The authors describe the importance of music design for background instrumental music and the effect on task performance. Three instrumental music conditions that differ in tempo, articulation, mode, and musical meter were tested using a complex task scenario. The task was performed using a complicated web-interface that required users to focus their attention and perform several specific interactions for successfully finishing the task. All the interactions with the interface were recorded. Moreover, a mixed assessment of the emotional state, perceived task performance, and music perception was asked to participants upon task completion. Experimental results revealed that music design has complex effects on task performance and emotion. Also, the results revealed important trends that can help design music environments to control frustration when confronted to complex and cognitively demanding tasks.


A research report for final submission to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry. Johannesburg. 13 May 2015


We report the case of a patient with metastatic hormone refractory prostate cancer in whom "indirect" cauda equina syndrome developed concurrent with multilevel spinal cord compression (SCC). Three months after his first positive bone scan, a 65-year-old otherwise healthy man presented with severe back pain, bilateral lower extremity paresthesias, leg weakness and urinary retention. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a dural-based mass causing SCC at the T9, T10 and T11 vertebrae, with a normal cauda equina. He received corticosteroids and palliative external beam radiotherapy, resulting in good pain control and gradual improvement in his neurological symptoms. He did well for 8 months, at which time his residual bilateral leg weakness abruptly worsened and he experienced numbness, paresthesias, urinary incontinence and constipation. Repeat MRI showed progression of epidural metastatic disease compressing the spinal cord or thecal sac at 7 thoracic vertebral levels. The cauda equina was also distorted and flattened without evidence of direct solid tumour impingement. We hypothesized that the etiology was increased intrathecal pressure due to disrupted cerebrospinal fluid flow resulting from multiple levels of upstream thecal sac compression. It is essential to image the entire spinal cord and cauda equina when patients with metastatic bone disease present with neurological symptoms to institute correct treatment and preserve function and mobility.


ABSTRACT Three federally-listed endangered species at Comal and San Marcos Springs of central Texas are dependent upon springflows which issue from the Edwards aquifer. Historic drought conditions can lower discharge rates beneath the levels specified by federal regulations. Projected and existing rates of withdrawals from the Edwards aquifer will exacerbate periods of low discharge from the springs. One option which has been proposed for aquifer management is the augmentation of springflows by one of several methods: injection wells, infiltration galleries, direct addition of water to the lake/river systems, or enhanced recharge of the Edwards aquifer. The feasibility of each method is based upon the local hydrogeological characteristics. Modeling of the injection wells and infiltration galleries calculates the efficiency of these two processes. The former depends upon proximity to the spring orifices and the subsurface permeability structure. The latter depends largely upon the vertical permeability of the Regional Dense Member of the Person Formation. Water-quality considerations for the fauna are not yet documented, but the Edwards aquifer is a compatible source. Augmentation is feasible from hydrogeological and technical standpoints and can be considered as part of a water resources management system.


Abstract. The concept of evolvability—the capacity of a population to produce and maintain evolutionarily relevant variation—has become increasingly prominent in evolutionary biology. Paleontology has a long history of investigating questions of evolvability, but paleontological thinking has tended to neglect recent discussions, because many tools used in the current evolvability literature are challenging to apply to the fossil record. The fundamental difficulty is how to disentangle whether the causes of evolutionary patterns arise from variational properties of traits or lineages rather than being due to selection and ecological success. Despite these obstacles, the fossil record offers unique and growing sources of data that capture evolutionary patterns of sustained duration and significance otherwise inaccessible to evolutionary biologists. Additionally, there exist a variety of strategic possibilities for combining prominent neontological approaches to evolvability with those from paleontology. We illustrate three of these possibilities with quantitative genetics, evolutionary developmental biology, and phylogenetic models of macroevolution. In conclusion, we provide a methodological schema that focuses on the conceptualization, measurement, and testing of hypotheses to motivate and provide guidance for future empirical and theoretical studies of evolvability in the fossil record.


Sonodynamic therapy is a promising non-invasive treatment approach against malignant tumors. It is believed that sonodynamic therapy is advantageous over conventional photodynamic therapy due to its better penetration abilities. However, the efficacy of sonodynamic therapy is limited by the poor reactive oxygen species generation abilities of current sonosensitizers. To fulfill the unreleased potential of sonodynamic therapy, it is reasonable to optimize the properties of the sonosensitizers according to the basic mechanism of sonodynamic therapy. Here, in this review, the most recent research progress relating to the mechanism of sonodynamic therapy will be emphasized and a series of possible principles for the design of effective sonosensitizers will be proposed. Further challenges relating to the clinical translation of sonodynamic therapy will also be discussed to give a clear picture of the problems that must be overcome.


This article is in memory of Duane F. Alexander, who directed the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) from 1986 to 2009. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).


We report the first (to our knowledge) experimental results and numerical simulations on mid-IR femtosecond pulse filamentation in argon using 0.1 TW peak-power, 80 fs, 3.9 μm pulses. A broadband supercontinuum spanning the spectral range from 350 nm to 5 μm is generated, whereby about 4% of the mid-IR pulse energy is converted into the 350-1700 nm spectral region. These mid-IR-visible coherent continua offer a new, unique tool for time-resolved spectroscopy based on a mid-IR filamentation laser source.


The paper deals with the systematic description and discussion of the palynoflora recovered from the Pinjor Formation near Chandigarh. A total of 19 genera and 23 species have been recovered. Of these, two species are new.
The study of the Pinjor assemblage reveals that the spores and pollen grains may belong to 11 families, viz., Cyatheaceae, Schizaeaceae, Parkeriaceae, Podocarpaceae, Pinaceae, Palmae, Liliaceae, Gramineae, Magnoliaceae, Proteaceae and Oleaceae. The occurrence of reworked Eocene phytoplanktons has been discussed. The significance of the assemblage has also been commented upon.


Background A systematic review (SR) was conducted to answer the following focused question based on PICO strategy: In patients who were submitted to horizontal guided bone regeneration, "how efficacious is the combination of substitute bone graft with autogenous bone graft in comparison with substitute bone graft alone, in terms of bone gain?" Material and Methods MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Embase, Web of Science databases were searched, and hand searches were made up to June 2021, to find randomized clinical trials comparing the clinical effects of autogenous bone graft + substitute bone graft versus substitute bone graft alone in the treatment of horizontal guided bone regeneration. Results Four trials representing 109 individuals were included. All studies included in this SR used allogeneic bone graft. The meta-analysis did not show any statistically significant difference between the groups, for horizontal bone gain at a distance of 0 mm (MD: -0.46; 95%CI: -1.03 – 0.11) or at a distance of 4 to 5 mm from the top of the crestal alveolar ridge (MD: 0.17; 95%CI: -1.08 – 1.42). Conclusions Within limitations of this systematic review, it was concluded that the addition of autogenous bone graft to the allogeneic bone graft did not significantly increase the quantity of regenerated bone. Key words:Bone graft, bone regeneration, allograft.


ABSTRACT Leadership is a fundamental aspect of sports performance, particularly within team sport environments. Over the past 25 years there has been significant research exploring the role of the coach/manager in this regard. However, this only represents one aspect of leadership within the sporting domain. Equally important, although far less examined, is the concept of athlete leadership. The role of athlete leaders, both formal (e.g., the captain) and informal (such as motivators and cultural architects) can have a significant impact upon a range of team-related factors including satisfaction, cohesion, and team dynamics. However, the mechanisms through which this impact occurs are less well understood. Also, while the development of leadership skills has been proposed as an important aspect of coach development programmes there is very little consensus regarding the approaches that should be adopted in developing athlete leaders and their associated leadership skills. This paper reviews the existing literature relating to athlete leadership seeking to provide clarity regarding current understanding. Building upon this base the paper then highlights future areas for research and theoretical development.


Transporter adaptor protein PDZK1 regulates several influx transporters for xenobiotics and nutrients in small intestine, and their expression on the apical membrane is diminished in pdzk1 gene knockout [pdzk1(−/−)] mice. In the present study, we initially attempted to use pdzk1(−/−) mice to functionally identify influx transporters responsible for intestinal absorption of cimetidine. Contrary to our expectation, the plasma concentration of cimetidine after oral administration to pdzk1(−/−) mice was higher than that in wild-type mice, and the double peaks of plasma concentration found in wild-type mice were not observed in pdzk1(−/−) mice. Western blot analysis of intestinal brush-border membranes revealed that expression of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) but not of P-glycoprotein is reduced in pdzk1(−/−) mice. This result was compatible with the reduction of apical localization of BCRP in pdzk1(−/−) mice assessed by immunohistochemical analysis. Transcellular transport of cimetidine in the basal-to-apical direction in Madin-Darby canine kidney II (MDCKII) cells stably expressing both BCRP and PDZK1 (MDCKII/BCRP/PDZK1) was higher than that in MDCKII cells stably expressing BCRP (MDCKII/BCRP) cells. Moreover, MDCKII/BCRP/PDZK1 cells are more resistant than MDCKII/BCRP cells to the cytotoxicity of the anticancer agent 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38), which is a substrate of BCRP. These results were consistent with the higher expression of BCRP on apical membranes in MDCKII/BCRP/PDZK1 cells. Pull-down and immunoprecipitation studies revealed a physical interaction between BCRP and PDZK1. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that PDZK1 plays a pivotal role in the apical localization of BCRP. This is the first identification of a regulatory protein that physically interacts with and regulates BCRP in small intestine in vivo.


