This doctoral project examines the knowledge economy as understood under the hypothesis of cognitive capitalism and its impact on contemporary social art practice, in particular the educational turn in art, taking account of its conditions of production within the local site of official art education at an elite university. In a counter movement, this research searches for the 'becoming cognitive of labour', a peculiar quality of the present transition, where knowledge production and the reconfiguration of labour intersect within the overshadowing hypothesis of cognitive capitalism. In response to contemporary approaches assigned to knowledge production, appropriation of the general intellect and the educational paradigm, as a practice-led research project, I devised three performative interventions premised on aestheticised withdrawal (taking account of exodus theorists) and agonistic tendency (radical negativity) to take risks and to 'struggle within and strategically against' the institution, drawing on the radical pedagogy of Paolo Freire who created an approach to emancipatory education through which to transform systems of oppression and inequality, the self-governing frameworks of the educator Ivan Illich, and Jacques Ranciere who locates oppression and subjection in the noble act of 'explication'. Drawing on this, I've pursued a novel form of 'writing as activism' that allowed me to unravel dividing points between the practice of art and its theory, critically engaging with and dismantling the academic form of essay through a process of streaking, rupture and montage. As a 'work of words', this allowed me to integrate the practice and theory in one, where the thesis is withdrawn and does not make an appearance. The practice of art determines the theoretical conditions and critical context, but is not subordinate to these conditions. In this way I could construct something meaningful and complex in an unconventional way that requires other ways of reading and interpretation. I disembark from the recent field of expanded academia and the 'educational turn' in art and curating, approbated by cultural theorists and artists since the mid 1990's. While addressing the current crisis in neoliberal education and its direct link to cognitive capitalism's knowledge enclosures, in which the doctorate in art was fiercely debated, these modes of emancipatory educational 'turning' seldom found traction inside the official educational art institution itself. Rather, as an expanded idea of the academy, these critical strategies were articulated through the global museum and biennale. However, if we are to maintain that the university is the critical core of the public realm, rather than escaping it or allowing ideological contention and dissensus to be smoothed over and disciplined, this research - in and through art as 'struggle' and as 'a process of intelligibility' - re-thinks the educational turn in art by opening up and maintaining a space of crisis and critical relationship with its institutional conditions of production and the forms of labour sustaining it as it emerges from academia itself. Using a gendered agonistic research method with its attendant discourse of resistance, I expose how gender is made invisibile within the flattening paradigm of immaterial labour and its overarching frame of cognitive capitalism. I explore how the production and reproduction of knowledge can be organised and made common and how it might break with capitalist capture, how a resistant form of knowledge production might be found on the frontier of the university. Through a dramatisation of practice that is a compelling instance of the theory, I explore an alternative production of knowledge - a (becoming) learning process where the subject 'I', who is constituted in language, talks back, a mode of counter speech as a condition of my agency and potentiality. It is in, at, and around the official educational site of the university that I make an inquiry into the economic and political tendencies at work, and locate non-compliant labour as a way to open up an educational 'turn' towards regimes of discipline, authority and control. By conclusion, if the educational 'turn' in art is to fully realise its emancipatory dimension it must not only align itself to the extra-institutional realm of the artworld, but must forge a counter turn inside the official educational art institution, the primary site of education's struggle and agency. Art production inside the educational institution is profoundly fundamental to a political and philosophical 'turning' towards a critique of contemporary arts new relations of production and reception under capital, to renew once more arts political and transformative potential. This research is an emphatic refusal of fatalism about the status of the official educational institution whose ailments I diagnose throughout. It is an original contribution to the debate on the educational turn and demonstrates when educators and students together, and in common, 'turn' in struggle within and against the institution, they can create transformative strategies of engagement with the institution of knowledge. It is not yet the time to abandon the official education institution entirely.


By considering a certain univalent function in the open unit disk U, that maps U onto a strip domain, we introduce a new class of analytic and close-to-convex functions by means of a certain non-homogeneous Cauchy-Euler-type differential equation. We determine the coefficient bounds for functions in this new class. Relevant connections of some of the results obtained with those in earlier works are also provided.


The submersed aquatic plants hydrilla ( Hydrilla verticillata [L.f.] Royle), Eurasian watermilfoil ( Myriophyllum spicatum L.),and Brazilian egeria ( Egeria densa L.) are three of the worst invasive aquatic weed problems in the U.S., with millions of dollars spent annually to control large infestations in all types of waterbodies. Historically, various control technologies have been used to manage infestations of these submersed species, including biological control. During the past five years, there has been renewed interest in biological control of submersed aquatic weeds nationally, primarily in response to the discovery in Florida of several hydrilla biotypes that have developed resistance to the herbicide fluridone. This paper summarizes the current status of biological control activities in North America during the past 10-15 years. It includes a preferred definition of biological control and describes the different approaches currently used by practitioners in the field. It also covers the types of natural enemies commonly used as biological control agents and the various abiotic, biotic, and technical factors that have contributed to project successes and failures. Finally, priority areas are identified where more resources are needed for research and outreach programs to increase the effectiveness and acceptance of biological control technology for managing submersed aquatic weeds in the future.


Two-photon production of a neutral-pion pair is uniquely predicted near threshold by the theory of chiral symmetry. The prediction vanishes at the tree level and is nonzero only at one-loop order, yielding a finite result without any unknown counterterms. In this paper we calculate the cross section for both on-shell and off-shell photons, as both cases can both be studied at e/sup +/e/sup -/ storage rings. This reaction is the most accessible process which directly probes the loop structure of chiral-SU(2) symmetry.


Objective
The purpose of this review was to determine the effect of CLA infusion post cardiac surgery on pain, time to ambulation, severe adverse events, patient satisfaction, time to extubation, length of stay in the intensive care unit and in the hospital, total narcotic consumption, and pulmonary function.

Design
Systematic review with meta-analysis (PROSPERO CRD42014010188).

Methods
We searched the following electronic databases: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); MEDLINE; EMBASE; CINAHL; Allied and Complementary Medicine (AMED); and PsycINFO; as well as hand-searching cardiothoracic surgery and anesthetic journals and meeting abstracts.

Results
Ten eligible trials with a total of 546 participants were identified. Meta-analyses showed that CLA infusion significantly reduced the total mean visual analog pain score at 72 hours (mean difference [MD] = -14.31 mm, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -25.59 to -3.03); time to ambulation (MD = -2.81 hours, 95% CI = -5.23 to -0.4); morphine requirement (MD = -10.19 mg, 95% CI = -11.80 to -8.58) but did not reduce time to ambulate to chair (MD = -1.65 hours, 95% CI = -4.04 to 0.74); time to extubation (MD = -0.18 hours, 95% CI = -1.24 to 0.89); length of ICU stay (MD = 0.9 hours, 95% CI = -2.96 to 4.75); and hospital length of stay (MD = -0.59 days, 95% CI = -1.24 to 0.07). There were insufficient data to perform a meta-analysis on severe adverse events, patient satisfaction, or pulmonary function.

Conclusions
CLA infusion after cardiac surgery reduces pain score at 72 hours, shortens time to ambulation, and reduces morphine consumption at 48 hours.


The works Acusma and Microfonico by the group Chelpa Ferro not only represent an inflexion point in the group's trajectory but also make reference and allow an interpretation which places Chelpa Ferro amongst several other artists who experimented with sound-noise throughout the 20th century. Since the first modernists sound was object of artistic experiments, always informed by technological innovations. Thus the group inserts itself in such context and augments it, appropriating theirselves of everyday objects to produce their sound or by creating their own specially built apparatuses to amplify inexistent sounds, as in the works here discussed.


Drilling the horizontal wells was the beginning of unlocking the enormous potential of Western Canada oil-sands. However, several technical and operational challenges avoid the so-called extended reach Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) wells. The last few years drive to reduce Capital Expenditures (CAPEX) encouraged the development of key innovative tools to make long thermal wells a reality. SAGD pad development using maximum possible well-length has taken significant leaps in economical assessment of SAGD projects. The goal of this paper is investigating the impact of Flow Control Devices (FCDs) on the overall performance of the long wells in SAGD projects.
 In this paper, seven major thermal projects in Western Canada were investigated. Production history of all the wells is normalized by the variation of the geological condition, operational parameters, and well length. Following a convention in the industry, the wells with lateral length longer than 850 meters are labeled as "long" and those shorter than 850 meters are labeled as "short". Eventually, normalized oil production by long wells completed or retrofitted with FCDs is compared with those without FCDs to supply insight on the role of completion design on relative performance of drilling long wells. The comparison has been conducted with respect to different completion types such as Liner or Tubing Deployed FCDs (LDFCD or TDFCDs).
 On average, long wells produced 2% more normalized oil compared to short wells for all projects, while they produced on average 16% more normalized oil in the projects 1, 2, 6, and 7 in which long wells successfully drilled. The historical production performances show that FCDs are the key enablers and innovative strategy to drill longer wells. For successful long wells with FCDs, the normalized oil production is improved as high as 81%, and the improvement rate is 108% and 10% for LD and TD FCDs, respectively. Furthermore, the completion strategy of combining long wells with FCDs improved the normalized oil production about 33% compared to short wells. This study shows that switching from short wells to long wells in SAGD projects and completing them with FCDs is a synergic approach to increase the oil production (33%).
 The results of this paper confirmed that drilling long wells with FCDs is a win-win strategy resulted in more oil production compared to long/ short wells without FCDs; since CAPEX is reduced by long wells and oil production is increased by FCDs. The results also help completion and production engineers to get a better understanding of the contribution of FCDs in long lateral wells.


