This paper proposes a topology optimization method for a dielectric optical cloak that provides results that are perfectly free from intermediate materials, based on a level set boundary expression and the Finite Element Method. The finite element mesh is re-generated to fit the iso-surface of the level set function at every iterative step, to remove intermediate materials, so that the obtained optimal structure consists of only two materials, the dielectric material and air. First, the level set-based topology optimization is formulated and a topology optimization algorithm is proposed for the exact level set approach. Next, design requirements for the dielectric optimal cloak device are clarified and an objective functional for the design is formulated. The proposed method is then applied to a simple numerical problem to illustrate its effectiveness.


Electrochemical determination of synthetic opioids such as fentanyl is meaningful but still challenging no matter from a social or academic perspective. Herein, we report a series of novel electrocatalysts based on Fe-containing metal-organic frameworks and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Fe-MOF/MWCNTs). The obtained Fe-MOF/MWCNT electrode materials all show ultrasensitivity on fentanyl determination. In particular, MOF-235/MWCNTs even exhibit an ultra-low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.03 μM with a wide linear range from 0.1 to 50 μM. Besides, this series of Fe-MOF/MWCNTs also displays excellent repeatability, selectivity, and stability. Moreover, they show good performance in real sample detection and achieve good recovery of 95.47%-102.41% and 96.62%-103.15% in blood and urine samples, respectively. This high performance in fentanyl determination is mainly contributed by the Fenton-like process and the adsorption function of the Fe-MOF. Therefore, these novel Fe-MOF/MWCNTs are promising electrocatalysts for point-of-care device fabrication and also have potential applications in fentanyl rapid test technology.


objective: To verify if being placed on a geriatric multidisciplinary assistance program contributes to better blood pressure control. Methods: Cross-section study. Setting: A tertiary-care teaching hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Participants: 110 hypertensive patients aged over 60 years. Measurements: Blood pressure of the elderly in the Geriatric Service, called "the reference group", was verified. Subsequently, blood pressure of the same elderly patients was verified after being placed on a multidisciplinary program – "the multidisciplinary group". results: A significant difference between the "reference group" x the "multidisciplinary group" was found regarding the proportion of patients under blood pressure control (p = 0.021). In the "reference group", 24.7% of patients had controlled blood pressure while in the "multidisciplinary group" this proportion was 41.1%. Conclusion: Being placed on a geriatric multidisciplinary assistance exercise program significantly improved blood pressure control in hypertensive elderly.


The mathematical/computational model of a physical system comprises parameters and independent and dependent variables. Since the physical system is seldom known precisely and since the model's parameters stem from experimental procedures that are also subject to uncertainties, the results predicted by a computational model are imperfect. Quantifying the reliability and accuracy of results produced by a model (called "model responses") requires the availability of sensitivities (i.e., functional partial derivatives) of model responses with respect to model parameters. This work reviews the basic motivations for computing high-order sensitivities and illustrates their importance by means of an OECD/NEA reactor physics benchmark, which is representative of a "large-scale system" involving many (21,976) uncertain parameters. The computation of higher-order sensitivities by conventional methods (finite differences and/or statistical procedures) is subject to the "curse of dimensionality". Furthermore, as will be illustrated in this work, the accuracy of high-order sensitivities computed using such conventional methods cannot be a priori guaranteed. High-order sensitivities can be computed accurately and efficiently solely by applying the high-order adjoint sensitivity analysis methodology. The principles underlying this adjoint methodology are also reviewed in preparation for introducing, in the accompanying Part II, the "High-Order Function/Feature Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology" (nth-FASAM), which aims at most efficiently computing exact expressions of high-order sensitivities of model responses to functions ("features") of model parameters.


Abstract The article discusses humour as a form of communication and social interaction, which is not only based on sociocultural similarities, tolerance and solidarity among in-group members but also hostility or aggression towards out-group members. As humour is formed on binary oppositions, the female gender is often used as a popular "target" in humour discourse. It also represents "otherness" regarding the opposite gender and communicates social codes based on physical appearance, behaviour, or specific roles in society. Gender-stereotyping, which is used to categorize and understand the "outside" world better, is one of the most common and simplest approaches in humour discourse. The main aim of our research is to discuss the role of women and the way female identity, as a social construct, is defined and presented in humour discourse through stereotypes. More precisely, this article examines the evolution of women's representation in the situation comedies with regards to their stereotypical portrayals and traditional social roles.


Most decision theories, including expected utility theory, rank-dependent utility theory and cumulative prospect theory, assume that investors are only interested in the distribution of returns and not in the states of the economy in which income is received. Optimal payoffs have their lowest outcomes when the economy is in a downturn, and this feature is often at odds with the needs of many investors. We introduce a framework for portfolio selection within which state-dependent preferences can be accommodated. Specifically, we assume that investors care about the distribution of final wealth and its interaction with some benchmark. In this context, we are able to characterize optimal payoffs in explicit form. Furthermore, we extend the classical expected utility optimization problem of Merton to the state-dependent situation. Some applications in security design are discussed in detail and we also solve some stochastic extensions of the target probability optimization problem.


The effects of changes in heart rate must be understood before ventricular performance can be evaluated in studies of the response to drugs, injury, or abnormal circulatory states. This report describes the effects of sudden changes in heart rate on the stroke, end-systolic, and enddiastolic volume of the canine left ventricle. The ventricular volumes were measured by thermodilution, an indicator dilution method in which in


We show how X-ray emission arising within an accelerating, expanding medium that also contains a source of continuum absorption generates line profiles of a characteristic shape. A simple, spherical wind model based on this picture provides good fits to the Chandra HETGS spectrum of the prototypical O star, ζ Pup. We discuss the model, the fitting procedure, and the determination of confidence limits on the model parameters, and our initial results for this star. The derived fit parameters are consistent with a generic wind-shock scenario for ζ Pup, but there are several surprising aspects of the results, including a lower-than-expected mean wind optical depth and a nearly complete lack of wavelength dependence of the results.


This study intends to examine the xMOOCs offered by one of the mainstream MOOC platforms in Conole's 12 dimensions. For this purpose, the research employed an embedded single case study using heuristic inquiry to collect data. The researchers participated in three xMOOCs and took into consideration the characteristics of these MOOCs by rating them as low, medium or high in terms of Conole's 12 dimensions. Inter-rater reliability was 92 percent. The study showed that the openness, massiveness, diversity, use of multimedia, communication among learners, learning pathway and amount of reflection dimensions were high. The communication with instructors, degree of collaboration and autonomy dimensions were medium, and the quality assurance, certification, and formal learning dimensions were low. After explaining characteristics of xMOOCs from the perspective of open learning, the study highlighted that xMOOCs dramatically differ with regard to the implementation of the freemium business model to education and course delivery methods. It was concluded that MOOCs are not a new form of learning, but a new form of organizing learning similar to the open university movement, but which promises more flexibility and access than open universities.


We present the case of a 39-year-old patient with frontotemporal dementia. This case depicts the complexities in the process leading to the diagnosis, treatment, and placement of young patients presenting with severe psychiatric symptoms as the first signs of an underlying neurological disease. Obstacles in the health care system and residential placement process that hinder the optimal and timely care of such difficult cases are discussed. Practical solutions are offered that center upon better awareness and education and the provision of additional resources. These interventions are likely to provide a positive return on investment for the medical system and could be used as strong levers for new health policies relevant to younger patients with neurological illness.


We study the potential of the next-generation $e^+ e^-$ linear colliders with longitudinally polarized beams, to restrict the values of the anomalous trilinear couplings $WW\gamma$ and $WWZ$ from the measurement of the process $e^+ e^-\to W^+ W^-$. Along with initial $e^+e^-$ polarization, we account also for the possibilities offered by cross sections for polarized final $W$, in order to disentangle the constraints on the various constants. The results show the essential role of the initial beams polarization in improving the bounds obtained from the unpolarized case.


The objective of this article is to address the relation between transnationalism and intergenerational transformations of the notions of home and belonging. While doing an ethnographic research in Vancouver, British Columbia, it was possible to pinpoint the existence of two discourses about Portuguese-Canadian ethnicity. The first one, centered on the Holy Ghost Festas, (re)produces an idea of 'azoreanness', albeit fragmented along the Islands of origin, and is linked to specific social networks that go from Vancouver to the Azores. It is essentially fostered by the migrants that arrived in the region after the 1950s and to whom the festas are a constant reminder of the emotional, symbolic and social ties with these Atlantic Islands. The second discourse is fostered by the children of these migrants, which moved away from the Holy Ghost Festas and the Portuguese Catholic Parish, and is centered on a notion of portugueseness. This enactment of a national identity has to be interpreted in the context of Canadian multicultural politics and specific diasporic politics developed by the Portuguese authorities in the region. Simultaneously, this second discourse is also part and parcel of an intergenerational social mobility process. Based on this ethnographic case study, this article has two main arguments: on one hand, I want to show how home and homeland are fields of struggle for hegemonic representation in the public domain and, secondly, how such debates have to be interpreted in relation to local and transnational political contexts and subjectivities.