The condensation of 8-hydroxyquinoline and ethylene-diamine with formaldehyde in the presence of acid catalyst in 1:1:2 molar proportions respectively, enabled the formation of the nanoporous tercopolymer resin 8-Hydroxyquinoline-EthyleneDiamine-Formaldehyde(8-HQEDF). It was characterized by elemental analysis, UV, IR and H1NMR. Surface morphology analysis by SEM of the sample revealed presence of nanoporous structures. The number average molecular weight of the resin was determined by conductometric titration in non-aqueous medium. Viscometeric measurements in dimethyl formamide(DMF) have been carried out with a view to ascertain the characteristic functions and constants. The nanoporous 50nm, of the terpolymer can find its application in catalysis and adsorption phenomena.


Brown dwarfs (BDs) are celestial objects representing the link between the least massive main-sequence stars and giant gas planets. In the first part of this article, we perform a model-independent search of a gamma-ray signal from the direction of nine nearby BDs in 13 years of \Fermi-LAT data. We find no significant excess of gamma rays, and we, therefore, set 95\% confidence level upper limits on the gamma-ray flux with a binned-likelihood approach. In the second part of the paper, we interpret these bounds within an exotic mechanism proposed for gamma-ray production in BDs: If the dark matter (DM) of the universe is constituted of particles with non-negligible couplings to the standard model, BDs may efficiently accumulate them through scatterings. DM particles eventually thermalize, and can annihilate into light, long-lived, mediators which later decay into photons outside the BD. Within this framework, we set a stacked upper limit on the DM-nucleon elastic scattering cross section at the level $\sim 10^{-38}$ cm$^{2}$ for DM masses below 10 GeV. Our limits are comparable to similar bounds from the capture of DM particles in celestial objects, but have the advantage of covering a larger portion of the parameter space in mediator decay length and DM mass. They also depend only on the local DM abundance, as opposed to the inner Galaxy profile, and are thus more robust.


Previous work showed the capability of T-shaped piezoresistive cantilevers to detect gas composition using a nonreaction-based method - viscous damping [1]. However, this geometry yielded only small changes in resistance. Computational studies [2] indicate that optimizing the geometry of the base piezoresistor increases device sensitivity up to 700 times. This work reports on the development and testing of these novel asymmetric piezoresistive cantilevers. The first mode of resonance ranged from 40 kHz to 63 kHz, depending on piezoresistor geometry and beam length. Initial testing on the redesigned piezoresistive microcantilevers indicates that the new designs are 15-200 times more sensitive than the best symmetric design previously reported by our group.


High-quality education helps in finding a job - but student skills heterogeneity and student reluctance to move towards a professional attitude are important barriers to employability. We re-engineered some of the technical courses of a Masters in software development using a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach. Although initial results are encouraging, the cost of using PBL must be taken into account. Two aspects are particularly expensive: (i) set-up of the software development practicum, a mid-sized information system and its environment; (ii) screenwriting of problem-based learning scenarios, including procurement of input artefacts.


Introduction:
 Cardiac lymphomas are very rare with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) considered to be the most common histology. These lymphomas can be either local "primary cardiac" disease, or part of dissemination by systemic lymphoma. There is limited data regarding outcomes of patients with this disease. We sought to evaluate the outcomes of cardiac DLBCL in both pre- and rituximab eras using a large retrospective database.
 Methods:
 The public Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database was used to identify all patients diagnosed with DLBCL and heart as the primary disease site. Data cutoff in the database was in 2016. Patients with missing date of diagnosis or survival data were excluded. Patients were divided into two groups based on diagnosis year, with rituximab cohort included all DLBCLs diagnosed in 2006 and later (2006 was FDA approval year of rituximab in untreated DLBCL). Treatment effect (surgery, radiation, chemotherapy) was analyzed when available. survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and compared using Log-Rank test. Cox proportional hazards models were used for adjusted survival analyses.
 Results:
 Total of 106 patients were included in the final analysis, baseline characteristics are summarized in table 1. Median age at diagnosis was 69.5 years with only about 10% of patients being 50 years or younger. Most patients were white 71 (67%), had local stage I/II disease 68 (64.2%), and belonged to the rituximab era group 71 (67%). Most patients had chemotherapy 82 (77.4%), while only 25 (23.6%) had surgery, and 16 (15.1%) had radiotherapy. Median overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 22 months (0-292). Median OS was 16 months (95% CI, 0.55 -31) for the pre-rituximab group, and was 26 months (95% CI, 7.5 - 45) for the rituximab group which were not statistically different (p-value =0.340). Median lymphoma-specific survival (LCS) was 30 months (95% CI, 8.0 -52) for the pre-rituximab group, and was 36 months (95% CI, 16 - 158) for the rituximab group which were not statistically different (p-value =0.295). OS and LCS were also not different between the two era groups when stratified by chemotherapy (figure 1). On univariate analysis, Chemotherapy was associated with better OS [HR = 0.472, 95% CI (0.277-0.806); p-value = 0.006] but not LCS [HR = 0.690, 95% CI (0.341-1.396); p-value = 0.302]. Using a multivariate analysis model, both OS and LCS were associated with lymphoma stage, insurance status and age but not with diagnosis era or chemotherapy (table 2).
 Conclusion:
 Cardiac DLBCLs are rare and affecting mostly the elderly. No significant improvement in outcomes were noted in the current rituximab era. Age, disease stage, and having health insurance were associated with better outcomes. The role of chemotherapy needs further evaluation in larger studies.

 No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Indonesia has seen recent expansions of fundamentalist movements mobilising members in support a change to the current constitution. Against this background, two studies were conducted. In Study 1, we explored the intersection of religious and national identity among Indonesian Muslims quantitatively, and in Study 2, we qualitatively examined religious and national identification among members of moderate and fundamentalist religious organisations. Specifically, Study 1 (N = 178) assessed whether the association of religious and national identity was moderated by religious fundamentalism. Results showed that strength of religious identification was positively associated with strength of national identification for both those high and low in fundamentalism. Using structured interviews and focus group discussions, Study 2 (N = 35) examined the way that self-alignment with religious and national groups develops among activists of religious movements in Indonesia. We found that while more fundamentalist activists attached greater importance to their religious identity than to any other identity (e.g., national and ethnic), more moderate activists represented their religious and national identities as more integrated and compatible. We conclude that for Indonesian Muslims higher in religious fundamentalism, religious and national identities appear to be less integrated and this is consequential for the way in which collective agendas are pursued.


While most monocular structure-from-motion frameworks rely on sparse keypoints, it has long been acknowledged that lines represent an alternative, higher-order feature with high accuracy, repeatability, and abundant availability in man-made environments. Its exclusive use, however, is severely complicated by its inability to resolve the common bootstrapping scenario of two-view geometry. Even with stereo cameras, a one-dimensional disparity space, as well as ill-posed triangulations of horizontal lines make the realization of purely line-based tracking pipelines difficult. The present paper successfully leverages the redundancy in camera matrices to alleviate this shortcoming. We present a novel stereo trifocal tensor solver and extend it to the case of two camera matrix view-points. Our experiments demonstrate superior behavior with respect to both 2D-2D and 3D-3D alternatives. We furthermore outline the camera matrix's ability to continuously and robustly bootstrap visual motion estimation pipelines via integration into a robust, purely line-based visual odometry pipeline. The result leads to state-of-the-art tracking accuracy comparable to what is achieved by point-based stereo or even dense depth camera alternatives.


Among the various elements affecting a customer's evaluation of automobile quality, buzz, squeak and rattle (BSR) are considered to be major factors. In most vehicle manufacturers, the BSR problems are solved by find-fix method with the vehicle road test, mainly due to various excitation sources, complex generation mechanism and subjective response. The aim of this paper is to develop the integrated experimental method to systematically tackle the BSR problems in early stage of the vehicle development cycle by resolving these difficulties. To achieve this aim, the developed experimental method ought to include the following requirements: to find and fix the BSR problem for modules instead of a full vehicle in order to tackle the problem in the early stage of the vehicle development cycle; to develop the exciter system including the zig and road-input-signal reproducing algorithm; to automatically localize the source region of BSR; to develop sound quality index that can be used to assess the subjective responses to BSR. Also, the BSR sound quality indexes based on the Zwicker's sound quality parameters using a multiple regression analysis. The four sound metrics from Zwicker's sound quality parameter are computed for the signals recorded for eight BSR noise source regions localized by using the acoustic-field visualized results. Then, the jury test of BSR noise are performed for participants. On a basis of the computed sound metrics and jury test result, sound quality index is developed to represent the harsh of BSR noise. It is expected that the developed BSR detection system and sound quality indexes can be used to reduce the automotive interior BSR noise in terms of subjective levels as well as objective levels.


Quality nursing plays a central role in the delivery of contemporary health and social care, with a positive correlation being demonstrated between patient satisfaction and the quality of nursing care received. One way to ensure such quality is to develop metrics that measure the effectiveness of various aspects of care across a variety of settings. Effective mental health nursing is predicated on understanding the lived experiences of service users in order to provide sensitively-attuned nursing care. To achieve this, mental health nurses need to establish the all-important therapeutic relationship, showing compassion and creating a dialogue whereby service users feel comfortable to share their experiences that help contextualize their distress. Indeed, service users value positive attitudes, being listened to, and being able to trust those who provide care, while mental health nurses value their ability to relate through talking, listening, and expressing empathy. However, the literature suggests that within mental health practice, a disproportionate amount of time is taken up by other activities, with little time being spent listening and talking to service users. The present study discusses the evidence relating to the therapeutic relationship in acute mental health wards and explores why, after five decades, it is not recognized as a fundamental metric of mental health nursing.


