In supply chain management, supplier's judgment and choice of the core enterprise has become key technology problem. Based on extension matter-element theory, the multilevel index judgment model of the supplier's judgment and choice is established by extension analytic hierarchical process and the example shows that the method is feasible and valid. Firstly, the multi-layer judgment index structure of the supplier's judgment and choice system is founded and the inconsistent dimension of all indexes is transformed to consistent one or dimensionless by the extension matter-element and their transform theory so as to set identical scale graduation. Then, the distinguish matrix of the multilevel extension section number is set and the weight vector of satisfying consistency condition of the index levels relative to the global goal level of is computed. Finally, the conclusion of the judgment and choice by judgment function is educed. The method not only expands two extremeness things of the traditional analytic hierarchical process so as to accord with factual condition entirely, but also the value range of the relation function enlarge to whole real number field so as to judge refinement and quantification.


The study of brain state estimation and intervention methods is of great significance for the utility of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). In this paper, a neuromodulation technology using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is explored to improve the performance of steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP)-based BCIs. The effects of pre-stimulation, sham-tDCS and anodal-tDCS are analyzed through a comparison of the EEG oscillations and fractal component characteristics. In addition, in this study, a novel brain state estimation method is introduced to assess neuromodulation-induced changes in brain arousal for SSVEP-BCIs. The results suggest that tDCS, and anodal-tDCS in particular, can be used to increase SSVEP amplitude and further improve the performance of SSVEP-BCIs. Furthermore, evidence from fractal features further validates that tDCS-based neuromodulation induces an increased level of brain state arousal. The findings of this study provide insights into the improvement of BCI performance based on personal state interventions and provide an objective method for quantitative brain state monitoring that may be used for EEG modeling of SSVEP-BCIs.


In the absence of a comprehensive geometrical perceptive on the nature of rational (commensurate) and irrational (incommensurate) geometric magnitudes, a solution to the ages-old problem on the constructability of magnitudes of the forms  and  (the square root of two and the cube root of two as used in modern mathematics and sciences) would remain a mystery. The primary goal of this paper is to reveal a pure geometrical proof for solving the construction of rational and irrational geometric magnitudes (those based on straight lines) and refute the established notion that magnitudes of form  are not geometrically constructible. The work also establishes a rigorous relationship between geometrical methods of proof as applied in Euclidean geometry, and the non-Euclidean methods of proof, to correct a misconception governing the geometrical understanding of irrational magnitudes (expressions). The established proof is based on a philosophical certainty that "the algebraic notion of irrationality" is not a geometrical concept but rather, a misrepresentative language used as a means of proof that a certain problem is geometrically impossible.


Social media analytics (SMA) involves the analysis of vast amounts of social media data to provide insights to organisational decision-makers. Many organisations are investing in SMA but few describe themselves as effective adopters. In this paper, a framework for achieving benefits with social media analytics is presented, based on SMA motivations, the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities theory. Concepts in the framework are clearly defined and two propositions are developed, based on relationships in the framework. Finally, we discuss implications of the framework for researchers and practitioners and suggest directions for future research.


Using data from the 1995 Israeli Census of Population, this study examines the demographic, human capital, and labour force characteristics of the Ethiopian community in Israel and its determinants of employment. The results provide strong evidence for the overall disadvantaged socio-economic status of the Ethiopian community and reveal substantial gaps in educational and occupational attainment between Ethiopian Israelis and members of other ethnic groups in Israeli society. Ethiopian Israelis have substantially lower levels of education, lower employment rates, and are more likely to have low-skilled occupations. However, multivariate analyses show that the determinants of employment of Ethiopian Israelis are relatively similar to those of other ethnic groups. Education and veteran status are found to be especially important factors associated with increased odds of employment. Although the rates of return from education are lower among Israelis of Ethiopian origin compared to other ethnic groups, this study suggests that education constitutes the major avenue for upward mobility in the Ethiopian community. Nevertheless, considering their current disadvantaged position, the question of whether Ethiopian immigrants will manage in the long run to climb up the socio-economic ladder and significantly improve their status, or whether they run the risk of becoming a marginalized ethnic group in Israeli society, remains a major concern. Implications for the formation of a new cleavage in Israeli society and the emergence of a stratification system based on race are discussed.


Illumination is one of primary effecting factors on photosynthesis. Plants absorption spectrum are mainly concentrated on 400~460nm of the blue-purple light and 600~700nm of the red-orange light, while existed light detection equipment can't detect red and blue light intensity by a single sensor at the same time. This paper proposes a photosynthetic required band light detection equipment based on the solar elevation angle, which uses digital visible light sensor and takes single chip microcomputer as core processor. A function relationship of red and blue light intensity and solar elevation angle was established, combined with intensity of visible light, time and latitude. The equipment also supported field data storage by SD card and data transfers through RS232 interface. The experiment results show that equipment can realize red and blue light intensity detection effectively.


We audited adherence to national hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunisation policy for neonates and infants born to HBV positive mothers in two counties of England during 2007/08 to 2011/12 (n=112 in County X, n=190 in County Y). Over the five year period, 29.9% of at risk neonates in County X and 23.5% in County Y required hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) at birth. The annual median age of HBIG administration was 0.0–0.5 days. The annual median coverage and timeliness of the first (coverage range 92.3–100.0%; age of administration range 0.0–0.0 days), second (83.8–100.0%; 32.0–42.0 days), third (81.1–100.0%; 62.0–81.0 days) and fourth dose HBV immunisations (44.4–91.9%; 378.0–443.0 days) and serological testing (8.6–81.0%; 450.0–707.0 days) were calculated. Statistically significant variation was found in the coverage of third and fourth dose immunisations in County Y, age of fourth dose immunisation in County X, and the coverage and timeliness of serological testing in both counties (p < 0.05). HBIG and the first three HBV immunisations were commonly administered according to the national schedule. Fourth dose immunisations and serological tests showed poor adherence. We advocate public health interventions to improve immunisation programme outcomes and hepatitis B surface antigen testing.


The relationship between global climate change and occupational safety and health has not been extensively characterized. Current knowledge is very limited in many areas. Literature indicates that while climate change may result in increasing the prevalence, distribution, and severity of well known occupational hazards. However, since there is potential for interactions of known hazards and new conditions leading to new hazards and risks. Also, It should be noted the new risks in new professions (green energy). Surveillance may need to be augmented to identify climate-related occupational effects. In response to the impact of climate change, regulations in occupational safety and health and practice could include alteration of standards, modification of hazard controls, development of acclimatization procedures, development of new hazard control guidance, development of early warning systems and surveillance, and increased emphasis on prevention through design. In this section, the effects of climate change on health are discussed from the perspective of occupational health and safety.


Latest proof shows that in humans, SARS-CoV-2 proliferates and fades symptomatic or asymptomatic infected individuals, the etioloidal agent that induces COVID-19 Subsequently, SARS-CoV-2 can be discharged and even opened through wastewater and sanitation systems on site SARS-CoV-2 can be spread by the inhalation of polluted aerosols and goutlets in waste water plumbing systems in particular in heavily inhabited suburban areas in the case of faeces, waste water or wastewater systems on-site Potential faecal-oral transfer has also been proposed along the human gut-wastewater diet spectrum The detection in the human gastrointestinal tract, faeces, and untreated wastewater of SARS-CoV-2 RNA suggests probable COVID-19 faecal-oral transmission 1-4 A second line of recent evidence is extracted from a series of experiments focused on an overview of shelled disease, indicating SARS - COV-2 is prone to facal oral transmission and has a rigid shell and low shell disorder The transmission path between faecal and oral has also gained substantial interest lately as an alternate transmission pathway but there is still no epidemiological data to support this theory There could be a fast propagation of the pandemic via several COVID-19 transmission pathways


In this paper, we propose a new pre-processing technique for efficient multidimensional wideband parameter estimation. One application is provided by an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing-(OFDM) based joint radar and communication system, which uses SIMO architecture. In this paper, the estimated parameters are given by the range (time delay), the relative velocity, and the direction of arrival (DoA) pairs of the dominant radar targets. Due to the wideband assumption, the received signals on different subcarriers are incoherent and, therefore, cannot fully exploit the frequency diversity of the OFDM waveform. To estimate the parameters jointly and coherently on different subcarriers, we propose an interpolation-based coherent multidimensional parameter estimation framework, where the wideband measurements are transformed into an equivalent narrowband system. Then, narrowband multidimensional parameter estimation algorithms can be applied. In particular, a wideband $R$ -D periodogram is introduced as a benchmark algorithm, and we develop the $R$ -D Wideband Unitary Tensor-ESPRIT algorithm. The simulations show that the proposed coherent parameter estimation method significantly outperforms the direct application of narrowband parameter estimation algorithms to the wideband measurements. If the fractional bandwidth is significant and the SNR is not too low, the estimates provided by the narrowband estimation algorithms can become inconsistent. Moreover, the interpolation order should be chosen according to the SNR regime. In the low SNR regime, interpolation with a lower-order (i.e., linear interpolation) is recommended. For higher SNRs, we propose an interpolation with higher-order polynomials, e.g., fourth-order (cubic splines) or even higher.


A computer program has been written which allows rapid retrieval and selection of CONUS and OCONUS crude oil characterization data. The computer program is conversational and permits use by personnel not experienced in computer operations. Crude oils are selected by using up to 14 categories of crude oil characterization data, including geographic location, production rate, reserves quantity and physical properties. (GRA)


This paper disentangles the complexities of the commercial real estate market and provides a clear structure to understand the key determinants driving property market performance. There is a preference for using GDP, unemployment rate, and office (FIRE) employment as the main determinants of the space market (demand side); office floor stock, construction orders and vacancy rate (especially in the United States) as the property market (supply side) determinants in the office market. A regression model for Singapore's office property market for the period from June 1992 to December 2005 was constructed. The office rent equation was able to account for 72 per cent of variation in gross rent for the period June 1992 to December 2005. Changes in previous year vacancy rates, contemporaneous construction costs, prime lending rate (lagged 6 months) and contemporaneous office sector employment were identified as the key determinants in explaining the variation in office rents in the Central Region of Singapore.