Background A direct inguinal hernia is caused by a weakness or defect in the floor of the Hesselbach triangle. It is believed that direct hernias are less likely to strangulate than indirect hernias, because the neck of the direct hernia is wide enough to avoid strangulation. Approximately 8.6% of all incarcerated inguinal hernia contents can be returned to the abdominal cavity spontaneously after general anesthesia, and intestinal ischemia or necrosis was detected by laparoscopic examination in approximately 40.9% of cases. However, which surgical approach or mesh for an acutely incarcerated and strangulated groin hernia is still no consensus. We retrospectively enrolled 12 patients with incarcerated inguinal hernias accompanied by small intestinal perforation who underwent laparoscopic examination when the hernia content spontaneously returned into the abdominal cavity after induction of general anesthesia in our institution.Results 1 of the 12 patients had developed temporary seroma; the other 2 had early postoperative pain. No evidence of hernia recurrence, chronic pain, infection, scrotal swelling, paralyticileus, persistent seroma, mortality, or any other complications were found during the follow-up. At 1 year and most recent follow-up, all patients were satisfied with the treatment outcome.Conclusions It is a necessary to detect abdominal viscera when incarcerated inguinal hernia contents return to the abdominal cavity spontaneously after general anesthesia, and laparoscopic examination is an efficient method. Laparoscopic TAPP technique with biologic meshes is a feasible method to treat strangulated inguinal hernias accompanied by small intestinal perforation. To better understand whether TAPP or biologic mesh apply to strangulated inguinal hernia (especially enterectomy) and evaluate its wider application, this treatment will need to be tested in larger clinical trials.


Objective To determine whether adults with normoglycaemia, impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and diabetes differed according to the incidence, rate, length and primary reasons for hospital admission. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Barwon Statistical Division, Geelong, Australia. Participants Cohort included 971 men and 924 women, aged 20+ years, participating in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. Glycaemic status was assessed at cohort entry using fasting plasma glucose, use of antihyperglycaemic medication and/or self-report. Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary outcome measure was any admission to the major tertiary public hospital in the study region over the follow-up period. Secondary outcome measures were admission rate and length (days). Results Over a median follow-up of 7.4 years (IQR 5.3–9.6), participants with diabetes, compared with those with normoglycaemia, were two times as likely to be hospitalised (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.42 to 3.02), had a higher admission rate (incidence rate ratio 1.61, 95% CI 1.17 to 2.23) and longer hospital stay (third quartile difference 7.7, 95% CI 1.3 to 14.1 and ninth decile difference 16.2, 95% CI 4.2 to 28.3). IFG group was similar to normoglycaemia for the incidence, rate and length of admission. Cardiovascular disease-related diagnoses were the most common primary reasons for hospitalisation across all glycaemic categories. Conclusions Our results show increased incidence, rate and length of all-cause hospital admission in adults with diabetes as compared with normoglycaemia; however, we did not detect any associations for IFG. Interventions should focus on preventing IFG-to-diabetes progression and reducing cardiovascular risk in IFG and diabetes.


Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectra were measured to characterize the In-doped cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe, or CZT) crystals along the growth direction in the range of 10 to 60 K. High-resistivity CZT samples with 1.2 ppm In dopant at the tip and low-resistivity samples with 60 ppm In dopant at the heel have been assessed. The PL intensity quenching of D ^0 X were fitted with two activation energies for high-resistivity CZT sample and only one activation energy for low-resistivity sample, respectively, suggesting different recombination mechanisms. The C-line was observed in the PL spectra of low-resistivity CZT sample and considered to the results of the isoelectronic complexes, In_Cd–V_Cd–In_Cd, while in high-resistivity CZT sample, shallow donor accepted pair (DAP) transition was identified, and thought to be related to In_Cd–V_Cd. The A-center in PL spectra was observed in low-resistivity CZT sample, which is indicative of more cadmium vacancies. It turns out that indium in low-resistivity CZT sample has not been doped as efficiently as in high-resistivity CZT sample because of the self-compensation.


Background Repair pathway genes are closely related to the sensitivity of tumor patients to drugs. It is particularly important to study the correlation between non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and DNA repair gene (GTF2H1 and RAD54L2) in high altitude areas.Materials and methods Four SNPs on RAD54L2 and five SNPs on GTF2H1 were genotyped via the Agena MassARRAY in 506 age-and gender-matched patients with NSCLC and 510 healthy controls. The influence of GTF2H1 and RAD54L2 on lung cancer was assessed by logistic regression analysis. The effects of polymorphisms of these two genes on the efficacy and side effects of NSCLC patients with platinum-based chemotherapy were further evaluated.Results RAD54L2 rs9864693 GC heterozygote genotype was increased the risk of NSCLC (OR = 1.33, 95%CI: 1.01 – 1.77, p = 0.045). Stratified analysis found that GTF2H1 rs4150667 promoted the risk of lung cancer in individuals younger than 59 years group (OR = 1.32, 95%CI: 1.00 – 1.75, p = 0.048). However, the individuals with GTF2H1 rs3802967 CT-TT reduced the risk of the lung squamous cell carcinoma by 32% (OR = 0.68, 95%CI: 0.46 – 0.99, p = 0.045). The patients with GTF2H1 rs3802967 TT genotypes showed a significantly higher curative effect (OR = 2.65, 95%CI: 1.14 - 6.15, p = 0.023); patients with GTF2H1 rs3802967 TT genotypes showed a significantly lower risk of side effects (OR = 0.32, 95%CI: 0.10 - 0.98, p = 0.047).Conclusion Our study indicated that RAD54L2 and GTF2H1 gene was associated with NSCLC susceptibility.


According to the "healthy worker" hypothesis, good health selects women into the employment role; conversely, the social causation hypothesis argues that important social roles such as employment can contribute to health. The relationship between these two variables may be of special concern to women at midlife, as both issues become increasingly salient. In this paper a model hypothesizing a nonrecursive (reciprocal) causal relationship between employment (hours employed) and health was presented. Because of the importance of both employment and health for women at midlife, the model was tested in a sample of 463 women ages 40-64 from a national cross-sectional dataset. Two-stage least squares regression supported the hypothesis that employment and health have a positive reciprocal relationship for women at midlife. In addition, married women and those with a child had better health but were likely to work fewer hours for pay. The same model tested in 21 to 39-year-old women was not significant. The results serve to emphasize the importance of examining assumptions about direction of causality in research on work and well-being at midlife.


Thermal effects are becoming increasingly important in efforts to enhance the performance of electron microscopes. Therefore, accurate thermal-mechanical models are desired for analysis and control. Modelling thermal systems from experimental data, i.e. system identification, is challenging due to large transients, large time scales, excitation signal limitations, large environmental disturbances, and nonlinear behaviour. An identification framework has been developed to address these issues. The presented approach facilitates the implementation of advanced control techniques and error compensation strategies by providing high-fidelity models.


In this paper, formulations and some computational results of cycle jump method based on the nonlinear finite element method are presented. Problems, involving nonlinear cyclic deformation, such as low cycle fatigue problems can be solved by the proposed cycle jump method. To solve the problems of nonlinear cyclic deformation of structure by the nonlinear finite element method with a cycle-by-cycle approach, a large amount of computational time is generally required. Thus a cycle jump method is presented from a view point of temporal multi-scale analysis. Then, an alternative analytical procedure consisting of three steps is proposed. They are a few cycles of nonlinear analysis in a cycle-by-cycle fashion, computations of jumps of strain history dependent quantities (extrapolations) based on the results of the cycle-by-cycle analysis and a cycle jump for several dozen to several hundred cycles using the results of the extrapolations. The results of cycle jump analyses are presented and their accuracies are critically examined. It was found that the results of several load cycles at the beginning of each cycle-by-cycle analysis step should be excluded from the computations of the extrapolation step. No.17-00300 [DOI: 10.1299/transjsme.17-00300], J-STAGE Advance Publication date : 26 September, 2017 *1 正員,東京理科大学大学院理工学研究科(〒278-8510 千葉県野田市山崎 2641) *2 正員,東京理科大学理工学部 *3 正員,フェロー,東京理科大学理工学部 E-mail of corresponding author: firstname.lastname@example.com


Blood ionized and total calcium levels, and pH values were obtained in 12 patients who were being ventilated and given external cardiac massage after having had an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. On admission they had marked ionized hypocalcemia, with mean ionized calcium levels of 0.67 +/- 0.22 mmol/L, (range, 0.26 to 0.89), but normal total calcium levels. There was a positive correlation between pH and ionized calcium levels (r = 0.71). Of the six patients who were successfully resuscitated, four were discharged and two died; the other six could not be resuscitated and died. By comparison, ionized and total calcium levels obtained within 3 minutes of cardiac arrest were normal in 9 patients who had cardiac arrests in the intensive care unit or during surgery. All were discharged. These data are the first to document the occurrence of severe ionized hypocalcemia after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Hypocalcemia appears to be time-dependent and due essentially to extracellular complexing of calcium. Further work is needed to determine whether patients who have out-of-hospital cardiac arrests can benefit from calcium administration.