Systemic sporotrichosis with cutaneous and pulmonary involvement in an immunocompetent patient is rare. We herein report a case of a 50-year-old man who presented with fever and multiple painful nodules for 1-month duration. On examination, there were hyperpigmented fluctuant subcutaneous nodules with hemorrhagic crusts on the face, trunk and extremities. Skin biopsy revealed acute suppurative granulomatous inflammation and panniculitis with budding yeasts. Chest x-ray demonstrated multiple centrilobular lung nodules at right upper lung zone and CT scan of the thorax showed consolidation over the peribronchovascular of right upper lobe, irregularity of the apical branch of right upper lobe bronchus and right hilar lymphadenopathy. Fungal culture from the skin nodule and bronchoalveolar lavage yielded Sporothrix schenckii. All investigations for immuno compromised state was negative. He was commenced on oral itraconazole which resulted in improvement of his symptoms. This case report highlights the rarity of sporotrichosis affecting the skin and lung simultaneously in an individual with a com petent immune response.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the impact of psychosocial aspects on the quality of life of teachers from municipal schools in Natal, Brazil.

METHOD
descriptive study with a cross-sectional design and a sample of 242 elementary school teachers. We used the WHOQOL-bref to assess the quality of life as well as questions about the level of control and the psychological demand of work from the Job Content Questionnaire.

RESULTS
the overall evaluation of quality of life showed that the physical and environmental domains had the lowest mean scores. According to the psychosocial aspects, most of the subjects (67 individuals = 32.1%) were characterized as having active work (high demand and control), followed by 54 teachers (25.8%) with demanding work (high demand and little control). These two groups have shown to be more affected in the assessment of physical (p < 0.001), psychological (p < 0.001), and environment (p < 0.001) domains of quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS
Teachers who had tasks characterized as active and demanding were more affected in the quality of life domain. This finding suggests the need for greater investment in health-promotion policies among teachers.


The genus Chanohirata Hayashi & Machida, including the herein synonymized monotypic genus Reticuluma Cheng & Li, is the second most speciose genus in the tribe Penthimiini after Penthimia Germar and is almost exclusively endemic to China. This study presents the first phylogeny of Chanohirata based on three mitochondrial markers (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and II and 16S ribosomal RNA) and one nuclear fragment (28S ribosomal RNA). Reticuluma syn. n. is recovered nested within Chanohirata with strong support. Reticuluma is, therefore, proposed as a junior synonym of Chanohirata, and a new combination is proposed: Chanohirata citrana (Cheng & Li) comb. n. Molecular species delimitation analyses were conducted by combining six molecular delimitation methods with morphological evidence. The results of the species delimitation analyses confirm the status of eight described species of Chanohirata and support the recognition of three new species: Chanohirata cornicula Wang & Zhang sp. n., Chanohirata elongata Wang & Zhang sp. n. and Chanohirata serrata Wang & Zhang sp. n. Molecular dating and biogeographic analyses suggest that Chanohirata likely originated during the late Eocene in southern China. During the late Miocene to early Pleistocene, the uplift of the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau and climatic oscillations probably triggered several dispersal and vicariance events in Chanohirata lineages, leading to most speciation events.


This work focuses on the development of a model predictive control algorithm to simultaneously regulate the aggregate surface slope and roughness of a thin film growth process to optimize thin film light reflectance and transmittance. Specifically, a two-stage thin film deposition process, which involves two microscopic processes: an adsorption process and a migration process, is modeled based on a one-dimensional solidon-solid square lattice via kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) method. The first stage of this process utilizes a uniform deposition rate profile to control the thickness of the thin film and the second stage of the process utilizes a spatially distributed deposition profile to control the surface morphology of the thin film. An Edwards-Wilkinson (EW)-type equation with appropriately computed parameters is used to describe the dynamics of the surface height profile and predict the evolution of the aggregate root-mean-square (RMS) roughness and aggregate RMS slope. A model predictive control algorithm is then developed on the basis of the EW equation model to regulate the aggregate RMS slope and the aggregate RMS roughness at desired levels.


We formulate an Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) that systematically distributes the computations of any technique for optimizing pairwise functions, including non-submodular potentials. Such discrete functions are very useful in segmentation and a breadth of other vision problems. Our method decomposes the problem into a large set of small sub-problems, each involving a sub-region of the image domain, which can be solved in parallel. We achieve consistency between the sub-problems through a novel constraint that can be used for a large class of pairwise functions. We give an iterative numerical solution that alternates between solving the sub-problems and updating consistency variables, until convergence. We report comprehensive experiments, which demonstrate the benefit of our general distributed solution in the case of the popular serial algorithm of Boykov and Kolmogorov (BK algorithm) and, also, in the context of non-submodular functions.


Lipomatous hypertrophy of the interatrial septum (LHIS) is a benign non-neoplastic cardiac lesion that previously has not been readily described, but with the increasing usage of computed tomography and echocardiography, this is now becoming a more well-characterized incidental finding. This case highlights an incidental finding of LHIS while a patient was undergoing treatment for a routine gastrointestinal bleed.


Wood, as a biological material, is sensitive to environmental conditions and microorganisms; therefore, wood products require protective measures to extend their service life in outdoor applications. Several modification processes are available for the improvement of wood properties, including commercially available solutions. Among the chemical treatments, acetylation by acetic anhydride is one of the most effective methods to induce chemical changes in the constitutive polymers at the cellular wall level. Acetylation reduces wood shrinkage-swelling, increases its durability against biotic agents, improves UV resistance and reduces surface erosion. However, even if the expected service life for external cladding of acetylated wood is estimated to be 60 years, the aesthetics change rapidly during the first years of exposure. Hybrid, or fusion, modification includes processes where the positive effect of a single treatment can be multiplied by merging with additional follow-up modifications. This report presents results of the performance tests of wood samples that, besides the modification by means of acetylation, were additionally protected with seven commercially available coatings. Natural weathering was conducted in Northern Italy for 15 months. Samples were characterized with numerous instruments by measuring samples collected from the stand every three months. Superior performance was observed on samples that merged both treatments. It is due to the combined effect of the wood acetylation and surface coating. Limited shrinkage/swelling of the bulk substrate due to chemical treatment substantially reduced stresses of the coating film. Hybrid process, compared to sole acetylation of wood, assured superior visual performance of the wood surface by preserving its original appearance.


The main prerequisites for introducing digital assets into the Russian practice, contributing to the development of digital financial relations, have been identified. The necessity of settling the category of "digital financial assets" at the level of legislation has been justified. The draft Federal Law "On Digital Financial Assets" has been analyzed in order to reveal the main points of implementation of activity in this area in the Russian conditions. The adoption of regulatory acts in the field of regulation of digital financial assets will provide a synergistic effect from digitalization processes.


The cabin noise level is an important criterion in high-performance ships, and the noise prediction is the premise of the ship noise control and low noise design. Taking a cruise ship as the research object, a comprehensive application of the statistical energy analysis (SEA) and the finite element-statistical energy analysis hybrid method (FE-SEA) is used to predict the full-frequency noise of typical cabins. The structure-borne noise and air-borne noise, caused by the external excitation from the main engine, propellers and auxiliary machinery, are obtained with the empirical formula. The primary noise sources of typical cabins are analyzed. The noise reduction scheme of sound package is adopted and optimized for the cabin with excessive noise.


The responses of several tin oxide based sensors to contaminant gases, such as methane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, are shown to be greatly affected by the oxygen concentration in the ambient atmosphere. A model is described which explains the observed results. At low oxygen concentration (<or=2% V/V) changes in resistance of factors up to 104 are observed.


