The main aim of the study was to compare self-perception of health status and importance of physical activity in students in Croatia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. We used a self-designed questionnaire originally prepared in the Slovak language that was translated in mother languages for Czech and Croatian students. The questionnaire consists of five parts (we focused only on one part – physical activity and health) and basic demographical data. We obtained 1,368 questionnaires from first and last grade of high school students. For answers to 15 statements, students used 5-point Likert scale. Health status was perceived as excellent or very good by large portion of Croatian boys compared to Czech and Slovak boys. Physical activity helps students to be fit and to better assess situation in real life. Importance of physical activity should be promoted because not only does it make people fit but also helps them work, study, and relax better.


Mesenteric cysts are uncommon lesions with a variable clinical
presentation. A provisional diagnosis is possible on clinical and
radiological grounds, while confirmation is subject to
histopathological examination. We present two cases of mesenteric
cysts, both occurring in children. Following clinical examination and
histopathological analysis, both were diagnosed as cases of chylous
mesenteric cysts.


We are interested in this paper to study scheduling problems in systems where many users compete to perform their respective jobs on shared parallel resources. Each user has specific needs or wishes for computing his/her jobs expressed as a function to optimize (among maximum completion time, sum of completion times and sum of weighted completion times). Such problems have been mainly studied through Game Theory. In this work, we focus on solving the problem by optimizing simultaneously each user's objective function independently using classical combinatorial optimization techniques. Some results have already been proposed for two users on a single computing resource. However, no generic combinatorial method is known for many objectives. The analysis proposed in this paper concerns an arbitrarily fixed number of users and is not restricted to a single resource. We first derive inapproximability bounds; then we analyze several greedy heuristics whose approximation ratios are close to these bounds. However, they remain high since they are linear in the number of users. We provide a deeper analysis which shows that a slightly modified version of the algorithm is a constant approximation of a Pareto-optimal solution.


… Objective: To compare fistulectomy and ligation of inter sphincteric tract in patients of fistula in ano in terms of postoperative pain and duration of wound healing. Study Design: Prospective Experimental study. Setting: Department of General Surgery of Faisalabad Medical University and Affiliated Hospitals. Period: 22-01-2021 to 21-07-2021. Material & Methods: Computer-generated random numbers were used to assign the type of treatment (group. A or B). Group A patient underwent treatment with fistulectomy. Group B patient underwent treatment with ligation of inter sphincteric tract (LIFT). Post-operative pain was noted and scored at 12, 24 and 48 hours and after one week on visual analogue scale (VAS). Healing time noted in both groups and patients followed up for 5 months. Results: Out of these 60 study cases, 46 (76.7 %) were male patients while 14 (23.3 %) were female patients. Mean age of our study cases was 43.17 ± 10.77 years. Mean pain score in group A was noted to be 4.77 ± 0.858 while that of group B was noted to be 3.07 ± 1.01 (P<0.001). Mean duration of wound healing in group A was 7 weeks and in group B was 3 weeks(P<0.001). Conclusion: Ligation of inter-sphincteric tract is better than fistulectomy in patients of fistula in ano as it is associated with significant reduction of pain and duration of wound healing.


Medicinal plants are being used in traditional treatments to cure variety of diseases from thousands of years. Screening of antimicrobial and antioxidant activities performed on Elsholtzia densa crude extracts which is traditionally used as herb shows that they are endowed with potentially utilizable antimicrobial and free radical scavenging activity. Accordingly, this implies the inhibition of microbial pathogenesis and cellular oxidation that is linked to pathological incidents such as heart disease, aging and cancer. It was seen that the ethylacetate extract showed the maximum inhibitory effects against both bacterial and fungal growth. This may be due to the presence of such ingredients in the said extracts like flavonoids, terpenes, tannins, polyphenolic compounds, alkaloids, etc. The crude extracts of the plant possess radical scavenging activity as estimated by in vitro antioxidant assays like DNA damage assay, lipid peroxidation assay, DPPH assay, FTC assay, etc. Hence, Elsholtzia densa extracts could be used as an easy accessible source of natural antioxidants and antimicrobial agent.


The aim of this study was to investigate the taxonomic limits of species within four Eurytomid genera, namely Euratoma lliger, Tetramesa Walker, Ahtola Claridge and
Sycophila (Walker). In order to further clarify the taxonomic status of the genera, including Tetramesa, Eurtoma, Ahtola and Sycophila, mitochondria1 DNA sequence analysis revealed differentiation between the above Eurytomid genera. With the sequence data, the monophyletic status of three of these genera is well supported by all methods of phylogenetic reconstruction. Only Tetramesa, which is by far the most specious taxon studied here, seems polyphyletic, but even in this case, there are certain relationships within the group that are interesting from both a morphological and host preference point of view.
For example, T. periolata (Walker) and T. airae (von Schlechtendal), which are both herbivores of the grass, Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) (Beauv.) group together and two clusters contained all species that use Elymus repens (L.), i.e., T. linearis (Walker), T. hyalipenis (Walker) and T. cornuta (Walker). Another result of this analysis supports the validity of Ahtola as a separate genus, which was prcviously uncertain.


Research in combinatorial optimization initially focused on finding optimal solutions to various problems. Researchers realized the importance of alternative approaches when faced with large practical problems that took too long to solve optimally and this led to approaches like simulated annealing and genetic algorithms which could not guarantee optimality, but yielded good solutions within a reasonable amount of computing time. In this paper we report on our experiments with stochastic greedy algorithms (SGA) – perturbed versions of standard greedy algorithms. SGA incorporates the novel idea of learning from optimal solutions, inspired by data-mining and other learning approaches. SGA learns some characteristics of optimal solutions and then applies them while generating its solutions. We report results based on applying this approach to three different problems – knapsack, combinatorial auctions and single-machine job sequencing. Overall, the method consistently produces solutions significantly closer to optimal than standard greedy approaches. SGA can be seen in the space of approximate algorithms as falling between the very quick greedy approaches and the relatively slower soft computing approaches like genetic algorithms and simulated annealing. SGA is easy to understand and implement -once a greedy solution approach is known for a problem, it becomes possible to very quickly rig up a SGA for the problem. SGA has explored only one aspect of learning from optimal solutions. We believe that there is a lot of scope for variations on the theme, and the broad idea of learning from optimal solutions opens up possibilities for new streams of research. Keywordsgreedy algorithms; stochastic approaches; approximate solutions; knapsack problem; combinatorial auctions; single-machine scheduling; machine learning


We present a multiwavelength analysis of Swift GRB 061007. The 2 m robotic Faulkes Telescope South began observing 137 s after the onset of the γ-ray emission, when the optical counterpart was already decaying from R ~ 10.3 mag, and continued observing for the next 5.5 hr. These observations begin during the final γ-ray flare and continue through and beyond a long, soft tail of γ-ray emission whose flux shows an underlying simple power-law decay identical to that seen at optical and X-ray wavelengths, with temporal slope α ~ 1.7 (F ∝ t-α). This remarkably simple decay in all of these bands is rare for Swift bursts, which often show much more complex light curves. We suggest the afterglow emission begins as early as 30-100 s and is contemporaneous with the ongoing variable prompt emission from the central engine, but originates from a physically distinct region dominated by the forward shock. The observed multiwavelength evolution of GRB 061007 is explained by an expanding fireball whose optical, X-ray, and late-time γ-ray emission is dominated by emission from a forward shock with typical synchrotron frequency, νm, that is already below the optical band as early as t = 137 s and a cooling frequency, νc, above the X-ray band to at least t = 105 s. In contrast, the typical frequency of the reverse shock lies in the radio band at early time. We suggest that the unexpected lack of bright optical flashes from the majority of Swift GRBs may be explained with a low νm originating from small microphysics parameters, ϵe and ϵB. Finally, the optical light curves imply a minimum jet opening angle θ = 4.7°, and no X-ray jet break before t ~ 106 s makes GRB 061007 a secure outlier to spectral energy correlations.


Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is complex and determined by the interaction between genetic and environmental factors and their influence on obesity, insulin resistance, and related traits associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk. Some dynamic markers, including adiponectin (ADIPOQ), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL), are implicated in MetS; however, the influence of their genetic variants on MetS susceptibility varies in racial and ethnic groups. We investigated the association of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-SNP interactions among nine SNPs in six genes with MetS's genetic predisposition in Mongolian subjects. A total of 160 patients with MetS for the case group and 144 healthy individuals for the control group were selected to participate in this study. Regression analysis of individual SNPs showed that the ADIPOQ + 45GG (odds ratio (OR) = 2.09, p = 0.011) and P+P+ of LPL PvuII (OR = 2.10, p = 0.038) carriers had an increased risk of MetS. Conversely, G allele of LPL S447X (OR = 0.45, p = 0.036) and PGC-1α 482Ser (OR = 0.26, p = 0.001) allele were estimated as protective factors, respectively. Moreover, a haplotype containing the G-P+-G combination was related to MetS. Significant loci were also related to body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride (TG), and fasting blood glucose (FBG), adipokines, and insulin as well as insulin resistance (p < 0.05). Our results confirm that ADIPOQ + 45T > G, LPL PvII, and PGC-1α Gly482Ser loci are associated with MetS in Mongolian subjects.


