The asymmetric difunctionalization of alkenes, a method transforming readily accessible alkenes into enantioenriched chiral structures of high value, has long been a focal point of organic synthesis. Despite tremendous efforts in this domain, it remains a considerable challenge to devise enantioselective oxidative dicarbofunctionalization of alkenes, even though these transformations can utilize stable and unfunctionalized functional group donors. In this context, we report herein a photoelectrocatalytic method for the enantioselective heteroarylcyanation of aryl alkenes, which employs unfunctionalized heteroarenes through C-H functionalization. The photoelectrochemical asymmetric catalysis (PEAC) method combines photoredox catalysis and asymmetric electrocatalysis to facilitate the formation of two C-C bonds operating via hydrogen (H2) evolution and obviating the need for external chemical oxidants.


This work presents LUCID Network Monitoring and Visualization Application (LNMVA), a comprehensive visualization software application for cyber security visualization. The application consists of five component types: components for monitoring network traffic, components for reporting various network messages, data storage components plus a visualization component and an automated animation reporting component. LNMVA can serve as an aid in teaching complex concepts in cybersecurity or to visually demonstrate active security events on a network to an audience or participants in the classroom or cyber defense competitions at near real-time speed. Its flexibility enables it to visualize different kinds of cybersecurity concepts, protocols and ideas. LNMVA is a sub-system of LUCID, a visualization and broadcasting system that aims to improve understanding and sense-making to participants or an audience. The system is targeted to intermediary or expert users engaged in cyber security exercises. Preliminary results from subject testing show that LNMVA with embodied virtual commentator provided an engaging environment to improve participants' understanding and sense-making in active security events.


One of the challenges in studying early differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is being able to discriminate the initial differentiated cells from the original pluripotent stem cells and their committed progenies. It remains unclear how a pluripotent stem cell becomes a lineage-specific cell type during early development, and how, or if, pluripotent genes, such as Oct4 and Sox2, play a role in this transition. Here, by studying the dynamic changes in the expression of embryonic surface antigens, we identified the sequential loss of Tra-1-81 and SSEA4 during hESC neural differentiation and isolated a transient Tra-1-81(−)/SSEA4(+) (TR−/S4+) cell population in the early stage of neural differentiation. These cells are distinct from both undifferentiated hESCs and their committed neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in their gene expression profiles and response to extracellular signalling; they co-express both the pluripotent gene Oct4 and the neural marker Pax6. Furthermore, these TR−/S4+ cells are able to produce cells of both neural and non-neural lineages, depending on their environmental cues. Our results demonstrate that expression of the pluripotent factor Oct4 is progressively downregulated and is accompanied by the gradual upregulation of neural genes, whereas the pluripotent factor Sox2 is consistently expressed at high levels, indicating that these pluripotent factors may play different roles in the regulation of neural differentiation. The identification of TR-S4+ cells provides a cell model for further elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying hESC neural differentiation.


Social media has rapidly become an important tool in organizations and has a significant impact on employees' work and organizational operations. By applying social media to their daily work, employees gain access to important information resources that can help them get things done. Using the conservation of resources theory, this study examines the impact of work resources generated by employees' work-based social media use on work status, as well as job performance. Data were collected from the employees of Internet companies in Henan Province and Shanghai, China. We distributed 519 pairs of questionnaires, and 369 pairs of valid paired questionnaires were returned. To estimate the proposed relationships in the theoretical framework, we used SPSS and MPLUS. The results show that work-based social media use can increase employees' work engagement, which in turn increases task performance, job dedication and interpersonal facilitation. It also reduces the negative effects of work interruptions on task performance and job dedication. Therefore, we conclude the positive effects of work-based social media use on job performance can be achieved by increasing work engagement and by reducing work interruptions.


The article analyzes the development of Vietnam's private economy (non-state enterprises) from 2017 to 2021. Research results have shown that, from 2017 to 2021, the private economy has achieved the following achievements. encouraging results in terms of the number of enterprises, the scale of investment capital, and the creation of jobs for society. The private sector has contributed over 39% of the GDP, more than 29% of the state budget, and attracted more than 85% of the country's labor force. However, the development of Vietnam's private economy in recent years is still limited: the proportion of medium and large enterprises in total operating enterprises is still low (6.2%); informal status of the private sector still accounts for a high proportion (88.7%); quality growth and low - profit margins; labor productivity is still low; the alliance and linkage between state-owned enterprises, foreign-invested enterprises, and the domestic private economic sector are not close. Based on analyzing the current situation, the article has proposed 6 solutions to develop Vietnam's private economy, including: (1) Completing the socialist-oriented market economy institution; (2) Formulate a strategy to develop a system of medium and large-scale enterprises that actively participate in the global value chain; (3) Develop a roadmap to formalize household businesses; (4) Investing in the development of processing and manufacturing industries, increasing labor productivity and economic efficiency; (5) Develop a mechanism for joint ventures and linkages between the state-owned enterprises, the foreign-invested sector and the domestic private sector; (6) Promote the building of business culture and enhance the social responsibility of each enterprise.


OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to determine the toxicity patterns and clinical usefulness of intraoperative electron beam radiotherapy (IOERT) in patients with unfavorable-outcome cervical cancer.

METHODS
From January 1986 to June 1999, 67 patients (36 recurrent, 31 primary disease) were treated with IOERT. Previously unirradiated patients received preoperative chemoradiation to 45 Gy with cisplatin 20 mg/m(2) and 5-fluorouracil 1000 mg/m(2). IOERT median dose was 12 Gy for primary disease (range: 10-25) and 15 Gy for recurrent disease (range: 10-20).

RESULTS
The 10-year control rate within the area treated with IOERT ("in-field" (IF)) for the entire group was 69.4, with 92.8 and 46.4% 10-year IF control rates for the primary and recurrent patients, respectively. IF control rate correlated with involvement of the parametrial margin (P = 0.001), amount of residual disease (P = 0.001), and pelvic lymph node involvement (P = 0.032). The overall incidence of toxic events that might be attributable to IOERT was 14.9%. Chronic pain was observed in 8 of 67 evaluable patients (11.9%) and motor neuropathy of the lower extremity in one patient (3.2%).

CONCLUSIONS
IOERT is a valuable boosting technique in the management of advanced but resectable cervical cancer. Patients, especially recurrent cases, with positive lymph nodes, parametrial involvement, and/or incomplete resections have poor local control rates despite IOERT at the doses used in this study.


Distribution patterns of live scleractinian coral colonies on vertical faces of concrete blocks were compared with distribution patterns of environmental parameters known to affect coral recruitment and growth. Coral coverage was not random across the blocks and among regions of their faces. Variations in colonization did not correspond to differences in substrate type, illuminance, and water motion intensity. Coral distribution significantly correlated with blocks location and faces orientation, and these correlations depended on prevailing current direction. These correlations and dependencies are consistent with the hypothesis that the coral coverage was detrimentally affected by a low quality of water flow from the local marine port.


In both vertebrates and invertebrates, homeotic selector genes confer morphological differences along the antero-posterior axis. However, insect wing development is independent of all homeotic gene functions, reflecting the ground plan of an ancestral pterygote, which bore wings on all segments. Dipteran insects such as Drosophila are characterized by a pair of wings in the mesothoracic segment. In all other segments, wing development is essentially repressed by different homeotic genes, although in the metathorax they are modi®ed into a pair of halteres. This necessitates that during development all homeotic genes are to be maintained in a repressed state in wing imaginal discs. In this report we show that (i) the function of the segment polarity gene engrailed (en) is critical to keep the homeotic selector gene Ultrabithorax (Ubx) repressed in wing imaginal discs, (ii) normal levels of En in the posterior compartment of haltere discs, however, are not enough to completely repress Ubx, and (iii) the repression of Ubx by en is independent of Hedgehog signalling through which the longrange signalling of en is mediated during wing development. Finally we provide evidence for a possible mechanism by which en represses Ubx. On the basis of these results we propose that en has acquired two independent functions during the evolution of dorsal appendages. In addition to its well-known function of conferring posterior fate and inducing long-range signalling to pattern the developing appendages, it maintains wing fate by keeping Ubx repressed. [Emerald B. S. and Shashidhara L. S. 2000 Negative regulation of Ultrabithorax expression by engrailed is required for the proper speci®cation of wing development in Drosophila melanogaster. J. Genet. 79, 61±70]


As programs and policies have grown in complexity, theory of change evaluation approaches and methods have become increasingly popular. While the academic literature often adheres to program-oriented theories of change, it is gradually being exposed to actor-oriented theories of change, which aim to enhance the flexibility of evaluations in order to adapt to growing complexity. Aside from the methodological considerations of when to use which approach, it is generally accepted that to increase their influence, evaluation approaches and methods should be suited both to the evaluated program and the preferences of intended users. But do we really know what approaches intended users prefer? Using a simulation-based survey and interviews with 148 public-sector employees in Israel, this article aims to provide an initial answer to this question. The results suggest that there is room to reconsider current perceptions of what intended users think. The findings have implications for the types of theories of change evaluators can suggest to intended users, with the ultimate goal of increasing the influence of evaluations.


