Factors affecting the construction productivity are one of the most frequently researched topics in our country. In comparison with rapidly growing economies, we need to increase the productivity level. Our productivity level or output per employee was at 5.8% which is lower than Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. As we know, we need to facing many challenges in order to be a develop nation but the most important is low productivity. The objective of this research is to identify factors that influence the productivity that related to human power, to identify the impact of factor influence to construction productivity and to determine the critical factors that influence the construction productivity related to human power. To achieve this objective, those factors can be identifying through a series of statistical analysis (SPSS) based on collected data of questionnaire survey. From the findings, top ten factor that influenced the productivity were identified such as worker skills, a real construction experience in construction field, change of worker (not loyal to the company), relationship between contractor and worker, communication with foreign worker, worker attitude and morale, labour absenteeism, working overtime, direct supervisor (daily interaction with labourers) and delay in responding to request for information. The most critical factor that influenced the construction productivity related to human power also identified which are worker skills. The result obtain from this research can be used as a guideline in producing the productivity rate which it can help the scheduling of construction production in order to increase our economies.


Medical images are crucial data sources for diseases that can not be diagnosed easily. X-rays, one of the medical images, have high resolution. Processing high-resolution images leads to a few problems such as difficulties in data storage, computational load, and the time required to process high-dimensional data. It is vital to be able to diagnose diseases fast and accurately. In this study, a data set consisting of lung X-rays of patients with and without COVID-19 symptoms was taken into consideration. Disease diagnosis from these images can be summarized in two steps as preprocessing and classification. The preprocessing step covers the feature extraction process and for this the recently developed decomposition-based method, Tridiagonal Matrix Enhanced Multivariance Products Representation (TMEMPR), is proposed as a feature extraction method. The classification of images is the second step where the methods of Random Forests and Support Vector Machines are applied. Also, the X-ray images have been reduced by 99,9% with TMEMPR and with several state-of-the-art feature extraction methods such as Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT), Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT). The results are examined with regard to different feature extraction methods and it is observed that a higher accuracy rate is achieved when the TMEMPR method is used.


A single-phase PWM bridge rectifier controlled by a pulsewidth prediction (PWP) method to operate switching devices to realize a high power factor and to reduce the AC-side current harmonics is proposed. The PWP controller provides instantaneous current control with either a constant frequency carrier or a piecewisely fixed multiple-frequency carrier in one source-voltage cycle. The paper describes the control methods and implementation of analog PWP controllers, and performance characteristics of the rectifier. Unity displacement power factor was obtained and the AC-side current harmonics were reduced. Experimental results show the usefulness of the proposed method and applicability to rectifiers in UPS systems, etc.


Nowadays, due to the effective role of nitrogen fertilizer in growth, yield and crop quality, farmers apply large amount of chemical fertilizers. High application of nitrogen fertilizers has caused soil and water pollution and environmental dangers, higher nitrate accumulation in plant, and different disease risks in human and livestock. In order to investigate the effects of nitrogen and cycocel application effects on soil nitrate pollution and agronomic traits of rice, an experiment was arranged in split plot based on a completely randomized block design with three replicates at Sari region (north of Iran) in 2010. The main factor was nitrogen in four levels and cycocel was considered as a sub factor in three levels. Results showed that maximum and minimum plant height and fourth internodes bending moment were obtained in 0 and 150 kg N ha, respectively. Higher filled spikelet percentage per panicle, grain yield and harvest index were obtained in 100 kg N ha application. Application of N up to 150 kg N ha increased soil nitrate by 44.7 percent. As cycocel application decreased, the plant height and panicle length were reduced, but tiller number per plant, filled spikelet percentage per panicle, and grain yield were increased.


Most techniques used so far for the evaluation of diaphragm kinetics are either invasive (electromyography, fluoroscopy), or indirect (respiratory pressures, impedance plethysmography). The aim of this study was to determine whether assessment with ultrasound or fluoroscopy differed, and which technique appeared more suitable in the investigation of quantitative hemidiaphragmatic displacement. Six patients (3 female, 3 male, aged 29 to 40) without respiratory disease were studied during systematic X-Ray chest examination, spirometry, and abdominal sonography. The amplitude of the right diaphragm motion could be measured in all patients with M-mode sonography as well as with fluoroscopy. The vertical ascending motion of the diaphragm measured by M-mode sonography, reached 60% of its maximum amplitude at 50% of inspiratory capacity. There was a significant correlation between the maximum amplitude of diaphragm motion as measured by M-mode sonography (5.8 +/- 0.4 cm; r = 0.89; p = 0.019) or fluoroscopy (5.6 +/- 0.7 cm; r = 0.84; p = 0.036) and the inspiratory capacity (2.73 +/- 0.39 l). M-mode sonography has technical, quantitative and qualitative advantages over fluoroscopy and should be the method of choice in the investigation of suspected diaphragmatic movement disorder. When coupled with other techniques like spirometry, this technique could represent a useful adjunct to functional respiratory studies.


In the ring formation control problem, the follower is designated to approach a ring defined relative to the leader. This type of formation gives the follower more flexibility as it trails the leader. To achieve such formation, the follower's reference velocity is derived using the potential field method, and then a sliding surface is constructed to enforce the follower to track the reference. Motivated by the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm, this paper proposes modifications on the potential field method to further enhance the follower's performance in the ring formation. Specifically, adding the approximated Hessian into the formulation of the potential field has a damping effect on the controller and improves the follower's performance by reducing oscillations about the sliding surface. The use of the approximated Hessian, which is introduced in this paper in the context of ring formation, extends and is useful for control design of potential field methods in general. The proposed algorithm is discussed and interpreted from the feedback control viewpoint, where stability is guaranteed. A numerical example is also presented to illustrate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm.


The effect of spatial compatibility on dual-task performance for various display–control configurations was studied using a tracking task and a discrete four-choice response task. A total of 36 participants took part in this study, and they were asked to perform the primary tracking task while at the same time to respond to an occasional signal. Different levels of compatibility between the stimuli and responses of the discrete response task were found to lead to different degrees of influence on the tracking task. However, degradation of performance was observed for both tasks, which was probably due to resource competition for the visual and spatial resources required for simultaneous task operation and required for bimanual responses. No right–left prevalence effect for the spatial compatibility task was observed in this study, implying that the use of unimanual two-finger responses may not provide the right conditions for a significant effect in the horizontal right–left dimension. Practitioner Summary: The effect of spatial compatibility in multiple display–control configurations was examined in a dual-task paradigm. The analyses of keen competition for visual and spatial resources in processing the dual tasks under different degrees of stimulus–response compatibility provide useful ergonomics design implications and recommendations for visual interfaces requiring frequent visual scanning.


Substituted naphthylacrylates, 1-3, not showing rotamerism have been synthesized with a view to study photochemical E (trans)-->Z (cis) isomerization. Photostationary state composition of the isomers upon direct excitation, triplet sensitized isomerization, quantum yield of isomerization, and steady state and time-resolved fluorescence behavior have been studied for these naphthylacrylates. The direct excitations of the compounds yield high Z (approximately 80%) isomer composition, whereas the triplet sensitization results in less Z (approximately 20%) isomer composition. This indicates that the singlet pathway is very efficient in converting the E isomer to the Z isomer. The naphthylacrylates 1 and 2 exhibit structured fluorescence at room temperature in hexane and upon changing the solvent to CH3CN; the structure of the fluorescence is lost, indicating that the singlet excited-state develops a polar character in a polar environment. The polar nature of the singlet excited state becomes more clear in the case of 3 from its fluorescence solvatochromism. The naphthylacrylates did not exhibit excitation wavelength-dependent fluorescence at room temperature suggesting that the ground state conformers (rotamers) are not involved. Fluorescence lifetimes measured for these compounds displayed biexponential behavior, which is explained using a two-state model.


Summary: 3-Deoxy-3-fluoro-D-glucose (3FG) was converted to 3FG-6-phosphate by the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system in frozen and thawed Escherichia coli. Up to 0·03 g 3FG was taken up/g bacterial dry wt. Uptake of 3FG was not lethal, though 3FG at 0·1 to 10 mM completely prevented or severely inhibited utilization of lactose, fructose, glycerol, succinate, acetate and pyruvate. It prevented lactose utilization by inhibition of the synthesis and activity of both β-galactosidase and galactoside permease. 3FG-resistant mutants were isolated which were deficient in the Enzyme II of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system specific for glucose and for 3FG. Our findings support the view that the 'glucose effect' may depend upon glucose itself or a glucose derivative, rather than upon catabolic products.


Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a life-threatening neurological emergency that has been observed to occur in some patients following the administration of anti-dopaminergic agents or the rapid withdrawal of dopaminergic medications. In this report, the authors present a case of a 51-year-old male patient with a known history of cocaine abuse, who was given quetiapine during his hospitalization. This precipitated an episode of NMS that eventually concluded uneventfully due to quick diagnosis and management. Prompt recognition of the condition is required to reduce significant morbidity and mortality. Ultimately, maintaining vigilance for the clinical features of NMS is crucial for timely diagnosis and intervention.


An increasing number of recent articles applying powerful tests for non-linear causality have fuelled interest in discovering complex dynamics in macroeconomic and financial data. This paper is an attempt to add to the set of available tools by proposing a test for determining the source of causal relationships when a certain class of complex dynamics, that includes chaotic non-linearities, is present.


What people think about food nanotechnology (nanofood) is under-explored in the United States, especially outside of quantitative surveys. As such, we set out to examine public attitudes toward food nanotechnology in conversational, focus group settings in order to identify policy options for nanofood governance, and in particular, options for labeling. Through analysis of focus groups in six U.S. locations, we found that the vast majority of the participants wanted nanotechnology labels for all types of food products, and most were willing to pay a premium for labeling. Participants cited abilities to choose and avoid potential risk as the main purposes of nanofood labels. However, they recognized that labels alone do not provide much meaning and that information concerning food nanotechnology products needs to be sought and supplied beyond the label to enable informed choices. Additionally, willingness-to-use and risk–benefit perceptions varied according to the position and intended functions of the nanomaterials in food products.