The structure of the title compound, [Zr(C5H5)2(C9H11Te)2], consists of a zirconium(IV) centre bonded to two η5-coordinated cyclopentadienyl groups and two mesityltellurolate ligands; the discrete molecule has crystallographic twofold rotation symmetry. The structural parameters compared with those in [(η5-Me5Cp)2Zr(TePh)2] [Howard, Trnka & Parkin (1995 ▶). Inorg. Chem. 34, 5900–5909] show that the greater steric demands of the bulky mesityl substituents are accommodated by widening Te—Zr—Te (∼8°) and by more acute Zr—Te—C (∼5°) angles, although the Zr—Te distances are essentially the same. The crystal studied exhibited some inversion twinning.


Graph neural networks (GNNs) have become a powerful tool for processing graph-structured data but still face challenges in effectively aggregating and propagating information between layers, which limits their performance. We tackle this problem with the kernel regression (KR) approach, using KR loss as the primary loss in self-supervised settings or as a regularization term in supervised settings. We show substantial performance improvements compared to state-of-the-art in both scenarios on multiple transductive and inductive node classification datasets, especially for deep networks. As opposed to mutual information (MI), KR loss is convex and easy to estimate in high-dimensional cases, even though it indirectly maximizes the MI between its inputs. Our work highlights the potential of KR to advance the field of graph representation learning and enhance the performance of GNNs. The code to reproduce our experiments is available at https://github.com/Anonymous1252022/KR_for_GNNs


The history of the development of the understanding of the statistical arrangement of hydrogen bonds in ice Ih and the discovery of the transition at 72 K to the ordered phase, ice XI, catalysed by alkali hydroxide doping, is reviewed. Possible ordered arrangements of hydrogen bonds are discussed and enumerated. A theory is presented relating the entropy and permittivity of partially ordered ice to the degree of order. The apparatus developed for dielectric experiments on KOH-doped ice is described. The results of such measurements for polycrystalline specimens and one single crystal are presented. Measurements above the transition reveal that the main charge carriers are OH\(^-\) ions, with a temperature-independent mobility of approximately 10\(^-\)\(^1\)\(^0\) m\(^2\) v\(^-\)\(^1\) s\(^-\)\(^1\). The transformation to the ordered phase starts when the sample is cooled below about 65 K, and once started can be speeded up by heating the sample to 67-70 K: the static permittivity and the a.c. conductivity slowly decrease. Neutron powder diffraction experiments were performed on HRDP at ISIS. After one unsuccessful experiment, dielectric measurements on powder samples showed the importance of excluding CO\(_2\) during preparation. In a second experiment the structure of ice XI was confirmed and the lattice parameters determined for the first time.


Multidomain software-intensive system certification is a growing concern in international standards organizations. Certification is traditionally based on domain-specific technical and operational requirements, historical information about the reliability of the different subsystems, and historical accident data, but these may not be available for interdomain systems. There is a need for international and interdisciplinary legal recognition of certification authorities. The author explores both the legal and technical aspects of this critical, timely problem.


This paper deals with the use of non destructive testing methods (NDT) to assess indicators of concrete durability and mechanical properties of reinforced concrete structures. On site, NDT methods based on electromagnetic or ultrasonic wave propagation (such as radar, impact echo, ultrasonic transmission deviceE) are used because they are more or less sensitive to water content and mechanical properties depending on the method. It has been shown, in a former project [1, 2], that the NDT results called Oobservablesi are linked to mechanical and durability indicators (YoungOs modulus, compressive strength, porosity and saturation degree). Meanwhile, the relationship between observables and indicators depends on the concrete mix design. A calibration protocol is then proposed to get this relationship for the right mix of the reinforced structure studied by using a minimal number of cores. The cores are non-destructively characterised in laboratory or used to determined reference indicators by standardised destructive methods. The aims of this paper are first to present the ND calibration protocol on cores and then to validate this proposed calibration protocol. To achieve this goal, some NDT results obtained on site and on the corresponding core are compared and durability indicators deduced from NDT calibration are compared with reference durability indicators.


Chloroplast genome of the seven members of the family solanaceae – Nicotiana tabacum, N. sylvestris, N. tomentosiformis, N. undulate, Solanum tuberosum, S. lycopersicum, and S. bulbocastanum were extracted from NCBI Gene Bank and were subjected to the bioinformatics study. In this study we found that the genes and amino acid sequences in the proteins were almost identical and conserved. Even the structure and sequences of introns were more or less conserved. Certain variations were observed in the nature and occurrence of open reading frames, which may be due to species specific genome. Some variations were also observed when compared these dicot genomes with the monocot genome of rice. But in contrast to some primitive species such as members of cryptophyta, there were fewer numbers of genes which may be due to the transfer of some chloroplast genes into the nuclear genome.


Dynamic control problems are a prevalent topic in robotics. Deep neural networks have been shown to learn accurately many complex dynamics, but these approaches remain data-inefficient or intractable in some tasks. Rather than learning to repro-duce the environment dynamics, traditional control approaches use some physical knowledge to describe the environment's evolution. These approaches do not need many samples to be tuned but suffer from approximations and are not adapted to strong modifications of the environment. In this paper, we introduce a method to learn the parameters of a physical model i.e. the parameter of an Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE) to approach at best the observed transitions. This model is completed with a residual data-driven term in charge to reduce the reality gap between simple physical priors and complex environments. We also show that this approach can be naturally extended to the case of the fine-tuning of an implicit physical model trained on simple simulations.


Tiruchirappalli-620 024. ABSTRACT: Inthis paper, the proposed work is to extract maximum power from the PV powered water pumping system driven induction motor. The PV powered water pumping is commonly used for agriculture and households applications. To seek out the peak power from the PV array, the inverter is operated at variable frequency, to vary the output of the water pump. The proposed system utilizes the multilevel inverter to generate a sinusoidal waveform instead of quasi square wave inverter. The anticipated system has the benefits of less Total Harmonic Distortion in the output voltage, low switching losses, less in filter requirements, low heating of motor under rating condition, less in ripple torque production and so on. The fuzzy logic based peak power point tracking technique is employed. The extraction of peak power is achieved by varying the frequency of multilevel inverter in order to operate theinduction motor at maximum torque condition. The additional features of the PV fed system is that, the motor current is limited to an upper limit of PV array current, so that motor winding and power semi conducting switches can be protected against excessive current flow. The system is tested using MATLAB/ simulinkforenvironmentunder different condition like, change in insolation and change in temperature for the validation of the proposed work.


Abstract An experimental investigation was carried out of the incompressible boundary layer flow along a flat plate, in the presence of an adverse pressure gradient that corresponds to a linear retardation of the free stream velocity. The turbulence level in the free-stream was 0·12% and transition occurred with the laminar boundary layer being close to separation. For three values of the Reynolds number (2·56, 3·11 and 4·09 million based on the reference length that is defined as the reciprocal of the nondimensional-velocity gradient) the laminar, transitional and turbulent regions were studied by single (normal) hot-wire surveys at several streamwise positions. This allows the fluctuations of the streamwise velocity component to be followed from the amplification of laminar instability waves, through breakdown in the intermittency region, and the subsequent development towards a more or less developed turbulence structure. The study reveals that within the transition region fluctuation levels are reached throughout a large part of the boundary layer that are significantly higher than those in fully developed turbulent flow, which is partly a direct consequence of the intermittent character of the flow. For the highest Reynolds number additional cross-wire surveys were carried out in the turbulent region to observe the development of the turbulent stresses following transition. The data are interpreted in terms of structural coefficients, eddy viscosity and mixing length. Also, these results indicate that the transition process can be associated with turbulence levels well in excess of those occurring in fully developed turbulence, and reveal the relaxation of the outer region turbulence structure.


Mycoplasma fermentans (strain 'incognitus') was incubated with HeLa cells for up to 96 h. After 24 h, mycoplasma organisms were demonstrated intracellularly by immunocytochemistry using mule anti-M. fermentans antiserum and gold labelling on ultrathin sections of both Lowicryl K4M and Araldite-embedded HeLa cells, the latter being treated with hydrogen peroxide. The Araldite-embedded cells were fixed with glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide in the presence of ruthenium red to stain the mucopolysaccharide surface components of both the procaryotic and eucaryotic cells. Intracellular localization of some M. fermentans organisms was confirmed by exclusion of ruthenium red from their membranes. Various numbers of mycoplasma organisms were seen per cell and occasionally some were within vacuoles, the membranes of which were also unstained by ruthenium red. The PG18 strain of M. fermentans and a strain of M. hominis were also detected intracellularly using similar methodology and homologous mule or rabbit antisera. The occasional presence of both apparently normal and some denser degenerate mycoplasmas in the same cell may indicate gradual degradation by phagolysosomal digestion.


We introduce a novel x-ray imaging approach that yields information about the local texture of structures smaller than the image pixel resolution inside an object. The approach is based on a recently developed x-ray dark-field imaging technique, using scattering from sub-micron structures in the sample. We show that the method can be used to determine the local angle and degree of orientation of bone, and fibers in a leaf. As the method is based on the use of a conventional x-ray tube we believe that it can have a great impact on medical diagnostics and non-destructive testing applications.