Phylogenetic analysis of structural features of adults shows that the tribe Peleciini comprises eight genera, grouped in two subtribes: the southeastern Australian Agonicina (new status), including Pseudagonica Moore, 1960 (type species P. nitida Moore, 1960) and Agonica Sloane, 1920 (type species A. simsoni Sloane, 1920); and the Inabresian Peleciina (new status, with Peleciini and Disphaericini of authors), including the Neotropical Eripus Dejean, 1829 (type species E. scydmaenoides Dejean, 1829), Pelecium Kirby, 1817 (type species P. cyanipes Kirby, 1817), and Stricteripus, new genus (type species Pelecium pemllianum Straneo, 1953), the Oriental Ardistomopsis, new genus (type species Disphaericus myrmex, Andrewes, 1923), and the Afrotropical Dyschiridium Chaudoir, 1861 (type species D. ebeninum Chaudoir, 1861) and Disphaericus Waterhouse, 1842 (type species D gambianus Waterhouse, 1842). A key is provided to distinguish among these genera, and the structural features of each genus are described and illustrated, with habitus and SEM photographs. For the genera Eripus, Pelecium, Stricteripus, and Ardistomopsis, the species are keyed and characterized in terms of structural features and geographical distribution, and illustrations of habitus and range maps are provided. Application of names is based on study of type material. The genus Eripus includes nine species arrayed in two subgenera: the monobasic South American Eripidius, new subgenus (type species, Eripus franzi, new species; type locality Peru, Sierra Garevito to Quillabarnba) and the Nuclear Middle American Eripus (sensu stricto). A neotype is selected for Eripus aterrimus (Chaudoir, 1854) (type locality Mexico, Oaxaea, 0.5 mi. e. jct. Rtes. 190 and 125) because the original type could not be located and is presumed lost. The name E. nitidus (Chaudoir, 1861) is removed from synonymy with E. aterrimus because each name is associated with a different, specifically distinct group. New synonyms are: E. scydmaenoides Dejean, 1829 = E. aterrimus (Chaudoir, 1854) = E. subdentatus (Chaudoir, 1866). New species and subspecies are: E. oaxacanus (type locality Mexico, Oaxaca, 1 km e jct Rtes 125 and 190); E. globipennis whiteheadi (type locality Mexico, Morelos, 5.4 mi. E. Cuernavaea); E. globipennis rotundicollis (type locality Mexico, Guerrero, Sierra Madre del Sur, 26.2 km. from jct. of road to Chichihualco on rd. to Filo de Caballo); and E. breedlovei (type locality Mexico, Chiapas, Municipio Comitan, Laguna Chamula). The 33 species of Pelecium are arrayed in two subgenera: the tribasic northern South American-Lower Central American Pelecidium, new subgenus (type species Pelecium sulcatum Guerin-Meneville, 1843); and Pelecium (sensu stricto). The 30 species of subgenus Pelecium are arranged in eight species groups, each based on a distinctive combination of color, sculpture, form of terminal palpomeres and setation of tarsi: P. violaceum group (eight species); P. cyanipes group (one species); P. renati group (two species); P. punctatostriatum group (four species); P. rotundipenne group (four species); P. refulgens group (three species); P. faldermanni group (five species), and P. laeve group (three species). New synonyms are: P besckii (Chaudoir, 1850) = P. bisulcatum reichardti Straneo, 1970; and P. faldermanni (Chaudoir, 1846) = P. brevisulcis Straneo, 1953. Removed from Pelecium and placed in Stricteripus are: S. peruvianus (Straneo; 1955), S. impressus (Straneo, 1955); and S. banningeri (Straneo, 1953), new combinations. Seven new species and subspecies of Pelecium (sensu stricto) and the groups in which they are included are: P. violaceum group P. paral1elum (type locality probably Brazil, Assu), and P. longicolle impunctatum (type locality Paraguay, Dapucai); P punctatostriatum group - P bolivianum (type locality Bolivia, Santa Cruz, El Cidral), P. atroviolaceum (type locality Brazil, Chapada), and P. semistriatum (type locality Brazil, Chapada Campo), and P. rotundipenne group - P. pualue (type area Brazil, state of Santa Catarina), and P helenae (type local locality Brazil, S o Paulo, Jupuvara). Of the five species of Ardistomopsis recognized, two are new: A. andrewesi (type locality South India, Palni Hills, Kodaikana); and A. batesi (type locality Central India, Jabalpur). Removed from Disphaericus and placed in Ardistomopsis are A. marginicollis (Schaum, 1864), A. myrmex (Andrewes, 1923), and A. ovicollis (Bates, 1886), new combinations. The species of Dyschiridium and Disphaericus are not treated A reconstructed phylogeny of the genera and subgenera of Peleciini postulates the following relationships: the clade Pseudagonica + Agonica (- Agonicina) is the sister group of the remaining taxa (= Peleciina). Within the latter group, the New World Peleciina is the sister group of the Old World Peleciina. Of the Old World Peleciina, Eripus is the sister group of Pelecium + Stricteripus. In the Old World Peleciina, Aldistomopsis is sister group of Dyschiridium + Disphaericus. A reconstructed geographical history of this Gondwanian tribe indicates that the ancestral stock of Agonicina was split from that of Peleciina when Australia + Antarctica separated from the more northern Inabresia. The latter stock was split into New World and old World sister groups by the rifting apart of Africa and South America. The ancestral stock of Ardistomopsis is postulated to have reached India oversea, before the sub-continent was far separated from Africa. In the New World, the Eripus- Pelecium + Stricteripus split is postulated to have resulted from an oversea dispersal, with the ancestral stock of Eripus eventually arriving in Nuclear Middle America. The split of Eripus (s.lat.) into Eripidius and Eripus (s. str.) is postulated to have resulted from an oversea dispersal from Lower Middle America back into South America. The differentiation of the Pelecium + Stricteripus stock is postulated to have resulted from isolation of the ancestral stock respectively in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil and northern cis-Andean South America. Subsequently, the ancestral stock of Pelecium became more widespread and then divided into a northern vicar which gave rise to Pelecidium, and a southern one, which gave rise to Pelecium (s.str). Differentiation of the agonicine genera may have taken place in allopatry, with the ancestral stock of Agonica isolated in Tasmania, and that of Pseudagonica in the monntains of south-eastern Australia. Subsequently, possibly when the water gap between these two land masses disappeared, one stock of Agonica may have dispersed to southeastern Australia.


Introduction In addition to measurement errors, individual anatomical conditions could be made responsible for unexpected prediction errors in the determination of the correct intraocular lens power for cataract surgery. Obviously, such anatomical conditions might be relevant for both eyes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the postoperative refractive error of the first eye has to be taken in account for the biometry of the second. Methods In this retrospective study, we included 670 eyes of 335 patients who underwent phacoemulsification and implantation of a foldable intraocular lens in both eyes. According to the SRK/T formula, the postoperative refractive error of each eye was determined and compared with its fellow eye. Results Of 670 eyes, 622 showed a postoperative refractive error within ±1.0 D (93%), whereas the prediction error was 0.5 D or less in 491 eyes (73%). The postoperative difference between both eyes was within 0.5 D in 71% and within 1.0 D in 93% of the eyes. Comparing the prediction error of an eye and its fellow eye, the error of the fellow eye was about half the value of the other. Conclusion Our results imply that substitution of half of the prediction error of the first eye into the calculation of the second eye may be useful to reduce the prediction error in the second eye. However, prospective studies should be initiated to demonstrate an improved accuracy for the second eye's intraocular lens power calculation by partial adjustment.


Abstract This paper investigates principles which govern the various realisations of the present progressive aspect marker -tu- in Malawian Tonga. It is realised as zero when the morphological stem involved has two or more syllables. It is realised as -tu- when the stem involved is monomoraic. -tu- also surfaces before object markers. It is also realised as -t- or -tw- when it precedes vowel-initial verb stems. The main claim made in the paper is that -tu- is a lexical foot-head and a bona fide marker of the present progressive aspect. Since all foot-heads in Bantu languages are required to belong to the prosodic stem, its deletion when it falls before verb stems with two or more syllables ensures that there is no foot-head falling outside the prosodic stem. Preservation of -tu- before monomoraic verb stems and object markers is attributed to the fact that the foot-head -tu- in these forms is now part and parcel of the disyllabic prosodic stem. Finally, the realisation of -tu- as -t- or -tw- before vowel-initial verb stems ensures that prosodic stems have proper onset.


A method to design the composite insulation structures in pulsed power systems is proposed in this paper. The theoretical bases for this method include the Weibull statistical distribution and the empirical insulation formula. A uniform formula to describe the reliability ( R ) for different insulation media such as solid, liquid, gas, vacuum, and vacuum surface is derived. The dependence curves of the normalized applied field on R are also obtained. These curves show that the normalized applied field decreases rapidly as R increases but the declining rates corresponding to different insulation media are different. In addition, if R is required to be higher than a given level, the normalized applied field should be smaller than a certain value. In practical design, the common range of the applied fields for different insulation media should be chosen to meet a global reliability requirement. In the end, the proposed method is demonstrated with a specific coaxial high-voltage vacuum insulator.


Feature learning is an intensively studied research topic in image classification. Although existing methods like sparse coding, locality-constrained linear coding, fisher vector encoding, etc., have shown their effectiveness in image representation, most of them overlook a phenomenon called thesmall sample size problem, where the number of training samples is relatively smaller than the dimensionality of the features, which may limit the predictive power of the classifier. Subspace learning is a strategy to mitigate this problem by reducing the dimensionality of the features. However, most conventional subspace learning methods attempt to learn a global subspace to discriminate all the classes, which proves to be difficult and ineffective in multi-class classification task. To this end, we propose to learn a local subspace for each sample instead of learning a global subspace for all samples. Our key observation is that, in multi-class image classification, the label of each testing sample is only confused by a few classes which have very similar visual appearance to it. Thus, in this work, we propose a coarse-to-fine strategy, which first picks out such classes, and then conducts a local subspace learning to discriminate them. As the subspace learning method is regularized and conducted within some selected classes, we term it selective regularized subspace learning (SRSL), and we term our classification pipeline selective regularized subspace learning based multi-class image classification (SRSL_MIC). Experimental results on four representative datasets (Caltech-101, Indoor-67, ORL Faces and AR Faces) demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.


Here we report a case of a 15-year-old female who had originally been diagnosed and treated unsuccessfully for schizophrenia, psychosis, severe anxiety, and depression. More in-depth history revealed an abrupt onset of her symptoms with remote acute infections and many exhibited characteristics of obsessive compulsive disorder with rituals. Work-up for underlying infectious, immunodeficiency, and autoimmune causes was unrevealing except for very high levels of anti-neuronal antibodies which have been linked to Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). Treatment options were discussed with the family and it was decided to use a course of plasmapheresis based on previous studies demonstrating efficacy and its safety profile. After course of therapy, there was a dramatic resolution of her psychosis, OCD traits, and anxiety. She was able to stop all of her antipsychotic and anxiety medications and resume many of her previous normal daily activities. The effect of this treatment has been sustained to the present time. This case emphasizes the importance of exploring nontraditional treatments for severe, treatment-resistant mental illness which requires a multidisciplinary approach. Further research is warranted in larger populations to investigate pathomechanisms and treatment of PANs/PANDAs.


The precise mechanism underlying the nephrotoxicity of radiocontrast media remains ill defined. In this study we have examined the direct effect of a wide range of low- and high-osmolar water-soluble contrast media (WSCM) on the vascular resistance of the isolated perfused rat kidney (IPRK). Water-soluble contrast media led to a significant fall in the renal perfusate flow and an increase in the renal vascular resistance (RVR). The magnitude of these haemodynamic changes was independent of the osmolality of the tested agents. This study shows a direct effect of WSCM on the vascular resistance of the isolated perfused rat kidney.