Estimates of climate sensitivity are typically characterized by highly asymmetric probability density functions (pdfs). The reasons are well known, but the situation leaves open an uncomfortably large possibility that climate sensitivity might exceed 4.5°C. In the contexts of (1) global‐mean observations of the Earth's energy budget and (2) a global‐mean feedback analysis, we explore what changes in the pdfs of the observations or feedbacks used to estimate climate sensitivity would be needed to remove the asymmetry, or to substantially reduce it, and demonstrate that such changes would be implausibly large. The nonlinearity of climate feedbacks is calculated from a range of studies and is shown also to have very little impact on the asymmetry. The intrinsic relationship between uncertainties in the observed climate forcing and the climate's radiative response to that forcing (i.e., the feedbacks) is emphasized. We also demonstrate that because the pdf of climate forcing is approximately symmetric, there is a strong expectation that the pdf of climate feedbacks should be symmetric as well.


Abstract Distribution of dissolved (DOC) and soil organic carbon (SOC) with depth may indicate soil and crop‐management effects on subsurface soil C sequestration. The objectives of this study were to investigate impacts of conventional tillage (CT), no tillage (NT), and cropping sequence on the depth distribution of DOC, SOC, and total nitrogen (N) for a silty clay loam soil after 20 years of continuous sorghum cropping. Conventional tillage consisted of disking, chiseling, ridging, and residue incorporation into soil, while residues remained on the soil surface for NT. Soil was sampled from six depth intervals ranging from 0 to 105 cm. Tillage effects on DOC and total N were primarily observed at 0–5 cm, whereas cropping sequence effects were observed to 55 cm. Soil organic carbon (C) was higher under NT than CT at 0–5 cm but higher under CT for subsurface soils. Dissolved organic C, SOC, and total N were 37, 36, and 66%, respectively, greater under NT than CT at 0–5 cm, and 171, 659, and 837% greater at 0–5 than 80–105 cm. The DOC decreased with each depth increment and averaged 18% higher under a sorghum–wheat–soybean rotation than a continuous sorghum monoculture. Both SOC and total N were higher for sorghum–wheat–soybean than continuous sorghum from 0–55 cm. Conventional tillage increased SOC and DOC in subsurface soils for intensive crop rotations, indicating that assessment of C in subsurface soils may be important for determining effects of tillage practices and crop rotations on soil C sequestration.


Abstract Background Lysosphingolipids, the N-deacylated forms of sphingolipids, have been identified as potential biomarkers of several sphingolipidoses, such as Gaucher, Fabry, Krabbe and Niemann-Pick diseases and in GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses. To date, different methods have been developed to measure various lysosphingolipids (LysoSLs) in plasma. Here, we present a novel liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay for a simultaneous quantification of LysoSLs (HexSph, LysoGb3, LysoGM1, LysoGM2, LysoSM and LysoSM509) in dried blood spot (DBS). This LC-MS/MS method was used to compare the levels of LysoSLs in DBS and plasma in both affected patients and healthy controls. Methods Lysosphingolipids were extracted from a 3.2 mm diameter DBS with a mixture of methanol:acetonitrile:water (80:15:5, v/v) containing internal stable isotope standards. Chromatographic separation was performed using a C18 column with a gradient of water and acetonitrile both with 0.1% formic acid in a total run time of 4 min. The compounds were detected in the positive ion mode electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS/MS by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Results The method was validated on DBS to demonstrate specificity, linearity, lowest limit of quantification, accuracy and precision. The reference ranges were determined in pediatric and adult populations. The elevated levels of LysoSLs were identified in Gaucher disease (HexSph), Fabry disease (LysoGb3), prosaposin deficiency (HexSph and LysoGb3) and Niemann-Pick disease types A/B and C (LysoSM and LysoSM509). The correlation in the levels between DBS and plasma was excellent for LysoGb3 and HexSph but poor for LysoSM and LysoSM509. Conclusions Despite the fact that plasma LysoSLs determination remains the gold standard, our LC-MS/MS method allows a rapid and reliable quantification of lysosphingolipids in DBS. The method is a useful tool for the diagnosis of different sphingolipidoses except for Niemann-Pick type C.


A protecting group free asymmetric total synthesis of (−)-venlafaxine is reported. The strategy employs Sharpless epoxidation and regio-selective epoxide ring opening by an in situ generated Gilman reagent as key steps. This paper reports a 53% overall yield in 6 steps for total synthesis of (−)-venlafaxine.


An experimental comparative investigation provided evidence of identical immunomodulating properties of the Swiss cyclosporin A of Sandoz Company (Sandimmune) and the Czechoslovak cyclosporin of Galena Company (Consupren). Both preparations administered by the oral route to mice in low doses stimulated the reaction of the late hypersensitivity and in higher doses they inhibited markedly this reaction. Immunostimulation was also observed when influencing the host's reaction against the graft by low doses of the substance. The systemic reaction of the graft against the host was markedly suppressed by repeated doses. The development of antibody-producing cells in the spleen was markedly inhibited by high as well as small doses of the preparations. Inhibition of the formation of total antibodies is caused by inhibition of IgG formation, while IgM formation is enhanced and persists longer. This phenomenon is due to a block of the shift from IgM to IgG formation. In the allogenic tumour model both preparations caused a dose-dependent temporary immunosuppression.


Self-folding systems, which can transform autonomously from a flat sheet into a 3D machine, provide opportunities for rapidly fabricable robots that are deployable on-demand. Existing self-folding fabrication processes convert fold patterns into laminated structures that respond to external stimuli, most commonly heat. However, demonstrations of these approaches have been generally limited to simple fold patterns with little ambiguity in folding configuration, and the reliability of self-folding drops drastically with the fold pattern complexity. In this paper, we explore methods of biasing a symmetric fold pattern, the origami hyperbolic paraboloid (hypar), to fold into one of two possible configurations. The biasing methods are simulated using a bar-and-hinge inspired self-folding model and verified on physical samples. Based on these results, three techniques to bias the hypar by manipulating the target fold angles are proposed and tested. The results show that biasing a self-folding pattern can increase folding accuracy from 50% (purely random) to 70%, and provide insights for improving the reliability of future self-folding systems with complex fold patterns.


STUDY OBJECTIVES
To study whether positive multiple sleep latency tests (MSLTs, mean sleep latency [MSL] ≤ 8 minutes, ≥ 2 sleep onset REM sleep periods [SOREMPs]) and/or nocturnal SOREMP (REM sleep latency ≤ 15 minutes during nocturnal polysomonography [NPSG]) are stable traits and can reflect incipient narcolepsy.

DESIGN AND SETTING
Cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation of the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study.

PARTICIPANTS
Adults (44% females, 30-81 years) underwent NPSG (n = 4,866 in 1,518 subjects), and clinical MSLT (n = 1,135), with 823 having a repeat NPSG-MSLT at 4-year intervals, totaling 1725 NPSG with MSLT studies. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models, and the stability of positive MSLTs was explored using κ statistics.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS
Prevalence of a nocturnal SOREMP on a NPSG, of ≥ 2 SOREMPs on the MSLT, of MSL ≤ 8 minutes on the MSLT, and of a positive MSLT (MSL ≤ 8 minutes plus ≥ 2 SOREMPs) were 0.35%, 7.0%, 22%, and 3.4%, respectively. Correlates of a positive MSLT were shift work (OR = 7.8, P = 0.0001) and short sleep (OR = 1.51/h, P = 0.04). Test-retest for these parameters was poor, with κ < 0.2 (n.s.) after excluding shift workers and short sleepers. Excluding shift-work, short sleep, and subjects with negative MSLTs, we found one undiagnosed subject with possible cataplexy (≥ 1/month) and a NPSG SOREMPs; one subject previously diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy with 2 NPSG SOREMPs and a positive MSLT, and two subjects with 2 independently positive MSLTs (66% human leukocyte antigen [HLA] positive). The proportions for narcolepsy with and without cataplexy were 0.07% (95% CI: 0.02-0.37%) and 0.20% (95% CI: 0.07-0.58%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
The diagnostic value of multiple sleep latency tests is strongly altered by shift work and to a lesser extent by chronic sleep deprivation. The prevalence of narcolepsy without cataplexy may be 3-fold higher than that of narcolepsy-cataplexy.


To resolve the trade-off between conductivity and stability in anion-exchange membranes (AEMs), we proposed a strategy to modulate the membrane morphology from isolated ionic clusters to interconnected channels by precise adjustment of the amphiphilic architectures. From the perspective of AEM molecular designing, by synchronously increasing the amphiphilic segments, well-connected conductive nano-channels, comprising overlapped larger hydrophilic domains (35–40 nm), were constructed and validated by percolation theory. The whole synthesis process was green, avoiding the toxic chloromethyl methyl ether route. The unique molecular, spatial and micro-structures enabled the membranes to exhibit excellent performance. The connective hydrophilic channels significantly enhanced the conductivity, while the increasing hydrophobicity reduced the water uptake and swelling, improving the dimensional and chemical stability of the membranes. This strategy successfully solves the trade-off issue between conductivity and stability in AEMs.


Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common spine deformity, affecting approximately 3% of children and adolescents. Its aetiology is still unknown. However, relatives of individuals with idiopathic scoliosis have a higher risk of developing scoliosis compared to the general population. The aim of this thesis was to improve our understanding of the hereditary and genetic background of idiopathic scoliosis. Self-reported data on scoliosis in twins (n=64,578) in the population-based Swedish Twin Registry were analysed to estimate the relative importance of genetic effects on the phenotypic variance – that is, the heritability of scoliosis. Using structural equation modeling, we estimated that 38% of the phenotypic variance of scoliosis is due to additive genetic effects and 62% to unique environmental effects. In ScoliGeneS, an ongoing multi-centre study, we included individuals with idiopathic scoliosis and controls. The importance of a family history of scoliosis was investigated in 1,463 individuals with idiopathic scoliosis. Among those treated with a brace or surgery for scoliosis, 53% reported one or more relatives with scoliosis compared to 46% of the untreated, indicating a higher risk of treatment in the presence of a family history of scoliosis (odds ratio 1.32; 95% confidence interval 1.06–1.64). The prevalence of back problems was investigated in 1,069 adults with idiopathic scoliosis and in 158 controls. Back problems were reported in 64% of the individuals with scoliosis compared to 29% of the controls (p<0.001, adjusted for sex, age and smoking). No differences between untreated and treated individuals with idiopathic scoliosis regarding the prevalence of back problems in adulthood were seen. Four common single-nucleotide variants, previously shown to be associated with idiopathic scoliosis, were genotyped in 1,739 individuals with idiopathic scoliosis from the ScoliGeneS cohort and in 1,812 controls. In addition, the protein-coding regions of the genome – the exome – was sequenced in pooled samples (10x10) from 100 surgically treated patients in the ScoliGeneS cohort. We found a strong association of idiopathic scoliosis with a common previously known variant downstream of the LBX1 gene (OR=1.53; p=7.0x10). We identified twenty novel variants by exome sequencing after filtering and an initial genotyping validation. No significant association was found with idiopathic scoliosis in the large cohort of 1,739 cases and 1,812 controls. In summary, inherited factors are of importance in the development and progression of idiopathic scoliosis. A genetic variant downstream of the LBX1 gene is strongly associated with idiopathic scoliosis. We were unable to find genes of similar or stronger effect. ABSTRACT Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common spine deformity, affecting approximately 3% of children and adolescents. Its aetiology is still unknown. However, relatives of individuals with idiopathic scoliosis have a higher risk of developing scoliosis compared to the general population. The aim of this thesis was to improve our understanding of the hereditary and genetic background of idiopathic scoliosis. Self-reported data on scoliosis in twins (n=64,578) in the population-based Swedish Twin Registry were analysed to estimate the relative importance of genetic effects on the phenotypic variance – that is, the heritability of scoliosis. Using structural equation modeling, we estimated that 38% of the phenotypic variance of scoliosis is due to additive genetic effects and 62% to unique environmental effects. In ScoliGeneS, an ongoing multi-centre study, we included individuals with idiopathic scoliosis and controls. The importance of a family history of scoliosis was investigated in 1,463 individuals with idiopathic scoliosis. Among those treated with a brace or surgery for scoliosis, 53% reported one or more relatives with scoliosis compared to 46% of the untreated, indicating a higher risk of treatment in the presence of a family history of scoliosis (odds ratio 1.32; 95% confidence interval 1.06–1.64). The prevalence of back problems was investigated in 1,069 adults with idiopathic scoliosis and in 158 controls. Back problems were reported in 64% of the individuals with scoliosis compared to 29% of the controls (p<0.001, adjusted for sex, age and smoking). No differences between untreated and treated individuals with idiopathic scoliosis regarding the prevalence of back problems in adulthood were seen. Four common single-nucleotide variants, previously shown to be associated with idiopathic scoliosis, were genotyped in 1,739 individuals with idiopathic scoliosis from the ScoliGeneS cohort and in 1,812 controls. In addition, the protein-coding regions of the genome – the exome – was sequenced in pooled samples (10x10) from 100 surgically treated patients in the ScoliGeneS cohort. We found a strong association of idiopathic scoliosis with a common previously known variant downstream of the LBX1 gene (OR=1.53; p=7.0x10). We identified twenty novel variants by exome sequencing after filtering and an initial genotyping validation. No significant association was found with idiopathic scoliosis in the large cohort of 1,739 cases and 1,812 controls. In summary, inherited factors are of importance in the development and progression of idiopathic scoliosis. A genetic variant downstream of the LBX1 gene is strongly associated with idiopathic scoliosis. We were unable to find genes of similar or stronger effect.


Non-digestible carbohydrates (NDC 4 ) have been used as a low-calorie sweetener and prebiotics that stimulate the growth of certain intestinal bacteria that support healthy colon conditions. In this study, we examined the dietary effect of commercially available NDCs on estrogen receptor positive (ER+) human breast cancer. We conducted a feeding study of fructooligosaccharides (FOSs), Fibersol 2 (F2; digestion resistant maltodextrin), Hi-Maize (HM; high amylose cornstarch), and Frutafit (FF; a range of powdered inulins) (5% in diet, w/w) to evaluate their effects on the growth of ER(+) human breast cancer (MCF-7) tumors in the presence of 17β-estradiol (E2) using an athymic xenograft model. F2, HM, and FOSs supplementation significantly reduced E2-stimulated MCF-7 tumor growth by inhibiting cellular proliferation (Ki-67) and increasing apoptosis (M30) in tumors. F2, HM, and FOSs treatments also lowered serum E2 level and reduced uterine weight compared to the control diet. NDCs treatments downregulated relative mRNA expression of the E2-responsive gene markers pS2, bcl2, bcl-xL, and cyclin D1 in MCF-7 tumors. In conclusion, the NDC intake may have a protective effect against ER(+) tumors by inhibiting cellular proliferation and increasing apoptosis.


THE here and now are defined by astronomy and geology. Astronomy takes care of the here: a planet orbiting a yellow star embedded in one of the spiral arms of the Milky Way, a galaxy that is itself part of the Virgo supercluster, one of millions of similarly vast entities dotted through the sky. Geology deals with the now: the 10,000-year-old Holocene epoch, a peculiarly stable and clement part of the Quaternary period, a time distinguished by regular shifts into and out of ice ages. The Quaternary forms part of the 65m-year Cenozoic era, distinguished by the opening of the North Atlantic, the rise of the Himalayas, and the widespread presence of mammals and flowering plants. This era in turn marks the most recent part of the Phanerozoic aeon, the 540m-year chunk of the Earth's history wherein rocks with fossils of complex organisms can be found. The regularity of celestial clockwork and the solid probity of rock give these co-ordinates a reassuring constancy.


The article focuses on interpretation of English-language texts of court opinions. The author briefly considers existing models of text comprehension, while opting for cognitive approach as the basis for analysis of the judicial discourse. The article provides a meta-language developed as analysis methodology of linguistic means of frames' representation. US court opinions were used as material for analysis. The author also suggests that linguistic means of modus functions' representation frequently create additional senses in judicial discourse. The paper concludes that the reference to precedent, in addition to the functions of legal reasoning, performs evaluative function, expressing the meaning of speaker' high degree confidence in what is being reported.


We investigate the notion of orchestrated compliance for client/server interactions in the context of session contracts. Devising the notion of orchestrator in such a context makes it possible to have orchestrators with unbounded buffering capabilities and at the same time to guarantee any message from the client to be eventually delivered by the orchestrator to the server, while preventing the server from sending messages which are kept indefinitely inside the orchestrator. The compliance relation is shown to be decidable by means of 1) a procedure synthesising the orchestrators, if any, making a client compliant with a server, and 2) a procedure for deciding whether an orchestrator behaves in a proper way as mentioned before.


In this paper we focus on dynamic thermal management(DTM) strategies that use dynamic voltage scaling (DVS)for power control. We perform a theoretical analysis targeted atestimating the optimal strategy, and show two facts: (1) whenthere is a gap between the initial and the limit temperatures,it is best to start with a high (though not necessarily maximal)frequency and decrease it exponentially until the limit temperatureis reached; (2) when being close to the limit temperature,the best strategy is to stay there. We use the patterns exhibitedby the optimal strategy in order to analyze some existing DTMtechniques.


The intermetallic compound CeRu4Sn6 has tentatively been classified as Kondo insulator. Its tetragonal crystal structure places it inbetween the archetypal Kondo insulators like YbB12 or Ce3Bi4Pt3, which are cubic, and the orthorhombic "Kondo semimetals" CeNiSn and CeRhSb. It is of great interest to investigate possible anisotropies – or even nodes – of the Kondo insulating gap in CeRu4Sn6. We have succeeded, for the first time, to grow single crystals of this compound. Interestingly, we could not only reveal anisotropy between the tetragonal c direction and the tetragonal a-a plane but even within a quasi-cubic cell which happens to be formed in CeRu4Sn6 because the length of the diagonal of the tetragonal plane differs from c by only 0.2%.


The study aimed to investigate the effects of slightly saline (3000 ppm NaCl), moderately saline water (6000 and 9000 ppm NaCl), and highly saline water (12000 and 15000 ppm NaCl) on growing bovine native heifers during hot summer season of Egypt. Total and daily gain in heifers drank slightly saline water was significantly higher than those in heifers drank River Nile water (RNW). The gain of heifers drank moderately or highly saline water decreased significantly when compared with the gain of heifers drank RNW only. Total water intake (TWI) of heifers in heifers drank slightly or moderately saline water increased significantly, while TWI of heifers drank highly saline water decreased significantly when compared with the WI of heifers drank RNW. Dry matter intake (DMI) increased significantly in heifers drank slightly saline water, while DMI of heifers drank moderately or highly saline water decreased significantly when compared with DMI of heifers drank RNW. Drinking water containing high levels of salts was accompanied by progressively significant increases in urea-N, creatinine, glucose, and cortisol concentrations. Total cholesterol and triglycerides, aldosterone concentrations as well as liver enzymes (alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase) activities increased significantly while thyroid hormones (T4 and T3) and 17β-estradiol levels decreased significantly in heifers drinking saline water containing RNW diluted with 9000, 12000, and 15000 ppm NaCl. It can be concluded that growing heifers tolerate up to 0.6% NaCl and no advice to use highly saline water (9000, 12000, and 15000 ppm NaCl) in drinking growing heifers, especially, in hot summer season of Egypt.


Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006

4190

Co-amplification of chromosomes 11q12-11q14 and 8p12-8p11 occurs frequently together in breast cancer. Preliminary analyses of 60 ductal invasive breast tumors with whole genome array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (array CGH) show that 7% contain both of these amplifications, another 7% contain amplification on chromosome 11q but not on 8p, and 3% contain amplification on 8p but not on 11q. To identify the minimal amplified regions on chromosomes 8p and 11q, array CGH was carried out on a high-resolution array containing a contig of overlapping DNA sequences in these regions. Eight cell lines from breast tumors, three with amplifications on both chromosomes 8p and 11q, three with amplifications on chromosome 11q but not on 8p, and two with amplifications on chromosome 8p but not on 11q, and five ductal invasive breast tumors with amplifications on both chromosomes previously analyzed with the whole genome array were analyzed with the high-resolution array. Real-time PCR was used to determine the expression of RNA of candidate genes in these regions in the cell lines with amplifications in comparison with cell lines without amplification on chromosome 8p and 11q. Affymetrix expression and array CGH data from a further set of 90 breast tumors and 54 cell lines with all forms of aberrations were used to narrow down the candidate genes in these regions. Where antibodies are available, the protein levels of some of these genes in the cell lines correlate with the RNA expression levels. Functional assays are underway to determine which genes are the driving oncogenes and if there are cooperating oncogenes on chromosomes 8p and 11q in breast tumors with these aberrations.


The two variable rational approximant schemes devised in Canterbury are shown, by examples, to be quite satisfactory for obtaining amplitudes from a two variable Neumann-Born series. The (N+1/N) and (N/N) are markedly the best approximants in this context, and attention is drawn to the numerical accuracy in the Neumann-Born series coefficients which is essential in conjunction with Pade-type approximants.


The topological properties of the spatial coherence function are investigated rigorously. The phase singular structures (coherence vortices) of coherence function can be naturally deduced from the topological current, which is an abstract mathematical object studied previously. We find that coherence vortices are characterized by the Hopf index and Brouwer degree in topology. The coherence flux quantization and the linking of the closed coherence vortices are also studied from the topological properties of the spatial coherence function.


Background and importance Nivolumab, a fully human IgG4 anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, is available as a concentrated solution for intravenous (IV) injection and diluted in 0.9% saline. These solutions are reported to be physically and chemically stable for 24 hours at 2–8°C and a maximum of 8 hours at 20–25°C. As the 'real world' use after dilution in IV infusion bags may exceed the manufacturer's recommendations, 'in use' studies assessing their stability is important as the formulation components are diluted and may not be able to protect the protein against degradation or denaturation. Aim and objectives The aim of the study was to assess physicochemical and microbiological in use stability of diluted solutions of nivolumab stored at 2–8°C. Material and methods Four polyolefin bags of nivolumab were compounded under aseptic conditions at a concentration of 2 mg/mL with 0.9% saline solution and stored at 2–8°C over a 7 day period. At selected time points, different methods were used to evaluate stability: pH, osmolality, turbidimetry, dynamic light scattering (DLS), size exclusion chromatography-high performance liquid chromatography (SEC-HPLC) and gel electrophoresis. Microbiological assays were also performed after 30 days. Results Diluted nivolumab solutions remained clear and colourless with no visible particles during the test period. Physicochemical analyses demonstrated that all samples were not affected in terms of formation of subvisible particles or changes in pH or osmolality. Results of SEC-HPLC analyses revealed no change in high molecular weight, soluble aggregate or low molecular weight fragmented product. Moreover, the relative ratio remained constant over time. These results were also confirmed by gel electrophoresis under both no reducing and reducing conditions as no change in band distribution was detected. Finally, no bacterial or fungal contamination was observed in any of the samples tested after 30 day of storage. Conclusion and relevance These analyses demonstrated that nivolumab under the dilution conditions required for IV infusion can be stored for 7 days at 2–8°C with no evidence of physical or chemical alteration. When further data are available on how quality and potency may vary over time under different environmental factors, these results may support the possibility of compounding 'dose banding' batches in order to improve the patient's management, pharmacy workload and reduce costs. References and/or acknowledgements No conflict of interest.


This paper undertakes an analysis of the philosophical orientation that receives the science from the materialistic perspective of the Teoría del Cierre Categorial. An account is give of the way of understanding the theory as ideology, and it is shown that to conceive her as sign allows to perceive that this one materialistic theory of the science establishes two scientific fundamental aims: the "operacionalismo" and the development and / or progress, and it emphasizes a problem: the lack of development of the joint among knowledge and action that allows to attend to the axiology.


Psychiatric Ethics provides an excellent summary of the constellation of issues currently considered to define the field of ethics in psychiatry. The chapters emphasize the use of philosophically oriented methodology to examine 'ethical dilemmas . . . encountered in diverse spheres' (p8) of psychiatry, with discussions of what psychiatrists need to consider and do to maintain integrity andprofessionalism. Included in this context are a broad range of formal processes (e.g. codes, standards, legal mandates) that set out the current ethico-legal framework for psychiatric practice.


We examine the formation and growth of the distressed asset investment industry during the late twentieth century, with specific focus on the strategies of the leading firms. The distressed asset investment industry is dominated by firms based in the United States and is relatively concentrated, due in large part to early movers developing distinctive investment capabilities through participation in landmark transactions, relationship-specific resources, and exploiting scale effects. We argue that the participation of these firms in the bankruptcy and corporate restructuring markets has resulted in private sector workouts becoming more competitive and more efficient over the last thirty years, especially in the United States.


We report a rare case of primary Merkel cell tumor (MCT)-like neuroendocrine carcinoma (i.e., small cell carcinoma) associated with the submandibular gland in a 73-year-old man. Despite the lack of a known skin primary, the tumor exhibited cytomorphologic (predominant single cells with "intermediate filament buttons" in the background), ultrastructural (dense core granules and a globular aggregate of intermediate filaments) and immunohistochemical (paranuclear globular coexpression of cytokeratin and neurofilaments) features identical to that of MCT. The tumor contained an aneuploid peak with DNA index of 1.1 and an S phase of 20.5%. The tumor measured 5.8 cm and was situated between the skin and submandibular gland, with which it was closely associated but separated by connective tissue. The literature on MCT without a known skin primary is reviewed, and the cytomorphologic features that allow the distinction between MCT, lymphoma and oat cell carcinoma are discussed.


This study aimed to determine the differences in realistic optimism between Indian and Japanese university students using the realistic optimism scale. Indian students (n = 361; 193 males and 168 females) and Japanese students (n = 390; 172 males and 218 females) participated in the questionnaire survey. A t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compare the realistic optimism between the two participant groups. The results of the t-test indicated significant differences between Indian and Japanese students regarding realistic optimism, with Indian students scoring higher in the flexibility and future orientation dimensions. No significant difference was observed in the will/courage dimension. The ANOVA results showed a significant difference between India's and Japan's male and female students regarding future orientation and flexibility. However, no significant difference was found in terms of will/courage between Indian and Japanese male students and between Indian and Japanese female students. The results also revealed that Indian students, male and female, scored higher on overall realistic optimism than Japanese male and female students. The findings are discussed in the context of cross-cultural studies. Indian students scored higher in flexibility resulting from a multicultural society that requires them to understand each other and be flexible. Indian students' higher scores in future orientation refer to a strong desire to realize their goals and dreams.


In recent years, many tertiary institutions have been changing their pen-and-paper English placement test practices into computer based ones. In the process of constructing the University of Nicosia (Intercollege) New English Placement Test Online (NEPTON), we discovered how to redesign our test to include the use of technology. The present article reports this experience in three parts. In the first section, we demonstrate how NEPTON, a hybrid of a computer-based test (CBT) and a computer adaptive test (CAT) model was influenced and shaped by theoretical issues such as CBT and CAT characteristics--their advantages and disadvantages--and by practical issues such as the particular context of the institution. This is followed by a detailed description of the test, highlighting its essential and innovative features. Lastly, we discuss and analyze different aspects of the test's first administration to establish how reliable and valid this test is as a placement instrument for first-year University of Nicosia (Intercollege) students.


The main focus of this paper is to introduce an approach to sentiment classification for documents in different languages. The method is based on language-specific resources available for English. First, documents are translated to English using standard translation software. For polarity detection, sentiment-bearing terms are identified by means of SentiWordNet. Polarity scores calculated for words of three word classes are exploited by a machine learning classifier for determining the document polarity. The introduced method is tested and evaluated on movie reviews in six different languages. The results show that polarity can be correctly determined even if language specific resources are unavailable.


The practice-led research outlined here explores ways of bringing attention to the mutual contingency of the self and the social through self-portraiture, culminating in a large multichannel projection and sound installation titled How to Deal with Difference (2018). In this thesis I discuss some of the formative influences on this work from various threads of social theory and contemporary installation practice. What we recognise as ourselves is deeply embedded in the social institutions we exist within. Drawing on Cornelius Castoriadis and others, I will use the term 'imaginary' as an articulation of the social constructions that both form and are formed by the individual. I also refer to the artworks created through this research as 'imaginaries', and through their installation have attempted to unsettle the solidity of various perceptions of the self, and the social. My studio practice is situated through analysis of related works by prominent contemporary artists, noting some of the similarities and differences to the approach I have taken. Works by William Kentridge, Camille Henrot, Pipliotti Rist and Lisa Reihana are discussed in some detail, my purpose here being both to acknowledge their influence and to articulate something of what is distinctive in the work I have created. Partly inspired by Judith Butler's account of performative identity and self-poesis, I filmed myself performing many varying and contradictory 'selves', in an exploration of my own relationality and self-formation. In imagining, performing and arranging these characters, I drew from social imaginaries I am implicitly involved in. By digitally compiling the footage, I composited myself into plural existence to disrupt the sense of singular coherence, although it is obvious that all characters are performed by me. I have positioned the performances as 'rehearsals' – they are not polished or complete, but iterative and partial. By trying on characters I do not think of as me, I seek to explore, through rehearsal, the social within myself. The result is an agonistic portrait of my own socially situated self, which is intended to allow multiple modes of engagement and space for self-reflection.


