In computer-assisted surgery, efficacy relies on the overall precision of the method, of which the tracking technology is an integral feature. Does electromagnetic tracking perform clinically as well as standard optical tracking technologies? A pilot study using a computer-assisted surgery system and one lower extremity from an embalmed cadaver evaluated the mechanical axis, the transepicondylar axis, and the anteroposterior axis of Whiteside (anteroposterior axis). Using three-dimensional computed tomography and direct anatomic measurements, the baseline value for the mechanical axis was 4.9° varus and the tibial shaft axis was 4.6° varus. All tests were performed in a standard operating room using an imageless referencing protocol. Repeatability of one surgeon performing eight trials revealed optical mechanical axis mean of 5.8° varus (standard deviation, 0.3°) and electromagnetic mechanical axis mean of 5.3° varus (standard deviation, 0.9°); reproducibility of three surgeons performing eight trials each revealed optical mechanical axis mean of 6.3° varus (standard deviation, 0.6°) and electromagnetic mechanical axis mean of 5.2° varus (standard deviation, 0.8°). Precision was satisfactory for both optical and electromagnetic tracking for mechanical axis assessment, but outliers were identified with electromagnetic tracking causing concern for efficacy. Assessment of the transepicondylar or the anteroposterior axis measurements was not satisfactory with either the optical or electromagnetic system.


In order to control the chemical composition of atmospheric air in cities located in the zone of influence of petrochemical enterprises, automatic atmospheric air monitoring stations (ASKAV) are installed. For the effective use of experimental data, the authors of the article developed a data collection system with ASKAV, in which the air control in residential quarters and the gas mixture at the source of organized emissions are synchronized. The analysis of data on the concentration of pollutants in the atmospheric air of the Sterlitamak obtained from ASKAV, on the basis of which a list of marker substances for enterprises of the city was compiled. Priority sources of air pollution with marker substances during a different wind regime were identified. The authors developed models for changing the concentration of marker substances in the air using the method of factor regression. Based on the results of the cross-correlation function, the time of movement of the contaminated gas cloud from the source of emission to the residential area of the city is obtained. Conclusions are made about the effectiveness of the developed air monitoring system and the field of application of the acquired models.


Atherosclerosis is the underlying pathology in a major part of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of mortality in developed countries. The infiltration of monocytes into the vessel walls of large arteries is a key denominator of atherogenesis, making monocytes accountable for the development of atherosclerosis. With the development of high-throughput transcriptome profiling platforms and cytometric methods for circulating cells, it is now feasible to study in-depth the predicted functional change of circulating monocytes reflected by changes of gene expression in certain pathways and correlate the changes to disease outcome. Neuroimmune guidance cues comprise a group of circulating- and cell membrane-associated signaling proteins that are progressively involved in monocyte functions. Here, we employed the CIRCULATING CELLS study cohort to classify cardiovascular disease patients and healthy individuals in relation to their expression of neuroimmune guidance cues in circulating monocytes. To cope with the complexity of human datasets featured by noisy data, nonlinearity and multidimensionality, we assessed various machine-learning methods. Of these, the linear discriminant analysis, Naïve Bayesian model and stochastic gradient boost model yielded perfect or near-perfect sensibility and specificity and revealed that expression levels of the neuroimmune guidance cues SEMA6B, SEMA6D and EPHA2 in circulating monocytes were of predictive values for cardiovascular disease outcome.


A firm's patent strategy is commonly focused on excluding competition in the domestic market. Foreign patent rights may be sought, but the presumption is that they are valuable only if a firm has access to a foreign market through sales, licensing or foreign direct investment. However, in countries that are major manufacturing bases and international exporters, like China and India, a new strategy may be emerging: seeking patents there solely to impact competition in external markets. This paper describes this novel use of "global patent chokepoints" and presents empirical evidence that it is actually occurring. It considers patent filings in solar photovoltaics (PV) in China between 2002 and 2007 and demonstrates that activity is responsive to increases in solar PV production by Chinese rivals, but not to domestic installation. The findings are significant, because if this strategy is more widely adopted, pricing and access impacts for important health and sustainability technologies may result.


The present research investigates how charitable giving in response to threat-based awe, an emotional experience that typically accompanies disaster-relief campaigns, is likely to depend on consumers' implicit theories. While consumers want to behave prosocially when experiencing threat-based awe, due to the presence of threats, such behavior depends upon whether they believe that their donations have sufficient efficacy. Consequently, in response to threat-based awe, consumers holding to an incremental (vs. entity) theory perceive greater efficacy for their donations which, subsequently, increases their charitable giving. These predictions are tested across five experimental studies. The findings of this research contribute to the literature on implicit theories, the emotion of awe, and also offers a more nuanced approach to how different consumers may be motivated to engage in charitable giving in the context of natural disasters.


Mutations in the tumor suppressor protein PTEN are found in many different tumors. As
 Penninger and Woodgett
 discuss in their Perspective, new findings implicate PTEN in the control of neuronal cell size and in the proliferation and self-renewal of neuronal stem cells (
 Groszer
 et al .). This surprising finding may yield both research and therapeutic benefits.


A novel compact circularly polarised microstrip antenna with a slotted ground plane is proposed. By embedding a group of four bent slots in the ground plane and truncating a pair of patch comers in the radiating square patch, the proposed antenna can perform circular polarisation (CP) operation with a reduced antenna size at a fixed operating frequency. In addition, enhanced CP bandwidth and antenna gain for the proposed design are observed. Details of the antenna design and experimental results are presented and discussed.


Article on the first heart transplant, performed at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, on 3 December 1967. Reprinted from the SAMJ of 30 December 1967 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the transplant.


In the wake of the September 11 attacks, undercover policing has become an increasingly important law enforcement tool in the United States and in Europe. More frequent deployment of covert tactics has confronted democratic governments with difficult questions about these extraordinary operations should be controlled and conceptualized. How ubiquitous should covert tactics become, and how should regulatory systems respond to their increased importance? What are the challenges of taming the constantly changing and highly contested practices of undercover policing, which stubbornly resist oversight? Legal systems differ in their concerns about undercover surveillance and in their willingness to deploy covert agents and informants against a spectrum of perceived threats ranging from national security dangers like terrorism or political and religious extremism to organized crime, drug trafficking, and more ordinary forms of criminality. In most democracies, political elites, legal actors, and critics agree that undercover investigations are in some sense a necessary evil. But national legal systems vary in what they mean by that. They have disparate conceptions of what makes covert investigations troublesome; of the proper goals of infiltration; and of the mechanisms by which undercover tactics should be legitimated and controlled. In short, legal systems forge different regulatory compromises and accord different degrees of legitimacy to the "necessary evil" of covert operations. Much of the scholarship about undercover policing in Europe has focused on doctrine. My study examines undercover policing empirically, through 89 qualitative, open-ended field interviews that I conducted with state and federal police officials, undercover agents, training and supervisory officials, control officers, prosecutors, and judges in fifteen of the sixteen German states. Through these interviews, I examined the ground-level strategies and practices of those who conduct, supervise, and evaluate covert operations. My empirical study examines German undercover policing as both a topic in its own right and as a contrast case that helps identify distinctive features of the American system of covert operations. The systems under comparison can, in Clifford Geertz's words, "form a kind of commentary on the other's character." Each can suggest what is important and troubling about the other. Each can highlight features of the other that would seem less noteworthy if examined in isolation, without the benefit of comparison.


This study evaluated the effect of exogenous PGF(2)alpha on circulating LH concentrations in postpartum multiparous (n = 32) and primiparous (n = 46) Brahman cows. The cows were randomly allotted within parity and calving date to receive 0, 1, 2 or 3 mg im PGF(2)alpha (alfaprostol)/100 kg body weight (BW), with or without GnRH on Day 30 after calving. Blood samples were collected at weekly intervals from calving through treatment. Serum progesterone concentrations were determined using RIA procedures to assure that only anestrous cows were treated. Sterile marker bulls were maintained with cows on Coastal bermudagrass pastures until the first estrus was detected. Multiparous cows had a shorter (P < 0.05) interval from calving to estrus than did primiparous cows. Serum LH was affected by time (P < 0.0001), PGF(2)alpha dose (P < 0.0002), GnRH (P < 0.0001), parity by PGF(2)alpha dose (P < 0.0003), PGF(2)alpha dose by GnRH (P < 0.0009), parity by GnRH (P < 0.0008), and by parity by PGF(2)alpha dose by GnRH (P < 0.0005). Multiparous cows not receiving GnRH had higher mean serum LH (P < 0.02), LH peak pulse height (P < 0.03), and area under the LH release curve (P < 0.03) compared with primiparous cows. The number of LH pulses/6 h was greater (P < 0.06) in multiparous than primiparous cows, and was greater (P < 0.02) in multiparous cows receiving 3 mg/100 kg BW than in cows receiving 2 mg/100 kg BW, but not in the controls or in cows receiving 1 mg/100 kg BW. Exogenous GnRH resulted in increased (P < 0.0001) serum LH concentrations in all cows, and LH was enhanced (P < 0.0009) by simultaneous treatment with PGF(2)alpha. Primiparous cows had a greater response (P < 0.0005) to PGF(2)alpha and GnRH compared with multiparous cows. Pituitary release of LH in response to GnRH was enhanced by simultaneous exposure to PGF(2)alpha in Day 30 postpartum cows.