The aim of this study is to quantitate the efficacy of a new topical anesthetic applied to the oral mucosa. Nociceptive pinprick thresholds and single-evoked vertex potentials (VP) elicited by high-intensity argon laser stimuli are used as measures of analgesia. After 5 minutes of occlusion (Orahesive Oral Bandages, ConvaTec) with a eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA cream, Astra), nociceptive pinprick thresholds on the tongue and gingiva are higher than those taken during nonocclusion. In a double blind-placebo controlled experiment, VPs were elicited every 1 minute for 19 minutes by single laser stimuli applied to the mucosa of the lower lip. After occlusion with EMLA cream for 3 minutes, VPs were significantly reduced when compared to those with placebo cream. One minute after removal of the EMLA cream, the spectral power of the single-evoked VP decreased significantly by 63.3%, the root-mean-square amplitude decreased by 42.7%, and the subjective pain perception (estimated on visual analogue scales) decreased by 88%. A significant reduction in single-evoked VPs was detected until 13 minutes after the removal of the EMLA cream. Oral mucosal analgesia may be quantitated by argon laser-induced nociceptive pinprick thresholds and single-evoked VPs.


The resent proliferation of personal communications systems (PCS) applications and cellular phones is driving a demand for portable systems which share the common requirements of low cost, small form factor and low power consumption. In addition, the emergence of various wireless standards around the world has created a demand for RF wireless radios (transceivers) that can operate in more than one mode. Thus, multi-standard RF transceivers are predicted to play a critical role in wireless communication systems in the futures. The 4G wireless technology address these needs. This tutorial will discuss the evolution of the wireless industry and will focus on power technology and transceiver architectures used in modern cost effective mobile communication systems. Architectures and design techniques suitable for mutli-standard low power transceivers achieving high level of integration will be presented. A complete system design example for GSM wireless standard will be addressed.


We study the origin of the soft X-ray excess seen in the 'simple' narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy PG1244+026 using all available spectral-timing information. This object shows the now ubiquitous switch between soft leading the hard band on long time-scales, to the opposite behaviour on short time-scales. This is interpreted as a combination of intrinsic fluctuations propagating down through the accretion flow giving the soft lead, together with reflection of the hard X-rays giving the soft lag. We build a full model of the spectral and time variability including both propagation and reflection, and compare our model with the observed power spectra, coherence, covariance, lag-frequency and lag-energy spectra. We compare models based on a separate soft excess component with those based on reflection-dominated soft emission. Reflection-dominated spectra have difficulty reproducing the soft lead at low frequency since reflection will always lag. They also suffer from high coherence and nearly identical hard- and soft-band power spectra in disagreement with the observations. This is a direct result of the power-law and reflection components both contributing to the hard and soft energy bands, and the small radii over which the relativistically smeared reflection is produced allowing too much high-frequency power to be transmitted into the soft band. Conversely, we find the separate soft excess models (where the inner disc radius is >6Rg) have difficulty reproducing the soft lag at high frequency, as reflected flux does not contribute enough signal to overwhelm the soft lead. However, reflection should also be accompanied by reprocessing and this should add to the soft excess at low energies. This model can quantitatively reproduce the switch from soft lead to soft lag seen in the data and reproduces well the observed power spectra and other timing features which reflection-dominated models cannot.


The paper describes the investigation of a technique for remodularising legacy software; that of cluster analysis. This technique takes into account data cohesion as an influencing factor of the remodularisation process and compares and contrasts this with calling structure analysis. Cluster analysis is a well-established discipline used in other sciences but only recently linked to software remodularisation. A number of different cluster analysis techniques were chosen for evaluation. A tool was developed to perform this cluster analysis with two main aims; to provide a way of evaluating the chosen techniques and to provide a usable method of generating a remodularisation of a software system. The techniques evaluated produced modularisations of varying quality. However, it is thought that cluster analysis is a valuable and useful approach to software remodularisation that is worth further investigation. In particular the data structure analysis provided significantly better results than the calling structure analysis.


1. The TN-T and TN-I components of troponin both interact with tropomyosin and cause its precipitation in 0.1 M KC1 at neutral pH. The precipitate contains both end-to-end and side-by-side aggregates of tropomyosin molecules. 2. The TN-T and TN-I components change the band pattern of tropomyosin paracrystals formed in MgC1(2) solutions, although in different ways. TN-T causes the formation of hexagonal net structures, double-stranded net or paracrystals which result from the collapse of the double-stranded net. TN-I at pH 7.9 causes the formation of paracrystals with a 400 A periodic band pattern and a 200 A repeat. The same band pattern can also be seen in tropomyosin paracrystals formed at pH values below 6.0. 3. The TN-C component does not precipitate tropomyosin in 0.1 M KC1. The aggregates of tropomyosin obtained with either TN-T or TN-I can be solubilized by the addition of TN-C. No interaction of TN-C was observed with tropomyosin paracrystals formed in the presence of MgC12.


BACKGROUND: Provider claims data are used to make medical analyses and decisions, but such databases typically lack important clinical information. OBJECTIVE: To compare the patterns of use of filgrastim in analyses of a claims database and a medical chart review. METHODS: We extracted data from the Medicare 5% sample claims database for the years 1996 through 1998 and from a medical chart review of the Oncology Practice Pattern Survey (OPPS) for the same period to determine the patterns of use of filgrastim in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone. The analyses were restricted to the first 3 cycles of the chemotherapy. RESULTS: A total of 414 patients in the Medicare database were treated with 1,360 cycles of chemotherapy. The mean duration of filgrastim use in these patients was 6.6 days. In the OPPS database, 80 patients were treated with 152 cycles of chemotherapy, with a mean duration of filgrastim use of 9.3 days. CONCLUSION: The mean duration of filgrastim use in the OPPS database was greater than that in the Medicare database and was closer to that shown in clinical trials to produce optimal results (approximately 11 days). The actual use of resources may be underestimated in claims databases, owing to their limitations and potential for bias.


Elevated expression of the low molecular weight metallothionein (MT) proteins can be found typically in breast cancer cases with less favourable prognosis. The MT gene has been described to be potentially down-regulated by estrogen receptor alpha. The present study is aimed at examining the predictive value of MT expression for results of tamoxifen treatment in breast cancer in relation to steroid receptor status. Sixty patients with primary invasive ductal breast cancers with post-operative tamoxifen treatment were enrolled in the study. In paraffin sections of the studied tumours immmunohistochemical reactions were performed using antibodies directed against MT, estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PgR). Results of the immunohistochemical reactions and of clinical observations were analysed using multivariate progression analysis based on the Cox proportional hazard model. Elevated MT expression was demonstrated to be typical for cases with documented relapse of the disease (P<0.001) or terminated by death (P=0.03). Decreased ER expression was found to be typical for cases of a higher grade (P=0.02) and cases terminated by death (P=0.006). The multivariate analysis showed that elevated MT expression was characteristic for cases with shorter overall survival time (P=0.04). The data showed that MT carried an independent, and also independent from ER status, unfavourable predictive value as far as results of tamoxifen treatment were concerned.


In this study, we used the classification and regression trees (CART) method to draw relationships between student self-reported learning outcomes in 26 field trips to natural environments and various characteristics of the field trip that include variables associated with preparation and pedagogy. We wished to examine the extent to which the preparation for the field trip, its connection to the school curriculum, and the pedagogies used, affect students' self-reported outcomes in three domains: cognitive, affective, and behavioral; and the extent the students' socioeconomic group and the guide's affiliation affect students' reported learning outcomes. Given that most of the field trips were guide-centered, the most important variable that affected the three domains of outcomes was the guide's storytelling. Other variables that showed relationships with self-reported outcomes were physical activity and making connections to everyday life—all of which we defined as pedagogical variables. We found no significant differences in student self-reported outcomes with respect to their socioeconomic group and the guide's organizational affiliation.


The matrix algebra procedure for determining the flux control coefficients of enzymes in metabolic pathways has been extended to allow determination of the concentration control coefficients. Although it is shown that the procedure is essentially unchanged in most cases, the presence of moiety-conserved cycles in a pathway places additional limitations on the form of the equations that can be used in the matrix formulation for concentration control coefficients. In the case of branched pathways, a new coefficient has been defined, the branch distribution control coefficient, which can be obtained via the matrix procedure. Thus a single matrix equation permits calculation or algebraic evaluation of the control coefficients for flux, concentration and distribution of flux at branches, so that the complete response of a pathway to alteration of enzyme content, or to modulation by an effector, can be determined. The relationships have been determined between flux control coefficients in isolated sections of metabolic pathways and the coefficients for the same enzymes when part of a larger metabolic system. It is shown that the control analysis of the isolated system provides useful information towards determining the control properties of the extended system.


Students with physical disabilities frequently are excluded from participation in instrumental music programs, yet the obstacles band directors face that preclude integration of these students have not been documented systematically. The primary purpose of this study was to measure Nebraska High School band directors' concerns regarding the integration of students with physical disabilities into their band programs. Results of a survey of 221 Nebraska high school music programs suggested that awareness of options for ways to include students with physical disabilities, availability of adapted instruments, and the cost of acquiring such instruments are among band directors' primary concerns. Conclusions drawn from this survey serve as evidence that there is a need for adapted instruments and suggest that integration of students with disabilities and without disabilities in band would provide benefits for all.


Organic photochemical reactions have been conducted using classic batch conditions for over a half century. Beginning in the 21st century, several efforts were conducted to develop reactions of this type, performed in a convenient, controllable and safe manner using flow micro reactors. This chapter describes the general methods used for flow micro photochemical reactions and some typical organic transformations that have been performed using this approach, including inter- and intra-molecular photocycloadditions, photocyclizations, photoadditions, photoisomerizations, photosubstitutions, photooxygenations, photorearrangements, heterogeneous photocatalytic reactions and photoinduced organometallic reactions.


