Abstract Background In an effort to lower costs and improve quality of care, there is potential to change the treatment landscape for low-risk (i.e., less severe) ABSSSI patients who historically required inpatient management, a costly option. Outpatient IV treatment pathways have been shown to be a cost-saving option for hospitals and insurers. The objective was to quantify the potential opportunity for reducing cost of ABSSSI treatment in an insured Commercial and Medicare Aetna population. Methods Adult patients between January 2013 and July 2016 were identified with a primary ABSSSI claim (Table 1) in the Aetna fully-insured Commercial and Medicare insurance claims database. ABSSSI encounters were identified with insurance eligibility for the 7 months prior to and no evidence of ABSSSI in the 30 days prior to the ABSSSI claim. Demographic and clinical data were described, including length of stay (LOS) and allowed cost for inpatient encounters with data. Inpatient encounters without evidence of severity (e.g., codes for major complications or comorbidities) were considered potential candidates for an outpatient LAA pathway. A sensitivity analysis for LOS and cost was run including all ABSSSI patients with LAA dispenses through 2016 (i.e., inclusion/exclusion criteria did not need to be met). Results 194,023 ABSSSI encounters were identified, most receiving non-IV treatment (90%). 18,603 received IV treatment, where 83% initially presented to the emergency room and the majority were admitted (97%). Of the 28 encounters with LAA use, 7 were inpatient. Of all current inpatient encounters (N = 9,019 after Jan 1, 2015), the majority (N = 7,005; 78%) where considered potential LAA pathway candidates. Comparing inpatient encounters with vs. without LAA use, mean LOS and cost differed (Table 2: 4.1 days and $14,295 vs. 9.0 days and $23,194, respectively). A sensitivity analysis supported similar mean LOS and cost for all inpatient LAA dispenses. Conclusion Current use of LAA in an inpatient population is limited but resulted in potential cost-savings. Most of the inpatient population was identified as potential candidates for an outpatient LAA pathway. Research on utilization and quality of care for outpatient IV treatment pathways with LAA is warranted. Disclosures K. R. Keyloun, Allergan: Employee, Salary N. Bonine, Allergan: Employee, Salary


The friction developed between a steel base plate and a mortar base contributes shear resistance to the building system during a seismic event. In order to investigate the possible sliding behavior between the base plate and the mortar, a shake table study is undertaken using a large rigid mass supported by steel contact elements which rest on mortar surfaces connected to the shake table. Horizontal input accelerations are considered at various magnitudes and frequencies. The results provide a constant friction coefficient during sliding with an average value of approximately 0.78. A theoretical formulation of the friction behavior is also undertaken. The theoretical equations show that the sliding behavior is dependent on the ratio of the friction force to the input force. The addition of vertical accelerations to the system further complicates the sliding behavior as a result of the varying normal force. This results in a variable friction resistance which is a function of the amplitude, phase, and frequency of the horizontal and vertical input motions. In general, this study showed a consistent and reliable sliding behavior between steel and mortar. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


An array consisting of short helical antennas is fed from a single rectangular waveguide. Stubs are introduced near the array elements in order to make a matching condition between the array elements and the waveguide. On the basis of a transmission line theory, a coupling phase and a coupling factor are determined. The mechanical rotation is applied to each array element so that in-phase condition at the aperture may be formed. Excellent agreement between the calculated and experimental results is demonstrated in the arrays of five, seven, and nine helical antennas.


Asynchronous online delivering methods have been found to promote excellent engagement among students but the impact in the teaching of polymer science courses have not been investigated. This work discussed and reflected critically on the ways of improving polymer science lecture contents in asynchronous videos that can enhance and motivate students' learning. Six polymer science topic combinations in the forms of structure – characterisation, structure- processing, structure – properties, characterization – processing, properties – characterization and properties – processing were established. Lecture slides based on these combinations were created and 106 students were tasked to read and rate them on computer screens. First, second and third-year undergraduate material science and engineering students rated the combinations based on stimulation, motivation and effectiveness. Results show that there was no strong preferred choice(s) from the first years but the second year students appeared to favour the structure-property combination while third-year students preferred the structural-property-processing lecture contents. Using the cognitive learning theory and the redundant effect, the third-year students were described to have processed the information received and classified some redundant while the first-year students might have accumulated all information into their limited working memory without redundancy since they lack prior knowledge of the polymer science topics. These reasons coupled with basic students' computer skills were attributed to influence their judgements during the rating.


Background: The present cross sectional study was undertaken to assess the food habits and nutritional status among elderly people in rural Bangladesh and to compare the same between male and female. A simple random sampling and geographical re-conciliation method was used to select the study population. All the patients in a pre-publicized medical camp were approached and a total of 186 male and 237 female participated in the study. Data were collected through face to face interview with a semi-structured questionnaire and anthropometric measures were collected using instruments. Associations between dietary intake and World Health Organization (WHO) referred Body Mass Index (BMI) range was done using cross tabulation. Results: The mean age of male was 67.69 years and that of female was 65.46 years. The female subjects were higher than males in number in this study. The rate of male literacy was found to be 39.8% where literacy among the female was 13.9%. Among all, 79.6% males were found to be living with their spouse where the rate of living with spouse among the female amounted 53.2%. About half of elderly people were found to be living under poor and 32% in low middle class socio-economic condition. Study revealed that 80.6% male and 78.9% female got no opportunity to take protein-rich food more than three days per week. Again 95.7% male and 97.5% female had no opportunity take more than two servings of protein rich food per week. The similar case occurred in case of taking fatty food, vegetable and fruits per week. Similarly 100 % male and 99.6% female reported that they were taking more than two servings of fatty food per week. No significant association was found between BMI and food intake. The significance was tested by Pearson chi-square. In this test the p –value for protein rich food was 0.234 (p?0.05), while fatty food (0.712), vegetable (0.502) and fruits (0.274) which was more than referred significance p-value ?0.05. Hence, the study confirmed that malnutrition remains a common problem among older people living in rural Bangladesh though there is no significant association was found between food intake and nutrition. Conclusion: Management of malnutrition in case of elderly population requires a multidisciplinary approach that treats pathology and uses both social and dietary forms of intervention. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 12 No. 02 April'13 Page 150-157 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v12i2.14943


2-Methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, vitamin K(3) (menadione), which is frequently used as a model quinone in cell culture and in vivo studies, was tested for its effects on gap-junctional intercellular communication (GJC). Exposure of WB-F344 rat liver epithelial cells to menadione (50-100 micro M) led to a 50-75% decrease in GJIC. Different from the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, menadione did not induce internalization of gap junctions. Rather, the decreased GJIC was found to be because of phosphorylation of connexin 43, the major connexin in the used cell line, which was mediated by MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK) 1 and MEK 2 as well as by activation of their direct substrates, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and ERK 2. Activation of ERK 1/2 was demonstrated to be independent of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase using the inhibitor dicoumarol, thus excluding redox cycling as the major mechanism causing these menadione effects. A substantial increase in tyrosine phosphorylation was detected in the cell membrane immunocytochemically upon exposure to menadione, consistent with arylation by menadione bearing the responsibility for the signaling events induced and consistent with the fact that protein tyrosine phosphatases are known targets of arylation reactions. ERK activation was attenuated using specific inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase. Similarly, these inhibitors as well as inhibitors of MEK 1/2 counteracted the loss in gap-junctional communication elicited by menadione. This is of interest for chemotherapeutic approaches exploiting the bystander-effect, which is based upon intact GJIC.


Until recently, a whole-genome scan using a set of 300–400 polymorphic DNA microsatellite markers was considered the most favoured strategy for gene mapping in Mendelian disorders. In many situations, however, it has not been possible to unravel significant disease loci by using DNA markers spaced across the genome at 10 cM intervals. Nowadays, to facilitate gene mapping or genome-wide association studies, several high-density SNP genotyping arrays with different SNP marker densities have been developed. These technologies offer highly-automated and rapid methods of genotyping as compared with genotyping microsatellites by PCR. For disease locus identification these data could be analysed by various methods, such as parametric multipoint linkage analysis and, in particular, homozygosity mapping for autosomal recessive inherited disorders in consanguineous families (Hugun et al, 2010). Homozygosity mapping is a powerful tool to detect disease loci, particularly in consanguineous pedigrees. Here, we have discussed a pitfall of this approach, namely the incapacity to detect the disease locus by the use of an Affymetrix 50K Xba I SNP array (50K array) in a highly-informative pedigree.

Our recently reported study of a Turkish consanguineous family with three affected individuals led to the discovery of a novel locus responsible for autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophy [LGMD2Q, OMIM 613723] (Gundesli et al, 2010). After genotyping using a 50K SNP array, quality control of SNPs was performed by checking the relationships within the pedigree (GRR software) (Abecasis et al, 2001), the removal of Mendelian inconsistencies using Mendelian test (PedCheck) (O'Connell and Weeks, 1998). Unlikely genotypes on the basis of double recombination, which were detected by a Non-Mendelian test as an option of EasyLINKAGE plus v5.052 (EasyLINKAGE program) were also removed (Hoffmann and Lindner, 2005). Subsequently, multipoint linkage analysis was performed using Merlin v1.0.1 through the EasyLINKAGE program assuming autosomal recessive inheritance with 100% penetrance (Hoffmann and Lindner, 2005). Due to the large number of SNP markers we used variable sliding windows analysis using panels of 100-150 SNPs. However, no reliable significant linkage interval could be detected. Some marker subsets showed possible linkage regions (chrs: 3p24-LOD score: 3.07, 8qtel-LOD score: 2.1 and 15q11-q14-LOD score: 2.2) with the given LOD scores (Gundesli et al, 2010). To evaluate these chromosomal regions in detail, homozygosity mapping was performed using VIGENOS software (Hemasoft, Ankara) (Gundesli et al, 2010), which facilitated the visualization of shared homozygous as well as heterozygous regions of the genome. Interestingly, when we compared all patient haplotypes, no regions of shared homozygosity common between all three affected individuals could be detected. Thus, the 50K array did not allow us to define neither a significant linkage interval, nor a shared homozygous region for all affected individuals within the family.

