed. And the results from the application of the modified methods are compared with the results obtained from the conventional method.


Sunstein et al. (2006) utilized the random assignment of judges to cases in the U.S. Courts of Appeals to estimate the effect of partisanship on these judges without the possibility of bias from unobserved heterogeneity. This article critiques and improves their study by controlling for changes in circuit composition over time, including cases in issue areas that Sunstein et al. omitted, and omitting cases from circuits where judges were not randomly assigned. I find that Sunstein et al. slightly underestimated the effect of partisanship in the courts of appeals, failed to find evidence of partisan effects for issue areas in which judges are affected by partisanship, mistakenly found evidence of partisan effects for issue areas in which judges are not affected by partisanship, and underestimated the degree to which partisanship varies between circuits. Random judicial assignment offers promising possibilities for the study of judicial decision making, but care must be taken in order to reap the benefits of these natural experiments.


Littre's hernia is a rare condition that involves Meckel's diverticulum in the hernia sac. Meckel's diverticulum is the true diverticulum of the small intestine. Neuroendocrine tumors may develop in it; however, there are very few reported cases. In this study, we present a case of neuroendocrine tumor in strangulated Littre's hernia, on which we did not find a study when we reviewed the relevant literature. A 71-year-old male patient presented to our outpatient clinic with complaints of left groin pain and swelling in the groin. Acute abdomen findings were also present in the abdominal examination of the patient. The patient was operated on immediately and it was observed during the operation that the herniated Meckel's diverticulum was perforated. Segmental small intestine resection was performed. The pathology results of the patient revealed a well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor with mucosal and submucosal localization in Meckel's diverticulum. We believe that if Meckel's diverticulum is found in the hernia sac in incarcerated hernias, it must be completely resected as a neuroendocrine tumor may develop, even if only rarely.


To accommodate the demands of QoS and multicast applications, a multicast QoS traffic scheduling algorithm with tuning latency consideration in a WDM star-coupled network is provided in this paper. We define the slot scanning problem in the connection setup process as the maximum assignable slots (MAS) problem. We prove that the optimal solution of the MAS problem can be obtained in polynomial time. Owing to its high-order time-complexity, we also propose two heuristics for the MAS problem. The performance of these strategies is evaluated and compared by simulations under different system parameters, such as traffic load and tuning latency.


In this paper we present a system for automatic synthesis of special purpose hardware for neural networks. Only an algorithmic description of the hardware and a simulation environment have to be written by the designer using VHDL. This description can be automatically mapped onto hardware using the synthesis tools CALLAS or CADDY and the design system MENTOR. Using the concept of a simulation block connected to the actual design level of the hardware implementation the consistency of the diierent design levels can be proved. By using reprogrammable gate arrays (FPGAs) with this system we are able to do rapid prototyping of neural network hardware in a few days.


Abstract : The objectives of this effort were to determine the feasibility of, and the weight and cost savings from the manufacture of a direct replacement landing gear for current Air Force aircraft which is composed of component hardware that is fabricated from graphite epoxy material to the maximum extent possible. Prior to the start of this effort, direct replacement torque arm and side brace components for the A37B aircraft landing gear had been qualified for flight use which were fabricated from epoxy materials to the maximum extent possible. Both of these components were lighter than the existing metallic components. It was projected tha the fabrication cost of the side-brace in production quantities would be less than the existing metallic component. Under a separate In-House Work Unit, the graphite epoxy side brace successfully passed extensive laboratory environmental and in-service flight testing. The major task under this effort was the design, fabrication and qualification of an A37B aircraft outer cylinder/trunnion fabricated from graphite epoxy material to the maximum extent possible.


SiR,-The emphasis placed in your leading article (31 October, p. 256) on the genital strain of herpes virus hominis (HSV-II) as the exclusive aetiological agent in cervical carcinoma is to be questioned. The substantial variability in the incidence of antibody to HSV-II in women with and without preclinical and clinical carcinoma,14 and the recent demonstration in one study, for the first time,4 of identical antibody titres in these latter groups, must make us wary of interpreting too liberally recent studies which have suggested a probable carcinogenic potential for HSV-II in respect of the cervix.1 256 Tables I and II show clearly the variability that exists not only within social class but between races. These figures suggest that this virus exists preferentially in certain populations, its occurrence being most likely related to and a reflexion of promiscuous sexual behaviour. Indeed, Royston and Aureliani have shown a positive correlation between high HSV-II antibody titre and the incidence of Trichomonas vaginalis. It is probable that cervical carcinoma originates as a consequence of the entry into the cervical epithelium of some coitally transmitted mutagenic agent.78 Since 1967, when HSV-II was isolated, many reports have suggested that this virus could be mutagenic, presumably by contribution of its polynucleolides (DNA) to the cervical host cell in a fashion analagous to that produced by the addition of known oncogenic virus to tissue culture cells. If this be indeed so would not then a more likely source of potentially mutant polynucleolide originate from the vast amounts of DNA of a spermatozoal origin that are deposited on the cervix during coitus, as has been suggested by Reid and Coppleson.78 Indeed, they have shown in many experiments that cervical stromal cells are potentially phagocytic against spermatozoal DNA during squamous metaplasia. Should not then HSV-II be regarded in its correct perspective as essenTABLE I-Prevalence of HSV-II Antibodies in Women Free of Cervical Carcinoma -5