Performance and Reliability Analysis of Computer Systems: An Example-Based Approach Using the SHARPE Software Package provides a variety of probabilistic, discrete-state models used to assess the reliability and performance of computer and communication systems. The models included are combinatorial reliability models (reliability block diagrams, fault trees and reliability graphs), directed, acyclic task precedence graphs, Markov and semi-Markov models (including Markov reward models), product-form queueing networks and generalized stochastic Petri nets. A practical approach to system modeling is followed; all of the examples described are solved and analyzed using the SHARPE tool. In structuring the book, the authors have been careful to provide the reader with a methodological approach to analytical modeling techniques. These techniques are not seen as alternatives but rather as an integral part of a single process of assessment which, by hierarchically combining results from different kinds of models, makes it possible to use state-space methods for those parts of a system that require them and non-state-space methods for the more well-behaved parts of the system. The SHARPE (Symbolic Hierarchical Automated Reliability and Performance Evaluator) package is the `toolchest' that allows the authors to specify stochastic models easily and solve them quickly, adopting model hierarchies and very efficient solution techniques. All the models described in the book are specified and solved using the SHARPE language; its syntax is described and the source code of almost all the examples discussed is provided. Audience: Suitable for use in advanced level courses covering reliability and performance of computer and communications systems and by researchers and practicing engineers whose work involves modeling of system performance and reliability.


Many large financial services organisations are seeking to develop their employees' design capability to develop innovative customer solutions. Yet, there appears limited understanding on how individual employees (without a background in design) view the relationship of design thinking to innovation. This study investigates how employees perceive design thinking and its potential link to drive innovative practices within a large Australian multinational financial services organisation. An exploratory qualitative approach used face-to face semi-structured interviews with diverse participants from across the organisation. A modified existing design capability framework was used to map each individual's perspectives and illustrate the organisation's current DT and innovation capacity. Findings from this study contribute new insights regarding employee perceptions and design capability requirements


Multiple functions can be achieved in carbon nitride-based composite nanomaterials by tuning their components and structures. Here, we report on a large-scale synthesis of novel bifunctional Ag/C3N4.5 composite nanobelts (CNBs) with efficient photocatalytic and antibacterial activity. The Ag/C3N4.5 CNBs were synthesized in high yield by a two-step route including a homogeneous precipitation process and a subsequent calcination treatment. The structural, morphological, compositional, and spectroscopic characterizations revealed that the Ag/C3N4.5 CNBs are composed of N-deficient melem ultrathin nanobelts and crystalline Ag nanoparticles attached to the surface of the nanobelts with good contact. The band gap of the Ag/C3N4.5 CNBs is determined to be about 3.04 eV. The efficient photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of the composite nanomaterials are verified by testing the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and the inhibition zone to bacterium E. coli. The work provides a facile route to bifunctional carbon nitride-based composites with potential applications in the fields of the environment and biology.


In order to improve the consumer acceptance of fragrant yellow hybrids of Phalaenopsis (Phal.), crosses between yellow hybrid varieties were made and the obtained hybrids were investigated for horticultural characteristics as well as difference in fragrance patterns. Cross combination of Phal. Brother lawrence and Phal. Brother saragold yielded good seedling population of 500 plants. Segregation was noticed in color density, spot and stripe patterns on yellow color base of petal and also in fragrance. Six lines with multi-branch on flower stalk and strong fragrance flower were finally selected. Volatile fragrance components were compared among Phal. Brother lawrence, Phal. Brother saragold and their hybrids by GC/SAW electronic nose. In the derivative pattern of chromatogram and polar derivative pattern of fragrance, similar dominant peaks appeared on retention time 7-9 s and some hybrid lines had two strong peaks on retention time 20-25 s, respectively. Also in polar frequency pattern of fragrance obtained by VaporPrintTM image analysis among parent flowers and hybrids, an identical strong peak near 8 s of retention time was shown. This single fragrance component is considered a key element of fragrance in Phal. Brother lawrence, Phal. Brother saragold and their hybrids. This peak could be used as a marker for the breeding of fragrance in Phalaenopsis.


When Gentile da Fabriano arrived in Florence in late 1419, he was commissioned by Palla Strozzi to paint the well-known Adoration of the Magi of the Uffizi. The panel which was placed in the family chapel in Sta. Trinita, according to the author, reflects Palla Strozzi's specific humanistic interests and his aesthetic predilection for the art of Lorenzo Ghiberti.

Palla, who in 1403 was a member of the supervisory committee for Lorenzo Ghiberti's first Baptistry door, showed a continuing interest in the sculptor's work. In 1416, on the death of his father, Onofrio Strozzi, he turned to Ghiberti for the redecoration of the family chapel. The choice first of Lorenzo Monaco, (whose stylistic affinities to the early work of Ghiberti are well documented), and then of Gentile da Fabriano to paint the alterpiece for the chapel reflects a conscious consistency of taste. Gentile da Fabriano's Adoration of the Magi, shows a marked dependence on Ghiberti's panels from which Gentile derived both individual motifs and compositional modes.

In keeping with Ghiberti's return to antique sources for inspiration after 1416, derivations from classical sculpture also play a prominent role in Gentile's Adoration. Furthermore, the use of, or allusion to classical prototypes in Gentile's Adoration is entirely consistent with, if not actually a requirement of, the Palla Strozzi's very marked and specifically Greek humanistic interests.


By using nonlinear coupled mode equations, we numerically investigated the generation of a Kerr comb in a normal dispersion microcavity system, where mode coupling between two cavity modes is present. In contrast to previous studies, our model is rigorous in which we fully considered the mode coupling between two modes. We investigated the phase matching condition to obtain the suitable parameters needed to form a free-spectral-range (FSR)-selectable comb. Our calculations are in good agreement with existing experimental results, and enable us to obtain a good understanding of the phenomenon; moreover our model also allows us to reveal new phenomena. We investigated 1-FSR comb generation in detail and found that randomly oscillating behavior will appear when detuning is scanned, which has never before been clearly observed. This modeling approach will be a powerful tool that will assist dispersion engineering for Kerr comb generation and the frequency tuning needed to generate a deterministic mode-locked comb.


Temperature drift is the important factor of the precision of diffused silicon pressure sensor, so author uses software to compensate for it to improve the precision of the sensor. At the data base of the temperature characteristic experiment of diffused silicon pressure sensor, author proposes to use RBF neural network to establish temperature drift compensated model with regression analysis. Compared with two-dimension regression analysis, RBF neural network can improve the precision of the model distinctly.


AIM: To evaluate differences in clinical presentation and outcome in elderly patients admitted to our hospital with CAP due to Legionella pneumophila. METHODS: We have included patients with CAP due to L. pneumophila admitted to our hospital between 01-01-2002 and 31-12-2013. Patients were divided in two groups: 1- Age L. pneumophila urinary antigen. RESULTS: We evaluated 208 patients (60 elderly). Compared to younger, elderly patients were more likely to be female (p=0,048), current smokers (p=0,0001) and heavy drinkers (p=0,0001). Comorbid conditions diabetes mellitus (p=0,025), congestive heart disease (p=0,002), COPD (p=0,028) and clinical symptoms like altered mental status (p=0,001) were more common in elderly. Laboratory abnormalities such as hyponatremia (p=0,0001) were more frequent in younger but leukocytes(p=0,015) and BUN levels (p=0,0001) were higher in elderly, who also had higher PSI (p=0,0001), CURB65 (p=0,0001) but no differences in ICU admission and mechanical ventilation. There were no differences in hospital stay (9,8 vs 10,6 days) and mortality rates (11,6% vs 5,4%, p= 0,08) between elderly and young. CONCLUSIONS: 1- Comorbidities and altered mental status were more common in elderly patients. 2-There were no differences in ICU admissions rate although elderly patients were in more severe clinical condition according to PSI and CURB. 3- Higher mortality in elderly patients but no significant differences.


OBJECTIVE
Several studies have shown that psychiatric disorders can be associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk, i.e. pulmonary embolism (PE) and/or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In this study, we provide a systematic review and meta-analyses of the studies addressing this issue.

METHODS
All studies addressing the risk of VTE phenomena (whole VTE, PE, DVT, fatal VTE) in individuals with psychotic, mood and anxiety disorders published between 1998 and 2019 were reviewed and included in the meta-analyses. Main characteristics of the studies and data concerning VTE risk were extracted. The methodological qualities of the studies were also analysed.A random-effects meta-analysis model was used. A meta-analysis was conducted separately for each disorder, as well as separately for unadjusted and adjusted studies. Meta-analyses were repeated considering only good-quality studies. Heterogeneity was assessed.

RESULTS
Sixteen studies were reviewed and 15 included in the meta-analyses. Psychotic and bipolar disorders were significantly associated with VTE risk (VTE, DVT, PE, fatal VTE for psychotic disorder, ORs between 1.29 and 2.20; VTE, DVT and PE for bipolar disorder, ORs between 1.22 and 2.14). Depression and anxiety disorders were associated with VTE risk only in adjusted analyses (DVT and PE for depression, ORs = 1.29; VTE and PE for anxiety disorders, ORs between 1.14 and 1.49).

CONCLUSIONS
The risk of VTE among individuals with psychiatric disorders may be explained by hypercoagulability and stasis, with both being related to, and independent of, treatment side-effects. VTE risk should be taken into consideration in the treatment of people with psychiatric disorders.


I have been practising medicine in an under-served rural setting since 1976, and have published around 109 papers in PubMed-indexed journals - including The Lancet, BMJ, NEJM and several tropical medicine journals - on scorpion and snakebite cases causing acute life-threatening conditions. I have researched in detail, with restricted resources, the acute clinical effects of envenomation and management of scorpion and snakebite cases [1, 2]. In Mahad, the fatality rate due to refractory heart failure arising from autonomic storm evoked by scorpion venom was previously 30% [3]. Since the advent of prazosin and scorpion antivenom, it has dropped to less than 1% [4]. Similarly, fatalities due to snakebite poisoning have been reduced from 18% to 5.


