We aim to investigate the effect of 6 weeks of betaine supplementation on body composition and muscle performance during CrossFit© training. Twenty-nine subjects matched for training status (4.16 ± 0.95 day/week) and body fat mass (12.66 ± 4.08%) were randomly assigned to a betaine (BET; N = 14) or placebo group (PLA; N = 15). Body composition and cellular hydration were estimated with skinfolds measurement and bioelectrical impendence before and after 6 weeks of training. Muscle performance was assessed using three different tests: 3-RM back-squat for muscle strength, 2 km rowing test for aerobic capacity and Bergeron Beep Test for anaerobic capacity. Muscle strength assessed during back squat significantly increased in BET (p = 0.04) but not in the PLA group, however, there were no statistical differences between groups. Although not significant, fat mass was reduced in BET compared to PLA. Overall, body composition and cell hydration measurements did not change in response to training or betaine supplementation. Short-term (6 weeks) betaine supplementation supports muscle strength but was not ergogenic for trained subjects to aerobic and anaerobic performance in the CrossFit©-specific test.


Here, we study the design of domain lexicons and address the problems of lexical knowledge representation and linking between different knowledge sources. A domain lexicon contains substantial domain specific vocabularies with associated phonological, morphological, syntactic and semantic/pragmatic information as well as links to general knowledge bases which are rich enough to support knowledge-intensive models for practical NLP systems. We take financial domain as an example to illustrate the representation structures for syntactic and semantic knowledge. In order to suit for both maximal reusability and deep analysis, our domain lexicon is designed with uniform knowledge representation and fine-grain feature encoding. We also address the issues of how to bridge the gaps between coarse-grain general lexicons and fine-grain domain lexicons.


The effect of the addition of Ti and Al on the solidification structure of Ni–4%Mo–5%Cu–13%Fe (mass%) alloys was investigated. It was found that the addition of an optimal amount of both Ti and Al affects on the formation of equiaxed fine grains. Oxide films formed on the molten alloy surface (scum) were examined using a transmission electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive spectrometers. The scum was analyzed and found to contain two separated phases of TiO with the monoclinic structure and Al2O3 with the corundum structure. The TiO might be the NaCl structure at the melting point of the matrix phase.According to the lattice disregistry between the fcc Ni and oxides TiO with the NaCl structure has lower disregistry than Al2O3 with the corundum structure. These facts suggest that TiO precipitated with Al2O3 in Ni melt can form heterogeneous nucleation sites for the fcc Ni phase. The distribution conditions of TiO may be different between the Ti-added alloys and those with the addition of both Al and Ti. It is considered that the addition of both Al and Ti causes fine dispersion of TiO and promotes nucleation of the primary fcc Ni phase.


Receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase β (RPTPβ) is expressed as soluble and receptor forms with common extracellular regions consisting of a carbonic anhydrase domain (C), a fibronectin type III repeat (F), and a unique region called S. We showed previously that a recombinant Fc fusion protein with the C domain (βC) binds to contactin and supports neuronal adhesion and neurite growth. As a substrate, βCFS was less effective in supporting cell adhesion, but it was a more effective promoter of neurite outgrowth than βCF. βS had no effect by itself, but it potentiated neurite growth when mixed with βCF. Neurite outgrowth induced by βCFS was inhibited by antibodies against Nr-CAM and contactin, and these cell adhesion molecules formed a complex that bound βCFS. NIH3T3 cells transfected to express βCFS on their surfaces induced neuronal differentiation in culture. These results suggest that binding of glial RPTPβ to the contactin/Nr-CAM complex is important for neurite growth and neuronal differentiation.


Background: To review the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with Ewing's sarcoma (EWS) treated at our institute with radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery. Materials and Methods: Patients of EWS treated between January 2009 and December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Multimodality treatment with chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery has been used. Pattern of failure, locoregional control rates, and disease-free survival (DFS) was estimated using Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analysis was done to identify various poor prognostic factors for local control and survival. Results: Eighty-three patients were reviewed. Eleven patients (13.2%) had metastatic disease at presentation, out of which 7 (8.4%) had lung metastasis. The most frequent location was extremities (53%), followed by ribs, clavicle, and scapula (18.1%), axial site (10.8%), pelvis (7.2%), extraosseous site (6%), and skull (4.8%). The median follow-up period was 16 months. Out of 72 patients with localized disease, 37 (44.6%) patients failed the treatment. The most common site of distant failure was lung (18.1%), followed by bone (10.8%) and brain (4.8%). The 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years DFS were 73.8%, 45.7%, and 33.2%, respectively. The 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years local control rates were 73.3%, 65.1%, and 55.8%, respectively. The median time to local failure was 10 months. Age >12 years (P < 0.05) was found to be the only factor associated with poor prognosis for survival by both univariate and multivariate analysis. Axial site (P < 0.03), and chemotherapy regimen with vincristine, adriamycin (doxorubicin), cyclophosphamide only (P < 0.03) were found to be associated with a poor prognosis for local control by univariate analysis. By multivariate analysis, however, none of the factors were found to be a poor prognostic factor for local control. Conclusions: Aggressive combined modality approaches should be considered for all patients with EWS. Survival after progression was dismal.


Two new complexes with formula [M(NMP.TRZ)(H2O)3](NO3)2.3EtOH (where M is Ni and Co(II) ions respectively, NMP.TRZ is (5-(4-Nitro Phenyl)-4-Amino-3-Mercapto Propenyl-1,2,4-Triazole) have been synthesized by conventional method. These complexes have been characterized by spectroscopic methods such as (ultravioletvisible and infrared), as well as to thermal gravimetric, metal analyses, microanalyses, conductivity, magnetic moment and molar ratio method. To measure the biologic activity and potential anticancer efficacy of these compounds, they have been compared with cisplatin on human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cell lines in different eight concentrations (2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5, 31.25 and 15.625 μg/ml) respectively, in the time of exposure 72 hrs. The results exhibit that the three prepared complexes i.e. ligand (NMP.TRZ) and its metal complexes have shown higher ratios cytotoxicities compared to cisplatin against HepG2 cell lines in most selected concentrations. Based on the obtained results of biological test, these compounds may be potentially being considered as good anticancer candidates for further pharmacological studies.


Background: Lidocaine is a well-known medium-acting local anesthetic with a short onset time. It is a valuable drug for managing both acute and chronic pains and is being used as a popular agent for pain control in the emergency department (ED). In this systematic review, we intended to define the effectiveness of lidocaine in pain management of the patients referring to ED. Methods: The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement was utilized for this Systematic Review (SR). We searched the databases of PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and Medline (Ovid) from 1990 to August 2017 for Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) in which the study population was referred to the emergency department and received lidocaine. Full-texts of the studies that were published in English were reviewed for inclusion. Both authors individualistically evaluated all studies. Seven articles were eligible for the meta-analysis based on their common outcomes. Results: The total number of subjects was 671. The studies were categorized based on the type of drug and administration route. Mean pain, regardless of the drug administration method, in the placebo group was 0.69 units higher than the lidocaine group. Considering the administration route, mean pain in the placebo group was 0.35 units higher than the lidocaine group when administered topically, and it was lower in the subcutaneous method than the topical method by 1.41 units. Conclusion: Infiltration of lidocaine decreases pain of different procedures in the ED whereas the effect of topical lidocaine is controversial issue.


In this report, focus has been given to a range of related themes. It examines the household situation with regard to accessing different types of food, and sheds light on inequality pervading the households, perceived in terms of their control over resources such as land or food. It also gives information on the access to different elements of nutrition required for basic needs.


The key agreement protocol based on infinite non-commutative group presentation and representation levels is proposed.

Two simultaneous problems in group representation level are used: the conjugator search problem (CSP) and modified discrete logarithm problem (DLP). The modified DLP in our approach is a matrix DLP and is different from that's used in other publications. The algorithm construction does not allow to perform a crypto-analysis by replacing the existing CSP solution to the decomposition problem (DP) solution.

The group presentation level serves for two commuting subgroups and invertible group's word image matrix construction. The group representation level allows reliable factors disguising in the initial word. The word equivalence problem (WEP) solution is transformed from the group presentation level to the group representation level. Hence there are not necessary to solve WEP in the group presentation level and hence there are no restrictions on the group complexity in this sense. The construction of irreducible representation of group is required. The presented protocol is a modernization of protocol declared in (Sakalauskas et al., 2005).


The premise here is that learning is the focal point of the student condition and therefore, learners are the principal beneficiaries of any educational process. Considerable effort goes into making allowances for the fact that all students do not learn with the same ease or difficulty and that individual learning paths can be very different. My contention here is that the most important piece in the whole education conundrum is the attitude of learners towards the experience itself and that it is on that attitude in particular that their engagement in the process depends.


Abstract Background NEO212 is a novel small-molecule anticancer agent that was generated by covalent conjugation of the natural monoterpene perillyl alcohol (POH) to the alkylating agent temozolomide (TMZ). It is undergoing preclinical development as a therapeutic for brain-localized malignancies. The aim of this study was to characterize metabolism and pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of NEO212 in preclinical models. Methods We used mass spectrometry (MS) and modified high-performance liquid chromatography to identify and quantitate NEO212 and its metabolites in cultured glioblastoma cells, in mouse plasma, brain, and excreta after oral gavage. Results Our methods allowed identification and quantitation of NEO212, POH, TMZ, as well as primary metabolites 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide (AIC) and perillic acid (PA). Intracellular concentrations of TMZ were greater after treatment of U251TR cells with NEO212 than after treatment with TMZ. The half-life of NEO212 in mouse plasma was 94 min. In mice harboring syngeneic GL261 brain tumors, the amount of NEO212 was greater in the tumor-bearing hemisphere than in the contralateral normal hemisphere. The brain:plasma ratio of NEO212 was greater than that of TMZ. Excretion of unaltered NEO212 was through feces, whereas its AIC metabolite was excreted via urine. Conclusions NEO212 preferentially concentrates in brain tumor tissue over normal brain tissue, and compared to TMZ has a higher brain:plasma ratio, altogether revealing favorable features to encourage its further development as a brain-targeted therapeutic. Its breakdown into well-characterized, long-lived metabolites, in particular AIC and PA, will provide useful equivalents for PK studies during further drug development and clinical trials with NEO212.