Copepod populations in the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank region are dominated by warm water species in late summer/autumn, which are specifically adapted to lower food conditions and higher temperatures and metabolic costs. Better knowledge of their physiological processes and behavior is needed to estimate the impact of changes in environmental conditions on their seasonality and spatial distribution. We investigated the population dynamics of the warm water species Centropages typicus in this region using a copepod population model coupled with a three-dimensional ecosystem model. Although growth and development of copepods are well-investigated processes and well represented in population models, the importance of other life-history traits (e.g. cannibalism, feeding and migration strategies) and their impact on seasonal dynamics and spatial distributions are recognized but difficult to quantify. In this study, species-specific life-history traits were included to investigate their influence on the spatio-temporal patterns. The results confirmed our assumption that cannibalism is a possible constraint controlling the abundances on Georges Bank. Omnivorous feeding by C. typicus on both phytoplankton and microzooplankton is important for maintaining the population in the deeper basins, while vertical aggregation in zones of high-food concentration is a secondary mechanism sustaining the population in low-food seasons. Finally, advective influx from the upstream region on the Scotian Shelf is critical in sustaining the Gulf of Maine population.


We have developed a novel method for multiresolution image registration based on the wavelet transform, which allows flexible non-rigid (i.e., non-linear) registration of two similar images. In this method, a non-linear mapping that deforms one image to the other is obtained by minimization of a functional representing the squared difference between the two images. A combined approach of a steepest descent algorithm and a multiresolution (i.e., coarse-to-fine) approach is used for the minimization based on the wavelet-domain representation of the non-linear mapping. Our new method was applied to the registration of the left and right lung regions in chest radiographs for removal of the normal anatomic structures such as ribs while abnormal structures such as lung nodules are preserved. We employed the result to reduce the number of false detections obtained with our computer-aided diagnosis scheme for detection of lung nodules in chest radiographs.


Horizontal sound localization relies on the extraction of binaural acoustic cues by integration of the signals from the two ears at the level of the brainstem. The present experiment was aimed at detecting the sites of binaural integration in the human brainstem using functional magnetic resonance imaging and a binaural difference paradigm, in which the responses to binaural sounds were compared with the sum of the responses to the corresponding monaural sounds. The experiment also included a moving sound condition, which was contrasted against a spectrally and energetically matched stationary sound condition to assess which of the structures that are involved in general binaural processing are specifically specialized in motion processing. The binaural difference contrast revealed a substantial binaural response suppression in the inferior colliculus in the midbrain, the medial geniculate body in the thalamus and the primary auditory cortex. The effect appears to reflect an actual reduction of the underlying activity, probably brought about by binaural inhibition or refractoriness at the level of the superior olivary complex. Whereas all structures up to and including the primary auditory cortex were activated as strongly by the stationary as by the moving sounds, non‐primary auditory fields in the planum temporale responded selectively to the moving sounds. These results suggest a hierarchical organization of auditory spatial processing in which the general analysis of binaural information begins as early as the brainstem, while the representation of dynamic binaural cues relies on non‐primary auditory fields in the planum temporale.


Assessment of the remaining useful life of a rolling-element bearing is a key element in rotating machines prognostics. Evaluation of the bearing remaining useful life (RUL) requires diagnosis of the fault existence, estimation of its size and estimation of the time interval until it reaches a critical size. A concept for bearing RUL estimation is proposed. The main insights which led to the concept development are reviewed. The study focuses on estimation of spall size located in one of the bearing races. A new approach for estimation of spall size in bearing races is developed based on physical insights obtained from results of a general bearing dynamic model. Analytical modeling of the interaction between the spall and the rolling element enables the development of an autonomous generic method for spall size estimation. In this paper the principles for spall size estimation are described. The new method was applied to experimental data including different spall sizes on inner and outer races. The estimation shows satisfactory results with errors up to 20%.


During the Second World War, Warsaw's Jewish citizens were forcibly detained by occupying German forces within a large dividing wall, separating the Jewish ghetto from the rest of the city. Out of this oppressive geography emerges the story of a boy and his grandfather, a master cartographer and mentor to the boy as he reveals to him a geography of resistance that re-imagines the walls that separate one person's reality from another. By viewing the past as a map that delimits the present, the play highlights the invisible borders of exclusion and oppression that operate as its contours, cartographies to which we are all prone to adopting. Look out for the forthcoming Spanish revision by Juan Mayorga of his original play.


. For all types of construction works the aspects safety, serviceability and sustainability have to be focused during the planning phase, the design phase, the construction phase and in the service phase. Particularly this has to be considered for complex deep foundation systems like the Combined Pile-Raft Foundation (CPRF). The basis for a successful realisation of a project is an adequate soil investigation and a high-level design. For risk mitigation an independent peer review and special technical solutions are necessary. In geotechnical engineering Eurocode 7 (EC 7) defines the scope of necessary measures in relation to the complexity of the project. The complexity of the project is described by the Geotechnical Category GC 1 to GC 3. For the Geotechnical Category GC 3, this is the category for projects with a very high complexity, for risk mitigation comprehensive measures are necessary. The paper explains risk management and risk communication by several examples of realized CPRFs. All examples belong to the Geotechnical Category GC 3.


Modern IoT analytics are computational and data intensive. Existing analytics are mostly hosted in cloud data centers, and may suffer from high latency, network congestion, and privacy issues. In this paper, we design, implement, and evaluate a fog computing platform that runs analytics in a distributed way on multiple devices, including IoT devices, edge servers, and data-center servers. We focus on the core optimization problem: making deployment decisions to maximize the number of satisfied IoT analytics. We carefully formulate the deployment problem and design an efficient algorithm, named SSE, to solve it. Moreover, we conduct a detailed measurement study to derive system models of the IoT analytics based on diverse QoS levels and heterogeneous devices to facilitate the optimal deployment decisions. We implement a testbed to conduct experiments, which show that the system models achieve reasonably good accuracy. More importantly, 100% of the deployed IoT analytics satisfy the QoS targets. We also conduct extensive simulations for larger-scale scenarios. The simulation results reveal that our SSE algorithm outperforms a state-of-the-art algorithm by up to 89.4% and 168.3% in terms of the number of satisfied IoT analytics and active devices. In addition, our SSE algorithm reduces CPU, RAM, and network resource consumptions by 18.4%, 12.7%, and 898.3%, respectively, and terminates in polynomial time.


In this study, a high-sensitivity, high-spatial-resolution distributed strain-sensing approach based on a poly(methyl methacrylate) chirped fiber Bragg grating (CFBG) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Linearly chirped FBGs in a polymer optical fiber provide an alternative to the silica fiber owing to the lower Young's modulus, which can yield a higher stress sensitivity under the same external force. According to the spatial wavelength-encoded characteristic of the CFBG, a fully distributed strain measurement can be achieved by optical frequency-domain reflectometry. Through time-/space-resolved short-time Fourier transform, the applied force can be located by the beat frequency originated from the space-induced time delay and measured by the differential frequency offset originated from the strain-induced dispersion time delay. In a proof-of-concept experiment, a high spatial resolution of 1 mm over a gauge length of 40 mm and a strain resolution of 0.491 Hz/μe were achieved.


This article explores the extent to which European citizens are now Euro-ambivalent. Over the past decade, authors have argued that public opinion toward European integration has moved from a permissive consensus to a constraining dissensus. This suggests a clear-cut swing from mostly favorable to mostly unfavorable attitudes toward European integration. We argue in this article that public opinion toward European integration is not so clear-cut pro or anti. Rather, it is ambivalent. We explore this ambivalence, its antecedents, and its potential implications for voting behavior in European Parliamentary elections using the 2009 European Election Survey.


A 76-year-old man, who was complicated with chronic sternal osteomyelitis after thoracic aortic aneurysmectomy was reported. He was treated with local wound care and antibiotics for about 3 months, but cutaneous fistula with persistent discharge required sternal bone debridement and omental pedicle grafting. After this treatment the patient was uneventful. 67Ga scintigram and 67Ga-SPECT may be more useful in the diagnosis of this serious complication.


This study examined the attitude of Library and Information Science Postgraduate students towards Internet usage. Survey research design was adopted, the population was Library and Information Science postgraduate students in two selected library schools. The instrument used for data collection was the questionnaire, two hundred and thirty nine (239) copies of the questionnaire were administered, while two hundred and seven (207) copies were sucessfully retrieved representing 86.6% response rate. Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferencial statistics. Results show that LIS postgraduate students in Nigeria use the Internet for academic endeavours. The study recommended that drastic measures should be taken by LIS  educators/administrators to provide functional internet facilities to LIS postgraduate students in their various schools to eliminate any barrier confronting them in order to enhance efficiency and quality of learning and research activities. Keywords : ICTs; Internet; Positive Attitudes; cyberspace; Web use


The p53 gene has been correlated with disease progression in a number of human malignancies, and p53 abnormalities are found in a high percentage of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. The objectives of this study were 1. to correlate p53 expression with disease progression in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), and 2. to determine whether there are site‐specific differences in p53 expression. Primary lesions and/or lymph node metastases from 147 patients with invasive SCCHN were immunostained for p53 overexpression. Expression of p53 was similar (42% versus 43%) in primary lesions and lymph node metastases. Expression also did not vary significantly by site in the head and neck. In conclusion, increased p53 expression did not correlate with disease progression in our series of patients with invasive SCCHN. The finding of a lack of increased expression with disease spread to lymph nodes supports the belief that p53 alterations occur early in head and neck carcinogenesis.


Fish consumption is the major dietary source of EPA and DHA, which according to rodent experiments may reduce body fat mass and prevent obesity. Only a few human studies have investigated the association between fish consumption and body-weight gain. We investigated the association between fish consumption and subsequent change in body weight. Women and men (n 344 757) participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition were followed for a median of 5·0 years. Linear and logistic regression were used to investigate the associations between fish consumption and subsequent change in body weight. Among women, the annual weight change was 5·70 (95 % CI 4·35, 7·06), 2·23 (95 % CI 0·16, 4·31) and 11·12 (95 % CI 8·17, 14·08) g/10 g higher total, lean and fatty fish consumption per d, respectively. The OR of becoming overweight in 5 years among women who were normal weight at enrolment was 1·02 (95 % CI 1·01, 1·02), 1·01 (95 % CI 1·00, 1·02) and 1·02 (95 % CI 1·01, 1·04) g/10 g higher total, lean and fatty consumption per d, respectively. Among men, fish consumption was not statistically significantly associated with weight change. Adjustment for potential over- or underestimation of fish consumption did not systematically change the observed associations, but the 95 % CI became wider. The results in subgroups from analyses stratified by age or BMI at enrolment were not systematically different. In conclusion, the present study suggests that fish consumption has no appreciable association with body-weight gain.