STRATEGY CCUS is a three-year project (2019-2022) funded by the H2020 research and innovation framework of the European Commission. It comprises 17 partners and is coordinated by BRGM (France). STRATEGY CCUS aims to provide realistic strategic plans from 2025 to 2050 for deploying carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) in Southern and Eastern Europe, from a local to a European scale. Eight promising regions, within seven countries are being studied. Plans and roadmaps for these regions will be developed based on economic and environmental drivers, technical potential and social acceptance.
The deployment of operational CCUS clusters starts by an appraisal at local and regional level. Available data for each promising region was mapped to indicate the technical potential of CCUS development in each region. Relevant groups of stakeholders were identified and invited to form Regional Stakeholder Committees within each promising region. These committees are working with project partners to consider regional factors and concerns as well as to elaborate scenarios of CCUS deployment in their respective regions to ensure early local participation. In the 3 most promising regions for the deployment of CCUS, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Multiregional Input Output (MRIO) analysis and Techno-Economic Assessment (TEA) designs will provide decision-support for the sustainable development of CCUS. Sound insights and a comprehensive diagnosis of the potential local business models associated with the different CCUS options will be provided for each region, as well as estimates for the sensitivity of the business model on storage capacity and injectivity data.
CCUS roadmaps from 2025 to 2050 for each of the promising regions, with optional connections to existing CO2 infrastructure in the North Sea, will be elaborated. Scenarios will be based on the available relevant data and carried out in close exchange with the local stakeholders via the Regional Stakeholder Committees and the Industrial Club. Economic evaluation of each scenario will provide the main Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as cumulated CAPEX/OPEX required for each scenario, the cost breakdown per CCUS stakeholder, or for example the global costs expressed in €/t CO2 avoided per scenario. Lastly, an economic impact assessment will be performed at national and European levels in terms of volumes of quotas avoided for industries included in the European Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) with the CCUS scenarios and in terms of economic impact on the EU ETS carbon price. Exploitation and dissemination of the project's results and findings engage with relevant end-users (industry and policy makers, local authorities), in order to pave the way for the operational implementation of CCUS clusters. The project is providing targeted information to multiple audiences (including the media and the public) and favoring dialogue, with a public policy perspective.
The systematic approach followed by STRATEGY CCUS will facilitate the appraisal of new other promising regions and the creation of connection among them for the deployment of CCUS Europe-wide.


Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the digestion and absorption of egg white-derived angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptide TNGIIR in human intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayers. Results showed that the digestion of TNGIIR to simulated gastrointestinal enzymes and brush border membrane peptidases were 5.87% ± 1.92% and 17.17% ± 0.64%, respectively (p < 0.05). The apparent permeability coefficients (Papp) of TNGIIR from the apical to basolateral side in Caco-2 cell monolayers was determined to be (4.92 ± 0.40) × 10−6 cm/s, indicating that TNGIIR can transport across Caco-2 cell monolayers in intact form. In addition, only cytochalasin D, a disruptor of tight junctions (TJs), changed TNGIIR transport rate significantly (p < 0.05), suggesting that the main transport route for TNGIIR across Caco-2 cell monolayers was paracellular pathway via TJs.


The current article attempts to identify the most relevant dimensions which shaped China's involvement with the international community and law. I contend that these dimensions should include the Chinese reading of "sovereignty" as a legal concept and China's increasing willingness to commensurate her dramatic economic development with an adequate position in the international system. Finally, I will analyze whether China is willing to read her mainstay of foreign policy, the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, in a new key, that is to intervene in order to protect her growing interests abroad. The first part of the article will review the historical developments as well as the main theoretical considerations regarding China's Five Principles. The second part sets to provide some insights into China's evolution from perhaps the most notable absentee of the international system to one of the most assertive ones. Finally, I will move on to analyze whether, in the light of China's evolution and guiding principles of international engagement, China could witness another major change in her relationship with the world. I will, in other words, assess whether China could, at some point in the foreseeable future, leave behind her sovereignty stance and intervene, if needed, in order to protect her interests overseas.


Attribute data and relationship data are two principal types of data, representing the intrinsic and extrinsic properties of entities. While attribute data have been the main source of data for cluster analysis, relationship data such as social networks or metabolic networks are becoming increasingly available. It is also common to observe both data types carry complementary information such as in market segmentation and community identification, which calls for a joint cluster analysis of both data types so as to achieve better results. In this article, we introduce the novel Connected k-Center (CkC) problem, a clustering model taking into account attribute data as well as relationship data. We analyze the complexity of the problem and prove its NP-hardness. Therefore, we analyze the approximability of the problem and also present a constant factor approximation algorithm. For the special case of the CkC problem where the relationship data form a tree structure, we propose a dynamic programming method giving an optimal solution in polynomial time. We further present NetScan, a heuristic algorithm that is efficient and effective for large real databases. Our extensive experimental evaluation on real datasets demonstrates the meaningfulness and accuracy of the NetScan results.


In recent years node localization in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) has attracted much attention due to the increase of usage and applications of WSNs. Many algorithms and techniques for locating sensor nodes have been proposed in the literature. A recent algorithm, which is based on a given set of pairwise distance estimates among nodes and the target, generates a map of node locations. This algorithm, known as FastMap, uses projections onto orthogonal hyperplanes to find the coordinates successively. In this paper, we analytically study the performance of the FastMap algorithm for 2D positioning. Moreover a modified version of FastMap with better performance is proposed and analyzed. The analysis shows that the optimum anchor placement should be at the edge of the network.


One way to increase government revenue from the tax sector is by increasing taxpayer compliance itself. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of service quality, understanding of regulations and taxation sanctions on individual taxpayer compliance registered at North Badung KPP Pratama. The study was conducted at the KPP Badung Utara in 2018. The sample selection was 100 taxpayers using the Slovin formula. Data collection was carried out by distributing questionnaires to WPOP registered in North Badung KPP Pratama and the analysis techniques using multiple linear regression analysis. Based on the results of the analysis, it is known that service quality, understanding of regulations and taxation sanctions have a positive effect on individual taxpayer compliance registered in North Badung KPP Pratama, with the value of calculating each variable greater than the label, and having a significance value greater than 0.05.
Keywords : Quality Of Service;  Understanding Of Tax Regulations; Tax Sanctions; Individual Taxpayer Compliance.


Outpatient clinics offer students the opportunity to observe the process of a consultation in the outpatient setting: a skill important to develop at an early stage of clinical training. In rheumatology a reduction in the number of inpatients has led to a shift in clinical teaching to outpatient clinics. Our medical students spend six weeks in musculoskeletal medicine and the majority of their teaching will be in the outpatient clinic. The mode of teaching in this environment is fundamentally distinct from the traditional bedside teaching, as it is opportunistic and conducted in parallel to service provision. We attempted to determine what factors might contribute to an effective teaching experience in the clinic. We surveyed the attitudes of patients attending clinic (44 adult patients surveyed over four weeks), medical students (44 students surveyed at the end of their musculoskeletal medicine block) and clinical teachers (11 clinical teachers involved in teaching in clinic). In our survey most students described their participation as 'passive' with only a fifth of students reporting seeing patients independently to obtain a history, perform a physical examination and present their findings to the clinician. Students performed a physical examination in 52% of their encounters with patients in clinic; however, this was observed by a clinician in only 18% of cases. When asked how students would like to participate in clinic, 86% of students wished to see patients alone and then present their findings and 91% wished to be observed performing a clinical examination by the teacher. Students who had the opportunity to participate more actively in clinic reported more confidence in clinical skills such as history taking and clinical examination. Patients also expressed their willingness to be more actively involved in teaching with 95% of patients reporting a willingness to be examined by students and 48% willing to spend time with students alone in clinic. Our results suggest that to improve the teaching experience in clinic we must, when possible, allow students the opportunity to talk to patients, perform clinical examinations and facilitate part of the patient consultation. The pressure of service provision and time and space within the clinic environment are potential barriers which must be overcome if we are to increase the learning opportunities that students encounter in clinic.


A business process model is very germane to the formation of an appropriate information system. For a marked infusion of business processes in the supply chain, the status quo regarding the processes must be totally understood and well secured. Business activities and sequence have to be well kept and properly coordinated by predicting business procedures process from diverse views. This study examines seven BPMLs Data Flow Diagram (DFD), Unified Modelling Language (UML), Business Process Modelling Notation(BPMN), Event Driven Process Chain (EPC), IDEF, Petri Net, and Role Activity Diagram (RAD). The submissions of this study are the subject of the Business Process Modelling Languages (BPMLs) in developing an integrated dissemination mechanism and classification of modelling tools.


For the target destroyers moored in the downwind sector of the base surge, fallout, or cloud after Shots Wahoo and Umbrella, with ventilation systems open (but fans secured) and boilers operating, it was concluded that: (1) the doses due to the ingress of contaminants were secondary to the doses due to transient radiation sources exterior to the ship; (2) the dose due to radioactivity deposited in the body was always insignificant compared to the total exposure dose; (3) no dose due to the ingress of contaminants was of a magnitude that would result in casualties or any reduction in combat effectiveness to personnel; (4) if shielding were provided to reduce the dose due to exterior transient radiation sources for operations in the base surge, cloud, or fallout, then the doses due to the ingress of contaminants would require consideration under any concept of dosage control for repeated exposures.


The technique of the choice and reasons for mathematical and the software for creation and implementation of system model of the researched subject domain (SD), taking into account its development is offered. The scheme of implementation of an external contour of quality management is offered. As an example two subject domains, productive activity of the entity and educational activities of higher education institution are researched. System models of specified SD are based on project (process) approach and mathematical methods of the theory of sets and categories. The crossplatform information technology which is based on software of modeling of SADT (BPwin, ERwin), Web technologies (Java, Php) BPMN (Runa), Moodle (Html-editor), etc. which realize interactive scenarios in the automated mode is offered for implementation of this model. The description of implementation of standard business process in stated above progammes is given as an example.