We hypothesized several reasons why no unique disease locus was detected in this initial study. Firstly, under the assumption that all affected individuals should be homozygous for a single mutant allele in this multiple consanguineous family, we have hypothesized that a shared homozygous region might have been very small and could have been missed due to insufficiently informative SNPs on the array to detect this small locus. According to our calculations about the genome coverage of 50K and 250K (250K NspI SNP array, Affymetrix) SNP genotyping arrays, we found that the 50K array consists of 58,960 SNPs with an average physical distance of 5.7 kb (http://www.affymetrix.com/, NetAffyx Annotation Files). Moreover, the GeneChip Mapping 250K array genotypes 262,264 SNPs in a single experiment and the average physical distance between them is 1.2 kb (http://www.affymetrix.com/, NetAffyx Annotation Files). The distance between markers in the 250K array is approximately 5-fold less than that in the 50K. Futhermore, the second reason might be allelic or locus heterogeneity despite multiple loops of consanguinity because LGMD2 is a genetically heterogenous disorder (Fendri et al, 2006). There are many examples for the potential pitfalls of homozygosity mapping as a result of locus and allelic heterogeneity even in consanguineous families (Lezirovitz et al, 2008; Benayoun et al, 2009).

To test the first hypothesis, we decided to genotype three patients and their parents with the high-density 250K SNP array in order to check if we might have missed any smaller linkage region with the 50K array. After homozygosity analysis (VIGENOS software), we observed a single homozygous segment of approximately 3.7 Mb on the telomer 8q24 (Gundesli et al, 2010). All affected individuals shared a common haplotype across this critical interval, and no additional overlapping homozygous haplotypes were observed throughout the genome. Remarkably, only one SNP marker (rs2717594) was included in the 50K array within the relevant chromosomal region whereas the 250K array contained 110 consecutive homozygous SNP markers in the identified locus. In addition, the average physical distance between SNPs covering chromosome 8 in the 250K is 4-fold shorter than in the 50K array (250K: 1 kb and 50K: 4.2 kb) (http://www.affymetrix.com/, NetAffyx Annotation Files). Consequently, as the linkage region was only covered by a single SNP in the low density SNP array, we were not able to discover the disease locus initially. Subsequently, DNA sequencing analysis of the PLEC as a positional candidate gene revealed a homozygous deletion mutation in all patients (Gundesli et al, 2010).

Our study emphasizes the potential pitfall in the usage of low-resolution SNP arrays for linkage analysis and homozygosity mapping, especially if the mutated gene is located in a low-coverage region of these arrays such as the telomeres. In our experience, approximately 250000 to 300000 SNPs spanning the genome should provide suffcient resolution and power to detect also smaller loci. Although, high-density SNP arrays generate massive data, which may cause false-positive linkage results or multiple homozygous regions, their use is valuable in order to provide the ability to analyze all chromosomal regions in more detail. In conclusion, a combination of exome sequencing and linkage analysis with high-resolution SNP arrays provides a valuable approach for disease gene identification, and to help filter the variants found in the exome data (Bilguvar et al, 2010).


ABSTRACT India's linguistic diversity is reflected in classrooms across the country, where multiple languages are used by teachers and learners to negotiate meaning and instruction – a multilingual, multicultural student body is the norm, whether in urban or rural contexts. This study documents teaching practices in English language and maths lessons in Delhi and Hyderabad, with a specific focus on language use. The findings from 104 classroom observations allow us to profile multilingual practices used in schools with different official mediums of instruction. Results reveal a predominant use of 'language mixing' in the classroom, in both English- and regional language-medium of instruction contexts – especially in English subject lessons. Maths lessons in regional-medium schools did not involve as much language mixing by the teachers but this was still a strong feature for learners. The data also shows differences between language use particularly when comparing English-medium schools in each city. Specifically, lessons in Delhi were characterised by absolutely no occurrences of English used on its own by the teachers (as recorded during five-minute intervals), compared to significantly greater use of English alone in Hyderabad English-medium and Telugu-medium schools. Delhi teachers appear to use a greater amount of language mixing during each lesson.


This article offers a reading of the parable of the Dishonest Steward from the perspective of Greco-Roman status concern. It observes that the parable has a long and complicated history of interpretation. The different approaches in the reading of the parable reveal the unresolved quest in scholarship to establish a reading of the parable that takes into account both the steward's act of generosity towards his master's debtors and the praise that follows this action. This article proposes the Greco-Roman status concern as a framework for understanding the meaning of the parable in its original context. Status concern was the spirit of tenacity in maintaining one's status and honour against all odds characteristic of Greco-Roman honour and shame culture. The article argues that when the parable is read within its literary context, it reveals that at the heart of Jesus' message in the parable is the theme of persistence as an attribute of authentic discipleship. This understanding of the parable resonates with the entrenched Greco-Roman spirit of status concern. The interpretation would also have been relevant to Luke's Greco-Roman auditors living on the periphery of the Greco-Roman culture with the constant pressures to conform to the ethos of the larger social context. The steward's resolve to maintain his status even in the most difficult circumstances provided a paradigm for those Christ-followers to remain steadfast in the faith against all odds.Contribution: The article presents an alternative interpretation of the parable of the Dishonest Steward. By proposing status concern as an interpretative framework, it offers both new insights into the socio-economic and socio-cultural realities of Luke's world and the continuing evidence of the contribution of Greco-Roman world to the development of the New Testament texts.


Onset of lactation and various periparturient diseases can result in hypophosphatemia in dairy cattle. For treatment of hypophosphatemia, oral supplementation is assumed to be the best method. Sodium phosphate salts are frequently used for oral treatment, but other phosphate salts might be equally effective and therefore interesting alternatives. Debate exists about the role of the reticular groove reflex after oral administration of NaH2PO4 containing solutions. Six healthy lactating cows were fed a phosphorus deficient diet in order to induce a hypophosphatemia in study animals. Each animal received four different treatments in randomized order, phosphate absorption was studied after treatment with either NaH2PO4, KH2PO4 or Ca(H2PO4)2. Activation of the reticular groove reflex was evaluated with the acetaminophen absorption test. Oral and intraruminal administration of NaH2PO4, as well as intraruminal administration of KH2PO4 resulted in similar increases in plasma Pi concentrations. Intraruminal administration of Ca(H2PO4)2 resulted in a numerically lower increment in plasma phosphate concentration than intraruminal administration of NaH2PO4 and KH2PO4. It is concluded that intraruminal administration of KH2PO4 is equally effective as oral and intraruminal administration of NaH2PO4, intraruminal administration of Ca(H2PO4)2 however is less effective. No indication was found that oral administration of a 3.2 M NaH2PO4 solution induced closure of the reticular groove.


This article studies Qāsim Beg Ḥayātī Tabrīzī's unpublished account of Ṣafavid history, which has long been considered lost. Ḥayātī's account—dedicated, in 961/1554, to Shah Ṭahmāsp's sister, Princess Mihīn Begum (d. 969/1562)—spans the period between the formative years of the Ṣafaviyya Sufi order under Ṣafī al-Dīn Isḥāq Ardabīlī (d. 735/1334) and the early years of the reign of Shah Ismāʿīl (907–30/1501–24). Emphasis is given to the way in which it fills in the gaps of our knowledge insofar as the pre-dynastic and early dynastic phases of Ṣafavid history as well as the administrative history of the Ṣafavid shrine in Ardabīl are concerned.


For many thin film applications, it is critical to not only control the organization of the materials on surfaces but to also use scalable processes that are time and material efficient. This is especially the case when using nanomaterials, including metal or semiconductor nanocrystals, as building blocks from which to engineer devices. In this work, we demonstrate a method to directly conjugate DNA to cadmium based quantum dots (QD) to create thin film arrays on surfaces for potential optoelectronic devices. These DNA-conjugated QDs showed uniform coatings, were oxidation-stable, and remained stable in high ionic strength environments. In previously published work, we discovered that high salt, in particular magnesium, is critical for fabricating nanoparticle assemblies on substrates through DNA interactions. The QD thin films were produced by means of interparticle DNA hybridization in a few steps with no loss of material and with good control over film thickness and roughness. By directly conjugating the DNA to the QDs, it also became possible to study DNA's role in mediating charge transport in the QD films. For this, DNA-conjugated CdTe nanocrystals were assembled onto TiO2 films to fabricate photovoltaic prototypes. Current–Voltage measurements from the DNA–QD devices showed the promise of using DNA not only as an assembler but also as mediator of charge separation and transport.


The effect of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning has proven variable both within and among manipulative studies. Species richness is the most commonly used measure of biodiversity in such studies, but the range of species' functional traits (functional diversity), not the number of species per se, likely underpins a key mechanistic link between species richness and ecosystem functioning. However, the majority of experiments that have examined the effect of functional diversity have manipulated functional group richness, an approach recognised to suffer numerous limitations. Continuous measures of functional diversity avoid many of these limitations, but the relationship between continuous functional diversity and the magnitude of ecosystem processes has been largely untested. Using one vs two-species mixtures of rock pool macroalgae as a model, we conducted a field experiment to determine the effect of a continuous measure of functional diversity (functional attribute diversity, FAD, the degree of functional differentiation based on four functional traits) on the magnitude of net primary productivity and overyielding, based upon two alternative null-models. The total magnitude of productivity was largely determined by the identity of species present, not FAD. However, FAD proved to be a good predictor of overyielding (variation in productivity after the dominant effects of species identity had been accounted for). Furthermore, despite differences in the mean magnitude of the effect of combining species, the positive relationship between FAD and overyielding was consistent according to both additive and substitutive null-models. Our findings imply that whilst knowledge of species' independent contributions remains indispensable in the prediction of biotic effects on ecosystem functioning within a trophic level, continuous measures of functional diversity should be used as a supplementary tool to predict the magnitude of overyielding, thereby refining predictions.


OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the effect of a Computerized Physician Order Entry system with basic Clinical Decision Support (CPOE/CDSS) on the incidence of medication errors (MEs) and preventable adverse drug events (pADEs).

DESIGN
Interrupted time-series design.

MEASUREMENTS
The primary outcome measurements comprised the percentage of medication orders with one or more MEs and the percentage of patients with one or more pADEs.

RESULTS
Pre-implementation, the mean percentage of medication orders containing at least one ME was 55%, whereas this became 17% post-implementation. The introduction of CPOE/CDSS has led to a significant immediate absolute reduction of 40.3% (95% CI: -45.13%; -35.48%) in medication orders with one or more errors. Pre-implementation, the mean percentage of admitted patients experiencing at least one pADE was 15.5%, as opposed to 7.3% post-implementation. However, this decrease could not be attributed to the introduction of CPOE/CDSS: taking into consideration the interrupted time-series design, the immediate change was not significant (-0.42%, 95% CI: -15.52%; 14.68%) because of the observed underlying negative trend during the pre-CPOE period of -4.04% [95% CI: -7.70%; -0.38%] per month.

CONCLUSIONS
This study has shown that CPOE/CDSS reduces the incidence of medication errors. However, a direct effect on actual patient harm (pADEs) was not demonstrated.


Abstract Sickle cell disease is caused by an abnormality of the β-globin gene and is characterised by sickling of the red blood cells. Globally, sub-Saharan African countries share the highest burden of the disease. This study aimed at critically reviewing studies focusing on challenges of sickle cell anaemia in sub-Saharan Africa. A literature search was carried out in five major databases. Articles that met the inclusion criteria were included in the bibliometric review and critical analysis. A majority of the studies were undertaken in the West African region (85.5%), followed by Central Africa (9.1%). Very few studies had been undertaken in East Africa (3.6%), whilst the Southern African region had the fewest studies (1.8%). Distribution in relation to country revealed that three quarters of the studies were carried out in Nigeria (74.5%), followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (9.1%). According to healthcare settings, a strong majority of the studies were undertaken in tertiary health care facilities (92.7%). Major themes that emerged from the review include interventions, cost of treatment, and knowledge about sickle cell disease. Public health awareness and promotion as well as improving the quality of sickle cell centers for prompt management of patients with sickle cell disorder was identified as a critical strategy towards reducing the burden of the disease in sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve this, governments in countries located in this region need to adopt a proactive strategy in addressing gaps that have been identified in this study, as well as instituting other relevant measures, such as continuous media engagement and public health interventions relating to genetic counselling. Reforms in other areas that can help reduce the disease burden, include training of practitioners and equipping sickle cell disease treatment centers according to World Health Organization specifications.


Crosswell and continuity logging seismic measurements were made beneath a large tank (27 m diameter) used for processing radioactive waste at the Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Site in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of South Carolina. We used the data to delineate a low‐velocity zone (soft materials) and image the connectivity of a clay unit between wells. The low‐velocity zone depicted on the crosswell seismic tomogram integrated with data from cores and well logs revealed soft materials in the region between 150 and 180 ft (46–55 m). The bottom boundary of this low‐velocity zone correlates with a reflection observed in the crosswell seismic image at a depth of 180 ft (55 m). This reflection corresponds to the impedance contrast between the soft materials and the more rigid Tinker Formation. The low‐velocity zone of soft materials indicates a dissolution margin of a carbonate unit (which is part of the Utley limestone) and the presence of loose sands of the Griffins Landing Member. Ray tracing and...


Schilder's disease or myelinoclastic diffuse sclerosis is a rare acute or subacute demyelinating disorder which primarily affects children and young adults.1 2 We report the clinical and neuroradiological follow up of two boys affected by a demyelinating disease with a prolonged relapsing-remitting course, response to corticosteroids, and relatively good long term prognosis.

Brain MRI of patient 1 at the age of 14.5 years. The T 2 weighted image (TR 2000/TE 50) shows a high intensive signal in the parieto-occipital white matter, involving the right centrum semiovale, with mass effect.

The first patient presented at the age of 12 with a 2 month history of repeated episodes of headache and blurred vision followed by weakness in the left leg, lasting a few hours. Head CT and bilateral carotid angiography were normal. Two weeks later the left hemiparesis and headache recurred. T2 weighted images on brain MRI disclosed a hyperintense signal in the right parieto-occipital white matter of the centrum semiovale, without a mass effect. Flash visual evoked stimuli elicited a decreased potential on the left side. Motor and sensory nerve conduction were normal. Corticosteroid treatment (prednisone (1mg/kg/day)) reversed the clinical symptoms. At the age of 14, …


Food allergies are commonly encountered in children and young persons in the UK.1This is problematic for healthcare providers who need to use medicines that are derived from food sources. One example is parenteral nutrition (PN), which contain lecithin as an emulsifying agent which is derived from eggs.Using PN in patients with food allergies is listed as a contra-indication according to the marketing authorisation of a commonly used formulation.2The aim of this abstract is to describe how we approached challenging a patient with a known food allergy.The patient was a 2-year-old who was admitted to critical care with acute liver failure. They were fluid overloaded, had gut failure and were not tolerating enteral feeding. His parents reported anaphylactic reactions to eggs and nuts in the past that had been confirmed by a specialist paediatrician in allergies.As per local protocol, parenteral nutrition was started on day 5 of intensive care admission. Initially, with an aqueous component only (glucose, amino acids, electrolytes, and water-soluble vitamins) to avoid using lipids. Attempts to remove fluid by haemofiltration were complicated by a life-threatening allergic reaction to the filtration circuit.By day 7 the patient remained on trophic enteral feeds and was still fluid restricted. Their nutrition target was 770kcal but only 400kcal were being given, i.e. 50% of requirements. The multidisciplinary team agreed it would be in the child's best interest to start lipid. This is due to the higher calorie content of lipid (10kcal/gram) compared to glucose (4kcal/gram) and that the lipid could be administered without increasing the fluid intake.After consultation with the family, a plan was agreed to start lipid. Lipid was prepared at a dose of 1gram/kg/day and started during the day shift with medical support available, at a nominal rate of 1mL/hour. After six hours, this was increased to the target rate of 2ml/hour. No immediate reactions were observed, and the lipid was titrated to 3grams/kg/day over the next few days. On day 9, Vitlipid Infant® was also added, and no reaction was seen.By day 20 enteral feeds were establish and PN stopped. No reactions were observed even after several weeks.We could only find one case report of a child with food allergies receiving PN.3Despite the potential for a reaction, the mechanism by which this may occur is still unclear. The ingredients used in the lipid component of PN are purified and they do not contain proteins that may be associated with causing allergic reactions. For example, egg lecithin is a phospholipid which is composed only of fatty acid chains, glycerol and choline.In conclusion, our experience has demonstrated that it is possible to challenge a food allergy when parenteral nutrition is required in critical care. It is important to include the family in devising a treatment plan as there may be an idiosyncratic reaction regardless of how carefully the PN is introduced.Loh W, Tang M. The epidemiology of food allergy in the global context.Int J Environ Res Public Health.2018;18:2043.Baxter Healthcare Ltd. Numeta G19% emulsion for infusion. [Internet]. Surrey, UK. Electronic Medicines Compendium. cited 17th June 2022]. Available from: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/7399/smpcLunn M, Fausnight T. Hypersensitivity to total parenteral nutrition fat-emulsion component in an egg-allergic child.Pediatrics.2011;128:1025-1028.


This paper describes a newly devised autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) systems for 17 autosomal loci (D1S1656, D2S441, D3S1358, D3S3045, D6S477, D7S3048, D8S1132, D10S1435, D10S1248, D11S2368, D13S325, D14S608, D15S659, D17S1290, D18S535, D19S253 and D22-GATA198B05) and Amelogenin. Primers for the loci were designed and optimized so that all of the amplicons were distributed from 50 base pairs (bp) to less than 500 bp within a five-dye chemistry design with the fifth dye reserved for the sizing standard. Strategies were developed to overcome challenges that encountered in creating the final assay. The limits of the multiplex were tested, resulting in the successful amplification of genomic DNA range from 0.25–4 ng with 30 PCR cycles. A total of 681 individuals from the Chinese Han population were studied and forensic genetic data were present. No significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium were observed. A total of 180 alleles were detected for the 17 autosomal STRs. The cumulative mean exclusion chance in duos (CMECD) was 0.999967, and cumulative mean exclusion chance in trios (CMECT) was 0.99999995. We conclude that the present 17plex autosomal STRs assay provides an additional powerful tool for forensic applications.


Who are the members of gangs in prison? What attitudes and beliefs do they maintain? What do their social networks look like? And how similar are they to inmates who are not in gangs? In many ways, we see these questions as an extension of Chapter 3 because it provides an additional description of our sample. After all, these are individuals as well as members of a group. We reported in prior chapters that a large majority of prison inmates in the United States are not gang members. In other words, there is a small group of inmates (~15 percent) who affiliate with gangs and a much larger group of inmates who do not. This is also the case in Texas. Both official records and self-reports of prison gang membership confirm this. In this chapter, our objective is to compare gang and non-gang inmates across a range of characteristics.