Few studies have assessed total water intake in European children and adolescents, and fewer have evaluated the types of beverages being consumed in relation to childhood obesity and sedentary behaviors. Water intake and beverage consumption in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence Cross-sectional Study, a large, pan-European study in adolescents aged 12.5 to 17.5 years, are described in terms of gender and age differences and in relation to screen-based sedentary behaviors. Dietary intake was measured in terms of fluids (milliliters) and energy (kilojoules) using two 24-hour recall assessments in 2741 adolescents. Sugar-sweetened beverages accounted for the largest amount of energy intake per person from beverages, and water, the largest amount of fluid. However, 12.1% of adolescents did not drink plain water at any time, with 69.4% of boys and 64.4% of girls having a total water intake below the levels currently recommended by the European Food Safety Authority. A causal link between sweetened beverage consumption and childhood obesity has not been definitively shown; however, the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages during sedentary activities could contribute to the promotion of childhood obesity. In general, adolescents spending more than 4 h/d on sedentary behaviors were more likely to consume sweetened beverages than those spending fewer than 2 hours on the same activities. Efforts should be made to promote healthy foods and beverages in children and adolescents and to replace sedentary behaviors with physical activity.


The presence of a magma ocean may have characterized the beginning of terrestrial planets and, depending on how the solidification has proceeded, the solid mantle may have been in contact with a magma ocean at its upper boundary, its lower boundary, or both, for some period of time. At the interface where the solid is in contact with the liquid the matter can flow through by changing phase, and this affects convection in the solid during magma ocean crystallization. Linear and weakly non-linear analyses have shown that Rayleigh–Bénard flow subject to two liquid–solid phase change boundary conditions is characterized by a non-deforming translation or weakly deforming long wavelength mode at relatively low Rayleigh number. Both modes are expected to transfer heat very efficiently, at least in the range of applicability of weakly non-linear results for the deforming mode. When only one boundary is a phase change, the critical Rayleigh number is also reduced, by a factor of about 4, and the heat transfer is also greatly increased. In this study we use direct numerical simulations in 2-D Cartesian geometry to explore how the solid convection may be affected by these boundary conditions for values of the Rayleigh number extending beyond the range of validity of the weakly non-linear results, up to 103 times the critical value. Our results suggest that solid-state convection during magma ocean crystallization may have been characterized by a very efficient mass and heat transfer, with a heat flow and velocity at the least twice the value previously thought when only one magma ocean is present, above or below. In the situation with a magma ocean above and below, we show that the convective heat flow through the solid layer could reach values of the same order as that of the black-body radiation at the surface of the magma ocean.


Painted caves are a specific environment which preservation needs multidisciplinary studies carried out within the different actors. The actions set-up must follow national and European ethics and treaties and be as less invasive as possible to preserve the integrity of the site. Studying colorants in caves should meet these expectations and take into account on-field conditions: high humidity rate, reduced access to electricity, etc. Therefore, non-invasive analyses should be preferred. However, their limits restrict the field of application and sometimes sampling and laboratory analyses must be used to answer the problematic. It is especially true when the pigment is covered by calcite. For this purpose, the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has been assessed to identify the composition with stratigraphic analyses. This study carries out in-depth profile on laboratory samples in conditions close to the ones meet in caves. Samples were prepared on a calcareous substrate using three pigments: red ochre, manganese black and carbon black and two binding media: water and saliva. All samples have been covered by calcite. Four sets of measurements have then been done using the LIBS instrument. The in-depth profiles were obtained using the Standard Normal Variate (SNV) normalization. For all the samples, the pigment layer was identified in the second or third shot, the calcite layer being quite thin. However, the results remain promising with the carbon black pigment but not really conclusive, the carbon being generally quite difficult to quantify.


We the design, the equipment, and the calibration of a new GPS based time link between CERN and the Borexino experiment at the Gran Sasso Laboratory in Italy. This system has been installed and operated in Borexino March 2012, and used for a precise measurement of CNGS muon neutrinos speed in May 2012. The result of the measurement will be reported in a different


Lake Manassas is an approximate 706 acre man-made lake located in greater Prince William County near the town of Gainesville, Virginia. The lake was created in 1968 on Broad Run to serve as the primary water supply for the City of Manassas and its residents. The Lake Manassas watershed lies within the greater Occoquan River watershed which drains into the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. Water within Lake Manassas and its tributaries has been monitored since 1971 and this thesis presents a comprehensive limnological analysis of the Lake with an analysis of water quality impacts over time. Lake Manassas remains an enriched or eutrophic system, meaning the levels of nutrients and biomass production in lake waters is above desired standards. Nutrient loading occurs via a stream network with the largest contributor being Broad Run which is consistent with previous water quality studies. The lake serves as the sole water source for nearly 40,000 residents and businesses and ensuring clean and safe water is of significant importance. Close monitoring in conjunction with the implementation of appropriate management practices within the watershed are necessary to prevent water quality from becoming significantly degraded. A Limnological Analysis of Lake Manassas, with an Updated Baseline Through 2010 Table of


The Single Event Burnout sensitive volume of power MOSFETs is investigated using the laser Two-Photon Absorption Technique. A first discussion about the efficiency of this technique is given.


Objective
To review the research progress of indication and treatment of graft in shoulder superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) for rotator cuff tear (RCT).

Methods
The literature related to shoulder SCR in recent years was extensively reviewed, and the anatomy, biomechanics, surgical indications, and treatment of graft in SCR were summarized.

Results
Superior capsule plays a role as a functional complex with rotator cuff, ligament, and whole capsule. SCR can effectively restore the superior stability of the shoulder. The indications of SCR include the irreparable massive RCT, massive RCT combined with pseudoparalysis shoulder, medium/large RCT with severe degenerative rotator cuff tissue, and dual-layer RCT. In order to achieve a better healing of tendon-bone in graft and decrease the rate of long-term graft retearing, it is essential to select an appropriate thickness graft, fix the graft in right intensity, and get a better capsular continuity.

Conclusion
The technique of SCR advanced to SCR for reinforcement and it is indicated from substantial massive RCT to severe degeneration of rotator cuff tissue. Graft treatment is the key step for a successful SCR.


Insetting is a way for chocolate makers to compensate their carbon emissions by financing the plantation of trees in supplying cocoa farms. It appears as a new way to finance agroforestry but also to create a link with producers and secure cocoa supply. However, whether insetting contributes to reduce smallholders' vulnerability and increase their fidelity is an empirical question that has to be addressed. A survey has been conducted in Peru (100 producers, 3 focus groups) to assess the benefits of the insetting programs and the challenges that remain. Results show that the partnership developed through the insetting program contributes to alleviate some difficulties preventing farmers to adopt agroforestry practices. However the implementation can be tricky and complex. Since insetting programs are based on a tripartite model dissociating the wood and the cocoa component, the planting of trees alone does not increase farmers' loyalty. In addition, an inadequate implementation might not impact farmers' vulnerability and could therefore lead to a negative vision of agroforestry. Insetting can be a viable financing solution for agroforestry dissemination but cannot be dissociated from an holistic approach of the farm focusing on a joint management of the crops. Alleviating poverty in rural cocoa communities requires also to break out of the carbon paradigm and to turn towards bottom-up approaches favouring social considerations and midterm visions.


Terrorist attacks on vulnerable structures and their individual structural members may cause considerable damage and loss of life. However, the research work on response and damage analysis of single structural components, for example, a slab to blast loadings, is limited in the literature and this is necessary for assessing its vulnerability. This study investigates the blast response and damage assessment of a two-way bending reinforced concrete (RC) slab subjected to blast loadings. Numerical modeling and analysis are carried out using the commercial finite element code LS-DYNA 971. A damage assessment criterion for the two-way bending RC slab is defined based on the original and residual uniformly distributed load-carrying capacity. Parametric studies are carried out to investigate the effects of explosive weight and explosive position on the damage mode of the two-way RC slab. Some design parameters, such as the boundary conditions and the negative reinforcement steel bar length, are also discussed. The illustrated results show that the proposed criterion can apply to all failure modes. The damage assessment results are more accurate than the ones due to the conventional deformation criterion.


Background Penile swab sampling is the gold standard when testing for human papilloma virus (HPV) in men. Urine could provide a more convenient sampling material. Therefore we compared the detection and typing of HPV in urine samples and penile swabs using a highly sensitive method. Methods First void urine and self-obtained penile swabs were collected from 120 men visiting a Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) clinic in South Limburg, The Netherlands. When exclusion criteria were met, the results of 111 men (mean age 29.4 years) were analysed. Broad-spectrum HPV DNA amplification and genotyping were performed using SPF10-DEIA-LiPA25 system (Labo Bio-Medical Products, Rijswijk, The Netherlands). There are 12 high risk HPV types (hrHPV), 5 possible hrHPV types and 8 low risk HPV types (lrHPV) detectable by SPF10LiPA25. Results HPV DNA was found in 75 (67.6%) men. In 73 men HPV DNA was detected in the penile swab or both samples and in two men HPV DNA was detected only in the urine sample. Sixty-six paired samples were concordant in being HPV positive (n = 30) or negative (n = 36). Eleven of the 30 matching samples were concordant in their genotypes, fourteen pairs were comparable (≥ 1 genotype identical) and five pairs were discordant in genotypes. Three of these discordant and one comparable urine sample contained (possible) high risk types which were not found in the swab. Furthermore, the two positive urines with a negative swab contained (possible) high risk types as well. Conclusion Urine samples are not comparable to penile swabs in the detection of HPV in men. However, in the urine sample of six men high risk types were found that could not be detected in the penile swab alone. This could be an indication of an additional value of the urine sample aside the penile swab in the detection of HPV in men.