Over the past 20 years, bright sources of entangled photons have led to a renaissance in quantum optical interferometry. Optical interferometry has been used to test the foundations of quantum mechanics and implement some of the novel ideas associated with quantum entanglement such as quantum teleportation, quantum cryptography, quantum lithography, quantum computing logic gates, and quantum metrology. In this paper, we focus on the new ways that have been developed to exploit quantum optical entanglement in quantum metrology to beat the shot-noise limit, which can be used, e.g., in fiber optical gyroscopes and in sensors for biological or chemical targets. We also discuss how this entanglement can be used to beat the Rayleigh diffraction limit in imaging systems such as in LIDAR and optical lithography.


We present a self-dual N=1 supersymmetric Dirac-Born-Infeld action in three dimensions. This action is based on the supersymmetric generalized self-duality in odd dimensions developed originally by Townsend, Pilch and van Nieuwenhuizen. Even though such a self-duality had been supposed to be very difficult to generalize to a supersymmetrically interacting system, we show that Dirac-Born-Infeld action is actually compatible with supersymmetry and self-duality in three-dimensions. The interactions can be further generalized to arbitrary (non)polynomial interactions. As a by-product, we also show that a third-rank field strength leads to a more natural formulation of self-duality in 3D. We also show an interesting role played by the third-rank field strength leading to a supersymmetry breaking, in addition to accommodating a Chern-Simons form.


Natural nacre exhibits extraordinary strong and tough properties with its brick-and-mortar structure that was perfected after millions of years of evolution. Inspired by nacre's hierarchical structure, we fabricated multifunctional bioinspired nanocomposites of graphene oxide (GO) and montmorillonite (MMT) nanosheets with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) via a vacuum-assisted filtration self-assembly process. By combining graphene oxide and montmorillonite with PVA, we demonstrated an effective synergistic toughening effect and obtained integrated strong and tough bioinspired nanocomposites. Furthermore, these nanocomposites show high fatigue-resistant properties, high electrical conductivity and good fire retardant properties. As such, they have promising potential in many applications, including flexible electrodes, flame retardant insulation and as aerospace materials. The technique developed here provides new insights for designing nanocomposites with a complex hierarchical structure that mimic nacre.


The aim of this thesis was to find the content of rosmarinic acid (RA) in the selected varieties of sage (Salvia officinalis L.): Krajova, Purpurascens, Berggarten, Tricolor, Icterina and Alba. In the monitoring years 2013-2015 and two collection dates was found that the highest RA content was in Tricolor in 2013 (30,084.65 mg*kg-1) collected in the first term. The lowest value was recorded for the Berggarten (9,000.5 mg*kg-1) in 2015 in the second collection date. The highest average RA content was found in Tricolor (19,605.82 mg*kg-1), while the lowest RA content was in Berggarten (14,610.71 mg*kg-1). When the terms of collection were compared, there were confirmed statistically significant difference in RA content in the monitored varieties of sage (P˂0.001) between 1st time of harvesting (22,516.08 mg*kg-1) and 2nd time of harvesting (11,155.83 mg*kg-1). Within years was the lowest content of the RA (13,562.74 mg*kg-1) found in 2015 and the difference in the RA content this year compared to 2013 and 2014 was statistically significant (P˂0.001). Average RA values in the monitored varieties of sage in 2013 (17,624.12 mg*kg-1) and in 2014 (17,522.69 mg*kg-1) were not statistically significant. These results follow, that the content of RA in sage (Salvia officinalis L.) statistically significantly affected the variety, time of harvesting and growing year.


In this article, we draw on evidence from a large-scale research project to explore the metaphorical concept of "barriers" to participation in higher education (HE) and to show how our data challenge the idea that non-participation by under-represented groups can be attributed to individuals experiencing a range of readily identifiable barriers. First, we briefly outline the perspectives of policy and practice stakeholders in widening participation (WP) in HE which suggest that the discourse of barriers is central to their understanding of "non-participation" and how to reduce it. Second, we introduce findings from two case studies. Each case study consists of interviews with an individual aged over 21 who has the qualifications (level 3) to enter HE but who has not (yet) done so, as well as members of his or her self-nominated "networks of intimacy" (Heath and Cleaver, 2003) consisting of friends and family. These interviewees do not tend to talk in terms of barriers in their accounts of their educational, employment and personal histories and the influences on their participation decisions. This evidence suggests that patterns of participation and non-participation in HE are strongly embedded in and explained by people's interwoven social, historical and biographical circumstances and experience. This article contributes to the debate about the utility of the barriers metaphor and challenges the policy assumption that individual non-participation can be "solved" solely by the removal of predefined obstacles. We conclude by arguing that the opportunity to collect multiple accounts with members of social networks indicates the value of looking at participation in and decision-making about education across the life course and as a socially embedded practice.


BACKGROUND
Bupivacaine is the most used local anesthetic in surgical procedures, producing prolonged anesthesia. The major limiting factor for the clinical use of bupivacaine comes from its systemic toxicity. Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) are vehicles for sustained drug delivery that are able to minimize the toxicity and to increase the action time of lipophilic drugs.

METHODS
This work reports a 22 factorial design, which elucidates the role of the lipids mixture in the NLC, towards an optimized formulation. It also provides a new method for bupivacaine S75:R25 (BVCS75) quantification in NLC. Moreover, physicochemical stability studies on the prepared NLC formulations were carried out by monitoring particle size, polydispersity, Zeta potential and BVCS75 encapsulation efficiency for 90 days, at 25°C.

RESULTS
The factorial design showed that the liquid lipid Capryol 90® has a negative effect over particle size and PDI values while cetyl palmitate presented a positive effect in size. The analytical method was accurate, reproducible, specific and linear over the concentration range of 0.16-54.00 µg.mL-1 BVCS75 with limits of quantification and detection of 0.10 and 0.03 µg.mL-1, respectively. The validated method was used to quantify the BVCS75 encapsulation (55.5 ±2.8 %). Encapsulation did not affect the nanoparticles morphology (confirmed by Transmission Electron Microscopy), but increased their Zeta potential (from -15.7 to -37.0 mV). The NLC physical stability was maintained (particles: size < 170 nm, polydispersity <0.16, and number = 8.85 ±0.11 x 1013 particles.mL-1) during storage.

CONCLUSION
These results support further investigations on the use of BVCS75-in-NLC formulation for surgical anesthesia, aiming the development of a potent and less toxic nanostructured lipid carrier formulation for BVCS75.


Phorbas capixaba sp. nov. is described from 54 m depth off Guarapari, diagnosed by its two clear-cut categories of isochelae from Phorbas spp. known from the Western Tropical Atlantic. Four nomina nova are proposed for homonyms in Phorbas spp.: P. bergmontae nom. nov. for P. areolatus Bergquist & Fromont, 1988, preoccupied by P. areolatus (Thiele, 1905); P. burtoni nom. nov. for P. arborescens sensu (Burton, 1956), preoccupied by P. arborescens (Ridley, 1884); P. hechteli nom. nov. for P. ramosus (Hechtel, 1983), preoccupied by P. ramosus (Lendenfeld, 1888; in part - composite species); P. tanitai nom. nov. for P. purpureus (Tanita, 1961), preoccupied by P. purpureus (Carter, 1886). Three little known species are redescribed: Aplysina alcicornis Pinheiro et al., 2007; Mycale (Aegogropila) escarlatei Hajdu et al., 1995 and Yucatania sphaeroidocladus (Hartman & Hubbard, 1999). All three are new records for Espirito Santo. The first and the last of these are range extensions, while the other fills a distribution gap. A list of sponges hitherto recorded from off Espirito Santo state, with indication of the bibliographic source of the record is given in appendix. In total, 118 species were compiled from 23 publications.


A review of gastrectomy for 332 patients who had advanced gastric cancer with serosal exposed (S2) or adjacent organs invaded (S3) was made. Simple gastrectomy (SG) was carried out in 144 patients while radical gastrectomy (RG), which consisted of systemic lymphadenectomy in addition to SG, was used for the other 188 patients. The type of gastrectomy was chosen arbitrarily by the surgeons except that SG was usually selected when some non-curable factors were present. The operative mortality of SG was 2.7% and that of RG was 3.2%. More lymphnodes could be obtained by RG. Of the 152 patients with S2 who received RG, 46.7% of metastatic lymphnodes could not be identified by SG, while of the 36 patients with S3, 75% of metastatic nodes would be misjudged if SG was carried out. The 5-year-survival rate of RG for stage 3 patients was 42.4% and that for stage 4 patients was 28.2%. Better postoperative long-term-survival was achieved by RG than SG in both stage 3 and 4 patients. When considering the curability of the gastrectomy, the best outcome in stage 3 patients was found in those who underwent an absolute curative resection. Of the stage 4 patients those who received an absolute non-curative resection had the worst result. We recommend that RG be the procedure of choice in treatment of serosal gastric cancer in the absence of non-curable factors. Other adjuvant therapies may be considered after an absolute non-curative gastrectomy in stage 4 serosal cancer patients when multiple non-curable factors were present.


This paper presents application of data mining to data stored in a hospital information system in which temporal behavior of global hospital activities are visualized. The results show that the reuse of stored data will give a powerful tool for hospital management and lead to improvement of hospital services.


