Background/aims To assess the comparative efficacy of latanoprostene bunod (LBN), a novel prostaglandin analogue (PGA), to other medications for open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension on lowering intraocular pressure (IOP). Methods A systematic literature review adapted from the Li et al (Ophthalmology, 2016) study was conducted. Medline, Embase and PubMed were searched for randomised controlled trials published between 1 January 2014 and 19 March 2020. Studies had to report IOP reduction after 3 months for at least two different treatments among placebo, PGAs (bimatoprost 0.01%, bimatoprost 0.03%, latanoprost, LBN, tafluprost, unoprostone) or apraclonidine, betaxolol, brimonidine, brinzolamide, carteolol, dorzolamide, levobunolol, timolol, travoprost. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed to provide the relative effect in terms of mean difference (95% credible interval) of IOP reduction and ranking probabilities. Surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) was generated. Results A total of 106 trials were included with data for 18 523 participants. LBN was significantly more effective than unoprostone (−3.45 (−4.77 to −2.12)). Although relative effect was not significative, compared with other PGAs, LBN numerically outperformed latanoprost (−0.70 (−1.83 to 0.43)) and tafluoprost (−0.41 (−1.87 to 1.07)), was similar to bimatoprost 0.01% (-0.02(−1.59 to 1.55)) and was slightly disadvantaged by bimatoprost 0.03% (−0.17 (−1.42 to 1.07)). LBN was significantly more efficient than the beta-blockers apraclonidine, betaxolol, brimonidine, brinzolamide, carteolol, dorzolamide and timolol. According to SUCRA, LBN was ranked second after bimatoprost 0.03%, followed by bimatoprost 0.01%. Conclusion LBN was significantly more effective than the PGA unoprostone and most of the beta-blockers. Compared with the most widely used PGAs, LBN numerically outperformed latanoprost and travoprost and was similar to bimatoprost 0.01%.


A class of Galerkin methods derived from discontinuous piecewise polynomial spaces is analyzed. For polynomials of degree k, these methods lead to a family of one-step schemes generating approximations up to order 2k + 2 for the solution of an ordinary differential equation.


The determination of 241Am in the environment is of importance in monitoring its release and assessing its environmental impact and radiological risk. This paper aims to give an overview about the recent developments and the state-of-art analytical methods for 241Am determination in environmental samples. Thorough discussions are given in this paper covering a wide range of aspects, including sample pre-treatment and pre-concentration methods, chemical separation techniques, source preparation, radiometric and mass spectrometric measurement techniques, speciation analyses, and tracer applications. The paper focuses on some hyphenated separation methods based on different chromatographic resins, which have been developed to achieve high analytical efficiency and sample throughput for the determination of 241Am. The performances of different radiometric and mass spectrometric measurement techniques for 241Am are evaluated and compared. Tracer applications of 241Am in the environment, including speciation analyses of 241Am, and applications in nuclear forensics are also discussed.


We have developed a distributed DSS able to work in a dynamic way. This system is based on the use of mobile agents, which receive the user's queries and visit the DSS domains gathering the required information. One of the main elements to the efficient operation of this system is the router agent. Its responsibility is to give an adequate route to the mobile agents. In this paper we propose a structure for the router agent. It includes a Knowledge Base where the information managed by each domain is represented, and a mechanism of matching the query contents to the domain contents. We also present an interactive strategy to obtain the initial data to be stored in the Router Knowledge Base. The AHP method is used to support the task of evaluating the relative importance among terms representing each domain.


Background Fabry Disease (FD) is characterized by globotriaosylceramide-3 (Gb3) accumulation in several tissues and a small fibre neuropathy (SFN), however the underlying mechanisms are poorly known. This study aimed to: 1) ascertain the presence of Gb3 deposits in skin samples, by an immunofluorescence method collected from FD patients with classical GLA mutations or late-onset FD variants or GLA polymorphisms; 2) correlate skin GB3 deposits with skin innervation. Methods we studied 52 genetically-defined FD patients (32 with classical GLA mutations and 20 with late-onset variants or GLA polymorphisms), 15 patients with SFN associated with a specific cause and 22 healthy controls. Subjects underwent skin biopsy to evaluate Gb3 deposits and epi-dermal innervation. Results Skin Gb3 deposits were found in all FD patients with classical GLA mutations but never in FD patients with late-onset variants or GLA polymorphisms or in patients with SFN and healthy controls. Abnormal deposits were found inside different skin structures but never inside axons. FD patients with GB3 deposits showed lower skin innervation than FD patients with late-onset variants or polymorphisms. Conclusions 1) Skin Gb3 deposits are specific to FD patients with classical GLA mutations; 2) Gb3 deposits were associated with lower skin innervation but they were not found inside axons, suggesting an indirect damage on peripheral small fibre innervation.