The fossil imbedded in the mass of Pictou Coal, from Nova Scotia, submitted to my inspection by the President of the Geological Society, consists of the anterior extremity of the cranium and upper jaw, with the exterior of the bone imbedded in the matrix, and its substance, for the most part, reduced to a thin layer by abrasion of the exposed inner surface (see Plate IX.). It displays accurately the contour of the fore-part of the upper jaw, which was broad, obtuse, and rounded : and some portions of the bone, with the inner surface entire, prove this part of the cranium to have been broad, flat, and of very little depth or vertical diameter. The parts preserved include the premaxillaries, 22, nasals, 15, and portions of the frontal, 11, prefrontal, 14, and maxillary, 21, bones, the proportions and connexions of which best agree with those in the skull of the Capitosaurus,—a Labyrinthodont Batrachian, from the Bunter sandstone of Bernburg. The premaxillaries, which show some obscure traces of a symphysial suture at the median line, anterior to the nasal or naso-palatine vacuities, extend outwards, on each side, for an extent of 2½ inches, and there join the maxillaries. Traces of round alveoli for teeth, some of which are 2 lines in diameter, are visible on the alveolar border of the premaxillaries. The alveolar border is continued, by the maxillary bone, for an extent of 4½ inches beyond the premaxillaries ; and this border shows still more distinct traces of aveoli


Univariate superpositions of Ornstein–Uhlenbeck-type processes (OU), called supOU processes, provide a class of continuous time processes capable of exhibiting long memory behavior. This paper introduces multivariate supOU processes and gives conditions for their existence and finiteness of
moments. Moreover, the second-order moment structure is explicitly calculated, and examples exhibit the possibility of long-range dependence. Our supOU processes are defined via homogeneous and factorizable Levy bases. We show that the behavior of supOU processes is particularly nice
when the mean reversion parameter is restricted to normal matrices and especially to strictly negative definite ones.
For finite variation Levy bases we are able to give conditions for supOU processes to have locally bounded cadlag paths of finite variation and to show an analogue of the stochastic differential equation of OU-type processes, which has been suggested in [2] in the univariate case. Finally, as an important special case, we introduce positive semi-definite supOU processes, and we discuss the relevance of multivariate supOU processes in applications.


Reaction time, eye movements, and errors were measured during visual search of Web pages to determine age-related differences in performance as a function of link size, link number, link location, and clutter. Participants (15 young adults, M = 23 years; 14 older adults, M = 57 years) searched Web pages for target links that varied from trial to trial. During one half of the trials, links were enlarged from 10-point to 12-point font. Target location was distributed among the left, center, and bottom portions of the screen. Clutter was manipulated according to the percentage of used space, including graphics and text, and the number of potentially distracting nontarget links was varied. Increased link size improved performance, whereas increased clutter and links hampered search, especially for older adults. Results also showed that links located in the left region of the page were found most easily. Actual or potential applications of this research include Web site design to increase usability, particularly for older adults.


Research was initiated to examine establishment efficiency of zoysiagrass by plugging. Zoysiagrass is known to be a slowly establishing turfgrass species. Properly-treated zoysiagrass seed can speed up the establishment rate while initial irrigation practice is intensively required after seeding. A planting method with small plugs(2.5×2.5㎝) from seeding can overcome initial watering requirement. Establishment speed, however, can vary with planting dates, planting spaces, and plastic film cover in early stage. Establishment characteristics were investigated for two years by planting dates that were April 5, May 18, July 13, August 24 and October 29 in 2004 and April 6 in 2005. They were also compared with three different spaces(20×20, 25×25, and 30×30㎝) and three different fertilizer levels(15, 30, and 45g Nㆍm -2 ). Ground coverage reached to 90% in plugs of 'Zenith' zoysiagrass planted on April 5. It increased suddenly in period of July to August, resulting in about 50% of full establishment rate. Establishment rates were significantly faster(over 9%) in plugs spaced at 20×25㎝ than in those at 30×30㎝. No significant differences were observed on the stolon number and stolon length in the study. Survival rate in zoysiagrass plug was over 90% at all planting. These results demonstrated that zoysiagrass establishment using small plug from seeding is considered to be a safe and efficient method.


Abstract We report a easy approach for the immobilization of glucose oxidase enzyme (GOx) on nanoparticles. Nanoparticles-modified polystyrene-ANH2 (PSA) with some salicylaldehyde derivatives were synthesized by means of condensation and investigated the enzymatic properties of GOx immobilized on there. Modified polystyrenes were characterized using IR spectra, gel permeation chromatography, and scanning electron microscopy. All the characteristics of the immobilized glucose oxidase (PSA-SalH)-GOx, (PSA-SalCH3)-GOx, and (PSA)-GOx enzyme showed except one of them. Immobilized GOx on to (PSA) showed two optimum pH, other immobilized polymers were one optimum.


OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-1 and IL-4 levels in rats with chronic inflammatory pain, so as to investigate its underlying mechanism in relieving pain. Methods Forty-eight SD rats were randomized into control, model, EA-unilateral ST 36, and EA-bilateral ST 36 groups, with 12 rats in each. Chronic inflammatory pain model was established by intradermal injection of Freund's complete adjuvant (0.1 mL) into the right paw. EA (2 Hz/100 Hz, 1-2-3 mA) was applied to the unilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36) and bilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36) for 30 min, once every 3 days and continuously for 4 weeks. Serum TNF-alpha, IL-1 and IL-4 contents were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results Compared with the control group, serum TNF-alpha, IL-1 and IL-4 contents of the model group increased significantly (P < 0.01), while in comparison with the model group, the levels of the 3 indexes were decreased considerably in both unilateral and bilateral ST 36 groups (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found between the unilateral ST 36 and bilateral ST 36 groups in serum TNF-alpha, IL-1 and IL-4 contents (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION
EA can effectively lower serum TNF-alpha, IL-1 and IL-4 levels in inflammatory pain rats, which may contribute to its effect in relieving inflammatory pain.


Prepared for the Independent Gambling Authority in South Australia, this report examines aspects of the relationship between gaming machine technology and problem gambling. It looks at: • whether particular gaming machine games feature more commonly in the play of problem gamblers as compared to recreational gamblers; • whether there are particular characteristics of those games that distinguish them from other games; • whether those differences are the characteristics that attract problem gamblers and feature in problem gambling play; • to what extent those characteristics affect the play of recreational gamblers; and • to what extent those characteristics feature in a gamblers' transition from recreational to problem gambler.


We report the results of CCD V, r and I time-series photometry of the globular cluster NGC 5053. New times of maximum light are given for the eight known RR Lyrae stars in the field of our images, and their periods are revised. Their V light curves were Fourier decomposed to estimate their physical parameters. A discussion on the accuracy of the Fourier-based iron abundances, temperatures, masses and radii is given. New periods are found for the five known SX Phe stars, and a critical discussion of their secular period changes is offered. The mean iron abundance for the RR Lyrae stars is found to be [Fe/H] ~ - 1.97 ± 0.16 and lower values are not supported by the present analysis. The absolute magnitude calibrations of the RR Lyrae stars yield an average true distance modulus of 16.12 ± 0.04 or a distance of 16.7 ± 0.3 kpc. Comparison of the observational colour magnitude diagram (CMD) with theoretical isochrones indicates an age of 12.5 ± 2.0 Gyr for the cluster. A careful identification of all reported blue stragglers (BS) and their V, I magnitudes leads to the conclusion that BS12, BS22, BS23 and BS24 are not BS. On the other hand, three new BS are reported. Variability was found in seven BS, very likely of the SX Phe type in five of them, and in one red giant star. The new SX Phe stars follow established Period-Luminosity relationships and indicate a distance in agreement with the distance from the RR Lyrae stars.


A basic attribute for turbine blade film cooling is that coolant injected should be largely passively convected by the local base flow. However, the effective working of the conventional wisdom may be compromised when the cooling injection strongly interacts with the base flow. Rotor blade tip of a transonic high-pressure (HP) turbine is one of such challenging regions for which basic understanding of the relevant aerothermal behavior as a basis for effective heat transfer/cooling design is lacking. The need to increase our understanding and predictability for high-speed transonic blade tip has been underlined by some recent findings that tip heat transfer characteristics in a transonic flow are qualitatively different from those at a low speed. Although there have been extensive studies previously on squealer blade tip cooling, there have been no published experimental studies under a transonic flow condition. The present study investigates the effect of cooling injection on a transonic squealer tip through a closely combined experimental and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) effort. The experimental and computational results as presented in Part I have consistently revealed some distinctive aerothermal signatures of the strong coolant-base flow interactions. In this paper, as Part II, detailed analyses using the validated CFD solutions are conducted to identify, analyze, and understand the causal links between the aerothermal signatures and the driving flow structures and physical mechanisms. It is shown that the interactions between the coolant injection and the base over-tip leakage (OTL) flow in the squealer tip region are much stronger in the frontal subsonic region than the rear transonic region. The dominant vortical flow structure is a counter-rotating vortex pair (CRVP) associated with each discrete cooling injection. High HTC stripes on the cavity floor are directly linked to the impingement heat transfer augmentation associated with one leg of the CRVP, which is considerably enhanced by the near-floor fluid movement driven by the overall pressure gradient along the camber line (CAM). The strength of the coolant-base flow interaction as signified by the augmented values of the HTC stripes is seen to correlate to the interplay and balance between the OTL flow and the CRVP structure. As such, for the frontal subsonic part of the cavity, there is a prevailing spanwise inward flow initiated by the CRVP, which has profoundly changed the local base flow, leading to high HTC stripes on the cavity floor. On the other hand, for the rear high speed part, the high inertia of the OTL flow dominates; thus, the vortical flow disturbances associated with the CRVP are largely passively convected, leaving clear signatures on the top surface of the suction surface rim. A further interesting side effect of the strong interaction in the frontal subsonic region is that there is considerable net heat flux reduction (NHFR) in an area seemingly unreachable by the injected coolant. The present results have confirmed that this is due to the large reduction in the local HTC as a consequence of the upstream propagated impact of the strong coolant-base flow interactions. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4035200]


Excessive vibration is one of the main reasons leading to partial damage and in some cases collapse of tall buildings and structures. Impact dampers provide an effective, economical, and easy to install solution to the vibration problem in several applications. The latest developed type in the impact dampers family is the Linear Particle Chain (LPC) impact damper. It consists of a linear arrangement of two sizes of freely moving masses, constrained by two stops. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the effectiveness of the LPC impact damper in damping the vibrations of a multi-degree-of-freedom system under different types of excitations. A prototype of the LPC impact dampers is fabricated and tested in our lab using a three-story frame structure. The experimental outcomes clearly show that the LPC impact damper can effectively attenuate the free and forced vibrations of flexible structures.Copyright © 2015 by ASME


Published guidelines for the management of hypertension (HTN) do not discuss HTN in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). Some clinicians have considered severe AS to be a relative contraindication to the use of antihypertensive agents. We sought to determine the incidence of syncope in AS patients who were treated with antihypertensive agents. We identified 89 patients with asymptomatic severe AS and normal ejection fraction. The prevalence of HTN, its treatment, and the occurrence of syncope was abstracted from medical records. HTN was documented in 63 of the 89 patients with severe AS; 62 were being treated (mean 2.2 drugs). The incidence of syncope (mean follow-up: 44 months) was similar in patients with treated HTN compared to those without HTN (8 vs 11%, p=NS). Of the 62 with treated HTN, those with syncope were older than those without syncope (88+/- 6 vs 78 +/- 9 years, p=0.02). When those with treated HTN and syncope were compared to an age and sex matched cohort without syncope there were no significant differences in severity of AS, ejection fraction, or arterial pressure. Patients with treated HTN and syncope had a lower stroke volume index than those without syncope (32 +/- 4 vs 40 +/- 6 mL/m2, p=0.01). In conclusion, the risk of syncope in patients with severe AS and treated HTN is low and similar to that seen in AS patients without HTN. Syncope is related to age, female sex, and a low stroke volume index.