This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of femoral block in postoperative analgesia for total knee prostheses and evaluate the immediate functional outcomes in patients who received this type of analgesia. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 35 cases of total knee replacement between January 2017 and December 2020. Epidemiological, clinical, and preoperative radiological data were collected. The femoral block was performed using ultrasound guidance, and the anaesthetic product used was diluted bupivacaine. Different analgesia protocols were used, and postoperative follow-up was conducted to assess clinical and radiological outcomes. Results: The study included 35 patients with a mean age of 64 years, predominantly female (77.7%). Most patients were in good health without specific medical history. Knee osteoarthritis with genu varum was the most common indication for total knee replacement. The femoral block was successfully performed in all cases. The average postoperative stay was 8 days, and the immediate functional outcomes were satisfactory, with an average flexion of 90° and walking assistance within 6 days. Conclusion: The study demonstrates the effectiveness of femoral block in providing postoperative analgesia for total knee replacement. The immediate functional outcomes were favorable, with patients achieving satisfactory flexion and early mobility. The multimodal approach to analgesia, including the femoral block, proved beneficial in optimizing pain management and facilitating rapid recovery after surgery.


Purpose: The Kishida administration's proposed Fukushima radioactive wastewater dumping plan is very controversial both domestically and internationally. This paper examines the risks and consequences of the plan with a special focus on human rights concerns. It argues that, as the Kishida administration commences the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, it should only consider approaches that are consistent with a human-centric policy that is supportive of human rights.
Method: This paper employs politics of responsibility theory to examine the Kishida administration's proposed Fukushima radioactive wastewater dumping plan. In light of the current body of research on the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station by international scholars, scientists, and experts, it argues that the Kishida administration's implementation of the proposed radioactive wastewater dumping plan represents a failure to govern with an eye to the politics of responsibility.
Results: This paper finds that application of the Fukushima radioactive wastewater dumping plan under the Kishida administration will induce immense political, economic, social, and environmental consequences for Japanese citizens as well as citizens in neighboring countries and beyond. The Kishida administration is presently failing to pursue policies that reinforce a human-centric policy that would be more supportive of human rights.
Conclusion: The Kishida administration must suspend the current plan to dump Fukushima's radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean and consider alternative methods that will not result in the radioactive pollution of the ocean. As it proceeds with the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, it should focus on principles of governance emphasizing the politics of responsibility and take steps to abide by relevant international legal standards and human rights norms.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The tortuous distal part of the ICA may have an attenuating effect on pulsatile arterial flow. We investigated local arterial blood flow patterns in the ICA proximal and distal to the carotid siphon to detect quantitative waveform changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Arterial flow patterns were analyzed by using flow-sensitized 4D PC MR imaging (time-resolved 3D PCMR) at 3T in 17 healthy volunteers. Time-resolved blood flow velocities were extracted from the source data at the C4 and C7 segments of the ICA. PI, RI, and PA were calculated by using time-resolved flow volume. A linear mixed-effects model was applied to compare values at C4 and C7. Furthermore, 3D blood flow visualization was performed for all 34 ICAs. RESULTS: PI, RI, and PA were significantly lower at the distal C7 segment compared with the proximal C4 segment of the ICA (P < .0001). Helical flow patterns were observed in 5 ICAs of 4 subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial flow patterns showed a significant reduction in PI, RI, and PA when compared distal to proximal to the carotid siphon. The observed attenuation of flow pulsatility is most likely related to the contorted shape of the distal ICA and may bear a protective effect for downstream cerebral vasculature.


PURPOSE Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of invasive infections, yet most assessments of prevalence are based on health care–based samples. We computed population-based estimates of nasal carriage of S aureus and risk factors for carriage, as well as population-based estimates of nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA). METHODS We used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2002 to estimate carriage of S aureus and MRSA for the non-institutionalized US population including children and adults. RESULTS An estimated 86.9 million persons (32.40% of the population) were colonized with S aureus. The prevalence of MRSA among S aureus isolates was 2.58%, for an estimated population carriage of MRSA of 0.84% or 2.2 million persons. Among individuals with S aureus isolates, individuals aged 65 years or older had the highest MRSA prevalence (8.28%). Among all the racial/ethnic groups studied, Hispanics had the highest prevalence of colonization with S aureus but, when colonized, were less likely to have MRSA. CONCLUSIONS This first nationally representative assessment of carriage of S aureus indicates that nearly one third of the population is currently colonized by this organism. Although the prevalence of MRSA remains low, more than 2.2 million people carry this resistant organism; thus, vigilance in promoting appropriate microbial transmission protocols should remain a priority.


OBJECTIVES:The population impact of modern treatment on complicated gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is not well understood. Our aim was to determine the current mortality from GERD in Finland and compare this with the use of health resources.METHODS:In this population-based retrospective study, Finland's administrative databases provided figures on the nationwide use of antireflux medication, rate of antireflux surgery, and mortality from GERD. Any deceased person included had classic symptoms as well as objective findings of GERD.RESULTS:After analysis of the medical records of 306 patients, 213 were included. Annual mortality from GERD increased (P < 0.001) from 0.18/100,000 in 1987 to 0.46/100,000 in 2000. During that time, use of H2-blockers and proton pump inhibitors and the annual rate of antireflux surgery increased significantly (P < 0.001). Mortality from antireflux surgery, including fundoplication and gastric and esophageal resection, remained around 1.9/1,000 operations. Of the 213 patients whose cause of death was considered to be GERD, 180 (85%) had received medical treatment, including 4 patients whose death was related to either diagnostic or therapeutic endoscopy. Early complications of antireflux surgery caused 24 (11%) deaths; 9 (4%) were late failures of antireflux surgery. Causes of death in the medical group were hemorrhagic esophagitis (82, 47%), aspiration pneumonia (41, 23%), ulcer perforation (25, 14%), rupture with esophagitis (15, 9%), and stricture (13, 7%).CONCLUSIONS:Regardless of the increased use of health resources, mortality from GERD, especially with medical treatment, rose. Surgery for GERD was also associated with early mortality and usually could not prevent the fatal outcome.


Swarms of people and lots of water – Czech people on the Dutch landscapeThe paper concerns the image of Dutch scenery in several travel messages of Czech people from the 17th through the 20th centuries. The paper starts with the presentation of two diaries written in the 17th century by the Counts Sternberg and the Protestant Hartmann. One of the first real Czech tourists of the 19th century Josef Štolba is the third author discussed in this study. Then, the paper focuses on the better-known writer Karel Čapek and ends with the discussion of two 20th-century travellers. The paper aims to show which elements are constant in the Czech picture of the Dutch landscape throughout the centuries.


The papaya (Carica papaya L.) is one of the most important economic tropical fruits in the world, and the hermaphrodite is the preferred type in field cultures. We analyzed the sexual ratio of offspring from the cultivar 'Taiwan Seed Station No. 7' (T7) by a self-cross and its cross with Taichung Sunrise (TS). Female progeny from the T7 self-crossing were not observed. This finding may be caused by a lethal gene that is linked to females. In this study, we selected 192 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) to analyze the polymorphism between T7 and TS. A total of 37 SSRs were identified for T7 and TS. In addition, 14 SSRs served as the molecular makers for identification of T7, TS and their hybrid offsprings. Thus, the results show that the genetic similarity between T7 and TS is rather high. This suggests that T7 may be a mutant of TS. Phylogenetic analysis from the SSR polymorphisms of the above parent strains and 15 F1 offspring revealed the genetic distance of the F1 offspring located between T7 and TS. The results of this study may provide an opportunity for elucidating the genetic characteristics of all hermaphrodites via identification of molecular makers.


The p21-activated kinases (PAK) belong to a family of serine threonine kinases that promote cell survival and play an important role in cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation and cell shape determination. There are six mammalian PAK proteins which can be subdivided into two groups by sequence homology and mode of activation- Group A PAKs consisting of PAK 1, 2 and 3 and Group B PAKs consisting of PAK 4, 5 and 6. We have found that PAK4 protein levels are elevated in breast cancer, including Her2 positive and triple negative breast cancers, while it is expressed at low levels in normal mammary tissue, making it an attractive drug target. PAK inhibitors are being tested for effectiveness against solid tumors, but generation of highly specific PAK4 inhibitors has been a challenge. Furthermore, PAK4 has been reported to have kinase-independent functions. Therefore inhibiting its kinase activity alone might not be sufficient in blocking its tumorigenic potential. Our lab has previously reported the effectiveness of PAK4 allosteric modulators (PAM; KPT-8752 and KPT-9274) against multiple breast cancer cell lines. These novel PAK4 inhibitors reduce steady state protein levels and were able to block cell growth, cell migration and induce apoptosis in breast cancer cell lines, without affecting the control cells. Here, we tested the efficacy of the orally bioavailable PAM, KPT-9274 against tumors formed by the triple negative breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231. Following six weeks of treatment with orally administered KPT-9274 (150mg/kg bidx4), there was almost a five-fold reduction in tumor volume and tumor weight in the treatment group as compared to the control group. The treatment did not significantly affect mice body weight. After six weeks of treatment, the tumors were excised and analyzed for PAK4 levels. We observed a significant decrease in PAK4 levels in excised tumors from the treatment group as compared to those from the control group. PAK1 levels were monitored to see any off-target effects, but their levels were unchanged. Our results indicate that PAK4 plays a key functional role in triple negative breast cancer and treatment with an orally administered KPT-9274 was capable of specifically binding and inhibiting PAK4, and consequently reducing tumor growth. Future studies analyzing the effects of KPT-9274 in blocking PAK4 mediated functions that promote tumorigenesis are ongoing. Additional studies of the effectiveness of KPT-9274 on mammary fat pad tumors formed by MDA-MB-231 and the ER positive cell line, MCF7 are under investigation. Citation Format: Chetan Rane, William Senapedis, Erkan Baloglu, Sharon Shacham, Audrey G. Minden. In vivo efficacy of the PAK4 allosteric modulator KPT-9274 against a triple-negative breast cancer model. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1864.