Necessary conditions for integrability, easily applicable to large classes of non-linear PDEs, are exhibited, and a general methodology to obtain such conditions is introduced and discussed.


Formation of aerosol particles from condensable vapors is a ubiquitous phenomenon in the atmosphere. Aerosols can affect regional and global climate, as well as visibility and human health. The work of this thesis contributes to the numerous efforts made to build understanding of atmospheric particle formation mechanisms. The focus is on the first molecular-level steps, where clustering of individual gas-phase molecules initiates the process, and the applied method is dynamic cluster population modeling. Sets of sub-2 nm molecular clusters are simulated in conditions relevant to the atmosphere or laboratory considering vapor production, external sinks for clusters and vapors, cluster collision and evaporation processes, and in some cases also ionization and recombination by generic ionizing species. Evaporation rates are calculated from the cluster formation free energies computed with quantum chemical methods. As sulfuric acid has been shown to be the key component in particle formation in most boundary layer locations, the majority of the work presented here concentrates on simulating sulfuric acid-containing clusters in the presence of potentially enhancing species, namely ammonia and amines. In laboratory experiments, these base compounds have been found to be capable of enhancing sulfuric acid driven particle formation to produce formation rates around the magnitude observed in the atmosphere. This result is reproduced by the cluster model. In this work, the performance of the modeling tools is validated against experimental data also by comparing simulated concentrations of charged sulfuric acid–ammonia clusters to those measured with a mass spectrometer in a chamber experiment. Examination of clustering pathways in simulated sulfuric acid–ammonia and sulfuric acid–dimethylamine systems shows that the clustering mechanisms and the role of ions may be very different depending on the identity of the base. In addition to predictions related to cluster formation from different precursor vapors, the model is applied to study the effects of varying conditions on the qualitative behavior of a cluster population and quantities that have been deduced from measured cluster concentrations. It is demonstrated that the composition of the critical cluster corresponding to the maximum free energy along the growth pathway cannot be reliably determined from cluster formation rates by commonly used methods. Simulations performed using a simple model substance show that cluster growth rates determined from the fluxes between subsequent cluster sizes are likely to differ from the growth rates deduced from the time evolution of the concentrations as in experiments, with the difference depending on the properties of the substance as well as ambient conditions. Finally, the effect of hydration and base molecules on sulfuric acid diffusion measurement is assessed by mimicking an experimental setup. Applications of cluster population simulations are diverse, and the development of these types of modeling tools provides useful additions to the palette of theoretical approaches to probe clustering phenomena.


Sox17 is a member of the SRY-related high-mobility group (HMG) of transcription factors that have been shown to direct endodermal differentiation in early mammalian development. The LAMA1 gene encoding the alpha-chain of laminin-1 has been reported to be directly bound and regulated by Sox17. This paper describes the details of initial crystallization attempts with the HMG domain of mouse Sox17 (mSox17-HMG) with a 16-mer DNA element derived from the LAMA1 enhancer and optimization strategies to obtain a better diffracting crystal. The best diffracting crystal was obtained in a condition containing 0.1 M Tris-HCl pH 7.4, 0.2 M MgCl(2), 30% PEG 3350 using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. A highly redundant in-house data set was collected to 2.75 A resolution with 99% completeness. The presence of the mSox17-HMG-DNA complex within the crystals was confirmed and Matthews analysis indicated the presence of one complex per asymmetric unit.