Solvay says Chinese court officers raided Suzhou Crystal Clear Chemical, a maker of electronics-grade hydrogen peroxide, to obtain evidence that Crystal Clear had infringed on Solvay's H2O2 purification process patents. Semiconductor makers use the high-purity chemical to remove unwanted particles. The raid, late last month, followed a complaint that Solvay filed in March in the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court. Solvay opened a 24,000-metric-ton-per-year electronics-grade H2O2 plant in Zhenjiang, China, late last year.


This book was the winner of the 2005 Jacqueline A. Ross Dissertation Award for second or foreign language testing. The assessment of speaking skills is an important part of the language learning process, whether carried out by teachers in the classroom or through proficiency tests administered by testing agencies. However, the complex and subjective nature of speaking assessment raises a number of important questions about the validity, reliability and fairness of test procedures. This book, which is based on research into the speaking test of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), shows how the performance of learners in oral proficiency interviews cannot be taken unequivocally as an indication of their ability, as variation in interviewer behaviour can have an impact both on learner performance and on ratings outcomes.


Loss is inevitable for the optical system due to absorption of materials, scattering caused by the defects and surface roughness. In quantum optical circuits, the loss can not only reduce the intensity of signal, but also affect the performance of quantum operations. In this work, we divide losses into unbalanced linear loss and shared common loss, and provide a detailed analysis on how loss affects the integrated linear optical quantum gates. It is found that the orthogonality of eigenmodes and the unitary phase relation of the coupled waveguide modes are destroyed by the loss. As a result, the fidelity of single- and two-qubit operations decrease significant as the shared loss becomes comparable to the coupling strength. Our results are important for the investigation of large-scale photonic integrated quantum information process.


Current trends in the design of electronic systems is the use of embedded systems based on systems on a chip (System-on-Chip (SoC)) or (VLSI SoC). The paper discusses the design features of electronic systems on a chip using the SystemC design and verification language. For the joint design and simulation of digital systems hardware and software, seven modeling levels are presented and discussed: executable specification, disabled functional model, temporary functional model, transaction-level model, behavioral hardware model, accurate hardware model, register transfer model. The SystemC design methodology with functional verification is presented, which reduces development time.The architecture of the SystemC language and its main components are shown. The expansion of SystemC–AMS for analog and mixed analog-digital signals and its use cases in the design of electronic systems are considered. Computing models are discussed: temporary data stream (TDF), linear signal stream (LSF) and electric linear networks (ELN). The architecture of the SystemC–AMS language standard is shown and examples of its application are given. It is shown that the design languages SystemC and SystemC–AMS are widely used by leading developers of computer-aided design systems for electronic devices.


Purpose- This study aims to determine the effect of Islamic business ethics and religiosity on the profits of confection entrepreneurs in the village of Pucung Tirto Pekalongan.
Methods- Data were collected from 60 respondents using non-probability sampling with convenience sampling techniques. Data were analyzed by multiple linear regression.
Findings- The results of the study support the notion that Islamic business ethics and religiosity are two important components that influence the profits of entrepreneurs.
Research implications- The results of the study provide empirical evidence that Islamic business ethics and religiosity can be a determinant of an entrepreneur's success.


The temporary anion states of gas-phase trans-azobenzene are characterised by means of electron transmission spectroscopy (ETS) in the 0-6 eV range. The measured energies of vertical electron attachment are compared with the energies of the pi* virtual orbitals of the neutral molecule supplied by HF (at MP2 optimized geometries) and B3LYP calculations. The calculated energies, scaled with empirical equations, reproduce quantitatively the energies of the corresponding spectral features and predict a positive vertical electron affinity of 0.83 eV. The total anion current at the walls of the collision chamber and the mass-selected molecular anion current are also reported as a function of the impact electron energy. In agreement with previous data, long-lived (>1 mus) parent molecular anions are detected at zero eV and near 1 eV. The close similarity of the electron transmission spectrum with the derivatives with respect to energy of the anion currents suggests strongly that shape resonances produced by electron capture into empty pi* orbitals are the initial step in formation of the long lived molecular anions. This appears to rule out mechanisms in which direct formation of core-excited anion states are invoked. However, according to DFT calculations, conversion of the shape resonances around 1 eV to longer-lived sigma-pi* core-excited doublet anion states is possible on energetic grounds.


Firth Haring Fabend has studied a large colonial American family over five generations. The Haring family settled in the Hackensack Valley (on the New York/New Jersey border), where they lived, prospered, and remained throughout the eighteenth century. Fabend looks at how this ordinary family of independent, middle-class farmers coped with immigration, established themselves in a community, acquired land and capital, and took part in the social, political, economic, and religious changes of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.As she traces the lives of the Harings and their neighbors, Fabend focuses on their marriage and childbearing patterns, living conditions, agricultural methods, and relative economic position. She investigates inheritance patterns, concluding that the position of women deteriorated under English law. She is equally interested in the political and religious life of the family. The Harings formed a church fitting their Pietist beliefs, and this church became central to community life. Their theology encouraged them to question religious authority, which in turn fostered the questioning of political authority. Their community became a seedbed for revolutionary activity. Fabend examines the family's position in the Revolution--primarily patriot--and the losses they suffered in that conflict. The Harings of colonial America were ideal yeoman farmers, a class that stood well in the social hierarchy of the day. They were industrious, they prospered, and they participated in the civic life of colonial America. But once the new republic formed, they were not very visible. Fabend argues that they maintained their "Dutchness" more consciously than ever after the Revolution, which hindered their full participation in public affairs. In some ways, the fifth and sixth generations were more Dutch than the early generations.


This article aims to portray a survey in order to see whether the established in the Practical Guide Caregiver program (Ministry of Health, established in 2008 to improve the care for the elderly), are also affecting the nursing homes of smaller towns, with reference to a city in Sao Paulo State, with approximately 100,000 inhabitants located in western Sao Paulo State.


We present results of new Chandra High-Energy Transmission Grating (HETG) observations (2019 November December) of the massive Wolf-Rayet binary WR 48a. Analysis of these high-quality data showed that the spectral lines in this massive binary are broadened (FWHM = 1400 km s−1 ) and marginally blueshifted (∼ −100 km s−1 ). A direct modelling of these high-resolution spectra in the framework of the standard colliding stellar wind (CSW) picture provided a very good correspondence between the shape of the theoretical and observed spectra. Also, the theoretical line profiles are in most cases an acceptable representation of the observed ones. We applied the CSW model to the X-ray spectra of WR 48a from previous observations: Chandra-HETG (2012 October) and XMM-Newton (2008 January). From this expanded analysis, we find that the observed X-ray emission from WR 48a is variable on the long timescale (years) and the same is valid for its intrinsic X-ray emission. This requires variable mass-loss rates over the binary orbital period. The X-ray absorption (in excess of that from the stellar winds in the binary) is variable as well. We note that lower intrinsic X-ray emission is accompanied by higher X-ray absorption. A qualitative explanation could be that the presence of clumpy and non-spherically symmetric stellar winds may play a role.


In eukaryotic organisms, mRNA synthesis requires splicing to remove non-coding introns. Two types of splicing events are constitutive and alternative. The serine-arginine (SR) protein and SR-protein kinase (SRPK) families are the two protein families necessary for alternative splicing. SR- proteins are characterized by N-terminal RNA recognition motif and C-terminal RS domain. In the cytoplasm, SRPK1, one of the SRPK family kinases, processively phosphorylates the RS in ASF/SF2, a well-studied SR- protein. The various phosphorylated forms of SR-proteins play critical role in alternative splicing. The focus of my thesis work is how SRPK1 processively phosphorylates ASF/SF2 and what structural elements in SRPK1 regulate its subcellular localization. X-ray structures of the SRPK1: ASF/SF2 complex allowed us to propose two possible docking motifs in ASF/SF2: the C-terminal end of RRM and the N'- terminal RS. Using chemical cross-linking experiments, I have demonstrated that ASF/SF2 indeed possesses two docking motifs that mediate in sequential and phosphorylation-dependent manner. These experiments further established the C to N-terminal directionality of ASF/SF2 phosphorylation. I have further investigated the mechanism of how SRPK1 is distributed in cells. My experiments supported the existence of SRPK1 as a dimer and that the dimerization of SRPK1 needs its spacer domain as well as the C-terminal end. However, I found dimerization not to be the only factor in the regulation of cellular distribution of SRPK1. I have further shown that another splicing-related kinase family, Clk/Sty, which is exclusively nuclear, interacts with SRPK1 in vivo. It is likely that interactions with Clk/Sty may regulate the compartmentalization of SRPK1


To assess the effect of human interferon-alpha (IFNα) on shipping fever of Thoroughbred racehorses subjected to long-distance transportation, an IFNα preparation was orally administered to 48 horses three times (once daily, 3 successive days) before transportation (IFNα group). In the control group (25 horses), maltose was administered in the same way. These treatments induced no abnormal findings in Thoroughbred racehorses before transportation. Immediately after transportation, significant increases in rectal temperature were observed in both treatment groups, whereas the rectal temperature of the IFNα group tended to be lower than that of the control group. Although WBC, Fbg, and SAA immediately after transportation were significantly increased due to transportation in both groups, the extent of the increases in the IFNα group was significantly smaller than in the control group. Long-distance transportation had a relatively profound impact on Thoroughbred racehorses, which was mitigated by IFNα treatment.