ABSTRACT Background: Previous studies have distilled the Upright Motor Control Test Knee Extension and Knee Flexion subscales (UMCT-KE and UMCT-KF, respectively) from the original 6-item instrument and examined these as stand-alone rapid tests of voluntary movement control in the standing position. Systematic review evidence suggests that the UMCT-KE and UMCT-KF may have value in predicting walking ability after stroke. Objective: To examine the interrater and intrarater reliability, and concurrent validity of the UMCT-KE and UMCT-KF, and associations with walking ability in adults with subacute stroke. Methods: A prospective repeated assessments design was implemented in a rehabilitation department in a public teaching hospital. A consecutive sample of patients with subacute first-time stroke (N = 50; mean age = 51 ± 12 years; 20 females; mean time post-stroke = 68 ± 48 days) completed the study. Three physical therapists independently administered the UMCT-KE and UMCT-KF on two testing occasions 2 days apart (t1 and t2). On t2, a fourth rater administered the Leg subscale of the Motricity Index (MI-Leg) as criterion standard. Results: The UMCT-KE and UMCT-KF demonstrated substantial to almost perfect interrater and intrarater reliability (W = 0.77–0.95), with lower limits of 95% confidence intervals extending to no lower than the substantial level. Both the UMCT-KE and UMCT-KF showed high correlations with the MI-Leg (ρ = 0.747–0.775) and significant associations with walking ability. p Values for all tests were <0.001. Conclusions: The UMCT-KE and UMCT-KF are reliable and valid tests for rapidly estimating voluntary movement control of the lower limbs in adults with subacute stroke.


Emit absorption fluorescence in the visible region of light, it discloses highly hydrophilic indole and benzoindole derivatives. These compounds are useful for the physiology and organ function monitoring. In particular, the molecules of the invention, the optical diagnosis of kidney and heart disease, and is useful to estimate the blood volume in vivo.


In a headwater catchment in the Oregon Coast Range, we find that solid-phase mass losses due to chemical weathering are equivalent in the bedrock and the soil. However, the long-term rate of mass loss per unit volume of parent rock is greater in the soil than in the rock. We attribute this finding to the effects of biotic processes in the soil and to hydrologic conditions that maximize contact time and water flux through the mineral matrix in the soil. This result stems both from earlier work in which we demonstrated that rock and soil contribute equally to the solute flux and from arguments presented here that the basin is in dynamic equilibrium with respect to erosion and uplift. The silica flux of 10.7 ± 7.1 t·km−2·yr−1 from the basin is several times larger than the flux from older soils elsewhere, but comparable to the flux from sites with similar physical erosion rates. This result argues that physical denudation or uplift rates play an important role in setting the chemical denudation rate. Physical processes appear to influence chemical-weathering rates in several ways. First, they limit chemical evolution by removing material, thus setting the residence time within the weathered rock and the soil. Second, bioturbation mixes rock fragments into the more reactive soil and maintains high soil porosity, allowing free circulation of water. Because the weathering in the soil is more intense than in the rock, we argue that the chemical denudation rate will diminish where uplift rates—and, hence, physical-denudation rates—are great enough to lead to a bedrock-dominated landscape. Chemical denudation rates will increase with physical-denudation rates, but only as long as the landscape remains mantled by soil.


In this paper, we propose a novel adaptive fuzzy weight parameter PSO Algorithm (FPSO). In the improved algorithm, the inertia weight reserves its decreasing property after fuzzy treatment, and the position is controlled by fuzzy parameter. Simulations have been done to illustrate that the improved algorithm can regulate global search and local search, and has better search accuracy than the basic PSO and the linear decreasing inertia weight particle swarm optimization (WPSO).


Electron-positron pair plasmas are an unexplored state of matter predicted to have properties intriguing for plasma physics as well as astrophysics. Here we described recent progress in the APEX collaboration dedicated to the production of a cold, confined electron-positron plasma in the laboratory. We focus on methods to inject positrons produced externally into a magnetic dipole trap, and to manipulate the ensuing trapped positron cloud. These experiments are carried out at the NEPOMUC positron beamline of the FRM II research reactor. Recent progress in producing more intense positron beams is briefly discussed.


The Inner Tracking System (ITS) of the ALICE experiment is made of position sensitive detectors which have to operate in a region where the track density may be as high as 50 tracks/cm2. To handle such densities detectors with high precision and granularity are mandatory. The Silicon Pixel Detector (SPD), the innermost part of the ITS, has been designed to provide tracking information close to primary interaction point. The assembly of the entire SPD has been completed.


Abstract One of the most difficult situations for conservation is where state capacity to regulate is weak, major corporate organizations are absent, and the population does not have a strong culture of wildlife conservation. All these apply to the hugely popular urban Indonesian pastime of keeping wild songbirds, thought to be responsible for rolling local extinctions of several native species. In such situations the introduction of a voluntary, market-based approach could interact with regulation to create new and more effective approaches to reducing the negative conservation impacts of the associated trade. Here we assess the potential of such an approach through an in-depth analysis of the socio-economic and cultural aspects of bird keeping. We project that overall the pastime contributes USD 78.8 million to the economies of the six cities surveyed, supporting a range of associated small-scale rural and urban livelihoods relating to the production of cages and collection of live bird food. Finally, we describe five general bird-breeding models with the capacity to scale up the production of captive-bred birds that may substitute for wild-caught conspecifics. Based on this information we argue that a market-based policy instrument that is capable of shifting bird-keeping trends from wild-caught birds to captive-bred alternatives would align easily with macro-policy agendas in Indonesia relating to pro-poor growth and the creation of more and better jobs. Such a policy instrument could provide exciting opportunities for conservationists to engage the interest and support of non-conservation sectors in Indonesia in efforts to conserve diminishing populations of wild birds.


Flexible ac transmission systems (FACTS) controllers are being used to damp out the power system oscillations. The effectiveness of these controllers depends on their optimal location in the power system network. A controllability index has been proposed to find the optimal location of the FACTS controllers to damp out the inter-area mode of oscillations. Three types of FACTS controllers have been considered, which include static var compensator, thyristor-controlled series compensator and unified power flow controller. The proposed controllability index is based on the relative participation of the parameters of FACTS controllers to the critical mode. A simple approach of computing the controllability indices has been proposed, which combines the linearised differential algebraic equation model of the power system and the FACTS output equations. The placements of FACTS controllers have been obtained for the base case as well as for the critical contingency cases. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated on New England 39-bus system and 16-machine, 68-bus system.


This article aims to examine the implementation of Islamic law Principles by the OIC in carrying out its role in China about the Uighur problem. The analysis in this article uses a juridical normative method which then showed the involvement of OIC relations and China has restricted aspects of religious identity organizations and nations, but internationally religious aspects can be outlined into the general law principles derived from the values of Islamic law, namely the principle Qillatu taklif (collecting, embracing), Tadarruj (Follow the development), Urf (Care about Customary), Dzatiyah (openminded), Ammar ma'ruf nahi Munkar (aim for good), Al Mizan (judge), Hurriyah (Freedom), Shahifah (equality) and Ta'awun (cooperate, help each other). This is what makes OIC possible to negotiate with China by upholding the Islamic law principles without restricting their capacity as an international organization.


A graduation rate of 49% alarmed Sunnyside High School in 2009. With graduation rates in the bottom 5% statewide, Sunnyside was awarded a federally funded School Improvement Grant. The "turnaround" principal and the school counselors aligned goals with the ASCA National Model through the program All Hands On Deck (AHOD), based on academic press, social support, and relational trust. In 2012, 78.8% of students graduated. This case study describes student success resulting from the counselor-led program AHOD.


A new generalized relationship between the viscoelastic properties of an overlayer placed on the electrode interface of a quartz crystal resonator and its resonant characteristic is developed from the mechanics of the quartz movement. The relationship is used to estimate the viscoelastic properties from the experimentally measured resonant characteristic. It is utilized in the estimation of viscosity and elastic shear modulus of a polyethylene overlayer during its crystallization. The measurements are compared with the viscosity and elastic shear modulus of a polyethylene melt measured using a rheometer. It is found that the development of this study is useful in the determination of viscoelastic property of polymer materials by measuring the resonant frequency and conductance of the polymer overlayer placed on the resonator electrode.


Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are mucocutaneous diseases featured by severe sequelae and high mortality rates. In addition to ocular involvement, gynecological involvement is often observed in patients with TEN with possible occurrence of partial or complete adhesions of the labia majora, labia minora, and vaginal walls as severe sequelae. Although the gynecological sequelae of TEN severely affect patients' quality of life, there is a lack of awareness among medical professionals. Moreover, preventive measures and the effectiveness of treatment have not yet been fully verified. Herein, we describe a case of TEN with severe sequelae of eyelid and vaginal adhesions.


Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles embedded in the shells of encapsulated microbubbles could be used therapeutically as in situ drug-delivery vehicles. Bioeffects on liver tumor cells SMMC-7721 due to the excitation of Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles attached to microbubbles generated by ultrasound (US) are studied in an in vitro setting. The corresponding release phenomenon of Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles from the shells of the microbubbles into the cells via sonoporation and related phenomena, including nanoparticle delivery efficiency, cell trafficking, cell apoptosis, cell cycle, and disturbed flow of intracellular calcium ions during this process, are also studied. Experimental observations show that Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles embedded in the shells of microbubbles can be delivered into the tumor cells; the delivery rate can be controlled by adjusting the acoustic intensity. The living status or behavior of Fe(3)O(4) -tagged tumor cells can then be noninvasively tracked by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It is further demonstrated that the concentration of intracellular Ca(2+) in situ increases as a result of sonoporation. The elevated Ca(2+) is found to respond to the disrupted site in the cell membrane generated by sonoporation for the purpose of cell self-resealing. However, the excessive Ca(2+) accumulation on the membrane results in disruption of cellular Ca(2+) cycling that may be one of the reasons for the death of the cells at the G1 phase. The results also show that the Fe(3)O(4) -nanoparticle-embedded microbubbles have a lower effect on cell bioeffects compared with the non-Fe(3)O(4) -nanoparticle-embedded microbubbles under the same US intensity, which is beneficial for the delivery of nanoparticles and simultaneously maintains the cellular viability.


When presented with a new multivolume series on the history of chemistry, one cannot help but compare it to J. R. Partington's masterful four-volume A History of Chemistry. The new six-volume A Cultural History of Chemistry reviewed here, however, is really a different beast and should not be viewed as a simple attempt to update Partington's previous series. As highlighted by series editors Peter Morris and Alan Rocke in the Series Preface that begins each volume, "This is not a conventional history of chemistry, but a first attempt at creating a cultural history of the science." As such, this series brings together 50 contributors in an effort to present the first detailed and authoritative survey of the impact of chemistry on society, as well as how society has influenced and impacted chemical practice and thought. Spanning from the earliest applications of the chemical arts in antiquity up through the present, this cultural history is split into six volumes, each covering a specific time period, with the structure of each volume consistent throughout the series. As such, each volume begins with an introduction, followed by the identical chapter titles: Theory and Concepts; Practice and Experiment; Sites and Technology; Culture and Knowledge; Society and Environment; Trade and Industry; Learning and Institutions; Art and Representation. As a result, this gives the reader the choice of focusing on a specific time period within a single volume, or following a chosen theme across history by reading the corresponding chapter in each of the six volumes. Each volume concludes with both a Bibliography and an Index, with all six volumes providing a combined 1728 pages of material. Separate reviews for each of the six volumes are given below, followed by some concluding remarks about the overall six-volume effort.


This paper investigates possible options for generating revenue in international unions. The empirical evidence is found for three types of revenue-generating schemes: contributions, direct taxes, and the combination of two. Discussion of peculiarities, advantages and shortcomings of each scheme led to the conclusion that financial needs, interstate heterogeneity, objectives and success of integration are the key factors determining the choice of a revenue-generating scheme. There is no clear pattern in the distribution of the schemes among different international unions. However, mixed scheme becomes more preferable to ensure sustainable financing international unions. Also, direct tax scheme would be the infant stage of a tax union that had no precedent in the modern history of economic integration.


A measurement of total and fiducial inclusive W and Z boson production cross sections in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV is presented. Electron and muon final states are analyzed in a data sample collected with the CMS detector corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 18.2 ± 0.5 pb(-1). The measured total inclusive cross sections times branching fractions are σ(pp → WX)×B(W → ℓν) = 12.21 ± 0.03(stat) ± 0.24(syst) ± 0.32(lum) nb and σ(pp → ZX) × B(Z → ℓ+ℓ-) = 1.15 ± 0.01(stat) ± 0.02(syst) ± 0.03(lum) nb for the dilepton mass in the range of 60-120 GeV. The measured values agree with next-to-next-to-leading-order QCD cross section calculations. Ratios of cross sections are reported with a precision of 2%. This is the first measurement of inclusive W and Z boson production in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV.


This research done to helps to explain non-price antecedents of consumer preference for cyber which is La Reia and extension brands which is Harvest that can influence on consumer preferences in Surabaya. Another objective of this research is to explore more about the relationship between brand offering, internet shopping experience, brand character, brand familiarity, brand evaluation, and brand for La Reia and Harvest Cake in Surabaya.   This research is a quantitative research, and causal type research. In this research, the data was processed through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) by using LISREL. This research uses sample characteristics which consumer who ever purchase in La Reia and Harvest Cake Surabaya through the website or social media minimum twice. The data is a primary data which obtained from the questionnaires which was distributed to 150 respondents.   This research result indicated that Non-price antecedents have a significant influence towards consumer preference such as offering and evaluation of a web brands for La Reia and Harvest in Surabaya.


A model cluster, with a central resonant electron spin surrounded with identical nuclear spins distributed over the sites of a rigid lattice, and with dipolar coupling between the spins, is used for a theoretical investigation of the transient nutations induced by a strong oscillating field but disturbed by these local dipolar fields. An effective Hamiltonian valid at the time scale of the nutations is first established. An analytical expression for the Dipolar Coherence time tDC is derived by adapting Van Vleck's perturbative approach to the present situation, with weak rather than intermediate dipolar coupling. It is found that the dipolar coupling does not affect tDC at exact ESR resonance (Delta=0), a result reminiscent of a behaviour found in transient NMR in liquids, in an inhomogeneous static field. The expression for tDC also presents a qualitative similarity with a time introduced in that liquid-state NMR context. Introducing a collection of independent clusters, a bridge is built between tDC and the half-width delta of the usual steady state unsaturated ESR line. Assuming a simple cubic lattice, numerical values for (tDC)Delta=delta are given, for both undiluted and dilute samples. It is shown that the TN do not obey the Bloch equations. Precautions to be taken when trying a qualitative comparison between the present results and existing experimental data, and some thermodynamic aspects, are discussed.


OBJECTIVES
To investigate vitamin D nutritional status in children after outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as well as the effect of strict epidemic prevention and control measures for the COVID-19 epidemic on vitamin D nutritional status in children.

METHODS
A total of 7 460 children who underwent routine physical examinations from February to August, 2020 and had normal results were retrospectively enrolled as the observation group, and 10 102 children who underwent routine physical examinations from February to August, 2019 (no epidemic of COVID-19) and had normal results were enrolled as the control group. The serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] was compared between the two groups. The children in the observation and control groups who underwent physical examinations in March and April were selected as the epidemic prevention subgroup (n=1 710) and non-epidemic subgroup (n=2 877) respectively. The subjects were divided into five age groups (infancy, early childhood, preschool, school age and adolescence), and serum 25(OH)D levels of children of all ages were compared between the epidemic prevention and non-epidemic subgroups.

RESULTS
The observation group had a lower serum level of 25(OH)D than the control group in March and April (P<0.001). The epidemic prevention subgroup had a lower serum level of 25(OH)D than the non-epidemic subgroup in all age groups (P<0.001). The vitamin D sufficiency rate in early childhood, preschool, school and adolescent children from the epidemic prevention subgroup was lower than the non-epidemic subgroup (P<0.001), with a reduction of 10.71%, 18.76%, 59.63% and 56.29% respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
Strict prevention and control measures for the COVID-19 epidemic may lead to a significant reduction in vitamin D level in children, especially school-aged and adolescent children. It is recommended to timely monitor vitamin D level in children, take vitamin D supplements, and increase the time of outdoor sunshine as far as possible under the premise of adherence to epidemic prevention regulations.


In a previous study we found that the apoplast of mature sugarcane stalk tissue contains up to 700 mM sucrose. In the current study, we found that xylem sap, exuded under root pressure from decapitated stalks, was virtually free of sucrose. This suggested that the apoplast of sugarcane stalk tissue contains at least two separate compartments: one within the free space of the vascular bundles, which is nearly free of sucrose, and another in the free space of the surrounding storage tissue. Anatomical observations indicated that these putative compartments were separated by the sclerenchymatous bundle sheath cell walls that were suberised and lignified early in development, constituting a barrier to the movement of relatively large molecular weight solutes but not water. It was hypothesised that this semipermeability would enable sucrose and other solutes in the apoplast of the storage tissue to provide a gradient for osmotic water flow from the xylem, generating a hydrostatic pressure in the apoplast. Additional lines of evidence were obtained to support this hypothesis: (i) apoplastic dyes were restricted to the xylem and did not accumulate in the apoplast of storage tissue when water-stressed plants were rehydrated, (ii) water potential measured with in situ psychrometers decreased when sections of intact stalks were cut, (iii) mature internode tissue of well-watered plants often cracks after maximum fresh and dry weight accumulation, and (iv) internode sections typically shrink in diameter immediately upon excision. The existence of a semipermeable barrier separating the vascular bundles from the storage parenchyma apoplast would require that phloem unloading involve a symplastic step in order to traverse the barrier. The presence of plasmodesmatal connections between companion, sclerenchyrna, and storage parenchyma cells supported this conclusion.