Disclosed are methods and compositions relating to CD200 and its receptor, CD200R which modulate bone mass via the differentiation of osteoclasts.


The southwest Marias Pass area includes parts of the Lewis and Clark, Sawtooth, and Lewis ranges in the northern Rocky Mountains of Montana.

The western two-thirds of the map area is underlain by a Precambrian sequence, the Belt Supergroup, consisting of argillites, quartzites, and silty microcrystalline carbonate rocks more than 14,000 feet thick. The Belt has been subdivided into seven conformable formations in addition to an unnamed sequence of beds at the top.

About 1300 feet of Mississippian carbonate rocks occur in the southeast quarter. These rocks are delimited above and below by thrust faults.

Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous shales, mudstones, and sandstones of unknown thickness crop out in the eastern part of the map area.

The trace of the Lewis thrust fault extends across the area from north to south separating the Belt strata from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks. The Lewis fault surface cuts upward through the thrust sheet as it is traced southeastward through the map area, and the deformation of the autochthonous Mesozoic and Paleozoic rocks increases southeastward. There is no tear fault cutting the Lewis thrust sheet in the Marias Pass area. At the south end of the Clarke Range salient, erosion has resulted in apparent accentuation of an original shift in the trend of intersection between the fault surface and the beds of the thrust sheet.

The Mesozoic and Paleozoic strata are imbricated by southwest-dipping thrust faults which appear to be genetically related to the Lewis thrust. This zone of imbricate structure plunges at a low angle, N. 50°–85° W. and is the northwest end of the Sawtooth Range structural salient.

The folds within the Lewis thrust sheet and the imbricate structures in the Mesozoic rocks east of the north end of the Sawtooth Range salient (beyond the map area) are parallel and plunge at low angles, S. 20°–30° E. These relationships suggest an early stage of regionally concordant deformation before the Sawtooth Range salient was fully developed.

After movement on the Lewis fault ceased (late Eocene or early Oligocene), normal faulting took place. The largest of the normal faults dip southwest and offset the earlier thrust faults. The easternmost normal fault has a measured stratigraphic separation of 14,000 feet.


J������ V., H���� A., T������� A. (2003): Comparison of field population growths of three cereal aphid species on winter wheat. Plant Protect. Sci., 39: 61–64. Population growths of three aphid species colonising winter wheat stands, Metopolophium dirhodum, Rhopalosiphum padi and Sitobion avenae, were analysed by regression method. The calculations were based on counts in 268 winter wheat plots at 3 or 7 day intervals over 10 (leaves) or 6 (ears) years. The population dynamics of a particular species differed widely between years. Density independent exponential growth of the population was most common, but its rate differed significantly between species, and for S. avenae also between populations on leaves and ears, on which the populations grew fastest. Field estimates of the intrinsic rate of increase derived from the exponential growths ranged between 0.010–0.026 in M. dirhodum, 0.0071–0.011 in R. padi, and between 0.00078–0.0061 and 0.0015–0.13 in S. avenae on leaves and ears, respectively. In the populations with the most vigorous population growth, S. avenae on ears and M. dirhodum on leaves, the rate of population increase significantly decreased with increasing aphid density.


Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are known to modulate the cytotoxic ability of human Natural Killer (NK) cells, as well as a subset of T cells. To date, only a very small number of publications have discussed the role of KIRs on T cells, e.g. CMV-specific CD4+CD28-KIR+ cytotoxic T cells (van Bergen, J., J Immunol. 2004), so we investigated whether CD56+CD3+ NKT cells might also have KIR-positive subsets. Whole human blood as well as magnetically sorted human CD56+CD3+ NKT cells were analyzed for their expression of various KIR molecules using a novel panel of fluorochrome-conjugated, anti-KIR monoclonal antibodies (CD158a/h (KIR2DL1/DS1), CD158b (KIR2DL2), CD158e (KIR3DL1), CD158i (KIR2DS4), KIR2D; Miltenyi Biotec). KIR-positive CD56+CD3+ NKT cells were identified in every donor tested. Donors possessing NK cells of a specific KIR phenotype also possessed CD56+CD3+ NKT cells with the same KIR phenotype. KIRs were also expressed in a clonal fashion on CD56+CD3+ NKT cells, similarly to NK cells. The investigated KIRs were also shown to be expressed on unseparated NK and CD56+CD3+ NKT cells from whole blood. In addition, the ratio between KIR expression on NK and CD56+CD3+ NKT cells was calculated for each donor analyzed. The results show that there is no correlation between the frequencies of KIR expression on NK cells with that of CD56+CD3+ NKT cells. For example, the expression of CD158a/h in one donor was found to be the highest of all CD56+CD3+ NKT cells analyzed, but the lowest of all NK cells by comparison to the other donors tested. For all KIR phenotypes analyzed, the frequency of KIR+ NK cells was higher than the frequency of KIR+ CD56+CD3+ NKT cells in all samples (range: 1.1 to 25.3-fold higher). Interestingly, the frequency of KIR+ NK cells versus KIR+ CD56+CD3+ NKT cells differs significantly between donors: in one donor the frequency of KIR expression is between 7.3 to 25.3-fold higher in NK cells for multiple KIR phenotypes, while this range is more narrow in other donors (2.0–5.4-fold higher). The frequencies of CD56+CD3+ NKT cell subsets staining positive for particular KIRs differ significantly between donors, e.g. for CD158b, the number of positive CD56+CD3+ NKT cells fall within a range of 4.8% to 43.3%. For CD56+CD3+ NKT cells sorted with MACS® Technology, a similarly wide-ranging distribution of CD158b (KIR2DL2) expression was found (0.85%–5.82%), though at a lower level. Further research will be required to explore these differences as they may point to different mechanisms of KIR regulation. The identification of KIR-positive CD56+CD3+ NKT cells may also provide an opportunity for their use for functional KIR studies instead of NK cell clones, as the cloning of CD56+CD3+ NKT cells may prove easier (i.e. using standard T cell cloning methods) than that of NK cells.


Besides the Lewis glacier in Kenya, Glacier 15 of Antisana, Ecuador (5760-4830 m, 0.28 km 2 ) is the only one which provides regular information regarding glacier mass balance near to the Equator (Annual Report of the World Services for the Monitoring of Glaciers, WGMS 2005) to the scientific community. The surface of the glacier had been re-constructed using aerial-photogrammetry from 1956 to 1997. Since 1994, direct measurements have been taken over the terminal zone at the glacier tongue using topography. That process has shown the changes at the glacier limits and has determined the superficial speed at the terminal zone of the tongue (ablation zone). At the ablation zone (<5100 m) a wide net of stakes have been installed in order to measure the evolution of the glacier mass each month since 1995. In addition, holes to measure accumulation have been dug in the ablation zone at the end of the hydrological year (December-January) in order to calculate the net specific annual balance. Glacier 15 has lost an average of 600 mm of water a year since 1995 (11 years). The inter-annual variation is wide: very negative balances were observed in 1995 and 2002, two positive balances in 1999 and 2000, and negative balances for the remaining years. The dynamics of the glacier show a mass balance with very noticeable fluctuations. These variations are well synchronized with the glacier evolution. The variability of the ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) has been an important factor in controlling the mass evolution of the Ecuadorian glaciers and the climate conditions. Those factors caused advances and retreats on the glaciers according to La Nina (cold event) or El Nino (warm event), respectively. This study has shown the relationship between glaciology and availability of hydrological sources.


Eating disorders are prevalent in adolescents and are associated with significant medical and psychiatric morbidity. Amenorrhoea, one of the cardinal features of anorexia nervosa, is the most likely reason for consulting the gynaecologist. Amenorrhoea in a young woman should alert the gynaecologist to the possibility of an underlying eating disorder. Osteopenia is a potentially irreversible complication of prolonged amenorrhoea and a low oestrogen state. Eating disorders are best managed by a team approach, with the team comprising a physician, nutritionist and therapist. Oestrogen replacement therapy has not been shown to be an effective treatment for osteopenia in anorexia nervosa and the gynaecologist should avoid simply prescribing oestrogen replacement therapy without referring the patient for comprehensive treatment of the eating disorder. Nutritional rehabilitation, weight restoration and resumption of spontaneous menses are the mainstay of medical management. Calcium and vitamin D supplementation and moderate weight-bearing exercise should be prescribed where indicated. Newer therapeutic options for the treatment of osteopenia include DHEA, IGF-1 and alendronate.


Phylogenetic relationships among specimens from 25 different locations for the six Mexican coastal leopard frog species of the Rana berlandieri species group were investigated using 797 bp of the mitochondrial 12S rDNA gene. Relationships among the haplotypes obtained were recovered using maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses. Most of the clades recovered by both tree building methods are strongly supported, but conflicting clades recovered by each analysis are generally poorly supported. Both analyses reject the previously proposed subgroupings of the R. berlandieri species group. Based on the strongly supported relationships, genetic differentiation, and geographic distribution of the haplotypes examined, nine independent lineages appear to comprise the group of study. However, confirmation of the new proposed lineages will require further analyses based on other genetic markers and additional samples that cover their entire geographic distribution. Concordance was noted between Miocene– Pliocene geological and climatic events in Mexico and the relationships recovered among the lineages proposed and their geographic distribution. 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.