The use of combined estrogen-progestogin oral contraceptives in conjunction with psychotropic drugs in the treatment of 14 patients with mental illnesses (schizophrenia, manic-depressive psychoses, personality disorders, hallucinations, phrenasthenia) is reported. Positive clinical response was noted in schizophrenic, manic-depressive, hallucinatory, and phrenasthenic patients, with diminution of aggressive, disordered, and impulsive tendancies. In the 3 patients with personality disorders, a deterioration of status was seen. Collaboration with a gynecologist is recommended.


A large number of plane-wave holograms were recorded in Agfa-Gevaert 8E75HD holographic plates, at a wide range of bias exposures and fringe visibilities. The plates were processed by various combinations of developers (AAC, Pyrogallol and Catechol) and bleaching agents (R-9 and EDTA). A pair of absorption and phase holograms was recorded at each value of the recording parameters. Optical densities before bleaching were determined using the absorption holograms. Then each phase grating was studied by phase-contrast microscopy, using a high-power immersion (100 X) objective. Thus modulation of the refractive index as a function of the bias exposure and the visibility of the recording interference pattern could be determined. To characterize the processing, the modulation of the refractive index of the processed phase holograms was related to the amplitude of the optical density modulation obtained at the development step. These characteristics are especially useful for the comparison of various bleaching agents used with the same developer. Characteristics of similar forms were obtained for all the processing types, with significant differences in the slope and extent of the curves, so that sensitivity, linearity and dynamic range of the processes could be compared directly.


PURPOSE
To externally validate a hidden Markov model (HMM) for classifying gamma analysis results of in vivo electronic portal imaging device (EPID) measurements into different categories of anatomical change for lung cancer patients. Additionally, the relationship between HMM classification and deviations in dose-volume histogram (DVH) metrics was evaluated.

METHODS
The HMM was developed at CHU de Québec (CHUQ), and trained on features extracted from gamma analysis maps of in vivo EPID measurements from 483 fractions (24 patients, treated with 3D-CRT or IMRT), using the EPID measurement of the first treatment fraction as reference. The model inputs were the average gamma value, standard deviation, and average value of the highest 1% of gamma values, all averaged over all beams in a fraction. The HMM classified each fraction into one of three categories: no anatomical change (Category 1), some anatomical change (no clinical action needed, Category 2) and severe anatomical change (clinical action needed, Category 3). The external validation dataset consisted of EPID measurements from 263 fractions of 30 patients treated at Maastro with VMAT or hybrid plans (containing both static beams and VMAT arcs). Gamma analysis features were extracted in the same way as in the CHUQ dataset, by using the EPID measurement of the first fraction as reference (γQ), and additionally by using an EPID dose prediction as reference (γM). For Maastro patients, cone beam CT (CBCT) scans and IGRT classification of these images were available for each fraction. Contours were propagated from the planning CT to the CBCTs, and the dose was recalculated using a Monte Carlo dose engine. DVH metrics for targets and organs-at-risk (OARs: lungs, heart, mediastinum, spinal cord, brachial plexus) were extracted for each fraction, and compared to the planned dose. HMM classification of the external validation set was compared to threshold classification based on the average gamma value alone (a surrogate for clinical classification at CHUQ), IGRT classification as performed at Maastro, and differences in DVH metrics extracted from 3D dose recalculations on the CBCTs.

RESULTS
The HMM achieved 65.4%/65.0% accuracy for γQ and γM, respectively, compared to average gamma threshold classification. When comparing HMM classification with IGRT classification, the overall accuracy was 29.7% for γQ and 23.2% for γM. Hence, HMM classification and IGRT classification of anatomical changes did not correspond. However, there is a trend towards higher deviations in DVH metrics with classification into higher categories by the HMM for large OARs (lungs, heart, mediastinum), but not for the targets and small OARs (spinal cord, brachial plexus).