Background Globally, the incidence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is increasing. The treatments available for many years have included both pharmacological and non-pharmacological modalities. Objectives To examine whether Diacerein is more effective than glucosamine-chondroitin or a placebo in slowing disease progression, physical functioning and/or pain in patients with mild-moderate knee osteoarthritis Methods In a double-blind RCT, 322 Pakistani patients between 40–65 years with mild to medium KOA (Kellgren-Lawrence Grading 2 or 3) and a history of knee pain >6 months were randomised to receive Diacerein (50 mg twice daily) or Glucosamine-chondroitin (1200 mg twice daily) or a placebo (twice daily) for 2 years. All groups received exercise, diet and pain management counselling. Participant's general health and knee condition was assessed at baseline, 6-, 12-, 18- and 24 months using Short Form35 Health Survey (SF 36) and WOMAC Index respectively. The Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP) test was carried out at baseline, 12- and 24 months to assess progression of Knee OA. Improvement was considered at least a 10 point increase in SF36 score from baseline; a 10 point decrease in WOMAC and a 1 unit decrease in COMP. Results Participants with complete data at the end of year 1 (n=226) and year 2 (n=191) were analysed. At baseline, no significant differences were found in the distribution of gender, age, BMI, COMP levels, SF36, WOMAC scores as well as KL grade levels. Compared to baseline, at year 1 and 2 follow-up, participants in the Diacerein group had statistically significant improvement in their ability to work and other physical activities in comparison with those in the other 2 groups. By the end of year 2, social functioning improved in the Diacerein group as compared to those in the Glucosamine-Chondroitin (GC) group. Compared to placebo group, social functioning improved in the Diacerein group. A greater proportion of GC and placebo group participants reported reduction in their fatigue levels than those in the Diacerein group (p value=0.007). Using the SF36 scale, in comparison to baseline, improvements were made in all the groups albeit with no between group differences for physical functioning, emotional well-being, and general health. Using the WOMAC index, improvement occurred in all its domains of pain, stiffness and physical functioning, but statistically larger proportion of stiffness reduction took place in the GC group.Abstract SAT0568 – Table 1 Status (% of patients) of functionality in participants at end of Year 1 and Year 2 compared to baseline Conclusions In the first placebo-controlled trial assessing the effect of Diacerein versus GC, improvements occurred for all 3 criteria: general health, clinical and biochemical. A larger proportion of Diacerein participants improved their physical role limitation and social functioning in comparison to the other groups. Fatigue reduction was not the highest in the Diacerein group but that could be attributed to their increased physical and social functioning. Using the WOMAC scale, improvement in pain, stiffness and physical functioning occurred in all the groups indicating that perhaps the role of non-pharmacological interventions such as diet, exercise and pain management needs to be further explored. Biochemical COMP levels decreased in half the participants in comparison to baseline in all groups. Disclosure of Interest None declared


The purpose of this study was to explore the link between friendship quality and content and structure of autobiographical narratives about friends. Gender differences were investigated as well. A total of 93 Italian undergraduates (51 males and 42 females) were asked to recall memories about their friends. Then, they were requested to write in detail one of their recalled memories. The Network of Relationships Inventory was used to measure the participants' friendship dimensions. The results showed that males and females express their memories differently depending on the degree to which their friendship relationships are positive or negative. Authors interpret these results in terms of a mirror metaphor because linguistic characteristics of narratives about friends reflect qualitative features of their friendships.


SUMMARY The aim of the present experiment was to determine the effects of a dietary L-carnitine supplementation on haematological parameters in broiler chickens according to the energy level of the ration. Eighty one day old Ross 308 broiler chickens were equally divided into 4 groups (n = 20). Birds were fed with energy-depressed diets (groups I and II) or with normal energy diets (groups III and IV) supplemented with L carnitine (100 mg/kg of food) (groups II and IV) or not (groups I and III). Red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) counts, numeration of leukocyte types, packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin concentrations were determined by haemocytometric methods on blood samples collected on last day of the 6 week trial period, and mean globular volumes (MGV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentrations (MCHC) were calculated. After slaughter, heterophils or eosinophilic staining cells (ESC) were counted in lymphoid organs (thymus, spleen, caecal tonsil and bursa Fabricius). The L-carnitine treatment has induced significant increases of the RBC, WBC, heterophile and lymphocyte counts, of haemoglobin concentrations, PCV and MCHC compared to the respective controls whereas tissue ESC counts were significantly lowered in the spleen in the 2 supplemented groups and also in thymus medulla only when chickens received low energy diets (group II). Moreover, a correct dietary energy level has also improved erythropoiesis (increase of RBC counts) at a lesser extend, and diminished the inflammatory reaction in lymphoid organs (decrease of the tissue ESC counts). These results suggest that the dietary L-carnitine supplementation positively regulates erythropoiesis and inflammatory and immune cells and may restore them when the dietary energy supply is weakly depressed.