INTRODUCTION Attention should be directed to some of the characteristics of interpolated contractions of the heart, particularly as they affect the radial pulse, since at times this type of cardiac irregularity is confusing. An interpolated beat is a premature contraction of the ventricles which is not followed by a compensatory pause and does not disturb the dominant rhythm of the heart. It is impossible for auricular beats to be interpolated, because auricular premature beats are bound to disturb the dominant rhythm. It is also impossible to have interpolated beats in a case of complete auriculoventricular heart block, because here the dominant rhythm is ventricular, and so it, too, would be disturbed. Dresbach and Munford1state that interpolation in a case of Stokes-Adams' disease was reported by Lichtheim in 1905, but such a phenomenon is very unlikely. Inasmuch as interpolated beats can be no other than ventricular and must be premature,


At the United Nations High-level Meeting on Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Control in 2011 the link between health and socioeconomic issues was raised, becoming a global political issue. Health equity is one challenge that has hitherto not been addressed directly, although there is a growing shared recognition that cancer in Asia is an urgent social issue. At the UICC-ARO we are working to promote and widen networks of individuals and organizations in Asia and involve them in cooperation for this purpose. As part of our current activities, we are addressing the question of the "Economic burden of cancer in Asian countries: How should we face the current situation? " from a variety of angles and seeking to bring together a wealth of multidisciplinary knowledge about cancer in Asia and its related socioeconomic factors. It is essential to ensure that the real picture of cancer in Asia, which is currently not accurately understood, is conveyed clearly to all concerned, and also that the differences between cancer in Asia and in the West are highlighted.


Compared with the conventional coaxial magnetic gear, magnetic harmonic gear (MHG) is a device with large transmission ratio. In order to improve the transmission torque, an MHG with double fan-shaped Halbach arrays is proposed in this paper. According to the theory of magnetic field modulation and the unique unilateral effect of Halbach array, both inner and outer permanent magnets (PMs) are arranged in a Halbach array. In addition, all PMs are fan-shaped. The air gap magnetic field and torque of MHG are analyzed by two-dimensional finite element method. Compared with the conventional MHG, the proposed MHG enhances the air-gap magnetic flux density, reduces the air-gap harmonic content, and increases the torque density.


In the high luminosity Large Hadron Collider upgrade of the A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS (ATLAS) experiment in 2026, the new inner tracker detector will be installed. As a promising candidate for the outer layer of the inner tracker detector, the High Voltage CMOS (HV-CMOS) pixel sensors are being investigated by the ATLAS collaboration. A Front-End LInk eXchange (FELIX) based Data Acquisition (DAQ) system is developed for the R&D of the HV-CMOS sensors. A FELIX card with a Peripheral Component Interconnect express interface in the back-end is used to control, monitor, calibrate, and read out the front-end electronics. In the front-end, a Xilinx evaluation board ZC706 works as the interface between the back-end and the custom boards with HV-CMOS sensors and the readout Application-Specific Integrated Circuit. The DAQ system was successfully deployed for the testbeam experiment at CERN. The design of the DAQ system, the tuning of sensors, and the testbeam results will be described in details.


In mammals, hypoxia‐triggered erythropoietin release increases red blood cell mass to meet tissue oxygen demands. Using male Wistar rats, we unmask a previously unrecognized regulatory pathway of erythropoiesis involving suppressor control by the NO metabolite and ubiquitous dietary component nitrate. We find that circulating hemoglobin levels are modulated by nitrate at concentrations achievable by dietary intervention under normoxic and hypoxic conditions; a moderate dose of nitrate administered via the drinking water (7 mg NaNO3/kg body weight/d) lowered hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit after 6 d compared with nonsupplemented/NaCl‐supplemented controls. The underlying mechanism is suppression of hepatic erythropoietin expression associated with the downregulation of tissue hypoxia markers, suggesting increased pO2. At higher nitrate doses, however, a partial reversal of this effect occurred; this was accompanied by increased renal erythropoietin expression and stabilization of hypoxia‐inducible factors, likely brought about by the relative anemia. Thus, hepatic and renal hypoxia‐sensing pathways act in concert to modulate hemoglobin in response to nitrate, converging at an optimal minimal hemoglobin concentration appropriate to the environmental/physiologic situation. Suppression of hepatic erythropoietin expression by nitrate may thus act to decrease blood viscosity while matching oxygen supply to demand, whereas renal oxygen sensing could act as a brake, averting a potentially detrimental fall in hematocrit.—Ashmore, T., Fernandez, B. O., Evans, C. E., Huang, Y., Branco‐Price, C., Griffin, J. L., Johnson, R. S., Feelisch, M., Murray, A. J., Suppression of erythropoiesis by dietary nitrate. FASEB J. 29, 1102–1112 (2015). www.fasebj.org


This letter reports on a new idea to achieve multiband operation of a coplanar inverted-F antenna (CIFA). In the proposed approach, a microstripline is used to feed the primary CIFA radiator. This feeding arrangement allows for a flexible coupling of the feed to open-end slots in the finite-size ground to launch new resonant frequencies. Two configurations of meandered-tail CIFA with ground slots for WLAN and WiMAX applications are designed, fabricated, and experimentally tested to validate the proposed technique. Good agreement between the simulated and experimental results confirms the practical feasibility of the proposed multiband antenna design.


ARAI is placed at the center of critical juncture where the entire automotive industry is evolving from conventional combustion engine centered to a software centered   smart mobility Industry. ARAI journal of mobility technology captures this essence of transition very clearly. The readers will indeed get a glimpse of these technologies that are built in India and across global institutions and organizations.
As I recollect my memories of walking through the mist-covered hilltop centre of ARAI back in the 1990s for calibration of the smoke meter which was the only measuring equipment used to check and control the visible pollutants from diesel engines. Today's ARAI has morphed itself into an institution where every modern aspect of these software-driven automotive products are created, assessed and regulated to create a sustainable future.
Any nation's progress purely relies on the utilization of its full potential. Our capability to create products and services that fulfil the aspiration and needs of our consumers. We are the home to the software industry that designs software module or software packages that runs in machines today be it consumer appliances, automobiles, aircraft, banks, security systems, defence equipment and many more where software is an integral part of a product.
Crystallization of ideas and products which helps individuals to move or for the general public to move in large numbers within our growing cities and in between cities is very well encompassed in this technical journal which helps researchers and engineers to visualize different products for the mobility industry.
As a nation having the largest pool of young, qualified and highly capable engineers, the education system that propels the youth into a capable engineer with skills across multiple engineering domains is the fuel for the growth of both the component and vehicle industries. This human capital combined with the core research into components like sensors, actuators, magnetics, multiple cell chemistries, fast acting low-loss switches getting enabled through the latest communication technologies is the strength of our ecosystem to create software-defined automobiles of the future. This Journal from ARAI places a critical role in all these areas.
The partnership between components and product creators in the automotive industry is in a transition phase through which Industry is undergoing will definitely witness a sea change in its capabilities to support and create next-gen mobility products. To identify, inform and eliminate the risk of failure on the part, every mobility product of today and in future has a vast amount of electronics and software inbuilt to effectively use such products to its fullest potential.  These components will configure and change over a period of time inside these intelligent products to optimize the product performance over its lifetime.
This journal of mobility technology and the authors of various articles herein bring great insight into every technical aspect and align leaders in the mission of creating software-centred autonomous and semi-autonomous products.
Wishing all success to the editorial team for bringing this together and happy reading to all the readers.


The Rome Department of the German Archaeological Institute was asked by the Soprintendenza Archeologica di Roma, together with the Centro Nazionale di Ricerca, to prepare the extensive documentation needed for the restoration of the Domus Aurea. In Rooms 22–34 the modern cement floor was removed, revealing that all marble slabs had been removed in antiquity. Instead, a wooden floor had been inserted, preventing direct contact with the cold and humid ground and thus enabling the storage of delicate goods, e.g. wheat, fabric and spices.


This study aims to determine the determinant factors in the company's hedging decisions and to determine whether the activities of corporate hedging decisions through derivative instruments provide increased value for the company. The sample consisted of 33 mining companies listed on Indonesia Stock Exchange during 2011-2015 period. The method used in this study is logistic regression and independent sample t-test. The result of logistic regression by using variable of financial distress, underinvestment cost, and size showed a positive correlation to corporate hedging decision. Meanwhile, by using an independent sample t-test found that the company's hedging decisions significantly affect the value of firms and the companies with hedging decision activity through derivative instruments have more superior value than companies by using natural hedging decisions.


Aim: The aim of this study to examine the perceived mobbing levels, and to look into the relationship between mobbing and job satisfaction of nurses working in Turkey through a meta-analysis. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis is based on the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. A total of 850 studies on perceived mobbing levels, and 50 studies on the relationship between mobbing and job satisfaction were retrieved from databases which are Ulusal Tez Merkezi, DergiPark, PubMed, EBSCO Host, and Web of Science. The articles and dissertations were written in Turkish and English and published before December 31, 2018. The PRISMA statement was used to report systematic review and meta-analysis. Results: The perceived mobbing level was found to be 1.867, and a negative and medium-level relationship was observed between mobbing and job satisfaction in nurses who work in Turkey (r = -.510, p = .000). Conclusions: The perceived mobbing level, according to the meta-analysis, were found to show that nurses are exposed to a high degree of mobbing behavior in Turkey. The relationship between mobbing and job satisfaction showed a negative and moderate correlation. In other words, as the mobbing level increases, the job satisfaction level decreases.


Under the large umbrella of Latinx children's literature, the books and studies that specifically portray Puerto Rican characters, settings, and stories are limited, creating a gap in understanding the representations of Puerto Ricans in children's literature. This study explores the voices of Puerto Ricans through a critical content analysis of twenty contemporary realistic picture books published from 2000-2016. The collection shows 1) a magical but limiting representation of the island; 2) a consistent absence of the African or Afro-Puerto Rican identity; 3) a complex use of Spanish in English texts and, 4) a resistance against a colonial discourse and myths that have historically described the broad Latinx population as indifferent with regards to their children's educacion.