This is an integrated study of the biological effects of pulse-modulated very low power density microwave radiation. It employs a combination of a computational model of the rat and extensive in vivo experiments on rat embryos, during embryogenesis and organogenesis. The whole investigation is further enhanced via an immunological and chemical investigation of the rats' organs. The whole study is one of the first to combine results obtained by the computational, the experimental and the biomolecular investigations and attempts a discussion on existing standards for protection from low power density, long-term electromagnetic field exposure.


Hispanic veterans are said to exhibit higher risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than veterans of other racial/ethnic backgrounds. This prediction is based largely on findings from the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS; R. A. Kulka et al., 1990a, 1990b). This article first summarizes the findings of the NVVRS with regard to race/ethnicity and PTSD, and then it makes a careful assessment of both the external and the internal validity of these findings. Conceptual issues are addressed and, where possible, further analyses of the NVVRS data set are conducted to identify factors that account for ethnic differences in rates of the disorder. Possible mediators of the effects of Hispanic ethnicity on vulnerability to PTSD are identified, including psychosocial factors (racial/ethnic discrimination and alienation) and sociocultural influences (stoicism and normalization of stress, alexithymia, and fatalism). Areas in which future research is needed are indicated.


practice in applying the Holger Nielsen method it has been found that the pressure transferred through the shoulderblades to the sternum was as much as 95 lb. (43 kg.). Had the Schafer method been persisted in alone there would have been no such pressure on " fixed " bone. Pressure over the floating ribs and the surrounding soft tissues has the effect also of relaxing the diaphragm. the upward relaxation being reinforced by pressure exerted by the upper abdominal organs. In instances of the nature quoted bv the Professor, the academic question of maximum tidal ventilation. obviously cannot be suitably applied. It is better to aim at a modicum safely than to risk the danger of an attempt to. reach a theoretical maximum. I would therefore suggest that after, say, 50 years of age-other conditions permitting -the method of choice should be that introduced by Professor Schafer.-I am, etc.,


A matrix of 41 Embiid taxa (representing the 8 formally recognized families of the Order) and 36 characters were cladistically analysed as a first attempt for understanding the higher classification of the Order Embioptera. The resulting trees were rooted with Clothodidae as the sister group of the other Embioptera. The results suggest that the current classification contains several artificial groups. With the rooting used, only Anisembiidae and Australembiidae are monophyletic. Embiidae is polyphyletic, as Australembiidae+ Notoligotomidae,Enveja(incertae sedis) and Oligotomidae+Teratembiidae appear within Embiidae, and the "embiid"Microembiaappears within Notoligotomidae. Oligotomidae is paraphyletic in terms of Teratembiidae. Four of the genera included in the analysis are paraphyletic:Mesembia, Chelicerca(in terms ofDactylocercaandPelorembia),Aposthonia(in terms ofOligotoma), andMetoligotoma(in terms ofAustralembia).PelorembiaandDactylocercaare synonymized withChelicerca.


This paper assesses the views expressed by Gary Becker and Richard Posner about the economic value of relying on microfinancing for economic development as well as their opinions about its desirability as a means of alleviating poverty. It also raises some issues overlooked by Becker and Posner. Where relevant, the discussion is related to results obtained from a case study of microfinancing in the Sindh District of Pakistan. Subjects covered include the economic efficiency of the supply of microfinance, the optimality of microfinancing versus philanthropy, whether high interest rates and short-term loans for microfinance are justified, preference for females rather than males in microfinancing, social networking and the efficient provision and allocation of microfinance, and the prospects for escaping from poverty as a result of microfinancing.


The effect of eccentric gaze on pursuit eye movements was studied with electro-oculography in normal human subjects and a patient with defective pursuit. Sinusoidal target trajectories were centered about the primary position of gaze and eccentric, horizontal positions of gaze. Eccentric gaze decreased pursuit gain (eye velocity/target velocity) when the eyes moved farther eccentrically in the orbits and increased pursuit gain when the eyes moved toward the centers of the orbits. The magnitude of these effects increased with increasing eccentricity of gaze, increasing peak target velocity, and decreasing pursuit gain during tracking of target trajectories centered about the primary position. These effects can be caused by the elastic forces of the extraocular muscles, globe and other orbital tissues. The pursuit subsystem cannot compensate for these factors at high target velocities, or when it is impaired by pathologic lesions.


Telomeres protect chromosome ends from end-to-end fusion and recombination but are gradually eroded with proliferation. Critically short telomeres are repaired by the telomerase complex and mutations in telomerase complex genes ( TERT and TERC ) are associated with dyskeratosis congenita and acquired aplastic anemia. Telomere shortening eventually results in cell proliferation arrest, apoptosis, or genomic instability, and patients with dyskeratosis congenita and acquired aplastic anemia are at risk for developing leukemia and other malignancies. We therefore investigated whether TERT and TERC gene mutations were associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by screening 100 consecutive Brazilian patients diagnosed with AML (excluding acute promyelocytic leukemia) at the same institution and 198 ethnic-, age-, and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Eight patients carried a non-synonymous TERT gene variant; one was homozygous and five heterozygous for A1062T, one was heterozygous for H412Y, and another was heterozygous for a novel R522K TERT mutation. None of these gene variants was present in matched controls (Fisher's exact test, P =0.0001). We validated our results by screening an additional 89 AML patients from the MD Anderson Cancer Center, selected based on cytogenetic status and 528 healthy controls. Four of these 89 patients had a non-synonymous TERT gene variant (one homozygous, three heterozygous), an incidence higher than in controls ( P =0.028). To further address the higher prevalence of the A1062T gene variant in AML, we screened a total of 1,111 controls, and found a 3.8 times higher A1062T allele frequency in AML than in controls ( P =0.002). The germ-line origin of mutations was established by mutation detection in non-hematopoietic tissues and in relatives. Cytogenetics were available for four TERT -mutant patients in the Brazilian cohort: two had inv(16), one had t(5;11)(q35;q13) and del(10)(p15), and another had complex karyotype (including trisomy 8). In the MD Anderson cohort, 2 patients had inv(16) and two had trisomy 8. The incidence of TERT mutations was higher in patients with trisomy 8 (2/10) or inv (16) (2/22) than in other patients (0/57; P =0.02 for trisomy 8 and 0.08 for inv(16) vs. other). Telomere lengths of blast cells were extremely short (median length, 3.1 kb; range, 2.4-5.9 kb). Vectors containing TERT mutants were transfected into VA13 cells and telomerase activity of transfected cell lysates, measured by the fluorescent telomere repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay, demonstrated that AML-associated TERT gene variants resulted in significantly reduced telomerase function in comparison to wild-type TERT by haploinsufficiency. Our results indicate that constitutional TERT gene mutations are risk factors for AML. Abnormal telomerase function of hematopoietic stem cells may result in short and dysfunctional telomeres, facilitating genomic instability, aneuploidy, and probably contributing to an early stage of leukemogenesis.


The possibility for simultaneous production of chemical and electrical energies from a single microalgae cultivation plant is opening a new chapter in the efficient use of resources to maximize biomass productivity. In the current study, the effect of  selected monochromatic lights (blue, red and pink) from spectrally selective filters on the biomass productivity of semi-continuously grown Chlorella spp . was  investigated under laboratory conditions using light emitting diodes (LEDs). The temperature variations inside of the customized light boxes containing cultures under different light spectra were significantly different (p Pink > Blue > Red. The biomass productivity was highest under the white light  (60.07±9.38 mg L -1 d -1 dry weight, DW) and varied significantly (p = 0.004) among the treatments. However, productivities under the white (60.07±9.38 mg L -1 d -1 DW) and pink (56.25±9.85 mg L -1 d -1 DW) lights was statistically insignificant (p = 0.551). The result shows that biomass productivity of the alga, Chlorella spp ., can be manipulated through targeted supply of specific spectral bands (e.g. pink light). Therefore, the remaining portions of the spectrum which are not utilized by the alga for growth can potentially be converted to electricity through a robust and highly efficient photovoltaic cell. Keywords : Biomass productivity, Chlorella spp ., Electricity, Light spectra, Photovoltaic


It has been shown that transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is capable of attenuating myelin loss and providing neuroprotection in animal models of brain disorders. In this study, we investigated the ability of TUS to promote remyelination in the lysolecithin (LPC)-induced local demyelination in the hippocampus. Demyelination was induced by the micro-injection of 1.5 μL LPC (1%) into the rat hippocampus and the treated group received daily TUS for 5 or 12 days. Magnetic resonance imaging techniques, including magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and T2-weighted imaging, were used to longitudinally characterize the demyelination model. Furthermore, the therapeutic effects of TUS on LPC-induced demyelination were assessed by Luxol fast blue (LFB) staining. Our data revealed that reductions in MTR values observed during demyelination recover almost completely upon remyelination. The MTR values in demyelinated lesions were significantly higher in TUS-treated rats than in the LPC-only group after undergoing TUS. Form histological observation, TUS significantly reduced the size of demyelinated lesion 7 days after LPC administration. This study demonstrated that MTR was a sensitive and reproducible quantitative marker to assess remyelination process in vivo during TUS treatment. These findings might open new promising treatment strategies for demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis.


This report describes the successful hormonal treatment of a young woman with pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis. In addition a brief review of the literature is presented.