368 streptococcal strains from udder secretions of cattle (Sc. agalactiae, Sc. dysgalactiae, Sc. uberis) and 191 streptococcal isolates from horse specimens (Sc. equi ssp. zooepidemicus, Sc. equi ssp. equi) originating from different agricultural regions in Germany (Lower Saxony, in particular the region of Weser-Ems, Bavaria, Altmark) were investigated for their sensitivity to 4 beta-lactam antibiotics (benzylpenicillin, ampicillin, oxacillin, cefotaxime). Two different test methods were applied: the agar diffusion test for determination of the diameter of the zone of inhibition and the E-test for determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). According to the evaluation code of DIN 58,940, 98% to 100% of the isolates from the cow udder as well as of the Streptococcus strains from horses were sensitive to the four antibiotics tested. Only Sc. uberis was less sensitive to benzylpenicillin (79.7%) and Oxacillin (83.2%). The strains from different agricultural regions did not differ from each other concerning their sensitivity to beta-lactams. The results of the two methods of sensitivity testing were in satisfactory agreement: Compared to the MIC reference values, misclassifications occurred in the agar diffusion test only at an error rate of between 1.62% (for ampicillin) and 5.21% (for benzylpenicillin).


The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-26) was administered to patients with sexual disorders (n = 112) and to healthy control subjects (n = 94). The clinic sample was divided into three subgroups according to DSM-III-R criteria: patients with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (n = 41), patients with orgasm disorders (n = 51) and patients with male erectile disorder (n = 20). TAS scores were significantly higher for male and female patients with hypoactive sexual desire disorder, and with male erectile disorder than controls. The TAS scores in the orgasm disorder patients were not significantly different from those of controls. These results are interesting because they show an association betweeen alexithymia and some sexual symptoms.


The time evolution of the electron distribution function under the action of lower hybrid waves is studied by means of the quasilinear theory. A model spectrum is assumed for the lower hybrid waves, and the dependence of the resulting lower hybrid diffusion coefficient on the electron temperature, electron density, and ambient magnetic field is investigated. A set of parameters typical of small tokamaks is utilized in a numerical analysis, and the dynamics of the formation of an electron tail is investigated. The outcome is a nearly linear dependence between current density and wave power. The transient state after the sudden disappearance of the driving wave is also illustrated.


The Lone Eagle mine is the only producing uranium deposit among the "base metal" veins in the Boulder batholith, Montana. Steeply dipping fracture fillings in quartz monzonite contain sparsely distributed pitchblende, together with pyrite, sphalerite, galena, and minor chalcopyrite and argentite in a gangue of quartz, calcite and siderite. Deposition of coarsely crystallized quartz and the sulfides was followed by extensive brecciation prior to the introduction of microcrystalline quartz, pitchblende, and minor fine-grained sulfides. The latter assemblage strongly resembles the "siliceous reef" uranium deposits in the batholith. Of the three varieties of pitchblende recognized, only one appears to represent primary introduction of uranium. Detailed data were obtained on the pitchblende varieties and an unusual, fine-grained galena associated with pitchblende.Study of the wall rock provided detailed information on the nature and composition of the feldspars, the percentage mineral composition and texture of the rock, and its chemical composition. The rock may be classified petrographically as a peraluminous granodiorite (Shand) or an adamellite (Johannsen).The alteration halo, extending as much as 30 feet from the vein, has a mineral assemblage--sericite, kaolinite, montmorillonite, chlorite, quartz, calcite, siderite, and pyrite--similar to that associated with the "siliceous reefs" and to the Butte alteration described by Sales and Meyer. Of the plutonic minerals, only quartz, apatite, and zircon are found adjacent to the vein. Study of the alteration zoning was inhibited by the lack of adequate samples more than a few feet from the vein.


Completely homogeneous polyacrylamide‐based gels were used for capillary electrochromatography (CEC) of drug enantiomers. Like continuous beds (also called continuous polymer rods, silica rods, monoliths) they do not require frits to support the bed because it is covalently linked to the capillary wall. A long lifetime is an important feature of the beds. The gel matrices can be prepared in any laboratory and for specific interactions they can be derivatized with appropriate ligands. The application range is, therefore, broad. For chiral electrochromatography, negatively and positively charged polyacrylamide gels copolymerized with 2‐hydroxy‐3‐allyloxy‐propyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (allyl‐β‐CD) were prepared. The latter monomer was synthesized from β‐CD and allylglycidyl ether by a very simple one‐step procedure. Eight acidic, neutral and basic drug compounds were resolved into their enantiomers, most of them with baseline separation. Interestingly, the resolution is independent of the electroendosmotic velocity, i.e., rapid analyses will not give low resolution. Upon increasing this velocity, the plate height for the fast enantiomer did not change (or decreased slightly), whereas that for the slow enantiomer increased. Only the last term in the van Deemter equation contributed significantly to the total plate height. The composition of the gel was chosen such that the "pores" became large enough to guarantee a satisfactory electroendosmotic flow (EOF). This open gel structure explains why acetone diffused as in free solution, i.e., independently of the presence of the gel matrix. This finding also indicates that the separation of small molecules in polyacrylamide gels cannot be explained by "molecular‐sieving", but rather by some type of adsorption ("aromatic adsorption"?).


We argue that the standard methodology for assessing the impact of Supreme Court decisions on public opinion, which relies on national surveys to measure public attitudes before and after relevant Court decisions, fails, among other grounds, to account for the fact that the overwhelming majority of Court decisions speak to particular constituencies only. We assess the impact of the Supreme Court's decision in Lamb's Chapel v. Center Moriches on the geographic constituencies involved in the case. We interviewed a random sample of residents in the town of Center Moriches and in the surrounding county of Suffolk, New York, before and after the decision. Consistent with the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion (Petty and Cacioppo 1986), we find that high levels of information about the decision increases support for the Court's decision among those for whom the decision is relatively less salient.


This paper presents further discussion and development of the two-parameter Fisher criterion and describes its two modifications (weighted criterion and another multiclass form). The criteria are applied in two algorithms for training linear sequential classifiers. The main idea of the first algorithm is separating the outermost class from the others. The second algorithm, which is a generalization of the first one, is based on the idea of linear division of classes into two subsets. As linear division of classes is not always satisfactory, a piecewise-linear version of the sequential algorithm is proposed as well. The computational complexity of different algorithms is analyzed. All methods are verified on artificial and real-life data sets.


We present an efficient strategy through surface functionalization to build a single silicon nanowire field-effect transistor-based biosensor that is capable of directly detecting protein adsorption/desorption at the single-event level. The step-wise signals in real-time detection of His-tag F1-ATPases demonstrate a promising electrical biosensing approach with single-molecule sensitivity, thus opening up new opportunities for studying single-molecule biophysics in broad biological systems.


Data mining is beneficial for anyone who has a huge amount of data, for example, customer and business data, transaction, marketing, financial, manufacturing and web data etc. The results of data mining are also referred to as knowledge in the form of rules, regularities and constraints. Rule mining is one of the popular data mining methods since rules provide concise statements of potentially important information that is easily understood by end users and also actionable patterns. At present rule mining has received a good deal of attention and enthusiasm from data mining researchers since rule mining is capable of solving many data mining problems such as classification, association, customer profiling, summarization, segmentation and many others. This book makes several contributions by proposing rule mining methods using genetic algorithms and neural networks. These methods are based on an integrated framework but capable of mining three major classes of rules e.g. Association, Characteristic and Classification rules. The book also shows how to build data mining predictive models using the resultant rules of the proposed methods.


The thrombosis-related diseases are one of the leading causes of illness and death in the general population, and despite significant improvements in long-term survival due to remarkable advances in pharmacologic therapy, they continue to pose a tremendous burden on healthcare systems. The oxidative stress plays a role of pivotal importance in thrombosis pathophysiology. The anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs commonly used in the management of thrombosis-related diseases show several pleiotropic effects, beyond the antithrombotic effects. The present review aims to describe the current evidence about the antioxidant effects of the oral antithrombotic therapies in patients with atherosclerotic disease and atrial fibrillation.


From electrical engineering point of view insulator plays an important role. As it is used as basic element in overhead transmission and distribution networks. They are not only to insulate the power line but also to carry the weight of the transmission line conductor. Voltage and electric field are the main factors to withstand the insulation. Therefore it is very much essential for insulator string to relate the potential distribution and electric field distribution to that of the respective ideal string accurately. In operational high voltage, the non-uniformity of potential distribution across the insulator string is due to the presence of stray capacitance. Also, the performance of insulator (voltage distribution, electric field distribution) varies by the deposition of environmental pollutants either uniformly distributed or non-uniformly distributed on the surface of insulator, which deteriorated by the help of captivation of moisture particles sharply. So to sort out this dilemma practically by the help of a full equivalent circuit in which the properties of insulating material and stray capacitance effect should be taken for proper consideration, which is derived from the Finite Element Method Based Software and executed in the Ansys Maxwell software package for the calculation of potential distribution, electric field distribution and also electric field vector distribution throughout the specified string with and without pollutants in proper power frequency along with desired voltage. A comparison between normal and polluted (coastal polluted and industrial polluted) creepage voltage vs creepage distance in graphical form is studied by using Matlab. Finally a voltage gradient and electric field comparison is studied by using Matlab.