We reexamine the results presented in [1] in which the properties of the noise residuals in the 40 ms chirp domain of GW150914 were investigated. This paper confirmed the presence of strong (i.e., about 0.80) correlations between residual noise in the Hanford and Livingston detectors in the chirp domain as previously seen by [2] when using a numerical relativity template given in [3]. It was also shown in [4] that a so-called maximum likelihood template can reduce these statistically significant cross-correlations. Here, we demonstrate that the reduction of correlation and statistical significance is due to (i) the use of a peculiar template with extreme spin (0.977), which is qualitatively different from the properties of GW150914 originally published by LIGO, (ii) a suspicious MCMC chain, (iii) uncertainties in the matching of the maximum likelihood (ML) template to the data in the Fourier domain, and (iv) a biased estimation of the significance that gives counterintuitive results. We show that rematching the maximum likelihood template to the data in the 0.2 s domain containing the GW150914 signal restores these correlations at the level of 60% of those found previously [5]. With necessary corrections, the probability given in [6] for the residual correlation will decrease by more than one order of magnitude. Since the ML template is itself problematic, results associated with it are illustrative rather than final.


– A novel circuit topology for the CMOS based Incrementer/Decrementer circuit is presented in this paper. The design methodology is extensively based on Domino logic and it utilizes a simple two level look-ahead structure. The highly parallel, regular structure of the proposed 8-bit decision module (DM) macro cell makes this design, especially advantageous for constructing higher order versions, facilitating an easier layout and test mechanism. For a 32-bit Incrementer/Decrementer circuit, based upon the proposed design, the savings in power delay product (PDP) are of the order of 65 % and 38 %, with a significant reduction in the number of transistors, in comparison with the best decision module designs reported in [1] and [2], based on a similar MOSIS 0.6 μm CMOS technology. Key-Words: Decision Module (DM), Incrementer/Decrementer, Proposed Priority Resolver (PPR), High Speed (HS) High Speed Low Power (HSLP), Power Delay Product (PDP)


: Regulators and researchers provide evidence that auditors' judgment quality is problematic in complex audit tasks. We introduce a framework for improving auditor judgment in these tasks. The framework builds on dual-process theory to recognize that high-quality judgment in complex tasks requires that auditors (i) possess the knowledge needed for the task, (ii) recognize the need for analytical (versus heuristic) processing, and (iii) have sufficient cognitive capacity to complete the analytical processing. Based on the framework, we predict that auditors' need for cognition (NFC), a characteristic theoretically linked to recognizing the need for analytical processing, is associated with higher quality complex judgments. Analysis of 11 studies supports this assertion. We demonstrate the usefulness of the framework by predicting and finding that priming auditors with an accuracy goal improves judgments, particularly for lower NFC auditors who are less likely to spontaneously engage in analytical processing. The framework facilitates systematic development of interventions to improve auditor judgment by highlighting that solutions should address the specific conditions causing judgment problems.


Recently, a new type of electrokinetic concentration devices has been developed in a microfluidic chip format, which allows efficient trapping and concentration of biomolecules by utilizing ion concentration polarization near nanofluidic structures. These devices have drawn much attention not only due to their potential application in biomolecule sensing, but also due to the rich scientific content related to ion concentration polarization, the underlying physical phenomenon for the operation of these electrokinetic concentration devices. This tutorial review provides an introduction to the scientific and engineering advances achieved, in-depth discussion about several interesting applications of these unique concentration devices, and their current limitations and challenges.


Clay model studies are a popular tool to identify predator–prey interactions that are challenging to observe directly in the field. But despite its wide use, the method's applicability is limited by its low taxonomic resolution. Attack marks on clay models are usually identified visually, which only allows classification into higher taxonomic levels of predators. Thus, the method is often biased, lacks proof and, above all, standardization. Here, we tested whether precise identification of attackers can be provided by amplification and sequencing of mitochondrial DNA left in bite marks on clay models. We validated our approach in a controlled laboratory study as well as in a field experiment using clay models of a common European amphibian, the European fire salamander Salamandra salamandra. DNA‐based taxonomic assignments were additionally compared to visual assessments of bite marks. We show that trace DNA of attackers can be routinely isolated and sequenced from bite marks, providing accurate species‐level classification. In contrast, visual identification alone yielded a high number of unassigned predator taxa. We also highlight the sensitivity of the method and show likely sources of contamination as well as probable cases of secondary and indirect predation. Our standardized approach for species‐level attacker identification opens up new possibilities far beyond the standard use of clay models to date, including food web studies at unprecedented detail, invasive species monitoring as well as biodiversity inventories.


ABSTRACT Testing of the DNA of TT virus (TTV) was done with serum samples obtained from 191 persons working in a public hospital of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. TTV DNA was detected by PCR in the sera of 125 (65.4%) individuals. PCR products were cloned, and sequences with a length of 159 bases surrounding the TATA signal region were determined for 100 clones derived from 31 individuals. One clone from each of 23 subjects was sequenced, while 7 to 19 clones from eight individuals were sequenced. None of the sera contained a viral sequence identical to that of any other individual. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the existence of a divergent TTV genotype possessing a single-base deletion at position 140. Among the eight persons for whom various sequences were analyzed, six were coinfected with between two and seven TTV strains belonging to different genotypes. The results suggest that coinfection with multiple TTV strains belonging to different genotypes is a common event in healthy Brazilian adults.


Person-centered care approaches continue to evolve in long-term care (LTC). At the same time, these settings have faced increased challenges due to a more diverse and complex population, including persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and serious mental illness (SMI). This study examined the mental, social, and physical wellbeing of residents with different diagnoses, within a person-centered care model. It was hypothesized that individual wellbeing would be comparable among all residents, regardless of primary diagnosis. The study cohort was drawn from all admissions to long-term care facilities in the USA from 2011 to 2013. Data are based on admission, 3 and 6 month follow-up Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 assessments. The groups examined included: schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders, IDD, dementia, and all others (i.e., none of the above diagnoses). The wellbeing outcomes were depression (mental), pain (physical), and behaviors (social). All residents experienced improvements in pain and depression, though the group without the examined diagnoses experienced the greatest gains. Behaviors were most prevalent among those with psychotic disorders; though marked improvements were noted over time. Improvement also was noted among persons with dementia. Behavior worsened over time for the three other groups. In particular, those with IDD experienced the highest level of worsening at 3-month follow-up, and continued to worsen. The results suggest person-centered care in US nursing homes provides the necessary foundation to promote mental and physical wellbeing in persons with complex needs, but less so for social wellbeing.


Introduction: In 2018, the colon cancer was the 5th type of neoplasia regarding the cancer mortality and the rectal cancer was the 10th. The survival of patients with colorectal cancer operated in emergency still remains unsatisfactory, the death being due to local recurrences and to metastases. The aim of this study is to evaluate some correlations of overall survival with clinic and paraclinic features, tumor or treatment characteristics in order to identify prognostic factors, for cases with colorectal tumors that underwent emergency surgery. Material and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis on 431 patients with colorectal cancer operated in emergency between 2008-2017, excluding 40 patients with postoperative deaths, with a follow-up period of at least one year. There were correlations of some clinic and paraclinic features, tumor or treatment characteristics with the overall survival. Results: In the univariate statistical survival analysis, a statistically significant association was obtained with: the age 61 years (p_value = 0.000049), abdominal surgical history (p_value = 0.031725), heart disease (p_value = 0.000007), atrial fibrillation (p_value = 0.007496), preoperative diagnosis (p_value = 0.034352), cachexia (p_value = 0.000000), oliguria (p_value = 0.000000), anemia (p_value = 0.000006) hydro-electrolytic disorders (p_value = 0.000001), tumor localization (p_value = 0.000030), invasion into other organs (p_value = 0.000000), appearance of "frozen pelvis" (p_value = 0.000000), peritoneal carcinomatosis (p_value = 0.000000), liver metastases (p_value = 0.000000), type of surgery (p_value = 0.000000), lymph node dissection (p_value = 0.000001), liver biopsy (p_value = 0.043483), stoma reversal (p_value = 0.000000 ), serial interventions (p_value = 0.000000), pTNM (p_value = 0.000000), tumor grading (p_value = 0.007069). The Cox multivariate regression analysis revealed that: the age 61 years - HR = 1,026, 95% CI (1,012, 1,039) (p value = 0.000139), cachexia - HR = 1,358, 95% CI (1,046, 1,764) (p value = 0.021617), peritoneal carcinomatosis - HR = 2.346, 95% CI (1.163, 4.732) (p_value = 0.017253), disease stage - HR = 36.745, 95% CI (14.778, 91.366) (p_ value = 0.000000), intervention type - HR = 0.187, 95% CI (0.045, 0.779) (p_ value = 0.021281) and serial interventions - HR = 0.282, 95% CI (0.144.0.551) (p_ value = 000213) are independent prognostic factors. Conclusions: The prognostic factors for patients with colorectal cancers operated in emergency are: the age 61, the presence of abdominal surgical history and associated cardiac conditions, especially atrial fibrillation, diagnosis of diastatic perforation imminence, cachexia, oliguria, hydro-electrolytic disorders at admission, rectal tumors, tumor invasion in other organs, the appearance of "frozen pelvis", the presence of liver metastases or peritoneal carcinomatosis, undifferentiated tumors, stage IV, practicing an internal derivation or not performing lymph node dissection. The age over 61, cachexia, as well as peritoneal carcinomatosis, stage III or IV are independent risk factors the Hartmann procedure and the serial interventions are independent protective factors.


In this paper, we present a novel approach to segment dense, homogeneous objects in a tomographic reconstruction (or tomogram). A popular method to extract such objects from a tomogram is global thresholding, in which the threshold value is determined from the image histogram. However, accurate threshold selection is not straightforward, since, due to noise or artefacts in the reconstruction, the histogram does not always contain a clear, separate peak for the dense object. We propose a new threshold estimation approach, segmentation inconsistency minimization, that exploits the available projection data to determine the optimal global threshold. The proposed algorithm was tested on simulation data and on experimental μCT data. The results show that this method results in more accurate segmentations, compared to alternative threshold selection methods.