CONCLUSION
The external validation shows that transferring the HMM for anatomical change classification to a different center is challenging, but can still be valuable. The HMM trained at CHUQ cannot be used directly to classify anatomical changes in the Maastro data. However, it may be possible to use the model in a different capacity, as an indicator for changes in the 3D dose based on 2D EPID measurements.


Lymphosarcoma, as originally described by Kundrat, is an invasive tumor composed of lymphocytes or their forbears. Grossly it consists of a localized tumor involving a group of lymph nodes and invading the surrounding tissues. There may be metastases of varying extent. Microscopically the cell type is usually fairly uniform in a single case, but varies in different cases from a primitive cell or lymphoblast to an apparently mature lymphocyte. Some authorities conceive of reticulo-endothelioma of the lymph nodes as an extremely primitive lymphosarcoma, whereas others prefer to regard this as a separate type.

Lymphosarcoma partakes somewhat of the character of leukemia, in that it may infiltrate tissues with very little destruction. It resembles the sarcomata in (1) its localization to one group of nodes, to which the lesion remains confined longer than is the case in other proliferative lymph node lesions, and (2) its definite invasive properties. A leukemic blood picture may be present, (Sternberg's leukosarcomatosis).

A case belonging to this group was observed recently on the Medical Service of the State of Wisconsin General Hospital, having been referred by Dr. Oscar Lotz of Milwaukee.


Demonstrations of increased reproductive success due to sexual conditioning in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) have been reported, although the mechanisms that underlie these effects have remained elusive. One possible mechanism is conditioned rhythmic cloacal sphincter movements (RCSM). Two experiments were conducted with male quail to determine whether associations between a conditioned stimulus (CS) and a hen would result in the ability of the CS to elicit RCSM, and to explore the androgen mediation of conditioned RCSM. The results suggest that a focal CS paired with visual access to a female will elicit RCSM via a representation of the hen activated by the CS. Further, the available evidence indicates that conditioned RCSM is androgen mediated and that this learning may transfer across breeding seasons.


Tuberculous glossitis is a rare entity that has been described sporadically. Primary tuberculous glossitis, as described in this case report, is still exceptional. A 25-year-old male with no known immunosuppressive disorder presented with a tuberculoma at the base of his tongue. This was confirmed by tongue biopsy and a positive polymerase chain reaction response to the mycobacterium. The patient had a favourable response to anti-tubercular treatment. This highlights the importance of considering tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis of chronic tongue lesions, even in the absence of pulmonary tuberculosis.


Although a decrease in extracellular Na+ and an increase in K+ concentration are believed to contribute to the decrease in force during fatigue, the force of unfatigued muscle decreases only with quite large changes in Na+ and K+ concentration. The objective of this study was to determine whether concomitant and smaller changes in Na+ and K+ concentration have greater effects on muscle contractility than individual changes. At 3 mM K+, a large decrease in Na+ from 120 to 60 mM had no effect on the twitch force, while the tetanic force decreased by 31.2%. At 120 mM Na+, an increase in K+ from 3 to 9 mM potentiated the twitch force by 41.1%, had no effect on the tetanic force at 7 mM, and decreased the tetanic force by 40.4% at 9 mM; both the twitch force and tetanic force were completely abolished at 11 mM K+. The potentiation of the twitch force between 3 and 9 mM K+ was less at 60, 80, and 100 mM than at 120 mM Na+. A reduction in Na+ concentration also reduced the K+ concentration at which the twitch force and tetanic force decreased and were completely abolished. It is shown that the combined effects of Na+ and K+ on the twitch and tetanic contractions were greater than the sum of their individual effects. Furthermore, it is proposed that neither Na+ nor K+ alone can be considered as an important factor in the decrease in force during fatigue, whereas together they are important for the tetanic contraction, but not for the twitch contraction.


As of today, there are various methods of repeated multistage fracturing. Mostly, they are associated with the involvement of coil tubing and well workover services. These are assemblies with opening and closing frac sleeves, small-sized packers, twin packers, CT packers… All the methods are extremely costly in economic terms, the full operation cycle takes a long time and is associated with a high risk of hazards.
 The above methods have an alternative that is not widely used. An alternative and universal method for the repeated MSF is a mechanical, degradable flow diverter. The diverter is a 2-component powder consisting of 7 and 100 mesh particles that can isolate the required open area in the wellbore.
 The diverter has an extensive scope of application: it can be used for MSF in several vertical well zones, for MSF in wells with slotted liner completions, for repeated MSF in wells with sliding frac sleeves both in a blind version and with the use of a CT packer. It can be used for additional stimulation of missed, non-activated sleeves in sliding frac sleeve assemblies, as well as for the restoration of circulation, as temporary casing patches, etc.
 The basic technology does not require any services in addition to hydraulic fracturing. It is also important to mention that it is completely soluble downhole, which means that additional expenditures for well completion after its use are not required.
 In April 2020, the company performed repeated MSF using this flow diverter as a pilot job. As a result of the MSF, the well flow significantly exceeded the expected design values.
 Prior to the MSF with a flow diverter, the well wireline logging was performed to determine the flow profile. After performing 3 fracturing stages, a repeated wireline logging confirmed the formation of new fractures in the new zones not stimulated previously.
 By virtue of the fact that in these days the drilling rates have been significantly reduced, an urgent need to increase the flow rate of the existing wells appears. That is why high-quality, rapid and accessible repeated fracturing technology has great prospects and promises to become very popular among operators.