DiGeorge syndrome, caused by a microdeletion of the 22q11.2 region of chromosome 22, is a relatively rare condition. This syndrome can be difficult to recognize because a constellation of symptoms show different presentations. Most individuals diagnosed with this condition are identified in early childhood. With the emergence of new screening techniques, even fewer individuals with this syndrome are missed. Prior to these screening techniques, it was uncommon for patients to be diagnosed in adulthood. As a result, many internists, who focus only on the adult population, are unlikely to recognize and diagnose DiGeorge syndrome as the patient ages merely because it is not commonly diagnosed later in life. Early recognition and management are essential for the treatment of this condition. Here, we present the case of a 21-year-old woman diagnosed with DiGeorge syndrome as an adult.


From 1980 to 1986 the Swiss National Accident Insurance Company (SUVA) recognized isocyanate-induced airway diseases as an occupational illness in 245 cases, which are presented retrospectively. Since isocyanates are widely used they are found at a large variety of workplaces. At present, isocyanates are the most frequent cause of occupational asthma in the Swiss industrial field. After complete avoidance of any further exposure respiratory symptoms persisted or airway obstruction could still be documented in one third of patients. An unfavourable prognosis is significantly associated with the following factors: (1) bronchial obstruction (FEVl/VC) at first pulmonary function test; (2) RAST positive for isocyanates; (3) long latency period between onset of symptoms and end of exposure. Therefore, individuals with isocyanate-induced airway diseases must be immediately removed from any further exposure to these substances.


Caching consistency in a MANET environment is an important issue as it is directly related to MANET connectivity. However, existing cooperative caching schemes mostly focus on delta and/or weak consistency. Recently, RPCC was proposed, but it cannot overcome traditional PUSH and PULL methods in terms of ensuring a strong consistency. In this paper, we propose three algorithms that are based on the PUSH method. They not only satisfy strong consistency but also reduce the amount of query delay by adaptively adjusting the IR interval. The first algorithm gradually sends an IR more frequently when some data items receive an increasing number of requests. The second algorithm adjusts the IR interval by predicting which data items will become more popular. The last algorithm is a hybrid of the first two which covers diverse environments. Simulation results demonstrate that our algorithms reduce the delay time by 61% and improve success ratio by 6%. However, they also increase the traffic cost by 20% compared to the PUSH method.


The direct pituitary effects of estrogen and progesterone on the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were studied in ovariectomized (OVX) ewes in which the pituitary had been disconnected surgically from the hypothalamus (hypothalamo-pituitary disconnection, HPD). Gonadotropin secretion was restored with hourly pulses of 500 ng gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) via intra-atrial cannulae. Intramuscular injections of 50 micrograms estradiol benzoate (EB) to 5 sheep initially caused reductions (approximately 50%) in plasma LH baseline, peak values and LH pulse amplitude. Thereafter all parameters of plasma LH concentration increased 2- to 3-fold above starting values. After these 5 sheep had received 2 subcutaneous progesterone implants (mean +/- SEM plasma levels 5.3 +/- 1.5 nmol/l), the biphasic LH response to EB was still apparent and increases in LH peak values (267 +/- 19%) and LH pulse amplitudes (262 +/- 23%) were greater (p less than 0.05) than those seen with EB alone (195 +/- 11 and 172 +/- 14%, respectively). The presence of 2 progesterone implants alone did not change plasma LH baseline, peak values or pulse amplitude, or plasma FSH values. In the second experiment, where 4 OVX-HPD ewes were given 4 progesterone implants (plasma progesterone 27.7 +/- 3.4 nmol/l), there were no effects on basal plasma LH or plasma FSH values. The LH responses to EB were more marked in 4 OVX-HPD ewes given 4 progesterone implants than in the animals given EB alone. Also, the estrogen-induced LH surge occurred earlier in the ewes given 4 progesterone implants than in those given estrogen alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Energy poverty, defined as a lack of access to reliable electricity and reliance on traditional biomass resources for cooking, affects over a billion people daily. The World Health Organization estimates that household air pollution from inefficient stoves causes more premature deaths than malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. Increasing demand for energy has led to dramatic increases in emissions. The need for reliable electricity and limiting emissions drives research on Resilient Hybrid Energy Systems (RHESs), which provide cleaner energy through combining wind, solar, and biomass energy with traditional fossil energy, increasing production efficiency and reliability and reducing generating costs and emissions. Microgrids have been shown as an efficient means of implementing RHESs, with some focused mainly on reducing the environmental impact of electric power generation. The technical challenges of designing, implementing, and applying microgrids involve conducting a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to evaluate these systems' environmental and economic performance under diverse operating conditions to evaluate resiliency. A sample RHES was developed and used to demonstrate the implementation in rural applications, where the system can provide reliable electricity for heating, cooling, lighting, and pumping clean water. The model and findings can be utilized by other regions around the globe facing similar challenges.


Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a major public health problem because treatment is complicated, cure rates are well below those for drug-susceptible tuberculosis (TB), and patients may remain infectious for months or years, despite receiving the best available therapy. To gain a better understanding of MDR-TB, we characterized serial isolates recovered from 13 human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients with MDR-TB, by use of IS6110 restriction fragment-length polymorphism analysis, spacer oligonucleotide genotyping (i.e., "spoligotyping"), and sequencing of rpoB, katG, mabA-inhA (including promoter), pncA, embB, rpsL, rrs, and gyrA. For all 13 patients, chronic MDR-TB was caused by a single strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis; 8 (62%) of the 13 strains identified as the cause of MDR-TB belonged to the W-Beijing family. The sputum-derived isolates of 4 (31%) of the 13 patients had acquired additional drug-resistance mutations during the study. In these 4 patients, heterogeneous populations of bacilli with different resistance mutations, as well as mixtures of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant genotypes, were observed. This genetic heterogeneity may require treatment targeted at both drug-resistant and drug-susceptible phenotypes.


We have presented a study of 100 additional intracapsular fractures of the neck of the femur with a 94 per cent. follow-up. However, only eighty-two of these patients could be fully studied because six were lost to follow-up and twelve died before the end results could be determined. We cannot consider these deaths as other than unfortunate results, but we cannot evaluate the fractures in these twelve cases.

Eighty-three per cent. of these patients have been women, and the average age of the group was seventy-two years at the time of the fracture. The average age in this group is seven years greater than the average age for the three previously reported series of 235 patients.

All but one of the nineteen fractures without displacement united without complication within four months of the operation. The incidence of union in the group of sixty-three patients with fractures with displacement is almost 78 per cent., which represents no essential change from the incidence in the preceding group of seventy-four patients with a similar type of fracture. Union of these fractures with displacement in this series occurred in an average of 7.5 months after reduction and fixation.

Circulatory disturbance in the femoral head of united fractures with displacement has occurred in almost 25 per cent. of the current series, but only eight of the thirteen patients who have this complication have shown subjective or objective evidence of disability.

Considering the entire group of eighty-two patients available for study, we have had completely satisfactory results,—that is, union of the fracture with no evidence of circulatory impairment of the femoral head in 67 per cent. If we consider the five patients with asymptomatic circulatory disturbance to have had satisfactory results, we might then claim entirely satisfactory results in 73.1 per cent. Considering the fractures with displacement alone, completely satisfactory results have occurred in slightly under 57.2 per cent. If the four patients in this group with asymptomatic circulatory disturbance of the femoral head are considered to have had satisfactory results, we might again claim satisfactory results in 65 per cent. of the fractures with displacement. In a previous report, we stated that a completely satisfactory end result in two of three of these fractures with displacement was the best that we could achieve. We have not improved on this, but perhaps this is understandable when it is considered that we are dealing with a group of patients seventy-two years old.

We have learned how to salvage some of our unsatisfactory results by means of a prosthetic hip replacement when it has been properly indicated, with due regard to the limitation of such a replacement. We are not ready to render a final opinion on this matter at this time. We have, however, seen no prosthetic hip replacement which can compare favorably with a united fracture with a living femoral head.


A novel compact design of a circularly polarized corner‐slotted microstrip antenna for satellite and Synthetic Aperture Radar applications is presented. A single probe feed is used to excite a single square patch with two L‐shaped slots added at the upper right corner and at the opposite lower left corner (or at the other two corners) to achieve circular polarization (CP) radiation. The proposed antenna has a simple shape, straightforward fabrication, and low cost. The impedance bandwidth (10 dB return loss) is approximately 600 MHz at 8.1 GHz. An axial ratio bandwidth of 170 MHz is realized. The importance of the axial ratio 3 dB bandwidth is emphasized. In addition, an analysis for the direction of rotation of the CP is given. The experimental results have a reasonable agreement with the simulation.


Self-assembling peptides are a promising class of biomaterials with desirable biocompatibility and versatility. In particular, the oligopeptide (RADA)4, consisting of arginine (R), alanine (A), and aspartic acid (D), self-assembles into nanofibers that develop into a three-dimensional hydrogel of up to 99.5% (w/v) water; yet, the organization of water within the hydrogel matrix is poorly understood. Importantly, peptide concentration and polarity are hypothesized to control the internal water structure. Using variable temperature deuterium solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (2H NMR) spectroscopy, we measured the amount of bound water in (RADA)4-based hydrogels, quantified as the non-frozen water content. To investigate how peptide polarity affects water structure, five lysine (K) moieties were appended to (RADA)4 to generate (RADA)4K5. Hydrogels at 1 and 5% total peptide concentration were prepared from a 75:25 (w/w) blend of (RADA)4:(RADA)4K5 and similarly analyzed by 2H NMR. Interestingly, at 5% peptide concentration, there was lower mobile water content in the lysinated versus the pristine (RADA)4 hydrogel. Regardless of the presence of lysine, the 5% peptide concentration had higher non-frozen water content at temperatures as low as 217 ± 1.0 K, suggesting that bound water increases with peptide concentration. The bound water, though non-frozen, may be strongly bound to the charged lysine moiety to appear as immobilized water. Further understanding of the factors controlling water structure within hydrogels is important for tuning the transport properties of bioactive solutes in the hydrogel matrix when designing for biomedical applications.