In this study, we modified the surface of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) through LbL (Layer-by-Layer) multilayering process with polyelectrolytes and investigated the effects of the NFC modification on the charge of NFC surface and the dewatering ability of NFC suspension. The multilayering process was done onto NFC fibers using polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDADMAC) and poly-sodium 4-styrene sulfonate (PSS) under different dosage and washing conditions. When the washing was carried out in every adsorption stage, the modified NFC had strong cationic or anionic charge depending on the type of polyelectrolyte in the outermost layer and the dewatering ability was not affected. In the case of no washing treatment or washing in the final adsorption stage, however, the zeta potential of NFC was close to an isoelectric point so that the dewatering ability increased remarkably. Low addition level of polyelectrolytes also showed the similar results. The mixing of NFC suspensions with opposite charge resulted in higher network strength and improved dewatering ability due to the flocculation.


The "plateau de La Bretelliere" in Saint-Macaire en Mauges (Maine-et-Loire, France) is an exceptional site where the monumental art of the 5th millennium is located in a preserved area. The engraved stelae have mostly not moved for the past 6000 years and are therefore studyable in their initial context. Zigzags and snake motifs are the two lead signs of the plateau and show affinities with the Iberian Peninsula. Four meters long, one of them is the most imposing broken line megalithic item in Europe. In low-angled light, it is currently visible at 150 meters. Taking advantage of the immutability of the stelae, distances and areas of specific visibility were calculated. The first results are oriented towards the existence of a path along the different figures inscribed on the mineral walls.


We report the growth of high-quality triangular GaN nanomesas, 30-nm thick, on the C-face of 4H-SiC using nano selective area growth (NSAG) with patterned epitaxial graphene grown on SiC as an embedded mask. NSAG alleviates the problems of defective crystals in the heteroepitaxial growth of nitrides, and the high mobility graphene film can readily provide the back low-dissipative electrode in GaN-based optoelectronic devices. The process consists in first growing a 5-8 graphene layers film on the C-face of 4H- SiC by confinement-controlled sublimation of silicon carbide. The graphene film is then patterned and arrays of 75-nanometer-wide openings are etched in graphene revealing the SiC substrate. 30-nanometer-thick GaN is subsequently grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. GaN nanomesas grow epitaxially with perfect selectivity on SiC, in openings patterned through graphene, with no nucleation on graphene. The up-or-down orientation of the mesas on SiC, their triangular faceting, and cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy show that they are biphasic. The core is a zinc blende monocrystal surrounded with single-crystal hexagonal wurtzite. The GaN crystalline nanomesas have no threading dislocations, and do not show any V-pit. This NSAG process potentially leads to integration of high-quality III-nitrides on the wafer scalable epitaxial graphene / silicon carbide platform.


The advent of advanced molecular targeted therapy has resulted in improved prognoses for patients with advanced malignancies. However, despite the significant success and specificity of this advocated targeted therapy, significant on- and off-target adverse effects and inter-individual variability in treatment responses have been reported. The interpatient variability in drug response has been suggested to be partly due to variations in patient genomes. Therefore, the identification of genetic biomarkers by conducting pharmacogenetics studies can help predict patient responses to targeted therapy and may serve as a basis for individualized treatment. In this review, both clinically established and potential molecular targets are highlighted. Overall, current literature suggests that individualization of targeted therapy is promising; however, integrating the clinical benefits of identified biomarkers into clinical practice for personalized medicine remains a major challenge, and further studies to validate these markers and identify novel therapeutic approaches are needed.


Abstract Firms face a rapidly changing market environment under the pressure of difficult challenges such as limited resources and increasing costs. Organizations may actively seek to cooperate with other members for benefits from knowledge sharing. Establishing quality network ties among suppliers and customers is a significant study subject. Here, we assessed the impact of the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement on Taiwan flat glass industry and study measures adopted by the manufacturers. The effective sample size is 250. We found that through the intermediary of organizational agility and strong network ties, a firm can enhance its organizational performance.


IndiaA pair of mishaps has left India's nuclear establishment on edge. On 28 December, two biochemistry Ph.D. students burned to death in a mysterious fire in the country's main nuclear laboratory, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai. A month earlier, dozens of workers at a nuclear plant in Kaiga were exposed to tritium in an apparent case of attempted poisoning. To some observers, the incidents—both unsolved as Science went to press—raise the specter of terrorism. Others discount that possibility.


An enzyme-free glucose electrochemical sensor with high sensitivity and selectivity is highly attractive. In this work, an enzyme-free glucose sensor with Cu2O hollow microspheres (Cu2O HMs) was prepared via hydrothermal method. The glucose sensor constructed by the prepared Cu2O HM structure exhibited a low detection limit of 0.13 μM, a high sensitivity of 277.1 μA/mM cm2, and the wide linear ranges of 0.05–1.5 and 1.5–6.0 mM. Furthermore, anti-interference tests indicated that the prepared sensor exhibited good selectivity for glucose and practical application in human serum. The Cu2O sensor has great application potential in the development of enzyme-free glucose sensor.


Background: Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are considered major health concerns in developing countries especially among economically disadvantaged communities. Currently, there is a lack of information on the prevalence of IPIs among internally displaced persons in Yemen. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of IPIs among internally displaced person in Saber camp, Lahaj governorate, Yemen during MayNovember 2019. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among internally displaced person from the Saber camp. samples of fresh stool were collected from the participants and examined by wet mount and formal-ether fecal concentration technique. Data were processed using the Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS), version 25.0. The significant level set was p-value <0.05. Results: The study involved a sample of 350 participants. Overall, the study found that 156 (44.6%) of the participants were infected with at least one intestinal parasite. The most predominant parasite determined in this study was Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (24.6%) followed by Giardia lamblia (19.7%), Hymenolepis nana 7.1%, Enterobius vermicularis 0.90%, and Strongyloides.stercoralis 0.30%. The prevalence rate of parasitic infection in males was 55 (45.8%), whereas females were 101 (43.9 %). The association between intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) and gender was found statistically insignificant (χ2 = 0.118, P = 0.732, df = 1). The finding of the study showed that the prevalence rate was significantly different based on the age of respondents (χ2 = 12.10 P = 0.033, df = 5) with the highest prevalence in the age group 1-9 years was 45.5%, where the lowest was 5.8 % in groups of respondents age between 40 to49 years. Conclusion: This study reveals an alarmingly high prevalence of IPIs (44.6 %) on IPIs infection among internally displaced person in Saber camp in Lahaj governorate, Yemen. Hence, there is a great need for improvement of sanitation and proper health education is required to reduce intestinal parasitic infection.


Schwannomas are the most common tumor of peripheral nerves which are arising from Schwann cells and are benign in their nature. Intracranial schwannoma accounts for between 5 and 8% of intracranial tumors, whereas intracerebral schwannoma, a rare disease, accounts for <1% of intracranial schwannomas. Intracerebral schwannoma has no specific clinical manifestation, and it is not classified by age. Here, we are reporting a case of an 18-year-old male who presented with attacks of seizures. MR imaging studies were done and showed right parieto-occipital cortical and subcortical mass lesion with intense enhancement and significant vasogenic oedema with mass effect on the subjacent sulci. The tumor was surgically removed through a right occipital craniotomy. Histological findings confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma.


Commodification of social life, i.e., extension of the number of goods and services which become commodities and can be sold on the market, is one of the main characteristics of post- communist transformation and modernisation in Poland. The rules of commodification are un- clear and ambiguous, however, and this in turn blurs the boundaries between various subsys- tems of society, produces a low-key equilibrium between the deficient market, inefficient democ- racy and private networks and is the source of many tensions and pathologies. It also disintegrates society's cognitive and normative system and weakening the social legitimisation of the new or- der.


In this study, nonlinear crash analyses have been conducted for the skid landing gear of a helicopter. The realistic landing gear model of the commercial helicopter (SB427) is considered. Three-dimensional dynamic finite element model with variable thickness and material plastic behavior is constructed and LS-DYNA (Ver. 970) is used to conduct nonlinear transient crash analyses for different impact conditions. Characteristics of nonlinear transient responses due to the ground crash are investigated for typical structural design criteria of a skid landing gear system. In addition, comparison results for maximum crash deformations of the skid landing gear are presented and the important effect of ground friction for numerical accuracy is described.


This paper concentrates on two critical aspects to improve the performance of maximum power point tracking (MPPT). One improvement is to accurately locate the position of the maximum power point (MPP) by using the centered differentiation. Another effort is to reduce the oscillation around the MPP in steady state by controlling active perturbations. This paper also adopts the method of steepest descent for MPPT, which shows faster dynamic response and smoother steady state than the method of hill climbing. Comprehensive experimental evaluations have successfully illustrated the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.