Abstract
Sustainability is a global issue that will continue to be a trend in society. While the impacts of global warming are still occuring, environmental damage, to the reduce of green space, sustainability is still encouraged and to be discussed. Even if the negative impact has been done, sustainability is still applicable as a deterrent to the damage. Architecture is one of the science areas that is very concerned about sustainability. Its act produces several isms, such as green architecture, ecological architecture, ecofriendly architecture, and so forth. The awareness for the sustainability movement not only in the realm of architecture, but to the realm of academia and produces some predicates, such as green campus, environmentally friendly campus, and so on. Islamic based university also capable to embody the principles of sustainability by its Islamic values. Each variable in this study, that are sustainable architecture and Islamic campus firstly need to be understood of the theories. Then we can conclude them for the correlation so it can be concluded. Thus this research is appropriate using descriptive qualitative method. Aspects of sustainable architecture proposed by ASHRAE and Yudelson aligned with aspects that exist in a sustainable campus planning declared by Hatmoko. The values of Islamic architecture based on the Quran and Hadith also tune with aspects of sustainability and campus planning. Thus, an Islamic college is expected to practice the values of Islam as a whole, considering the Islamic values in accordance with sustainability values


Newspaper has been acknowledged as one useful learning resource in EFL classrooms. In this digital era teachers as well as learners can access unlimited resources on the internet; one of the resources available for free and at all times is online news. However, nowadays some students are not really keen on reading news and reading it in English is even more challenging. For this reason this study aims to bridge this gap. This research tries to find out in what way reading news on the same topics in both the Indonesian and English versions benefits EFL learners in terms of content and vocabulary. There were 98 Indonesian freshmen from three Reading classes taking part in this study. They read both the Indonesian and English news on the same topics as their reading assignment during the semester. At the end of the semester an online survey was conducted to find out the benefits of the assignment. A focused group interview was conducted to gain more information on the subjects' responses in the survey. The findings show that reading both the Indonesian and English news on the same topics enhance the subjects' understanding of the content of the English news as well as help them better guess the meaning of unknown English words and increase their vocabulary knowledge.

Keywords: online news, learning resource, EFL classrooms


This study aims to determine the affect of On Asset (ROA), Debt To Equity Ratio (DER), Price To Book Value (PBV), and Price Earning Ratio (PER) to stock return. Population and samples used are LQ45 companieslisted in Indonesia Stock Exchanges 2014-2016 amounted 45. Selection of research samples conducted by purposive sampling method. In this study using data analysis tools such as model accuracy test, panel data regression analysis, t test, F test and coefficient of determination (R2). The results showed that partially, ROA effect on stoct return, DER effect on stock return, PBV has no effect on stock return, and PER effect on stock return. Simultaneously ROA, DER, PBV, and PER together effect on stock return.


Agility, adaptability, and alignment (henceforth referred as triple-A) are supply chain strategy that supports sustainable competitive advantage. The previous studies found that triple-A is a principle to achieve the superior supply chain performance. However, a study that investigate the triple-A of SME, especially in culinary industry is still limited. This study aims to investigate the effect of triple-A towards SME supply chain performance in culinary industry. Using convenience sampling technique, 98 SMEs were involved in this study. The results of the multiple regression analysis show that the triple-A supply chain strategy has a significant effect on supply chain performance. This finding explain that SME supply chain performance are affected by their ability in managing supply chain strategy that categorized as agility, adaptability, and alignment. This finding give an empirically supports that agility, adaptability, and alignment are antecedent variables of SME supply chain performance.Keywords: Triple-A, agility, adaptability, alignment, supply chain, performance.


Delivery of nanoparticle drugs to tumors relies heavily on the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. While many consider the effect to be equally effective on all tumors, it varies drastically among the tumors' origins, stages, and organs, owing much to differences in vessel leakiness. Suboptimal EPR effect represents a major problem in the translation of nanomedicine to the clinic. In the present study, we introduce a photodynamic therapy (PDT)-based EPR enhancement technology. The method uses RGD-modified ferritin (RFRT) as "smart" carriers that site-specifically deliver 1O2 to the tumor endothelium. The photodynamic stimulus can cause permeabilized tumor vessels that facilitate extravasation of nanoparticles at the sites. The method has proven to be safe, selective, and effective. Increased tumor uptake was observed with a wide range of nanoparticles by as much as 20.08-fold. It is expected that the methodology can find wide applications in the area of nanomedicine.


In order to combine forces and experiences to overcome current challenges faced by distance education providers in Australia and South America, specifically in Brazil and Argentina, leading distance education institutions from both worlds decided to develop the Southern Skies Distance Education Academic Exchange Project. Funded by the Council on Australia Latin America Relations, this project promoted academic exchange between four Australian universities collaborating as DEHub and four educational institutions in South America: two institutions in Argentina and two in Brazil. This chapter presents the two stages of this exchange project during which visits by representatives from participating institutions were reciprocated. It also highlights some of the challenges faced by the project participants. Finally, it discusses the opportunities that have emerged for further exchange and collaboration amongst the institutions involved.


One of the main problems of modern society is the proper organisation of how information is distributed and made to appear public. In 2015, the Year of Ethnographic Regions program revealed the experience of participants in the public sector. The idea behind the Year of Ethnographic Regions and its program of events have attracted widespread public support and involvement. The total number of 437 events have been recorded and analysed in this study. The program of events covered the entire country, involved Lithuanian residents in different social, age and geographical groups. Due to ethnic specifics, the engagement was greater in the rural regions and lower in the cities. Without objective funding, the organisers of events relied on the proven performance of public communication strategies and accumulated experience. Most of the information about the events was published on various content websites (320 events), periodicals (261) and the web pages of daily newspapers (223). Less information was published on social media (127 events), television (28) and radio (7). Many budget and public event organisers had a channel for distributing information, managed by themselves, so they were able to publish at least the basic information concerning the events. The local media (periodicals, institutional websites etc.) had the biggest impact by informing the population. Social media resources, the influence of which will increase in the future, were properly unused, so it is time to pay due attention to social media opportunities of publicity. A lack of the following aspects was observed: the coordination of activities, proper inter-institutional cooperation, involvement of the national media, the President of the Republic of Lithuania and the publishing industry, the feasibility of new communication channels (e.g., calendars of events). The program of the Year of Ethnographic Regions, with its abundance of events, serves as a good example for evaluating the experiences and gaps that should be filled in the future by improving the quality of public communication and ensuring the proper distribution of information to the public.


A fast method for the estimation and minimization of ground noise in integrated circuit (IC) packages is desired. This method estimates and minimizes the shift away from the designed level (usually zero volts) in the reference potential of an IC. This shift is caused primarily by fast switching currents in the largely inductive IC package leads. The problem is addressed by combining a novel system matrix formulation which accounts for multiple ground circuits with pin assignment optimization by simulated annealing. By extraction of the parasitic self and mutual inductances from the tracks in a chip package one can construct a reduced system of linear equations which can then be used to solve for the estimated ground noise at any ground reference node in the package. This process is also appliable to packages with multiple separate grounds. With this capability, one can use the resulting ground noise values as the objective function for optimization by simulated annealing. The technique is expected to be sufficiently fast to be used in an interactive CAD (computer-aided design) environment.<<ETX>>


Abstract.
 In the 1980's, aerial surveys in South America established that the main wintering areas of Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) were found on the north coast of the continent, especially in the Guianas (Suriname, French Guiana and Guyana). Although population trend analyses have consistently shown declines in numbers of Semipalmated Sandpipers, especially for birds on migration in eastern North America, until now surveys had not been undertaken to determine whether such declines were reflected in numbers on the main wintering areas. Between December 2008 and January 2011, aerial surveys of major wintering areas in Suriname (3), French Guiana (2) and Guyana (1) were carried out. Results showed dramatic declines, with an overall total of only 21% of the 1980s total—a decrease of 79%. A variety of reasons may have contributed to the declines and include habitat changes, range shifts, sustained hunting, or increases in predation, pollution or severe weather.


ABSTRACT The performance of the seed metering mechanism is evaluated according to the deposition uniformity during its operation and interference in the seed quality. The study aimed to assess the influence of graphite on the deposition homogeneity and the break index of rice seeds, distributed with a constant flow metering device with different exposition rates of the fluted roller. The rice seeds were treated with 4 g of graphite per kilogram and had a sowing density of 100 kg ha-1. The completely randomized design was arranged in a double factorial scheme (2 × 5). The first factor was the use of graphite, and the second was the fluted roller exposition rate (20; 40; 60; 80; and 100%). The sowing density and the coefficient of variation were collected by gravimetry using a load cell. The use of graphite as a solid lubricant decreased the mechanical damage. Nevertheless, it also reduced the homogeneity in seed distribution. The increase of the roller exposition rate negatively interfered with the coefficient of distribution variation and positively with the break index of rice seeds, not influencing the sowing density. In this way, the use of graphite as a solid lubricant for sowing small grains distributed from the fluted rotor becomes promising.


Yellow dwarf disease, one of the most important diseases of cereal crops worldwide, is caused by virus species belonging to the Luteoviridae family. Forty-two virus isolates obtained from oat (Avena sativa L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) collected between 2007 and 2008 from winter cereal crop regions in southern Brazil were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers designed on ORF 3 (coat protein - CP) for the presence of Barley yellow dwarf virus and Cereal yellow dwarf virus (B/CYDV). PCR products of expected size (~357 bp) for subgroup II and (~831 bp) for subgroup I were obtained for three and 39 samples, respectively. These products were cloned and sequenced. The subgroup II 3' partial CP amino acid deduced sequences were identified as BYDV-RMV (92 - 93 % of identity with "Illinois" Z14123 isolate). The complete CP amino acid deduced sequences of subgroup I isolates were confirmed as BYDV-PAV (94 - 99 % of identity) and established a very homogeneous group (identity higher than 99 %). These results support the prevalence of BYDV-PAV in southern Brazil as previously diagnosed by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and suggest that this population is very homogeneous. To our knowledge, this is the first report of BYDV-RMV in Brazil and the first genetic diversity study on B/CYDV in South America.