A very simple semi-quantitative derivation of the Adler-Bell-Jackiw (ABJ) axial anomaly is given, based on an investigation of the absorptive part of the VVA triangle graph and dispersion relations. Essential ingredients of the author's discussion are: normal Ward identities for the absorptive part of the relevant diagram, dimensional analysis, unitarity and energy-momentum conservation. An explanation of the physical origin of the axial anomaly, offered in some earlier treatments within such a dispersive framework, is critically examined. In particular, the interpretation of the ABJ anomaly as an analogue of the Lee-Nauenberg effect occurring in the massless limit of spinor electrodynamics is shown to be fallacious.


Secular humanism and atheistic-modernism left Muslims with the legacy of a dichotomous education. The dichotomy persists and today it is compounded by the onslaught of globalisation of post-modern thoughts shaping young minds. The melee of modern and post-modern worldviews has brought about grave environmental, civilisational and humanitarian crises. In response, many scholars have spent their lifetime in attempting to redress the situation, through what is generally considered as efforts of integration. They have conceived of integration as an organic fusion between revelation and reason and forged ahead with various attempts at integration. The article presents a brief survey on the integration efforts carried by 8 contemporary key Muslim figures, with an account of the thoughts of al-Ghazālī as precedence. Based on information gained from existing literature, the study found astute crystallisation and systematisation of integration especially in the works of later contemporary scholars.


Partial oxidation of natural gas at moderate temperatures below 1500 K has significant interest for a number of industrial applications. But such processes can proceed at different unstable regimes including oscillating modes. Nonlinear phenomena at partial oxidation of methane were observed at different conditions. The investigation of the complex nonlinear system of equations that describes this process is a real method to insure its stability at industrial conditions and, at the same time, is an effective tool for its further enhancement. Numerical analysis of methane oxidation kinetics in the continuous stirred-tank reactor, with the use of detailed kinetic model has shown the possibility of the appearance of oscillating modes in the appropriate range of reaction parameters that characterize the composition, pressure, reagents flow, thermophysical features of the system, and geometry of the reactor. The appearance of oscillating modes is connected both with the reaction kinetics, heat release and sink and reagents introduction and removing. At that, oscillations appear only at a limited range of parameters, but can be accompanied by significant change in the yield of products. We have determined the range of initial temperature and pressure at which oscillations can be observed, if all other parameters remained fixed. The boundaries of existence of oscillations on the phase plane were calculated. It was shown that depending on the position inside the oscillation region the oscillations have different frequency and amplitude. It was reviled the role of heat exchange with the environment: at the absence of heat exchange the oscillating modes are impossible. In the vicinity of the boundary of phase range, where oscillations exist, significant change of concentration of some products were observed, for example, that of CO2, which in this case one of the principal products is. At that, insignificant increase in pressure not only change the character of CO2 behaving with time, but as well lead to significant increase of its mole fraction simultaneously twice decreasing the mole fraction of CO.


Web-based e-Learning is free from time and space to learn. It is very convenient to study without going to school. But web-based e-Learning has a merit and demerits. Most of web-based e-Learning learners used to study alone in isolated space. This is major shortcoming of the web-based e-Learning. Virtual presence e-Learning method using learning record of collective intelligence has a facility to study concurrent learning. It uses study records of other students to support e-Learning student to use the study history such as questions, comment etc. This approach has an effect virtual presence of lots students.


The authors offered a method of computerized analysis to solve the problems met in the manual measurement of the signal of phrenic nerve discharge (PND). An envelope was gained via digital fullwave rectification and filter from the acquired PND signal. From it, some important parameters were measured automatically. The program ran well in animal experiments. The values of the PND parameters obtained by computer showed no significant difference as compared with the averaged values measured manually by researchers.


The paper presents a performance characteristics of a pneumatic launcher, which is an important element of the split Hopkinson bar set-up (SHPB) at the Department of Military Engineering and Infrastructure (the Military University of Technology in Warsaw) for the purpose of dynamic strength tests of construction materials. The process of experimental calibration of the launcher for selected loading bar-projectiles is shown. Two types of compression during direct impact tests were also used simultaneously to investigate the behaviour of metallic samples with the use of this launcher as well as the Hopkinson measuring bar: the first — a short cylindrical sample, including a miniature (small diameter) sample, and the second — a long cylindrical sample (Taylor test). The relationships describing the stress and strain state as a function of strain rate for the first type of the experiment and engineering empirical formulas for the second type of the research were given.


Subject area

The major issues discussed in the case are related to first-mover advantage, segmenting, targeting and positioning and marketing strategy.

Study level/applicability

The case could be discussed in a postgraduate program for marketing and brand management and also for strategic management. It could also be used for an executive development program for marketing and business strategy.

Case overview

The present case is on the Renault Duster, a compact SUV (sports utility vehicle) launched by Renault India in 2012. Equipped with attractive design, innovative features and smart technology, the company used buzz marketing and social media marketing to promote the brand. Competitive pricing of Duster attracted both premium hatchback and sedan buyers in India as the company realized both sales and awards. However, sales started declining from the second half of 2013, and competition used both pricing strategy and exhaustive mass media advertising to compete with the Duster. The other cars from Renault India could not replicate the success of the Duster, which was contributing to around 80 per cent of the total sales of the company in India. Renault thus faced the challenge of losing their ground in the Indian market if they could not revive the sales of the Duster.

Expected learning outcomes

Product differentiation and brand positioning (the case is a good example of first-mover advantage); market segmentation and creating a new segment; branding strategy and the role of marketing communications in the same; analyze the role of a long term growth strategy and how it influences product/marketing strategy (business strategy course); understand the probable threats of business due to overdependence on one product (business strategy course); understand the impact of inter-firm rivalry on brandsuccess (business strategy course).

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes areavailable for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email email@example.com to request teaching notes.


Appropriate exposure control is prerogative for reducing the burden of disease (BOD) due to inadequate air quality indoors (IAQ). Ventilation with outdoor air is one of the available exposure control methods and is widespread. It is often assumed that this method will bring tangible effects on health. This paper examines whether the available archival epidemiological evidence provides information on the link between outdoor air ventilation and health that can be used for regulative purposes, when ventilation requirements for non-industrial built environments are set. To achieve this goal, multidisciplinary review was carried out of the scientific literature on health and outdoor air ventilation in non-industrial indoor environments (not covered by previous reviews on this topic) and of major reviews on this topic. The results show, that effects on health were seen for wide range of ventilation rates from 6-7 L/s per person, which were the lowest ventilation rates, at which no effects on some health outcomes were observed in field studies, until 25-40 L/s per person, which were in some studies the highest ventilation rates needed so no effects on health outcomes were seen. The actual contaminant exposures at various levels of ventilation were no characterized. It was observed that available data have many limitations, such as insufficient statistical power, incomplete data on the strength of pollution sources, diversity and variability of ventilation rates, at which effects have been seen, no standardized duration of exposures and diversity of the outcomes, as well as different sensibility of populations exposed. The health-ventilation relationship cannot thus competently be established, also because it must be admitted that outdoor air ventilation is only indirectly related to health by modifying exposures affecting health. It is concluded, that currently available epidemiological data do not provide sound basis for outdoor air ventilation requirements that can be universally applicable in different public and residential buildings to protect against health risks. They show minimum rates at which some health outcomes can be avoided, but these may not be generalized for the entire population of buildings, and thus cannot be used for setting minimum standards and/or regulations. Consequently, ventilation should not be advocated as the only solution to modify exposures, and should be implemented together with, and preferably after, other methods of controlling exposures have been fully exploited.


Internet of Things (IoT) has catapulted human ability to control our environments through ubiquitous sensing, communication, computation, and actuation. Over the past few years, IoT has joined forces with Machine Learning (ML) to embed deep intelligence at the far edge. TinyML (Tiny Machine Learning) has enabled the deployment of ML models for embedded vision on extremely lean edge hardware, bringing the power of IoT and ML together. However, TinyML powered embedded vision applications are still in a nascent stage, and they are just starting to scale to widespread real-world IoT deployment. To harness the true potential of IoT and ML, it is necessary to provide product developers with robust, easy-to-use software engineering (SE) frameworks and best practices that are customized for the unique challenges faced in TinyML engineering. Through this systematic literature review, we aggregated the key challenges reported by TinyML developers and identified state-of-art SE approaches in large-scale Computer Vision, Machine Learning, and Embedded Systems that can help address key challenges in TinyML based IoT embedded vision. In summary, our study draws synergies between SE expertise that embedded systems developers and ML developers have independently developed to help address the unique challenges in the engineering of TinyML based IoT embedded vision.


Stylosanthes species are important forage legumes in tropical and subtropical areas. S. macrocephala and S. capitata germplasm collections that consist of 134 and 192 accessions, respectively, are maintained at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation Cerrados (Embrapa-Cerrados). Polymorphic microsatellite markers were used to assess genetic diversity and population structure with the aim to assemble a core collection. The mean values of HO and HE for S. macrocephala were 0.08 and 0.36, respectively, whereas the means for S. capitata were 0.48 and 0.50, respectively. Roger's genetic distance varied from 0 to 0.83 for S. macrocephala and from 0 to 0.85 for S. capitata. Analysis with STRUCTURE software distinguished five groups among the S. macrocephala accessions and four groups among those of S. capitata. Nei's genetic diversity was 27% in S. macrocephala and 11% in S. capitata. Core collections were assembled for both species. For S. macrocephala, all of the allelic diversity was represented by 23 accessions, whereas only 13 accessions were necessary to represent all allelic diversity for S. capitata. The data presented herein evidence the population structure present in the Embrapa-Cerrados germplasm collections of S. macrocephala and S. capitata, which may be useful for breeding programs and germplasm conservation.