Objective: The main objective of the study is to measure the satisfaction of OPD patients in tertiary care hospital and to know the relationship between various determinants & OPD patient's satisfaction. Materials and methods: The present cross sectional study was conducted among 450 patients attending the outpatient departments (OPDs) of Sassoon General Hospital Pune during 6 months period. Systemic random sampling was used for patient selection. Results: Maximum number of patients i.e. 197(43.78%) were in the age group of 49 and above. About 61% patients were females. About cleanliness of waiting area 44.5% patients were found unsatisfied. About explanation of treatment by pharmacist 77% patients were satisfied. 91% patient said that OPD timings were convenient. 176 (39.12%) patients had to wait less than 30 min before consulting doctor. Conclusion: According to the patient's opinion, the study showed good satisfaction with respect to registration services, doctor services, nurse services, lab services and pharmacy staff services.


Mechanism of Action Voglibose is an alpha glucosidase inhibitor which reduces intestinal absorption of starch, dextrin, and disaccharides by inhibiting the action of α-glucosidase in the intestinal brush border. Inhibition of this enzyme catalyzes the decomposition of disaccharides into monosaccharides and slows the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates; the post-prandial rise in plasma glucose is blunted in both normal and diabetic subjects resulting in improvement of post prandial hyperglycemia and various disorders caused by hyperglycemia. α Glucosidase inhibitors do not stimulate insulin release and therefore do not result in hypoglycemia. These agents may be considered as monotherapy in elderly patients or in patients with predominantly post prandial hyperglycemia. α Glucosidase inhibitors are typically used in combination with other oral antidiabetic agents and/or insulin. Voglibose should be administered at the start of a meal as it is poorly absorbed.


We present an inferentialist account of collective rationality and intentionality, according to which beliefs and other intentional states are understood in terms of the normative statuses attributed to, and undertaken by, the participants of a discursive practice—namely, their discursive or practical commitments and entitlements. Although these statuses are instituted by the performances and attitudes of the agents, they are not identified with any physical or psychological entity, process or relation. Therefore, we argue that inferentialism allows us to talk of collective intentionality and agency without needing to posit the existence of any sort of collective psychology or mind.


Scriptlattes computational tool was used for extraction of performance indicators related to social responsibility, popularization and result prospection of research in nanotechnology in Brazil using as data source Plataforma Lattes and the CNPq Research Group Directory. Besides allowing for a quantitative evaluation of the bibliographic production on the matter, which used as base the number of published papers and book chapters, amongst other productions, the extractions have also allowed for the evaluation of indicators such as technological products, processes and techniques, related to the social responsibility in research, such as magazines and newspaper articles, linked to the popularization of Scientific results. Yet, the observation of indicators such as thesis and current research projects allowed the observation of prospective future results of current research in nanotechnology. Apart from the results related to the bibliographic productions, which can be found in several data basis, the tool makes available indicators in circular basis, which on turn, permit the prospect evaluation of future research results, as well as the evaluation of social responsibility and the popularization of research on the theme. The presented results may be replicated for any subject of interest, and may be used to guide future scientific research in the country.


Bacillus intermedius ribonuclease modified by the residue of adamantane carboxylic acid was prepared. When the cells of chick embryo fibroblasts infected by the fowl plague virus were exposed to the modified ribonuclease, the antiviral activity proved to be higher by comparison to that of the native enzyme. The chemotherapeutic index of the RNAse after the modification increased 4 times.


As the meristems of eastern larch (Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch) mature, they produce long-shoot foliage with progressively higher chlorophyll content and net photosynthesis and progressively lower specific leaf area (Hutchison et al. 1990). Despite the apparent increase in foliar vigor, both shoot height and diameter growth rates declined during maturation. These changes were associated with changes in xylem morphology of the vascular tissue of both the long-shoot foliage and the main stem. Although the number of xylem cells remained constant in a cross section of the foliage, their diameters increased with age. With increasing maturation, the same number of xylem cells were produced per radial file in the annual rings of the main stem, but their radial diameters decreased, which accounted for the decrease in diameter growth. There was no change in tracheid length during maturation. We conclude that the decrease in growth rate with increased maturation is not due to a decrease in physiological vigor of the foliage, but is a function of reduced sink strength of the growing shoots.


To the Editor: This letter is in response to an article which appeared in OTOLARYNGOL HEAD NECK SURG 1986;95: 152-7, entitled "Transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve," by I. Sanders et al. In this article, the authors reported that vocal cord abduction occurred when the recurrent laryngeal nerve was transcutaneously stimulated at a constant current of 10.0 mA, 1.0 msec pulse duration, 30 Hz stimulus frequency, 1 .O sec stimulus train. They also reported that (in one animal) vocal cord abduction occurred when the recurrent laryngeal nerve was surgically dissected and directly stimulated by use of the same stimulus parameters. The UCLA-Wadsworth Veterans Administration Laryngeal Physiology Laboratory is presently investigating various aspects of phonation by use of an in vivo canine model of the larynx. We routinely apply direct electrical stimulation to the recurrent and superior laryngeal nerves in our preparations, but have never observed Dr. Sanders' findings in regard to vocal cord abduction at 30 Hz. This discrepancy prompted us to repeat their experiment in our laboratory. In three animals, direct electrical stimulation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve-with the use of the previously mentioned stimulus parameters-did not produce vocal cord abduction. Instead, stimulation at 30 Hz was observed to produce a medial twitching of the vocal cord. As the stimulus frequency was gradually increased to 70 Hz or more, fusion of this medial twitching into vocal cord adduction was observed. Thus, the observed rate of twitching and degree of adduction were proportional to the stimulus frequency applied to the recurrent nerve. However, recurrent nerve stimulation at 30 Hz, while the electrode simultaneously touched the adjacent strap muscles, caused the larynx to be polled inferolaterally, which produced a small but noticeable rotation of the cord outward. Since the authors did not specifically mention that the recurrent laryngeal nerve was electrically insulated from the surrounding tissue, it is possible that they misinterpreted the contraction of the strap muscles and the resulting outward rotation of the vocal cord as abduction. It should be noted that increasing the stimulus frequency to the recurrent nerve to 70 Hz or higher induced vocal cord adduction, even though the adjacent strap muscles were also activated. One additional point: the authors stimulated the recurrent nerve at the onset of inspiration, when the cords normally abduct and the adductory fibers are believed to be inhibited. Thus, stimulation at the onset of inspiration may have contributed to the false impression that the cords were abducting as a result of the electrical stimulation parameters. We agree with the authors' statement that a simple non-invasive technique for control of the glottic aperture would be of benefit to otolaryngologists and other medical personnel. In our lab-


The President's Vision for Space Exploration, laid out in 2004, relies heavily upon robotic exploration of the lunar surface in early phases of the program. Prior to the arrival of astronauts on the lunar surface, these robots will be required to be controlled across space and time, posing a considerable challenge for traditional telepresence techniques. Because time delays will be measured in seconds, not minutes as is the case for Mars Exploration, uploading the plan for a day seems excessive. An approach for controlling humanoids under intermediate time delay is presented. This approach uses software running within a ground control cockpit to predict an immersed robot supervisor's motions which the remote humanoid autonomously executes. Initial results are presented


Eight children 1 to 13 years old, were submitted to OLT. Six patients had normal liver function and complete rehabilitation 4 to 17 months after OLT. Two patients died during their ICU course respectively on day 15 and 34 after operation. The ICU management of the surviving patients is compared to the two fatal cases. At the time of admission in the ICU, there was no difference between the two groups, except for age. All patients were physiologically stable and needed essentially continuous monitoring and nursing care. All were rapidly weaned off artificial ventilation. During the first week after operation, surviving patients demonstrate improvement of liver function test, absence of infection, normal renal function and short ICU stay. They all suffered from systemic hypertension easily controlled by drugs. The two fatal cases were less than 15 months old and did not show improvement of their liver function. They suffered from severe infection, renal failure and protracted systemic hypertension and needed prolonged invasive monitoring and therapy.


Abstract Recent theoretical and empirical studies show that there is a growing interest in considering wider social and economic impacts of transport. Since transport has an important role in distributing socio‐economic benefits or losses created by different means or by transport itself, it has a crucial role in the discussion of social justice. This importance occurs from transport's different effects depending on the levels or the types of equity in the distribution: transport can help develop socially just societies or cause disparities between different or within same geographies. Therefore, for the system to be efficient, the distribution needs to be socially just. This paper provides a synthesis of social justice and transport literature in terms of equal rights and shares, freedom, capabilities, opportunities and choices by making use of contemporary approaches in the social justice theory and considering the varieties in different geographies, individuals and markets. Using the Capability Approach (CA), this paper first highlights the areas which need to be discussed in transport studies in terms of social justice, and second suggests a methodology which considers social justice norms in transport research by engaging the CA with existing methods.