The problem of prediction is considered in a multidimensional setting. Extending an idea presented by Barndorff-Nielsen and Cox, a predictive density for a multivariate random variable of interest is proposed. This density has the form of an estimative density plus a correction term. It gives simultaneous prediction regions with coverage error of smaller asymptotic order than the estimative density. A simulation study is also presented showing the magnitude of the improvement with respect to the estimative method.


Purpose of review This paper outlines evidence for the putative renal benefits of statins in people with vascular disease. Recent findings The Greek Atorvastatin and Coronary Heart Disease study showed a modest improvement in kidney function over 4 years among 800 atorvastatin recipients (12%), significantly better than the decrease in kidney function (4%) in 800 placebo recipients. A secondary analysis of the Cholesterol and Recurrent Events trial suggested that pravastatin reduced the rate of kidney function loss to a greater extent in participants with dipstick-positive proteinuria (P < 0.001) and lower levels of renal function at baseline (P = 0.04). A larger post-hoc analysis from this group found that pravastatin modestly reduced the risk of acute renal failure (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41–0.86), but not the risk of a 25% decline in kidney function from baseline (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.88–1.01). In the group with lower baseline kidney function (glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min/1.73 m2) and proteinuria on dipstick urinalysis (n = 249), pravastatin recipients were less likely to experience a 25% or greater decrease in glomerular filtration rate (12.5% versus 19.9%) or acute renal failure (3.2% versus 8.7%). Summary Statins may reduce the rate of kidney function loss in people with cardiovascular disease, although the clinical significance of this effect is unclear. Future studies are required before statins can be recommended solely to protect renal function.


A series of the p-Al(x)Ga(1-x)N/Al(y)Ga(1-y)N super lattice (SL) structures has been examined as the p-contact and transparent layer for different ultra-violet light-emitting-diodes (UVLEDs) with a self-consistent 1D Poisson and Schrödinger solver. The recommended solution for designing the suitable SL structure in UVLEDs with different UV wavelength has been found. By calculating the absorption coefficient of the SL structure, we confirmed that the proper SL structure has the enormous potential of being the transparent p-contact layer in AlGaN UVLED, especially in UV-C band (< 280 nm). The suitable emission wavelengths of UVLEDs ranging from 219 nm to 353 nm are found. The influences of different well and barrier thickness on SL structures are discussed as well.


To develop an effective curve-fitting algorithm with a regularization term for measuring the modulation transfer function (MTF) of digital radiographic imaging systems, in comparison with representative prior methods, a C-spline regression technique based upon the monotonicity and convex/concave shape restrictions of the edge spread function (ESF) was proposed for ESF estimation in this study. Two types of oversampling techniques and following four curve-fitting algorithms including the C-spline regression technique were considered for ESF estimation. A simulated edge image with a known MTF was used for accuracy determination of algorithms. Experimental edge images from two digital radiography systems were used for statistical evaluation of each curve-fitting algorithm on MTF measurements uncertainties. The simulation results show that the C-spline regression algorithm obtained a minimum MTF measurement error (an average error of 0.12% ± 0.11% and 0.18% ± 0.17% corresponding to two types of oversampling techniques, respectively, up to the cutoff frequency) among all curve-fitting algorithms. In the case of experimental edge images, the C-spline regression algorithm obtained the best uncertainty performance of MTF measurement among four curve-fitting algorithms for both the Pixarray-100 digital specimen radiography system and Hologic full-field digital mammography system. Comparisons among MTF estimates using four curve-fitting algorithms revealed that the proposed C-spline regression technique outperformed other algorithms on MTF measurements accuracy and uncertainty performance.