Liposomal amphotercin B was compared with conventional amphotericin B for empirical antifungal therapy in febrile neutropenic patients in a randomized, double-blind, multicentre trial. Using a composite end-point, the two drugs were equivalent in overall efficacy. However, the liposomal amphotericin B treatment group had fewer proven fungal infections, fewer infusion-related side effects and less nephrotoxicity. Patient data from that study were analysed to compare the pharmacoeconomics of liposomal versus conventional amphotericin B therapy. Itemized billing data from 414 patients were collected and analysed. Hospital costs from first dose were significantly higher for all patients who received liposomal amphotericin B ($48,962 versus $43,183, P = 0.02). However, hospital costs were very sensitive to the cost of the study medication ($39,648 versus $43,048, when acquisition costs are not included, P = 0.4). Using decision analysis models and sensitivity analyses to vary the cost of study medications and risk of nephrotoxicity, the break-even points for the cost of liposomal therapy were calculated to range from $72 to $87 per 50 mg for all patients, and $83 to $112 per 50 mg in allogeneic bone marrow transplant patients. Therefore, the drug acquisition costs and the risk of nephrotoxicity are important factors in determining the cost-effectiveness of liposomal amphotericin B as empirical therapy in persistently febrile neutropenic patients. In a recent randomized double-blind study comparing liposomal amphotericin B at 3 or 5 mg/kg/day with amphotericin B lipid complex (ABLC) 5 mg/kg/day as empirical antifungal treatment in patients with febrile neutropenia, liposomal amphotericin B was associated with less toxicity than ABLC, both in terms of infusion-related reactions and nephrotoxicity. The incidence of study drug discontinuation due to toxicity was: liposomal amphotericin B 3 mg/kg/day, 14%; liposomal amphotericin B 5 mg/kg/day, 15%; and ABLC, 42% (P < 0.001).


The Russian Federation has not adopted any law regulating normative legal acts, whereas in a number of CIS countries such laws have been in force for almost two decades, and the legal regulation of relations in question is being constantly improved. This experience may well be taken into account in domestic research, including the studies aimed at providing scientific support of the law-making activity. The last quarter of the 20th century is characterized by digitalization and informatization of the legal system; laws on normative legal acts of the CIS countries can serve as quite good indicators of these processes. They demonstrate modern trends in the development of legislation with due regard to the information capabilities of the Internet, information and reference systems. Computer technologies are actively used to represent legislation in electronic form (register, data bank, including Internet resource), to promulgate and bring into legal force normative legal acts, to provide access to the current legislation (including publication of adopted normative legal acts in unofficial information and reference systems, on websites of state bodies, non-governmental organizations) in activities aimed at systematizing legislation. Comparative legal characteristics of the legislation of the CIS countries may well be in demand during the development and discussion of the draft Russian Law on normative legal acts.


This paper presents rheological and organoleptic studies of emulsion systems using a semi-finished product based on condensed low-lactose whey and fermented pumpkin pulp puree (SPCLLW). The positive influence of SPCLLW on the structure of emulsion systems was found, which was confirmed by expert sensory evaluation. The research confirms the component compatibility of SPCLLW and vegetable oil as a part of emulsion systems. This paper scientifically proves the influence of technological factors on the parameters of emulsification of a semi-finished product based on condensed low-lactose whey and fermented pumpkin pulp to ensure its target properties as an emulsifier and stabilizer in the technology of emulsion sauces. The experiments revealed the change in the quantitative values of the determinants of emulsion systems, such as viscosity and inversion stability, depending on the values of the pH of the medium, the emulsification temperature, the rate of oil dripping and the rotation of the working body of the mixer. It was proved that the acidification of the medium increases the viscosity of the emulsion system, therefore it is advisable to use SPCLLW in the composition of salty sauces of the emulsion type. There is a direct relationship between the manifestations of inversion instability and the increase in temperature of the emulsification process. The research reveals the inversely proportional effect of the rotation speed of the working body of the mixer on the increase in viscosity of the studied systems. Mathematical optimization is carried out for certain ranges of numerical values of parameters of separate indicators of the technological process. Rational parameters of the emulsification process are determined: temperature index – 18 °С, emulsification rate – 0.09…0.11 ml/s, pH from 5.0 to 5.5, rotation speed of the working organism of the mixer – 500 rpm. The research confirms the possibility of using SPCLLW as a part of emulsion systems, in particular sauces of emulsion type.


The aim of this study was to analyze the mortality trend and to adjust a time series model for neoplastic skin diseases, from 1996 to 2012, in southern Brazil. To do so, conduct an ecological time series study using quarterly death data. The ARIMA Model (4,1,0) was the one that had the best fit for the date adopted and validated with date from 2013. It can be seen in this study that there is an increase in the number of deaths from skin cancer over time, How Which can be approved by the given model, and which can be helpful in planning public policies for intervention and / or prevention of skin cancer among the population of Southern Brazil.


A novel and fast model of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) is presented.By calculating a typical EDFA, numerical results are compared with the results obtained by spectral-solved method.The results of comparison show that such a model can improve the computational speed and preserve the precision.Some characteristics of the EDFA are then analyzed using this model.The results are consistent with those of the experiments.


Real interest rates in the United States have reached extremely high levels in the last several years. This surge in real rates at all maturities has not lacked explanations. Large current and prospective deficits, tight money, better profit prospects, financial deregulation, and increased uncertainty are among the factors than have been blamed for high real rates. If one looks only at the performance of the U.S. bond market, it is difficult to discriminate among possible explanations for the behavior of real interest rates. This paper examines the worldwide behavior of interest rates and the performance of other asset markets besides the U.S. bond market in order to better explain high real rates.


Detecting the atmospheres of low-mass, low-temperature exoplanets is a high-priority goal on the path to ultimately detecting biosignatures in the atmospheres of habitable exoplanets. High-precision HST observations of several super-Earths with equilibrium temperatures below 1000 K have to date all resulted in featureless transmission spectra, which have been suggested to be due to high-altitude clouds. We report the detection of an atmospheric feature in the atmosphere of a 1.6 transiting exoplanet, GJ 1132 b, with an equilibrium temperature of ∼600 K and orbiting a nearby M dwarf. We present observations of nine transits of the planet obtained simultaneously in the griz and JHK passbands. We find an average radius of 1.43 ± 0.16 for the planet, averaged over all the passbands, and a radius of 0.255 ± 0.023 for the star, both of which are significantly greater than previously found. The planet radius can be decomposed into a "surface radius" at ∼1.375 overlaid by atmospheric features that increase the observed radius in the z and K bands. The z-band radius is 4σ higher than the continuum, suggesting a strong detection of an atmosphere. We deploy a suite of tests to verify the reliability of the transmission spectrum, which are greatly helped by the existence of repeat observations. The large z-band transit depth indicates strong opacity from H2O and/or CH4 or a hitherto-unconsidered opacity. A surface radius of 1.375 ± 0.16 allows for a wide range of interior compositions ranging from a nearly Earth-like rocky interior, with ∼70% silicate and ∼30% Fe, to a substantially H2O-rich water world.


The expanded and comprehensive study of the way of life of the personalities of prominent figures who have made a significant contribution to the formation and development of homeland and world science remains a topical task of historical science at the present stage of its development. The article is devoted to the coverage and periodization of stages of life and activities in the field of railroad construction of the Russian Empire, of its second Minister of Railway Transport Volodymyr O. Bobrynskyi. The preconditions of V. O. Bobrynskyi's career growth have been considered. The article shows how the study at St. Petersburg University influenced the formation of V. O. Bobrynskyi's personality. The stages of the military career of V. O. Bobrynskyi during the Crimean War of 1854-1856 have been investigated. Analysis of V. O. Bobrynskyi's activity in different public positions until he was appointed as the Minister of Railway Transport, allowed to assess his contribution to state building and the development of the Russian Empire in various fields. It has been established that Volodymyr Bobrynskyi, acting as the Minister of Railway Transport of the Russian Empire, became the initiator of the construction of 27 railway lines, and as the creator of the network of railways, including the Ukrainian segment. His activities during the administration of the ministry were aimed at strategic directions for the development of railways, in particular: to establish links between the railways that were still divided; to ensure continuation of lines that were not adjacent to the general railway network; to connect internal provinces with seaports (with Mykolaiv and Mariupol); to develop the railways in the interests of the coal and mining industry, as well as the Vologda and Vyatka-Dvina lines. In addition, on the initiative of the Minister, it was envisaged to include two strategic railway lines - from Prague to Warsaw and from Lukov to Ivanogorod. Analysis of reforms of V. O. Bobrynskyi in the management of the railways showed that he successfully pursued a policy of removing from the state administration all the lines already built, and those that were still being built on the expense of the public purse. At the end of the ministerial activity of V. O. Bobrynskyi in September 1871, the length of the railways in the Russian Empire grew almost twice and exceeded 13 thousand miles and almost all of them belonged to private railway companies. The article shows the role of V. O. Bobrynskyi in solving the problem of constru-ction of narrow-gauge railways. And although his occupying the post of Minister of Railway Transport was short-lived, some two years, V. O. Bobrynskyi should be referred to the constellation of those ministers who successfully built railway transport and its facilities.


Expression of tissue- and development-specific genes is coordinately regulated during maturation of hematopoietic precursor cells toward functional, end-stage peripheral blood (PB) cells. To study the expression and methylation of several myeloid-specific genes during in vitro differentiation of normal hematopoietic progenitor cells, we used a model of CD34+ selected PB progenitor cells (PBPCs). PBPCs from six patients with solid tumors were recruited by standard-dose chemotherapy and subsequent administration of recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). PBPCs were collected and CD34+ cells selected by immunoadsorption columns using a biotinylated anti-CD34 monoclonal antibody. Enriched cells contained between 78% and 90% (median, 84%) CD34+ cells as determined by fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis. Cell preparations were cultured in the presence of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), IL-3, IL-6 and stem cell factor and with or without G-CSF for various time intervals up to 20 days. Genes for CD34 surface antigen, lysozyme (LZM) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were examined by RNA and DNA analyses. A rapid and early downregulation of CD34 transcripts was observed, with concomitant, time-dependent upregulation of expression of both the LZM and MPO genes. These effects were enhanced in the presence of G-CSF. Analysis of the DNA methylation status at key sites within these genes showed a pattern of differentiation- and expression-associated demethylation of the LZM gene, which was also enhanced by G-CSF, and constitutive and unaltered demethylation at key regions of the CD34 and MPO genes. In conclusion, the genes for CD34, LZM, and MPO are regulated during in vitro culture of very immature PBPCs in the presence of stem cell factor, IL-1, IL-3, IL-6; their effects are enhanced by G-CSF.