This essay criticizes the subjective understanding of "best interests" adopted by the United Kingdom's Mental Capacity Act 2005 and by the 2018 guidance of the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Physicians on the provision of clinically assisted nutrition and hydration to incapacitous adults. The key criticism is that such an understanding wrongly values people's preferences above their lives.


Abstract Background Brain amyloidosis is a well-known pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and can be early identified by measuring plasma amyloid-β (Aβ) status. Growing evidence implicates the biological mechanisms of aging, including chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegeneration, in AD pathogenesis. This study aims to investigate the interactions between plasma Aβ status and aging markers on clinically meaningful cognitive decline. Methods This secondary analysis from Multidomain Alzheimer Preventive Trial (MAPT) enrolled 401 community-dwelling older adults (mean age ± SD: 76.7 ± 4.6 years) who had clinical dementia rating (CDR) scale as 0 or 0.5, and who had their plasma biomarkers measured: amyloidosis: Aβ42/40 ratio; inflammatory: tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1 (TNFR-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), C-reactive protein (CRP); mitochondrial dysfunction: growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15); neurodegeneration: neurofilament light chain (NfL). Cognitive decline was determined by diagnosed dementia and worsening CDR status. Cox regression and moderation modeling were applied to examine the interrelationships between biomarkers and risk of cognitive decline. Results Among 401 participants, 43.9% were cognitive normal (CDR=0) and 56.1% were mild cognitive impairment (CDR=0.5) initially. After 3.3 ± 1.1 years of follow-up, 7.0% of population evolved dementia and 34.2% had worsening CDR status. GDF-15 and NfL presented prospective associations with incident dementia. However, risk of dementia associated with plasma Aβ did not change after considering the serum level of GDF-15 and NfL. Conclusion The markers of mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegeneration did not partially explain the associations between plasma Aβ status and cognitive decline in older adults.


We studied the molecule LiRb in the gas phase with high resolution by Fourier-transform spectroscopy of laser induced fluorescence. The spectra were assigned to transitions between the ground state X(1)Σ(+) and B(1)Π or D(1)Π states and showed perturbations. For levels with e symmetry the coupling to the nearby state C(1)Σ(+) was included in the analysis by means of coupled channel calculations. The evaluation gives potential energy curves for all three electronic states and the coupling functions for B-C coupling, which are related to the expectation value of the electronic orbital angular momentum operator L(+) or L(-). The same coupling between C and D states is considered, but is not yet as fixed as in the case B-C because of lack of data. The model was extended to include the Λ-doubling by distant electronic states through effective q-parameters, but their interpretation is incomplete because of several possible perturbing states and too few data.


OBJECTIVE
Myositis-specific autoantibodies have defined distinct phenotypes of patients with juvenile myositis (JIIM). We assessed the frequency and clinical significance of anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) autoantibody-associated JIIM in a North American registry.

METHODS
Retrospective examination of the characteristics of 35 JIIM patients with anti-MDA5 autoantibodies was performed, and differences from other myositis-specific autoantibody groups were evaluated.

RESULTS
Anti-MDA5 autoantibodies were present in 35/453 (7.7%) of JIIM patients and associated with older age at diagnosis, and lower serum creatine kinase and aldolase levels. Patients with anti-MDA5 autoantibodies had more frequent weight loss, adenopathy, arthritis, interstitial lung disease (ILD), and less frequent falling compared with anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1 (TIF1), anti-nuclear matrix protein 2 (NXP2) and myositis-specific autoantibody/myositis-associated autoantibody-negative patients. They had a different season of diagnosis and less frequent mechanic's hands and ILD compared with those with anti-synthetase autoantibodies. Anti-MDA5 patients received fewer medications compared with anti-TIF1, and corticosteroid treatment was shorter compared with anti-TIF1 and anti-nuclear matrix protein 2 autoantibody groups. The frequency of remission was higher in anti-MDA5 than anti-synthetase autoantibody-positive JIIM. In multivariable analyses, weight loss, arthritis and arthralgia were most strongly associated with anti-MDA5 autoantibody-positive JIIM.

CONCLUSION
Anti-MDA5 JIIM is a distinct subset, with frequent arthritis, weight loss, adenopathy and less severe myositis, and is also associated with ILD. Anti-MDA5 is distinguished from anti-synthetase autoantibody-positive JIIM by less frequent ILD, lower creatine kinase levels and differing seasons of diagnosis. Anti-MDA5 has comparable outcomes, but with the ability to discontinue steroids more rapidly and less frequent flares compared with anti-TIF1 autoantibodies, and more frequent remission compared with anti-synthetase JIIM patients.


Objective: To compare the efficacy of four liter Polyethylin glycol alone with two liter polyethylin glycol plus bisacodyl  in preparation of  large bowel before colonoscopy. Study Design: Randomized Control Trial. Setting: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and GI Endoscopy, SZABMU, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad. Period: 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021. Material & Methods: One hundred seventy patients, both males and females, who had indications for colonoscopy were included. After informed consent two equal groups of 85 were made. In group A, bisacodyl was added with two liters polyethylin glycol while in group B four liter Polyethylin glycol alone was used to prepare the gut before colonoscopy. Results: Out of 170 patients, the calculated Ottawa score was almost same in both groups. Extraordinary cleaning was found more regularly within the combination group (p < 0.05). No intense adverse effects were found among the 2 regimens besides nausea, abdominal pain, and anal irritation which were seen a bit more in group B. The tolerability was better with bisacodyl and 2-L PEG preparation (P<0.05). Conclusion: 2 L PEG+ bisacodyl preparation is a good alternative to 4-L PEG preparation for bowel cleansing, with distinct advantages in terms of tolerability, acceptability and compliance.


Spontaneous regression of meningioma is rarely observed. We report a one person of an incidentally diagnosed meningioma with a spontaneous regression. The 73-year-old female patient without symptoms showed the right sphenoid meningioma with peritumoral edema. The meningioma was incidentally diagnosed and followed up by MRI for 10 years. The tumor shrank with a decrease of edema on T2 MRI. The initial volume of 58.59 cm3, regressed to 37.16 cm3.


Fighting SARS-CoV-2 requires a clear framework for understanding epidemic spread Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly across the globe, causing epidemics that range from quickly controlled local outbreaks (such as New Zealand) to large ongoing epidemics infecting millions (such as the United States). A tremendous volume of scientific literature has followed, as has vigorous debate about poorly understood facets of the disease, including the relative importance of various routes of transmission, the roles of asymptomatic and presymptomatic infections, and the susceptibility and transmissibility of specific age groups. This discussion may create the impression that our understanding of transmission is frequently overturned. Although our knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is constantly deepening in important ways, the fundamental engines that drive the pandemic are well established and provide a framework for interpreting this new information.


Purpose: Systematically review the scientific literature on Middle Latency Response (MLR) in Brazilian children and adolescents. Research strategy: We searched articles published since 2009 in Portuguese, English or Spanish at MEDLINE, SciELO, BIREME and LILACS electronic basis. Selected articles involved the use of MLR in children and / or Brazilian adolescents. After screening process, articles were analyzed according to "Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology" (STROBE) initiative. Selection criteria: Repeated articles (due to database repetition) and case reports were excluded. Results: From 1315 identified articles, eight were selected for the review. It was predominantly observed: cross-sectional studies (75%); click stimulation (100%), with rate up to 11/s (100%) and 70 dBHL intensity (88%); filtering high-pass 10 Hz (50%) and low-pass 200 Hz (75%); electrode array with actives placed at C3/ C4, references at A1/A2 and neutral at Fpz (88%); Na-Pa amplitude as main measure of comparison and normality; and the use of ANOVA test (63%) for statistical analyses. The average latency of Pa wave and Na-Pa amplitude in normal-hearing children and adolescents of the studies was 32 milliseconds and 1.57 microvolts respectively. Conclusion: There is no consensus on MLR collection parameters in Brazilian children and adolescents. Still, the Pa latency average and Na-Pa amplitude found in Brazilian normal-hearing children and adolescents evaluated on the eight articles of this review agreed with normative parameters established internationally.


Forty-nine pigs from 6 litters were inoculated at 3 days of age with 300,000 sporulated oocysts of Isospora suis to determine the effects of neonatal coccidiosis on morbidity, mortality, and weight gain in nursing pigs. Fifty-one control pigs from 6 litters were not inoculated. Three to 5 days after inoculation, the inoculated pigs developed a nonhemorrhagic diarrhea, generally lasting 6 to 10 days, that lead to visible dehydration, loss of condition, and 20.4% mortality. Control pigs did not die or develop coccidiosis during the 3-week study and had significantly (P less than 0.05) greater body weights at 7, 14, and 21 days of age than did the inoculated pigs.


Purpose: To determine the sensitivity of changes to IMRT delivery parameters for mass-based optimization schemes: Dose-Mass- (DM) and Energy-based (Energy), compared to Dose-Volume-based (DV) optimization. Methods: Twelve Head-and-Neck (HN) and twelve lung cases were retrospectively optimized using DM and Energy optimization. In both optimization approaches nine equidistant, split beams were used for step-and-shoot deliverable IMRT. Changes to two parameters were investigated: the number of IMRT segments (5 and 10 per beam) and the minimum allowed segment area (2 and 6 cm²). Plans were normalized such that 95% of the PTV received the same dose. Dose Indices (DIs) were used for evaluation. For the lung cases, DIs included: 1%_cord, 33%_heart, 20% and 30%_both-lungs, and 50%_ esophagus. In the HN cases: 1%_cord, 1%_brainstem, left/right parotids_50%, 50%_larynx, and 50%_esophagus. Results: The lung cases demonstrated that the Energy plans were more sensitive to segment area; changing the segment area resulted in a statistically significant dose increase for 1%_cord, 30%_both-lungs and 50%_esophagus. Changes to the number of segments yielded on average statistically significant differences in dose to 1%_cord in Energy plans, 50%_esophagus in DM plans, and 20%_both-lungs in DV plans. When the segment area was changed, the HN cases yielded statistically significant differences in doses to 1%_cord, 1%_ brainstem, 50%_left and right parotids, and 50%_larynx for the Energy plans and 50%_larynx for DM plans. Moreover, changing the number of segments resulted in significant dose decrease for 50%_parotids and 50%_esophagus for the Energy plans and 50%_larynx for DV plans. Conclusions: This study showed that both lung and HN Energy plans exhibit larger sensitivity than DV and DM plans to changing IMRT delivery parameters, especially when increasing the minimum segment area rather than with varying the number of segments.