Friendships and peer status play important roles in the social landscape of adolescents and are related to developmental outcomes. Yet, how peer status is related to friendship quality and what role social skills play in this association remains unclear. In this study, we use Actor–Partner Interdependence (Mediation) Modeling (Ledermann, Macho, & Kenny, 2011) to investigate how two forms of peer status, preference and popularity, are related to positive and negative friendship quality in mid-adolescence. Results show that adolescents who are friends with more preferred (i.e., likeable) and popular adolescents report higher friendship quality. These partner effects were partially mediated by adolescents' own prosocial behavior and their friends' empathy levels. Higher levels of empathy of one's friend and one's own lesser preference for equity explained why adolescents were more satisfied in a friendship with highly preferred (i.e., likeable) adolescents. Interestingly, empathy was not a mediator for the link between friendship quality and popularity. These findings promote a better understanding of the interplay between different levels of social complexity (i.e., individual, dyadic and peer group level) in adolescence.


Abstract. Driven by developments in the automotive industry, the availability of compact consumer-grade LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors has increased significantly in recent years. Some of these sensors are also suitable for UAV-based surveying tasks. This paper first discusses the differences between consumer-grade and survey-grade LiDAR systems. Special attention will be paid to the scanning mechanisms used on the one hand and to different solutions for the transceiver units on the other hand. Based on the technical data of two concrete systems, the consumer-grade DJI Zenmuse L1 sensor and the survey-grade scanner RIEGL VUX-1UAV, the expected effects of the sensor parameters on the 3D point cloud are first discussed theoretically and then verified using an exemplary data set in Hessigheim (Baden-Württemberg, Germany). The analysis shows the possibilities and limitations of consumer-grade LiDAR. Compared to the low-cost sensor, the high-end scanner exhibits lower range measurement noise (5–10 mm) and better 3D point location accuracy. Furthermore, the higher laser beam quality of high-end devices (beam divergence, beam shape) enables more detailed object detection at the same point density. With moderate accuracy requirements of 5–10 cm, however, applications in the geodetic-cartographic context also arise for the considerably less expensive consumer-grade LiDAR systems.


We analyze an economy in which sectors are heterogeneous with respect to the intensity of natural resource use. Long-term dynamics are driven by resource prices, sectoral composition, and directed technical change. We study the balanced growth path and determine stability conditions. Technical change is found to be biased towards the resource-intensive sector. Resource taxes have no impact on dynamics except when the tax rate varies over time. Constant research subsidies raise the growth rate while increasing subsidies have the opposite effect. We also find that supporting sectors by providing them with productivity enhancing public goods can raise the growth rate of the economy and additionally provide an effective tool for structural policy.


Abstract The digital age or the 4.0 industry makes its presence felt in all areas of the economy, making serious contributions to its development. The automotive industry is in a phase of change, acting on all its sub-industries such as the automotive tyre industry. We are witnessing a process in which large companies no longer sell a simple car or basic tyres, but resort to new technologies and digitalization to sell complex services tailored to the needs of consumers. Terms such as connectivity, mobility, autonomy became the main pillars in the development of such solutions integrated in the current market. Based on a SWOT analysis and a focus group organized with specialists from the field, this article aims to highlight the tyre industry market, which are the latest trends in the technologies used for development of the tyre industry, which are the factors that contribute to its growth and which are the threats, the opportunities for the big competitors in the market: Bridgestone, Goodyear, Michelin and Pirelli.


Multi-mode spiral wave and its breakup in 1-d and 2-d coupled oscillatory media is studied here by theoretic analysis and numerical simulations. The analysis in 1-d system shows that the dispersion relation curve could be non-monotonic depending on the coupling strength. It may also lead to the coexistence of different wave numbers within one system. Direct numerical observations in 1-d and 2-d systems conform to the prediction of dispersion relation analysis. Our findings indicate that the wave grouping can also be observed in oscillatory media without tip meandering and waves with negative group velocity can occur without inhomogeneity.


A one-dimensional function may be represented spatially as an aperture in an opaque screen where the aperture's width is proportional to the function. When such an area-modulated screen is the input to a standard coherent optical fourier transformer, the amplitude of the light along one axis on the output plane is proportional to the fourier transform of the original function. Continuous and sampled area modulation for single and multichannel operation are discussed. Experimental agreement with the expected results is obtained. Hybrid configurations combining area and optical-density modulation are discussed.


Henley A. (2005) On regional growth convergence in Great Britain, Regional Studies 39 , 1245–1260. This paper examines recent sub-regional output data for Great Britain to identify possible economic convergence. It concludes that sub-regional data are subject to substantial spatial autocorrelation. Conventional estimates of 'beta' convergence are subject to misspecification bias if spatial autocorrelation is not taken into account. Unconditional models fail to find any evidence for economic convergence – indeed, the most recent data point to significant economic divergence. Conditional models, controlling for region-specific steady-states and the influence of human capital accumulation, provide estimates closer to the 'stylized fact' of 2% per annum convergence. A further conclusion is that the use of regional price deflators may affect rates of convergence estimates. Spatial autocorrelation suggests that growth 'hot spots' can influence surrounding areas positively, but that poor economic performance in lagging areas may also have wider regional impacts.