Phage-related materials existing in cells infected with various mutants of bacteriophage phi chi 174 were investigated. A novel species of replicative-form (RF) DNA was found in cells infected with a phage mutant of gene B, C, D, F, or G. This species, called RFI, sedimented at a position between RFI and RFII in a neutral sucrose gradient. It was converted to RFI upon denaturation in alkali, denaturation in formamide and subsequent renaturation, or RNase treatment at low ionic strength. In cells infected with a phage mutant of gene C, RFI was derived from pulse-labeled RFII after a short chase. TLLS INFECTED WITH A MUTANT OF GENE B, D, or F. A possible function of the C gene product of phi chi 174 could be to prevent the conversion of RFII to RFI, thereby maintaining the availability of RFII to act as the template for single-stranded viral DNA synthesis. A protein complex containing no DNA, which sedimented with an S value of 108 in a sucrose gradient and contained virion proteins F, G, and H, and nonvirion protein D, was found in cells infected with the gene C mutant. A possible function of protein D was considered as a scaffolding protein for assembly of phage structural proteins.


The electrostrictive graft elastomer is a new type of electroactive polymer. Recently developed by NASA, it consists of flexible backbone chains, each with side chains, called grafts. Neighboring backbone grafts physically cross-link and form crystal units. The flexible backbone chain and the crystal graft unit consist of polarized monomers, which contain atoms with electric partial charges, generating dipole moments. When the elastomer is placed into an electric field, external rotating moments are applied to the dipole moment. This stimulates electrostrictive strain in the graft elastomer. In this paper, the deformation of the elastomer under the action of an electric field is explained by means of two dominant mechanisms: crystal graft unit rotation and backbone chain reorientation. A two-dimensional computational model is established to analyze the deformation.


The pharmacologic properties of crystalloid, colloidal, and oxygen-carrying resuscitation fluids are described, and the findings of clinical trials of these solutions are discussed. Fluid administration is a fundamental part of resuscitation therapy. Crystalloid solutions supply water and sodium to maintain the osmotic gradient between the extravascular and intravascular compartments. Examples are lactated Ringer's injection and 0.9% sodium chloride injection. Colloidal solutions, such as those containing albumin, dextrans, or starches, increase the plasma oncotic pressure and effectively move fluid from the interstitial compartment to the plasma compartment. Oxygen-carrying resuscitation fluids, such as whole blood and artificial hemoglobin solutions, not only increase plasma volume but improve tissue oxygenation. Clinically, colloidal solutions are generally superior to crystalloids in their ability to expand plasma volume. However, colloids may impair coagulation, interfere with organ function, and cause anaphylactoid reactions. Crystalloid solutions represent the least expensive option and are less likely to promote bleeding, but they are more likely to cause edema because larger volumes are needed. Favorable experience with inexpensive hypertonic crystalloids with improved plasma volume expansion properties may favor a return to resuscitation with crystalloid solutions. Oxygen-carrying resuscitation fluids are indicated when the patient has lost more than 25% of the total blood volume. Tailoring therapy to the individual patient and close monitoring are essential to safe and effective fluid resuscitation.


Ivan Illich was a heavy critic of traditional schooling. His proposals were disregarded, perhaps too quickly, for various reasons. This paper, based on review research, aims to add to a current (re)reading of Illich, seeking to answer the following question: what is the relevance of Illich's proposal for a successful education in an increasingly digitalised society? The results of this research allow concluding, on the one hand, that Illich's proposal to replace strict schooling with (self)training networks in a society that is increasingly digitalised and linked by the internet may offer potential benefits, and it is worth, at least, of an in-depth analysis. On the other hand, provocative scholars that allow us to get out of any ideologically and socially delimited system have the merit of helping to provide instruments that enable a better understanding of the present and, consequently, a rationale for the options for the future. Ivan Illich is one of these scholars.


This study examined the causes of sexual dysfunction among married women as expressed by nurses in health institutions in Kwara State. A total of 210 Nurses from the General Hospitals in Ilorin, Lafiagi and Offa representing the three senatorial districts in Kwara State participated in the study. The instrument used to collect data was Cause of Sexual Dysfunction among Married Women Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using frequency count, simple percentage and t-test statistics. Three research hypotheses were tested at 0.05 levels of significance. The result of the findings indicated that there was no significant difference in the perception of causes of sexual dysfunction among respondents on the basis of sex, religion and educational qualification. It was recommended that couples who experience any form of sexual discomfort at any stage of their marital relationship should seek professional assistance from medical doctors and marital counselors, since most of the causes identified are either medical or psychological. Key words: Sex, sexual dysfunction, married women, public health institution.


Microorganisms Plant Growth Promoters (MPCV) have the ability to produce compounds which stimulate plant growth by different mechanisms, such as the production of plant hormones and solubilization of minerals. Considering these aspects, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of yeast strains as plant growth promoters by producing indole acetic acid (IAA) and phosphate solubilization, and its inoculation of tomato seedlings. Six yeast strains were evaluated belonging to bank microorganisms Agricultural Microbiology and Molecular Laboratory (LAMAM CCA, UFSCar). For the evaluation of IAA production by isolates the colorimetric method was used, modified DiMenna (1957); for quantification of tricalcium phosphate solubilization was used to colorimetric method of molybdenum blue. The test with tomato seedlings was conducted in a greenhouse with different cell concentrations of T. globosa (5S55) and with or without addition of glucose and tryptophan. The results showed that isolates of T. globosa and Rh. mucilaginosa produced IAA in the presence of tryptophan; the isolates of T. globosa and M. guilliermondii solubilized inorganic phosphate in a liquid medium. The isolate T. globosa (5S55) promoted the growth of tomato seedlings, with significant increases in the length of shoot and root. In conclusion, the isolates of T. globosa, Rh. mucilaginosa and M. guilliermondii have the potential for improving plant production by IAA production and / or phosphate solubilization; the yeast T. globosa (5S55) was shown to promote growth of tomato plants. Key-words: IAA. Torulaspora globosa. Trichosporon asahii. Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Meyerozyma guilliermondii.


Acquiring sufficient nutrients is particularly important for insects that are unable to synthesize certain nutrient types de novo, as is the case for numerous parasitoid species that do not synthesize lipids. The lipid reserves of parasitoids are acquired from a single host during larval development. This imposes constraints on the quantity and quality of available lipids. In the present study, the lipid dynamics throughout the trophic cascade are investigated by measuring lipogenic ability, modifications in fatty acid composition and host exploitation efficiency in species at different trophic positions within the community of parasitoids associated with the gall wasp Diplolepis rosae L. (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). The results obtained show that lipid levels remain stable or decline after feeding in all species, indicating that none of the wasps synthesize lipids. Fatty acid composition is highly similar between the gall wasp, parasitoid and hyperparasitoid species, with the exception of the parasitoid Orthopelma mediator Thunberg (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). The divergence of fatty acid composition in O. mediator suggests that this species is able to modify its fatty acid composition after the consumption of host lipids. The efficiency of exploitation of host resource, in terms of dry body mass acquired, varies among the species (41–70%), although it is high overall compared with the efficiencies reported in other animals. Hence, for parasitoid wasps that lack lipid synthesis capabilities, the efficiency of host exploitation is high and fatty acids are consumed directly from the host without modification, leading to stable fatty acid compositions throughout the trophic cascade.


Globalisation impacts every aspect of modern society and today's law graduates are expected to deal with complex legal problems that require knowledge and training that goes beyond domestic law. This textbook provides an overview of how law is becoming increasingly transnational, facilitating theoretical and practical engagement with transnational legal institutions and phenomena. It advances an analytic framework that will help students to understand what to look for when they encounter transnational legal institutions and practices, and what are the practical and normative implications of their findings. By considering both the theory and practice of transnational law and taking a discursive approach to the material, students are encouraged to arrive at their own conclusions. Adopting interdisciplinary techniques and using case studies from around the world, this book offers a holistic, balanced exploration of a new and emerging discipline.


A theoretical study of the exciton binding energy in the two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride monolayer is presented within the tight-binding approximation (TBA). A self-consistent equation for the interband electron-hole propagators is derived and in the long wavelength limit reduced to the standard hydrogen atom like Schrodinger equation. It is shown that inclusion of dynamically screened Coulomb interaction in ladder term is of crucial importance for proper description of exciton binding energy. This leads to the self-consistent eigenvalue problem with dynamical screening. The dependence of the exciton energy on the orbital quantum number is studied. It is predicted that for the fixed principal quantum number the states with higher orbital momentum have lower energy than the states with lower orbital momentum. Using the developed formulas and the experimental optical gap the quasiparticle gap is estimated. In the limit of high polarizability, a semiclassical procedure was used to obtain the exciton binding energy. The TBA parametrization is supported by ab initio calculations.


Robotic surgery is a relatively novel surgical advancement in minimally invasive surgery for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The pathophysiology of the disease inherently makes these surgeries more complex with high complication rates. This study aimed to the evaluate the efficacy of robotic procedures for such patients and compare the short-term outcomes with laparoscopic surgery in patients with IBD.

 A retrospective review was conducted of all patients who underwent robotic and laparoscopic surgery for IBD between November 2018 and April 2022 at a single institution. Demographics, peri-operative, intra-operative and post-operative data were analysed.

 24 robotic cases were performed in the time period (75% Crohn's) whilst 18 cases were performed laparoscopically (39% Crohn's). Majority of the robotic patients had a Right Hemicolectomy (63%) with stoma formations in 38% of the procedures. 44% of the laparoscopic patients had a Total Colectomy and 39% had a Right Hemicolectomy with 78% of them having stomas. There was no significant difference in the patients age or BMI with a median age of 30 and BMI of 24.1 in the laparoscopic surgeries and a median age of 36 and BMI of 24.8 in the robotic group. The median operative time for the laparoscopic procedures was longer with 250 minutes versus 220 minutes in the robotic patients. The length of hospital stay for the patients was also greater for laparoscopic patients with a median of 9 compared to 6 days for robotic patients. 3 patients necessitated return to the ward within 30 days after laparoscopic surgery (17%) compared to only one robotic case (4%). However, 2 patients had a Clavin Dindo Grade 3 complication after robotic surgery compared to one in the laparoscopic set. In both sets of patients, one patient required surgery within 30 days: the robotic patient requiring laparotomy for adhesion-lysis and the laparoscopic patient for wound closure post wound dehiscence. Zero cases across all the patients necessitated conversion to open surgery and the mortality rate was 0%.