Fountains are the last point where water is found among the communities in the front row among the primary life sources of people with its functional characteristics. With this important situation, the social fabric they create around the fountains creates a dominant influence on their unquestionable value. The fountains were built in different geographies, with different architectural creations and with different plans and facade features, being preferred in every period. Our work contains the plan, architecture and decorative features of the twenty-eight fountains, dating from the last period of the Ottoman period according to the inscriptions and architectural details, located in the Banaz district of Usak province. The aim is to document and publicize these structures which are primarily open to natural or human destruction. In this context, each one of the works determined has been shot, taken detailed measurements and drawings drawn and have been taken their GPS values. Fountains were introduced with plan and mass edifices, and their places in Usak fountains were typologically discussed.


This chapter comparatively assesses U.S. and U.K. law governing management buyouts (MBOs), focusing on the duties of directors and officers in these systems. The analysis casts doubt on persistent but mistaken perceptions about U.S. and U.K. corporate fiduciary duties for self-dealing. The U.K. no-conflict rule is seen as strict, the U.S. fairness rule as flexible and pragmatic. As the analysis for MBOs demonstrates, these fiduciary rules operate similarly, tasking neutral or disinterested directors with policing self-dealing, enabling commercially sensitive responses to conflicts of interest. The analysis also reveals stronger formal private enforcement of corporate law and more robust disclosure rules in the United States. But because the available empirical evidence fails to justify broad claims that corporate fiduciaries' misconduct is more severe under either regime, the analysis identifies U.K. law-related measures that may serve similar functions to formal enforcement and mandated disclosure in constraining misconduct by corporate fiduciaries. These include informal enforcement by the U.K. Takeover Panel, stronger shareholder rights, and potentially greater monitoring by institutional investors.


Haptics has in earlier work shown the potential to assist in the understanding of an otherwise overwhelming amount of information in scientific and medical visualization. In the typical scientific data, with many different properties such as pressure, temperature, strain, etc, the user is required to switch between what data to represent through the haptic feedback. In this paper we explore the possibility to simultaneously represent, in a comprehensive way, more than one property through the haptic feedback by dividing the feedback into the two components of the haptic sense. Two vibrotactile metaphors for scalar data are described, roughness and transition cue, that can be used in combination with a kinaesthetic representation of either scalar or vector data. The paper also presents an evaluation that shows that the individual cues from the two haptic metaphors can be discriminated, and that the combined feedback can be used to find combinations of features in data.


— Tunisia has limited primary energy resources and produces only fossil fuels. The technology of biogas production by anaerobic digestion or biomethanation is very little known and poorly applied in Tunisia. Indeed biogas is very neglected among the main sources of energy in the country. The use of biogas technology can solve a number of ecological and economic problems. Today, its prospects for the future appear promising, justifying the need for a judicious awareness, followed by pilot experiments with a view to the further popularization of biogas technology and its interests. In Tunisia, the poultry sector produces a large quantity of laying inches, abandoned without any recycling or recovery, which can constitute a potential source of an environmental contamination in general, although it is an organic source that can be valued and has important energy and agronomic interests. This study aims to optimize and to follow the experimental biometanation of the poultry litter. Physicochemical and microbiological evaluation of the substrates was carried out. As for the energy side, the anaerobic digestion chosen is in discontinuous (batch), mesophile (35 ° C) and wet (8% DM of digester) mode. The main results show that poultry excreta is rich in organic matter and bacterial load, which favors the production of biogas, in particular with the addition of inoculum and activator. It should also be noted that anaerobic digestion resulted in a decrease in microorganisms and that the activator (especially with 18%) improved the speed of the hydrolysis phase and favored the production of biogas and especially methane.