This paper describes a project in which the objective was to reduce the underwater sound levels produced by marine outboard engines while simultaneously maintaining acceptable above-water sound levels. The exhaust systems of different marine propulsion systems were studied, with emphasis placed on those of two-cycle outboard engines.
 The acoustic performance of a typical 140 horsepower (104 kW) two-cycle outboard engine was measured and recorded. Modifications were then made to the engine's exhaust system in an attempt to reduce the engine's operational underwater sound levels. These modifications are discussed in detail. With the modifications complete, the engine's acoustic performance was re-examined.
 The modifications to the outboard's exhaust system were found to reduce the engine's overall underwater sound pressure levels by 77% at 1000 rpm. Above-water sound levels were found to be slightly increased at low engine speeds and decreased at high engine speeds.


Arc welding is a family of fusion welding processes that utilizes heat of an electric arc for the purpose of welding. In every arc welding method, safety should be the paramount consideration. It requires the most protection of the face, body and welding area during welding to reduce the welding hazards to welders and non-welders. The intensity of the arc produces strong ultraviolet and infrared radiation, fumes and dusts. Any person exposed during the welding process can be affected. This paper is adapted from different publications to provide an overview of welding hazards, health effects and safety measures. The review describes information currently available from different published research works. It involves the group of people that can be affected by arc welding hazards including arc welders, the crafts constitute the subset of welding group, passerby, bystanders and residents near the welding shop. It has been revealed from different studies that the profession is very hazardous and most of the stakeholders involved possess limited knowledge of welding hazards and hence to avoid these hazards, it is advised to abide to all safety measures.


Since the discovery of sickle cell disease (SCD) in 1910, enormous strides have been made in the elucidation of the pathogenesis of its protean complications, which has inspired recent advances in targeted molecular therapies. In SCD, a single amino acid substitution in the β-globin chain leads to polymerization of mutant hemoglobin S, impairing erythrocyte rheology and survival. Clinically, erythrocyte abnormalities in SCD manifest in hemolytic anemia and cycles of microvascular vaso-occlusion leading to end-organ ischemia-reperfusion injury and infarction. Vaso-occlusive events and intravascular hemolysis promote inflammation and redox instability that lead to progressive small- and large-vessel vasculopathy. Based on current evidence, the pathobiology of SCD is considered to be a vicious cycle of four major processes, all the subject of active study and novel therapeutic targeting: ( a) hemoglobin S polymerization, ( b) impaired biorheology and increased adhesion-mediated vaso-occlusion, ( c) hemolysis-mediated endothelial dysfunction, and ( d) concerted activation of sterile inflammation (Toll-like receptor 4- and inflammasome-dependent innate immune pathways). These molecular, cellular, and biophysical processes synergize to promote acute and chronic pain and end-organ injury and failure in SCD. This review provides an exhaustive overview of the current understanding of the molecular pathophysiology of SCD, how this pathophysiology contributes to complications of the central nervous and cardiopulmonary systems, and how this knowledge is being harnessed to develop current and potential therapies.


The success of proportionality tests in national fundamental and international human rights contexts can be explained as a reaction to the problem of the legal bindingness of these guarantees. Fundamental and human rights guarantees are often accompanied by provisions that allow legislatures to limit their exercise. But how is it possible for legislatures, which are empowered to limit the exercise of rights, to be bound by them? This paper focuses on the legal bindingness of such rights in the German constitutional context and evaluates the principle of proportionality as a solution to this hermeneutical issue. It will show how the original hermeneutical problem of bindingness resurfaces within the proportionality principle, a principle that would be misunderstood if viewed solely as an instrumental and normative rationality test. With the help of the appropriateness criterion – proportionality in the narrow sense – doctrinal structures specific to the different fundamental rights are shaped, which contribute significantly to the substantive bindingness of these rights. This tendency becomes very prominent in a more recent series of decisions of the German Federal Constitutional Court in national security cases. The development in Germany has been very influential in the international reception of the principle of proportionality and enables us to better understand and reconstruct the mechanics of its workings in other constitutional and international human rights contexts as well.

Please note: The reference list on the abstract page for this paper is automatically generated by a beta feature and may thus contain errors and omissions. Please consult the PDF version of the paper for complete and authoritative reference information.