The present work aimed to assess the effect of the initial moisture content of grains (at harvest), velocity of the harvester cylinder and air temperature on the diffusion coefficient, as well as to achieve the activation energy of the drying process of two popcorn cultivars. Grains of popcorn from the cultivars Zelia and CMS 43 were mechanically and manually harvested and thrashed. The rotations of the threshing cylinder were fixed at 500, 600 and 700 rpm, with initial moisture contents of 0.235 and 0.175 db. They were dried with drying air temperatures of 40, 50 and 60oC, until reaching the final moisture content of 0.137 db. The diffusion coefficient increased with increased air temperature, presenting average values from 6.345 × 10-11 to 3.075 × 10-13 m2s-1 for the temperature range studied, depending on the initial moisture content, cultivar and level of mechanical damage. The cultivar CMS 43 (C2) is more resistant to the mechanical damage caused by the threshing cylinder, and the structural changes caused by it increased the diffusion coefficient. The relation between diffusion coefficient and temperature can be described by the Arrhenius expression, which presents activation energy for liquid diffusion in the grains of popcorn from 1.50 to 45.92 kJ mol-1.

 Key words: Mechanical damage, initial moisture content, diffusion coefficient.


The recent Zika viral (ZIKV) epidemic has been associated with severe neurological pathologies such as neonatal microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome but unfortunately no vaccine or medication is effectively available yet. Zika NS2B-NS3pro is essential for the proteolysis of the viral polyprotein and thereby viral replication. Thus NS2B-NS3pro represents an attractive target for anti-Zika drug discovery/design. Here, we have characterized the solution conformations and catalytic parameters of both linked and unlinked Zika NS2B-NS3pro complexes and found that the unlinked complex manifested well-dispersed NMR spectra. Subsequently with selective isotope-labeling using NMR spectroscopy, we demonstrated that C-terminal residues (R73-K100) of NS2B is highly disordered without any stable tertiary and secondary structures in the Zika NS2B-NS3pro complex in the free state. Upon binding to the well-characterized serine protease inhibitor, bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI), only the extreme C-terminal residues (L86-K100) remain disordered. Additionally, we have identified five flavonoids and one natural phenol rich in edible plants including fruits and vegetables, which inhibit Zika NS2B-NS3pro in a non-competitive mode, with Ki ranging from 770 nM for Myricetin to 34.02 μM for Apigenin. Molecular docking showed that they all bind to a pocket on the back of the active site and their structure-activity relationship was elucidated. Our study provides valuable insights into the solution conformation of Zika NS2B-NS3pro and further deciphers its susceptibility towards allosteric inhibition by natural products. As these natural product inhibitors fundamentally differ from the currently-known active site inhibitors in terms of both inhibitory mode and chemical scaffold, our finding might open a new avenue for development of better allosteric inhibitors to fight ZIKV infection.


This book sets out to present the Inquisition of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries in its context, resulting in a revision of earlier alleged exaggerations and "horror stories." The intentions of the church were more humane than others have acknowledged, that is, "only one out of every one hundred heretics . . . was abandoned to the secular power" (p. 137). It is written as a popular introduction with minimal documentation and with definition of terms, such as canonical, sacerdotal, excommunication, and so forth. There is a concise summary of the tenets of the Albigensians, Waldensians, and the church. Its most intriguing thesis is that the office of prosecuting attorney derived from the Inquisition. Henceforth, crime was no longer viewed as a personal offense between two private individuals but rather as a public felony inimical to the peace and tranquility of the commonweal; evidence should be weighed and judged in court, a trained judge should pass on the principles of law as presented by a public prosecutor in the name of the community; appeals are permitted; punishment other than death or mutilation should be utilized, such as imprisonment. These innovations were subsequently adopted by all civil courts of Europe, leading to the office of public prosecutor (District Attorney) as we know it today.


Red blood cells (RBC) from normal and vitamin E-deficient rats were incubated in a hypertonic solution of reduced glutathione adjusted to pH 8. Methemoglobin formation occurred in intact RBC from both normal and vitamin E-deficient rats. Hemolysis was significantly greater in RBC from vitamin E-deficient rats. Experiments with catalase, superoxide dismutase, and methional showed that H(2)O(2) was the primary extracellular source of oxidant stress. Extracellular superoxide and hydroxyl radical were not involved in oxidant stress. Experiments with dimethyl sulfoxide showed that intracellular hydroxyl radical, generated from H(2)O(2), was the hemolytic agent. Neither methemoglobin formation nor lipid peroxidation involved hydroxyl radical. Indeed, lipid peroxidation and hemolysis in RBC from vitamin E-deficient rats were concurrent rather than consecutive events. Phase contrast microscopy showed that rigid, crenated RBC with a precipitate around the interior periphery formed during glutathione-induced oxidant stress. The precipitate dissolved slowly as the crenated RBC were converted to smooth ghosts. It appeared that protein precipitates involving mixed disulfide bonds were reduced and solubilized when extracellular glutathione penetrated the ruptured cell. Comparisons between normal RBC and vitamin E-deficient RBC suggest that vitamin E has little effect on the inward diffusion of extra-cellular H(2)O(2). Vitamin E apparently interacts with different oxidant species derived from intracellular H(2)O(2) in preventing lipid peroxidation and the sulfhydryl group oxidation leading to hemolysis.


Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is an important medical condition where diagnosis, staging and monitoring is largely based on routine laboratory tests. During the last 15 years there have been many important changes in the clinical management of CKD described in key international guidelines. In order to successfully implement these guidelines, laboratories must collaborate with clinicians to provide a co-ordinated service, including accurate measurements and of creatinine and urine albumin and reporting of an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The IFCC/WASPaLM Task Force on Chronic Kidney Disease (TF-CKD) was established in 2008 and since that time has worked to improve laboratory testing in CKD. Key aspects of the work of the TF-CKD include supporting national laboratory medicine organisations to develop CKD testing guidelines, recognition of the vital role of collaboration between laboratory and clinical organisations, the importance of accurate measurements, and endorsement of the KDIGO 2012 CKD guidelines. A key function of the TF-CKD has been to facilitate sharing and learning between countries to provide the best outcomes.


The authors analyze the performance of an optimal global portfolio constructed from a 10-factor stock selection model that includes earning forecasts. Under the Markowitz mean–variance framework, applied optimization techniques are used to address the practical issues of risk tolerance, turnover, and tracking error. The impact of these practical constraints on portfolio performance is analyzed through extensive numerical experiments. The analysis finds that, subject to the same set of practical constraints, the risk-adjusted return of the efficient portfolio of the global equity universe outperforms that of the domestic equity universe. Active portfolio return increases with investors' risk tolerance and the systematic tracking error allowed against the benchmark portfolio.


Recent advances in our understanding of genetic-epigenetic interactions have unraveled new mechanisms underlying the etiology of complex autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) are highly prevalent, affecting 1% to 5% of the population. The major AITDs include Graves disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT); although these diseases contrast clinically, their pathogenesis involves shared immunogenetic mechanisms. Genetic data point to the involvement of both shared and unique genes. Among the shared susceptibility genes, HLA-DRβ1-Arg74 (human leukocyte antigen DR containing an arginine at position β74) confers the strongest risk. Recent genome-wide analyses have revealed new putative candidate genes. Epigenetic modulation is emerging as a major mechanism by which environmental factors interact with AITD susceptibility genes. Dissecting the genetic-epigenetic interactions underlying the pathogenesis of AITD is essential to uncover new therapeutic targets.


This study aims to demonstrate the competency level of small-scale fishers for operating fishery comanagement. The study was conducted in three phases. The first phase deals with constructing and verifying competency model by reviewing literature to construct the initial model and in-depth interviewing with the fishery co-management experts. Phase II is competency assessment using questionnaires to interview smallscale fishers. A total of 392 fishers which comprised of 204 and 188 persons from the upper and lower provinces on the Andaman coastline, respectively, were sampled. Finally, Phase III concerns with verifying the assessed results by expert focus-groups. Examination of each competency aspect revealed that, from the nine competencies, small-scale fishers in the upper province had knowledge of geo-ecological and local resource at a leading level which was higher than small-scale fishers in the lower province whose knowledge was at the application level. However, smallscale fishers in these provinces had the learning person competency at the beginner level. Considering all aspects of competency simultaneously by cluster analysis, it was found small-scale fishers could be divided into three groups: those who had knowledge of fishery law and geo-ecology but weak in experience; those who were learning person and had holistic thinking; and those who lacked volunteer spirit, leadership, and communication. The study suggests that the competency of small-scale fishers in fishery co-management which should be developed primarily is learning person, follow by holistic thinking, volunteer spirit, leadership, and


Introduction Beginning in 2019, several U.S. states implemented temporary or permanent bans on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes. This study examined the impact of flavor bans on adult e-cigarette use in Washington, New Jersey, and New York. Methods Adults who used e-cigarettes at least once a week before the flavor bans were recruited online. Respondents reported their e-cigarette use, primarily used flavor, and ways of obtaining e-cigarettes before and after the bans. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression models were applied. Results After the ban, 8.1% of respondents (N=1624) quit using e-cigarettes, those primarily used banned menthol or other flavors declined from 74.4% to 50.8, those using tobacco-flavored declined from 20.1% to 15.6%, and those using non-flavored increased from 5.4% to 25.4%. More frequent e-cigarette use and smoking cigarettes were associated with being less likely to quit e-cigarettes and more likely to use banned flavors. Of those primarily using banned flavors, 45.1% obtained e-cigarettes from in-state stores, 31.2% from out-of-state stores, 32% from friends, family, or others, 25.5% from Internet/mail sellers, 5.2% from illegal sellers, 4.2% mixed flavored e-liquids themselves, and 6.9% stocked up on e-cigarettes before the ban. Conclusions Most respondents continued to use e-cigarettes with banned flavors post-ban. Compliance of local retailers with the ban was not high, and many respondents obtained banned-flavor e-cigarettes through legal channels. However, the significant increase in the use of non-flavored e-cigarettes post-ban suggests that these may serve as a viable alternative among those who used previously used banned or tobacco flavors.