Conflicting results exist about the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in postmenopausal women. Given that CAD is the most common cause of death in Type II diabetic women, better understanding of this issue is particularly important for postmenopausal women with Type II diabetes. Accordingly, this project utilized a database of de-identified electronic medical records to investigate the prevalence of CAD in postmenopausal Type II diabetic women between the ages of 55-75 with or without HRT. Further analysis of two of the most common HRTs, premarin and estrace, was conducted to compare their effects on the prevalence of CAD. There was no difference in CAD prevalence in Type II diabetic postmenopausal women with or without HRT. In addition, there was no difference between the two forms of HRT, premarin and estrace, in the prevalence of CAD. These findings may have important implications for management of post-menopausal symptoms in women with Type II diabetes.


Recently, increase of non-HIV nontuberculous lung disease has been noticed but the chemotherapy of this disease is prolonged because no bactericidal drugs are available. To correctively evaluate the course of disease, X-ray images have been the most reliable method. Yet a quantitative assessment has not been established. Method: Image of M. avium complex lung disease (MAC) is composed of nodule, infiltration (consolidation), cavity and bronchiectasis. We assess the occupied area of each factor on 6-divided lung field, and constructed a system named "NICE scoring system" on PC that makes it possible to easily score in actual practice. Results: This method is well performed for chest radiography (CXR) images and also CT images. Validation tests of intra rater, inter rater and scoring for identical case by CXR images versus CT images show moderate to substantial kappa statistics and significant correlations. Conclusion: This method is useful to evaluate the radiographic image of MAC lung disease.


We live in an age dominated by money. As capitalism has intensified and expanded as a social form, money has increasingly colonised the production and reproduction of the human condition. We live in an age of monetarism: an age in which social and political regulation are increasingly subordinate to the dictates of 'sound money'. We live in an age of national lotteries: an age where millions attempt each week to garner enough money to 'free' themselves from the grinding agony of wage labour. We live in an age in which people increasingly grasp the alienation inherent in the domination of society by money and attempt to reassert a sense of human community through the introduction of local currency and barter schemes. But we also live in an age where Marxism is supposedly dead; where we can only gaze in ironic postmodern wonder at the increasing domination of the human condition by money and its social forms. In this paper we go beyond this postmodern orthodoxy to suggest that it is not only possible to develop a historically materialist analysis of money and its social forms but also that this project is essential if we are to reclaim our humanity from the deadening alienation of money and its social forms. We explore the magical qualities of money, the qualities which have enthralled and transfixed bourgeois social science from the classical economy of Adam Smith to the present day postmodernists. We argue that the lasting legacy of Marx was to uncover the historical materiality underlying the magical appearance of money: a discovery of the alchemic properties of money capital through which money becomes more money and which involves the material subordination of living labour to the valorisation of money capital.


The most reported cases for doxycycline toxicity were the accidental oral poisoning in calves but no any report in doxycycline-induced toxicity in poultry. Therefore, the current study aimed to determine the adverse effects of doxycycline on behavioral patterns and histopathology of Japanese Quail. Eighty mature female quail were allocated to four groups. Behavioral observation were carried out. Also, productive traits including, daily feed and water intake, egg production and weight gain were estimated. Then, tonic immobility test and tissue collection for histopathological studies were determined. The results revealed increased feeding and drinking behaviors in overdosed groups with lower weight gain and higher degree of fearfulness in the tenfold group. However, standing behavior decreased, while movement acitivites followed a pattern of increment in a dose dependent system. Wing and leg stretch decreased in the tenfold group than others. Histopathological studies showed hyalinized degeneration and necrotic changes in skeletal and cardiac muscle. Furthermore, hepatic lipidosis and congested brain blood vessel with widely distended Virchow Robin space by edema with mild lesions in kidney. It was concluded that doxycycline overdose affect the performance and health of Japanese Quail so it is recommended not to use in excess in poultry farms.


We have already briefly described the specific and extreme grade of hyperleukocytosis that follows the intravenous injection of living typhoid bacilli in rabbits that have been immunized against this microorganism.1In the present communication we wish to consider more fully the detail and mechanism of this phenomenon and its analog in other types of protein immunization. The importance of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes in both natural and acquired immunity against bacteria has been well and advisedly emphasized by Metchnikoff and his pupils.2The observations on the importance of leukocytes in immunity have dealt, however, with the qualitative rather than the quantitative response of these cells to the infecting agent. Our work, we believe, points out the existence and importance of a quantitative leukocyte response in cases in which recovery from an acute infection occurs abruptly. The injection of apparently any foreign protein substance in normal animals


A method based on adaptive data processing to compensate clutter spectrum range dependence is proposed in this paper. The method takes of data interpolation theory to interpolate the range heterogeneous short distance data to the range homogeneous far distance data, in order to provide enough number of samples to carry Space Time Adaptive Processing (STAP) on the far distance data. Through computer simulation of two geometry of bistatic radar shows the data adaptive method can decrease the range dependence and the number of the large eigenvalues of the clutter covariance, and improve performance of (GMTI) ground moving target indication for bistatic radar.


Estimation of irreversibility fields in pinning-strength-controlled metallic superconductor is carried out for superconducting Pb - Bi alloys. The magnitude and temperature dependence of the irreversibility field depend only slightly on the flux pinning strength. The difference between the irreversibility field and the upper critical field remains finite in specimens with a strong pinning force. The experimental result is compared with the flux creep theory and found to be explained well by the theory.


My interlocutor is anyone who denies personhood to the embryo on the grounds that a human person can exist only in conscious activity and that in the absence of consciousness a person cannot exist at all. I probe personal consciousness to the point at which the distinction between the being and the consciousness of the human person appears, and argue on the basis of this distinction that the being of a person can exist in the absence of any consciousness. I proceed to argue that it is not only entirely possible for the embryo to be a human person, but that, given the embodied personhood of us human beings, this is the only reasonable assumption which we can make.


Cognitive studies using functional imaging are inherently associated with nonstimulant noise in MRI. Dissociating the noise aspect in functional imaging from cognitive traits is crucial in delineating auditory cognition. This study explores the association of noise in auditory cognition studies. we designed a functional Navon task paradigm with introduction of pink noise characteristics modelled as part of its memory phase. Variation of noise induced the cognitive masking associated with characteristics of stimuli across the local and global suppression.


The Parson's chameleon ( Calumma parsonii ) is one of the largest and most robust chameleons, the males growing to a maximum of 65 cm in length. Madagascar is home to the Parson's chameleon, as well as over two thirds of the world's chameleon species. These peaceful, lethargic reptiles are stealth predators that can remain motionless for hours awaiting their prey. Their adaptations for predation are most startling.

Figure

The name "chameleon" betokens a veil of secrecy and mystery. Recent research on these interesting creatures, though, begins to draw this veil aside to reveal extraordinary physiological gifts.

The common currency of reptile folklore would have us believe that chameleons change colour in response to their background, but this is not true. Although the animal relies upon its camouflage to escape detection in some situations, it changes colour in response to mood, temperature, and light intensity but not according to its background. Aggressive territorial colour displays are common among males but other social displays, including courtship and species recognition, also rely heavily upon colour change. To accomplish these remarkable changes, chameleons have a complex skin structure. True chameleons have three types of chromatophores in their skin including xanthophores containing yellow or red pigmentation, melanophores containing melanin, and guanophores that reflect blue light but do not contain true pigment. The xanthophores are found in the superficial dermis and the melanophores are in the deeper dermis, with the guanophores beneath the melanophores. The melanophores project dendritic processes through the dermis upward towards …


In native reaction centers (RCs) from photosynthetic purple bacteria the primary quinone (QA) and the secondary quinone (QB) are interconnected via a specific His-Fe-His bridge. In Rhodobacter sphaeroides RCs the C4=O carbonyl of QA forms a very strong hydrogen bond with the protonated Npi of His M219, and the Ntau of this residue is in turn coordinated to the non-heme iron atom. The second carbonyl of QA is engaged in a much weaker hydrogen bond with the backbone N-H of Ala M260. In previous work, a Trp side chain was introduced by site-directed mutagenesis at the M260 position in the RC of Rb. sphaeroides, resulting in a complex that is completely devoid of QA and therefore nonfunctional. A photochemically competent derivative of the AM260W mutant was isolated that contains a Cys side chain at the M260 position (denoted AM260(W-->C)). In the present work, the interactions between the carbonyl groups of QA and the protein in the AM260(W-->C) suppressor mutant have been characterized by light-induced FTIR difference spectroscopy of the photoreduction of QA. The QA-/QA difference spectrum demonstrates that the strong interaction between the C4=O carbonyl of QA and His M219 is lost in the mutant, and the coupled CO and CC modes of the QA- semiquinone are also strongly perturbed. In parallel, a band assigned to the perturbation of the C5-Ntau mode of His M219 upon QA- formation in the native RC is lacking in the spectrum of the mutant. Furthermore, a positive band between 2900 and 2400 cm-1 that is related to protons fluctuating within a network of highly polarizable hydrogen bonds in the native RC is reduced in amplitude in the mutant. On the other hand, the QB-/QB FTIR difference spectrum is essentially the same as for the native RC. The kinetics of electron transfer from QA- to QB were measured by the flash-induced absorption changes at 780 nm. Compared to native RCs the absorption transients are slowed by a factor of about 2 for both the slow phase (in the hundreds of microseconds range) and fast phase (microseconds to tens of microseconds range) in AM260(W-->C) RCs. We conclude that the unusually strong hydrogen bond between the carbonyl of QA and His M219 in the Rb. sphaeroides RC is not obligatory for efficient electron transfer from QA- to QB.