AbstractChristian public theology extends reconciliation beyond its principal sacramental concern for relationships between God and penitent to the construction of 'socially just' public relationships for the settlement of intra-national conflict. In theological terms, reconciliation brings public relationships into what Hally calls 'the Christ narrative of passion, death and resurrection' in which the perpetrators of injustice repent and seek forgiveness. This article introduces the conflicts that these discourses aim to resolve in Australia, Fiji and New Zealand and explains and contrasts reconciliation's relative importance in each of these jurisdictions. Moreover, the article's cross-jurisdictional comparison shows reconciliation's limits and possibilities as public theology, and argues that in Australia and New Zealand it has helped to create political environments willing to admit indigenous perspectives on a range of policy issues. On the contrary, however, the article also shows that the Fijian churches have distorted the concept of reconciliation to support political imperatives that are difficult to rationalize theologically, even though they are presented by the churches as being concerned with religious goals.


The important second part of the book, which is more cellular, concerns the cytoplasmic cytoskeleton and its potential relationship to the membrane. These subjects include the molecular architecture of the microvillus cytoskeleton, that of the placental microvilli, that of the brush border and its relationship to contractility, the involvement of membrane glycoproteins to attachment of microfilaments of microvilli, and finally the structural and functional relationship between the cytoskeleton and the membrane of the intestinal border. The final aspect of the book begins curiously with a chapter on Na+K+ATPase (a much-worked-on and reviewed basolateral enzyme) and then gets down to business on the immunoglobulin G Fc receptors of neonatal rat intestinal brush borders, the immunoglobulin G receptors, and co-transport systems in the membrane of the placenta. The book lacks material on the mode of assembly and processing of the brush border proteins, including their related DNA sequences, as well as the processes of endocytosis and membrane recycling which are among the areas of popular current research.


The 2003/04 Tanzania HIV indicator survey points that women are more likely to carry the highest burden than men, while at the same time, HIV prevalence among pregnant women in Zanzibar increased from 0.3% to 0.6% between 1980 and 1997. A classical epidemiological framework via a determinestic mathematical model is provided. Sensitivity analysis on the key parameters driving the disease is carried out to determine their relative importance to initial disease transmission and prevalence. It turns out that the most sensitive parameter is the treatment rate.


Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of intavitreal injection of bevacizumab in patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy. Methods: A study of 8 patients with central serous chorioretinopathy who were treated with intravitreal injection of bevacizumab. We studied the visual acuity with Snellen's method and the foveal thickness, before and after the injection. Results: The mean age of the patients was 50.25 years. After one month of follow-up, visual acuity before the injection was 0.431 ± 0.249 vision lines and after was 0.631 ± 0.310 vision lines (P = .017). The foveal thickness was 351.25 ± 78.492 m and after treatment was 183.50 ± 22.640 m (P = .012). Conclusions: Intravitreal bevacizumab can be an alternative treatment in patients with serous central chorioretinopathy as it leads to a better objective visual acuity and foveal thickness with optical coherence tomography. © 2010 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved. Coriorretinopatía serosa central recidivante y crónica. Estudio del espesor retiniano al mes del tratamiento con una inyección de bevacizumab intravítreo


Background: Unnatural death among women is rarely emphasized but an important public health index of the community and society. Objective: The objective is to study the epidemiologic profile of unnatural death among females using autopsy data. Design: This is a 14-year descriptive retrospective study of all female unnatural death victims within Warri and its neighboring communities subjected to medicolegal autopsy. Materials and Methods: Information on age as well as manner and method of death were extracted from the autopsy report of the cases and subsequently analyzed using Microsoft Office Excel 2007. Results: Ninety-six females were examined in this study, representing 9.9% of the 975 medicolegal performed and 11.4% of the 805 unnatural deaths encountered during the study period. The age range is 1–70 years and the mean age is 29.82 years. These cases represent a mean annual incidence of about seven cases. The peak incidence of unnatural death occurred in the third decade (27.1%), followed by the fourth (19.8%) and fifth (15.6%) decades, respectively. The peak incidence for homicide and accidental deaths is in the third and fourth decades, respectively. Firearm-related death is the leading method of homicide accounting for 24 (53.3%) of the 45 homicide deaths. The use of blunt and sharp weapons each accounts for 10 (22.2%) of the cases. Road traffic accident (RTA) accounts for 28 cases, representing 59.6% of accidental deaths and 29.1% of unnatural deaths. Burns and drowning are the second and third leading causes of accidental death accounting for 11 (23.4%) and 3 (6.4%) of the accidental deaths. Four cases of suicide were encountered with three deaths as a result of ingestion of chemical poisons, while the fourth case was by hanging using rope. Conclusion: The study showed that unnatural deaths in women are mainly accidental, homicidal, and suicidal representing 49.0%, 46.0%, and 4.2% of the cases respectively. RTA, burns, drowning, and poisoning (in descending order) are the major causes of accidental deaths. Firearm, sharp, and blunt injuries (in descending order) are the major methods of executing homicides. The peak age for unnatural death is in the third decade with 75% of the death clustering within the 2nd–4th decade. Education, accident consciousness, parental supervision, and implementation of appropriate policy measures are paramount to reducing such death.


Abstract : Twelve years after Desert Storm, conduct of Time Critical Target (TCT) operations remains one of the most difficult challenges facing US military forces. While a variety of DoD and DARPA programs are addressing technologies to locate and identify TCTs, finding the target candidate is only one part of the problem. Success will only occur when we shorten the entire "kill chain", and operate within the enemy's maneuver timeline. The automated exchange and processing of battlefield information is critical to achieving viable decision timelines in this arena. The situation demands a secure, robust network backbone supporting automated decision aids designed to execute commander's guidance. Critical decision aids include the ability to monitor and exchange critical tactical information, to evaluate real-time intelligence and generate actionable Target Evidence Files and to re-assign en-route tactical and support assets to higher value tasks. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), with support of The Boeing Company, is executing several research initiatives targeted at these information exchange shortfalls. AFRL is developing the Joint Battlespace Infosphere (JBI) as a means to realize information dominance. In effect, the JBI can be viewed as a tactical Internet that provides unprecedented access to data sources. Through this wide-area network connectivity, the JBI can be accessed, searched, and manipulated to create new products. This paper will discuss the Insertion of Embedded Infosphere Support Technology (IEIST) research in which the Guardian Agent (GA) will be embedded within the Force Template (FT) and transmitted to the appropriate C2 node(s) over Link 16. The demonstration C2 node is planned to be the Advanced AWACS Prototype Software, which will host the transmitted GAs as well as the TCT Evidence File Generation Agents, and the Real-time Battle Management system that will match tactical assets to selected TCTs.


This paper studies linear-time-invariant (LTI) modeling of a twin-rotor MIMO system based on the dynamical models derived from the first principles and identification experiments, motivated by building LPV (Linear Parameter Varying) models. The present method proposes using the states of the first-principle-model and the identification-model. Continuous-time local LTI models with a consistent state are obtained in the frequency domain. It is also shown that an LPV model is computed from the local models.


New horizons in cardiovascular research are opened by using 3D printing for biodegradable implants. This additive manufacturing approach allows the design and fabrication of complex structures according to the patient's imaging data in an accurate, reproducible, cost-effective, and quick manner. Acellular cardiovascular implants produced from biodegradable materials have the potential to provide enough support for in situ tissue regeneration while gradually being replaced by neo-autologous tissue. Subsequently, they have the potential to prevent long-term complications. In this Review, we discuss the current status of 3D printing applications in the development of biodegradable cardiovascular implants with a focus on design, biomaterial selection, fabrication methods, and advantages of implantable controlled release systems. Moreover, we delve into the intricate challenges that accompany the clinical translation of these groundbreaking innovations, presenting a glimpse of potential solutions poised to enable the realization of these technologies in the realm of cardiovascular medicine.


The paper deals with true random number generators employing oscillator
rings, namely, with the one proposed by Sunar et al.
in 2007 and enhanced by Wold and Tan in 2009. Our mathematical analysis
shows that both architectures behave identically when
composed of the same number of rings and ideal logic components.
However, the reduction of the number of rings, as proposed
by Wold and Tan, would inevitably cause the loss of entropy.
Unfortunately, this entropy insufficiency is masked
by the pseudo-randomness caused by XOR-ing clock signals having different
frequencies. Our simulation model shows that the
generator, using more than 18 ideal jitter-free rings having slightly
different frequencies and producing only pseudo-randomness,
will let the statistical tests pass. We conclude that a smaller
number of rings reduce the security if the entropy reduction is
not taken into account in post-processing. Moreover, the designer cannot
avoid that some of rings will have the same frequency,
which will cause another loss of entropy. In order to confirm this, we
show how the attacker can reach a state where over
25% of the rings are locked and thus completely dependent. This effect
can have disastrous consequences on the system security.


The majority of South African municipalities facing the challenges of unemployment, poverty and weak infrastructure are in rural areas. To fulfil their mandate, they depend significantly on financial transfers.  This is something that the government is focused on minimising as evidenced by the recent Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs proposal of amalgamating many municipalities to make them self-reliant and functional.  This paper asks the question: 'will amalgamations of rural municipalities correct for financial viability and functionality'? Using case studies of amalgamated municipalities, the paper observes that amalgamations will not make all rural municipalities self-sufficient and functional.