A nonlinear relative motion dynamics model in the presence of disturbances and parametric uncertainties is presented for the high precision relative motion of a spacecraft. The disturbances include the Earth's oblateness, atmospheric drag, and thrust error. The parametric uncertainties in the atmospheric drag coefficients and thrust alignments are considered. To minimize fuel cost"Vwhile keeping the desired relative orbit, a relative J2-invariant dynamics model is also designed. For spacecraft relative motion tracking maneuver, an adaptive backstepping sliding mode control law under limited low thrust is developed. This control law combines the advantages of adaptive backstepping and sliding mode control, where knowledge of the upper bounds of parametric uncertainties and disturbances are not required. Within the Lyapunov framework, the proposed control law is proved to guarantee global asymptotic convergence to the desired states. Numerical simulation results show the effectiveness of the nonlinear relative motion dynamics model and proposed control law.


Palaeomagnetic results from the late Middle to early Late Devonian Comerong Volcanics in the Budawang Synclinorium, Lachlan Fold Belt (LFB), New South Wales, Australia, satisfy a fold test and support the hypothesis that foliated parts of the LFB have been folded by megakinks during the terminal mid-Carboniferous orogenic phase. The preferred pole position is at 76.9°S, 330.7°E (A95 = 7.2°), allowing calibration of the Australian pole path at around 370 Ma ago. An alterative pole position at 71.3°S 283.1°E (same A95) takes into account a possible rotation of the megakinked terrane by 15° clockwise with respect to the Australian craton. Although there are still problems unravelling previously published results from Silurian rocks in the LFB, both because of unreliability and uncertainty as to where the LFB crustal units lay in relation to the Australian craton, there is no geological reason to suspect any large relative movement between the LFB and the craton since the Middle Devonian, and thus the Comerong Volcanics pole position is representative of the Late Devonian for Australia. The new pole requires reassessment of many other poles that have previously been accepted as representing the Siluro-Devonian for Australia, and Gondwanaland. We present reasons for believing that the magnetization, or remagnetization of many rock units (e.g., Mereenie Sandstone and Mulga Downs Group, Australia, and the Gneigura Supergroup, Africa) was later than sedimentation, probably during widespread Early Carboniferous deformation. Another rock unit (Msissi Norite, Africa) could be of Early Carboniferous, rather than Late Devonian, age.


The cone electrode first developed by P.R.Kennedy paved headway in the area of cortical prostheses. While effective, to date, no optimization of the materials, length, diameter or controlling neurotrophic effects have been extensively quantified for such systems. This paper describes an in-vitro model system for the study of neurite outgrowth using PC-12 cells and an array of polyimide microtubes. Our aim is to obtain preliminary design specifications for the eventual optimization of in-vivo neurotrophic electrodes. We performed preliminary characterization of the number and average lengths of PC-12 neurites that penetrated into the tubes mounted within a standard Petri dish. To describe system performance, we observed an increase in the average number of neurites that grew into the tubes over a period of days. We also observed an increase in the average length of the neurites (with a 95% confidence) between day 3 and day 4 of between 14.97 /spl mu/m and 62.27 /spl mu/m. In addition, we measured a length change (with a 95% confidence) between day 4 and day 6 of 93.51 /spl mu/m and 145.45 /spl mu/m. These results will soon be augmented by quantification of neurites using a photo lithographically patterned glass microgroove system.


The objective of the article is to broach the problem of body mind duality through the discussion of the concept of normativity of life, proposed by Canguilhem. Highlights the necessity to overcome the historic controversy between mechanism and vitalism, and to construct a concept that incorporates the psychic dimension as an extension of organic in human. Seek to make a link between open questions in biology and in physics and presents Roger Penrose's ideas about connection between physics and mind. Questions the possibility of 20 TH century physics has to be inscribed in 21 TH century biology. To deal with this challenge it is necessary to consider human limits to know the universe. Based on this discussion, reaffirms that human psychic dimension could be evolved from an anterior biological capacity to perform "choices" to make life to persevere.


Abstract. Traditionally, the estimation of Mean Flow (MF) in ungauged catchments has been approached using conceptual water balance models or empirical formulae relating climatic inputs to stream flow. In the UK, these types of models have difficulty in predicting MF in low rainfall areas because the conceptualisation of soil moisture behaviour and its relationship with evaporation rates used is rather simplistic. However, it is in these dry regions where the accurate estimation of flows is most critical to effective management of a scarce resource. A novel approach to estimating MF, specifically designed to improve estimation of runoff in dry catchments, has been developed using a regionalisation of the Penman drying curve theory. The dynamic water balance style Daily Soil Moisture Accounting (DSMA) model operates at a daily time step, using inputs of precipitation and potential evaporation and simulates the development of soil moisture deficits explicitly. The model has been calibrated using measured MFs from a large data set of catchments in the United Kingdom. The performance of the DSMA model is superior to existing established steady state and dynamic water-balance models over the entire data set considered and the largest improvement is observed in very low rainfall catchments. It is concluded that the performance of all models in high rainfall areas is likely to be limited by the spatial representation of rainfall. Keywords: hydrological models, regionalisation, water resources, mean flow, runoff, water balance, Penman drying curve, soil moisture model


Thirteen early maturing cassava genotypes were evaluated along with M4, a high yielding variety at College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, India. All the fourteen genotypes differed with respect to quantitative and qualitative trait. Variability was more for aerial parts. Genotypes showed variable response to cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava leaf spot. Three genotypes were resistant to CMD. Tuber yield had strong correlation with stem girth, tuber length, biomass and dry matter. Plant height, branch height and stem girth exhibited high heritability. Based on the biometric traits, genotypes could be grouped in to five clusters. High yielding varieties and local accessions fall in to the same cluster indicating the superiority of local accessions. Ranking of the accessions was done by construction of selection index indicated that CSV COH 1 a local accession collected from Malappuram district was the best followed by Sree Jaya a high yielding variety.


Using meteorological data of field observation in 1990~ 2000 , especially polar orbit highresolution NOAA satellite cloud maps received from the Antarctic expedition vessel since 1997, the formation and development of the Prydz Bay cyclone are studied in this paper. Some new viewpoints are suggested such as: when surround-polar cyclone enters the Prydz Bay, it can also intensify and develop in summer; cyclone can also develop in the easterlies in this bay. These view points revise old uncomplete view point that the Prydz Bay is a burial ground of cyclone, and also further consummate formation-development theory of surround-cyclone in the Antarctic westerlies and cyclone in the Antarctic easterlies. In this paper, the mechanism of ice-air-sea interaction in the Prydz Bay is studied, and the physical process of cyclone formation-development is explained. By use of wholly dynamic transportation method, an energy exchange case of a cyclone, which explosively developed after entering the Prydz Bay, is calculated. In the open water area, momentum flux is - 2.205 N/m2, sensible heat flux is 486.69 W/m2, and latent heat flux is 261.84 W/m2. It is larger than values of westerlies burst over the Pacific. The heat transferred from ocean to atmosphere in form of sensible and latent heat promotes cyclone development rapidly. In this case wind force was as strong as 12 grade, with 10 minutes average wind speed of 38 m/s, and instantaneous wind speed of 100 m/s which broke the wind speed record of 96 m/s in the Antarctic (Wendler and Kodama).


Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is a congenital syndrome of developmental disorders in tissues derived from the ectoderm. The inheritance of ED may be autosomal dominant or recessive. The distinctive features of this syndrome involve the skin and appendages, dentition, eye, ear, adrenal glands, nervous system and facial part of the skull. Over 200 forms of this disease are described, about 120 include symptoms located in the oral cavity and dentition. One of the several classifications, by Freire-Maia and Pinheiro, is based on the presence of four leading clinical symptoms: hair disorders, dental anomalies, nail disorders and dyshidrosis. ED needs multidisciplinary treatment because of the multitude and variety of its symptoms.


RATIONALE
Immune cells play an important role during the generation and resolution of thrombosis. T cells are powerful regulators of immune and nonimmune cell function, however, their role in sterile inflammation in venous thrombosis has not been systematically examined.

OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the recruitment, activation, and inflammatory activity of T cells in deep vein thrombosis and its consequences for venous thrombus resolution.

METHODS AND RESULTS
CD4+ and CD8+ T cells infiltrate the thrombus and vein wall rapidly on deep vein thrombosis induction and remain in the tissue throughout the thrombus resolution. In the vein wall, recruited T cells largely consist of effector-memory T (TEM) cells. Using T-cell receptor transgenic reporter mice, we demonstrate that deep vein thrombosis-recruited TEM receive an immediate antigen-independent activation and produce IFN-γ (interferon) in situ. Mapping inflammatory conditions in the thrombotic vein, we identify a set of deep vein thrombosis upregulated cytokines and chemokines that synergize to induce antigen-independent IFN-γ production in CD4+ and CD8+ TEM cells. Reducing the number of TEM cells through a depletion recovery procedure, we show that intravenous TEM activation determines neutrophil and monocyte recruitment and delays thrombus neovascularization and resolution. Examining T-cell recruitment in human venous stasis, we show that superficial varicose veins preferentially contain activated memory T cells.

CONCLUSIONS
TEM orchestrate the inflammatory response in venous thrombosis affecting thrombus resolution.