Based on data provided through the National Deaths in Custody Program, this paper summarises information on deaths in custody in Australia for the year 2000. During 2000, there were 91 deaths in police, prison and juvenile custody, the majority occurring in prison custody. There were 25 police custody deaths, and two juvenile detention deaths. In the period under review there was a total of 17 Indigenous deaths. The leading cause of death for Indigenous and non Indigenous persons in custody during 2000 was self inflicted injury.


This thesis investigates the feasibility of using a
complex model with a Monte Carlo simulation model to forecast the
financial, personnel, and manufacturing capacity resources needed
for biologic drug development. Accurate forecasting is integral
across industries in order to make strong longterm, strategic
decisions and an area many companies struggle with. The resources
required for the development of a biologic drug are especially hard
to estimate due to the variability in the time and probability of
success of each development phase. However, in the pharmaceutical
industry getting products to market faster allows the company more
time to recoup the substantial development investments before the
patent expires and also potentially has a large impact on a
company's market share. For these reasons, Novartis Biologics
wanted to develop a simulation model to provide an objective
opinion and assist them in their long-range planning. This thesis
describes the design, development, and functionalities of the
resultant model. During validation runs, the model demonstrated
accuracy of greater than 90% when compared against historical data
for headcount, number of campaigns, costs, and projects per year.
In addition, the model contains Monte Carlo simulation capabilities
to allow users to forecast variability and test the sensitivity of
the results. This proves the model can be confidently used by
project management, operations, and finance to predict their
respective future resource needs.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate developmental trajectories in peer-reported aggressive behavior across the transition from elementary-to-middle school, and whether aggressive behavior trajectories were associated with friendship quality, friends' aggressive behavior, and the ways in which children think about their friendships.

METHOD
Participants included a community sample of 230 5th grade children who were assessed when they made a transition from elementary-to-middle school (6th grade). Peer nominations were used to assess the target child's and friend's aggressive behavior. Self- and friend reports were used to measure friendship quality; friendship understanding was assessed via a structured interview.

RESULTS
General Growth Mixture Modeling (GGMM) revealed three distinct trajectories of peer-reported aggressive behavior across the school transition: low-stable, decreasing, and increasing. Adolescents' understanding of friendship formation differentiated the decreasing from the low-stable aggressive behavior trajectories, and the understanding of friendship trust differentiated the increasing from the low-stable aggressive and decreasing aggressive behavior trajectories.

CONCLUSIONS
The findings indicated that a sophisticated understanding of friendship may serve as a protective factor for initially aggressive adolescents as they transition into middle school. Promoting a deepened understanding of friendship relations and their role in one's own and others' well-being may serve as an important prevention and intervention strategy to reduce aggressive behavior.


This article is a serious exercise in literary game theory, exploring literary polemics from a playful perspective based on the work of Huizinga and Caillois. Often regarded as simply a game, polemics does indeed show all the formal characteristics of play Huizinga stresses; it is a free and gratuitous activity taking place in a clearly demarcated space outside ordinary life and according to strict rules. It shares the essential relation between play and art that Huizinga posits, but also the essential elements of show and competition. Polemics, it is argued here, thus is a form of verbal duelling like courtly flyting and the Black American ritual of sounding. In polemics, however, the rules are not always dear, play space is easily confused with real life and ritual with real insult. The polemicist plays on this ambivalence between play and seriousness, displaying his verbal creativity and confirming his own and his reader's freedom.


For over four decades, evidence has accumulated indicating a role for prostaglandins (PGs) in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (1). Nevertheless, although some patients with rheumatoid arthritis may demonstrate considerable benefit from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (2), the striking effects observed in animal models are not usually observed in most patients. Furthermore, the more specific inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which have less serious gastrointestinal toxicity, have not been shown to have greater efficacy than the older, less specific drugs (3, 4). Several possible explanations for relatively weak clinical responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis contrasted with strong effects in animal models of arthritis have been proposed. Recent findings of subtypes of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) receptors encoded by different genes with different tissue distribution and coupled to different intracellular signaling events (5–7) have now suggested the means to take a new look at how PGs could function in joint inflammation.

In this issue of the JCI, McCoy et al. (8) report on having used mice with targeted mutations in each of the PGE receptors so far identified, EP1, EP2, EP3 and EP4, to take a deeper look into possible functions of PGE2 in joint inflammation. They employed a collagen antibody protocol to induce arthritis (CAIA) in mice, producing clinically evident disease within a few days of injection and major joint pathology by 10 days. In this system, EP4–/– mice showed a profound decrease in the intensity of the inflammation, as well as a decrease in markers of joint destruction, compared to that in the other receptor null mice, clearly indicating the importance of the EP4 receptor in the pathogenesis of collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA).

Although the attenuated inflammatory response in EP4–/– mice is clear, evidence for the protective effects of the mutation EP4 on damage to joint structures is less compelling. The advantage of using a mouse model with rapid onset of arthritis, as contrasted with the standard, more chronic model of type II collagen-induced arthritis, is to some extent offset by the lesser degree of cartilage and bone damage in the CAIA protocol and the paucity of erosions characteristic of progressive human rheumatoid arthritis. Here, the authors followed damage to articular cartilage by Safranin Red staining for proteoglycans and immunostaining using a monoclonal antibody that detects an epitope in an unfolded cleavage fragment of type II collagen, and they state that bone destruction was reduced specifically in EP4–/– animals.

Indirect support for this conclusion comes from earlier studies (9, 10) of EP receptor function during bone remodeling, employing agonists specific for each EP subtype or targeted EP receptor mutation. Ex vivo bone resorption by cultured, wild-type–mouse calvariae has been found to be markedly stimulated by either PGE2 or an EP4 agonist, but only slightly by an EP2 agonist and not at all by EP1 and EP3 agonists. The enhanced bone resorption correlates with cAMP production and an increase in the population of large, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive osteoclasts. It is also accompanied by increased expression of matrix metalloproteinases such as MMP-2 and MMP-13, and of the receptor activator of NF–κB ligand, which is associated with increased osteoclast formation and activity. In studies of mice with a targeted null mutation in each of the four EP subtypes, only mice lacking the EP4 subtype had blunted bone-resorptive responses to PGE2; as would be predicted, these mutant mice retained the normal response to dibutyryl cyclicAMP, which bypasses signaling through the PGE receptors. Bone resorption in response to inflammatory cytokines and other ligands that act through PGE2 production were also blunted in EP4–/– mice.

Thus, the EP4-mediated bone resorption observed by McCoy et al. (8) may result from local inflammation. Indeed, experiments using PGG/H synthase-2–deficient (Cox2–/–) mice (11) have shown that normal activity of this enzyme and, therefore, normal responses generating PGE2 are required for stimulation of bone resorption by parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D. Although the latter molecules are usually not grouped among inflammatory cytokines, 1,25 (OH)2vitamin D is produced by immune cells, and the presence of parathyroid hormone–related protein has been demonstrated in cellular infiltrates in rheumatoid joints (12).

Skeletal actions of PGE2 are not limited to stimulating bone resorption; PGE2 can also induce bone formation in humans and other animals. Of particular interest is the finding that PGE2 induces increased bone formation in EP1-, EP2- and EP3-deficient, but not EP4-deficient, mice and that only an EP4-selective agonist can induce bone formation in wild-type mice (13). A selective EP4 agonist also prevents the bone loss that follows ovariectomy. Osteoblast differentiation and bone nodule formation in bone marrow stromal cell cultures is diminished in Cox2–/– mice and is correlated with reduced expression of two genes critical for osteoblast function, Cbfa1 and Osterix (14). Thus, as has also been seen for PTH, dosage and scheduling may determine whether bone resorption or bone formation predominates following treatment with EP4 agonists.

All of these observations point to a major role for PGE2 in inflammatory responses and skeletal remodeling events in mice, but we need to understand why this role does not appear to be as impressive in human rheumatoid arthritis. Is inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis simply incomplete at current recommended dosages of COX-2 antagonists or the older nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs? Do other, as-yet-unidentified ligands act on EP receptors in the absence of prostaglandins? Would the therapeutic effects of EP4 antagonists be more evident than the therapeutic effects of COX-2 inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis? A facile reference to "species differences" will not help here. Informative, creative experiments like those in the present work and the others noted will be needed to resolve the apparent discrepancies and provide useful therapies for human arthritis.


With greater emphasis now being placed on the durability of concrete and the need for on-site characterization of concrete for durability, there is an increasing dependence on the measurement of the permeation properties of concrete. Such properties can be measured in the laboratory under controlled ambient conditions, namely, temperature and relative humidity, and comparisons made between samples not affected by testing conditions. An important factor that influences permeation measurements is the moisture state of the concrete prior to testing. Moisture gradients are known to exist in exposed concretes; therefore, all laboratory tests are generally carried out after preconditioning to a reference moisture state. This is reasonably easy to achieve in the laboratory, but more difficult to carry out on-site. Different methods of surface preconditioning in situ concrete are available; however, there is no general agreement on the suitability of any one method. Therefore, a comprehensive set of experiments was carried out with four different preconditioning methods. Results from these investigations indicated that only superficial drying could be achieved by using any of the preconditioning methods investigated and that significant moisture movement below a depth of 15 mm was not evident.


Unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) is a suitable option for those who lack HLA-matched sibling donors. However, opportunistic infections (OI), with the majority detected in the first 100 days, remain the major cause of of non-relapse mortality with almost all death ocurring in the first 6 months. Over the past 5 years we have studied the reconstitution of immunity in the immediate post-UCBT period in >150 pediatric UCBT recipients to identify those at risk for OI. Several graft and patient-specific variables were identified as significant confounders when the laboratory measurements of dendritic and T cell reconstitution was analyzed. Here, we set out to analyze the impact of these factors on the 6 months post-UCBT OI-related mortality by analyzing all consecutive patients transplanted during the same time period. Between June 1999 and Oct. 2005, 330 pediatric recipients of single UCB grafts were identified. Those receiving a second transplant for primary graft failure were not analyzed. 220 of the 330 patients were alive at 6 months (67%). Of the 110 children who died by 6 months, 46 patients were identified where OI (viral, fungal, protozoal infections) could not be implicated as a cause of death. After removing these from the analysis, 284 patients remained; 200 (77%) were alive at 6 onths and 64 (23%) died at or before 6 months related to OI. Using these 284 patients, nine predictors were tested in logistic regression models to test for risk to die due to OI by 6 months. First, six variables describing the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were entered into the model. These variables were gender, race (white/non-white), age at UCBT, CMV serology (pos/neg), HLA mismatches (0,1,2,3 antigen mismatch), and a 3-level categorical variable indicating whether indication for UCBT was non-malignant condition treated with chemotherapy alone (n=121, 42%), malignancy treated with regimens including TBI (n=116, 41%) or malignancy treated with no TBI (n=47, 17%). Gender and race did not predict death (p-values=0.45 and 0.99, respectively). A greater probability of death was found for patients who were CMV positive (p=0.0002), had a greater number of HLA mismatches (p=0.02), and were older (0.002). Patients with malignancy treated without TBI had the greatest probability of death (0.39), followed by those with no malignancy (0.25); patients with malignancy treated with TBI had the smallest probability of death related to OI (0.17) (p= 0.006). Since the three dosing variables, CD34+, CD3+, and total cell dose/kg were highly correlated with each other, they were entered separately into this model (resulting in p-values = 0.05, 0.23, 0.02, respectively). When all three dosing variables were entered simultaneously into the model the resulting p-values were 0.36, 0.27, and 0.07, respectively, demonstrating the superiority of total cell dose/kg to the CD34+ dose of the graft. This analysis demonstrates that patient and graft-specific confounders will have significant impact on mortality due to OI. Opportunistic infections (most being viral) is the most prevalent cause of death in the first 6 months after UCBT. This data can serve to develop risk models to stratify patients into risk groups and determine who may benefit from novel therapeutic interventions.


This paper considers a process and framework for the selection of hardware, software and firmware components for computer-based systems during the final stages of preliminary design. ESTEVAL, a prototype design decision support tool, was developed to investigate and illustrate the role of concurrent engineering in preliminary design, particularly system configuring. ESTEVAL provides a framework for design decision support for the selection of components for system configuring based on multiple design attributes.


After demonstrating the efficacy of adapting visual references (3D renders and photos) to concept art for high-budget game development and film production, this contribution suggests a specific approach for the digital artist to produce the uncanny valley when designing monsters. This article illustrates the importance of embedding visual references into the artwork for time efficiency, correct use of perspective and establishment of believable textures. In particular, the search for realism shows to be advantageous in design uncanny monsters. Visual references can be manipulated in software such as Photoshop to prepare not only the blueprints for the 3D modelling/sculpting stage but also to design the special effects makeup for live-action monsters. This contribution fills a gap between our current understanding of the uncanny valley and the process of designing characters; it suggests an efficient approach to monster-making for entertainment and sheds a light on contemporary concept art practices. This is important for a dual reason: (a) it moves knowledge forward in the field of the uncanny valley's applications to concept art since this has not been investigated in depth in other works; (b) it helps professional concept artists in shaping and controlling the uncanniness of antagonistic characters.


Modern manufacturing methods enable screw compressors to be constructed to such close tolerances that full 3-D numerical calculation of the heat and fluid flow through them is required to obtain the maximum possible improvements in their design. An independent stand-alone CAD-CFD interface program has therefore been developed by the authors in order to generate a numerical grid for this purpose. Modifications implemented to the CFD procedure improved solutions in complex domains with strong pressure gradients. The interface employs a procedure to produce rotor profiles and an analytical transfinite interpolation method to obtain a fully structured 3-D numerical mesh, which is directly transferable to a CFD code. Some features, which include an adaptive meshing procedure, mesh orthogonalization and smoothing, are employed to generate a numerical mesh which can take advantage of the techniques used in recent finite volume numerical method solvers. These were required to overcome problems associated with i) rotor domains which stretch and slide relative to each other and along the housing ii) robust calculations in domains with significantly different geometry ranges. iii) a grid moving technique with a constant number of vertices. Some changes had to be made within the solver functions to increase the speed of calculation. These include a means to maintain constant pressures at the inlet and outlet ports and consideration of two-phase flow resulting from oil injection in the working chamber. The pre-processor code and calculating method have been tested on a commercial CFD solver to obtain flow simulations and integral parameter calculations. The results of calculations on an oil injected screw compressor are presented in this paper and compared with experimental results.


SUMMARY
The signaling Petri net (SPN) simulator, designed to provide insights into the trends of molecules' activity levels in response to an external stimulus, contributes to the systems biology necessity of analyzing the dynamics of large-scale cellular networks. Implemented into the freely available software, BioLayout Express(3D), the simulator is publicly available and easy to use, provided the input files are prepared in the GraphML format, typically using the network editing software, yEd, and standards specific to the software. However, analysis of complex networks represented using other systems biology formatting languages (on which popular software, such as CellDesigner and Cytoscape, are based) requires manual manipulation, a step that is prone to error and limits the use of the SPN simulator in BioLayout Express(3D). To overcome this, we present a Cytoscape plug-in that enables users to automatically convert networks for analysis with the SPN simulator from the standard systems biology markup language. The automation of this step opens the SPN simulator to a far larger user group than has previously been possible.

AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION
Distributed under the GNU General Public License Version 3 at http://apps.cytoscape.org/apps/spnconverter.


Estimating groundwater quality parameters through conventional methods is time-consuming through laboratory measurements for megacities. There is a need to develop models that can help decision-makers make policies for sustainable groundwater reserves. The current study compared the efficiency of multivariate linear regressions (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) models in the prediction of groundwater parameters for total dissolved solids (TDS) for three sub-divisions in Lahore, Pakistan. The data for this study were collected every quarter of a year for six years. ANN was applied to investigate the feasibility of feedforward, backpropagation neural networks with three training functions T-BR (Bayesian regularization backpropagation), T-LM (Levenberg–Marquardt backpropagation), and T-SCG (scaled conjugate backpropagation). Two activation functions were used to analyze the performance of algorithmic training functions, i.e., Logsig and Tanh. Input parameters of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), chloride (Cl−), and sulfate (SO42−) was used to predict TDS as an output parameter. The computed values of TDS by ANN and MLR were in close agreement with their respective measured values. Comparative analysis of ANN and MLR showed that TDS root means square error (RMSE) for city sub-division and Pearson's coefficient of correlation (r) for ANN and MLR were 2.9% and 0.981 and 4.5% and 0.978, respectively. Similarly, for the Farrukhabad sub-division, RMSE and r for ANN were 4.9% and 0.952, while RMSE and r for MLR were 5.5% and 0.941, respectively. For the Shahadra sub-division, RMSE was 10.8%, r was 0.869 for ANN, RMSE was 11.3%, and r was 0.860 for MLR. The results exhibited that the ANN model showed less error in results than MLR. Therefore, ANN can be employed successfully as a groundwater quality prediction tool for TDS assessment.


The dynamics of BCS (Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer) superconductors is fairly well understood due to the availability of a mean-field solution for the pairing Hamiltonian, a solution which gives the quantum state of a superconductor as a state of almost-free fermions interacting only with a condensate. As a result, transition probabilities may be computed, and expressed in terms of matrix elements of electron creation and annihilation operators between approximate eigenstates. These matrix elements are also called ``coherence factors.'' Mean-field theory is however not sufficient to describe all eigenstates of a superconductor, a deficiency which is hardly important in (or very close to) equilibrium, but one that becomes relevant in certain out-of-equilibrium situations. We report here on a computation of matrix elements (coherence factors) for the pairing Hamiltonian between any ``two-arc'' eigenstates in the thermodynamic limit.


Two middle aged female patients developed hallucinations and severe confusion with paranoid features during oral tocainide administration at recommended dosage levels. Both patients had evidence of impaired renal function. Symptoms were provoked on re-challenge in the first patient. In the second patient the tocainide blood level was higher than the recommended therapeutic range. Both patients reverted to their normal mental state on withdrawal of the drug.


We previously demonstrated high levels of inactive renin (IR) in nephrectomized rat plasma which provided evidence for extra-renal sources of IR. However, the sources of IR were unknown. This study examined whether the adrenal gland is capable of producing active renin (AR) and IR, using explants of adrenal capsules (glomerulosa portions) from control and nephrectomized (Nepex) rats. Explants from both control and Nepex rats produced large quantities of IR and small quantities of AR. The productions of both IR and AR in Nepex rats were significantly greater than in control rats. High potassium culture medium markedly increased IR and slightly, but significantly, enhanced AR in both control and Nepex rats. On the other hand, sodium had little effect on either IR or AR. A renin-angiotensin system has been reported in the adrenal gland. Recently, a prorenin activating enzyme was demonstrated in the kidney and the aortic wall. The next study was performed to demonstrate the existence of a prorenin activating enzyme in the adrenal gland, using inactive renin from culture medium from Nepex rat explants as the substrate. A 26 KD component in adrenal zona glomerulosa tissues isolated by Sephacryl S-200 column chromatography, converted IR to AR in IR rich medium. The pH optimum for prorenin activation by the enzyme was 6.5. Inhibitor studies indicate that this enzyme is a serine protease. These data suggest that (1) the adrenal gland is an extra-renal source of inactive renin and (2) a prorenin activating enzyme exists in the adrenal gland.