The effector site of the macula densa tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism was determined with a mathematical model of glomerular ultrafiltration. The feedback response was found to be mediated by an increase in the hydraulic resistance of the afferent arteriole, possibly accompanied by a slight decrease in the ultrafiltration coefficient of the glomerular membrane. The contribution of the tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism to the autoregulation of renal blood flow and GFR during increased arterial blood pressure was evaluated with a mathematical model of the kidney. The tubuloglomerular feedback system of the superficial nephron was found to be a less efficient regulator of renal blood flow and GFR than the remainder of the autoregulatory mechanism.


Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was first isolated from a patient with severe pneumonia in 2012. The 2015 Korea outbreak of MERSCoV involved 186 cases, including 38 fatalities. A total of 83% of transmission events were due to five superspreaders, and 44% of the 186 MERS cases were the patients who had been exposed in nosocomial transmission at 16 hospitals. The epidemic lasted for 2 months and the government quarantined 16,993 individuals for 14 days to control the outbreak. This outbreak provides a unique opportunity to fill the gap in our knowledge of MERS-CoV infection. Therefore, in this paper, we review the literature on epidemiology, virology, clinical features, and prevention of MERS-CoV, which were acquired from the 2015 Korea outbreak of MERSCoV.


Relation extraction (RE) aims to extract relations from sentences and documents. Existing relation extraction models typically rely on supervised machine learning. However, recent studies showed that many RE datasets are incompletely annotated. This is known as the false negative problem in which valid relations are falsely annotated as 'no_relation'. Models trained with such data inevitably make similar mistakes during the inference stage. Self-training has been proven effective in alleviating the false negative problem. However, traditional self-training is vulnerable to confirmation bias and exhibits poor performance in minority classes. To overcome this limitation, we proposed a novel class-adaptive re-sampling self-training framework. Specifically, we re-sampled the pseudo-labels for each class by precision and recall scores. Our re-sampling strategy favored the pseudo-labels of classes with high precision and low recall, which improved the overall recall without significantly compromising precision. We conducted experiments on document-level and biomedical relation extraction datasets, and the results showed that our proposed self-training framework consistently outperforms existing competitive methods on the Re-DocRED and ChemDisgene datasets when the training data are incompletely annotated. Our code is released at https://github.com/DAMO-NLP-SG/CAST.


PACE, the Partnership for AdvancingComputing Education, held a workshop on Computing Education Research in Washington DC on August 21st and 22nd 2014. The goals of this invitation-only workshop were to • explore the possibilities fordeveloping a forward looking and challenging research agenda for computing education as a whole, one that will extend and enhance the computing education research community;  • enhance the standing of the computing education research community and galvanize it into meaningful and effective action; • understand the ways in which professional and academic computing societies can best serve the computing education research community; and • establish a joint understanding and strengthen the sharing of research agendas and directions on computing education across various computing-related sub-disciplines. One of the many conclusions from the workshop was that the community should consider articulating a set of Grand Challenges for computing education. If this could be achieved in a meaningful manner, it would directly support several of the goals of the workshop. For instance, it could address the research agenda: a true shared understanding ofthe Grand Challenges of computing education would have the potential to serveas a guiding mechanism for computing education research agenda. Identification of the Grand Challenges would also address the issue of the status and standing of computing education in general and computing education research in specific. The purpose of this Special Session is to advance the discussion about Grand Challenges for computing education, specifically by including the community in that discussion. In line with themultidisciplinary nature of the PACE workshop, the intent of this process is to incorporate the perspectives of all major computing (sub)disciplines.


Genotype x environment (GE) interaction is a common characteristic for quantitative traits, and has been a subject of great concern for breeding programs. Simulation studies were conducted to investigate the effects of GE interaction on genetic response to marker-assisted selection (MAS). In our study we demonstrated that MAS is generally more efficient than phenotypic selection in the presence of GE interaction, and this trend is more pronounced for developing broadly adaptable varieties. The utilization of different QTL information dramatically influences MAS efficiency. When MAS is based on QTLs evaluated in a single environment, the causal QTL x environment (QE) interactions usually reduce general response across environments, and the reduction in the cumulative general response is a function of the proportion of QE interactions for the trait studied. However, MAS using QTL information evaluated in multiple environments not only yields higher general response, but the general response obtained is also reasonably robust to QE interactions. The total response achieved by MAS in a specific environment depends largely on the total heritability of traits and is slightly subject to relative changes between general heritability and GE interaction heritability. Two breeding strategies, breeding experiments conducted in one environment throughout and in two environments alternately, were also examined for the implementation of marker-based selection. It was thus concluded that plant breeders should be cautious to utilize QTL information from only one environment and execute breeding studies in another.


ABSTRACT The purpose of the article is to analyse the impact of three forms of involvement in organized civil society – as 'participant', as 'member' and as 'volunteer' – on self-assessed quality of life when checking for coherence between the three forms of participation. The article is inspired by both Lim and Putnam's claim that close social networks around meaningful and identity-bearing activities increase self-assessed quality of life and Stebbins' claim that life satisfaction is an essential by-product of 'serious leisure'. This article utilizes data from a digital survey study conducted among adult citizens in Denmark, which 2514 citizens answered. The questionnaire contained a broad range of questions regarding participation in leisure activities, membership in associations, engagement in voluntary work, subjective life-satisfaction, self-assessed health and social background of the respondents. The statistical regression analysis shows a correlation between volunteering in general and self-assessed quality of life, but the correlation is relatively weak. However, the analysis does not show a significant correlation between the quality of life and membership in an association and participation in 'serious leisure'. Of the other variables included, self-assessed health, in particular, contributes to explaining the variation in the self-assessed quality of life.


ABSTRACT The assessments designed for and analyzed in this study used a task-based language design template rooted in theories of language reflecting heteroglossic language practices and funds of knowledge learning theories, which were understood as transforming classroom teaching, learning, and assessment through continua of biliteracy lenses. Using a participatory action research model, we created assessment instruments for pre-service English teachers in Oaxaca, Mexico, integrating language practices from communities and classrooms into assessments. Participants completed two reading and writing tasks. Task 1 was intentionally designed to engage learners' English and Spanish languages resources. Task 2 was restricted to English-only. Our analyses indicated (1) that pre-service English teachers performed better on the multilingual task than the monolingual English task at a level of statistical significance and (2) that integrating multilingual resources within assessment design can allow test-takers to demonstrate more complex or high-order thinking skills in the language they are learning. We are offering some empirical evidence of an assessment approach that is consistent with the broadly supported principle of making use of all students' linguistic resources for the purpose of teaching and learning.


RNA detection has become one of the most robust parts in molecular biology, medical diagnostics and drug discovery. Conventional RNA detection methods involve an extra reverse transcription step, which limits their further application for RNA rapid detection. We herein report a novel finding that Bst and Klenow DNA polymerases possess innate reverse transcriptase activities, so that the reverse transcription step and next amplification reaction can be combined to one step in isothermal RNA detection. We have demonstrated that Bst and Klenow DNA polymerases could be successfully used to reverse transcribe RNA within 125-nt length by real time RT-PCR and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Our findings will spur the development of a myriad of simple and easy to use RNA detection technologies for isothermal RNA direct detection. This will just meet the future needs of bioanalysis and clinical diagnosis to RNA rapid detection in POC settings and inspection and quarantine.


The application of indirect spectrophotometric detection was investigated for a capillary electrochromatographic system in which an anion‐exchange stationary phase (in the form of aminated latex particles) was coated onto the wall of a fused‐silica capillary. The study has focused on the choice of the type and concentration of the absorbing coion (probe) added to the background electrolyte and the role of this species in manipulating the ion‐exchange contributions to the separation with a view to controlling the selectivity of the separation. Common inorganic anions were used as analytes and nitrate, p‐toluenesulfonate, nicotinate, and chromate were investigated as probes. It was found that most of these probes produced only a limited range of separation selectivities when their concentration was varied over the practically accessible range. p‐Toluenesulfonate provided the greatest variation in selectivity, but peak distortion due to electromigration dispersion was evident for the faster ions. When variation of the separation selectivity ‐ from predominantly electrophoretic in nature to predominantly ion‐exchange in nature ‐ was desired, this was best achieved by varying the type of probe rather than its concentration. For example, the nitrate probe provided predominantly electrophoretic separations with good peak shapes and high efficiencies. A comprehensive list of probes, ranked in order of ion‐exchange selectivity coefficients determined by ion chromatography, was compiled and this proved to be a useful tool to assist in the selection of a probe for a desired separation selectivity. The limits of detection for the analytes and probes studied ranged from 20—55 μmol for the chromate system to 230—600 μmol for the nicotinate system, with nitrate and p‐toluenesulfonate giving intermediate values.


Nanochannels fabricated in fused silica substrates are ideal tools for single (bio)molecular studies in biology and are promising in the development of innovative applications in chemistry. To obtain a higher throughput and a higher level of integration and functionalization, nanochannels with high aspect ratios and nano-in-nano structures are very much desired, but their fabrication is a challenge. Herein, we report a method for fabricating nanochannels with such challenging critical dimensions and structures in fused silica substrates by using a focused ion beam.


Design schemes for pressure stabilizers having distributed perforations and elastic chambers of elliptical cross section are described. Their efficiency indicators for damping induced pressure vibrations and the vibrating loads in the oil pipelines of a hydraulic lift system under industrial operating conditions are presented.