 The results of this single centre study provide further support to studies demonstrating the feasibility and efficacy of robotic surgery in IBD patients. Patients operated robotically had a comparable safety profile with a similar complication rate whilst having whilst having shorter operating times and shorter length of hospital stay. Length of stay in hospital is a surrogate marker for early recovery post-surgery and carries significant benefit in the modern-day demand for hospital bed spaces. Therefore, robotic surgery offers a potentially superior alternative in minimally invasive surgery.


More than 13.6 million Americans under the age of 65 own a health insurance policy that they purchased directly from an insurance company or agent. Buyers tend to come from a "Golden Girls" cohort-- white, widowed or divorced, age 55-64, and working for a small company. High premiums have helped to reduce the number of individual policyholders. Insurers incur high administrative costs, have low loss ratios, and have suffered financial losses. As a result, the market is serving neither buyer nor seller well. One solution would establish competitive bidding at the state level limiting the franchise to sell individual insurance to three-to-five carriers; require bidders to include cost controls; and reduce agent commissions and other marketing costs by having states take an active role in informing the public.


Previous studies of dental devices (toothbrushes, dentures, and protective athletic mouthguards) have demonstrated microbial contamination of these devices and possible transmission of infectious diseases to the users. Since woodwind and brass instruments come into intimate contact with the musician's oral cavity and often are passed from student to student without sanitization, the question arises as to whether these instruments are contaminated and can transmit microbial diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine if woodwind and brass instruments and/or their cases harbor opportunistic, pathogenic, or allergenic microorganisms that can be transmitted to the musician. The internal components of woodwind and brass instruments harbored opportunistic, pathogenic, and/or allergenic microorganisms. The highest concentrations of microorganisms were found consistently at the mouthpiece end, but there was evidence of contamination throughout the instruments and their cases. The close proximity of contaminated mouthpieces to the oral cavity could facilitate local and systemic dissemination of the resident opportunistic, pathogenic, and/or allergenic microorganisms. General dentists should determine whether patients play a brass or woodwind instrument and be aware of the possible impact of this activity on the oral cavity and the entire body.


A simple and rapid high-pressure liquid chromatographic method was developed for the determination of sulfadiazine, sulfamerazine, and sulfamethazine in human serum. After the trichloroacetic acid precipitation of the serum proteins, an aliquot of the supernate is injected into a high-pressure liquid chromatograph equipped with a reversed-phase microparticulate column and a fixed wavelength UV detector. For each of the three components of trisulfapyrimidines, a linear calibration curve was observed in the 1-30-microgram/ml range, with the precision of the assay estimated to be +/- 2% (RSD). Preliminary pharmacokinetic data are also presented.


The Cahn-Hilliard equation was introduced to model the phase separation in two-component alloys. This is one of the mathematical models most used to describe tumor growth through the evolution of healthy, cancerous and dead cells. In this work we present a numerical study of this equation by introducing higher-order derivatives with a nonlinear source term. Our objective is to solve the higher-order anisotropic problem with locally refined meshes in space using the finite element method for the generalized Cahn-Hilliard model. A phenomenological model that can describe the growth of a cancerous tumor will be treated. Numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effects of higher-order terms on anisotropy and studies with space adaptivity strategy are also presented indicating its computational efficiency when compared to fixed meshes, especially in the case of anisotropic problems.


This note examines the investment performance of diamonds and other gems (sapphires, rubies, and emeralds) over the period 1999–2010, using a novel data set of auction transactions. Over our time frame, the annualized real USD returns for white and colored diamonds equaled 6.4% and 2.9%, respectively. Since 2003, the average returns have been 10.0%, 5.5%, and 6.8% for white diamonds, colored diamonds, and other gems, respectively. Both white and colored diamonds outperformed stocks between 1999 and 2010. Nevertheless, gem returns covary positively with stock returns, underlining the importance of wealth-induced demand for luxury consumption in collectibles markets.


The ACR Composite Response Index in diffuse cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis (CRISS) was developed to measure the probability of improvement in response to treatment in patients with early diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc), accounting for new/worsening cardiopulmonary involvement and/or renal crisis, and changes in modified Rodnan skin score, forced vital capacity, health assessment questionnaire disability index, and patient's and physician's global impressions. In patients with SSc-ILD, treatment response may be reflected as slower progression, stabilisation or improvement.Using data from patients with dcSSc and ILD in the placebo group of the SENSCIS trial, we analysed the probability of improvement using the ACR CRISS score at week 52. We also evaluated whether the CRISS numerator could provide information on the spectrum of responses in this patient population.The SENSCIS trial enrolled subjects with SSc-ILD with onset of first non-Raynaud symptom ≤7 years before screening, FVC ≥40% predicted, and fibrotic ILD ≥10% extent on an HRCT scan. Subjects on prednisone ≤10 mg/day (or equivalent) and/or stable therapy with mycophenolate or methotrexate were allowed to participate. Subjects were randomised to receive nintedanib or placebo. Subjects were not randomised by use of mycophenolate. In patients randomised to receive placebo who had dcSSc and/or mRSS >15 at baseline, we analysed the ACR CRISS and its numerator at week 52 in subgroups by use of mycophenolate at baseline. Analyses were exploratory and descriptive.Of 117 analysed subjects in the placebo group who had dcSSc and/or mRSS >15 at baseline, 60 (51.3%) were taking mycophenolate at baseline. Compared with patients not taking mycophenolate at baseline, those taking mycophenolate had a lower mean age (48.4 [SD 11.8] vs 53.1 [13.4] years), lower mean FVC % predicted (68.8 [17.0] vs 73.0 [14.6]), and a greater proportion were female (76.7% vs 71.9%); median time since first onset of non-Raynaud symptom was similar (3.9 vs 4.5 years, respectively) as was mean (SD) mRSS (16.5 [7.7] vs 15.9 [8.0], respectively). One patient (taking mycophenolate at baseline) had limited cutaneous SSc. At week 52, median (Q1, Q3) ACR CRISS score was 0.036 (0.001, 0.601) in subjects taking mycophenolate and 0.002 (0.000, 0.112) in subjects not taking mycophenolate at baseline, and mean (SD) ACR CRISS score was 0.28 (0.37) in subjects taking mycophenolate and 0.16 (0.31) in subjects not taking mycophenolate at baseline (Figure 1). In these groups, respectively, 25.0% and 14.0% of subjects had CRISS score >0.6 (considered improved) at week 52. The CRISS numerator provided a broader distribution of response values, but was not informative in this patient population.In exploratory analyses, among subjects with dcSSc and ILD who received placebo in the SENSCIS trial, the proportion considered improved at week 52 based on ACR CRISS score was numerically greater in patients taking than not taking mycophenolate at baseline. There remains a need for composite scores that provide better interpretation of the magnitude of response in patients with SSc.The SENSCIS trial was funded by Boehringer Ingelheim. Medical writing support was provided by FleishmanHillard Fishburn, London, UK. The authors meet criteria for authorship as recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).Francesco Del Galdo Speakers bureau: Actelion and AstraZeneca, Consultant of: Actelion, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Capella BioScience, ChemomAb and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Grant/research support from: Capella BioScience, Kymab and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Oliver Distler Consultant of: AbbVie, Acceleron Pharma, Amgen, AnaMar, Arxx Therapeutics, Baecon Discovery, Bayer, Blade Therapeutics, Boehringer Ingelheim, ChemomAb, Corbus, CSL Behring, Galapagos NV, GlaxoSmithKline, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Horizon (Curzion) Pharmaceuticals, Inventiva, IQVIA, Italfarmaco, iQone, Kymera Therapeutics, Lilly, Medac, Medscape, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Serodapharm, Target Bioscience, Topadur Pharma and UCB, Grant/research support from: Kymera Therapeutics and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Christopher Denton Speakers bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim, Corbus, Janssen, and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Consultant of: Acceleron Pharma, Arxx Therapeutics, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Corbus, CSL Behring, Galapagos NV, GlaxoSmithKline, Horizon Therapeutics, Janssen, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Roche, Sanofi and UCB, Grant/research support from: Arxx Therapeutics, GlaxoSmithKline and Servier, Yannick Allanore Consultant of: Boehringer Ingelheim, Medsenic, Menarini and Sanofi, Grant/research support from: Alpine Pharmaceuticals, Daniel Wachtlin Employee of: Currently an employee of Boehringer Ingelheim, Margarida Alves Employee of: Currently an employee of Boehringer Ingelheim, Dinesh Khanna Shareholder of: Eicos Sciences, Inc. (less than 5%), Consultant of: Acceleron Pharma, Actelion, AbbVie, Amgen, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, CSL Behring, Corbus, Gilead Sciences, Galapagos NV, Genentech/Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, Horizon Therapeutics, Merck, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Sanofi-Aventis and United Therapeutics, Grant/research support from: Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Horizon Therapeutics, Immune Tolerance Network, National Institutes of Health and Pfizer, Employee of: Chief Medical Officer- CiviBioPharma/Eicos Sciences, Inc.