To investigate one‐dimensionally disordered (ODD) structures in close packed (cp) crystals, the Monte Carlo computer simulation technique has been applied. Calculations of diffraction intensity distributions along the 10.L reciprocal lattice row from 4H structure with four different kinds of stacking faults (SFs): growth, deformation, layer displacement and extrinsic fault are presented. In particular, using simple frequency function of fault to fault distances, both random and non‐random distributions of SFs are considered. Distinctive features of the diffraction patterns corresponding to the chosen examples of transformations from the parent 4H structure into another small‐period polytypes are discussed in detail.


It has been alleged that compatibilists are committed to the view that agents act freely and responsibly even when subject to certain forms of radical manipulation. In this paper I identify and elucidate a form of compatibilist freedom, social autonomy , that is essential to understanding what is wrong with ordinary indoctrination, and argue that it also holds the key to understanding what goes wrong in more fanciful manipulation cases.


To get a robot to perform tasks autonomously, the robot has to plan its behavior and make decisions based on the input it receives. Unfortunately, contemporary robot sensors and actuators are subject to noise, rendering optimal decision making a stochastic process. To model this process, partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs) can be applied. In this paper we introduce the RENQ algorithm, a new POMDP algorithm that combines neural networks for estimating Qvalues with the construction of a spatial pyramid over the state space. RENQ essentially uses region-based belief vectors together with state-based belief vectors, and these are used as inputs to the neural network trained with Q-learning. We compare RENQ to Qmdp and Perseus, two state-of-the-art algorithms for approximately solving model-based POMDPs. The results on three different maze navigation tasks indicate that RENQ outperforms Perseus on all problems and outperforms Qmdp if the problem becomes larger.


Background
Early diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) remains difficult. Calpain is a family of calcium-dependent endopeptidase that plays an important role in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and collagen synthesis. The aim of this study was to explore the diagnostic value of pleural fluid angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), calpain-1, spectrin breakdown products (SBDP), and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in TPE and malignant pleural effusion (MPE).

Methods
The study included 47 patients with TPE, 28 patients with MPE, and 10 patients with transudate of non-tuberculous and non-malignant origin as controls. Calpain-1, ACE, SBDP, and MMP-1 levels in pleural fluid were measured by the ELISA method.

Results
ACE, calpain-1, SBDP, and MMP-1 levels were higher in TPE than MPE and transudate (all, P<0.05). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, adenosine deaminase (ADA) ≥40 IU/mL, calpain-1 ≥787 ng/mL, and SBDP ≥2.745 ng/mL were independent factors associated with TPE. The predicted probability of TPE based on these three predictors had an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.985, with 97.9% sensitivity and 86.6% specificity under a cut-off value of 0.326. In patients with TPE, residual pulmonary thickening (RPT) was associated with significantly higher calpain-1, SBDP, and MMP-1 levels (all, P<0.05) versus cases without RPT.

Conclusions
Our results suggest that the overproduction of calpain-1 and SBDP is associated with pleural fibrosis in tuberculous pleurisy. While ADA is a conventional marker for diagnostic TPE, the simultaneous measurement of calpain-1 and SBDP l in pleural fluid may improve the diagnostic efficacy.


[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of interactive games played on a Nintendo Wii on postural control, motor function and functional independence of chronic stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty chronic stroke patients were recruited for this study. The subjects were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group played interactive games using the Nintendo Wii for 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week, for 3 weeks, whereas the control group did not play interactive games. Result measures included the postural assessment scale, the modified motor assessment scale and the functional independence measure. [Results] There were significant differences in the postural assessment scale and modified motor assessment scale scores of both groups after the intervention, and between the control group and the experimental group after the intervention. However, there were no significant differences in functional independence measure scores. [Conclusion] An interactive game played on a Nintendo Wii appears to be an effective intervention for improvement of chronic stroke patients' functional results. Therefore, research into the most effective type of Wii game and the clinical significance should continue.


Soil erosion triggered by water and wind pose a great threat to the sustainable development of Pakistan. In this study, a combination of geographic information systems (GISs) and machine learning approaches were used to predict soil water erosion rates. The Revised Wind Erosion Equation (RWEQ) model was used to evaluate soil wind erosion, map erosion factors, and analyze the soil erosion rates for each land use type. Finally, the maps of soil water and wind erosion were spatially integrated to identify erosion risk regions and recommend land use management in Pakistan. According to our estimates, the Potohar Plateau and its surrounding regions were mostly impacted by water erosion and have a soil erosion rate of 2500–5000 t·km−2·a−1; on the other hand, wind erosion predominated the Kharan Desert and the Thar Desert, with a soil erosion rate exceeding 15,000 t·km−2·a−1. The Sulaiman and Kirthar Mountain Ranges were susceptible to wind–water compound erosion, which was more than 8000 t·km−2·a−1. This study offers new perspectives on the geographic pattern of individual and integrated water–wind erosion threats in Pakistan and provides high-precision data and a scientific foundation for designing rational soil and water conservation practices.


Quantum fluctuations in nuclear systems are shown to cause structures in space and time near to and far from the equilibrium. Some of them have collective properties. The collective states at high level densities are dissipative or dynamical structures in contrast to the well known collective states at low level densities. The existence of this new type of collective state can be proved by lifetime measurements.


A field trial was conducted to determine the nutrient uptake, harvest and addition by different crops under jute included and jute excluded cropping sequences. The crops were potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.), jute ( Corchorus olitorius L.), broadcast aus rice and transplanted aman rice ( Oryza sativa L.). The soil of the experimental site represents Melandha soil series under noncalcareous brown floodplain soil (General Soil Type) which belongs to Agro Ecological Zone No. 8 (Young Brahmaputra and Jumuna Floodplain). Experiment was conducted with potato as base crop in rabi season for three consecutive years in the same field. The treatments (cropping patterns) were Potato - Jute - T. aman, Potato - B. aus - T. aman, Potato - Fallow - T. aman, and Fallow - Jute - T. aman. Jute plant harvested the lowest amount of nutrients and added back the highest amount to the soil. Contributions to the additions of nutrients by crops followed the following sequence: for nitrogen jute > B. aus > T. aman > potato; for phosphorus jute > T. aman > B. aus > potato; for potassium jute > B. aus > T.aman > potato, and for sulphur jute > B. aus > T. aman > potato. Key words: Nutrient uptake; Harvest; Addition; Cropping sequence DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/dujbs.v20i1.8874 Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 20 (1): 81-89, 2011 (January)


Slow oscillations, with a period of around 15 min, were observed in an 11-kV electrical distribution system. Initial investigations were unable to reproduce the oscillations. Through the use of hybrid system modelling and analysis concepts, however, it was determined that the oscillations resulted from interactions between tap-changing transformers and switched capacitors. The hybrid systems framework was needed to account for the nonsmooth (switched) nature of these interactions. Trajectory sensitivities were used to identify influential parameters. It was found that existence of the oscillations was dependent upon factors that included system fault level, capacitor rating, and regulator deadband limits. In all cases, grazing-type conditions separated oscillatory from steady-state behavior. A system of cascaded tap-changing transformers was also investigated, with the hybrid systems framework revealing coexisting limit cycles.


SUMMARY Two 16-week experiments with lactating Ayrshire cows were conducted to study the effect on milk production of replacing barley with dried molassed sugar-beet pulp on an equal dry-matter basis. The cows on all treatments received equal weights of hay, groundnut cake and minerals but the contents of barley and of sugar-beet pulp each varied from 0 to 80% in the different concentrate mixtures. The total daily intake of dry matter expressed as a percentage of live weight averaged 2·64 and 2·72 in the two experiments. The average yield of milk in the two experiments was 18·8 kg/cow per day, and, within each experiment, the mean yields of milk and the contents of solids-not-fat and crude protein were not significantly different on the contrasting feeding treatments. The intake of water was significantly increased as the dried beet pulp replaced the barley but no major changes occurred in the proportions of V.F.A.S in the rumen liquor. It is concluded that barley and dried molassed sugar-beet pulp had the same feeding value on a dry-matter basis when used in the production ration of milking cows. It is suggested that for most purposes barley and dried sugar-beet pulp are interchangeable on an equal weight basis, but for more precise feeding the two feeds should replace each other on an equal dry-weight basis.


The Earth is unique as the one planet in our solar system that has hosted abundant life over billions of years. The habitability of our world means that we possess an environment that has sustained stable liquid water over time and was provided early on with ample amounts of organic molecules to form and feed life until photosynthesis took over. The initial conditions required for habitability are not fully understood, but they involve a planet size sufficient to retain water and sustain volatile-recycling tectonics, as well as a planetary system in which water and organics were available for delivery to the growing planet. Our atmosphere and ocean hold clues, largely in the form of isotopic ratios and elemental abundances, to the mechanisms by which water and organics were delivered to the Earth. Yet it remains unresolved as to whether the Earth formed of planetesimals endowed with liquid water or acquired its water from remote sources. The most plausible remote water source is the primordial asteroid belt; comets may have provided the bulk of the organics. To better constrain these sources will require extensive exploration of Mars, comets and asteroids, as well as new meteorite discoveries.


The present quantitative study focuses on witnesses' speech in Swedish criminal trials, more specifically on potential differences between men's and women's language styles. Since the 1970s, research on language and gender has been divided into three main approaches towards the relationship between men's and women's language use: the deficit approach, the dominance approach and the cultural approach. The present study uses the more recent dynamic approach to show how gender is acted out in each situation taking into account a number of factors, e.g. context. The aim of our work is first and foremost to study the possible correlation between the witnesses' gender and language in the courtroom context and then to investigate if income and/or level of education provide better explanations for possible variation by looking at a broad range of linguistic variables. The results show no statistically significant gender or social status differences in the witnesses' speech. However, when comparing the results of the testifying police officers accidentally included in the study with the rest of the witnesses, the differences turned out to be significant. This shows that, in this case, factors such as previous courtroom experience and familiarity with the context were probably more influential on the speech of the informants than gender, income and education, in conformity with the assumptions of the dynamic approach.


Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a range of epithelial and B cell malignancies as well as autoimmune disorders, for which there are still no specific treatments or effective vaccines. Here, we isolated EBV gH/gL-specific antibodies from an EBV-infected individual. One antibody, 1D8, efficiently neutralized EBV infection of two major target cell types, B cells and epithelial cells. In humanized mice, 1D8 provided strong protection against a high-dose EBV challenge by substantially reducing viral loads and associated tumor burden. Crystal structure analysis revealed that 1D8 binds to a key vulnerable interface between the D-I/D-II domains of the viral gH/gL protein, especially the D-II of the gH, thereby interfering with the gH/gL-mediated membrane fusion and binding to target cells. Overall, we identified a potent neutralizing antibody as a promising candidate for prophylactic and therapeutic interventions against EBV infection. The key vulnerable site also provides insights into the EBV vaccines design.


A new technique for analyzing natural data is used on chemical data from the Dundonald sill. It is shown thereby that, with certain exceptions, the conclusions reached by Naldrett and Mason (1968) regarding the differentiation of the sill could have been expressed with greater certainty. The natural chemical data may be used as an independant check on rival hypothetical differentiation processes. The use of conventional graphical techniques has resulted in critical information remaining unused in tables of chemical analyses.


This paper presents a new measurement method based on the parallel plate capacitor concept, which determines complex permittivity of dielectric sheets and films with thicknesses up to about 3.5 mm. Unlike the conventional devices, this new method uses a greatly simplified calibration procedure and is capable of measuring at frequencies from 10 MHz to 2 GHz, and in some cases up to 6 GHz. It solves the parasitic impedance limitations in conventional capacitor methods by explicitly modeling the fixture with a full-wave computational electromagnetic code. Specifically, a finite difference time domain (FDTD) code was used to not only design the fixture, but to create a database-based inversion algorithm. The inversion algorithm converts measured fixture reflection (S11) into dielectric properties of the specimen under test. This paper provides details of the fixture design and inversion method. Finally, example measurements are shown to demonstrate the utility of the method on typical microwave substrates.


Senescent fibroblasts, which are present in chronic ulcers, are the reason for the wound becoming chronic. In this study, we introduce full‐thickness micro skin grafts in the ulcer, a surgical technique known as a 'nested graft', which gave encouraging results leading to complete wound healing in all patients. The assessment of fibroblast cultures taken from the wound before and after treatment and comparison with fibroblasts from healthy skin showed that the fibroblasts taken from the ulcer after the nested graft treatment acquire morpho‐functional characteristics overlapping those of fibroblasts from healthy skin. This surgical approach is, therefore, able to lead to the healing of chronic ulcers through the de‐senescence of the fibroblasts.


We consider various candidates for Dark Energy, motivated by string theory. Several no-go theorems push de Sitter string vacua, with w = −1, to the limits of theoretical control, and all known examples depend on a delicate interplay between different string theoretic ingredients. On the other hand, runaway moduli directions are ubiquitous in string theory, and could plausibly source slow-roll quintessence. We consider various candidate supergravity potentials, motivated by string theory, including single-field Kähler potentials for bulk and local moduli, and leading superpotentials of the form W =W0+Ae or W =W0+AΦ. Conditions on the scalar potential imposed by supergravity are very restrictive, ruling out e.g. quintessence with K =−n ln(Φ+ Φ̄) and W = W0 +AΦp. Out of the examples considered, one can simultaneously satisfy V > 0 and εV < 1 only for a deformation-like modulus with K = k0 + |Φ| 2n k1 and a blow-up like modulus with K = k0 + (Φ+Φ̄)2n k1 when the leading order in the perturbative superpotential, p, is equal to n. We also review the scenario of Thermal Dark Energy, where thermal effects in a light hidden sector hold a scalar field up away from the minimum of its zero-temperature potential. This provides a viable model of Dark Energy with w = −1, consistent with known swampland conjectures, and motivates further early Thermal Dark Energy epochs with potentially observable consequences.


Meroterpenes are widely distributed among marine organisms; they are particularly abundant within brown algae, but other important sources include microorganisms and invertebrates. In the present review the structures and bioactivities of meroterpenes from marine invertebrates, mainly sponges and tunicates, are summarized. More than 300 molecules, often complex and with unique skeletons originating from intra- and inter-molecular cyclizations, and/or rearrangements, are illustrated. The reported syntheses are mentioned. The issue of a potential microbial link to their biosynthesis is also shortly outlined.


Objective To provide anatomic basis for clinical application and athletic medicine,by analyzing the thickness of superior and inferior border of interarticularis(STI and ITI),the distance between superior and inferior border of interarticularis(DSⅡ) and the thickness of vertebral laminae(TVL) on adolescent thoracic and lumbar spine.Methods 25 specimens(T1~L5)from adolescents(aged from 14 to 19 years,averagely 16.5 year) were measured and compared,with the anatomic parameters of STI,ITI,DSⅡ and TVL.Results STI increased gradually,from T1 to T12 level(ranged from 2.96±0.69 mm to 3.74±0.55 mm),and then decreased from L1 to L5 level(ranged from 4.29±0.98mm to 4.83±0.80mm);ITI increased from T1to L5 level(ranged from 4.52±1.00mm to 7.30±1.24mm);DSⅡ increased from T1 to T12 level and decreased from L1 to L5 leve(lranged between 17.51±3.55mm and 7.90±1.71mm);TVL ranged between(17.51±3.55)mm and(7.90± 1.71)mm,and presented the shape of sella.Conclusions The results of thoracic and lumbar vertebral laminae and interarticularis in adolescents show that,ITI is always thicker than STI.


We perform a NLO QCD analysis of the nonsinglet part of the combined SLAC-BCDMS-NMC data on inclusive deep inelastic cross section with the extraction of $\alpha_s$. We show that the value of $\alpha_s$ obtained in the analysis is sensitive to the statistical inference procedures dealing with systematic errors on the data. The fit with the complete account of point-to-point correlations of the data gives the value of $\alpha_s(M_Z)=0.1183\pm0.0021(exp.)\pm0.0013(ren.scale)$ that is compatible with the LEP measurements and the world average. Model independent x-shape of high twist contributions to the structure functions $F_L$ and $F_2$ is extracted. Twist-4 contribution to $F_L$ is found to be in qualitative agreement with the predictions of infrared renormalon model. Twist-6 contribution to $F_L$ exhibit weak trend to negative values, and twist-6 contribution to $F_2$ - to positive values, although both are compatible with zero within errors.


Traffic prediction is a keystone for building smart cities in the new era and has found wide applications in traffic scheduling and management, environment policy making, public safety, and so on. Instead of creating a traffic predictor for each city, this article focuses on designing a unified network model that could be directly applied for traffic prediction in any city, by learning the essential spatial-temporal dependencies, i.e., the mutual relationship between traffic and the corresponding fine-grained road network. To achieve this goal, this article proposes a joint knowledge-and data-driven mechanism that novelly divides dependencies into three kinds of correlations, i.e., road segment, intra-intersection, and inter-intersection correlation, which capture the microcosmic, middle, and macroscopic dependencies between traffic and the road network, respectively. Specifically, we first construct traffic datasets that could cover all road segments from real-world trajectory datasets, which makes it possible to model the whole road network as a graph, with the help of fine-grained road topology. Then, we propose meta road segment learner, connection-aware spatial-temporal graph convolutional network (GCN), and multiscale residual networks for capturing the microcosmic, middle, and macroscopic dependencies, respectively. Our experiments on three real-world datasets demonstrate that our proposed method could: 1) achieve better prediction accuracy compared with several approaches and 2) capture the mutual relationship between traffic and the fine-grained road network since our model trained only using data from the source city achieves good performance when it is directly applied for traffic prediction in the target city, without any fine-tuning. The codes will be made publicly available.


The objective of this article is to describe and compare the use of traditional/complementary medicine (T/CM) among psychotic (schizophrenia and schizophreniform disorder) and epileptic Malay patients in peninsular Malaysia. There were 60 patients in each group. T/CM consultation was uniformly spread across all levels of education and social status. We could not find a single over-riding factor that influenced the decision to seek T/CM treatment because the decision to seek such treatment was complex and the majority of decisions were made by others. Fifty-three patients (44.2%), consisting of 37 (61.7%) psychotic and 16 (26.7%) epileptic patients had consulted Malay traditional healers (bomoh) and/or homeopathic practitioners in addition to modern treatment; of these, only three had consulted bomoh and homeopathic practitioners at the same time. The use of T/CM was significantly higher in psychotic than in epileptic Malay patients.


The benefits of high-resolution forest site classification systems have been widely acknowledged in South Africa as a prerequisite for decision-making in forestry management. Although substantial research and development work have been done on categorising and mapping the soil and geological environment, surprisingly little has been done to improve our understanding of the role of climate in plantation ecology and to incorporate climatic variables into spatial databases. A stratification of the forest landscape of South Africa is proposed, using growth days and growth temperature as primary variables. The appropriateness of these variables is discussed in terms of its relation to plant physiology and landscape ecology. The provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga are used as a case study for demonstration purposes. A total of nine growth day classes and 17 growth temperature classes were identified. An analysis of variance illustrated a significant difference between all classes in terms of related factors expressing moisture and temperature regimes, indicating the relevance of growth days and growth temperature for identifying areas of homogenous climatic conditions. The covariation between growth days and growth temperature and factors expressing moisture and temperature, respectively, also indicates the usefulness of these variables for landscape stratification in complex biophysical environments such as South Africa. The application potential of this stratification system is discussed in terms of its value as a resource inventory, as well as for species choice, site quality prediction, growth modelling, site ecology analysis and various aspects of risk management in plantations. It is proposed that this system be regarded as a first step towards a more holistic multifactor national forest site classification system.