After a survey describing the range of products and services offered by Texas florists and supermarket floral departments, a modified SERVQUAL instrument measured customer perceptions and expectations of floral service quality. Florist customers were 3.2 years older, had a slightly higher household income, bought floral products twice as often from a florist, spent $14.53 more on each florist purchase than supermarket customers; they also made four fewer floral purchases from supermarkets during the previous 6 months. Supermarket customers spent $14.40 more on each supermarket floral purchase than did florist customers. Reliability was the most important and tangibles were the least important of the five service quality dimensions. Although expectations for both groups were similar on 18 of 22 service quality items, florists' customers perceived higher service quality than did supermarket customers. Although customers of both retail outlets had expectations higher than perceptions, florist customers had smaller, less negative gap scores. This result showed that florists better met customer expectations than did supermarket floral departments, a potential competitive advantage.


Summary Gorse (Ulex europaeus) was harvested in late spring, summer, autumn and winter and fed to six goats kept individually in metabolism cages for 21-day periods. The same gorse was also fed to sheep during the first two periods, but not in autumn and winter, as the hardness and sharpness of the needles caused total rejection by the sheep at these times. Measurements of voluntary intake and apparent digestibility were made over the last 7 days of each period. To minimize effect of diet selection the animals were fed at hourly intervals. Dietary lignin concentration was very high, ranging from 170 to 200g/kg D.M. Voluntary metabolizable energy (ME) intake for goats was respectively 1·60, 0·82, 0·72 and 0·41 times maintenance for the four harvesting times, late spring, summer, autumn and winter. Corresponding values for sheep were 0·90 and 0·33 for gorse harvested in late spring and summer. Thus, in late spring and summer, voluntary ME intake by goats was respectively 1·8 and 2·5 times that of sheep. The reduction in ME intake with time was attributed to increases in the contents of D.M. and of lignin + hemicellulose in depressing voluntary D.M. intake and apparent digestibility respectively. Voluntary intake of both supplementary water and total water per unit D.M. intake were consistently less for goats than sheep. From a comparison with published values, it was concluded that the superiority of. goats over temperate breeds of sheep in digestible dry matter intake (DDMI)/kg W0·75 per day increased as the lignin content of the diet exceeded 120 g/kg D.M., indicating that goats must possess some superior mechanism for breaking down highly lignified diets such as gorse and willow. It is proposed that cashmere fibre production from goats grazing gorse for a 7-month period of each year should be evaluated as an alternative to regulating gorse with chemicals.


In summary, the various aspects involved in the procurement and supply management process of this institute have been outlined. The decisions that are made in the procurement process may vary; however, the goal to provide the users with the item at the time of need never varies in any environment.


The study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis in sheep in Babylon province by use of two methods (latex agglutination test (LAT) and Enzyme linked immunsorbant assay (ELISA)). The results of Latex agglutination were appeared infection rate of 13.77% (31 out of 225 animals), the higher seropositivity was in urban region 19.4% while in rural region it was 11.39%, and depending on sex of animal thus higher rate in males were 16.51% compared with females 11.2%, so the results were referred to higher rate in young ages (less than one year) were 22.41%, and higher titer for latex agglutination test was 64 with rate 35.48%.With respect ELISA test where the results referred to that out of 31 positive samples for LAT, nine samples were positive for IgG 29.03%.


We introduce explicit adaptive Milstein methods for stochastic differential equations with one-sided Lipschitz drift and globally Lipschitz diffusion with no commutativity condition. These methods rely on a class of path-bounded timestepping strategies which work by reducing the stepsize as solutions approach the boundary of a sphere, invoking a backstop method in the event that the timestep becomes too small. We prove that such schemes are strongly $L_2$ convergent of order one. This convergence order is inherited by an explicit adaptive Euler-Maruyama scheme in the additive noise case. Moreover we show that the probability of using the backstop method at any step can be made arbitrarily small. We compare our method to other fixed-step Milstein variants on a range of test problems.


This article focuses on the rapid development of the "modernizing wholesale" channel, with a study of guava traders and farmers in Mexico. This adds to a literature on modernization of food markets that has focused primarily on exports, supermarkets, and large processors and addressed less wholesale in general and rarely modernizing wholesale per se. We find that participation in the modernizing wholesale channel, relative to the traditional broker channel, requires greater land, regional, and nonland assets, as well as confers a premium controlling for quality, and spurs employment in harvesting and handling locally.


Crystal growth behaviors and thermodynamical properties were investigated for the two polytypic structures of n-alkanes. The solution crystallization of n-hexatriacontane (n-C36H74) were followed by oblique transmission micro-FTIR spectroscopy, which showed that a polytypic transformation took place during the crystallization. A single crystal appeared as single-layer polytype Mon and then a domain of double-layer polytype Orth II was generated heterogeneously. The crystal transformed gradually to a single crystal of Orth II through a solution-mediated phase transition. Inelastic neutron scattering measurements showed that the driving force of this transformation came from the difference in the vibrational density of state. From the frequency of methyl torsional mode, it is suggested that the cohesive force at the lamellar interface is stronger in Mon than in Orth II.


Statistical tools are applied to the results of partial discharge measurements performed by means of a digital system, with the purpose to identify parameters useful for pattern recognition. In particular, the probability distribution of the charge height is investigated resorting to the two-parameter Weibull function. The PD data obtained from measurements of tree growth in specimens of EVA copolymer subjected to constant voltage, at room temperature, are considered. Two configurations of the point-plane electrode geometry are tested, which differ for the presence or not of an artificial void at the needle tip. It is shown that the probability distribution of the PD-pulse height is well described by the two parameter Weibull function when tree grows in the insulation, in the absence of the artificial void, or PDs are occurring in the void, before inception of tree in the insulation. The Weibull parameters are related to tree-growth features and are sensitive to transition of tree from void to insulation.


Effective communication is one of the most fundamental aspects of successful patient care, and it frequently depends on the nurses' ability to empathize with patients while finding effective ways to translate medical science into personally relevant health information. Skilled nurses are expected to understand the patient's experiences and feelings and be able to communicate this understanding to the patient, but language strategies used to achieve the goal of empathic communication can vary. In this article, we employed the model of message design logics to evaluate what strategies nursing students (N = 343) used to express empathy during a simulated health history training. The results of this study advance our understanding of what constitutes a high-quality response to the disclosure of personal health history facts. In addition to providing a general framework for understanding empathic responses during health history assessment, the message design logic perspective highlights the differences in linguistic choices in simulated patient–provider conversations.


Objective The most common site of metastasis in patients with colon cancer is the liver. This study aimed to identify patients with colon cancer at high risk of developing liver metastasis and to explore their prognosis. Methods The clinical characteristics, treatment methods and survival outcomes of patients diagnosed with colon cancer from 2010 to 2015 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of liver metastasis, and multivariate logistic and Cox regression models were used to identify risk and prognostic factors. Results A total of 60,018 patients with colon cancer were selected from the SEER database. The incidence of liver metastasis was 9.2%. African American ethnicity, poor differentiation, higher tumor stage, higher lymph node ratio, and lung metastases were common factors associated with both liver metastasis risk and prognosis. Conclusions Metastasectomy might improve survival among patients with colon cancer with resectable liver metastasis lesions and no other organ involvement.


Taking China's two successful IOS cases as study object, this paper investigated inter-firm business process transformation enabled by IOS from four aspects, namely, integration, transfer, elimination and creation of inter-firm business processes. This study argues that IOS must be seen as the enabler of organizational structure and business process changes rather than a mere implementation tool for existing organizations and processes inside enterprises and between enterprises. Enterprises should focus on their core capability, collaborate with each other with IOS and actively achieve inter-firm business process integration and innovation.


Purpose The purpose of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to explore the characteristics of herbal remedy use for diabetes among Latinos/Hispanics with type 2 diabetes. Methods A convenience sample of 75 Latino/Hispanic adults with type 2 diabetes was recruited from community-based settings in North Carolina. Data were collected through face-to-face bilingual interviews. Measures included a demographic questionnaire; the Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Practices Questionnaire; and biophysical indicators of A1C and body mass index. Results Sixty-nine percent of the sample reported using herbal remedies for diabetes self-care. Forty-nine herbal products were identified. The most commonly reported products were prickly pear cactus, aloe vera, celery, and chayote. The perceived effectiveness of products varied; some said they helped "a lot" while others noted the development of side effects. Over three quarters (77%) of persons using herbal remedies reported concurrent use with prescribed medications. Also, some participants reported skipping or altering the dose of diabetes medications when using herbal remedies. Most (77%) reported not disclosing herbal remedy use to health care providers. Conclusions Diabetes educators and other health care providers need to ask Latino/Hispanic clients about their use of herbal remedies and become knowledgeable about herbal products to provide advice about safety.


In the paper, a dual winding reluctance generator with mixed poles is analysed to determine its performance characteristics. The loads (impedance or rectifier) are connected to a set of 2-pole, 3-phase windings which are capacitively compensated, while more reactive power is provided to the load by another 6-pole, 3-phase control winding to which another 3-phase capacitor bank is connected. A q-d equivalent circuit model accounting for saturation of the magnetic paths and saturation-dependent core and harmonic loss resistances is given, which accurately predicts experimental results.


Machine-learning models are prone to capturing the spurious correlations between non-causal attributes and classes, with counterfactual data augmentation being a promising direction for breaking these spurious associations. However, explicitly generating counterfactual data is challenging, with the training efficiency declining. Therefore, this study proposes an implicit counterfactual data augmentation (ICDA) method to remove spurious correlations and make stable predictions. Specifically, first, a novel sample-wise augmentation strategy is developed that generates semantically and counterfactually meaningful deep features with distinct augmentation strength for each sample. Second, we derive an easy-to-compute surrogate loss on the augmented feature set when the number of augmented samples becomes infinite. Third, two concrete schemes are proposed, including direct quantification and meta-learning, to derive the key parameters for the robust loss. In addition, ICDA is explained from a regularization aspect, with extensive experiments indicating that our method consistently improves the generalization performance of popular depth networks on multiple typical learning scenarios that require out-of-distribution generalization.