Policy makers across the tropics propose that carbon finance could provide incentives for forest frontier communities to transition away from swidden agriculture (slash‐and‐burn or shifting cultivation) to other systems that potentially reduce emissions and/or increase carbon sequestration. However, there is little certainty regarding the carbon outcomes of many key land‐use transitions at the center of current policy debates. Our meta‐analysis of over 250 studies reporting above‐ and below‐ground carbon estimates for different land‐use types indicates great uncertainty in the net total ecosystem carbon changes that can be expected from many transitions, including the replacement of various types of swidden agriculture with oil palm, rubber, or some other types of agroforestry systems. These transitions are underway throughout Southeast Asia, and are at the heart of REDD+ debates. Exceptions of unambiguous carbon outcomes are the abandonment of any type of agriculture to allow forest regeneration (a certain positive carbon outcome) and expansion of agriculture into mature forest (a certain negative carbon outcome). With respect to swiddening, our meta‐analysis supports a reassessment of policies that encourage land‐cover conversion away from these [especially long‐fallow] systems to other more cash‐crop‐oriented systems producing ambiguous carbon stock changes – including oil palm and rubber. In some instances, lengthening fallow periods of an existing swidden system may produce substantial carbon benefits, as would conversion from intensely cultivated lands to high‐biomass plantations and some other types of agroforestry. More field studies are needed to provide better data of above‐ and below‐ground carbon stocks before informed recommendations or policy decisions can be made regarding which land‐use regimes optimize or increase carbon sequestration. As some transitions may negatively impact other ecosystem services, food security, and local livelihoods, the entire carbon and noncarbon benefit stream should also be taken into account before prescribing transitions with ambiguous carbon benefits.


Many researchers have explored retrofitting static type systems to dynamic languages. This raises the question of how to add type annotations to code that was previously untyped. One obvious solution is type inference. However, in complex type systems, in particular those with structural types, type inference typically produces most general types that are large, hard to understand, and unnatural for programmers. To solve this problem, we introduce InferDL, a novel Ruby type inference system that infers sound and useful type annotations by incorporating heuristics that guess types. For example, we might heuristically guess that a parameter whose name ends in "count" is an integer. InferDL works by first running standard type inference and then applying heuristics to any positions for which standard type inference produces overly-general types. Heuristic guesses are added as constraints to the type inference problem to ensure they are consistent with the rest of the program and other heuristic guesses; inconsistent guesses are discarded. We formalized InferDL in a core type and constraint language. We implemented InferDL on top of RDL, an existing Ruby type checker. To evaluate InferDL, we applied it to four Ruby on Rails apps that had been previously type checked with RDL, and hence had type annotations. We found that, when using heuristics, InferDL inferred 22% more types that were as or more precise than the previous annotations, compared to standard type inference without heuristics. We also found one new type error. We further evaluated InferDL by applying it to six additional apps, finding five additional type errors. Thus, we believe InferDL represents a promising approach for inferring type annotations in dynamic languages.


The Entity Linking (EL) approaches have been a long-standing research field and find applicability in various use cases such as semantic search, text annotation, question answering, etc. Although effective and robust, current approaches are still limited to particular knowledge repositories (e.g. Wikipedia) or specific knowledge graphs (e.g. Freebase, DBpedia, and YAGO). The collaborative knowledge graphs such as Wikidata excessively rely on the crowd to author the information. Since the crowd is not bound to a standard protocol for assigning entity titles, the knowledge graph is populated by non-standard, noisy, long or even sometimes awkward titles. The issue of long, implicit, and nonstandard entity representations is a challenge in EL approaches for gaining high precision and recall. In this paper, we advance the state-of-the-art approaches by developing a context-aware attentive neural network approach for entity linking on Wikidata. Our approach contributes by exploiting the sufficient context from a Knowledge Graph as a source of background knowledge, which is then fed into the neural network. This approach demonstrates merit to address challenges associated with entity titles (multi-word, long, implicit, case-sensitive). Our experimental study shows $\approx$8\% improvements over the baseline approach, and significantly outperform an end to end approach for Wikidata entity linking. This work, first of its kind, opens a new direction for the research community to pay attention to developing context-aware EL approaches for collaborative knowledge graphs.


Extraordinary fiscal and monetary interventions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have revived concerns about zombie prevalence in advanced economies. The literature has already linked this phenomenon - observed over the course of the last two decades - to impeding the performance of healthy firms in Japan and Europe. To make the case for the United States, we analyze banks' and capital markets' zombie-lending practices on the basis of a sample of publicly listed U.S. companies. Our results suggest that zombie prevalence and zombie-lending per se are not a defining characteristic of the U.S. economy. Nevertheless, we find evidence for negative spillovers of zombie-lending on productivity, capital-growth, and employment-growth of non-zombies as well as on overall business dynamism. It is predominantly the class of healthy small- and medium-sized companies that is sensitive to zombie-lending activities, with financial constraints further amplifying these effects.


The effective use of knowledge to drive competitive advantage depends upon using a holistic approach that spans five key business considerations: KM (KM), business strategy, information technology (IT) strategy, organization culture, and human factors The current paper proposes a study to investigate the strategic alignment between KM strategy and business strategy pursued by the banking sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Using the recommended model, the study will explore the impact of this alignment on the organizations' performance.


The activities of Mg(2+)-dependent and Na(+)-K(+)-stimulated ATPase in homogenates of rat retina were measured in the presence of increasing concentrations of oxidized glutathione (GSSG). The Mg(2+)-ATPase was not inhibited by GSSG at any of the concentrations tested. The Na(+)-K(+)-stimulated ATPase was not inhibited by 1 mM GSSG, but its activity was decreased by 20 and 35%, respectively, in the presence of 5 and 10 mM GSSG. Other enzymatic measurements using supernatant fractions of rat retina showed that 1-10 mM GSSG did not inhibit the activities of hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, or glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. These results suggest that GSSG is not likely to exert significant deleterious changes on cellular processes, at least in cells and tissues in which normal glutathione (GSH) concentration is 2 mM or lower.


In small animal practice, ailments of the extremities are common. Limb bandages are often indicated for degloving injuries, fracture support, and many other orthopedic conditions. Consequently, veterinarians frequently perform bandage placement on their small animal patients. Bandages such as the Modified Robert Jones, Robert Jones, Ehmer sling, and Velpeau sling are some of the commonly applied bandages in practice. Small animal bandaging is an essential component of veterinary skills training. However, many veterinary curricula offer very little if any practical bandage training during the student's pre-clinical veterinary education. At Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM), through collaboration with Veterinary Simulators Industries Ltda a bandage limb model was developed to address the lack of practical training and to help minimize live animal use for bandage training. In 2014 a questionnaire was conducted with RUSVM faculty and second year veterinary students to determine their perception of the use of the bandage limb model for the purpose of teaching small animal bandaging techniques. Participants included eight faculty who were selected based on their experience with bandaging and 110 students enrolled in the Surgery One Laboratory course. The questionnaire utilized a five-point Likert scale. The median of overall perception scores of the bandage limb model were 33 (out of 40) for students and 46.5 (out of 50) for faculty. These results suggest that veterinary students and faculty perceive the bandage limb model as an acceptable alternative that would be useful in teaching veterinary students small animal bandaging techniques. Further studies are required to evaluate the effectiveness of the model in teaching bandaging skills in comparison to the use of a live animal.


The fact that for the case when the number of machines in each group is the same, the expected production function is a symmetric function of scaled workloads, is exploited to express this function in terms of the, basic symmetric functions of the loads. The same technique is suggested for calculating the probability of all the machines being found busy and the variance of the proportion of busy machines in the system.


This text should serve as an introduction to the application of electromagnetics EM, following an initial course in basic EM theory. A particular feature of the book is that it examines time domain rather than frequency domain methods in depth.; This book is intended for advanced undergraduate and graduates in electrical and electronic engineering. Research and practitioners in electromagnetics in electrical and electronic engineering and physics.


There are no historical works giving a comprehensive survey of education in the British Commonwealth. Considering the variety of countries and races and the mass of material such works are hardly to be expected. Hans (234) attempted to trace common traditions in all the Englishspeaking countries and has brought to light some new material on secular influences. His emphasis on the influence of Freemasonry is new and original but some critics consider it as exaggerated. Jones (236) covered all four nations of Great Britain but limited her survey to the eighteenth century. She showed in detail the influence of puritanism as a way of life on the charity school movement.


At the forefront of pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) poisoning is the chronic ingestion of contaminated hay, which causes liver damage resulting in an ongoing fatal liver cirrhosis or in the veno-occlusive disease in liver or lung, respectively. The symptomatology of PA-poisoning is not identical for all animal species, and also includes central nervous symptoms. In affected horses significantly elevated levels of hepatogenic serum enzymes and an increase of the retention time for bromosulfophthalein indicates the fatal outcome of the intoxication. Chronic seneciosis of horses is incurable. Rabbits, Japanese quails, and guinea pigs are regarded as poison-resistant species. Sheep and in particular goats are insensitive unless extremely high amounts of plants which exceed the animal's body weight by several-fold are ingested. In contrast, pigs, cattle, and horses as well as chicken and likewise man are very sensitive to poisonings by PA-containing plants. In sensitive animal species a very small amount of contaminated dry hay is needed to exceed the daily dose of 1µg/kg body weight PA which is taken as harmless for man by health authorities. Therefore, all feed with visible pieces of Senecio jacobaea plants are not acceptable as animal fodder and should be destroyed.


Abstract Objective: To analyse nutritional and packaging characteristics of toddler-specific foods and milks in the Australian retail food environment to identify how such products fit within the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) and the NOVA classification. Design: Cross-sectional retail audit of toddler foods and milks. On-pack product attributes were recorded. Products were categorised as (1) food or milk; (2) snack food or meal and (3) snacks sub-categorised depending on main ingredients. Products were classified as a discretionary or core food as per the ADG and level of processing according to NOVA classification. Setting: Supermarkets and pharmacies in Australia. Results: A total of 154 foods and thirty-two milks were identified. Eighty percentage of foods were snacks, and 60 % of foods were classified as core foods, while 85 % were ultraprocessed (UP). Per 100 g, discretionary foods provided significantly more energy, protein, total and saturated fat, carbohydrate, total sugar and Na (P < 0·001) than core foods. Total sugars were significantly higher (P < 0·001) and Na significantly lower (P < 0·001) in minimally processed foods than in UP foods. All toddler milks (n 32) were found to have higher energy, carbohydrate and total sugar levels than full-fat cow's milk per 100 ml. Claims and messages were present on 99 % of foods and all milks. Conclusions: The majority of toddler foods available in Australia are UP snack foods and do not align with the ADG. Toddler milks, despite being UP, do align with the ADG. A strengthened regulatory approach may address this issue.