Routine vaccines are listed on the Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule and the Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and reviewed and updated by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. For these vaccines, we discuss the disease burden, rationale for vaccination, efficacy, adverse reactions, and recommendations. Some new vaccines are discussed here (Tdap and zoster), whereas others (rotavirus and human papillomavirus) are discussed elsewhere in the supplement.


The aim of this study was to contemplate the impact of sand running for developing endurance among athletes. Twenty Male athletes between the cohort of 18 to 23 years (10 Experimental groups and 10 controls Group) were taken for the study. The Six Weeks endurance training program for experimental cluster got which incorporates a lot of sand running on alternate days and controlled cluster was given general coaching of athletics. The Pre check and Post check were conducted through Cooper check for each team to gauge the impact of sand running. This study shows that the sand running has increase the endurance among the Experimental group in conjunction with Physiological capability of the athletes. It's counselled that sand running is sweet for the endurance development of athletes.


This paper presents a review and a computational comparison of various stabilization techniques developed to diminish spurious oscillations in finite element solutions of scalar stationary convection–diffusion equations. All these methods are defined by enriching the popular SUPG discretization by additional stabilization terms. Although some of the methods can substantially enhance the quality of the discrete solutions in comparison to the SUPG method, any of the methods can fail in very simple situations and hence none of the methods can be regarded as reliable. We also present results obtained using the improved Mizukami–Hughes method which is often superior to techniques based on the SUPG method.


Molecular dynamics simulations have been used to model the flexibility of the seven-sugar oligosaccharide of the lectin from Erythrina corallodendron in three separate simulations: one of the isolated oligosaccharide in vacuo, one of the oligosaccharide in solution and one of the oligosaccharide linked to the protein in solution. Adiabatic conformational energy maps were prepared for each of the disaccharide linkages as a means of interpreting the observed dynamics and conformational averages in terms of intramolecular energy. The inclusion of aqueous solvent molecules appears to be necessary to reproduce the experimental conformational behavior, which also cannot be predicted well from conformational energy maps for the disaccharide linkages alone. The crystallographically determined conformation does not appear to be induced by the crystal dimerization, but is rather stable in solution. The build-up of fluctuations along the successive linkages of the oligosaccharide is significant and would be sufficient to prevent branch residues from being located in most crystal structure determinations. Good general agreement between the calculated solution structure and the average structure determined by NMR was found for most of the oligosaccharide linkages.


Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) produced by Treponema pallidum, which mainly affects humans and is able to invade practically any organ in the body. Its infection facilitates the transmission of other STDs. Since the end of the last decade, successive outbreaks of syphilis have been reported in most western European countries. Like other STDs, syphilis is a notifiable disease in the European Union. In Spain, epidemiological information is obtained nationwide via the country's system for recording notifiable diseases (Spanish acronym EDO) and the national microbiological information system (Spanish acronym SIM), which compiles information from a network of 46 sentinel laboratories in twelve Spanish regions. The STDs that are epidemiologically controlled are gonococcal infection, syphilis, and congenital syphilis. The incidence of each of these diseases is recorded weekly. The information compiled indicates an increase in the cases of syphilis and gonococcal infection in Spain in recent years. According to the EDO, in 1999, the number of cases of syphilis per 100,000 inhabitants was recorded to be 1.69, which has risen to 4.38 in 2007. In this article, we review the reappearance and the evolution of this infectious disease in eight European countries, and alert dentists to the importance of a) diagnosing sexually-transmitted diseases and b) notifying the centres that control them.


The vision and mission of Islamic banks were supposed to reflect the adherence of their activities and aspiration to Maqāṣid al-Sharī'ah. However, there are contentions that Islamic banks have been converging towards conventional banking system. Efforts have been expended to reverse the tide and harmonise Islamic banking to its Sharī'ah objectives. Hitherto, the existing conventional yardsticks have failed to measure the impact of the harmonisation exercise on Islamic banks' performance. Therefore, using maqāṣid based yardstick to measure the performance of Islamic banks becomes imperative. This study has made use of al-Imām al-Ghazālī's theory of Maqāṣid al-Sharī'ah and Ibn 'Āshūr's reinterpretation, adopting content analysis and Sekaran (2000) behavioral science methods to develop a Maqāṣid Based Performance Evaluation Model (MPEM) to measure the performance of Islamic banks. Experts' opinions have validated the model and its acceptability. Suggestions are provided to policy makers and future research.


Abstract The backward symplectic DIII-D map and continuous symplectic analog of the map for magnetic field line trajectories in the DIII-D [10] (Luxon, J. L. and Davis, L. E. 1985 Fusion Technol.8, 441) in natural canonical coordinates are used to calculate the magnetic footprint on the outboard collector plate of the DIII-D tokamak from the field errors and internal topological noise. The equilibrium generating function for the DIII-D used in the map very accurately represents the magnetic geometry of the DIII-D. The step-size of the map is kept considerably small so that the magnetic perturbation added from symplectic discretization of the Hamiltonian equations of the magnetic field line trajectories is very small. The natural canonical coordinates allow inverting to the real physical space. The combination of highly accurate equilibrium generating function, natural canonical coordinates, symplecticity, and small step-size then together gives a very accurate calculation of magnetic footprint. Radial variation of magnetic perturbation and the response of plasma to perturbation are not included. The footprint is in the form of toroidally winding helical strips. The area of footprint scales as 1st power of amplitude. The physical parameters as toroidal angle, length, and poloidal angle covered before striking, and the safety factor all have fractal structure. The average field diffusion near X-point for lines that strike and that do not strike differs by about four orders of magnitude. The flux loss decreases for high values of amplitude of perturbation.


The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the effect of perceived quality, price fairness, brand experience, and accessibility towards repurchase intention. The sample in this study is 107 respondents who are the customer of Chatime Purwokerto. The determination of the sample used purposive sampling method. The data was analyze using multiple regression analysis. The result of this study indicates that perceived quality, price fairness, and brand experience affects on repurchase intention partially. While, price fairness have no affect on repurchase intention. The adjusted coefficient of determination R Square is 0,407, which means that perceived quality, price fairness, brand experience, and accessibility are affects on repurchase intention by 44,7%, while remaining 59,3% is affected by other variables that not examined in this study. The most dominant influence variable in this study is brand experience.


Lower atmospheric perturbations often produce measurable effects in the middle and upper atmosphere. The present study demonstrates the response of the middle atmospheric thermal structure to the significant enhancement of the lower atmospheric heating effect caused by dust storms observed over the Thar Desert, India. Our study from multi-satellite observations of two dust storm events that occurred on 3 and 8 May 2007 suggests that dust storm events produce substantial changes in the lower atmospheric temperatures as hot spots which can become sources for gravity waves observed in the middle atmosphere.


Many years of radiation exposure experience in all phases of nuclear energy applications were surveyed to evaluate the impact of reducing the present DOE limit of 5 rem/yr. Conclusions drawn are: (1) Reduction of the occupational exposure limit would result in significant increase in total accumulated exposure to the current radiation worker population and could require an increase in the work force with attending personnel and administrative problems. (2) Important programs/facilities would have to be abandoned. (3) Some engineering technology is not sufficiently developed to design or operate at the 0.5 rem/yr limit. (4) Exposure reduction to 2.5 rem/yr would significantly increase costs and would result in a small increase in total exposure to the work force. (5) Significant initial capital cost plus increased annual costs would result. (6) The major emphasis in controlling occupational exposure should be on continued work toward further reduction of total man-rem. This should involve continued development of ALAP programs along with improvements in dose measurement and recording methods, more sophisticated exposure records, and containment, handling and remote maintenance techniques. (7) Radiation protection practices at DOE facilities have maintained exposures of the bulk of the nuclear work force substantially below current limits for many years.more » (8) The current standards of 5 rem/yr is used only as a limit. For example, 97% of the employees receive less than 0.5 rem/yr.« less


Julia Chuang delivers a rich study of urbanization from the perspective of the individuals whose land and labor are the foundations of urban production in her book Beneath the China Boom: Labor, Citizenship, and the Making of a Rural Land Market. Chuang contextualizes her ethnographic fieldwork in China from 2007 to 2011 with the preceding three decades of post-socialist reforms to analyze how the maintenance of a market for labor is disrupted by the creation of a market for land. Chuang highlights a paradox in China's urbanization boom: the extraordinary growth of China's economy is dependent on suppressed wages. Low wages are subsidized by the institution of collective land, which guarantees that rural residents have a right to a small plot of land they can use to subsistence farm. This security is necessary to weather years when pay from migratory labor is low or completely absent, a common side effect of the debt-driven construction industry many laborers work in. Facing large fiscal deficits after a period of rural economic decline, local governments took advantage of changes in state policy designed for urbanization and began expropriating land from villagers to sell to developers or use to back bank loans. Residents traded their right to land for supposedly better status as urban citizens, but the welfare provided for these new urbanites is often insufficient. One result of land expropriation is a new class of laborers dependent on suppressed wages without the security of land to fall back on. Chuang centers the lives of individuals in two villages in Sichuan Province, providing a bottom-up view of largely state-driven development. This detailed perspective brings into focus how the political and economic characteristics of villages produce different outcomes in migration and land expropriation, the importance and delicate nature of kinship networks, the gendered, spatial division of labor in the maintenance of the low-wage, migratory labor market, and the role of place in economic development. Chuang bridges sociology and geography, as well as rural and urban sociology, while also making a specific contribution to economic sociology by applying a Polanyian view of development that recognizes markets as embedded in society and documents the ''transformation of labor and land from sources of human subsistence into commodities for market exchange'' (p. 27). Beneath the China Boom will be of interest to many, including but hardly limited to scholars of development, labor markets, inequality, and rural-urban dynamics.