Formaldehyde (FA) is a gaseous signaling molecule that plays a vital role in various biological processes as well as neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, it is of great practical significance to develop effective and reliable chemical sensors for the monitoring of endogenous FA. Here, we designed and synthesized a two-photon (810 nm) turn-on chemosensor AMNT (aminomorpholine naphthalimide) that accurately localizes lysosomes in cells for imaging of cellular endogenous FA. The fluorescence emission peak of AMNT was at ∼540 nm, with a slight blue shift (∼528 nm) in response to FA, while the green fluorescence intensity increased. The probe exhibits excellent selectivity for FA among other biological interference species and a fast response time for FA. It is worth mentioning that the probe successfully imaged endogenous FA in cells in two-photon mode, making the probe an effective research tool in the biomedical field to study diseases related to abnormal FA expression.


The Agrilus plasoni species group (Buprestidae) is established and diagnosed. Six new species of Agrilus are described: A. huashanus sp. nov.; A. diaolin sp. nov.; A. somnon sp. nov.; A. pubornatus sp. nov.; A. baoloc sp. nov.; A. darjiling sp. nov. Agrilus jeanvoinei Descarpentries & Villiers is considered new junior subjective synonym of A. plasoni plasoni Obenberger. Agrilus dichrosomus Obenberger is proposed as the subspecies of A. plasoni. The lectotype of A. dichrosomus Obenberger is designated. All species are keyed and illustrated.


Can investors select winning funds of hedge funds (FOFs) by merely assuming a simple trading strategy? Can historical information present insight on future returns? Financial theory presumes that stock markets are efficient and using any type of trading strategy will not be successful in the long-run. This article investigates a pure simple trading strategy to see if selecting last year's top-performing FOFs as this year's choice can outperform three FOF indexes and the S&P 500 Index. We further apply the strategy to the top-performing onshore and offshore funds, respectively, and compare them to the HFR Onshore and HFR Offshore indices, respectively. We generally find that selecting (up to) the six best performing FOFs is a winning strategy that outperforms both the market and the benchmark FOFs indices. There appears to be little benefit to over-diversifying in excess of this number. This finding applies both to onshore and offshore FOFs.


In this paper, we study the problem of constructing a network by observing ordered connectivity constraints, which we define herein. These ordered constraints are made to capture realistic properties of real-world problems that are not reflected in previous, more general models. We give hardness of approximation results and nearly-matching upper bounds for the offline problem, and we study the online problem in both general graphs and restricted sub-classes. In the online problem, for general graphs, we give exponentially better upper bounds than exist for algorithms for general connectivity problems. For the restricted classes of stars and paths we are able to find algorithms with optimal competitive ratios, the latter of which involve analysis using a potential function defined over pq-trees.


Abstract Background: For critically ill adult patients with acute traumatic brain injury (TBI), we assessed the clinical and cost-effectiveness of: (a) Management in dedicated neurocritical care units versus combined neuro/general critical care units within neuroscience centres. (b) 'Early' transfer to a neuroscience centre versus 'no or late' transfer for those who present at a non-neuroscience centre. Methods: The Risk Adjustment In Neurocritical care (RAIN) Study included prospective admissions following acute TBI to 67 UK adult critical care units during 2009–11. Data were collected on baseline case-mix, mortality, resource use, and at six months, Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE), and quality of life (QOL) (EuroQol 5D-3L). We report incremental effectiveness, costs and cost per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) of the alternative care locations, adjusting for baseline differences with validated risk prediction models. We tested the robustness of results in sensitivity analyses. Findings: Dedicated neurocritical care unit patients (N = 1324) had similar six-month mortality, higher QOL (mean gain 0.048, 95% CI −0.002 to 0.099) and increased average costs compared with those managed in combined neuro/general units (N = 1341), with a lifetime cost per QALY gained of £14,000. 'Early' transfer to a neuroscience centre (N = 584) was associated with lower mortality (odds ratio 0.52, 0.34–0.80), higher QOL for survivors (mean gain 0.13, 0.032–0.225), but positive incremental costs (£15,001, £11,123 to £18,880) compared with 'late or no transfer' (N = 263). The lifetime cost per QALY gained for 'early' transfer was £11,000. Conclusions: For critically ill adult patients with acute TBI, within neuroscience centres management in dedicated neurocritical care units versus combined neuro/general units led to improved QoL and higher costs, on average, but these differences were not statistically significant. This study finds that 'early' transfer to a neuroscience centre is associated with reduced mortality, improvement in QOL and is cost-effective.