The New Caledonia (NC) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) includes a large variety of occanic and continental coral reef formations. This geomorphological diversity provides a rich framework which itself supports a large diversity of shallow modem habitats and communities. As a background to the description of the marine check-lists published in this volume, we describe here for each of the main coral reef complexes (bank, atolls. uplifted reefs. drowned reefs, fringing reefs, barrier reefs, patch reefs), a review of their geomorphological diversity and genetic processes. There is a long history of scientific research on the formations of NC coral reefs. First. datations from corals from a variety of locations in uplifted and subtidal positions provided a general idea of the intensity and timing of the dynamic processes that resulted in the modern morphology (Dubois et al. 1974: Collot et al., 1975, Coudray 1976; Debenay 1986: Carriere 1987). With the generalization of drilling programs and the possibility to assess the vertical structures of a reef (succession of episodes of reef growth), genetic proccsses have been locally refined (Coudray. 1976; Cabioch, 1988: Degaugue-Michalsky 1993: Castellaro: 1993), especially around Grande-Terre (Cabioch 2001, 2003). Drilling provided a huge mass of information relevant to establish models of recf seulement and development during the last interglacial ages in the Indo-Pacific region (Montaggioni. 2005). However, drilling provides only point data, spatially limited, and inferences must be made for larger spatial sCOlIes. Synoptic data come with remote sensing observations. which include shipbome, airbome and spaceborne data. Using Landsat satellite images. Grande-Terre, Ile des Pins, d'Entrecasteaux. LoyaIty and Chesterfield recfs were recently mapped using the geomorphological typology proposed by Andréfouët et al. (2006). The resulting atlas provides a quasi-exhaustive detailed two-dimension (2D) view of modern NC reefs (Andréfouët & Torres-Pulliza, 2004) (Fig. l,plate 3/1). Finally, multibeam acoustic data were collected between -20/-40 to -1000 m along the New Caledonia and the Loyalty Ridges using the EM 1002 echosounder of the RlV Alis (Pelletier et al .• 2004). Data were processed using the software CARAIBES TD (© IFREMER) (Flamand. 2006). Bathymetrie multibeam data provided a 2D/3D vision of the outer slopes of several NC reef complexes (Flamand et al., 2(04). The internaI structure provided by coring is not accessible, but marine terraces and faulting became visible with the fine-resolution bathymetric data. These features helped drawing the evolution of the Grande-Terre barrier reef system (Flamand. 2(06). In this review. we use the synoptic exhaustive description provided by optical satellite images as the primary guideline to describe the main NC l'eef complexes. ln the Background section (next) we also briefly describe the main forcing oceanographie. tectonic and eustatic processes occurring in the l'egion. Then, for each l'eef complexe. when the information is available by datations and coring, we provide the cUITent interpretation of the local dynamics across times. As much as possible, given the existing data. we consider the 125 ka (1 ka = 1000 years)-Present time-period. This period includes the last interglacial period (125 ka, mean sea level 6 meters above present level), crosses the last glacial maximum (at 23-20 ka, lower sea stands at around -120 m and beginning of the end of aerial exposure for interglacial reefs). and eventually crosses the postglacial periods of rising (-20-6 ka). quickly falling (-6-5.5 ka) and stable (-5.5 ka-Present) sea levels. E E / J e l e J e e / Je e e e ll ll


Objectives The facial bones are the most noticeable area in the human body, and facial injuries can cause significant functional, aesthetic, and psychological complications. Continuous study of the patterns of facial bone fractures and changes in trends is helpful in the prevention and treatment of maxillofacial fractures. The purpose of the current clinico-statistical study is to investigate the pattern of facial fractures over a 4-year period. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis of 1,824 fracture sites was carried out in 1,284 patients admitted to SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center for facial bone fracture from January 2010 to December 2013. We evaluated the distributions of age/gender/season, fracture site, cause of injury, duration from injury to treatment, hospitalization period, and postoperative complications. Results The ratio of men to women was 3.2:1. Most fractures occurred in individuals aged between teens to 40s and were most prevalent at the middle and end of the month. Fractures occurred in the nasal bone (65.0%), orbital wall (29.2%), maxillary wall (15.3%), zygomatic arch (13.2%), zygomaticomaxillary complex (9.8%), mandibular symphysis (6.5%), mandibular angle (5.9%), mandibular condyle (4.9%), and mandibular body (1.9%). The most common etiologies were fall (32.5%) and assault (26.0%). The average duration of injury to treatment was 6 days, and the average hospitalization period was 5 days. Eighteen postoperative complications were observed in 17 patients, mainly infection and malocclusion in the mandible. Conclusion This study reflects the tendency for trauma in the Seoul metropolitan region because it analyzes all facial fracture patients who visited our hospital regardless of the specific department. Distinctively, in this study, midfacial fractures had a much higher incidence than mandible fractures.


Ameliorating of feed efficiency always was and will remain the key element of aquaculture in which minimalizing losses during feed intake play an important role. Decreasing feed losses important not only from the economic point of view but also from an environmental standpoint. Feeding stimulants are often used additives in complete aquaculture feeds. Better knowledge of the food-sensing of cultured species is essential in the development of adequate feeding stimulants. The present paper aims to overview the nutrient-sensing of aquatic animals and the use of the wide variety of feeding attractants and stimulants.


[reaction: see text] A route for the synthesis of an electrophilic, carbocyclic galactose equivalent from D-galactose is described. The strategy utilizes ring-closing metathesis with Grubbs's second-generation catalyst as the key step. The galactose-derived electrophile reacted in an S(N)2 fashion with N-Boc-cysteine methyl ester to provide an alpha-galactosylserine isostere. The method was extended to the synthesis of a glycopeptide isostere.


High-redshift (z > 2) blazars are the most powerful members of the blazar family. Yet, only a handful of them have both X-ray and γ-ray detection, thereby making it difficult to characterize the energetics of the most luminous jets. Here, we report, for the first time, the Fermi-Large Area Telescope detection of the significant γ-ray emission from the high-redshift blazar DA 193 (z = 2.363). Its time-averaged γ-ray spectrum is soft (γ-ray photon index = 2.9 ± 0.1), and together with a relatively flat hard X-ray spectrum (14–195 keV photon index = 1.5 ± 0.4), DA 193 presents a case to study a typical high-redshift blazar with inverse Compton peak being located at MeV energies. An intense GeV flare was observed from this object in the first week of 2018 January, a phenomenon rarely observed from high-redshift sources. What makes this event a rare one is the observation of an extremely hard γ-ray spectrum (photon index = 1.7 ± 0.2), which is somewhat unexpected because high-redshift blazars typically exhibit a steep falling spectrum at GeV energies. The results of our multifrequency campaign, including both space- (Fermi, NuSTAR, and Swift) and ground-based (Steward and Nordic Optical Telescope) observatories are presented, and this peculiar γ-ray flare is studied within the framework of a single-zone leptonic emission scenario.


A previously unidentified endogenous substrate for protein -isoaspartyl methyltransferase in mammalian brain has been characterized and partially purified. This high mass methyl-accepting protein (HMAP) is concentrated in rat brain cytosol and is not detectable in rat liver, heart, lung, kidney, or skeletal muscle. HMAP is acidic and heterogeneous in size, with an average mass, as judged by size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography, greater than 700 kDa. After partial purification from cow brain by anion-exchange chromatography, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and gel filtration, HMAP could accept 12.1 nmol of methyl groups per mg of protein, suggesting that it contains a level of isoaspartate at least 50 times greater than that of the average protein in brain cytosol. Partially purified HMAP is degraded by trypsin, verifying that it is composed, at least in part, of protein. Additional studies on this unusual macromolecule may shed important new light on mechanisms of isoaspartate formation in cells and the molecular pathology of brain aging.


Comprehensive 2 D/Doppler examination of 98 patients (mean age 56), implanted between September 1984 and February 1991, with normally functioning aortic (n = 49) and mitral (n = 49) Omnicarbon valves (OC) were analyzed in order to characterize the normal hemodynamic profiles of the OC valves. The mean time from implantation was 36.4 months (range 6 to 78). The following parameters were assessed (average of 5 measurements): peak transvalvular velocity (peak V), peak instantaneous gradient (peak G), mean transvalvular gradient (mean G), effective aortic valve area (ef Va), modified aortic valve area (m Va), aortic permeability index (PI), mitral valve area (Mit Va). Doppler data were correlated to prosthetic sizes (ranging from 21-29 mm for aortic OC and from 23-31 mm for mitral OC). The study establishes normal Doppler hemodynamics for each size (especially in aortic position) of OC valves and shows excellent performance. Significant correlations between peak G, mean G, Pl, and prosthetic aortic valve size (AS) were moderate. By contrast there were strong relationships between AS and ef Va (r = 0.56, p < 0.001) or mVa (r = 0.55, p < 0.001). These data should be helpful to identify OC prosthetic dysfunction.


Internet standards allow hardware and software from different sources to interoperate, and we can do virtually nothing on the internet without them. Here, Standards' new department editor discusses Internet standards in general, giving a brief overview of why they're necessary. He then delves into specific standards for email that aim to reduce spammers' ability to lie about who sent an email message (spoofing) - the Sender Policy Framework, Sender ID, and Domain Keys Identified Mail.


The article presents data of intraplacental blood flow three-dimensional power Doppler indexes in different placental zones in the second half of physiological pregnancy. We described results of comparison three-dimensional power Doppler indexes of intraplacental vessels in different placental zones at odds.


Epistemological differences fuel continuous and frequently divisive debates in the social sciences and the humanities. Sociologists have yet to consider how such differences affect peer evaluation. The empirical literature has studied distributive fairness, but neglected how epistemological differences affect perception of fairness in decision making. The normative literature suggests that evaluators should overcome their epistemological differences by ''translating'' their preferred standards into general criteria of evaluation. However, little is known about how procedural fairness actually operates. Drawing oneighty-one interviews with panelistsserving on fivemultidisciplinary fellowship competitions in the social sciences and the humanities, we show that (1) Evaluators generally draw on four epistemological styles to make arguments in favor of and against proposals. These are the constructivist, comprehensive, positivist, and utilitarian styles; and (2) Peer reviewers define a fair decision-making process as one in which panelists engage in ''cognitive contextualization,'' that is, use epistemological styles most appropriate to the field or discipline of the proposal under review.