Research techniques in animal ecology: controversies and consequences is just that, a critical examination of some of the most commonly used means of assessing animal populations. Each chapter identifies limitations, common misuses, and possible solutions for gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data in a variety of research areas. The edited volume contains 11 chapters and results from a workshop held at the Ettore Majorana Centre for Scientific Culture in Erice, Sicily in December 1996. The preface starts out by reminding us that ecology is rooted in the scientific method, but as Charles Krebs points out in the first chapter, a paradigm that is often overlooked. Krebs appropriately starts off with a simple, clear, and concise review of the scientific method and the role of hypothesis testing in advancing our understanding of animal ecology. Krebs defines and distinguishes among key terms such as theory, hypothesis, models, experiments and facts. We are left with several key recommendations such as stating working (not null) hypotheses, removing value judgements and biases in research design, using statistical estimation more than statistical inference, and addressing ecologically significant and not trivial problems. In Chapter 2, Dennis Murray and Mark Fuller cite over 300 references to provide a critical review of the effects of marking on the biology of vertebrates. An assumption that is often made in marking animals for identification is that marking has no significant effect on the animals, an assumption that lacks rigor in testing for most marking techniques and species. Fish tags, fin mutilation, radiotransmitters, leg band color, neckbands, and toe clipping have been shown to have significant effects on animals. The authors provide guidance on the best techniques to use and how to evaluate their effectiveness in achieving research goals. Roger Powell (Chapter 3) provides a thorough analysis and critique of the various methods used in estimating home range size and space use in animals. The chapter focuses heavily on techniques used to estimate how rather than why animals use space. Eleven pages are devoted to reviewing methods for estimating home ranges and only three pages to territories. In that I think territories are much more interesting than home ranges, I would prefer to see these priorities reversed. I was disappointed that Powell misrepresented my paradigm on territoriality in female mammals by citing an opposing example of territoriality in male birds. But other than that, Powell is one of the experts on evaluating methods for estimating home ranges and should be commended for his treatise of this subject. In Chapter 4, David Garshelis provides the best review I have read on habitat evaluations. This is "must reading" for all ecologists, especially wildlife managers and conservation biologists. Garshelis makes a special effort to point out the delusions in habitat evaluations by inappropriate measurements and use of the terms of "use," "selection," "preference," and "importance." Garshelis points out that habitat evaluations are often flawed because they do not take into consideration sex-age, social status, time of day, season, year, and they often group animals rather than look at individuals. Considering all the flaws and problems in evaluating habitat use by animals, I am skeptical that most habitat evaluations currently published have much relevance to ecology. The essence of this chapter can be summarized by Garshelis's qoute of E. M. Kirsch: "Unfortunately, proximate habitat features may not indicate habitat suitability, nor do they reveal the possible selective pressures that influence habitat selection in a system. One must measure components of fitness, determine factors that influence fitness, and relate fitness and factors influencing fitness to habitats or habitat features." John Litvaitis starts Chapter 5 with the question "Why study food habits?" By the end of the chapter, neither I nor the author know the answer. It seems that nearly every field ecologist studies food habits of their beast at one time or another, but there is little evidence that food habits ever answers any important ecological question. Supposedly food habits should explain something about population parameters, competitive interactions, or optimal foraging, but results of food habits studies have never contributed much to any of these. Hundreds of papers have been published on food habits of animals and probably an equal number on food addition studies, yet the mammal, bird, and wildlife literature is inundated with a plethora of more of the same every year. Because of all the problems and limitations of food habits analyses, the author reminds us that the utility of the food habits analysis should be reconsidered before any such study is conducted. Population ecologists seek to explain why some animals are rare whereas others are common, as well as what accounts for observed changes in density. "Detecting stability and causes of change in population density" is the subject of Chapter 6 by Joseph Elkinton. Elkinton provides us with a simple and easy-to-follow summary of analysis of data for time series and mortality and survival, and detection of delayed density dependence. As in all chapters in the book, the author identifies the limitations of various methods that ecologists use to study dynamics of populations making this chapter must reading before doing field studies in population ecology. Elkinton's advice to those "... embarking on such studies is to maintain a healthy skepticism of all the techniques and to take a multipronged approach." In my research design class, I teach students to avoid research that involves terms such as "census," "monitor," "count," and so forth. After reading James Gibbs' Chapter


UNLABELLED
There is little information on the surgical management of Takayasu's arteritis in children and adolescents. Information on 30 patients aged between eight and 17 years was culled from a prospectively maintained database on the Vascular Service of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. Twenty-one patients had involvement of the descending aorta; in 19, this was confined to the aorta (type 2 disease). One had associated arch disease (type 3) and one had associated cardiac disease (type 4). One patient had isolated axillary artery occlusion (type 5). Eight patients had disease confined to the aortic arch (type 1), 22 had occlusive disease and eight were aneurysmal. All patients had operative repairs undertaken. There were no peri-operative deaths in the group who had cerebrovascular reconstruction, and one death (4.5%) in those who had descending aortic replacement. Patients were followed up for between one month and 11 years. Hypertension was improved or cured in 10 of 12 patients. Two died during this period and another five patients (20%) required further surgery for stenosis (three patients) or anastomotic aneurysms (two).

CONCLUSION
Bypass surgery yields satisfactory results in this age group in terms of peri-operative and medium-term mortality and morbidity.


The newer knowledge of nutrition shows that cereals and seed products are deficient in calcium, sodium, chlorine, and unknown substances, called fat-soluble A and water-soluble B sometimes referred to as "vitamines" or "accessory food factors." McCollum(1) in America, has gone the length of proving bj actual experiment that cows and their calves can be raised to perfection on nothing but the complete maize plant, although maize grain is well known as a very incomplete food. In spite of his demonstration, and in spite of the obvious fact that nothing could be more like grass than an entire cereal plant and therefore suited to herbivora, very few practical or theoretical agriculturists recognise that straw is the most likely thing in the world to correct for the deficiencies of grain feeding. The difficulty is to get straw that is eatable. The practical farmer, when he happens to get a good sample, accepts it as a gift of fate and is content to turn it into profit for himself as soon as he can. The object of the enquiry, or rather the series of enquiries of which this forms a part, is to adopt the more scientific mode of procedure and endeavour to find out what differences of feeding value naturally occur in oat straw, and which of the conditions needed for high feeding value could be repeated at will, and what light such investigation threw on the old question of why farmers in some districts can fatten cattle on swedes and straw whilst in other districts it is found impossible. Oat straw is plentiful in this country and is probably well supplied with the so-called food accessories, that is the things that the grains lack; the problem at issue is how to get more of the eatable kind and less of the uneatable kind. Provided that the straw is eaten in fair quantity, the possible diminution of growth power, by partial destruction of vitamines due to keeping straw in the stack, is of no practical importance because of the large amount of the straw.


This paper describes the basic learning on the school improvement process that has been made in recent decades and presents a conceptual framework for the school improvement as it is currently understood. This framework provides the foundation and introduction to the various fields of research that are integrated into the area of Education and School Organization (ESO). In the second part is presented the sub-line Research in School Organization that, beside the other sub-line Information Techologies conforme the line that, from ESO, is worked in the discipline school organization in the universitary master of educational psychology and specific didactics.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the disease spectrum of patients admitted to the General Internal Medicine Unit at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, which is the first academic division of general internal medicine in the department of medicine within Chinese medical colleges and universities, and the value of general internal medicine unit in comprehensive hospitals.

METHODS
A retrospective data review of patients admitted to the General Internal Medicine Unit from 2004 to 2008 was conducted from hospital information system and partially by chart review manually. Analysis of disease spectrum was performed thereafter.

RESULTS
A total of 2593 patients were included in our study. It consisted of 1075 men and 1518 women, with an average age of 45.1 years old. Forty point three percent of these patients were from Beijing, the local city, and the remaining 59.7% were from outside of Beijing. Sixty-four point nine percent (1683/2593) of these patients did not have a clear diagnosis on admission, including 758 fever of unknown origin (FUO) cases and 925 non-FUO cases. The final diagnostic rate of the FUO cases was 89.2% [676/758, with the first three leading causes as diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (29.8%), certain infectious and parasitic diseases (26.3%), and neoplasm (14.5%)]. The final diagnostic rate of the 928 non-FUO cases was 86.8% (803/925), with the first three leading causes as musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (24.9%), neoplasm (15.5%), and diseases of blood and blood-forming organs (11.4%). Despite most diagnoses fitting into the above categories, the array of diseases was broad with as many as 550 discharge diagnoses from 2004 to 2008.

CONCLUSIONS
During 2004 - 2008, there was a high proportion of cases that presented to the General Internal Medicine Unit at Peking Union Medical College Hospital with an unclear diagnosis, and the spectrum of diseases diagnosed was very broad. This kind of patient admitting model might not only benefit patients with no clear admission diagnosis and patients with multidisciplinary medical problems for whom it is usually difficult to be admitted by a specialty unit, but would also benefit medical students and residents by providing a good clinical medicine teaching base. These features show the value of general internal unit in comprehensive hospitals.