New method of monitoring of blood microcirculation in orthodontics is suggested. Influence of own noise of measuring system on formation of speckle-interferometric signal is studied.


Dear Editor, The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the 2014 outbreak of Ebola virus as an international public health emergency.[1] This outbreak originated in Guinea in the month of March, and gradually involved five nations in the West Africa (viz. Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo).[2] The outbreak was caused by the Zaire species of Ebola virus which is generally associated with high case fatality rate.[3] The disease estimates suggest that the magnitude of the Ebola virus disease was way beyond the previous similar outbreaks and magnitude, and has grown at an exponential rate, with the number of new cases getting doubled every 20–30 days.[4,5] Ebola virus belongs


Ahmedabad represents one of the rapidly urbanizing cities in India, where almost all the households in the region have access to drinking-water supply and sanitation, yet it has not been successful in reducing the threat from water- and vector-borne diseases. This is due to the segregation of the settlements, poor urban planning, inadequate land tenure, and more so the inability of the government to meet the growing demand from the rapidly urbanizing population. Addressing such complex problems requires synergizing sector-wide interventions with a stronger role from the state to address the structural issues plaguing urban societies.


Aneuploidies, defined as whole-arm or whole-chromosome imbalances, are the most prevalent alteration in cancer genomes. However, the extent to which they are enriched due to selection is unclear, against the alternative hypothesis that they are passenger events that are simply highly prone to occur. We developed a novel method, BrISCUT, that identifies loci under selective advantage or disadvantage due to arm-level copy-number alterations by interrogating length distributions of events that are bounded at either the telomere or centromere. These loci were significantly enriched for known cancer driver genes, including genes not detected through analysis of focal copy-number events, and were often lineage-specific. We also formally quantified the role of selection and mechanistic biases in driving aneuploidy, finding that rates of arm-level SCNAs are most highly correlated with selective pressures. These results provide insight into the causes of aneuploidies and their contributions to tumorigenesis.


This paper deals with the frequency of use of conditional sentences in contemporary dramas that were not originally written in English but were translated into it. The hypothesis that the paper tries to prove here, states that conditional sentences are not used so frequently in modern dramas, unlike classical plays, which is tried to be proved by analyzing three plays, one of which was written in Croatian (Flour in the veins by author Igor Štiks), and the other in Bosnian (Silvertown / Crocodile Lacoste, by author Zlatko Topčić), both translated into English. Finally, the third drama, Romeo and Juliet, is a classic drama by William Shakespeare. Since the two plays that served as a basis for this analysis, were not originally written in English, the first part of the paper provides a theoretical background on conditional sentences and types of conditional sentences in Croatian, then in English, listing potential translational equivalents of conditional sentences in both languages. The results of the analysis conducted on three dramas, clearly show that the hypothesis was successfully confirmed. However, although only three plays were analyzed, it is expected that the results would be similar in case there were more plays.


Starting from the theme regarding whether work is an anthropological or historical category, this article discusses the relationship among time, work, and the idea of progress from the perspective of the employment crisis and the acceleration of time in the West, which began to emerge at the time of the Industrial Revolution, and became deeper with globalization and neo-liberalism. An analysis of the process of substitution of human labor by technology is carried out, and a conclusion is drawn with respect to that process of how neoliberal policies have achieved the extension of leisure time and accelerated the tempo in a society in which it is increasingly difficult to obtain and hold on to the employment that is desired.


The 1997 Watercourses Convention is the first and the only worldwide instrument enacted under the auspice of the United Nations as far as the non-navigational uses of international watercourses is concerned. Although the Convention has entered in to force in 2014 after seventeen years of its adoption, many watercourse states are still hesitant to join the Convention. Given the divergent views of the respective countries towards the provisions of the Convention coupled with the existing tension and lack of genuine trust among downstream vis-à-vis upstream blocks, none of the Nile riparian states are currently parties to the Convention. The article is thus aimed to examine whether joining to or staying out from the Convention provides a betteroff position for Ethiopia particularly in its relation with the two downstream Countries-Egypt and Sudan. Owing to the confusing and downstream favored provisions of the Convention coupled with the Egyptians' long lasting adherence to historic right based argument, the article asserted that the move to join the Convention might be expensive for Ethiopia which may force it to pay unnecessary bills for the advantages of the two downstream countries. Therefore, I argue that it is better for Ethiopia to stay out from the Convention and the complexities thereto while expecting at least 'a half and a loaf' from the application of the customary international water law regime, if there is any.