TRH is negatively regulated by T3 both in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and transient transfection models. Mutations in hTR beta 1 genes are associated with the syndrome of generalized resistance to thyroid hormone. To investigate potential effects of mutant TRs on T3 regulation of the hTRH gene, transient gene expression assays were performed in human neuroblastoma (HTB-11) cells with an hTRH promoter-luciferase construct, wild type (WT) hTR beta 1, and three qualitatively distinct hTR beta 1 mutant forms (ED, OK and PV). In the presence of T3 (10(-9) M), liganded WT-hTR beta 1 inhibited hTRH promoter activity significantly (40%). Cotransfection of each of the two mutants (ED and OK) achieved similar levels of inhibition only at 10 to 100 fold increased T3 concentrations. Of interest, a 10x excess of mutant ED or OK could also exert dominant negative effects upon WT hTR beta 1-T3 mediated inhibitory actions on the hTRH promoter. In contrast, mutant TR-PV exerted neither inhibitory nor dominant negative effects at even higher concentrations of T3. Moreover, all three unliganded mutant forms stimulated TRH promoter activity significantly in the absence of T3, despite their different mutations in the ligand-binding domain (LBD). These data demonstrate that thyroid hormone resistance at the level of TRH gene regulation, due to reduced inhibitory actions of mutant TR-T3 complexes, as well as dominant negative effects upon WT hTR beta 1 mediated inhibition, likely contribute to elevated TSH values observed in the syndrome of thyroid hormone resistance.


Abstract Spodoptera litura is one of the most destructive lepidopteran insects of cabbages and cauliflowers in the world. Cry1 and Vip3 toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis have been reported to show toxicity in multiple lepidopteran insects. Binding of toxic molecules to specific receptors on the midgut epithelial cells is known to be a key step in the action mode of Bt toxins. Aminopeptidase N (APN) -like proteins have been reported to be binding sites of multiple Cry toxins in the midgut of Cry susceptible insects. In the present study, we identified six midgut APNs by analysis of the genome and midgut transcriptome of S. litura. CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene-knockout system was utilized to mutate the GPI-anchor signal peptide at the C terminus of SlAPN1. SlAPN1 was verified to be removed from the midgut brush border membrane vesicles of a homozygous knockout strain of S. litura (SlAPN1-KO). Bioassay results indicated that susceptibility of the SlAPN1-KO strain to Cry1Aa, Cry1Ac, Cry1Ca, and Vip3Aa toxins was close to that of the wild-type strain of S. litura. RT–qPCR results showed that the transcriptional level of SlAPN2-6 was not up-regulated after knockout of the SlAPN1. Results in this study indicated that the SlAPN1 did not play a critical role in the pathway of toxicity of Cry1Aa, Cry1Ac, Cry1Ca, and Vip3Aa toxins in S. litura.


As the number of transistors integrated on a chip continues to increase, a growing challenge is accurately modeling performance in the early stages of processor design. Analytical modeling is an alternative to detailed simulation with the potential to shorten the development cycle and provide additional insight. This thesis proposes hybrid analytical models to predict the impact of pending cache hits, hardware prefetching, and realistic miss status holding register (MSHR) resources on superscalar performance. We propose techniques to model the non-negligible influences of pending hits and the fine-grained selection of instruction profile window blocks on the accuracy of hybrid analytical models. We also present techniques to estimate the performance impact of data prefetching by modeling the timeliness of prefetches and to account for a limited number of MSHRs by restricting the size of profile window blocks. As with earlier hybrid analytical models, our approach is roughly two orders of magnitude faster than detailed simulations. Overall, our techniques reduce the error of our baseline from 39.7% to 10.3% when the number of MSHRs is unlimited. When modeling a processor with data prefetching, a limited number of MSHRs, or both, our techniques result in an average error of 13.8%, 9.5% and 17.8%, respectively. Moreover, this thesis proposes analytical models for predicting the cache contention and throughput of heavily fine-grained multithreaded architectures such as Sun Microsystems' Niagara. We first propose a novel probabilistic model using statistics characterizing individual threads run in isolation as inputs to accurately predict the number of extra cache misses due to cache contention among a large number of threads. We then present a Markov chain model for analytically estimating the throughput of multicore, fine-grained multithreaded architectures. Combined, the two models accurately predict system throughput obtained from a detailed simulator with an average error of 8.3% for various cache configurations. We also show that our models can find the same optimized design point of fine-grained multithreaded chip multiprocessors for application-specific workloads 65 times faster than detailed simulations. Furthermore, we show that our models accurately predict cache contention and throughput trends across varying workloads on real hardware—a Sun Fire T1000 server.


Herpesviral haematopoietic necrosis (HVHN), caused by cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2), causes significant losses in crucian carp (Carassius carassius) aquaculture. Rapid and convenient DNA assay detection of CyHV-2 is useful for field diagnosis. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a novel isothermal DNA amplification and detection technology that can amplify DNA within 30 min at ~37°C by simulating in vivo DNA recombination. Herein, a rapid and convenient detection assay based on RPA with a lateral flow dipstick (LFD) was developed for detecting CyHV-2. The highly conserved ORF72 of CyHV-2 was targeted by specific and sensitive primers and probes. The optimized assay takes only 15 min at 38°C using a water bath, with analysis of products by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis within 30 min. A simple lateral flow strip based on the unique probe in reaction buffer was developed for visualization. The entire RPA-LFD assay takes 50 min less than the routine PCR method, is 100 times more sensitive and displays no cross-reaction with other aquatic viruses. The combined isothermal RPA and lateral flow assay (RPA-LFD) provides a simple, rapid, reliable method that could improve field diagnosis of CyHV-2 when resources are limited.


Aims: To determine the potential for local use of Zingiber album Nurainas among Zingiberaceae family through an ethnobotanical approach.
Study Design: Information about traditional uses of Zingiberaceae family collected through literature review. The data was analyzed quantitatively using the ethnobotanyR package in the R Studio software and visualized using a flow diagram with the ggalluvial formula.
Methodology: Literature review.
Results: From the research, it was found that the local use of Z. album as a vegetable and traditional medicines, namely the medicine for swollen uterus after childbirth, abdominal pain, internal heat.
Conclusion: Z. album Nurainas has potential as a food and traditional medicine. Ethnoalluvial analysis of the potential utilization of Z. album among other species in the Zingiberaceae family in West Sumatra showed that the species categorized as low importance.


The insect pests recorded during 1993-96 on chayote in Chitwan, Lalitpur and Parbat districts were as follows: white grubs ( Phyllophaga spp.), mole cricket ( Gryllotalpa fussor Fab.), field cricket ( Brachytrypes portentosus Licht.), red pumpkin beetle ( Aulacophora foveicollis Lucas), blue pumpkin beetle ( Aulacophora lewisii Baly), flea beetle ( Monolepta signata Oliv.), tobacco caterpillar ( Spodoptera litura Fab.), stink bug ( Coridius janus Fab.), spotted beetle ( Epilachna pusilanima Mulsant), banded blister beetle ( Mylabris phalerata Pallas), brown bug ( Agonoscelis nubila Fab.), cotton aphid ( Aphis gossypii Glov.), pumpkin fruit fly ( Bacterocera cucurbitae Coq.), and three unidentified insect pests- brown weevil, hairy caterpillars and stem boring beetle. Of them, the fruit fly and cotton aphid were the serious ones. Nepalese and Mexican accessions of chayotes varied for their susceptibility to both the above insects. The chayote fruits with tough fruit skin and dense and long spines were less susceptible to fruit fly, while the spineless and smooth fruits were the most susceptible. Key words: Chayote germplasm, insect pests, aphid and fruit fly

J. Inst. Agric. Anim. Sci. 27:161-164 (2006)


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to uncover the potential impact of alcohol consumption on the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) and the underlying mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Overall survival was compared in CRC patients either with alcohol consumption or not. Subsequently, a mouse model of CRC was established by azoxymethane (AOM) administration. Tumor number and size were compared in CRC mice fed with Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet or normal diet. At last, pathological differences in cell proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and intestinal permeability, in intestines harvested from CRC mice fed with Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet or normal diet were assessed.

RESULTS
It was found that the prognosis was worse in CRC patients with alcohol consumption. In CRC mice fed with Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet, more tumor tissues were found than those in the controls. Besides, alcohol consumption remarkably impaired intestinal permeability, making it easier for bacteria to invade epithelial cells. Moreover, oral gavage of probiotics markedly improved intestinal permeability and reduced tumor number in CRC mice fed with Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet.

CONCLUSIONS
Probiotics can inhibit the development of alcohol-induced CRC by protecting intestinal permeability.


In the subcutaneous fatty tissue of 27 adipose patients the number and volume of adipocytes were determined before and after a stationary weight reduction. 47 normal test persons served as comparison. Under stationary weight reduction the volume of adipocytes significantly decreased, whereas the number of adipocytes remained constant. The subdivision of the obesity according to the cellularity of the fatty tissue into a hypertrophic and a hypertrophic hypercellular form is proposed. A possible indication for the determination of the volume of fat cells in adipose patients is given.


Introduction Fetal growth abnormalities are common complications of diabetes in pregnancy; there is little data on temporal trends in growth disturbance. Aim To determine changes in rate of large for gestational age (LGA) and small for gestational age (SGA) in babies of women with pre-gestational Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes (T1DM and T2DM). Methods Data were extracted from the Northern Diabetes in Pregnancy Survey, a register of pregnancies in women with pre-gestational diabetes resident in Northern England. We studied 1499 singleton live births delivered 1996–2008, excluding those with congenital anomalies. LGA was defined as birtweight >90th percentile for gestational age and SGA as<10th percentile, corrected for infant sex and parity. Results 1164 (78%) women had T1DM and 328 (22%) T2DM; T2DM increased from 8.9% (1996–2000) to 32.1% (2005–2008) (p=0.01). Mean (SD) birth weight was 3437 g (±755). 335 (23%) babies weighed ≥4000 g. The rate of LGA was 49.3% and SGA 2.9% and did not change over time (LGA 50.9%, 1996–2000, 47.7%, 2005–2008; SGA 3.5%, 1996–2000, 2.9%, 2005–2008; p=0.73). LGA babies were more likely to be preterm (60.3% vs 37.2%, p=0.001), delivered by caesarean section (53.5% vs 43.3%, p=0.001), admitted to special care (56.5% vs 40.7%, p=0.001) and to develop shoulder dystocia (85.7% vs 11.9%, p= 0.001) than babies of normal weight for gestational age. Conclusion Rates of LGA and SGA have not changed over time despite an increase in T2DM.