First experimental studies of the nonstationary phenomena in a powerful K-band gyro-backward-wave oscillator with an external reflector are presented. Variation of the self-modulation frequency from 69 to 112 MHz and transition to the chaotic oscillations with spectrum width of 100 MHz were obtained due to the tuning of the guiding magnetic field. These results are in a good agreement with simulations, which demonstrate a strong dependence of the system dynamics on the strength of the magnetic field


Since the early 1990's there has been a growing trend by large companies to publicly issue formal reports containing information on the companies, social and environmental issues. Although sustainability reporting is still a voluntary but now a days it has become popular among large scale corporations, the reporting practices are now remain strictly voluntary, but it should be made mandatory as many governments have already made the SR mandatory. It enables organizations having different features like shapes and sizes, including public agencies and companies to measure, manage and publicly disclose the social, environmental and economic performance in a sustainable manner. The contents of sustainability reports emphasizes more on guidelines of reporting than information on stakeholder engagement, materiality, targets and future plans. No doubt, reporting practices is widely accepted, it is also observed that the activities of the corporate on society, stakeholders, its citizens and the environment has a considerable impact not only on present but also upon the future. Sustainability disclosure reports aims, and allows for improvement on, those issues which are closely related to a corporation's environmental and social impact and impact on company's financial performance.


Abstract For a Shimura variety of Hodge type with hyperspecial level structure at a prime $p$ , Vasiu and Kisin constructed a smooth integral model (namely the integral canonical model) uniquely determined by a certain extension property. We define and study the Ekedahl-Oort stratifications on the special fibers of those integral canonical models when $p\,>\,2$ . This generalizes Ekedahl-Oort stratifications defined and studied by Oort on moduli spaces of principally polarized abelian varieties and those defined and studied by Moonen, Wedhorn, and Viehmann on good reductions of Shimura varieties of PEL type. We show that the Ekedahl-Oort strata are parameterized by certain elements $w$ in the Weyl group of the reductive group in the Shimura datum. We prove that the stratum corresponding to $w$ is smooth of dimension $l\left( w \right)$ (i.e., the length of $w$ ) if it is non-empty. We also determine the closure of each stratum.


Buckminsterfullerene (C60) is one of the most important carbon-based nanoparticles (CNPs). Industrial-scale production of C60 has reached the level of tons; release to the environment has been confirmed (Tremblay, 2002; Qiao et al., 2007). The present study was devoted to study of the effect of clay minerals on the migration process of C60. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to study the interaction of CNPS with clay minerals through study of the adsorption of C60 on various surfaces of kaolinite and pyrophyllite in vacuum and aqueous environments. Two kinds of surfaces, hydrophobic siloxane surfaces and hydrophilic hydroxyl surfaces, were investigated. C60 is mainly adsorbed onto the vacancy of the six-membered ring, composed of SiO4 tetrahedra or AlO6 octahedra, on clay-mineral surfaces. A single adsorption layer consisting of C60 molecules with an ordered hexagonal arrangement is presented for all surfaces in vacuum. In aqueous environments, however, the monolayer appears on the siloxane surfaces only, while a cluster of C60 molecules is formed on the hydroxyl surfaces. Free energies prove that the attachment of two C60 molecules is stronger than the adsorption of C60 onto the hydroxyl surface in water, which is the reason for unfavorable formation of C60 monolayer. On the other hand, the adsorption free energy is more negative on the hydrophobic siloxane surface, explaining the monolayer formation. The existence of water, which forms hydration layers on the surfaces of clay minerals, produces energy barriers, and reduces the adsorption affinity to some extent. Because clay minerals act as geosorbents in the environment, the present study is significant in terms of understanding the migration and fate of CNPS in nature.


Recently, growing interest in self-powered devices has led to the invention of new energy conversion devices. Photo-thermoelectric generators (PTEGs) have rapidly developed for their ability to harvest both light and thermal energy, but these devices are overly dependent on the continuity of energy input and cannot sustain output in an emergency situation. In the current study, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)/graphene oxide (GO)/graphene nanosheets (GNPs)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) phase-change composites (PCCs) were prepared with freeze-drying and vacuum-filling processes to acquire materials suitable for imparting energy storage characteristics to PTEGs. The melting and crystallization enthalpies of the PCCs fabricated based on the PEDOT:PSS/GO/GNP aerogels can reach 211.5 and 207.6 J g-1, respectively, which increase by nearly 5% compared with pure PEG, and the growth rate of thermal conductivity of the composites is as high as 262.7% (1.12 W m-1 K-1). Meanwhile, the excellent photothermal properties and high-temperature shape stability that pure PEG does not possess can also be imparted to PCCs by the aerogels. The PTEG assembled with PCCs and thermoelectric components can achieve a continuous output of over 1500 s after 300 s of light irradiation. After integrating the output of the device during the lamp on/off period, it is found that the total output of the device during the light-off period (8.4 V and 9.6 mW) can far exceed its total output during the light-on period (2.7 V and 4.4 mW). This work provides guidance for modulating the performance of PCCs and giving PTEGs the ability to operate under emergency or extremely harsh conditions and the prepared PTEGs are highly promising for practical use.


Mobile ad-hoc Network (MANET) is collection of mobile platforms that form a dynamic infrastructure communication network wherever required. Until recently, Mobile nodes formed a group communication, even for communication there is a problem of efficient and securely broadcast from sender to remote cooperative group occurs in many emerging applications. In Existing consider several distributed collaborative group key management had unavailability of a fully trusted key generation procedure. To overcome the problem, this paper proposed a new key management to ensure the safety of group key and to protect the group communication. In propose a tesla based triple key encryption to protect communication group by using a novel key approach, its implementation affability without relying on a fully trusted authority provide our protocol a very promising solution to many applications. Furthermore, our scheme provides basic strategies of member addition/deletion and rekeying operation for cooperative group.


The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of therapy on long-term gonadal function of young people cured of childhood lymphomas and to assess whether a prepubertal state during the treatment protects the gonads from chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy late effects. Clinical evaluation, semen analysis, and endocrine status were studied in 20 survivors of childhood lymphomas. Five patients received Inverted Y radiotherapy, 2320 cGy (1550-4000); all 20 received chemotherapy as follows: MOPP/ABVD protocol, 9 patients; COMP protocol, 5 patients; MOPP protocol, 3 patients; other protocols, 3 patients. Semen analysis results were as follows: normal values, 4/20 patients; oligospermia, 8/20 patients; azoospermia, 8/20 patients; FSH above normal level, 10/20 patients; 4/5 who received Inverted Y irradiation were azoospermic and 1 was severely oligospermic. Treatment damage to the testis involves tubular germinal elements. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy combinations that included nitrogen mustard or cyclophosphamide were associated with high rates of oligospermia and azoospermia. MOPP/ABVD combination did not have a significant better outcome of sperm counts compared to MOPP alone. Age at chemotherapy did not correlate with the sperm count; hence a prepubertal state did not protect the gonad from the late effects of treatment.


An optical design for measurements with circularly polarised light in the longitudinal direction of yoke magnets is described. An application for Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance (ODMR) experiments is shown. The longitudinally propagating light is deflected by a totally reflecting prism. The elliptical polarisation states after this reflection are transformed by a Fresnel rhomb in such a way that linearly polarised states with definite azimuths result from initially emitted circularly polarised states. High optical access is possible. An application for ODMR experiments is shown.


OBJECTIVES
To compare interactions between rat calvarial osteoblasts and titanium dental implants with different microstructured surfaces.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Seven commercially available implants were used. Surfaces included plasma-sprayed, grit-blasted and/or acid-etched, smooth-machined and anodised titanium. Two methods were used to compare cell behaviour: (1) A cell-spreading assay in which percentages of cells at four different stages of attachment were identified by scanning electron microscopy and quantified within a 30 min attachment period. (2) Implants were placed in 'pocket culture' within nylon mesh sacs in contact with explanted calvarial bone fragments for 2 and 4 weeks.

RESULTS
Surfaces combining grit blasting and acid etching, of microporous topography, showed significantly enhanced rates of cell spreading in comparison with the others. Differential cell morphology was observed in both suspension assays and pocket cultures. In the latter, cells migrated onto all surfaces. Multicellular layers with extracellular matrix (ECM) were present between the layers and on the material surfaces after 2 weeks. After 4 weeks, cell layers were more consolidated, and microstructures were obscured by layers of cells and ECM. Mineralised tissue was seen in association with ECM on grit-blasted surfaces of rough and smooth microtopography.

CONCLUSIONS
The two methods provided complementary information: a rough surface of porous microstructure may enhance the rate of cell spreading. Differentiation and calcification occurred on surfaces of both rough and smooth microstructure.


This article presents the findings of a small-scale qualitative study with fathers which was part of a larger social marketing project focusing on increasing rates of exclusive breastfeeding in Brighton and Hove. In-depth semi-structured interviews were used to explore fathers' experiences during the pregnancy, birth and up to the first year. Findings revealed a number of potential areas which may be of use to midwives, health visitors, and other health professionals to increase the initiation and continuance of breastfeeding. In addressing these possibilities, we also discuss a number of practical ways forward and suggest areas for future research.