Anochetus maryatiae, a new species of Formicidae from the subfamily Ponerinae, tribe Ponerini from Ulu Gombak is described and illustrated. This ant genus was last studied in Malaysia by Brown in 1978. Observations were made on morphometric characters which included parameter measurements of total length, head length, head width, mandible length, scape length, antenna length, maximum eye length, oculomandibular distance, funicular length segment 1 to 4, pronotum width, propodeum height, petiole length, petiole height, dorsal petiole width, cephalix index and mandibular index. It was followed by a brief diagnosis, description of morphological structure, microsculpture, pilosity and discussion. Although it has resemblance with Anochetus tua, it could be easily distinguished from other species in having reticulate pronotum. This is the only species from Malaysia with such microsculpture on the pronotum. In addition to that, A. maryatie varies with A. tua in having smaller total length, less than 7.5 mm and lighter colour


It has been twenty years since the publication of the two seminal papers of Baeza-Yates and Gonnet and of Wu and Manber in the September 1992 issue of the Communications of the ACM. The use of intrinsic parallelism of the bit operations inside a computer word, the so-called bit-parallelism, allows to cut down the number of operations that an algorithm performs by a factor up to ω, where ω is the number of bits in the computer word. This was then achieved by the Shift-Or and the Shift-And string matching algorithms. These two papers has inspired a lot of works and since 1992 a large number of papers were published describing string matching algorithms using this technique. In this survey we will review these solutions for exact single string matching, for exact multiple string matching and for approximate single string matching.


The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate various methods for breaking dormancy of Crotalaria senegalensis seeds. The seeds were subjected to the following treatments for physical and physiological dormancy breaks: (1) physical scarification which carried out by soaking intact seeds in distilled water for 24 h at ambient temperature (25°C) , soaking in hot distilled water (80°C) for 15 and 30 min, immersion in H2SO4 (98%) for 5, 15 and 30 min and mechanical scarification by sand paper. The physiological dormancy break treatments include: (1) soaking scarified seeds in distilled water for 24 h at ambient temperature (25°C), (2) immersion in 1%, 2% and 4% KNO3 and (3) soaking in golden leaf purslane extract for 8, 16 and 24 h. All scarification treatments improved the germination capacity of C. senegalensis seeds, the highest being after soaking in golden leaf extract followed by soaking scarified seeds in water for 24 h and immersion in 1% KNO3. The results showed that using mechanical scarification with sand paper and immersion seeds in H2SO4 (98%) for 30 min to break seed physical dormancy of C. senegalensis was the most effective treatments but inefficient because mechanical scarification break small seeds of the crotalaria especially for large quantities lots and it was proven to be a labor intensive process. On the other hand the acid H2SO4 treatment is costly and dangerous in handling. To break physiological dormancy of C. senegalensis seeds, soaking in golden leaf purslane extract for 16 h represent the most recommended treatment.


The elimination of heavy metals from bioleaching process waters (leachates) by electrolysis was studied in the anode and cathode region of a membrane electrolysis cell at current densities of 5–20 mA/cm2 using various electrode materials. The leaching waters containing a wide range of dissolved heavy metals, were high in sulfate, and had pH values of approx. 3. In preliminary tests using a rotating disc electrode the current density‐potential curve (CPK) was recorded at a rotation velocity of 0, 1000 and 2000 rpm and a scan rate of 10 mV/s in order to collect information on the influence of transport processes on the electrochemical processes taking place at the electrodes. The electrochemical deposition‐dissolution processes at the cathode are strongly dependent on the hydrodynamics. Detailed examination of the anodic oxidation of dissolved Mn(II) indicated that the manganese dioxide which formed adhered well to the electrode surface but in the cathodic return run it was again reduced. Electrode pairs of high‐grade steel, lead and coal as well as material combinations were used to investigate heavy metal elimination in a membrane electrolysis cell. Using high‐grade steel, lead and carbon electrode pairs, the reduction and deposition of Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni and some Cd in metallic or hydroxide form were observed in an order of 10–40 % in the cathode chamber. The dominant process in the anode chamber was the precipitation of manganese dioxide owing to the oxidation of dissolved Mn(II). Large amounts of heavy metals were co‐precipitated by adsorption onto the insoluble MnO2. High‐grade steel and to some extent lead anodes were dissolved and hence were proven unsuitable as an anode material. These findings were largely confirmed by experiments using combination electrodes of coal and platinized titanium as an anode material and steel as a cathode material. With both electrode combinations and current densities of 5 or 10 mA/cm2, in the cathode region low depositions of 10–20 % Cd, 2–10% Mn, 5–20 % Zn, 1–20 % Co and 5–15 % Ni were measured. By contrast, the elimination of other metals was substantially larger: Fe 40 –60 %, Cu 20–40 %, and Cr 40–60 %. In the anode region the removal of heavy metals was in the order of 30–50%, with Mn being as high as 80 %. The anode materials exhibit good resistance at the current densities tested. The precipitates deposited in both electrode regions contained as main components Al with 10–20 %, Mg with approximately 10 %, and SO4 with 5–20 %. The solid material in the cathode chamber consisted of relatively high proportions of Zn and Mn. Calcium in the solids indicated the co‐precipitation of calcium sulfate. The main components in the solids of the anode chamber were Mn in the form of pyrolusite, Al as basic sulfate, and Mg. The results indicate that electrochemical metal separation in the membrane electrolysis cell can represent a practical alternative to the metal separation by alkalization. Regarding the main heavy metals Zn, Mn and Ni in the process water, combination electrodes using steel as a cathode material and coal or platinized titanium as an anode material proved to be suitable for eliminating the heavy metals from the aqueous phase. However, for practical application, further work is necessary to improve the efficiency, applicability and costs of the process.


Superconducting fault current limiters (SCFCLs) are new and attractive devices to limit short-circuit currents in power systems. In recent years, the technical feasibility of SCFCLs in medium voltage applications was successfully demonstrated in several field tests. In high voltage power systems the application of SCFCLs is very attractive too, because at this voltage level conventional devices to limit short-circuit currents are hardly applicable and system studies showed considerable economical benefits. Therefore, a German project started recently to develop a first 110 kV, 1.8 kA prototype of a resistive SCFCL. A magnetic triggered resistive concept using MCP-BSCCO 2212 bulk material will be used for the demonstrator. This paper reports about the conceptual design of this SCFCL and the project status. Focus is given on the main data of the 110 kV prototype, the SCFCL modules, the general design of the whole system and the most important high voltage design aspects. The calculations and estimations show that the conceptual design presented in this paper seems feasible and that a major technical challenge is to ensure a reliable electrical insulation system.


Purpose – This study investigates the relationship between passive leadership and deviant behaviors targeted to supervisors (supervisor-directed deviance) and coworkers (interpersonal deviance), and the moderating effect power distance and collectivism have on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses a survey questionnaire. Respondents were 310 nonmanagerial employees working in various industries in Surabaya, Indonesia. This study uses partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine hypotheses. Findings – This study indicates that passive leadership has a positive relationship with supervisor-directed deviance, but not with interpersonal deviance. Moreover, power distance moderates these relationships. Additionally, the findings show that collectivism moderates the relationship between passive leadership and interpersonal deviance, but not with supervisor-directed deviance. Practical implications –Managers need to be aware of the roles and responsibilities of their positions and understand their subordinates' expectations, specifically related to their cultural values. Originality/value – Few studies have investigated the relationship between passive leadership and deviant behaviors, especially those directed at supervisors and coworkers. Also, there is little study that explored the role of cultural values in these relationships. The present study provides new insight regarding themoderating role power distance and collectivism have in the relationship between passive leadership and deviant behaviors.


The in vitro quasi-static tensile and compressive creep properties of three sets of GUR 1050 ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) specimens were obtained. These sets were: control (as-received stock); "low-gamma" (specimens were crosslinked using gamma radiation, with a minimum dose of 5 Mrad); and "high-gamma" (specimens were crosslinked using gamma radiation, with a minimum dose of 15 Mrad). The % crystallinity (%C) and crosslink density (rho(x)) of the specimens in the three sets were also obtained. It was found that, in both tension and compression, crosslinking resulted in a significant depreciation in the creep properties, relative to control. The trend in the creep results is explained in terms of the impact of crosslinking on the polymer's %C and rho(x). The present results are in contrast to literature reports that show that crosslinking enhances the wear resistance of the polymer. The implications of the present results, taken together with the aforementioned literature results, are fully discussed vis-a-vis the use of crosslinked UHMWPE for fabricating articular components for arthroplasties.


In this paper, the large deviations at the trajectory level for ergodic Markov processes are studied. These processes take values in the non-negative quadrant of the two-dimensional lattice and are concentrated on step-wise functions. The rates of jumps towards the axes (downward jumps) depend on the position of the process - the higher the position, the greater the rate. The rates of jumps going in the same direction as the axes (upward jumps) are constants. Therefore the processes are ergodic. The large deviations are studied under equal scalings of both space and time. The scaled versions of the processes converge to 0. The main result is that the probabilities of excursions far from 0 tend to 0 exponentially fast with an exponent proportional to the square of the scaling parameter. The proportionality coefficient is an integral of a linear combination of path components. A rate function of the large deviation principle is calculated for continuous functions only.