The aim of this paper is to highlight the importance and scientific pursuit
"human side", and the necessity of implementing the strategy of motivation to
employee performance. During the last hundred years the work has been
transformed from assembly line production to more creative one, where
machinery took over the all repetitious and routine tasks, giving people
possibillity devotion to that business process parts, which requested creativity,
adaption and innovation. In that new economy the main management tasks
have been completely changed. In assembly line production and "old
economy" the main management tasks were establishing of clearly defined
system and as precise as possible control of that system. The main manager
task in the new economy is developing potentials of every employee and
choosing the right working team which will possess the optimal capability for
work accomplishing.
The research alone has the task to understand the relationship between
institutions and employee performance. What makes some employment
relationships successful, and causes others to fail? What is the role of
government and the law in enhancing the performance of existing and new
employment relationships? These are key questions for personnel economics.
Personnel Economics analyses how to model the relationship between such
psychological factors, individual workplace performance, and general labor
market outcomes.
Every bank and financial institution is involved in various functions in a day's
job and thus requires a highly effective team and appropriate manpower to
run the show. Corporate goals are translated into viable realities and profits
only with human element who play their due role in achieving the desired
results. An important reason for the need of designing work motivation is the
need for understanding the mechanisms of behavior as a basis for the system
to motivate. One of the key strategic task managers today becomes effective
management of human resources in the context of the construction of a
coherent system of motivation.Keywords: Discrete Time, the Vasicek Model,
Interest Rate.
Keywords: Personnel Economics, Motivation, Employee Performance,
Motivation Strategy, Employment Relationships.


The effect of supplementing semi-purified diet of rats with milled cassava bread was investigated. Total food intake and weight gain were measured in ad libitum and pair fed animals. Plasma triglyceride levels were determined at the beginning and end of the experimental period. Cassava bread supplementation did not increase total food intake of the animals therefore resulted in a lower food efficiency ratio (FER) of the diet when animals were fed ad libitum. When the animals were pair fed, FER was similar for both diets suggesting that cassava supplementation does not increase significantly the energy content of the diet. Addition of milled cassava bread to the diet did not modify plasma lipid levels. This results support that cassava starch is partially available to the rats. Clinical use of cassava bread is suggested for diabetic and obese patients.


The time is gone when the ever usable and available "catching cold" might serve as an explanation for suppurations and catarrhs of the mucous membranes. We know now that while it may produce a degree of predisposition of the tissues, the real awakening of the affections in question must proceed from precisely definable poisons. These, in the vast majority of cases, are connected with microorganisms or are produced by them. Thus "vesical catarrh from cold," which formerly was so frequently diagnosed, has disappeared from our field of vision; in like manner, purulent inflammation of the pelvis of the kidney must be attributed to pyogenic presences—bacteria or the products of their metamorphosis—impinging upon the mucous membrane. Their presence is an absolute sine qua non , without which any disturbances such as stones, foreign bodies, stasis, etc., can not produce this definite effect. How do these pyogenic elements enter the urinary passages? As


,therewasnoconsensusonwhichdesigntheypreferredto achieve that end. Greater than 95% deemed ergonomics as " very " or " extremely " important. Conclusion: Giventheknownhighprevalence of ERIamongendoscopist,it isnotsurprisingthatthevastmajorityof surveyrespondentsdesiremodi fi cations in thecurrent colonoscope,particularlyas regards customizable and more easily manipulated control surfaces. Professional societies and industry should work together to design scopes more aligned with best ergonomic principles.


Abstract We addressed the evolution of long-distance migration in and the historical biogeography of Catharus thrushes within a phylogenetic framework. Catharus thrushes are a Nearctic–Neotropical genus consisting of five migrant and seven resident species. We reconstructed a molecular phylogeny using a combined analysis of cytochrome-b and ND2 genes. Phylogenetic reconstructions indicate the nonmonophyly of migratory Catharus species. The Neotropics are the most likely ancestral geographic area for the entire lineage, and migratory species are sister to resident taxa whose ranges are restricted to Central America, Mexico, or both. Resident behavior may be ancestral within the lineage, with migratory behavior evolving three times, although confidence in those reconstructions is equivocal in many cases. However, uncertainty in ancestral character states presents an interesting scenario including potential drop-offs of resident species from migratory ancestors.


Bevel-tip steerable needles are widely used in modern minimally invasive percutaneous procedures to reach specific positions inside the body. In this paper, we design a shortest path with the least control effort for such a steerable needle, giving the start and the goal positions with or without obstacles. We assume that the environment is static and the motion of the needle is counted based on the state of the needle tip. Due to flexibility of the needle, the moving path is a curve instead of a straight line. We design the path in such a way that the path is within two parallel lines, and the optimal distance between the two lines is determined such that the length of the moving path of the needle is the shortest with the least control effort. Upon choosing the optimal distance between the parallel lines, we then proposed an algorithm to generate the needle path. Simulation is performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.


This thesis examines the long political career of Sir Halford Mackinder (1861-1947), the father of modern British geopolitics, underlining its crucial importance for the origins and evolution of the famous Heartland theory of 1904. Far from having a meta-historical significance, in fact, this elaborate geopolitical vision of Central Asia was the direct product of the cultural and strategic circumstances of the early twentieth century, reflecting
Mackinder's patriotic commitment to the cause of the British Empire, threatened by new powerful foreign rivals like Germany and the United States. Seriously concerned about the future of Britain's international position, the Oxford geographer tried then to translate his brilliant educational talent in the political domain, supporting the tariff reform campaign of Joseph Chamberlain and fighting relentlessly for the political union of London with the
overseas Dominions. Meanwhile he also focused his geographical imagination on the problem of India's defence, developing a bold containment strategy against the territorial expansion of Russia in Asia. However, both these initiatives failed to influence the official
policies of the British government, while the parliamentary career of Mackinder at Westminster knew more frustrations than successes, due to the internal divisions of the
Unionist Party and to the bitter constitutional disputes of the last antebellum years.

From this point of view, the outbreak of European hostilities in 1914 represented an important turning point for Mackinder's political and intellectual life, compelling him to partially modify his previous imperialist ethos and to recognise the need of a more balanced and democratic international society at the end of the conflict. Expressed
originally in Democratic Ideals and Reality, published in 1919, this new attitude toward international affairs found later its practical application in the activities of the Imperial Committees, successfully directed by Mackinder on cooperative lines for all the interwar
years.


In the course of reform, the opportunities to apply the labor abilities of the population have nominally increased, but they have not been realized in practice for a number of reasons. The social heterogeneity of the labor force is quite great, and, in extreme manifestations, it will appear as social vulnerability (lack of protections). We should, first and foremost, consider as characteristics of social vulnerability the indicators of unemployment and poverty. The unemployment level reflects the degree of inaccessibility of labor activity to a portion of the economically active population, owing to insufficient capacity of the labor market. Poverty is a characteristic of the lack of social protections of the entire population, however, in terms of its economically active portion, it has a certain specific nature. The criteria of poverty in Russia are based on maximum consumer characteristics, and a decline in the incomes of the employed below threshold values does not make it possible to reproduce their own ability to work. This neediness has found expression in the concept of the "new" poor or the "working poor."


The West Barneys River Plutonic Suite consists of gabbro, syenite-monzonite, alkali-feldspar syenite to quartz alkali-feldspar syenite, and alkali-feldspar granite outcropping in an area of ∼100 km 2 in the southern Antigonish Highlands. Magma mixing and mingling textures indicate a comagmatic relationship between some of the mafic and intermediate–felsic lithologies. However, nine U–Pb (zircon) ages, three by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and six by laser-ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS), from the West Barneys River suite and the lithologically similar Cape Porcupine Complex located 60 km to the east range from ca. 495 to 460 Ma, indicating that emplacement occurred over a significant span of time. Intermediate to felsic rocks consist mainly of perthitic K-feldspar and variable amounts of quartz; interstitial granophyre is present in some samples, consistent with shallow emplacement. Mafic phases are Fe-rich amphibole and clinopyroxene, and in some units, fayalite. Intermediate and felsic samples have chemical characteristics of within-plate ferroan A-type granitoid rocks. Gabbroic rocks consist of plagioclase (oligoclase–labradorite) and augite/diopside with less abundant orthopyroxene, olivine, biotite, and ilmenite/magnetite. Their chemical compositions are transitional from tholeiitic to alkalic and characteristic of continental within-plate mafic rocks. The e Nd values are similar in gabbroic, syenitic, and granitic samples, ranging between 0.9 and 4.9, consistent with a co-genetic origin for the mafic and intermediate/felsic components of the suite, and derivation from Avalonian subcontinental lithospheric mantle in an extensional environment.


Abstract The Jackson's Chameleon (Trioceros jacksonii xantholophus) is a predatory, arboreal east African lizard that has become established in the forests of several Hawaiian Islands where they have been shown to prey upon rare endemic invertebrate taxa. In this study, we used radiotelemetry to assess movement behavior of T. j. xantholophus in three different habitats that varied in suitability for sustained persistence of chameleons. Landscape ecology theory holds that movement behavior tends to be relatively rapid and linear in unsuitable habitat, minimizing time spent in suboptimal areas, but more circuitous and less rapid in suitable habitat to optimize resource use. Therefore, we predicted that in Hawaii, chameleons released in unsuitable habitat will 1) move longer distances each day; 2) follow straighter paths; 3) move away from point of release continuously; and 4) cover larger areas, relative to those released in suitable habitat. Our results indicated that mean daily distance, total cumulative distance, total net displacement, and home range did not vary significantly among the three habitats. However, daily distances decreased and path tortuosity increased over time under suitable conditions, whereas the opposite pattern was seen under unsuitable conditions. Notably, daily net displacement did not increase over time, regardless of habitat type or suitability, and home range overlap was inversely correlated with habitat suitability. In general, Jackson's Chameleons traveled short distances with nonlinear paths, reflecting a sedentary life history. We propose that localized control and potential eradication in critical areas may be possible via manual removal.