Ab stract: A new spe cies of a non-ma rine microconchid (Tentaculita) tubeworm, Microconchus hintonensis, from the Lower Car bon if er ous (Up per Mis sis sip pian, Chesterian) of West Vir ginia, USA, is de scribed. Non-ma rine microconchids oc cur abun dantly in the de pos its of the Bluefield, lower Hinton, Prince ton and Bluestone For ma tions of the Mauch Chunk Group, where they are ei ther as so ci ated with land plant re mains and bi valve shells, or are pre served loose in the host sed i ment. The spec i mens at tached to plant re mains and bi valve shells, are poorly pre served, but those oc cur ring loose in the de pos its are well-pre served in three di men sions. The in ter pre ta tion pre sented here, is that the loose spec i mens of Microconchus hintonensis sp. nov. also orig i nally en crusted plants (land plants, al gae) and bi valve shells, but be came de tached af ter sub strate deg ra da tion and dis so lu tion. The as so ci a tion of land plant re mains, charophyte gyrogonites, bi valves, ostracodes, conchostracans, and fish teeth and scales, and the con com i tant lack of strictly ma rine fos sils in di cate that the microconchid-bear ing de pos its of the lower Hinton, Prince ton and Bluestone For ma tions were de pos ited in fresh-wa ter en vi ron ments. Microconchus hintonensis sp. nov. is re garded as a highly fe cund, op por tu nis tic spe cies that in large num bers col o nized ev ery avail able sub strate in its hab i tat. Its abun dance in the de pos its in ves ti gated in di cates that the spe cies was welladapted to the en vi ron ments it oc cu pied, even dur ing ep i sodes of higher sed i men ta tion rates and/or com pe ti tion with other soft-bod ied encrusters. Dur ing such ep i sodes, microconchids were able to grow ver ti cally by un coil ing and el e vat ing their tubes, in or der to es cape po ten tial burial and/or overgrowth by other encrusters.


Objectives: Eighty percent of older adults have at least one chronic disease. Most conditions could be improved with nutritional intervention. This scientific study assessed physician and patient knowledge of, and behaviors about nutrition, resulting in tools to guide physicians in nutrition management of chronic diseases. Methods: Surveys were conducted of 300 practicing physicians and 600 older adults to identify current attitudes and practices regarding the role of nutrition in chronic disease management. Results: Ninety percent of physicians surveyed recognize the relationship between nutrition and chronic disease. Yet nutrition care occurs only sporadically in primary care settings. Conclusions: Most physicians are aware of nutrition in managing chronic disease, but a significant percentage do not routinely include nutrition in their practice. This research led to the development of tools to assist in identifying and managing the nutritional aspects of chronic disease.


Systematic errors that depend on the measured values characterize the measurement linearity. Considered method of linearity evaluation for event timers is based on random perturbations of periodic event timing and further measurement of errors caused by such perturbations. The method allows evaluating the linearity with sub-picosecond precision in a wide range of time interval variation, without use of special and expensive equipment. Example of the method application for linearity evaluation of picosecond-precision event timer is considered. Ill. 6, bibl. 7 (in English; summaries in English, Russian and Lithuanian).


Abstract A novel idea for generating directional electromagnetic beam using a metamaterial absorber for enhancing radiation from a microwave antenna in the S-band is presented herewith. The metamaterial structure constitutes the well-known stacked dogbone doublet working in the absorption mode. The reflection property of the dogbone metamaterial absorber, for the non-propagating reactive near-field, is utilized for achieving highly enhanced and directional radiation characteristics. The metamaterial absorber converts the high-spatial reactive spectrum in the near-field into propagating low-spatial spectrum resulting in enhanced radiation efficiency and gain. The gain of a printed standard half-wave dipole is enhanced to 10 dBi from 2.3 dBi with highly directional radiation characteristics at resonance.


Abstract Over the nineteenth century the commercial heart of the City of London experienced a widespread transformation as the traditional mix of houses, shops and small-scale commercial spaces gave way to a new landscape dominated by the large-scale, purpose-built office building. The emergence of such specialized commercial office spaces was a key feature in the development of the modern metropolis. This paper explores this transformation by focusing on the building of new bank headquarters in the City between the 1830s and the 1870s. First, it presents a critical discussion of the relationships between the changing legal and institutional structures of banking in the early nineteenth century and the distinctive architectural forms chosen to represent these new corporate forms of the modern money economy. Second, it grounds these more generalized theoretical and contextual claims in the historical experience of specific banking institutions that built or rebuilt their headquarters in the mid-Victorian City. Emphasizing not only their need for increased physical accommodation, but also the differentiation and legitimation of their new and growing financial power, the paper explores the wider ideological role of the built environment in negotiating the complex and unstable qualities of the modern money economy.


Diabetes mellitus is a global health issue that affects life expectancy and quality. In diabetic patients, the oxidation status is increased which has detrimental effects against homeostasis. L-carnitine showed anti-oxidative effects in different tissues, and also it was reported that L-carnitine levels reduced in patients with diabetes. In this study, we examined the administration of different doses of L-carnitine on antioxidants status in diabetic rats' serum and pancreas. Forty-eight male rats (200 ± 10 g weight) were randomly selected and divided into 6 groups (n = 8) as follow; Group I, untreated control, group II, Diabetic control, group III-VI, diabetic rats which received 50, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg/day L-carnitine by intraperitoneal injection for 35 days, respectively. At the end of the study, blood samples and pancreas tissue were collected and histopathology and anti-oxidant status were measured. Our results showed that antioxidative capacity was reduced in the diabetic rats. Between different L-carnitine doses, 300 mg/kg/day of L-carnitine showed significant effects than other doses. The highest dose of L-carnitine (300 mg/kg/day) in this study, significantly increased TAS (Total Antioxidant Status), SOD (Superoxide Dismutase) and GPX (Glutathione Peroxidase) levels in the pancreas and serum. Also, it improved pancreas histopathology compared to the diabetic control group. We conclude that L-carnitine administration has protective effects on the pancreas and serum of STZ-induced diabetic rats, and exerts these beneficial effects through hypoglycemic and antioxidant actions.


Break Even Point (BEP) can be defined as a situation where the operating company does not earn profits or incur losses (total revenue = total cost). Break even point existence can determine how much to desire his company's profits in the periods or vice versa because the BEP can be known what level of sales in order not to losses or how many units were sold for a minimum sale of the company is not losing. Utilization of BEP technique is very good for companies that operate continuously. As part of the short-term profit planning the preparation can provide policy direction to sales made by the management in anticipation of the all conditions of uncertainty in the future. With the break even point then the company can also find out if the company is running efficiently.


The thermal conductivity of a series of complex aluminates, RE2SrAl2O7, with different rare-earth (RE) ions, has been measured up to 1000°C. There is a strong dependence on the atomic number of the RE ion, ranging from an approximately 1/T dependence for the lanthanum strontium aluminate to an almost temperature-independent behavior of the dysprosium strontium aluminate. The latter conductivity is comparable with that of yttria-stabilized zirconia, the current material of choice for thermal barrier coatings. The temperature dependence of the thermal conductivities of all the aluminates studied can be fit to a standard phonon–phonon scattering model, modified to account for a minimum phonon mean free path, in which the difference in behavior is attributed to increased phonon–phonon scattering with the atomic mass of the RE ion. Although a satisfactory parametric fit is obtained, the model does not take into account either the detailed layer structure of the aluminates, consisting of alternating rock-salt and perovskite layers in a natural superlattice structure, or the site preferences of the RE ion. This suggests that further model development is warranted.


Nonviral vector–based gene therapy is a promising strategy for treating a myriad of diseases. Cell‐penetrating peptides are gaining increasing attention as vectors for nucleic acid delivery. However, most studies have focused more on the transfection efficiency of these vectors than on their specificity and toxicity. To obtain ideal vectors with high efficiency and safety, we constructed the vector stearyl‐TH by attaching a stearyl moiety to the N‐terminus of the acid‐activated cell penetrating peptide TH in this study. Under acidic conditions, stearyl‐TH could bind to and condense plasmids into nanoparticle complexes, which displayed significantly enhanced cellular uptake and transfection efficiencies. In contrast, stearyl‐TH lost the capacities of DNA binding and transfection at physiological pH. More importantly, stearyl‐TH and the complexes formed by stearyl‐TH and plasmids displayed no obvious toxicity at physiological pH. Consequently, the high transfection efficiency under acidic conditions and low toxicity make stearyl‐TH a potential nucleic acid delivery vector for gene therapy.


This work consists in the study, development and implementation of a toolbox for image processing using the Python language and the numerical Python package. This set has "open source" distribution and is adequate for multidimensional mathematical processing. Python is a modern and well projected language, interpreted, "very-high-level", object oriented and extremely portable, apart from being suitable for rapid application development (RAD). The system is generated using the methodology of the Adesso project for construction of scientific software. This environment is useful in education, research and development of final applications.