Amorphous carbon films deposited by plasma-based processes are of increasing importance for tribologi-cal applications, e. g. as protective coatings on components or in order to reduce their friction. However, most plasma-activated CVD and PVD techniques suffer from their poor deposition rate and low economic efficiency. At Fraunhofer FEP, a hollow cathode-based plasma source has been established as a versatile, reliable, and highly efficient tool for plasma pretreatment, plasma-enhanced PVD processes, and reactive gas activation in large volumes. As a further application field, this plasma source has been evaluated for PECVD of amorphous hydrogenated carbon films (a-C:H). Acetylene has been introduced into the hollow cathode plasma as a precursor gas. The plasma composi-tion has been characterized by an energy-resolved ion mass spectrometer. Intense ionization, dissociation, and polymerization effects have been observed, which strongly increase when the argon gas flow rate through the hollow cathode tube is reduced. Moreover, the ion energy distributions show high energy tails up to 100 eV in dependence of the spatial distribution of ion generation. a-C:H films have been deposited on stainless steel and silicon substrates with growth rates up to 1000 nm/min. Nanoindentation measurement of the a-C:H coatings reveal hardness up to 18.2 GPa. In this paper, film properties and compositions will be discussed and related to the corresponding plasma condi-tions obtained by energy-resolved ion mass spectrometry.


In a warehouse that looks like a cross between a mad inventor's garage and a climbing gym, a pair of mechanical legs hangs from the ceiling on ropes. With the quiet whir of four motors, one in each hip and knee, the legs take a step, then another and another. This is an exoskeleton walking suit, and it is taking the hundreds of thousands of steps that regulators demand to prove that it's no mere toy but a reliable medical device, one that just might change the lives of people who thought they'd never again rise from a wheelchair. The Berkeley, Calif., warehouse is the home of Ekso Bionics (formerly known as Berkeley Bionics), a young company that's about to step out onto the world stage. Early this year the company will begin selling its Ekso suit to rehab clinics in the United States and Europe, to allow patients with spinal cord injuries to train with the device under a doctor's supervision. By the middle of 2012, the company plans to have a model for at-home physical therapy.


Since the proposal of the utilization of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum for biological control of coca plants in Colombia, there is a serious discussion on different Colombian meetings about the advantages and disadvantages of its application. However in these discussions there was not enough knowledge of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum. This paper presents sorne biological and pathological aspects ofthe genus Fusarium and the species Fusarium oxysporum.


This work identifies the relationships between the sizes of the oscillator's core MOSFETs and the phase noise in the 1/f region. Three packaged 1 GHz VCOs with the same LC lank circuit, but different gate lengths were designed and fabricated in a standard digital 0.6 /spl mu/m CMOS technology. The minimum gate length (L/sub min/) of the core MOSFETs does not result in the minimum phase noise. Instead, the minimum phase noise occurs when the gate length is L/sub opo/ and L/sub opt/ = /spl eta//spl middot/L/sub min/ where /spl eta/ is a parameter that depends upon fabrication process and bias current. From measured results, the phase noise can be further decreased by 2 dBc/Hz at 600 kHz offset from 1 GHz center frequency by using the optimal sizes of the core MOSFETs.


The advantage for words in the right visual hemifield (RVF) has been assigned parallel orthographic processing by the left hemisphere and sequential by the right. However, an examination of previous studies of serial position performance suggests that orthographic processing in each hemifield is modulated by retinal eccentricity. To investigate this issue, we presented words at eccentricities of 1, 2, 3, and 4 degrees. Serial position performance was measured using the Reicher-Wheeler task to suppress influences of guesswork and an eye-tracker controlled fixation location. Greater eccentricities produced lower overall levels of performance in each hemifield although RVF advantages for words obtained at each eccentricity (Experiments 1 and 2). However, performance in both hemifields revealed similar U-shaped serial position performance at all eccentricities. Moreover, this performance was not influenced by lexical constraint (high, low; Experiment 2) or status (word, nonword; Experiment 3), although only words (not nonwords) produced an RVF advantage. These findings suggest that although each RVF advantage was produced by left-hemisphere function, the same pattern of orthographic analysis was used by each hemisphere at each eccentricity.


Unique lipids found in Azotobacter vinelandii cysts are derived primarily from beta-hydroxybutyrate used to induce encystment. Tracer studies with beta-[14C]hydroxybutyrate showed that the biosynthesis of these compounds during encystment began at 8 to 12 h after induction and reached maximal levels after 2 days, Seventy percent of these unique lipids were found in the central body of the cysts, and 23% were found in the exine. Pyronic compounds, which are located mostly in the central body, were degraded during germination of the cysts, but little change occurred in the phenolic compounds, which are more uniformly distributed in the cysts.


Volume Three of the now standard translation of the Secret History of the Mongols (Brill 2004, 2006) by Igor de Rachewiltz is the indispensable companion to the first two volumes with its updated commentary, numerous revisions and some challenging new interpretations. The Secret History of the Mongols has been selected by Choice as Outstanding Academic Title (2005).


Radioresistance continues to be a major problem in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study aimed to identify novel proteins associated with NPC radioresistance. We used a mass spectrometry driven-proteomic strategy to identify novel proteins associated with NPC radioresistance, and differential proteins were subsequently processed by bioinformatic analysis. As a result, twelve proteins were identified with aberrant expression in radioresistant (RR) NPC tissues compare to radiosensitive (RS) NPC tissues. Among these proteins, ERp29, Mn-SOD, HSP27 and GST ω1 were found to be significantly up-regulated in RR NPC tissues, and ERp29 was selected for further validation. Immunohistochemistry analysis confirmed that ERp29 was overexpressed in RR NPC tissues compared with RS NPC tissues. To prove the role of ERp29 in the induction of NPC radioresistance, ERp29 was down-regulated in the ERp29 enriched NPC cells CNE-1 and 6-10B by specific shRNA. Radiosensitivity was measured using cell proliferation assay and clonogenic survival assay, and cell apoptosis was measured using flow cytometric analysis. We found that ERp29 knockdown attenuated CNE-1 and 6-10B cell radioresistance and enhanced cell apoptosis. These results suggest that ERp29 associates with radioresistance in NPC, and ERp29 could be a potential biomarker for predicting NPC response to radiotherapy.


Objectives : This study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidative and anticancer activity of the water and ethanol extracts from medicinal herbs. Methods : Three kinds of medicinal herbs( Corni fructus, Astragalus membranaceus and Glycyrrhiza uralensis) were extracted with distilled water and 70% ethanol, and the extracts were tested for their antioxidative and anticancer activities. Results : The highest polyphenol contents of the water and ethanol extracts from medicinal herbs were 342.14 mg and 435.62 mg per 100 g of Cornus officinalis, respectively. The highest electron donating abilities (EDA) of the water and ethanol extracts from Glycyrrhiza uralensis were 88% and 91% at 1,000 ppm, respectively. The water and ethanol extracts from Astragalus membranaceus had the highest nitrite scavenging abilities (NSA) at 1,000 ppm. The highest anticancer activity of the extracts were from Glycyrrhiza uralensis against both of MDA and A549 cells. Conclusion : These results suggest that the medicinal herbs can be used as natural antioxidant to prevent oxidative damage in normal cells probably because of their antioxidant characteristics.


The discovery of Rensselandia cloudi Frost and Langenheim in the Samaria Limestone Member at the base of the Hyrum Formation in north-central Utah has revived the question of the age of the member and has led to a detailed study of ranges of the various elements of the fauna in the member. The study shows that the lower part of the member, through at least 56 ft at Portage Canyon and 45 ft at Logan Canyon, is of Middle Devonian age, whereas undoubted Upper Devonian fossils first appear at 100 ft up in the Portage Canyon section and at 86 ft up in the Logan Canyon section.


Illicit drug use in HIV-infected patients can be linked to impairment of physical and mental health, low health related quality of life, and suboptimal adherence to HIV treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation of self report illicit drug use, urinalysis for cocaine and cannabis metabolites, and severity of dependence among HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in a treatment center in Brazil. Four hundred and thirty-eight outpatients of an HIV referral center were interviewed and assessed for drug use (lifetime, last year and last month). Urinalysis was performed to detect the presence of cocaine and cannabis metabolites in urine samples. Overall agreement between self report and urinalysis was almost 68% for cannabis and higher than 85% for cocaine. Positive urinalysis was significantly associated with more than once a week cannabis (p< .0001) and cocaine (p< .0001) use during the last-month. Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) properly predicted positive cocaine urinalysis results (area under the curve [AUC] = .81, p = .0001). Frequency of cannabis and cocaine use, SDS score degree and positive urinalysis for both drugs were correlated. Our findings suggest that positive self-report is a reliable predictor of positive urine sample both for cannabis and cocaine, but since the agreement was not perfect, there is a role for urine drug screening in the care of patients with HIV-related conditions.


Hyaline ring (pulse granuloma) is a rare benign lesion of the oral cavity soft tissues characterized by round or oval structures with scalloped borders composed by a collagenous matrix variable associated with inflammatory and foreign bogy giant cells. Vegetable fragments are variably identified. Whereas most cases occur in the oral cavity, it has also been described in other sites such as the lung and rectum. It is thought by most to represent a reaction to foreign materials. We report two incidentally discovered cases of colonic hyaline rings associated with perforated diverticulitis. Vegetable residues were seen in both cases.