Background: Preclinical data has shown that GLP-1 receptor agonists play a role in nerve regeneration and repair. However, few studies have investigated the effects of these compounds on nerve function in humans. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Liraglutide (Lira) on somatic nerve function in patients with type 2 diabetes.
 Methods: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Lira 1.8 mg daily for 52 weeks. All participants were evaluated with the following somatic nerve function tests: Utah Early Neuropathy Scale (UENS) , quantitative sensory testing (QST) for cold and warm perception thresholds (Q-Sense v184.108.40.206; Medoc - Minneapolis, MN) , nerve conduction studies (NCS) (Sierra Summit System; Cadwell Industries - Kennewick, WA) and in vivo corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) to measure corneal nerve fiber density, branching and length (Tomograph III; Heidelberg Engineering - Smithfield, Rhode Island)
 Results: We randomized 44 subjects (21 to Lira and 23 to pb) . Baseline characteristics were similar. Main results are shown in Table 1. In both groups, there was no significant change on UENS, QSTs, NCS and CCM measures after 1 year of treatment. The results also were not significantly different between the groups.
 Conclusions: This study did not show improvements in somatic nerve function after 52 weeks of treatment with Lira. The small sample size may have contributed to the negative result.

 C.M.Casellini: Advisory Panel; Nevro Corp. H.Parson: None. M.D.Bailey: None. E.S.Siraj: Consultant; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk, Research Support; Novo Nordisk.

 Novo Nordisk (Grant#15-12-FB-0218)


Implant treatment should be restoratively driven, however at times, ideal implant positioning may be sacrificed for surgical convenience at the expense of restorative complexity. A prosthesis incorporating a novel design was constructed to restore two converging implants placed in close proximity utilizing standard implant impression componentry and simple clinical stages. As the use of angulated screw channel technology was not possible, a customized cast "rest" abutment and overlying telescopic crown was fabricated that facilitated access for oral hygiene and retrievability as required. The complexity of the case design was transferred to the laboratory phases of construction. The case presented a satisfactory clinical outcome for an initially challenging implant presentation and reinforced the need to work closely with the laboratory technician.


What exactly is the context in which all aspects of this new field of criminal law have to be interpreted? What does the principle of legality mean in the context of supranational criminal law? Which tradition lies at the basis of this new law system? Is supranational criminal law as it grows the result of a deliberate policy, tending towards a coherent system? Or is it merely the result of crisis management? Those are some of the questions that are highlighted in this first volume of the Supranational Criminal Law series.


Post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), occurring in 15% of combat-exposed military personnel, are associated with a decrease in couples' relationship quality. The purpose of this analysis was to describe reintegration in Army couples with high couple functioning, despite PTSS in one or both partners. Reintegration refers to readjustment after deployment; returning to previous role(s). In a mixed-methods case study of Army couples with a history of combat deployment, we used existing quantitative data to define sampling boundaries, select cases, and guide interviews. Couples scoring high on couple functioning, resilience, and couple satisfaction were interviewed (N = 5 couples, 10 participants). "Rekindling marriage" required strategies to overcome challenges during couple reintegration. For participants as individuals, those strategies were allowing negative emotions, giving each other time and space to do the work of rediscovery and accepting a changed reality, and recognizing and addressing individual needs of the other. As couples, strategies were to go with the flow, open your heart, become best friends, maintain trust, and communicate effectively. As families, strategies were to normalize schedules and protect family time. Findings offer a preliminary basis for interventions to promote strong relationships for military couples with PTSS.


Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) is a ubiquitously expressed cellular factor regulated by the cytoplasmic factor inhibitor protein kappa B alpha (I kappa B alpha). Activation of NF-kappa B by cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), requires the phosphorylation and degradation of I kappa B alpha. An anti-apoptotic role for NF-kappa B has recently been suggested. In the present study, we ascertained whether death-promoting signals and apoptosis mediated by TNF-alpha are suppressed by NF-kappa B in postnatal ventricular myocytes. Stimulation of myocytes with TNF-alpha resulted in a 12.1-fold increase (P < 0.01) in NF-kappa B-dependent gene transcription and DNA binding compared with controls. This was accompanied by a corresponding increase in the NF-kappa B target protein A20 as determined by Western blot analysis. Vital staining revealed that TNF-alpha was not cytotoxic to myocytes and did not provoke apoptosis. Adenovirus-mediated delivery of a nonphosphorylatable form of I kappa B alpha to inactivate NF-kappa B prevented TNF-alpha-stimulated NF-kappa B-dependent gene transcription and nuclear NF-kappa B DNA binding. Importantly, myocytes stimulated with TNF-alpha and defective for NF-kappa B activation resulted in a 2.2-fold increase (P < 0.001) in apoptosis. To our knowledge, the data provide the first indication that a functional NF-kappa B signaling pathway is crucial for suppressing death-promoting signals mediated by TNF-alpha in ventricular myocytes.


A parental divorce is a stressful event for children. Several studies show that children from broken - home family have complex problems. However, some children from broken - home family are found to be able to have a good achievement and able to grow to be positive. They are able to build resilience in facing their family problems. Th e purpose of study was to understand how a child from broken homes achieves resilience. A phenomenolog y study was used in this study. Interviews and observations were used to collect data. The subject was a 25-year-old female. T he resilience framework which focuses on socio-ecological context was used to understand how the subject achieved the resilience. The parents of the subject divorced when the subject was four years old, then subject's mother remarried three times. The subject had stressors related to open conflict between her mother and father, traumatic experience through witnessing physical abuse of step father, lack of openness in communication with mother, and unsupportive friends. In this case, t he resilience process began when the subject was already young adult. The subject's understanding could help her in accepting and coping the problem actively. It is supported by subject's internal characteristics including religiosity , cognitive, and social competenc ies which developed as the subject grown up. The openness in communication which get reciprocity from the significant other around the subject has a role in achieving resilience. Therefore, the lesson learned from this research are resilience can be achieved if the individual who exposured the stressors coped the problem actively. It is supported by both of internal and external resilience factors which include of : (1) acceptance, (2) religiosity, (3) cognitive ability , (4) social competenc ies, and ( 5 ) social support . In this case, mature age seemed to be an important factor in achieving resilience since it reflect maturity in those factors cited previously.


Content descriptions are commonly used to index audiovisual content for search and retrieval applications. We present multimedia descriptions that can be used to facilitate rapid navigation, browsing, and efficient access to different views of audiovisual programs according to personal preferences and usage conditions. In particular, we illustrate the use of several description schemes that are currently being developed as part of the MPEG-7 standardization activity. We describe usage scenarios in two application areas: personal video recorder appliances and education and training systems.


Two commensal associates of bees, Allodiplogaster josephin. sp. from the Dufour's gland of a cellophane bee ( Colletes thoracicus) from Maryland, USA, and A. seanin. sp. from the abdominal glands of an andrenid bee ( Andrena alleghaniensis) from New York, USA, are described and illustrated. Both species were collected as dauers from their respective hosts and cultured on bacteria on tryptic soy broth (TSB) or NGM agar. Allodiplogaster josephin. sp. and A. seanin. sp. are morphologically closer to each other than to other species of Allodiplogaster, which was recently revised to include 37 valid species. However, the two new species are distinguished by reproductive isolation, shape of the spicule manubrium, host associations and molecular characters, the latter in sequences of the near-full length small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene, D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene and partial mitochondrial COI. Morphological characterisation was supplemented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed furcation of both v5 and v6 male genital papillae, consistent with previous reports for species of the henrichaegroup of Allodiplogaster.


This paper presents simulation of Angle of Arrival (AOA) estimation using the Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) and Estimation of Signal Parameters via Rotational Invariance Technique (ESPRIT) algorithms. We study the localization techniques using the wireless communication systems and there are several algorithms that have the ability in calculate the Direction of Arrival (DOA) of the incident signals. We investigate and compare MUSIC and ESPRIT algorithms. The simulations indicate that the MUSIC algorithm is more accurate and stable compared to the ESPRIT algorithm.


It was revealed that the main component of the studied samples composition of the essential oil of Nigella is monoterpene p-cymene, the content of which is ~ 60 %. According to the results of the study of the fatty acid composition of the seed lipids of the studied samples, the prevalence of omega-6 (linoleic) and omega-9 (oleic) unsaturated fatty acids was found (75.11–76.91 % of the total fatty acid content). Samples of NP-13/2 (sum of omega-acids 77.56 %, linoleic acid content – 60.16 %) and NP-4 (sum of omega-acids 77.55 %, oleic acid content – 18.12 %) are promising. In the process of studying the amino acid composition in seed extracts, four essential (leucine, methionine, valine, threonine) and four essential (arginine, proline, serine, glycine) amino acids were identified. A promising sample was NP-13/4 (the sum of amino acids is 62.23 %, the arginine content is 17.56 mg/kg, the leucine is 4.95 mg/kg, and threonine is 4.12 mg/kg). The obtained data testify to the value of using not only ecologically and geographically distant forms, but also samples of hybrid origin of nigella sown, selected and adapted to the conditions of Belarus, as source material in breeding work when creating varieties of medicinal purpose.


This article reports the development and application of two instruments for assessing science teachers' pedagogical knowledge in the context of teaching higher‐order thinking: a Likert‐type research instrument, and an instrument that analyzes classroom observations. The rationale for developing these instruments and their main categories is described. One hundred and fifty Israeli science teachers replied to the Likert‐type questionnaire. Results show that biology teachers gained a significantly higher score than either physics or chemistry teachers, that junior high school teachers scored significantly higher than high school teachers, and that a significant negative correlation was found between final scores and teaching experience. Participants in the classroom observation study were 14 teachers who attended a one‐year professional development course for teaching higher‐order thinking. The instrument was sensitive in detecting progress in teachers' pedagogical knowledge in several categories, such as: Frequency of tasks that required higher‐order thinking; The variety of thinking strategies that teachers addressed during their lessons; Engagement of students in metacognitive thinking; and Using the "language of thinking" in class. The implications of the findings for research and practice are described.