Orientation: Effective leadership is critical to the survival and growth of organisations. For such leadership to be realised, organisational leaders need to be competent in transformational leadership, which is described as a situation in which the leader and followers empower and shape each other's behaviour to attain a desired goal. Research purpose: The purpose of this study is to empirically test the relationship between transformational leadership competency and leadership effectiveness in Kenyan indigenous banks. Motivation for this study: In spite of the fact that indigenous banks have been performing better recently, their overall poor performance is cause for concern. This study was motivated by a desire to establish the extent to which the recent improvement is attributable to transformational leadership competency and effectiveness. It is also anticipated that this investigation can highlight aspects of leadership which require more attention in order to sustain improved performance. Research design, approach and method: The study utilised a survey method to collect both quantitative and qualitative data while probability and non-probability techniques were used to sample target population. With 494 respondents targeted in the study, 257 responses were received and analysed. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modelling with Cronbach's alpha, confirmatory factor analysis and goodness-of-fit indices for analysis and for testing relationships. Main findings: The overall findings confirm that a strong relationship exists between transformational leadership competencies and leadership effectiveness among the leaders of the indigenous banks in Kenya. Practical/managerial implication: Based on the findings of this study, Kenyan indigenous banks are able to identify specific and essential transformational leadership competencies and leadership effectiveness attributes. Contribution: The study has identified that transformational leadership abilities of inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualised consideration and idealised influence, together with the leadership effectiveness indicators of cross-cultural competency, influence, follow commitment, versatility and group organisation are essential for the effectiveness of Kenyan banks.


PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of intravenous injections of secretin during MRP procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From 1998 to 2001, 340 patients were examined with MRP. Depending on the native MRI/MRP diagnosis, 110 of them received an injection of secretin followed by multiple MRP's (every 2 minutes) up to 10 min after injection. Diagnosis included healthy persons (n = 23), pancreas divisum (n = 11), chronic pancreatitis (n = 68), and pancreatic tumors (n = 22); some patients had more than 1 diagnosis. Visibility of duct structures and amount of fluid filling of the duodenum after secretin injection were evaluated (dynamic examination) based on a five-point scale. Differences were tested statistically by means of Mc Nemar's test and ROC analysis. RESULTS: The visibility of the pancreatic duct could be increased significantly after secretin injection in all subgroups (p < 0.05). Statistically, it turned out not to be important at what time point after injection the MRP was taken. It was possible to evaluate the excretion rate of the pancreas. In healthy persons and those with pancreas divisum, the fluid filling of the duodenum was significantly higher than in those with chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic tumors. However, this finding alone did not suffice in differentiating between both groups (sensitivity 0.68 and specificity 0.59, respectively). CONCLUSION: The i. v. injection of secretin improves the ability of MRP to evaluate the pancreas by increasing the visibility of the pancreatic duct structures and provides a method to assess the excretion rate of the gland.


Peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies have found much success in applications like file distributions, and its adoption in live video streaming has recently attracted significant attentions. With the emerge of commercial P2P streaming systems that are orders of magnitude larger than the academic systems, understanding its basic principles and limitations are important in the design of future systems. Coolstreaming represented one of the earliest large-scale live streaming trials in the Internet. In this paper, we discuss the fundamental components of the system. By leveraging the recent results obtained from live event broadcast, we develop some basis to demonstrate that a random partnership selection has the potentially to scale. Specifically, first, we examine the overlay topology. Second, using a combination of real traces and analysis, we present the highly skewed distribution of peer contribution; a small fraction of peers contribute most of the upload capacity. Third, we discuss the main limitations and the implications on the scalability.


Abstract Borreliosis (Lyme disease) is a chronic multisystem infectious disease transmitted by Ixodes ticks. The etiological agent of borreliosis is the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. The symptoms of borreliosis can vary depending on the attacked system and length of infection. Diagnosis is based mainly on clinical symptoms and immunoserological tests. The clinical symptoms of borreliosis also include dysfunction in the tissues and organs of the stomatognathic system. This paper describes a case of a female patient who had experienced a long-term dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). After careful analysis, the symptoms were found to be caused by a chronic form of neuroborreliosis with exacerbations. The findings in this case study show that borreliosis should be considered by doctors and dentists in the differential diagnosis of pain in the area of the TMJ.


This paper deals with the frequency-dependent ground impedance of ground grids combined with the carbon ground electrodes. Ground grids are generally valid for multipurpose grounding systems as well as lightning protection systems. The carbon ground electrodes may be supplementarily used to reduce the high frequency ground impedance and to improve the transient response to surge currents. The frequency-dependent ground impedances of ground grids combined with or without the carbon ground electrodes were measured and their simulations with due regard to frequency-dependent soil resistivity were implemented by using EMTP program and Matlab modeling. As a consequence, the ground impedance of ground grids combined with the carbon ground electrodes is significantly reduced when the test current is injected at the terminal of the carbon ground electrode. The measured and simulated data for the test ground grids fairly agree with each other. It was found that the proposed method of simulating the frequency-dependent ground impedance is distinguished. The simulation techniques of predicting accurately the ground impedances without actual measurements can be used in the design of grounding systems based on ground grids and the carbon ground electrodes.


The switching time of a single-domain particle with uniaxial anisotropy subjected to an applied field along the easy axis is studied by solving Brown's Fokker-Planck equation numerically. The equation is modified in order to be integrated by a finite-difference method. The validity of this method is verified by comparing the frequency prefactors in the exponential decay calculated by this method with the values from Brown's formula for the prefactor. Switching times for several values of the applied field and the temperature are calculated. Curves of the inverse of the switching time are fitted to a simple expression by using a least-squares method. The expression consists of two terms: a linear function of the applied field and a function proportional to the square root of the temperature. The dependence of the switching time on the magnetization, the volume of the particle, the anisotropy field, the Gilbert's damping constant, and the gyromagnetic constant is also presented.


Objective The principal goal of this study is to examine the base rates of somatoform symptoms and of hypochondriacal features in the general population. Methods A representative sample of 2050 persons in Germany was examined by use of screening for somatoform symptoms and the Whiteley Index. Results The most frequent somatoform symptoms were back pain, joint pain, pain in extremities, and headache, as well as abdominal symptoms (bloating or intolerance of several foods) and cardiovascular symptoms (palpitation). People reported a mean of two somatization symptoms of DSM-IV somatization disorder (SD) during the prior 2 years. Strong age and medium gender effects were found for most somatoform symptoms, as well as for composite indices. However, the sex ratio suggested in DSM-IV for SD seems to be an overestimation. Hypochondriacal features showed only small sex differences but, again, pronounced age effects. In contrast to low rates for SD, the base rates for somatization and hypochondriacal features were high and represented the health care relevance of subthreshold syndromes. Conclusion We present base rates of hypochondriacal and somatization features that may be important facets in the development of classification criteria and in the interpretation of health care expenditure.


Deposition, erosion, and corrosion (DEC) experiments were conducted using three coal-water fuels (CWF) in a staged subscale turbine combustor operated at conditions of a recuperated turbine. This rich-quench-lean (RQL) combustor appears promising for reducing NO{sub x} levels to acceptable levels for future turbines operating with CWF. Specimens were exposed in two test sections to the combustion products from the RQL combustor. The gas and most surface temperatures in the first and second test sections represented temperatures in the first stators and rotors, respectively, of a recuperated turbine. The test results indicate deposition is affected substantially by gas temperature, surface temperature, and unburned carbon due to incomplete combustion. The high rates of deposition observed at first stator conditions showed the need for additional tests to identify CWF coals with lower deposition tendencies and to explore deposition control measures such as hot gas cleanup.


The holographic principle, derived from black hole mathematics in cosmology, is gaining interest as a theory of reality, but it is missing the part that explains how the information gets from the surface of a black hole to every quantum particle in the universe. The purpose of this paper is to present a current research project that is attempting to answer that question. The approach presented here is to treat space and time as two equivalent yet perceptively different aspects of motion. This is an approach that reframes the problem by changing the fundamental interpretation of space and time, which have historically been treated as two fundamentally different entities, somehow mixed to form space time. This new approach allows the use of temporal frequency (the inverse of time), and spatial frequency (the inverse of space) to be superimposed on a space-time-motion diagram, which helps to visualize the relationship between the inverse (frequency or quantum) domain and linear (relativistic) domain. The result is a composite model that eliminates the need for a black-hole concept. Instead, it portrays the two aspects of motion as two coherent "rays" of energy projected outward into the linear space-time domain (future) from every point in the universe and immediately reflected (into the past within a Planck second) back to the quantum domain, which is phase-shifted due to the very same motion, forming a perceptible surface at the event reference. This approach does not theorize anything new in terms of unfathomable dimensions, undiscovered particles, extra-particulate forces, or the like. It only requires a different perspective of what we already know, one that does not require knowledge of any specialized mathematical language beyond undergraduate-level physics and engineering.


Background: Rehabilitation after hospitalization because of acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) has proven to be highly effective. The current study compares the benefit of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in patients after AECOPD to the benefit in stable COPD patients.

Methods: We prospectively analyzed 311 COPD patients in PR, GOLD stage II-IV. Outcome measurements: walking distance (6MWD), dyspnea (mMRC, TDI), quality of life (CCQ, CAT) and the BODE score.

Results: 228 stable patients (56.6±7.1 years, O FEV1 53.1%pred., 64% male) and 83 patients after hospitalization for AECOPD (59.0±6.1 years, O FEV1 47.9%pred., 60% male) were included. The results are shown in the table. No differences between the groups were found.

![Figure][1]

Discussion: All patients improved in most outcomes, with no difference between the patient groups.

 [1]: pending:yes


Understanding the reactivity of H2 is of critical importance in controlling and optimizing many heterogeneous catalytic processes, particularly in cases where its adsorption on the catalyst surface is rate-limiting. In this work, we examine the temperature-dependent adsorption of H2/D2 on the clean RuO2(110) surface using the King and Wells molecular beam approach, temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). We show that the adsorption probability of H2/D2 on this surface is highly temperature-dependent, decreasing from ∼0.4 below 25 K to <0.01 at 300 K. Both STM and TPD reveal that adsorption (molecular or dissociative) is severely limited once the temperature exceeds the trailing edge temperature of the H2 TPD state (∼150 K). The presence of coadsorbed water or oxygen does not appear to alter this situation. Previous literature reports of extensive RuO2(110) surface hydroxylation from H2/D2 exposures at 300 K may instead be the result of background contamination brought about by chamber backfilling.