The regulatory roles of intracellular taurine and glycine, transported and biosynthesized in hepatocytes, on the formation of conjugated bile acids were studied using freshly isolated hepatocytes (fresh hepatocytes) and hepatocytes in primary culture (cultured hepatocytes). Transported taurine significantly increased the rate of taurocholic acid formation both in fresh hepatocytes and cultured hepatocytes. Similarly, the addition of cysteine and hypotaurine, which were metabolically converted to taurine in hepatocytes, facilitated the formation of taurocholic acid in these cells. On the other hand, exogenous glycine into the incubation medium had no effect on the formation of glycocholic acid both in fresh and cultured hepatocytes. In contrast, the addition of serine and threonine, which are metabolically converted to glycine in hepatocytes, significantly increased the formation of glycocholic acid in fresh hepatocytes, although little effect of the additions of serine and threonine on the formation of glycocholic acid was noted in the case of cultured hepatocytes. The present results indicate that the formation of taurine-conjugated bile acids in hepatocytes is maintained by both transported and intracellularly formed taurine in hepatocytes, while that of glycine-conjugated bile acids is regulated by glycine formed within hepatocytes, but not by transported glycine.


The objective of paper is to introduce a novel integrated framework based on Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) and Vlsekriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) methods within single-valued neutrosophic sets (SVNSs) context, wherein the decision experts and criteria weights are fully unknown. In the proposed approach, the evaluation criteria weights are computed by SWARA method and the preference order of alternatives is decided by VIKOR method with SVNSs. Next, to show the efficiency and applicability of the proposed framework, a case study of eco-industrial thermal power plant selection problem is presented within the context of SVNSs. In addition, this study performs sensitivity analysis with various set of criteria weights to reveal the strength of the developed approach. Finally, a comparison is discussed to analyze the validity of the obtained result. The final results confirm that the developed framework is more efficient and well consistent with previously developed methods under SVNSs context.


Local governments are mandated, through decentralisation, to mobilise own-source revenues and channel them into poverty reducing service provision like education and health. Arguably, the best way to measure the benefits from poverty reducing public service provision is through quality service outcomes (such as quality education outcomes). This paper argues that the structure of local government finances, where local governments depend heavy on intergovernmental transfers is not a problem to consider much on when it comes to improved local service delivery. However, much focus should be geared towards the performance in the mobilisation of own-source revenue and its relationship with poverty reducing public service provision outcomes at the local level. The reason is that decentralisation is a medium to enhance the participation of the local people. The best way to enhance this local participation is through increased accountability from the local governments to the local people. Local participation attracts local innovations which are necessary for improved public service outcomes. Existing studies show that the collection of own-source revenues enhances local accountability, which is prerequisite for achieving quality public service delivery outcomes. This paper argues that increases in own-source revenues will impact more on poverty reducing public service provision outcomes. Longitudinal panel data of revenue and service delivery outcome reports for the 20 local governments in the Central Region of Ghana, from 2011 to 2015, were used to answer the research question for the study. The research question is ''does increases in own-source revenues improve quality of public service delivery outcomes at the local level?'' The study found no statistical relationship between service delivery outcomes (core textbook provision per child) and own-source revenues. On the other hand, there was a moderate statistical relationship between own-source revenues and pupil per trained teacher ratios at 0.01 alpha value. Recommendations were made for local governments to increase own-source revenue mobilisation efforts as it impacts positively on efforts to improve local public service delivery outcomes, especially if the focus is on improving pupil per teacher ratio at the local level.


We consider the evolution of high-Reynolds-number, planar, pulsatile jets in an incompressible viscous fluid. The source of the jet flow comprises a mean-flow component with a superposed temporally periodic pulsation, and we address the spatiotemporal evolution of the resulting system. The analysis is presented for both a free symmetric jet and a wall jet. In both cases, pulsation of the source flow leads to a downstream short-wave linear instability, which triggers a breakdown of the boundary-layer structure in the nonlinear regime. We extend the work of Riley, Sánchez-Sans & Watson (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 638, 2009, p. 161) to show that the linear instability takes the form of a wave that propagates with the underlying jet flow, and may be viewed as a (spatially growing) weakly non-parallel analogue of the (temporally growing) short-wave modes identified by Cowley, Hocking & Tutty (Phys. Fluids, vol. 28, 1985, p. 441). The nonlinear evolution of the instability leads to wave steepening, and ultimately a singular breakdown of the jet is obtained at a critical downstream position. We speculate that the form of the breakdown is associated with the formation of a 'pseudo-shock' in the jet, indicating a failure of the (long-length scale) boundary-layer scaling. The numerical results that we present disagree with the recent results of Riley et al. (2009) in the case of a free jet, together with other previously published works in this area.


China9s population has long been something of a magic number for the rest of the world. Marketers rhapsodize about selling to 1.3 billion consumers, while agronomists worry about whether those 1.3 billion mouths will have enough to eat. Preliminary figures from the 2010 census released last week show that the country is still growing. But the census also reveals trends that could reshape the world9s view of China—and perhaps even trigger changes in the government9s controversial one-child policy.


Nickel matrix composite coatings with ceramic disperse phase have been widely investigated due to their enhanced properties, such as higher hardness and wear resistance in comparison to the pure nickel. The main aim of this research was to characterize the structure and corrosion properties of electrochemically produced Ni/Al 2 O 3 nanocomposite coatings. The coatings were produced in a Watts bath modified by nickel grain growth inhibitor, cationic surfactant and the addition of alumina particles (low concentration 5 g/L). The process has been carried out with mechanical and ultrasonic agitation. The Ni/Al 2 O 3 nanocomposite coatings were characterized by SEM, XRD and TEM techniques. In order to evaluate corrosion resistance of produced coatings, the corrosion studies have been carried out by the potentiodynamic method in a 0.5 M NaCl solution. The corrosion current, corrosion potential and corrosion rate were determined. Investigations of the morphology, topography and corrosion damages of the produced surface layers were performed by scanning microscope techniques. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.22.1.7407


You must bring your answers to the main questions along to your tutorial. You will need to be able to show these to your tutor, and may be exchanging them with other students, so it is best to have them printed out on paper. If you cannot do some questions, write down what it is that you find challenging and use this to ask your tutor in the meeting. Tutorials will not usually cover the Examples, but if you have any questions about those then write them down and ask your tutor, or post a question on Piazza. It's important both for your learning and other students in the group that you come to tutorials properly prepared. Students who have not attempted the main tutorial questions will be sent away from the tutorial to do them elsewhere and return later. Some exercise sheets contain material marked with a star ?. These are optional extensions. Data & Analysis tutorials are not formally assessed, but the content is examinable and they are an important part of the course. If you do not do the exercises then you are unlikely to pass the exam. Attendance at tutorials is obligatory: if you are ill or otherwise unable to attend one week then email your tutor, and if possible attend another tutorial group in the same week. Please send any corrections and suggestions to email@example.com


Introduction: The increasing number of primary total hip replacements means that there is an increased need for hip arthroplasty revisions. The periprosthetic fractures which cause bone defects can occur during removal of the femoral component and healing of these fractures can be delayed. In femoral bone defects during revisions, there are no metal augments for filling these defects. Case Report: Fifty-nine-year-old female presented with infected loosening of the left hip non-cemented endoprosthesis 5 years after surgery. The patient underwent removal of endoprosthesis. In 2 months, re-implantation of non-cemented endoprosthesis was performed and biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramic granules with hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate (HAp/β-TCP) were implanted in the femoral bone defects. Eleven months following the arthroplasty patient had periprosthetic fracture of the distal third of the left femur. The osteosynthesis was performed and BCP ceramic granules with HAp/β-TCP were used to fill the bone defect. Long-term follow-up showed very good functional outcome and bone defect healing. Conclusion: The BCP ceramic granules with HAp/β-TCP material adjusted to the bone defect anatomy, showed effective femoral bone defect and periprosthetic fracture healing in a patient with hip arthroplasty revision and periprosthetic fracture.


This research identifies issues surrounding transitioning final year students after work placement or study exchange, with the view to assessing the perceived need for a blended e-learning approach for dissertation preparation. Literature has identified that transitioning student experiences can contribute to an achievement gap compared to their static peer group: shifting social identities of students on return from placement year and feelings of alienation within their home institution (Auburn, 2007); the level of support experienced differing between home and host institutions (Raikou & Thanassis, 2007); and information gained from peers rated higher than from their own universities (Alfaro, Boullosa, Andreu‐Beso, De Lamo, Sobrado, Sanz & Arias, 2009). To date, few studies identify transitioning student centred issues with regard to dissertation preparation. This study utilised an extended quantitative questionnaire, building on a previous exploratory study (Houston & Carey, 2014). Data from focus groups with students and relevant teaching staff was triangulated and thematically analysed to inform the quantitative questionnaire. This was electronically distributed over a two-year period to all relevant level 4 students. Preliminary results evidence a negative perception of being treated differently than their peers who remained on campus. The cohort also placed a high expectation on the home institution in ensuring a structured approach to preparation for their return, whilst also identifying confusion with the nature and aim of the communication received. A majority stated they would access an online resource whilst on placement or exchange only with an element of home staff interaction. However, some did not consider any preparation for their return to home studies to be appropriate. The most effective form of support would be a mixture of pre-placement/exchange support, contact whilst away and again at the placement/exchange end. Results also indicated a possible mismatch with the information provided and that sought during transition.