J VET DENT Vol. 24 No. 1 March 2007 A 10-year-old neutered/male Manx cat was referred to the dentistry/oral surgery service for periodontal evaluation and treatment. The cat did not receive regular home dental care. The patient's diet was a balanced, high fiber, dry cat food recommended by the referring veterinarian for weight control and promotion of gastrointestinal function. A professional teeth cleaning procedure with scaling and polishing had been performed by the referring veterinarian 2-months prior to presentation based on clinical signs of oral discomfort. At that time, oral examination showed periodontal pocketing and root exposure of the left maxillary canine tooth (204) and the left mandibular canine tooth (304). An additional tooth, distal to the right mandibular molar tooth (409), was also noted. The referring veterinarian had extracted the right mandibular canine tooth (404) for periodontal abscessation 2-months before presentation. The cat's owners desired periodontal treatment in order to avoid extraction of 204 and 304. The cat appeared bright and alert with no obvious indication of oral discomfort. Conscious oral examination was limited due to the cat's fractious nature. The extraction site at 404 appeared to be healing without complication. The 204 appeared slightly extruded. A firm buccal alveolar enlargement was noted at both 204 and 304. The tentative diagnosis was periodontitis with chronic alveolar osteitis. The diagnostic plan included preanesthetic laboratory tests, general anesthesia, appropriate analgesia, oral charting, maxillofacial examination, and radiographic evaluation. Treatment options included extraction, root planing, osseous resection, osteoplasty, bone replacement, or a combination of these treatments. Pre-anesthetic laboratory tests, including serum chemistries, electrolytes, complete blood count, and urinalysis were within normal limits. The cat was premedicated with buprenorphine (0.01mg/kg IM) to aid pre-emptive and postoperative analgesia. In order to minimize risk to staff and decrease risk to the patient (stress, incidental injury), induction was accomplished through chamber administration of an inhalant anesthetic. Sevoflurane. was administered to achieve profound sedation and a 4.0-cuffed endotracheal tube was placed with the patient maintained on oxygen and sevoflurane. A 24-gauge intravenous cephalic catheter was placed and an isotonic balanced electrolyte solution was administered at 10ml/kg/hr. The following parameters were monitored: indirect arterial blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, pulse quality, jaw tone, mucous membrane color, capillary refill time, eye position and reflexes. Body temperature was maintained with a warm water circulating heating pad and a warm air-blown body covering. Clindamycin (5.0 mg/kg IV) was administered. Carprofen (1.1mg/kg SQ) was given to provide additional pain control. The mouth was lavaged with a 0.12% chlorhexidine solution to decrease the amount of aerosolized bacteria and the degree of bacteremia induced by the periodontal treatment procedures. Intraoral regional nerve blocks were administered to provide pre-emptive analgesia, reduce the general anesthesia requirement, and to provide post-operative pain relief. Bupivacaine (0.5 mg each) was injected at the right Osseous Surgery to Augment Treatment of Chronic Periodontitis of Canine Teeth in a Cat VETERINARY DENTIST AT WORK


Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are the most common and lethal brain tumor in adults. In rapid-growing tumors like malignant glioma, hypoxia is an unavoidable condition even with aggressive angiogenesis. Recent studies implicate an important role for a restricted population of neoplastic cells (glioma stem cells, GSCs) in glioma maintenance and recurrence. However, how these glioma stem cells survive and escape from harsh conditions like hypoxia is barely known. Our previous study and others' have shown that GSCs preferentially express the interleukin 6 (IL6) receptors and Stat3 signaling is preferentially activated in GSCs. We further found that perturbation of IL6 signaling in GSCs reduced Stat3 activation, and small molecule inhibitors of Stat3 potently induced GSC cell death partially through induction of a BCL2 family member Bnip3. Despite its controversial role in cell survival, massive expression of Bnip3 is a well-studied mediator of cell death in hypoxic tumor cells. Furthermore, we found that enhanced IL6-Stat3 signaling in GSCs could counter the induction of Bnip3 under hypoxia, which provided an extra survival advantage for these glioma stem cells under severe hypoxic condition. These data indicated that Stat3 is a downstream mediator of pro-survival IL6 signals in GSCs partially through suppressing Bnip3 expression, especially under hypoxia condition. Together, our data indicate that IL6-Stat3 signaling contributes to glioma malignancy through the promotion of GSC survival under harsh conditions like hypoxia, and that targeting IL6-Stat3 signaling pathway may offer benefit for glioma patients.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3311. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3311


We present, in the form of an overview, some of the results of our study on the miniaturization and integration of micro/nano-photonic devices for optical printed circuit board (O-PCB) and VLSI photonic applications. The micro- and nano-photonic devices are designed to perform the functions of transporting, switching, wavelength filtering, and routing optical signals on flat modular boards or substrates. We have designed micron-scale devices and nanoscale photonic crystal devices of diverse functions for VLSI applications and have fabricated some of them using embossing or imprinting techniques. We also designed and fabricated novel subwavelength nano-scale plasmonic devices. We have constructed and assembled O-PCBs using polymer-based waveguide arrays and circuits and have examined their information handling performances. We have used near-field scanning optical microscopic (NSOM) technique to characterize the fabricated micro/nano-scale photonic materials and devices


Model-based fault detection and isolation is nowadays a well established and mature eld. It starts to become part of the curricula of graduate or post-graduate students. However, the lack of good teaching materials makes di cult the teaching/learning process to students and professors. This paper shows how project-based learning methodology has been used to organise the labs of the fault diagnosis course using a real set-up based on a three-tank system.
Observer based methods for fault detection and structured residuals for fault isolation will be introduced to the students from a practical point of view by means of a set of exercises that intend students achieve a set of learning objectives.


Aims To analyze outcomes reported in trials of childhood fractures. Methods OVID MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched on the eighth August 2019. A manual search of trial registries, bibliographic review and internet search was used to identify additional studies. 11,476 studies were screened following PRISMA guidelines. 100 trials were included in the analysis. Data extraction was completed by two researchers for each trial. Study quality was not evaluated. Outcomes reported by trials were mapped onto domains in the World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Function framework. Results In all, 525 outcomes were identified representing 52 WHO domains. Four domains were reported in more than 50% of trials: structure of upper/lower limb, sensation of pain, mobility of joint function, and health services, systems and policies. The Activities Scale for Kids performance (ASK-p) score was the most common outcome score reported in 6/72 upper limb and 4/28 lower limb trials. Conclusion There is a diverse range of outcomes reported in trials of childhood fractures covering all areas in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. There were three common upper limb and three common lower limb outcomes. In the absence of a core outcome set, we recommend that upper limb trials report pain, range of movement and radiograph appearance of the arm and lower limb trials report pain, radiograph appearance of the leg and healthcare costs to improve consistency of reporting in future trials. Cite this article: Bone Joint Open 2020;1-5:167–174.


We propose a new lifetime model called the exponentiated power generalized Weibull (EPGW) distribution, which is obtained from the exponentiated family applied to the power generalized Weibull (PGW) distribution. It can also be derived from a power transform on an exponentiated Nadarajah-Haghighi random variable. Since several structural properties of the PGW distribution have not been studied, they can be obtained from those of the EPGW distribution. The model is very flexible for modeling all common types of hazard rate functions. It is a very competitive model to the well-known Weibull, exponentiated exponential and exponentiated Weibull distributions, among others. We also give a physical motivation for the new distribution if the power parameter is an integer. Some of its mathematical properties are investigated. We discuss estimation of the model parameters by maximum likelihood and provide two applications to real data. A simulation study is performed in order to examine the accuracy of the maximum likelihood estimators of the model parameters.


Objective: The aim of this in vivo study was to evaluate the influence of coronal leakage on the apical dog's teeth healing, which were dressed with calcium hydroxide and kept or not in contact with oral environment. Material and Methods: After biomechanical preparation and filling with calcium hydroxide/saline paste, twenty six root canals were randomly divided into two experimental groups: Group 1 - coronally sealed with temporary restorative material; Group 2 - coronally unsealed. The animals were sacrified after 7 days and the specimens were prepared for histological analysis. Results: In both groups the results were similar. Inflammatory cells were not present in the apical tissue or in the cementum. Besides, it was observed necrosis in the coronary third surface of the pulp stump and microorganisms were noted just in contact with debris, which were present in the specimens pulp chamber without sealing but not in the root canal. Conclusion: It was concluded that the calcium hydroxide used as dressing prevented the contamination of the root canal and keeps its mechanism in the apical tissues even under defective sealing in a period of at least 7 days.


In this study we examine the macro-determinants of Turkish migration to Germany over the period 1969–2004 by means of cointegration analysis. We find that trade and factor flows indeed influence migration and play a role in managing Turkish migration in the short as well as in the long run. However, the income differential between Turkey and Germany is the most important factor in determining migration flows and the effects of trade and factor flows on migration in the short as well as in the long run are mixed. Therefore, we argue that migration could be better managed when the dynamic gains from trade and factor flows are considered.


Under the conditions of modernization and upgrading the current education system of Ukraine, euro integration processes, searching for further development ways and tools for the country in general there is a great need in studying good practices around the world. The experience of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the field of vocational education and training is especially attracted as the country has a prominent place among the countries with highly developed economy and is the "motherland" of VET innovations.
This study is also being conducted in the framework of more general research of standardisation specific features of VET system in Great Britain and one of the components is the study of qualification frameworks design and development.
Step-by-step changes of qualification frameworks of the UK to incorporate at the most all possible specific issues of its education and training system, a person's and labour market's need and demands, current conditions of the country development etc. pushed to review the historical transformations of qualifications frameworks in the UK and study their specific features as the National Qualification Framework of Ukraine was launched in 2011. At present it is being transformed according to the changes of the education system of Ukraine, growing demand in better qualification system design, improving the quality of education and training in accordance with European development objectives etc. The article represents mostly structural changes and specific features of qualifications frameworks in the UK as it is highly important to realise that the changes can and must lead to better results taking into account all the specific features of the current situation in Ukraine.
The results and conclusions of the EU TWINNING project "Modernisation of legal standards and principles for vocational education in line with the European policy on lifelong learning" realised by the EU Commission and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (2012-2014) to support the legislation and structural changes in Ukraine are represented in the article as they have great importance for further researches in VET field. In 2015 European Training Foundation (ETF) made the Inventory of NQF recent developments in ETF's partner countries and studied the experience of Ukraine as well. So, its results and conclusions also play an important role for this studying and they are to be represented in the article.
The developments of the article show that frameworks are to stay and play an important role in promoting and modernising education, training and lifelong learning as they support the continuous development and change taking into account the needs and possibilities of present society of the country together with the external affects that can have a great influence.