International research, while mostly conducted in high-income countries, repeatedly states that parents of premature infants have increased needs and require additional information and varied support channels after the infant's initial discharge from hospital. However, the perceived self-reported needs of parents concerned with the caregiving of premature infants during the initial time period at home after discharge are not well known. This integrative review explores all extant literature that embodies self-reported or parent-quoted perceptions, experiences, and parent testimonials related to post-discharge infant caregiving information and support needs published from January 1990 to April 2019. Generated findings from the review that reveal parents, regardless of country, consistently reported unmet information and support needs, coupled with a lack of adequate community-based and health care professional support. Current gaps in literature are identified and recommendations for future research are also addressed.


Purpose
Research in the business-to-business (B2B) and user entrepreneurship literature agrees that "user-driven" perspectives allow entrepreneurs to develop innovative products superior to conventional products. Other researchers argue that such "user-driven" products have limited success and limited impact in certain markets (e.g. niche and industrial markets). This study aims to understand the extent to which user input or co-creation becomes critical in determining product performance.

Design/methodology/approach
The key informant approach is used for data collection. Data were collected using a survey instrument via an online panel. Existing scales are used to measure all the focal constructs. Partial least square-based structural equation modeling was used to check for the psychometric properties of the scales and test the hypotheses.

Findings
The results indicate that user entrepreneurship is significantly related to firm collaboration efforts and customer collaboration efforts in the B2B market. Both firm collaboration efforts and customer collaboration efforts are significantly related to product performance and mediate the relationship between user entrepreneurship and product performance. Also, findings show that there is an "n" relationship between firm collaboration efforts and product performance.

Originality/value
This study supports the concerns raised by researchers about the dark side of value co-creation and highlights that value co-creation can impede product performance when user entrepreneurs lay too much emphasis on the collaboration processes.


The aim of this project is to create a software program which is able to administrate
 the navigation of several mobile robots at Bispebjerg Hospital and
 thereby solving the Vehicle Routing Problem - Pickup and Delivery (VRPPD).
 The idea for solving this problem is to use a heuristic to ease the generation
 of acceptable solutions in a short amount of time.
 This project deals with the Pickup and Delivery Problem because of the need
 for transporting blood samples, trash, medicin, journals etc. between sections
 inside of the hospital.
 The results shows, that it is possible to generate useful solutions for robots,
 which is around 10 % better than solution manually provided by use of naive
 methods, for problems containing 700 tasks and a varying number of robots.
 The test results used in this project is generated based on estimation of a
 typical need during a typical day at Bispebjerg Hospital. It also shows the
 possibility to create robots and make them follow the track, and thereby contribute
 to the solving of the VRP in real life, rather than solving a simulated
 VRP.
 Based on the results in this project, the use of hospital robots seems promising,
 and it could be interesting to continue the work, adding "Time Windows", priority
 of each task, dynamic adjustment of parameters etc., and later on ading
 Real Life robots.


Paper 1: Do laws affect attitudes? An assessment of the Norwegian prostitution law using longitudinal data The question of whether laws affect attitudes has inspired scholars across many disciplines, but empirical knowledge is sparse. Using longitudinal survey data from Norway and Sweden, collected before and after the implementation of a Norwegian law criminalizing the purchase of sexual services, we assess the short-run effects on attitudes using a difference-indifferences approach. In the general population, the law did not affect moral attitudes toward prostitution. However, in the Norwegian capital, where prostitution was more visible before the reform, the law made people more negative toward buying sex. This supports the claim that proximity and visibility are important factors for the internalization of legal norms. Paper 2: Gender and overconfidence: are girls really overconfident? Previous research finds that people are overconfident and that men are more overconfident than women. Using a very precise confidence measure, this article shows, however, that whereas boys are overconfident, girls are actually underconfident regarding their mathematics performance. We conducted a survey where 14-year-old high school students were asked what grade they thought they would get in a mathematics test a week later. These results were then compared with their actual grade. Boys were overconfident about their grades, whereas girls were underconfident. Forthcoming in Applied Economics Letters. Paper 3: A field experiment of discrimination in the Norwegian housing market: sex, class, and ethnicity We test for gender, class, and ethnical discrimination in the Norwegian rental housing market, using fake application letters. Females, individuals with high job status, and ethnical Norwegians are more likely to receive positive call-backs. For example, being an Arabic man, working in a warehouse is associated with a 25 percentage points lower probability of receiving a positive response when showing interest in an apartment as compared to an ethnically Norwegian female economist. We conclude that gender, class, and ethnic discrimination exist in the Norwegian rental housing market, and ethnic discrimination seems to be most prevalent. Paper 4: What explains attitudes toward prostitution? We assess people's attitudes toward prostitution in Norway and Sweden, two countries that have made it illegal to buy sex. The laws were, however, put in place in different time-periods and embedded in different market structures and discourses. Compared to previous research, the present study is the first to use methods that can shed light on attitudes toward various aspects of prostitution while controlling for other factors. We find that men and sexual liberals are more positive toward prostitution, and that conservatives and those who support gender equality are more negative. Holding anti-immigration views is correlated with more positive attitudes toward buying, but not toward selling, sex. Norwegians are more positive than Swedes toward prostitution. It is also found that supporting gender equality has more explanatory power in Sweden than in Norway, and it is argued that this may be due to the gender equality framing of the Swedish debate. Forthcoming in Feminist Economics. Paper 5: Why do you want lower taxes? Preferences regarding municipal income tax rates The factors shaping people's references for municipal labor income tax rates in Sweden are assessed using survey data. The tax rate actually faced by the respondents has explanatory power for their attitudes toward the tax rate only when a few socio-demographic explanatory variables are included. When a richer set of variables are included, the association disappears. The hypothesis that this small or nonexistent effect of the actual tax rate is caused by a Tiebout bias finds no support, yet IV-estimations indicate that the actual municipal tax rate may be of importance for attitudes toward the tax rate. Paper 6: Intergovernmental grants and fiscal competition This theoretical paper shows how a central government can induce a policy concerning a municipal matter through a package of a policy requirement and a grant. We find that, due to fiscal competition and the possibility for citizens to move between municipalities, the central government can make the municipalities adopt the policy requirement although the municipalities make a loss from doing so. We apply this model to a recent Swedish child-care fee reform and can explain why all Swedish municipalities implemented the maximum childcare fee although it had a negative impact on many municipalities' finances.


Paleocene plutons on Kodiak Island, in Alaska, contain host-rock xenoliths that have undergone varying degrees of fragmentation, metamorphism and assimilation in the surrounding granitoid rocks, and therefore provide an excellent natural laboratory to study the processes of xenolith fragmentation and magma contamination. Kodiak Island has two belts of Paleocene plutons: the Kodiak batholith that runs along the axis of the Island, and the trenchward belt, which is comprised of plutons and dikes intruded into the Ghost Rocks Formation south of the Contact fault. Within the Kodiak batholith, there are two different populations of xenoliths, one near its exterior margin and another near its center. The exterior xenoliths are relatively rare but, where present, are angular and have retained sedimentary structures. Xenoliths from the center of the Kodiak batholith are abundant, rounded, gneissic, garnet- and sillimanite-bearing, and had an extended residence-time in the batholith. In the trenchward belt, the Shaft Peak pluton contains a high abundance of Ghost Rocks Formation xenoliths that underwent extensive fragmentation at length scales ranging from >10 m to a submillimetric scale. The frequency-size distributions of xenolith in both the Kodiak batholith and the Shaft Peak pluton can be modeled by power-law functions and can be described by renormalization-group fractal methods of fragmentation. Our qualitative descriptions and the fractal analysis indicate that the Shaft Peak xenoliths underwent catastrophic fragmentation and were in a state of disequilibrium when its system froze, whereas the Kodiak batholith xenoliths, once they fragmented down to a diameter of <10 cm, approached thermal and chemical equilibrium with the surrounding magma.


Dr. W. H. Harris: A 59-year-old female was admitted to the Massachusetts General Hospital complaining of sharp pain and tenderness in her left thigh. She was known to have had Paget's disease for many years. Six hours prior to admission, when the patient rose from a chair, her left leg twisted under her. She did not fall, but she experienced the sudden onset of sharp pain in the proximal portion of her left thigh. The remaining history was not remarkable. Physical examination showed diffuse enlargement of the skull. There was tenderness and swelling in the subtrochanteric region of the left thigh. There was marked bowing of the left femur, tibia, and fibula, and edema of the left foot and ankle. Otherwise, she was in good general health. Admission laboratory data were not remarkable. X-ray films demonstrated extensive Paget's disease involving the skull, dorsal spine, lumbar spine, pelvis, left femur, left


Aim: The present study was carried out to evaluate the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity of alcohol and aqueous leaf extracts of Breynia vitis-idaea (Burm. F.) Fischer in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Methods: Diabetes was induced into albino Wistar rats by intraperitonial administration of alloxan (120 mg/kg). Normal and diabetic rats divided into different groups of six each. Alcohol and aqueous leaf extracts (300 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg) and standard drug (Glibenclamide 500 μg/kg) was administered orally for 21 days. Blood samples were collected from overnight fasted normal and diabetic rats on 0th, 7th, 14th and 21st days of treatment. Hypoglycemic activity was evaluated by measuring serum glucose level and glycosylated haemoglobin level after dosing with aqueous and alcohol extracts. Hypolipidemic activity was evaluated by measuring various biochemical parameters like total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein and phospholipids. Results: Both the extracts significantly (P<0.001, p<0.01) reduced fasting blood glucose of alloxan diabetic rats in a dose-related manner, when compared to control and standard. They also have a significant recovery in the levels of parameters measured in lipid profile, when compared to control and standard group. Conclusion: The present investigation established pharmacological evidence to support the folklore claim that it is used as hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic agent.