Mosher et al. (1992) have proposed a new method to localize multiple dipoles from spatio-temporal biomagnetic data. The method is based on the multiple signal classification (MUSIC) developed in the field of array signal processing. However, the MUSIC fails to produce good solutions in some situations where time series from multiple dipoles are strongly correlated, multiple dipoles are closely spaced, or signal to noise ratio of time series is low. To improve the performance of the MUSIC, we propose new localization methods based on the subspace fitting framework developed by Viberg and Ottersten (1991). Simulation studies demonstrate that the new methods produce better solutions than the MUSIC in the above mentioned ill-conditioned situations. Furthermore, we apply these methods to real magnetocardiograms measured by using 64 channel SQUID magnetometers.<<ETX>>


MUCH OF the difficulty in performing routine electroretinography has been due to the discomfort of the contact lens electrode and, to a greater degree, of the speculum recommended by Karpe. In an effort to overcome this difficulty, the illustrated lens was devised. It is a conventional scleral type contact lens, 24 by 25 mm., with two tubular tunnels projecting from the convex surface. These are 2 mm. in diameter and 10 mm. long. One contains the silver-silver chloride electrode and the joint by which the electrode is attached to a wire lead, which connects to the input of the ERG machine. The second tunnel is hollow and is used, after the lens is in place, to fill the lens with isotonic saline in a methylcellulose solution. A large part of the discomfort of the test as previously performed was produced by the manipulation required to fill the lens after insertion


Effect of low-temperature degradation of 3Y-TZP ceramics (polycrystalline zirconia stabilized by 3mol% of yttria) on contact damage resistance has been studied applying scratch testing technique. Friction properties and damage mechanisms have been investigated for various degrees of hydrothermal ageing, i.e. for different grain sizes and crystallography, and for different thickness of the degraded surface layer. The onset of plastic damage, catastrophically cracking, grain pull-out, spalling and chipping due to top layer debonding have been identified. The contact damage micromechanisms corresponding to various degrees of degradation have been studied in detail by interferometry and microscopy.


After 19 weeks on a mash diet nine of the 10 birds exhibited from two to 19 oral lesions. The majority of these lesions involved the total erosion of the buccal epidermis giving a total area of exposed dermis of 0.6 to 94.5 mm(2). This was accompanied by a significant reduction in the numbers of heterophils, monocytes and eosinophils. Birds with lesions also had significantly reduced concentrations of haemoglobin and may have been suffering from a mild form of microcytic normochromic anaemia without the complication of an extensive bone marrow involvement. These findings have implications for poultry welfare.


While bank regulation and supervision are the two main components of banking policy, the difference between them is often overlooked and the details of supervision can appear shrouded in secrecy. In this post, which is based on a recent staff report, we provide a framework for thinking about supervision and its relation to regulation. We then use data on supervisory efforts of Federal Reserve bank examiners to describe how supervisory efforts vary by bank size and risk, and to measure key trade-offs in allocating resources.


In this paper we have presented a generalized treatment of a photon scattering by a harmonic oscillator initially at ground state. We have predicted the scattering cross-section of the oscillator and showed how the treatment invariably requires the formalisms of renormalization. As a special case of our treatment, we discussed about Rayleigh and Thomson Scattering and computed the total cross-section in order to be consistent with experimental results. Two approximations are adopted in order to simplify the problem but without any digression from our goal. A second order perturbation theory is employed where the first excited state of the harmonic oscillator is considered to be the only intermediate state and A dipole approximation is utilized. Throughout this paper we have used Gaussian units.


A spheromak plasma is investigated taking into account the Hall currents to show the effect of the simplest possible non-linearity. The system exhibits non-linear oscillations. The magnetic surfaces are determined as a function of time in a very perturbed case. The system exhibits good stability, and the improvement is in the order of the decay time.


Energy-aware task scheduling significantly reduces the total energy required by a system to perform a particular job, by dynamically changing the clock frequency and supply voltage at which the CPU operates. But this causes significant fluctuation of the current drawn from the power source, so that no single voltage regulator can achieve satisfactory efficiency over the entire range of operating currents. We introduce a new method of high-level power management called dynamic voltage regulator scheduling (DRS), which overcomes the fundamental limitation of using a single voltage regulator. In a system equipped with DRS, heterogeneous voltage regulators are connected to a CPU through a multiplexer-type MOSFET switch. As the operating frequency and the supply voltage of the CPU vary, the most efficient voltage regulator is used to supply the power. We first describe a greedy method of achieving DRS, and then we progress to an integer linear programming (ILP) formulation, which simultaneously optimizes DRS together with dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS). We evaluate the performance of both greedy DRS and optimal DRS. Compared to conventional DVFS, greedy DRS saves an additional 5.4% to 14.6% of the total system energy; and optimal DRS saves an additional 11.5% to 15.5%.


Poverty comparisons across variable populations present certain fundamental difficulties, particularly in respect of the most "basic" of poverty measures, those related to some headcount of the poor. The most commonly employed headcount measures are the headcount ratio H and the aggregate headcount A. Each of these indices has its respective merits and disadvantages. In this note, a composite headcount index M*, which combines H and A, is presented. The poverty ranking of income distributions by M* attaches some weight to the ranking by each of H and A, and thereby avoids the possibly extreme judgment of either in isolation.


Theories on the role of consciousness and the enhancement of noticing (Schmidt, 1990, 1994; Sharwood Smith, 1993) predict a facilitative effect of explicit knowledge, as built up by explicit instruction, on the acquisition of implicit second language (L2) knowledge. This study investigates the interaction between the presence or absence of explicit instruction and the variables complexity and morphology/syntax in the acquisition of four L2 structures. Two groups of 27 university students, differing in the exposure to explicit instruction, followed a computer-controlled self-study course in an artificial language. Results from computer-controlled posttests confirm the general hypothesis that explicit instruction facilitates the acquisition of L2 grammar. However, no evidence could be reported for the hypotheses predicting a differential effect of explicit instruction depending on the variables complexity and morphology/syntax.


Understanding which factors affect the distribution pattern of extremely small populations is essential to the protection and propagation of rare and endangered plant species. In this study, we established 108 plots covering the entire Hainan Island, and measured the appearance frequency and species richness of plant species with extremely small populations, as well as the ecological environments and human disturbances during 2012–2013. We explored how the ecological environments and human activities affected the distribution pattern of these extremely small populations. Results showed that the extremely small populations underwent human disturbances and threats, and they were often found in fragmental habitats. The leading factors changing the appearance frequency of extremely small populations differed among plant species, and the direct factors making them susceptible to extinction were human disturbances. The peak richness of extremely small populations always occurred at the medium level across environmental gradients, and their species richness always decreased with increasing human disturbances. However, the appearance frequencies of three orchid species increased with the increasing human disturbances. Our study thus indicate that knowledge on how the external factors, such as the ecological environment, land use type, roads, human activity, etc., affect the distribution of the extremely small populations should be taken for the better protecting them in the future.


Concrete solar collectors offer a type of solar collector with structural, aesthetic and economic advantages over current popular technologies. This study examines the influential parameters of concrete solar collectors. In addition to the external conditions, the performance of a concrete solar collector is influenced by the thermal properties of the concrete matrix, piping network and fluid. Geometric and fluid flow parameters also influence the performance of the concrete solar collector. A literature review of concrete solar collectors is conducted in order to define the benchmark parameters from which individual parameters are then compared. The numerical model consists of a 1D pipe flow network coupled with the heat transfer in a 3D concrete domain. This paper is concerned with the physical parameters that define the concrete solar collector, thus a constant surface temperature is used as the exposed surface boundary condition with all other surfaces being insulated. Results show that, of the parameters investigated, the pipe spacing, ps, concrete conductivity, kc, and the pipe embedment depth, demb, are among those parameters which have greatest effect on the collector's performance. The optimum balance between these parameters is presented with respect to the thermal performance and discussed with reference to practical development issues. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Peer-review by the scientific conference committee of SHC 2015 under responsibility of PSE AG.


We evaluate the power of the sample entropy goodness-of-fit tests for s-normal, exponential, and uniform distributions. We compare them with the mainstream statistical tests, the W test based on the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE) of the location parameter, the Z test based on the sample spacings, and the R test based on the correlation coefficient between the order statistics of the sample & the corresponding population quantiles. We show that the latter are more powerful overall. The mainstream statistical tests, particularly the Z test, readily extend to censored samples and to multi-sample situations.


In connection with the development of vitrified solidification processes of high-level liquid wastes at Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. (PNC), the characterization of the various borosilicate glasses containing the simulated high-level radioactive wastes have been carried out at Government Industrial Research Institute, Osaka. The volatility, he viscosity and the electrical conductivity of glasses in molten states have been measured, and the thermal conductivity, the elastic modulus, the chemical durability and the crystallization behavior in solid states have been also investigated. These data seem to be useful in the construction a d operation of the engineering scale faci1ity atPNC. The low-melting temperature glasses have large volatilization rates, low viscosities n molten states, low crystallization temperatures and less durabilities with water in solid states. Therefore, the high-melting temperature glasses eem to be suitable for storage of wastes from the view point of safety evaluation, although in this case it is necessary to improve the melting technique to avoid violent evaporation.