In order to realize electrostatic Stark deceleration of CH radicals and study cold chemistry, the fifth harmonic of a YAG laser is used to prepare CH (A2Δ) molecules through using the multi-photon dissociation of (CH3)2CO, CH3NO2, CH2Br2, and CHBr3 at ∼ 213 nm. The CH product intensity is measured by using the emission spectrum of CH (A2 Δ → X2 Π). The dependence of fluorescence intensity on laser power is studied, and the probable dissociation channels are analyzed. The relationship between the fluorescence intensity and some parameters, such as the temperature of the beam source, stagnation pressure, and the time delay between the opening of pulse valve and the photolysis laser, are also studied. The influence of three different carrier gases on CH signal intensity is investigated. The vibrational and rotational temperatures of the CH (A2 Δ) product are obtained by comparing experimental data with the simulated ones from the LIFBASE program.


Mature mouse molar teeth were transplanted to the tibial shaft medulla across an H-2 plus multiple non-H-2 histocompatibility barrier. Over the 35-day experimental period, low levels of complement-fixing antibody were detected in the serum of recipients. Antibody was distributed over two peak periods, 6 to 11 days and 21 to 27 days after transplantation, with IgM apparently preceding IgG production.


A compact and simple structure antenna for wearable application at 2.4 GHz is presented and studied. The felt fabric material is used in this paper due to its suitable thickness and dielectric constant. This material provides high flexibility which can be easily worn on a body and incorporated into our daily clothes. In view of the fact that the design will work on a moving person, therefore a circularly polarized antenna is desired to optimize the off-body communication link. The Cicular Polarization (CP) is achieved by introducing truncated corners on the patch. The antenna size is 60 × 60 × 2 mm 3 . The Axial Ratio (AR), the Front to Back Ratio (FRB) and the realized gain are 0.96 dB, 10.5 dB, and 4.62 dB, respectively indicating a good performance of the antenna at the desired frequency. Furthermore, the antenna was investigated when operating near the body. The obtained result shows that the design has performance similar to the case of free space. This is due to the present of the full ground plane that acts as a shielding between the antenna and body. Finally, the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is carried out and showed that the antenna has a level less than the limits fixed by the FCC standard. Therefore, the antenna could be useful for wearable applications.


Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, exhausts the resources of server/service and makes it unavailable for legitimate users. With increasing use of online services and attacks on these services, the importance of Intrusion Detection System (IDS) for detection of DoS/DDoS attacks has also grown. Detection accuracy & CPU utilization of Data mining based IDS is directly proportional to the quality of training dataset used to train it. Various preprocessing methods like normalization, discretization, fuzzification are used by researchers to improve the quality of training dataset. This paper evaluates the effect of various data preprocessing methods on the detection accuracy of DoS/DDoS attack detection IDS and proves that numeric to binary preprocessing method performs better compared to other methods. Experimental results obtained using KDD 99 dataset are provided to support the efficiency of proposed combination.


We consider the problem of decentralized detection in a network consisting of a large number of nodes arranged as a tree of bounded height, under the assumption of conditionally independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) observations. We characterize the optimal error exponent under a Neyman-Pearson formulation. We show that the Type II error probability decays exponentially fast with the number of nodes, and the optimal error exponent is often the same as that corresponding to a parallel configuration. We provide sufficient, as well as necessary, conditions for this to happen. For those networks satisfying the sufficient conditions, we propose a simple strategy that nearly achieves the optimal error exponent, and in which all non-leaf nodes need only send 1-bit messages.


Uncertainty as to tax results is an ever present obstacle to business transaction despite the extensive number of Code sections that exist. Private insurance companies have seen an opportunity to enter the market and provide a useful service which can reduce tax uncertainty obstruction to engaging in promising endeavors. Some insurance companies now provide an insurance product to protect the insured against adverse tax consequences from proposed transactions.Ironically, this new insurance product, labeled tax insurance, poses uncertain tax consequences itself. If the adverse tax consequences arise (that is, the taxpayer has additional tax liability) and the insurance company is contractually required to cover that liability, are the insurance proceeds that reimburse the insured for the additional tax liability included in the insured's gross income? If so, the insured might need to purchase additional coverage to pay for the tax incurred on receiving the proceeds.Commentators have concluded that the proceeds are taxable, and insurance companies also appear to adopt that view since tax insurance generally includes gross-up provisions to cover the tax that might be imposed on the disbursement of the proceeds. Contrary to that general opinion, this article argues that the tax insurance proceeds are not includable in the insured's gross income.The proceeds of general liability insurance have not been treated as taxable to the insured when paid to satisfy a liability of the insured. Some commentators have questioned whether there is a justification for that treatment under tax policy. As part of the reasoning that underlies the author's conclusion concerning tax insurance, the article examines that question and develops a novel approach that provides a tax policy justification for excluding those proceeds from the insured's income. The article concludes that the same justification also applies to exclude tax insurance proceeds from the insured's gross income.


DIFT (Dynamic Information Flow Tracking) has been a hot topic for more than a decade. Unfortunately, existing hardware DIFT approaches have not been widely used neither by research community nor by hardware vendors. It is due to two major reasons: current hardware DIFT solutions lack support for multithreaded applications and implementations for hardcore processors. This work addresses both issues by introducing an approach with some unique features: DIFT for multi-threaded software, virtual memory protection (rather than physical memory as in related works) and Linux kernel support using an information flow monitor called RFBlare. These goals are accomplished by taking advantage of a notable feature of ARM CoreSight components (context ID) combined with a custom DIFT coprocessor and RFBlare. The communication time overhead, major source of slowdown in total DIFT time overhead, is divided by a factor 3.8 compared to existing solutions with similar software constraints as in this work. The area overhead of this work is lower than 1% and power overhead is 16.2% on a middle-class Xilinx Zynq SoC.


In this work, we synthesized strontium titanate (SrTiO3) by a simple co-precipitation technique and decorated it with graphene oxide (SrTiO3/GO) for the effective determination of neurotransmitter agent dopamine (DA). The as-synthesized SrTiO3–GO nanocomposite was orderly characterized by various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, which revealed that the formed nanocomposite was pure with a desired morphology. A SrTiO3–GO-modified glassy carbon electrode generates high current with low peak potential compared with a bare GCE with the linear range response from 0.05 to 531 μM, and the lower detection limit is 0.01 μM with higher sensitivity. However, the modified electrode exhibited good repeatability, reproducibility, stability, and selectivity during the interference study using different metal ions and biomolecules. Finally, real sample analysis was carried out in human urine and blood serum samples to identify the practical possibilities of the synthesized composite and satisfactory recovery results were obtained.


Different ab initio methods for computing the non-local energy-dependent width function Γ(E) associated with resonance states of molecular anions are studied. Two new 2 approaches to Γ(E) are developed in the contexts of the complex absorbing potential (CAP) and the stabilization methods. Using a model potential and the prototypical 2Πg shape-type resonance of N2-, the two new methods and the established Stieltjes imaging technique are compared. Special emphasis is put on a robust performance for low-quality basis sets as well as on the choice of the discrete state describing the `bound part' of the resonance. In particular, the CAP method turns out to yield satisfactory results even if only atom-centred Gaussian basis sets are employed provided that the absorption is adapted to the energy. The choice of the discrete state has a marked influence on the calculated width function, and from the viewpoint of computing Γ(E) a box-stabilized discrete state is recommended.


A DTC-SVM sensorless induction motor control system based NPC three-level is presented in this paper. In order to maintain high performance of the system, accurate stator flux is necessary. A novel phase compensation stator flux observer is proposed in the paper. Furthermore, a three-level phase voltage reconstruction algorithm is proposed as the base of the high precision flux observer firstly in the paper. The simulation and experiment results indicated that the DTC-SVM induction motor can run smoothly and have a high dynamic response with them.


The green plum is rich in amino acids, lipids, inorganic salts, vitamins, and trace elements. It has high nutritional value and medicinal value and is very popular among Chinese people. However, green plums are susceptible to collisions and pests during growth, picking, storage, and transportation, causing surface defects, affecting the quality of green plums and their products and reducing their economic value. In China, defect detection and grading of green plum products are still performed manually. Traditional manual classification has low accuracy and high cost, which is far from meeting the production needs of green plum products. In order to improve the economic value of green plums and their products and improve the automation and intelligence level of the product production process, this study adopted deep learning methods based on a convolutional neural network and cost-effective computer vision technology to achieve efficient classification of green plum defects. First, a camera and LEDs were used to collect 1240 green plum images of RGB, and the green plum experimental classification standard was formulated and divided into five categories, namely, rot, spot, scar, crack, and normal. Images were randomly divided into a training set and test set, and the number of images of the training set was expanded. Then, the stochastic weight averaging (SWA) optimizer and w-softmax loss function were used to improve the VGG network, which was trained and tested to generate a green plum defect detection network model. The average recognition accuracy of green plum defects was 93.8%, the test time for each picture was 84.69 ms, the recognition rate of decay defect was 99.25%, and the recognition rate of normal green plum was 95.65%. The results were compared with the source VGG network, resnet18 network, and green lemon network. The results show that for the classification of green plum defects, the recognition accuracy of the green plum defect detection network increased by 9.8% and 16.6%, and the test speed is increased by 1.87 and 6.21 ms, respectively, which has certain advantages.