Nonotubes and nanowires are expected to have interesting thermophysical properties. For example, unusually high thermal conductivity and possibly low-temperature quantized thermal conductance have been predicted for carbon nanotubes (Berber et al. 2000). Meanwhile, other nanowires, such as Bi wires, may have suppressed thermal conductivity and high thermoelectric figure of merit (Volz and Chen). However, there lacks of experimental proof of these predictions because there are no established methods to measure the thermophysical properties of nanotubes and nanowires. Up to date, there are very few measurement data of thermal properties of nanotubes as well as nanowires (Hone et al. 1998, 1999, and 2000; Mizel et al., 1999). To provide a platform for concurrently measuring thermal conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of nanotubes and nanowires, a microdevice has been designed and used for measuring multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNs). Figure 1 shows the scanning electron micrographs of the microdevice. The device is a suspended structure consisting of two adjacent 10 μm × 10 μm silicon nitride (SiNx) membranes or islands suspended with three (or four) 200-μm long and 2 μm wide silicon nitride beams. One 30 nm thick, 200 nm wide, and 150 μm long platinum (Pt) heater/thermometer coil was built on each island. The heater coil is connected to contact pads with 200 μm long and 1μm wide Pt lines.


The regulatory environment for decommissioning has changed dramatically since the promulgation of the final rule for decommissioning by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which was issued in July 1997 as revisions to 10 CFR Part 20. This paper discusses the impact of the new regulatory developments on reactor decommissioning, with particular emphasis on research reactors. An example of a university research reactor decommissioning is used to illustrate the impact of the new regulatory environment.


Abstract Combining global perspectives with localized case studies and integrating scientific and material evidence of environmental change in historical narratives are amongst the main challenges for the field of global history in addressing the dawn of the Anthropocene. In this article, we trace the relationship of the city of Gerasa (Jerash, Jordan) with its riverine hinterland, from the first millennium BCE until the nineteenth century CE. We argue that the study of long-term historical trajectories of microregions not only depends on context from regional and global history timelines, but also has the potential to provide insights relevant to those scales in return. Zooming in and scaling up must go hand in hand in order for global history perspectives to be properly informed, and archaeology and natural sciences have crucial insights to offer – although importantly only when evidence comes from well-contextualized frameworks.


This study was designed to explore the relations among the intention of using Nike Facebook fan page, brand image and purchase intention. The subjects were the users who used the Nike Facebook fan page through the internet, surveyed through internet questionnaire by convenience sampling and snowball sampling. The amount of valid questionnaires is 450. According to the data collected from the internet questionnaire, descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA and Structural Equation Modeling were applied for data analysis. The results were as following: (1) the main group of Nike Facebook fan page users were mainly male college students aged 25 and below. Most of them were light users that used Nike Facebook fan page once a week and 30 minutes a day; (2) the behavioral intention of Nike Facebook fan page users was above average of evaluation and the brand image and purchase intention were strongly agree; (3) different using purposes, frequency and time toward using intention, brand image and purchase intention were significantly different; (4) the path model of using intention, brand image and purchase intention at Nike Facebook fan page users is appropriate. Furthermore, the using intention would affect brand image, and it would affect purchase intention through brand image. Based on the results, suggestions were as following: (1) operators could interact with users by holding promotions or lottery of certain sport products to attract consumers; expand user populations and develop the potential market of female by increasing female-related sport information and activities; (2) the update rate and quality of fan page is extremely important. Operators should increase fans' stickiness and loyalty by raising interesting questions and developing more applications; (3) operators could build up two-way communication and improve users' intention of using fan page by giving appropriate permission to post or creating discussion forum; (4) operators should open QA (5) the online shop function should be added to increase the convenience of purchasing and to enhance the intention of purchase.


The chimeric protein PAX3-FOXO1, resulting from a translocation between chromosomes 2 and 13, is the most common genetic aberration in the alveolar subtype of the human skeletal muscle tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma. To understand how PAX3-FOXO1 contributes to tumor development, we isolated and characterized muscle cells from transgenic mice expressing PAX3-FOXO1 under control of the PAX3 promoter. We demonstrate that these myoblasts are unable to complete myogenic differentiation because of an inability to up-regulate p57Kip2 transcription. This defect is caused by reduced levels of the EGR1 transcriptional activator resulting from a direct, destabilizing interaction with PAX3-FOXO1. Neither PAX3 nor FOXO1 share the ability to regulate p57Kip2 transcription. Thus, the breakage and fusion of the genes encoding these transcription factors creates a unique chimeric protein that controls a key cell-cycle and -differentiation regulator.


This work presents a numerical simulation of the flow inside agitated well plates commonly used to study bacterial biofilms. The time-varying wall shear stresses are deduced from the calculated velocity field and validated experimentally. The results elucidate aspects of temporal and spatial distribution of the shear stresses acting on biofilm structures grown within these plates. It is shown that the shear stress distribution depends on both agitation frequency and local location at the bottom surface. Moreover, the mean shear stress field under orbital motion differs greatly from that under rotational motion.


Energy security, greenhouse gas emissions, and debate on climate change caused increased interest of penetrating of renewable power generation into power systems. Among the renewable power generation technologies, wind power generation takes a key share of load supply. However, the wind is intermittent and its output needs to rely on auxiliary supports to uniformly serve the energy customers. The emerging plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are a potential solution to mitigate intermittent effects of wind power outputs. PHEVs can provide a battery based energy storage solution to smooth intermittent outputs of wind power and they have the mobility advantage. This paper investigates the ability of PHEVs to enhance the reliability of an unbalanced power system that is integrated with wind farms. Operational characteristics of PHEVs are modelled by incorporating charging and discharging rates, depth of discharge, and their state of charge at times of use. Case studies suggest that strategic integration of PHEVs provides a considerable opportunity for wind power generation to be present in a power system in addition to the enhancement of reliability of power supply. Results argue that the level of PHEV supports does not necessarily correlate with the integration capacity of wind.


Molecular evaluation of EGFR mutation is indispensable in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We compared the results of EGFR analysis using tissue DNA (tDNA) and circulating tumor (ctDNA) to evaluate the feasibility of plasma as an effective material for detecting EGFR mutation and the reliability of ctDNA analysis in real-world practice settings. We enrolled 554 NSCLC cases who had undergone ctDNA EGFR analysis between January 2019 and March 2020. EGFR mutations were detected in 240 (57.3%) of the 421 cases with EGFR mutations confirmed by tDNA analysis. In multivariate analysis, the size of the largest tumor deposits, disease progression, M stage, the detectable amount of tumor tissue with EGFR mutation in distant metastasis, liver metastasis, pleural seeding, and bone metastasis (p < 0.05) were identified as independent factors affecting the detection rate of EGFR mutations in ctDNA. Survival analysis revealed ctDNA status and M stage (p < 0.001) to be independent predictors of overall survival in the multivariate analysis. Our study demonstrates that EGFR analysis using ctDNA is a useful clinical tool and can aid in therapeutic decisions in real-world practical settings. However, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of false negatives and confirm EGFR analysis using tDNA in certain situations.


Abstract Objectives. Melatonin initiates physiologic and therapeutic responses in various tissues through binding to poorly defined MT receptors regulated by G-proteins and purine nucleotides. Melatonin's interaction with other G-protein regulated receptors, including those of serotonin, is unclear. This study explores the potential for the interaction of melatonin with nucleotide and receptor ligand structures. Methods. The study uses a computational program to investigate relative molecular similarity by the comparative superimposition and quantitative fitting of molecular structures to adenine and guanine nucleotide templates. Results. A minimum energy melatonin conformer replicates the nucleotide fits of ligand structures that regulate Gαi and Gαq proteins via serotonin, dopamine, opioid, α-adrenoceptor, and muscarinic receptor classes. The same conformer also replicates the nucleotide fits of ligand structures regulating K+ and Ca2+ ion channels. The acyl-methoxy distance within the melatonin conformer matches a carbonyl-hydroxyl distance in guanine nucleotide. Conclusion. Molecular similarity within the melatonin and ligand structures relates to the established effects of melatonin on cell receptors regulated by purine nucleotides in cell signal transduction processes. Pharmacologic receptor promiscuity may contribute to the widespread effects of melatonin.


Two cases of functioning cysts are reported. The first patient was a 48-year-old man who underwent percutaneous cyst puncture for a palpable mass in the neck at another hospital. Hypercalcemic crisis brought the patient to Koga General Hospital. The second patient was a 69-year-old woman with the complaint of discomfort in the right neck of several years duration and with a palpable mass identified on physical examination at a local hospital. Both patients had high serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels and were diagnosed as having functioning parathyroid cysts by imaging studies including ultrasonography, computed tomographic scan, magnetic resonance imaging and scintigraphy. After parathyroidectomy, their serum calcium and PTH levels became normal, but calcium supplement was necessary in the first patient. To our knowledge, these are the 40th and 41st cases reported in the Japanese literature.


This book explores the implications of world renowned educationalist Paulo Freire's theories for educational practice and how his ideas can help in bridging different genres and traditions. It addresses themes, questions and issues that have received little attention to date, including Freire's conception of the critical intellectual, the problem of defining literacy, and the possibility of a Freirean response to debates over political correctness. Roberts also relates Freire's ideas to those of other writers: Israel Scheffler, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Hermann Hesse, among others. Paulo Freire in the 21st Century makes a distinctive contribution to the international literature on Freire's work.


Abstract
This paper examines beliefs and attitudes in the context of how they influence the decisions of university Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs) as a preface to undertaking an empirical study in this area. It also aims at establishing a conceptual framework to guide the design of a questionnaire targeting beliefs about research ethics and the implications of these beliefs on review practices of HREC members throughout Australia.