This paper develops a profile of the inactive population in Ontario. The findings were based on an analysis of data from the 1990 Ontario Health Survey. A Physical Activity Index, including frequency, duration, and an estimate of intensity, was used to classify individuals on the basis of their leisure time physical activity levels. Inactive comprised the group estimated to average less than 1.5 kcals/kg/day of energy expenditure. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of inactivity for a number of predictor variables. Age, gender, friends' participation, perceived health status, and perceived future health problems were the strongest predictors of physical inactivity. The findings contribute to a further understanding of the factors influencing physical activity participation and promotion.


The present research applies operant conditioning theory to the question of what products and services consumers will shop for and buy online. Operant conditioning theory explains differences between products that are used to alleviate uncomfortable experiences (negative reinforcement) and those providing enjoyable experiences (positive reinforcement). The preliminary results described in this study confirmed the importance of operant conditioning as a factor in the behavior of online shoppers. For example, when asked to provide an open-ended list of products that they had shopped for, our respondents mentioned products that produce positive reinforcement 476 times versus only 4 mentions for those that create negative reinforcement. Furthermore, for a list of seventeen common product categories, the results showed that respondents were not only less likely to shop for negative reinforcement products but also even less likely to purchase negative products online than positive products. The results of this exploratory study lay the groundwork for future research by introducing negative and positive reinforcement as a predictor of Internet shopping behavior.


This article engages with two themes of contemporary EU governance: the role of evaluations within an effective and coherent policy–making process and the EU's constitutionalised commitment to promoting gender equality in all its activities (Article 8 TFEU). It focuses on the interface between ex ante and ex post evaluation and the contribution of evaluations to policy learning, with particular attention to the promotion of gender equality. A case study approach is followed, with EU research policy as the object of analysis.


In 1747, Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a series of canons and fugues on the occasion of his visit to King Frederick the Great of Prussia in Potsdam. His music of homage, the "Musikalisches Opfer" (Musical Offering, BWV1079), includes a canon that is probably one of the oldest man-made examples of an object with Mobius topology.1 The canon cancricans (crab canon) is written for two violins playing the same score in two different directions. If you cut the score, paste it in such way that it forms a band with the notes of the first violin on top and those of the second violin below, fold it lengthwise between the two notes, give one end a half twist, and join both ends, you end up with a endless Mobius-shaped score (Figure 1). After every turn the two violins change their parts. Karl Amadeus Hartmann, Nicolas Slonimsky,2 and others several centuries later wrote further examples of Mobius music. Note that there are two different ways to form the Mobius score, by twisting the strip either clockwise or anticlockwise. The two Mobius strips are enantiomers (the music, unfortunately, is not) and exhibit the highest symmetry a Mobius object can attain: C2. More than 100 years later, August Ferdinand Mobius and Johann Benedict Listing (Figure 2), both students of Carl Friedrich Gauss in Gottingen, published their seminal work on projective planes and one-sided surfaces. Nowadays, the credit goes almost exclusively to Mobius3 after whom the famous band is named, even though Listing published 4 years earlier.4 Both mathematicians mentioned the "Mobius" band in unpublished papers for the first time in 1858; however, again Listing's unpublished note (July) predates the one of Mobius (September) by 2 months. It would probably be fair to name the one-sided band a "Listing band". There are good reasons to assume that Listing was not adequately credited because of social rather than scientific reasons.5 Most of the objects we are dealing with in our everyday lives are two-sided. They have an inside and an outside surface like a sphere, a cube, or a torus. This is also true for most two-dimensional mathematical objects. According to the mathematical definition, a normal vector on the surface of a two-sided object cannot be shifted to any other point on the surface without crossing a border or interpreted in anthropomorphic terms: walking upright on the outside surface you cannot enter the inside and vice versa. The Mobius band is probably the simplest and best-known exception (Figure 3). Any closed band with an odd number of 180° twists is one-sided, and those with an even number of 180° twists are two-sided. Unfortunately, the sidedness is not an intrinsic property, because it requires that the surface is embedded in a † In memory of Professor Edgar Heilbronner. * To whom correspondence should be addressed. Telephone: ++49 431 88


Introduction Much is known around public health preparedness and response phases. However, between the two phases is operational readiness that comprises the immediate actions needed to respond to a developing risk or hazard. Currently, emergency readiness is embedded in multiple frameworks and policy documents related to the health emergency cycle. However, knowledge about operational readiness' critical readiness components and actions required by countries to respond to public health eminent threat is not well known. Therefore, we aim to define and identify the critical elements of 'operational readiness' for public health emergencies, including COVID-19, and identify lessons learnt from addressing it, to inform the WHO Operational Readiness Framework. Methods and analysis This is a scoping review following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance. Reporting will be according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science databases and grey literature will be searched and exported into an online systematic review software (eg, Rayyan in this case) for review. The review team, which apart from scoping review methodological experts include content experts in health systems and public health and emergency medicine, prepared an a priori study protocol in consultation with WHO representatives. ATLAS.ti V.9 will be used to conduct thematic data analysis as well as store, organise and retrieve data. Data analysis and presentation will be carried out by five reviewers. Ethics and dissemination This review will reveal new insights, knowledge and lessons learnt that will translate into an operational framework for readiness actions. In consultation with WHO, findings will be disseminated as appropriate (eg, through professional bodies, conferences and research papers). No ethics approvals are required as no humans will be involved in data collection. Protocol registration This rapid scoping review has been registered on Open Science Framework (doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/6SYAH).


Introduction: A model of orthotopic liver transplantation in swine was developed to investigate an advanced reperfusion approach. Thereby, we consciously disclaim otherwise commonly practiced venovenous bypass during the recipient operation. Material and Methods: Ten liver transplantations were performed according to the described technique without using venovenous bypass. In each swine the observation period was 48 h. Results: All transplantations were carried out after a median cold ischemic time of 307.5 min (295–340); the median warm ischemic time in these cases was 25 min (20–32). Eight of 10 swine survived 48 h after the operation. Conclusion: Orthotopic liver transplantations in the recipient swine are feasible even without using venovenous bypass.


In 1966, following a severe food shortage of famine proportions, Mizoram in India's North East declared independence from the Indian State. The Indian Government's response included carpet bombings, prolonged curfews, forced labour, and beatings. People were in constant fear of being labelled 'rebels' by the Indian Government, or 'betrayers' by the Insurgents. Censorship was rampant and oppressive. People fell back on oral practices to communicate their stories, news and expressions. This has also meant blank spaces in Mizo memory of this period. Recently, a generation of Mizo researchers and scholars who have grown up with new media technologies, or their development, has sought to illuminate these gaps. The internet, with its vast potential for expression has become a site for exploration, narration and recollection. This article reflects on how a post-insurgency, techno-savvy generation negotiates these splinters in their community's narrative and the public memory they have inherited thirty years after the Peace Accord.


A specific approach is studied to couple two well-known numerical methods, a finite difference method (FDM) and a finite element method (FEM) for simulating regional seismic wave propagation to local site response. This coupling uses a technique of the "paraxial approximation" in order to input in the FEM the seismic wave generated in the FDM. The main advantage of this approach is to locally extract an area of interest where non-linear soil response or complex geometry is important from the regional wave propagation in a relatively simple medium. This result in taking advantage of both methods: the portability of the FDM and the flexibility of the FEM. This paper presents a theoretical framework of the paraxial approximation, through which the coupling is realized between the FDM and the FEM, and demonstrates some examples for the validation of the proposed coupling technique as well as its possible applications.


The intensive development of information and communication technologies has caused various transformations in the sociopolitical discourse. The Internet community has adopted a new role – that of an interactive platform which enables real-time communication for representatives of the government, political elites and electorate. Members of Internet communities can exchange all types of information. So, the possibility of network interaction made possible public participation in the sociopolitical process. Thence, the Internet community may be capable of influencing political elites and representatives of governmental structures. This mechanism makes it possible to citizens to influence the government. Many politicians have already realized that in the near future, refusing to maintain political dialogue with the Internet community may lead to complete oblivion or even to their demission. Internet activity is gradually becoming one of the criteria of the efficiency of the political activity. The development of the political discourse shows a higher potential of the influence that the Internet community has on the political elites and, thus, on the political processes active in a country and on the democratization of the political power. Political connotations of the Internet community permit the political elites valuate the attitude of the Internet community to main political events and main representatives of the political elites. Keywords: Internet community, blogs, network, information process, network policy, political elite, informational power JEL Classifications: H11; O32; O38; Z13


A scanning superconducting quantum interference device microscope was used to image vortex trapping asa function of the magnetic induction during cooling in thin-film YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) strips for strip widths W from 2 to 50 m. We found that vortices were excluded from the strips when the induction Ba was below a critical induction Bc. We present a simple model for the vortex exclusion process which takes into account the vortex-antivortex pair production energy as well as the vortex Meissner and self-energies. This model predicts
that the real density n of trapped vortices is given by n=BaâBK /0 with BK=1.650 /W2 and 0=h/2e the superconducting flux quantum. This prediction is in good agreement with our experiments on YBCO, as well as with previous experiments on thin-film strips of niobium. We also report on the positions of the trapped vortices. We found that at low densities the vortices were trapped in a single row near the centers of the strips, with the relative intervortex spacing distribution width decreasing as the vortex density increased, a sign of longitudinal ordering. The critical induction for two rows forming in the 35 m wide strip was 2.89+1.91 0.93Bc, consistent with a numerical prediction.