The study aims to investigate the job motivators (JMs) that support organizational commitment (OC) for Vietnamese banking service personnel. There are six motivators: Work-itself; Working Physical Environment; Opportunities for promotion; Wages; Subsidies and Fringe Benefits; Relationships with Coworkers and Higher-ups. This study's theoretical methodology is to analyze JMs among banking service employees. Additionally, to enhance these theories regarding research variables, the previous constructs were utilized. The Likert scale is the quantitative data collection tool. Finally, a research framework is developed along with a fresh questionnaire.In the study, an integrated model was hypothesized, and six motivators directly impacted OC. Further, this research also investigated the relationship between associations between OC and several personal and professional traits (e.g., Age, Sex, Marital status, Education, Job position, Knowledge about labor law, Tenure in a job, Job role, Monthly income, and Type of bank). This research evaluated Vietnamese banking service employees' attitudes and perceptions regarding OC. The 521 paper questionnaires are distributed to all Vietnamese banking service personnel. After reviewed, 96% of them responded the questionnaires. Frequencies, percentages and corresponding statistics are calculated for all socio-demographic variables. To assess the job correlation index's motivators, Cronbach's alpha was calculated. Each factor's mean and standard deviation were recorded. For each variable in the quantitative model, Pearman's correlation was computed. In order to identify the predictors of both overall satisfaction and OC, multiple regression analysis was utilized.


Membrane distillation is an attractive technology for production of fresh water from seawater. The MemPower® concept, studied in this work, uses available heat (86 °C) to produce pressurized water (2.2 bar and 46 °C) by membrane distillation, which again can be used to power a turbine for co-production of electricity. We develop a non-equilibrium thermodynamic model to accurately describe the transfer at the liquid-membrane interfaces, as well as through the hydrophobic membrane. The model can explain the observed mass fl ux, and shows that 85% of the energy is dissipated at the membrane-permeate interface. It appears that the system's performance will bene fi t from a lower interface resistance to heat transfer, in particular at the permeate side of the membrane. The nature of the membrane polymer and the pore diameter may play a role in this context.


Information management systems today face a tremendous challenge considering the growing popularity of social media repositories involving images and video. Considering the growing volume of multimedia content in such online media-sharing communities there is an increasing need for novel ways of organizing content. In this paper we consider the problem of organizing images in a given Flickr Group by discovering latent subgroups. A Flickr Group can be visualized as a collection of such subgroups where each subgroup represents a distinct theme. We model the task of discovering subgroups as that of finding highly correlated topics from a dataset containing images and associated tags. The proposed probabilistic model employs a more flexible prior distribution to model topic-topic correlations and utilizes both tag and image information for discovering such subgroups. Our experiments on Flickr Group data demonstrate that the model is able to successfully discover subgroups without any supervision.


The paper describes the results of the research, conducted on the experimental setup on studying the effect of frequency and amplitude of the forced signal, superimposed on the liquid jet, outflowing through the hole of the perforated granulator shell, and liquid level in the volume of the device, on the homogeneity of the resulting droplets. The study of this process is caused by the need to modernize the prilling (granulation) knots of mineral nitrogen fertilizers during their manufacture in towers in order to reduce production losses due to polydisperse fractional composition of the resulting granules. Experimental results show that the impact of various values of the impulse on the liquid jet leads to change of its disintegration mode and diameter of the obtained droplets. This points to the need to take into account the specified frequency action when using in calculations. Otherwise, polydisperse droplets are obtained. A combination of experimental results and theoretical studies was the basis for designing special-frequency generator, used in modernizing existing granulators in large scale production of mineral nitrogen fertilizers. The special-frequency generator allows to automatically detect and change the signal frequency when changing the level of the filled basket; improve the homogeneity of the resulting product by automatic determination of the acceptable frequency for obtaining monodisperse mode of the jet disintegration. The studies have allowed to develop equipment that made it possible to increase the monodispersity of the resulting product (more than 98 % of the desired fraction), reduce the dust content from 0,8-1,2 % to 0,05-0,2 %, which has led to a decrease in losses during transportation and storage. In addition, dust emissions into the atmosphere have reduced from 200-250 mg/m3 to 25-40 mg/m3, and as a result, this has allowed to decrease specific energy consumption during production and improve the environmental situation in the production area.