Using content analysis of the extant body of the literature the paper examines the relationship between the concepts of beliefs and knowledge, beliefs and attitudes, and among beliefs, attitudes and behaviour in the context of research ethics.

The discussion suggests that ethics approval practices can, at times, be influenced more by personal beliefs than by contemporary review standards. It is also suggested that personal beliefs can be transmitted through the review process and that HRECs can serve to influence the transfer of values from reviewers to researchers.

The framework that this paper presents has the potential to appraise an array of perspectives which in turn would guide the design of professional development programs. In addition, an improved, more nuanced understanding of how HREC members make ethical decisions will positively impact and inform best practice in the review of ethical applications for research projects.

The paper presents a novel theoretical framework underpinning research ethics reviewer beliefs and attitudes within a contemporary context.


Laboratory examinations of hemolytic anemia are described. Serum bilirubin, haptoglobin and reticulocyte counts as well as taking patient history are critical investigations for the screening of hemolytic anemia. In addition to routinely available examinations, the systematic investigation of hemoglobin, the membranes and red blood cell enzymes is required for the diagnosis of hemolytic anemia.


Within a comprehensive survey of Hungarian knowledge of, attitudes towards, and preferences among food labels and premium pricing, this study focused on customers' reactions to quality and origin labels. 1000 participants from across the nation took the survey. The sample's representativity was ensured by using quotas and multiple steps were taken to ensure total randomness in selection. It became obvious that consumers were looking for information about quality (rating its importance at 4.04 on a scale from 1 to 5) on the package, but data about origin (3.94) and production (3.89) were also important to them. The ability among respondents to spontaneously recall origin and quality markings was very limited: 35.5% of respondents could not name any such markings. The most well-known trademark was "Hungarian product" (30.5%), which was recognized by up to 90% of respondents after they were shown it. Many consumers were ready to pay a higher price for products bearing this trademark (31.7%). According to our results, information about quality is important for consumers, but they do not look for it deliberately, and only a few consumers ascribe a higher value to products with labels bearing it. Given this, marketers' best hope is to increase the value of trademarks. There is a pressing need to increase consumers' trust of trademarks via dissemination of reliable information; we must make consumers aware of the importance of these food products and motivate them to buy according labels' honest information.


Modern cellular networks in traditional frequency bands are notoriously interference-limited, especially in urban areas, where base stations are deployed in close proximity to one another. The latest releases of LTE incorporate features for coordinating downlink transmissions as an efficient means of managing interference. Recent field trial results and theoretical studies of the performance of JT CoMP schemes revealed, however, that their gains are not as high as initially expected, despite the large coordination overhead. These schemes are known to be very sensitive to defects in synchronization or information exchange between coordinating base stations as well as uncoordinated interference. In this article, we review recent advanced CB schemes as alternatives, requiring less overhead than JT CoMP while achieving good performance in realistic conditions. By stipulating that in certain LTE scenarios of increasing interest, uncoordinated interference constitutes a major factor in the performance of CoMP techniques at large, we hereby assess the resilience of the state-of- the-art CB to uncoordinated interference. We also describe how these techniques can leverage the latest specifications of current cellular networks, and how they may perform when we consider standardized feedback and coordination. This allows us to identify some key road blocks and research directions to address as LTE evolves toward the future of mobile communications.


Positioned at the intersection between ethnology, migration research and studies of material culture, the article argues for recognising the importance of the material layers of transnational social fields. Drawing on Levitt and Glick Schiller's analytical distinction between ways of being and ways of belonging, it exemplifies how a material culture perspective contributes to a balanced understanding of migrants' lives as positioned in both material and discursive terms and equally importantly formed by practices as by representations. Three theoretical statements, grounded in the analysis of ethnographic material, are elaborated in the article. They refer to the presence of objects in another location, the continuity of practices perceived as normal, and the practice-based feeling of emplacement. Bourdieu's notion of habitus and Hage's discussion of hexis are used to explain the interconnectedness of these statements. The article suggests that studying the changes of habitus that occur due to migration is needed for a deeper understanding of the processes of migrant emplacement through practice.


Three family lines of fast growing transgenic rohu Labeo rohita (rohu) were generated by electroporated-sperm-mediated transfer of the vectors harboring CMV promoter or grass carp beta-actin promoter fused to endogenous rohu GH (rGH) cDNA. The gene transfer efficiency was 25%. The transgenic rohu (family line 1) with CMV promoter showed a growth enhancement of four times normal size, whereas those (family lines 2 and 3) generated with beta-actin promoter grew 4.5 and 5.8 times faster than their respective control siblings. Southern analysis confirmed the transgene extrachromosomal (Te) persistence until the 60th week in family 1. The individuals of family lines 2 and 3, however, showed integration (Ti), as well as persistence as extrachromosomal copies (Te) until the age of 30 weeks. Mosaicism of the transgene was shown at the levels of its presence and expression. The ectopic expression of rGH mRNA was confirmed by RT-PCR. Feeding experiments revealed that the transgenic rohu ate food at a lower rate but grew more efficiently than their control siblings.


The ATAC trial is the first study to compare a third-generation aromatase inhibitor (AI), anastrozole, with tamoxifen for the adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer. Analyses at 33 and 47 months of median follow-up showed that anastrozole significantly prolonged disease-free survival (DFS) and time to recurrence (TTR), and reduced the incidence of contralateral breast cancer, compared with tamoxifen. Results of the Completed Treatment Analysis at 68 months of median follow-up confirmed the superiority of anastrozole over tamoxifen. The absolute difference in DFS between anastrozole and tamoxifen continued to increase beyond completion of treatment and early improvements in DFS and TTR have translated into a benefit in time to distant recurrence. Benefits of anastrozole over tamoxifen were maintained without a detrimental impact on quality of life. Mature safety data with extensive patient exposure indicate that overall, anastrozole has a favourable safety profile compared with tamoxifen. Importantly, a decrease in the odds ratio of cardiovascular events was observed with anastrozole compared with tamoxifen. The ATAC trial provides the most mature data of any AI trial and has enabled the evaluation of a full risk:benefit profile of anastrozole.


This article proposes a new cosine chaotic mapping, which is proved by chaos theory test and analysis that the system has good cryptography properties, wide chaos range, simple structure, and good sensitivity to initial value, and the mapping can meet the needs of chaotic image encryption. Therefore, we propose a new encryption method based on the cosine chaotic system. First, according to the cyclic characteristics of the mapping, the cyclic information wave is simulated. Second, the quasi-Doppler effect is used to synchronously scramble and diffuse the image to obfuscate the original pixel. Finally, the XOR diffusion of image pixels is carried out by information wave to further enhance the encryption effect. Simulation experiment and security analysis show that the algorithm has good security, can resist the common attack mode, and has good efficiency.


zgoo) one can say that the scar of the tracheotomy wound is all that reminds one of his little adventure. The interesting points of the case are to my mind the following: It is well known that in children paralysis of the adductors takes place very suddenly from slight causes, and, in face of this fact, I was disposed to question whether a portion of the nut had gone into a bronchus. Again, what was the position of the child as to " cold,"andpossibly false croup antecedent to the aocident? This could only be answered by tlle friends, and, as the boy had once before had false croup, a cold might easily have been overlooked if not severe. His general condition, also, was in favour of croup. These points must pass through one's mind when considering the treatment, and in this case they were duly balanced. The only direct evidence was that of the boy himself, that he had -cracked and tried to eat the nut. 'rhe sudden oncoming of the attack favoured the idea of a foreign body, and the treatment adopted was subsequently proved correct by the pieces of husk found on the dressing. I consider the success of the case due in great measure to the excellent nursing the boy received.


451 Background: Cervical cancer screening guidelines have changed frequently in recent years. Different adherence patterns by screening modalities (e.g., cytology-only, HPV testing-only, co-testing) could lead to overuse and underuse of care. It is unclear if receipt of guideline adherent screening varies among racial/ethnic minorities and those with low socioeconomic status (SES), which can exacerbate existing disparities. Methods: Optum Clinformatics Data Mart from 2013-2021 was used to identify women aged 30-65 to examine over- and under-screening to understand national patterns of guideline adherence. Average-risk women with continuous enrollment for 6 years for years starting in 2012-2016 and at least one claim were included. Those with history of hysterectomy and cervical cancer were excluded. According to the 2012 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guideline, adherence was defined as screening interval of 4.5-5.5 years for co-testing/HPV testing as the index screening modality and 2.5-3.5 years for cytology-only, and over-screening as <4.5 years and <2.5 years, and under-screening as > 5.5 years and > 3.5 years including lack of subsequent screening, respectively. We compared distribution of screening adherence by screening modality, race, education level, and household net worth using chi-squared test. Results: A total of 1,422,258 individuals ages 30-65 were included. Among the eligible sample, 1,016,067 women received at least one cervical cancer screening from 2013-2017. Of these, 830,549 (81.7%) were considered average-risk. About half (48.4%) received an index screening with cytology-only, 51.0% with co-testing and 0.6% with HPV testing. Overall, 7.4% were guideline adherent, 62.1% were over-screened and 30.5% were under-screened. 12.7% of the women screened with cytology-only were adherent compared to 2.5% of those screened with co-testing, 59.2% vs. 64.9% were over-screened, and 28.1% vs. 32.6% were under-screened, respectively. Unadjusted differences in the distribution of adherence were statistically significant by race, education level, and household net worth (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The study identified high rates of over-screening and under-screening among a national cohort of commercially insured women, signaling the need for interventions to improve guideline adherent screening. Furthermore, over- and under-screening varied by screening modalities, race and SES factors, which highlights the need to study specific patterns of adherence among subpopulations to address cervical cancer inequities.