In a coordinating solvent such as DMF, the fast oxidative addition of vinyl triflates to Pd0(PPh3)4 performed under stoichiometric conditions gives the cationic complexes [(η1-vinyl)Pd(PPh3)2(DMF)]+TfO-, which have been characterized by conductivity measurements, electrospray mass spectrometry, and NMR spectroscopy, before their decomposition to vinylphosphonium salts [vinyl-PPh3]+TfO- and Pd0 complexes. [(η1-vinyl)Pd(PPh3)2(DMF)]+TfO- complexes are less stable than [(aryl)Pd(PPh3)2(DMF)]+TfO- formed in the oxidative addition of aryl triflates to Pd0(PPh3)4. The rate constant of the oxidative addition of vinyl triflates and bromides to Pd0(PPh3)4 has been determined and compared to that of aryl triflates and halides. The following reactivity orders are established in DMF: vinyl-OTf ≫ vinyl-Br > PhBr and vinyl-OTf ≫ PhOTf.


A male gecko from the Horn of Africa's arid-country dwelling Lygodactylus somalicus species group has been found in a Zanzibar ground-water forest. The new species, L. howelli, in spite of distinctive traits such as seven preanal pores, no postnasal and heavily pigmented underside in the male sex, indicates that the group is derived from one species with several north-south clines, of which the present-day superspecies L. (somalicus) somalicus/L.(somalicus) howelli is a remnant.


This paper presents a galvanic isolated multi output AC/DC topology that is suitable for Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) based Power to Methane energy storage systems. The presented scheme utilizes a three phase back to back converters, a single-input and multiple-output three phase transformer, single diode rectifiers and buck converters that employ a proper interconnection between MES cells and the mains. The proposed topology merges all the required single phase AC/DC converters as a unified converter which reduces the overall system size and provides system integrity and overall controllability. The proposed control scheme allows to achieve the following desired goals:1) Simultaneous control of all cells; 2) Absorbing power from the grid and covert to methane when the electricity price goes down; 3) the power factor and the quality of grid current is under control; 4) Supplying MES cells at the optimal operating point. For verification of system performance, Real time simulation results that are obtained from a 10-kW MES energy storage are presented.


The paper discusses the characteristics of information demands by the users of university library in the present network environment,and the new moves to develop information service.


Abstract Tartar emetic is frequently used to force regurgitation in birds, allowing the study of diet while minimizing mortality. However, the responsiveness to the emetic in terms of regurgitation and mortality rates has been shown to be highly species-specific. A total of 369 individuals (44 species) present in an area of Brazilian Atlantic Forest received the tartar emetic during 410 treatment events. These birds were mainly insectivores, frugivores, and omnivores. Regurgitation occurred in 70% of the treatments, with an overall pre-release mortality of 10%. Average latency time was 20 min, and it was not correlated with average species body mass. Incidence of regurgitation was lower and mortality was higher in the first hours of the day. Incidence of regurgitation varied with feeding guild, taxonomic family, and body mass classes in univariate tests, but only with guild after the effects of family and body mass had been controlled for. Incidence of mortality was affected by family. Responsiveness did not vary between males and females. Mortality occurred more frequently among individuals that failed to regurgitate than among individuals that did regurgitate (85% vs. 15% of mortality events). Recapture rates were lower among treated individuals than among untreated individuals (10 vs. 13%), and lower among treated individuals that failed to regurgitate than among those that did regurgitate (8 vs. 11%), but these differences were not statistically significant. Treated and untreated birds presented statistically similar displacement rates between transects (32 vs. 42%). Our recommendation is that the tartar emetic should be used with caution, and alternative methods should be favored for those species presenting unsatisfactory responses to the tartar emetic. We also recommend that the use of this substance should be avoided in the first hours of the day, when the birds had little time to forage.


Abstract : A cracked tooth is defined as a thin surface enamel and dentin disruption of unknown depth, and is often associated with discomfort during mastication. In the presence of pulpal/apical disease, these teeth require non-surgical root canal treatment (NSRCT). However, there is limited information regarding endodontic outcomes of cracked teeth. PURPOSE: The primary objective of this continuing in-vivo, observational study was to determine the outcome of cracked teeth requiring initial NSRCT. A secondary objective was to determine factors that affect the outcome. METHOD: Subjects meeting inclusion criteria were enrolled at the Naval Postgraduate Dental School (NPDS) Endodontics Department. Standardized data collection forms were used to record subject demographics, diagnostic methods, tooth characteristics, treatment information, and clinical features of the cracked tooth. Subjects were asked to return annually for a follow-up clinical and radiographic examination a minimum of 12 months after treatment. The endodontic outcome was determined using combined clinical and radiographic data collected from the treatment and follow-up appointment. Healed was defined as the lack of clinical symptoms and radiographic lesions; functional was defined as a lack of clinical symptoms only. RESULTS: 15 teeth were analyzed for this interim analysis. Follow-up examination times ranged from 12 to 47 months, with a median of 16.2 months. Five teeth were radiographically verified as extracted, resulting in a survivability of 67%. For the remaining 10 teeth, 78% were healed and 90% were functional. 93% of cracked teeth requiring NSRCT were previously restored, and 60% were mandibular molars. CONCLUSION: An interim analysis of this retrospective outcome study revealed cracked teeth that required non-surgical root canal therapy had a favorable outcome and may be treated predictably.


The James Webb Space Telescope MIRI instrument will revolutionize extragalactic astronomy with unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution in mid-IR. Here we assess the potential of MIRI photometry to constrain galaxy properties in the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) survey. We derive estimated MIRI fluxes from the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of real sources that fall in a planned MIRI pointing. We also obtain MIRI fluxes for hypothetical active galactic nucleus (AGN)–galaxy mixed models varying the AGN fractional contribution to the total IR luminosity (fracAGN). Based on these model fluxes, we simulate CEERS imaging (3.6 hr exposure) in six bands from F770W to F2100W using mirisim and reduce these data using jwst pipeline. We perform point-spread-function-matched photometry with tphot and fit the source SEDs with x-cigale, simultaneously modeling photometric redshift and other physical properties. Adding the MIRI data, the accuracy of both redshift and fracAGN is generally improved by factors of ≳2 for all sources at z ≲ 3. Notably, for pure-galaxy inputs (fracAGN = 0), the accuracy of fracAGN is improved by ∼100 times thanks to MIRI. The simulated CEERS MIRI data are slightly more sensitive to AGN detections than the deepest X-ray survey, based on the empirical LX–L6 μm relation. Like X-ray observations, MIRI can also be used to constrain the AGN accretion power (accuracy ≈0.3 dex). Our work demonstrates that MIRI will be able to place strong constraints on the mid-IR luminosities from star formation and AGNs and thereby facilitate studies of the galaxy/AGN coevolution.


Fluent sentence production requires rapid syntax generation and word retrieval. We investigated how healthy aging affects these processes in two timed picture description tasks. In Experiment 1, young and older adults produced a syntactically related or unrelated prime prior to a target sentence (e.g., "the bell and the glove move up"). Both groups displayed significant facilitatory effects of priming on sentence onset latencies. In Experiment 2, participants produced sentences with initial coordinate or simple noun phrases (e.g., "the owl and the car move above the harp" / "the owl moves above the car and the harp"). On half the trials, the second picture (car) was previewed; critically, this previewed picture only fell within the initial phrase in the coordinate condition. Without preview, both age groups were slower to initiate sentences with larger coordinate phrases, suggesting a similar phrasal planning scope. However, age group differences did emerge in the preview conditions. Young adults displayed speed benefits of preview both within and outside the initial phrase. Whereas, older adults only displayed speed preview benefits within the initial phrase, and preview outside the initial phrase caused them to become significantly more error-prone. Thus, while syntactic planning scope appears unaffected by age, older adults do appear to encounter problems with managing the activation and integration of lexical items into syntactic structures. Taken together, our findings indicate that healthy aging disrupts the lexical, but not the syntactic, processes involved in sentence generation.


We demonstrate a novel approach for building situated information systems using wirelessly connected miniaturized displays. These displays are spatially distributed in a physical work environment and present situated glyphs human-readable abstract graphical signs to provide activity centric notification and feedback. The demo will showcase how such miniaturized display networks can be used in dynamic workplaces, e.g., a hospital to support complex activities.


Introduction: Standardized Letters of Evaluation (SLOEs) are designed to objectively compare medical students to their peers for completed emergency medicine (EM) rotations to be used in the EM residency match. In an attempt to adapt quickly to the lack of availability of in-person EM rotations due to COVID restrictions, "off-service" SLOEs (OSLOEs) were allowed in place of traditional SLOEs. The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of OSLOEs for candidate selection during the 2020-21 application cycle at a single EM residency. Methods: A retrospective cohort review of all OSLOEs submitted during the 2020-21 academic year to an EM residency program was performed. A total of 270 OSLOES were eligible for review. Summary statistics were calculated for the study variables recorded, including global rank, grade, categorical details, and rank. Results: Of the 270 OSLOEs reviewed, 61.9% ranked candidates in the top 10% of their class, with 95% being ranked in the top two categories. Over 90% of students were graded as honors or high pass and over 75% of students were ranked in the top 1/3 for each specific OSLOE category. Conclusion: Our findings reveal questionable utility of the objective measures in the OSLOE as there are signs it may suffer from non-uniform grade distribution, leading to low utility for candidate selection. Our data shows marked over-ranking within the highest 2 categories. EM program directors and faculty should use caution as the OSLOE may not carry the same weight as a traditional SLOE when objectively evaluating prospective students for a match into EM.