In the present communication, the neuropharmacokinetics of valproate in pentylenetetrazol-kindled epileptogenesis rat hippocampus have been examined by micordialysis. It was found that the maximum concentration and the area under the hippocampus concentration-time curve of valproate in pathological rats were significantly higher than those in the control group. Time to maximum concentration of valproate appeared at 45 min after drug administration, and then the concentration of valproate gradually declined. The results suggest that the pathological damages of rat brain induced by pentylenetetrazol may result in the increase of the valproate level in epileptic rat hippocampus, and the neuropharmacokinetic research of valproate in a chronic kindled conscious animal model with acute administration may help the clinic in the pharmacokinetic optimization of the valproate dosage schedule in epileptic patients.


The aim of this article is, first, to look closely at a new NRSV Bible, The Peoples' Bible, putting to the test its own call for reading inclusively, with acknowledgement of and sensitivity to the diverse societies and cultures of the USA, particularly marginalized minority groups. Following general comments and praise for this exciting new publication, the editorial decision to juxtapose a short description of ubuntu theology with Prov. 31:8-9 will be examined. In the course of this article, several distinctly South African examples of biblical criticism will be described. Next, the postcolonial-critical method called Imbokodo, developed and practised by Old Testament scholar Makhosazana Nzimande, will be applied to Prov. 31:1-9 to foreground a new and illuminating perspective, which is ultimately skeptical of the (at least implicit) suggestion of the appropriateness of associating Prov. 31:8-9 and ubuntu. As will become clear, tackling this topic has been a challenge for the author in some profound and personal respects.


Many receiver designs have been studied in the past to discriminate Phase-Shift Keying (PSK) quantum states that are used to encode information before transmitting over the communication channel. Among many types of quantum states, there has been significant work on the use of coherent states for encoding information. Previous work has sought to improve the communication performance in terms of various metrics such as error probability of state discrimination and capacities by employing more complex quantum states such as squeezed-displaced states. One of the simplest receivers for state discrimination is the displacement receiver. However, our calculation demonstrates that when we use optimal parameters for a displacement receiver, squeezed-displaced states might not be necessary, and merely using coherent states suffice. We see no performance improvement in terms of probability of error of state discrimination as well as mutual information using displacement receivers when optimal squeezing parameters are used with squeezing operation on the transmitter side for BPSK and QPSK. In addition, we also study the receiver design scheme for QPSK modulation where squeezing is employed at the receiver side. We find that using squeezing operation on the receiver side just before detection provides an advantage in terms of increased mutual information for the low-photon regime compared to when no squeezing is used. For all other cases, squeezing offers no additional advantage.


It is generally accepted that the choice of severity distribution in loss distribution approach has a significant effect on the operational risk capital estimation. However, the usually used parametric approaches with predefined distribution assumption might be not able to fit the severity distribution accurately. The objective of this paper is to propose a nonparametric operational risk modeling approach based on Cornish-Fisher expansion. In this approach, the samples of severity are generated by Cornish-Fisher expansion and then used in the Monte Carlo simulation to sketch the annual operational loss distribution. In the experiment, the proposed approach is employed to calculate the operational risk capital charge for the overall Chinese banking. The experiment dataset is the most comprehensive operational risk dataset in China as far as we know. The results show that the proposed approach is able to use the information of high order moments and might be more effective and stable than the usually used parametric approach.


In Malaysia, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people (collectively known as LGBTQ) are subjected to cisheterosexism that criminalizes, pathologizes, and marginalizes their identities. Given the relative cisheterosexist nature of Malaysian society, it is important to scrutinize the current trend of research studies that have recruited LGBTQ people as subjects. The present study comprises a scoping review of existing Malaysian studies involving LGBTQ people, as we set out to provide an overview of study characteristics, research methods, and literature gaps. Through systematic searches in the Malaysian Citation Index, PsycINFO, and PubMed databases, as well as additional hand searches, we included forty-four studies in this review. Our review noted many Malaysian LGBTQ studies explicitly focused on related topics of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (41%), men who have sex with men (39%), trans women (30%), and people from Kuala Lumpur (25%). Our review also uncovered STI risks, living experiences in relation to cisheterosexism, and barriers to access safe-sex measures, healthcare, and social support among Malaysian LGBTQ people. Drawing from the health equity framework, we provided recommendations for future LGBTQ research in Malaysia to avoid utilizing a pathological lens that stands in contrast with LGBTQ-affirming approaches, as well as to engage LGBTQ members throughout all research phases.