The effects of age and degree of learning on children's susceptibility to retroactive interference were examined. Children (4- and 7-year-olds) participated in a target game either once or three times. Each time, they learned the target stimuli to criterion. Two days later, the children either rested or participated in a second game containing inconsistent information. Retrieval tests were administered 3 weeks later. Children who participated in the target game repeatedly recognized more information from that game, both accurately and as intrusions, than did children who participated only once. Both age groups were susceptible to retroactive interference; degree of susceptibility was affected by neither age nor degree of learning. Nevertheless, the 7-year-olds were more accurate at test. These findings suggest that differences in the forgetting rate between 4- and 7-year-olds are not caused by differential susceptibility to retroactive interference.


Summary form only given. For the new large germanium detector arrays (e.g. EUROGAM, Gammasphere, Euroball, etc.) which are currently under design/in construction, an improved time resolution is desirable to improve the coincidence time resolution. Currently with Ge-Ge timing one can reach a time resolution of the order of 20 ns with large detectors (>30% efficiency). By digitizing the signal every 10 ns with a flash analog-to-digital converter (ADC) system and a following analysis of the digitized pulse, the time resolution can improve relative to conventional techniques (time filter and constant fraction). Measurements show a time resolution of about 9 ns using a conventional technique for a fast plastic and a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. With digital pulse shape analysis a resolution of 3 ns is observed.<<ETX>>


The pattern of chick feeding of the British storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus in a Mediterranean colony was examined by weighing chicks at 24-h intervals on different days during the nestling period. In order to calibrate daily mass increments (NET) against number of feedings, daily mass changes of chicks were regressed upon the sum of positive mass increments recorded overnight (SUM) during four nights. The average meal size delivered to chicks per night by one parent was 3.5 s 1.3 g or 12% of adult weight. This was insufficient for sustaining constant chick mass during a day. On average 85% of chicks were fed each night, and the mean interval between feeds was 1.2 s 0.5 nights. Nightly feeding frequencies differed among days, but this night-to-night variation was not related to meteorological conditions. Both food requirements necessary for chick body maintenance (zero-growth) and meal size were relatively constant for ages up to 59 days. However, feeding frequency decreased throughout the fledging period, accounting for agespecific variation in growth rates until fledging. Food requirement and feeding patterns at Benidorm were different from North Atlantic colonies. None the less, growth patterns were almost identical, suggesting adjustment to maintain chick body mass at a determined level, as food delivery to nestling appears to be regulated to chicks'nutritional requirements.


In this paper, we study the gravitational-wave (GW) radiation and radiative behaviour of relativistic compact binary systems in the scale-independent energy–momentum squared gravity (EMSG). The field equations of this theory are solved approximately. The gravitational potential of a gravitational source is then obtained by considering two matter Lagrangian densities that both describe a perfect fluid in general relativity (GR). We derive the GW signals emitted from a compact binary system. The results are different from those obtained in GR. It is shown that the relevant non-GR corrections modify the wave amplitude and leave the GW polarizations unchanged. Interestingly, this modification depends on the choice of the matter Lagrangian density. This means that for different Lagrangian densities, this theory presents different predictions for the GW radiation. In this case, the system loses energy to modified GWs. This leads to a change in the secular variation of the Keplerian parameters of the binary system. In this work, we investigate the non-GR effects on the radiative parameter, that is, the first time derivative of the orbital period. Next, applying these results together with GW observations from the relativistic binary systems, we constrain/test the scale-independent EMSG theory in the strong-field regime. After assuming that GR is the valid gravity theory, as a priori expectation, we find that the free parameter of the theory is of the order 10−5 from the direct GW observation, the GW events GW190425 and GW170817, as well as the indirect GW observation, the double pulsar PSR J0737−3039A/B experiment.


Abstract: Aspicilia uxoris is proposed as a new combination for a species known from Algeria, Morocco and Spain. It grows on bark and lignum of Cedrus atlantica, Juniperus spp. and Pinus halepensis in the western Mediterranean Region. It is characterized by spore and conidia sizes, granular epihymenium on the surface of paraphyses and a typical apothecial structure and development. The ecology and distribution of the species and a comparison with other epiphytic taxa of the genus are discussed. Notes on the identity of Aspicilia lignicola are provided. Lectotypes for Aspicilia cinerea var. vulgaris f. lignicola, Lecanora lignicola and Lecanora uxoris are designated.


Summary: This study aims to determine the impact of creativity elements on educational service quality dimensions depending on the hypothetical scheme takes into account the correlation between two variables, and adopted two fundamental hypotheses to determine the impact and correlation between research variables. The theoretical side of the research was written by taking advantage of the literature of the relative subject. Duhok Polytechnic University in Iraqi-Kurdistan Regional has been chosen to conduct the field part of the study; research sample consist of 70 individuals of academic staff of the chosen university. A questionnaire has been developed to collect data and information on the field side, and through using statistical methods (frequencies, percentages, mean standard deviation, Spearman's rank correlation and regression analysis) The descriptive data have been analyzed and research hypotheses have been tested, the most important findings of the study was the emergence of attention and concern by the university to the concept of creativity reflected in their answers that creativity elements have a significant positive impact on educational service quality dimensions and a significant positive correlation has been proved between them as well. The study reached a set of proposals the most important is to try to take advantage of the strengths owned by the university regarding the elements of creativity that the results showed a clear impact on the services provided, especially originality and sensitivity to problems variables.


the object would then be to prepare slides with a density similar to that of the reference slide. Experience has shown that a slide which seemed to have a similar density to that of the reference slide would be unlikely to have a true density outside the limits 3,000-7,000/mm2. Thus with a low-power field of area 0-8 mm2 there would be 2,400-5,600 adult cells per low-power field. If it is assumed that the dose of anti-Rh required for the suppression of Rh immunization is 25 ,ug/ml red cells7 then, when the routine dose of anti-Rh given to recently delivered women is 100 [Lg (as is the case at the present time in England and Wales), some screening test is needed to detect those women who have more than 4 ml of fetal red cells in their circulation. With the formula described above, a transplacental haemorrhage of 4 ml corresponds to a proportion of unstained: darkly-stained cells of 600: 1. With the use of appropriate tables giving the confidence limits for a Poisson variable,8 the maximum number of cells which could be seen without arousing the suspicion that the actual number present exceeded the above figures could be determined. For example, in three low-power fields the finding of as many as 4 cells would carry a 1 in 100 chance, and the finding of as many as 6 cells a 1 in 20 chance, that the average numberpresent was infact 12 inthreelow-powerfields. If fivefields were scanned, then the maximum number of cells which could be seen without arousing the suspicion that the average number present was 20 would be 9 at the P = 0 01 level and 12 at the 0 05 level. In summary, with a low-power field of area 08 mm2 and scanning films on which the density of adult red cells approximately matches a reference slide with a density of 5,000 cells/ mm2, five fields should be counted and the screening test regarded as negative when not more than 9 darkly-stained cells are seen in the five fields.


3981 Published By: Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering & Sciences Publication Retrieval Number: B4529129219/2019©BEIESP DOI: 10.35940/ijeat.B4529.129219  Abstract—in modeling of complex systems, manual creation and maintenance of the appropriate behavior is found to be the key problem. Behavior modeling using machine learning has found successful in modeling and simulation. This paper presents artificial neural network (ANN) modeling of transmission line carrying frequency varying signal using machine learning. This work uses proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) based reduced order modeling. In this proposed work, snapshot sets of complex mathematical model of nonlinear transmission line and also linear model are obtained at different time interval. These snapshot sets are arranged in matrix form separately for nonlinear and linear models. POD method is applied on both the matrices separately. This reduces the order of the matrix which is used as input and output data set for neural network training through machine learning technique. Trained neural network model has been verified using different untrained data set. The proposed algorithm determines the dimension of the interpolation space prompting a considerable decrease in the computational expense. The proposed algorithm doesn't force any imperatives on the topology of the appropriate circuit or kind of the nonlinear segments and hence relevant to general nonlinear systems.


Protein kinase C‐δ (PKCδ) is a diacylglycerol‐dependent, calcium‐independent novel PKC isoform that is engaged in various cell signaling pathways, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress. In this study, we searched for proteins that bind PKCδ using a yeast two‐hybrid assay and identified murine arrest‐defective 1 (mARD1) as a binding partner. The interaction between PKCδ and mARD1 was confirmed by glutathione S‐transferase pull‐down and co‐immunoprecipitation assays. Furthermore, recombinant PKCδ phosphorylated full‐length mARD1 protein. The NetPhos online prediction tool suggested PKCδ phosphorylates Ser80, Ser108, and Ser114 residues of mARD1 with the highest probability. Based on these results, we synthesized peptides containing these sites and examined their phosphorylations using recombinant PKCδ. Autoradiography confirmed these sites were efficiently phosphorylated. Consequent mass spectrometry and peptide sequencing in combination with MALDI‐TOF MS/MS confirmed that Ser80 and Ser108 were major phosphorylation sites. The alanine mutations of Ser80 and Ser108 abolished the phosphorylation of mARD1 by PKCδ in 293T cells supporting these observations. In addition, kinase assays using various PKC isotypes showed that Ser80 of ARD1 was phosphorylated by PKCβI and PKCζ isotypes with the highest selectivity, while Ser108 and/or Ser114 were phosphorylated by PKCγ with activities comparable to that of the PKCδ isoform. Overall, these results suggest the possibility that PKCδ transduces signals by regulating phosphorylation of ARD1.