This paper reports the improving the colourfastness of the natural dye with dye fixing agents, extraction of the colourants from natural sources; effects of different mordants and mordanting methods; selection of fixing agents; dyeing variables; post-treatment process and analysis of colour improvement parameters with fixing agents for cotton dyed with natural dye; assessed colour improvement with colourfastness


C-B4C-SiC composites with silicon additive obtained by the hot press sintering method are studied by means of transmission electron microscopy(TEM).When the specimens are heated to 1800℃,their structure does not change.When the specimens are heated to 2000℃,carbon begins to graphitize. Moreover,two monoclinic phases are observed.One monoclinic phase named as the M phase belongs to C-center monoclinic lattice with a=0.90nm,b=0.59nm,c=0.54nm and β=119.3°.The other monoclinic phase named as the Ml phase also belongs to C-center monoclinic lattice but with a=0.85nm,b=0.49nm,c=0.53nm and β=123.6°.


The algorithm for determination of equivalent load from a rolling stock (a vehicle) with the arbitrary given scheme of location of axles and axle-loads for influence lines of any form was suggested and performed on a computer.


As an alternative to seed propagation, an efficient micropropgation of Aspleniumnidus and subsequent rooting were developed as an option for in vitro conversation purpose. Spores were used as an explant. Different growth hormones were used to study the response of fern to the different stages of propagation in vitro, consequently, to determine the best hormone concentration that give up best initiation and proliferation for prothalli, differentiation and rooting. Results show that all studied treatments increased the mean of pothalli length, width and height and the highest values (2.64 cm, 2.44 cm and 2.81 cm for prothalli length, width and height respectively) were observed when MS medium were supplemented with 3.0 mg/L KIN (kinetin) + 0.1 mg/L NAA (naphthalene acetic acid), meanwhile, the lowest values (0.84 cm, 0.59 am and 0.96 cm for prothalli length, width and height respectively) were observed in control. A maximum of 5.28shoot per microshoot were obtained on Murashige and Skoog agar medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/L 6-benzyl amino purine (BAP) and 0.1 mg/L of IBA (indole-3-butyric-acid). The highest leaves number (4.56) and stem height (5.50 cm) were observed when BAP and IBA were added respectively at 2.0 mg/L and 0.3 mg/L. Maximum root number (8.91 root/ex-plant) was obtained from media contained 1.0 mg/L naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Meanwhile, maximum roots length (6.23 cm) and leaves number (5.39) were observed when NAA was added at 0.5 mg/L.In vitro propagation of fern can be applied to produce those species of ferns that are hard to propagate conventionally for the benefit of the ornamental industry.


The odontogenic myxoma is a relatively rare, benign tumor that occurs on the jaw. A 41 year-old man visited Seoul National University Dental Hospital because of swelling of the mandible. Clinical and radiographic evaluation showed a huge mass invading most of the mandible. After biopsy, he was diagnosed with odontogenic myxoma. For resection of the lesion, partial mandibulectomy and reconstruction with a vascularized fibular free flap was done. The result showed successful removal of the lesion. Reconstruction resulted in satisfactory functional and esthetic outcomes. We conclude that huge benign neoplasms such as odontogenic myxomas can be successfully treated by using a wide margin of resection followed by vascularized fibular free flap reconstruction.


OBJECTIVES
We evaluated the acute and two-year safety and efficacy of using the Corevalve, Evolut R, and Evolut PRO valves for treating failed surgical bioprosthesis from the Italian CoreValve Clinical Service Project.

BACKGROUND
Valve-in-valve (ViV) TAVR is an emerging treatment option for failed surgical bioprosthesis. Choice of transcatheter valve is an important determinant of procedural and clinical outcomes, however, longer-term data are lacking.

METHODS
The Clinical Service Project is a national clinical data repository evaluating the use of implantable devices across Italy. The present multi-center analysis includes consecutive patients who underwent ViV-TAVR with the Medtronic CoreValve series between October 2008 to June 2019. Evaluated endpoints included rates of overall mortality, cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, and cerebrovascular accidents at 2-year follow-up. Procedural success, complications, and echocardiographic outcomes were reported according to VARC-2 criteria.

RESULTS
A total of 139 patients (mean age, 80 ± 7 years; 47.5% male; mean STS score, 10.0 ± 9.7%) underwent ViV-TAVR with CoreValve (28.5%), Evolut R (68.6%), and Evolut Pro (2.9%) valves. Device success was achieved in 68% and acute coronary obstruction requiring PCI was observed in 4 patients (2.9%). Moderate PVL was observed in 3.7% and 2.8% of patients at 30-day and 2-year follow-up and moderate structural valve degeneration seen only 5 patients (3.6%). All-cause and cardiovascular mortality were 3.6% and 2.9% at 30 days, respectively, and 20.6% and 10.2% at 2-year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS
This real-world nationwide analysis demonstrates the acute and longer-term safety and efficacy of using the self-expanding Medtronic THV for ViV-TAVR.


In the seemingly unrelated regression systems, the existing quasi-likelihood is always involved in the difficult problem of calculating inverse of a high order matrix specially for large systems. To avoid this problem, the new quasi-likelihood proposed in this paper is based mainly on a linearly iterative process of some unbiased estimating functions. Some finite sample properties and asymptotic behaviours for this new quasi-likelihood are investigated. These results show that the new quasi-likelihood for parameter of interest is E-sufficient, iteratively efficient and approximately efficient. Some examples are given to illustrate the theoretical results.


Background: Studies on microbiota characteristics of infants with small intestinal ostomy due to various etiologies are limited. Here, we investigated the intestinal microbiota of neonates with ileostomy due to different primary diseases. Methods: Fifteen patients with necrotizing enterocolitis, eight patients with meconium peritonitis, and seven patients with Hirschsprung's disease were included in the study. The small intestinal microbiota composition in infants with ileostomy caused by different disease was investigated. Results: The microbial diversity in neonatal ileostomy fluid was generally low, dominated by Proteobacteria and Firmicutes members. At the genus levels, the most abundant bacteria were Klebsiella, Escherichia-Shigella, Streptococcus, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Enterococcus, and Lactobacillus. Streptococcus and Veillonella were related to carbohydrate metabolism and immunity, and breastfeeding could increase the proportion of these beneficial bacteria. The proportion of Bifidobacterium in the breastfeeding group was higher than that in the non-breastfeeding group, and the incidence of colitis and sepsis was significantly reduced in the breastfeeding group. The increase of body weight in the breastfeeding group was also higher than that in the non-breastfeeding group. Conclusions: Excessive Klebsiella and Escherichia-Shigella and low abundance of Streptococcus, Veillonella, and Faecalibacterium indicated that the small intestinal microbiota was still in an unhealthy state. However, Streptococcus, Faecalibacterium, and Veillonella were commonly found, suggesting that these bacteria might promote the development of immune system after surgeries.


The Brownian thermal noise which affects the cantilever dynamics of a dynamic atomic force microscope (dAFM) is discussed, both when it works in air and in presence of water. The relationship between the cantilever thermal fluctuations and its interactions with the surrounding liquid is investigated, and an analytical model to describe the interaction forces is presented. The novelty of this approach is that a very simple integral expression to describe fluid–cantilever interactions is found. More specifically, besides including fluid inertia and viscosity, an additional diffusivity term needs to be considered, whose crucial influence for the correct evaluation of the cantilever response to the thermal excitation is shown. The coefficients of the model are obtained by using numerical results for a 2D fluid flow around a vibrating rectangular cross section, so that the dynamics of a dAFM cantilever can be characterized when it also operates in tilted conditions. The analytical model is validated by comparison with numerical and experimental data previously presented in literature, and with experiments carried out by the authors. It is shown that the present model can provide an extremely accurate prediction of the beam response up and beyond the second resonant peak.


Background: Mindfulness is our innate capacity to pay full, conscious, and compassionate attention to something in the moment. It is also a skill that can be strengthened by mental practice. More recently, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are identified within clinical practice guidelines as an intervention in the treatment of certain symptoms for children with cancer. However, there is little guidance available on the practice of using MBIs in the pediatric oncology population. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of mindfulness, highlights symptoms where mindfulness practices may be of benefit, identifies trauma-sensitive considerations, and provides examples of MBIs that may be considered in the context of pediatric oncology. Methods: Collaboration of expert opinion, which included The Mindfulness Project Team, has enabled this collective informative paper. Results: Mindfulness has been recommended to help with the symptom of fatigue in children with cancer. Emotional symptoms such as anxiety, sadness, and anger may also benefit from the use of MBIs. Ideal MBIs for this population may include mindful movement, mindfulness of the senses, mindfulness of breath, mindfulness of emotions, and the body scan. These approaches can easily be adapted according to the age of the child. Many approaches have been administered with minimal training, with very few requiring a facilitator. However, hospitals have started to incorporate mindfulness experts within their care provision. Conclusion: Future research should continue to investigate the use of MBI programs for children with cancer.


The general approach to fault tolerance in uniprocessor systems is to maintain enough time redundancy in the schedule so that any task instance can be re-executed in presence of faults during the execution. In this paper a scheme is presented to add enough and efficient time redundancy to the earliest-deadline-first (EDF) scheduling policy for periodic real-time tasks. This scheme can be used to tolerate transient faults during the execution of tasks. We describe a recovery scheme which can be used to re-execute tasks in the event of transient faults and discuss conditions that must be met by any such recovery scheme. For performance evaluation of this idea a tool is developed.