Oral squamous carcinoma is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, and one of the most common cancers in developing countries. Regional and distant metastases comprise the majority of cases at initial diagnosis and correlate with poor patient outcomes. Oral epithelia is one of many tissue types to exhibit a cadherin switch during tumor progression, in which endogenous cell adhesion proteins, such as E-cadherin, give way to those of mesenchymal origin. The mesenchymal cell adhesion protein N-cadherin is found at the invading front of oral squamous carcinomas and has been strongly correlated with poor patient prognosis. The goal of the present study was to elucidate the mechanism by which N-cadherin may increase extracellular matrix-associated proteolytic activity to facilitate invasiveness in oral tumor development. The overexpression of N-cadherin in two oral squamous carcinoma cell lines increased motility, invasive capacity and synthesis of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in a manner that was independent of E-cadherin downregulation. The use of EN and NE chimeric cadherin molecules with reciprocally substituted cytoplasmic domains revealed that optimal induction of MMP-9 synthesis required the cytoplasmic region, but not the extracellular region, of N-cadherin. Utilizing an N-cadherin mutant with impaired p120 binding ability, we found that such mutation resulted in a 4-fold decrease in motility compared to wild-type N-cadherin, but did not affect either MMP-9 expression or motility-normalized invasion. Overexpression of wild-type N-cadherin produced a 27-fold increase in the transcriptional activity of β-catenin, concomitant with increases in MMP-9 transcription. These results suggest that N-cadherin may promote motility and invasiveness through distinct mechanisms, and that β-catenin may be an integral mediator of N-cadherin-dependent invasive signaling in oral epithelia.


The adhesion molecule P-selectin is present on the cell surface of both activated endothelium and activated platelets. The present study describes the pharmaceutical development, safety evaluation, and preclinical efficacy of a micro-dosed radiotracer. The macromolecular nanoscale assembly consisted of a natural compound made of a sulfated fucose-rich polysaccharides (fucoidan) and a radionuclide (technetium-99m) for the detection of P-selectin expression in cardiovascular diseases. After extraction and fractionation from brown seaweeds, the good manufacturing practice (GMP) production of a low molecular weight (LMW) fucoidan of 7 kDa was achieved and full physicochemical characterization was performed. The regulatory toxicology study in rats of the GMP batch of LMW fucoidan revealed no adverse effects up to 400 μg/kg (×500 higher than the expected human dose) and pseudoallergy was not seen as well. In a myocardial ischemia-reperfusion model in rats, the GMP-grade LMW fucoidan labeled with technetium-99m detected P-selectin upregulation in vivo. The present study supports the potential of using 99mTc-fucoidan as an imaging agent to detect activated endothelium in humans.


Introduction: Although invasive lobular carcinoma is the second most common histotype of breast cancer, the prognostic implications of its clinicopathologic characteristics remain controversial. The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting disease-free survival after mastectomy in patients with invasive lobular carcinoma. Methods: The records of 68 patients with invasive lobular carcinoma treated with modified radical mastectomy between 2006 and 2011 were retrospectively evaluated. The effects of age, menopausal status, pathological tumor size, pathological lymph node status, histological grade, pathological stage, lymphovascular invasion, estrogen receptor status, progesterone receptor status, and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 status on disease-free survival were examined by univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. Results: The median follow-up time was 49 months (range 21 to 83). Five-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were 92% and 85%, respectively. One patient had local recurrence (1.5%) and distant metastasis developed in 9 patients (13.2%). Four patients died during follow-up period (5.9%). In univariate analysis, tumor size, lymph node status, stage, lymphovascular invasion, estrogen receptor status, and progesterone receptor status had significant effect on disease-free survival. Of these, tumor size (hazard ratio (HR)= 6,4; 95% confidence interval (CI)= 1,2-21,2; P=0,001) and nodal status (HR= 4,8; 95% CI= 1,1-15,4; P=0,01) were determined as independent risk factors on disease-free survival in multivariate analysis. Discussion and Conclusion: Disease-free survival in invasive lobular breast cancer patients who have tumor size greater than 4 cm and positive axillary lymph node is worse.


Diluted exhaust from a selection of Air Force ground support vehicles was subjected to gravimetric, carbon, and size distribution analyses in September 1999. The vehicles operated on diesel and JP-8 fuels. In most cases, the engines involved were similar to civilian counterparts. The tests involved "low" and "high" idle settings but no external loads were imposed. Particle size distribution data, obtained over the 10 to 352 nanometer diameter range using an SMPS instrument, showed that the relative number count of accumulation mode particles increased with respect to nucleation mode particles as the engine rpm increased. The SMPS distributions often explained the main variations in the integrated PM 2.5 gravimetric mass data. Particulate mass derived from the SMPS data and from cascade impactor measurements were well correlated (regression slope 1.02). Empirically determined "elemental" carbon (EC) and "organic" carbon (OC) were the main constituents of the PM 2.5 gravimetric mass (regression slope 0.89). EC contributed less, and OC contributed more to the PM 2.5 mass than was found in some recent studies of exhaust from vehicles operated under external loads. The observed particle nucleation modes were attenuated by coagulation with accumulation mode particles, but it does not appear that artifact particle formation was operative in these experiments. The estimated - 1 σ measurement precisions range from about - 4% for the largest impactor mass concentration determinations to - 24% for some of the SMPS mass concentration estimates.


The design and statistical analysis of a magnetic tunnel junction with pinned-layer uniaxial anisotropy, slightly tilted with respect to the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) of the free layer, are presented in the presence of thermally induced magnetic noise. The marginal tilting of the pinned-layer easy axis reduces the critical switching current density by almost 80%, as compared to a regular PMA device for a delay of 2 ns with a switching failure probability lower than 10-9. Substantially lower switching current density in spin-transfer torque MRAM with tilted pinned-layer anisotropy enables the use of a higher resistance-area product with a thicker tunnel barrier that compensates for the tunneling-magnetoresistance rolloff due to the relative misalignment of free- and pinned-layer easy axes.


Managing resources in dynamic vehicular environments is a tough task, which is becoming more challenging with the increased number of access technologies today available in connected cars (e.g., IEEE 802.11, LTE), in the variety of applications provided on the road (e.g., safety, traffic efficiency, and infotainment), in the amount of driving awareness/coordination required (e.g., local, context, and cooperative awareness), and in the level of automation toward zero-accident driving (e.g., platooning and autonomous driving). The open programmability and logically centralized control features of the software–defined networking (SDN) paradigm offer an attractive means to manage communication and networking resources in the vehicular environment and promise improved performance. In this paper, we enumerate the potentials of software-defined vehicular networks, analyze the need to rethink the traditional SDN approach from theoretical and practical standpoints when applied in this application context, and present an emulation approach based on the proposed node car architecture in Mininet-WiFi to showcase the applicability and some expected benefits of SDN in a selected use case scenario.


Theory for the potentiostatic absorbance-transient for a species generated at the rough electrode-electrolyte interface is developed. Absorbance-transients are strongly affected by electrode geometries, particularly the effect of electrode roughness which is the least understood area, is dealt here. A general operator structure between concentration, surface absorbance density, absorbance transients and arbitrary roughness profile of electrode is emphasized. The statistically averaged absorbance-transients are obtained by ensemble averaging over all possible surface roughness configurations. An elegant mathematical formula between the average spectroelectrochemical absorbance-transient and surface structure factor or power-spectrum of roughness is obtained. This formula is used to obtain an explicit equation for the absorbance on an approximately self-affine (or realistic) fractal and non-fractal electrode. Our results are also applicable to chronocoulometric response as it's directly related to chronoabsorptometric response. Limiting behavior in short time is attributed to the electrode roughness factor and surface curvatures. Limiting behavior in long time is like a smooth electrode response but the transition region is attributed to the mean square width of roughness. In the intermediate time, the absorbance has anomalous power law behavior which is attributed to the diffusion length weighted spatial frequency features of roughness and becomes almost time independent for large roughness electrodes. Finally, this theory provides a quantitative description of the role of roughness on potential step transmission chronoabsorptometry and chronocoulometric measurements, therefore opening up the way to explore and understand various anomalies in their response.


A simple and quantitative method for the alkaline hydrolysis of fatty acid derivatives occurring in the lipids of mycobacteria is described. After methylation, the lipidic mixtures were chromatographed on a thin layer of silicagel. The contents in mycolates and secondary alcohols allowed the distinction of 9 groups among the 27 species studied. Such an analysis is generally insufficient to identify a species, but its discriminating power differs from that of other commonly-used methods. Complementary tests chosen according to each particular situation are necessary, including vapour phase chromatography applied to the same lipidic mixture as that used for thin-layer chromatography. Coupling of the two chromatographic methods would allow the recognition of 22 groups among the 27 species of mycobacteria studied.


The survey carried out in May 1991 in the city of Białystok comprised 308 children of age between 8 and 14 years and 116 young adults. In each of the studied subjects the size of the thyroid was measured by ultrasonography and iodine concentration determined in a randomly voided sample of urine. Body weight and height of the subjects have also been measured. In about 50% of the subjects studied (58.4% of children, 38.5% of men and 58.4% of women) the presence of goiter accompanied by a low urinary iodine concentration (median--2.0 micrograms/ml) was found. A significant negative correlation between the thyroid size and urinary iodine concentration, and lack of relation between the former and TSH concentration, have been found. No relation was observed between the presence of goiter and the inadequate physical development in the children studied. Insignificantly elevated TSH levels without accompanying clinical symptoms of hypothyreosis were observed in 8.7% of children, 3.8% of women and 5.1% of men studied. Higher prevalence of goiter found as compared to the results previously obtained in the same area can be related on the one to the use of more precise methods and on the other to real worsening of the situation due to discontinuation of obligatory iodine prophylaxis in the country more than 10 years ago.