Objective: Suicide rates among Indigenous peoples in Canada are at least twice that of their non-Indigenous counterparts. Although contemporary stressors contribute to this increased risk, historical experiences such as the Indian Residential School (IRS) system may also have continuing links with the risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The current investigation examined the intergenerational and cumulative links between familial IRS attendance in relation to lifetime suicide ideation and attempts among First Nations adults living on-reserve. Method: Data from the 2008-2010 First Nations Regional Health Survey were analyzed, and participants comprised a representative sample of First Nations adults older than 18 years (weighted N = 127,338; IRS attendees were excluded). Of those who knew their familial IRS history, 38.0% had no history of attendance, 19.3% had a grandparent who attended, 16.2% had a parent who attended, and 26.5% had a parent and grandparent who attended. Results: Exposure of one previous familial generation to the IRS experience was associated with increased risk for lifetime suicide ideation (odds ratio [OR], 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16 to 1.84; P = 0.001) and attempts (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.94; P < 0.016) compared with those with no IRS history. Having 2 generations of IRS familial history was associated with greater odds of reporting a suicide attempt compared with having one generation (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.75; P = 0.022), which was reduced when current levels of distress and ideation were accounted for. Conclusion: Findings support the existence of linkages between intergenerational exposure to IRS and risk for suicidal ideation and attempts and for a potential cumulative risk in relation to suicide attempts across generations.


Escape from the Castle is a digital escape game created with the collaboration of the Museum of Saving in Turin (Italy), Neuroscience Lab Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, and the GAME Science Research Center of IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca. In the escape game, players must help Mica, the mascot of the Museum, to run away from the Ghost of the Baroness, from its Castle. To do that, every player has to solve four puzzles in four different rooms. Each room is correlated to a financial issue, such as saving strategies and planning. The game aims to increase the awareness that money represents a means for achieving a purpose (i.e., use value of money) and not an end, from a behavioural and neuroscientific point of view. So we built a study about the behaviour of teenagers. According to the literature, the cooperative approach proposes emotional and cognitive involvement as a tool to strengthen learning, increases awareness of self-efficacy and, when applied to money management, increases the self-perception of being able to make consumption choices. To better understand the mechanisms of cooperation, we built an experiment with 118 students from eleven to fourteen years old, that played the game during a visit to the Museum. We divided students into two groups: one in which students could collaborate with each other in solving the puzzles (treatment) and one in which they had to play individually (control), and we collected score and time of play (behavioural data). In each group, two students wore eye-trackers to record pupil dilation to collect neurophysiological data. Here we present mainly the behavioural results that show that the students who were allowed to collaborate obtained, on average, double the score compared to those who played individually. Furthermore, those who collaborated finished the game in less time than those who have not played as a group. Moreover, combining behavioural data with neurophysiological data, there are indications that high pupil dilation is correlated with high engagement in play, and this is often true in collaborating groups.


It was used 17,767 weight records of 4,210 Santa Ines breed lambs aiming to compare random regression models with different structures to model the residual variance in genetic studies of the growth curve. The fixed effects included in the analysis were contemporary group and age of the ewe at lambing. Fixed and random regressions were fitted through Legendry polynomials of orders 4 and 3, respectively. The residual variance was fitted by heterogeneous classes and by functions of variances employing ordinary polynomials and Legendry polynomials of the orders 2 to 8. The model considering homogeneity of residual variances was inadequate. Accordingly to the used criteria, the residual variance containing seven heterogeneous classes provided the best fit, although a more parsimonious one, with five classes, could be used without losses on the quality of variance fit on the data. The fit of functions of variances with any order was better than that obtained through classes. The ordinary polynomial of order 6 provided the best fit among the tested structures. The modeling of the residue interfered on the estimative of the variances and genetic parameters. In addition to changes in the classification of the reproducers, the magnitude of the predicted genetic values shows significant variations, accordingly to the fitting of the used residual variance.


Signaling molecules play an important role for many cellular functions. We investigate here a general system of two membrane reaction–diffusion equations coupled to a diffusion equation inside the cell by a Robin-type boundary condition and a flux term in the membrane equations. A specific model of this form was recently proposed by the authors for the GTPase cycle in cells. We investigate here a putative role of diffusive instabilities in cell polarization. By a linearized stability analysis we identify two different mechanisms. The first resembles a classical Turing instability for the membrane subsystem and requires (unrealistically) large differences in the lateral diffusion of activator and substrate. The second possibility on the other hand is induced by the difference in cytosolic and lateral diffusion and appears much more realistic. We complement our theoretical analysis by numerical simulations that confirm the new stability mechanism and allow to investigate the evolution beyond the regime where the linearization applies.


This letter considers a problem stemming from the analysis of spectrometric data. When performing experiments on highly radioactive matter, electrical pulses recorded by the spectrometer tend to overlap, thus yielding severe distortions when computing the histogram of the pulses' energies. In this letter, we propose a fast recursive algorithm which estimates efficiently this histogram from measurements of the duration and energies of overlapping pulses. Its good performances are shown both on simulations and real data. Furthermore, its lower algorithmic complexity makes it more fitting for real-time implementation.


We report the first implementation with correct scaling of the Mukherjee multireference coupled cluster method with singles, doubles, and approximate iterative triples (Mk-MRCCSDT-n, n=1a,1b,2,3) as well as full triples (Mk-MRCCSDT). These methods were applied to the classic H4, P4, BeH(2), and H8 model systems to assess the ability of the Mk-MRCCSDT-n schemes to accurately account for triple excitations. In all model systems the inclusion of triples via the various Mk-MRCCSDT-n approaches greatly reduces the nonparallelism error (NPE) and the mean nonparallelism derivative diagnostics for the potential energy curves, recovering between 59% and 73% of the full triples effect on average. The most complete triples approximation, Mk-MRCCSDT-3, exhibits the best average performance, reducing the mean NPE to below 0.6 mE(h), compared to 1.4 mE(h) for Mk-MRCCSD. Both linear and quadratic truncations of the Mk-MRCC triples coupling terms are viable simplifications producing no significant errors. If the off-diagonal parts of the occupied-occupied and virtual-virtual blocks of the Fock matrices are ignored, the storage of the triples amplitudes is no longer required for the Mk-MRCCSDT-n methods introduced here. This proves to be an effective approximation that gives results almost indistinguishable from those derived from full consideration of the Fock matrices.


Two experimental groups have taken a step towards observing the "scrambling" of information that occurs as a many-body quantum system thermalizes.


Volume 5, Issue 3, May – June 2016 Page 125 Abstract Noise pollution of urban areas is one of serious factors that the local agencies and state authorities have to consider in decision making processes. The spatial analysis and geostaticstical methods of GIS can play an important role to control noise pollution. GIS provide framework to integrate noise calculation models with spatial data that can be used for building noise maps. Noise maps can be used to assess and monitor the influence of noise effects. Noise maps within GIS have been developed in most of the European Countries. European Commission has approved the Directive called 'Environmental Noise Directive 2002/49/EC' for noise mapping. Most of the noise maps that are available today and also that suggested by EU are in two dimensional (2D) in which noise effect is presented in x,y plane. 2D noise maps are built with the noise levels of one particular height. In the reality, noise travels in all direction. Residents living in high rise buildings are also severely affected by traffic noise. It is therefore important to develop 3D noise maps that can show influence of noise in all direction. This research work developed a methodology to build 3D noise models to analyze the three dimensional effect of noise pollution within a GIS. A case study was illustrated using a 3D city model for Chennai city. This involved building simple 3D city model, generation of 3D observation points (that represent the virtual microphones) and noise calculation using standard noise calculation models. The noise has calculated from 6 to 11 am in city limits of locations as Parry'scorner, mathuravolyal etc. Fictitious data was used to calculate the noise levels of study area. Appropriate Spatial interpolation methods were used to develop noise surface. The results showed that the quality and accuracy of noise models can be improved with high density of observation points. The observation points selected in straight line with evenly spacing showed good visualization of acoustic situation. All the data's has implemented with gis and concluded.


A simple solid phase spectrophotometric method for both screening of eight transition metal ions plus lead and quantitative determination of copper, cadmium and zinc is described. The method is based on the preparation of a sensitive analytical zone by immobilization of the organic reagent 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) in a Dowex 50WX2-100 resin, in which Cd, Cu, Zn, Co, Fe, Ni, Ag, Pb and Hg react at pH 10, to form colored complexes on the surface of the resin. Absorbance can be measured directly on the solid phase at 550 nm, to detect the presence or absence of these cations in a solution sample. Physical-chemical variables of the method were optimized in order to find suitable analytical conditions for the simultaneous determination of Cu, Cd and Zn by solid phase derivative spectrophotometry. Under the selected conditions the three analytes can be accurately determined between 1 and 100 ng·mL-1, with a detection limit (3s criterion) of 0.9, 0.5, and 0.4 ng·mL-1, for Cu, Cd and Zn, respectively. The repeatability, expressed as the relative standard deviation (RSD), was lower than 2 %. The percentage recoveries in the determination of Cu, Cd, and Zn in a quality control standard were between 98 and 103 %


The combination of a Gerchberg-Saxton phase retrieval algorithm with a genetic algorithm is used to retrieve the phase of a TEM or STEM probe and pinpoint its defocus. Results from modelled data and initial experimental work are included.


The permeability κ and porosity ϕ of vesicular basalts are measured. The relationship between κ and ϕ reflects the formation and emplacement of the basalts and can be related to the crystal and vesicle microstructure obtained by image analysis. Standard theoretical models relating κ and ϕ that work well for granular materials are unsuccessful for vesicular rocks due to the fundamental difference in pore structure. Specifically, κ in vesicular rocks is governed by apertures between bubbles. The difference between calculated and measured κ reflects the small size of these apertures with aperture radii typically O(10) times smaller than the mean bubble radii.