Cyclic voltammograms (CVs) of cytochrome c (cytc) on the bare ITO were measured with every 10 times of the continuous the solution exchange (SE) processes at the same time of slab optical waveguide (SOWG) spectral observation, and it was proved that direct electron transfer (DET) reaction functionality of cytc adsorbed on the bare ITO electrode was kept after 100 times SE processes. The existence of three kinds of cytc molecules which were weakly adsorbed, strongly adsorbed and immobilized on the bare ITO electrode below a monolayer coverage was indicated from the change in the Soret band absorbance at 408 nm due to the desorption reaction of cytc with In Situ observation by electrochemically controlled SOWG spectroscopy. As the actual procedure, 100 times of the SE process in the SOWG cell by hands induced the gradual decrease of the absorbance due to cytc desorption, and with every 10 times of the SE process SOWG absorption spectra were obtained. The SOWG absorbance decay curve was well fitted with two components exponential equation depending on the SE process numbers showing that around 31.6% of the cytc molecules adsorbed on bare ITO electrode were finally immobilized.


We describe a system that can track a moving object in the range of 40 meters by using two MIMO Doppler radar sensors. Due to the low computing capability of the sensor node, it is impossible to exactly determine the target's position. So we divide the sensing range into 4 10-meter long sections and develop a real-time tracking algorithm called Advanced Tracking Algorithm for Doppler Radar Sensors (ATAD) to point out which section the moving target is in. The algorithm automatically determines the threshold for detection at the initial period, adjusts this value during running time, and determines the relative location of the target in real-time.


In the present paper, the properties of an antenna centred at a metamaterial slab with zero permittivity are investigated. It is analyzed that the antenna can achieve high directive performance. Its half power beam width (HPBW) decreases monotonically with the increase of the width of the slab. While the gain of such antenna can only be 0dB independent of the slab's width. When the permittivity deviates form zero to a little positive number, antenna can achieve high gain by choosing appropriate slab's width due to the transmission resonance. The effect of loss is also analyzed.


Theoretical aspects of quantitative diffraction-enhanced imaging of weak objects are considered using the Fourier optics approach. The amplitude and phase transfer functions are introduced by analogy with the well-known case of in-line (holographic) imaging. The inverse problem of the reconstruction of the phase and amplitude of the incident wave from recorded images is solved in the case of non-absorbing objects and objects consisting of a single material and in the general case of objects with uncorrelated refraction and absorption characteristics. A comparison is given between the solutions to the inverse problem obtained using the new formalism and the geometric-optics approximation.


In China, the study of Ecological and Environment History began in the middle of the 20th century. It became an academic discipline that attracts attention from the East and West academia. Since China's reformation and opening door policy, the researches have developed rapidly. It reflects that China has serious problems on the environmental circumstances. These researches can make the government and the public pay more attention to the environmental issues. It has been established in harmony with the existing achievements of the Chinese historical studies. Due to the efforts of leading scholars on this area, the achievements of the West were introduced into Chinese and the environmental history books are being published in series since the 2000s. Some universities established research centers and institutes to study exclusively the ecological and environmental history.


Spondias mombin leaf used traditionally in Nigeria in the management of some chronic ailments was analysed to detect and quantify its phytochemical, anti-nutrient and heavy metal contents. Following a sub-chronic oral administration of the 80 % aqueous-ethanol leaf extract at 250 and 1000 mg/kg dose levels, for 3 weeks, to Wistar albino rats, its effect on some hepatic and haematological indices was determined. This was done by in vivo assay of the levels of serum aspartate transaminase (AST), serum alanine transaminase (ALT), serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and serum haemoglobin (Hb) level. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phytates, oxalates, tannins, saponins, triterpines, glycosides and resins. Among the heavy metals, iron and aluminium were dominant, while cadmium, mercury and lead were detected at micro quantities. The levels of anti-nutrient phytate, oxalate, tannins, resins and cyanide were found to be 7.85, 2.57, 2.51, 0.40, and 0.04, percent respectively. The extract induced an inconsistent but significant increase in haemoglobin (Hb) value. There was significant decrease in serum levels of AST, ALT and ALP of rats treated with 250 and 1000 mg/kg oral doses of the extract (p < 0.05). At the upper dose, however, ALP values were slightly higher than those of the control normal animals. The findings indicated that extract of Spondias mombin at the oral dose of 1000 mg/kg is not toxic in albino rats. Keywords : Spondias mombin , haematological parameter, hepatic function indices, medicinal plants Nigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research , Vol. 8 No 1 pp. 183 - 187 (September 2010)


We analyze a dynamic programming (DP) solution for cutting overload in electricity consumption. We are able to considerably improve the earlier DP algorithms. Our improvements make the method practical so that it can be used more often or, alternatively, new state variables can be added into the state space to make the results more accurate.