Recent work provided a model for the fracture calibration test in a homogeneous reservoir and an interpretation methodology that enables determination of the formation permeability. The previous study used a rate-dependent skin for the filtercake resistance. Pressure drop in the formation was modeled using a closed form solution for linear flow. The need to analyze tests conducted in naturally fractured reservoirs has motivated the work in this paper. To model dual-porosity reservoir heterogeneity, the linear flow closed form solution was replaced by an analytical solution. The heterogeneous model uses a standard pressure transient model formulation while incorporating the filtercake resistance from the previous work. Analysis of data from fracture calibration tests in naturally fractured reservoirs shows that the homogeneous model fails to capture transient behavior attributed to natural fractures. Sensitivity studies using the new model illustrate the pressure falloff response behavior and show what can be determined from the falloff analysis.


PURPOSE
To evaluate abdominal computed tomographic (CT) findings in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
CT scans with abnormal findings in 259 patients (247 men, 12 women; age range, 21-60 years) with HIV infection were analyzed. Diagnoses were mycobacterial infection (n = 87), lymphoproliferative disease (n = 63), Kaposi sarcoma (n = 17), fungal infection (n = 17), hepatocellular disease (n = 13), Pneumocystis carinii infection (n = 8), other disorders (n = 39), or unknown (n = 30).

RESULTS
Abnormal findings included lymph-node enlargement (n = 159), hepatomegaly (n = 100), splenomegaly (n = 62), gastrointestinal mass or wall thickening (n = 61), and low-attenuation lesions in the liver (n = 50) or spleen (n = 55). Diagnoses thought to account for CT findings were made (n = 229) or suspected (n = 18) in 247 (95%) of the 259 patients.

CONCLUSION
In most patients with HIV infection, abnormal abdominal CT findings are due to a second disease. Even relatively nonspecific findings should not be ascribed to HIV infection and should prompt a search for an opportunistic infection or neoplasm.


This summer, a flu strain unlike any that has infected humans before appears to have jumped directly from birds to a human, killing a Hong Kong boy. The event rang alarm bells around the world, as public health experts feared that the virus might touch off a pandemic, because nobody would have immunity to this new strain. On 20 August, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta dispatched researchers to Hong Kong to join an international team of scientists conducting an "extensive investigation" there and in mainland China.


Olive plantation systems occur in a wide variety throughout the Mediterranean, especially in sloping and mountainous areas. Recent drivers of change, including the widespread introduction of mechanisation, increased use of (chemical) inputs and (drip)irrigation have considerably added to this diversity. The various systems have very different resource use patterns and environmental and social performances. This article attempts to grasp these differences and to link systems characteristics to options for natural resources management in the spirit of contemporary agricultural policies that seek to promote a more sustainable agriculture. Cluster analysis was employed to classify 28 olive plantation systems distinguished by regional typologies developed for six study areas: Tras-os-Montes (Portugal), Cordoba and Granada/Jaen (both in Spain), Haffouz (Tunisia), Basilicata/Salerno (Italy) and West-Crete (Greece). Six types of olive plantation systems resulted: (a) very extensive, (b) traditional extensive, (c) semi-intensive low input, (d) semi-intensive high input, (b) intensive and (e) organic. Natural resources management options to address soil erosion, low biodiversity, wildfire risk and excessive water use are explored for each of these systems. In the discussion, it becomes evident that an important quality for a typology lies in its capacity to differentiate likely future development pathways. If options are known, policy-makers can make choices as to what the desired pathway is and what instruments to design to facilitate it.


The neural drive to a muscle and its biomechanical properties determine the force at a joint. These factors may be centrally linked. We studied the relationship between the ability of first dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI) to generate index flexion force around the metacarpophalangeal joint and the neural drive it receives in a voluntary contraction. The role of FDI was assessed in two thumb postures, thumb 'down' (thumb abducted) and thumb 'up' (thumb extended), and at different thumb carpometacarpal angles. These postures were designed to change acutely the flexion moment arm for FDI. The flexion twitch force evoked by supramaximal stimulation of the ulnar nerve was measured in the two postures and the change in moment arm was assessed by ultrasonography. Subjects also made voluntary flexion contractions of the index finger of ∼5 N in both postures during which neural drive to FDI and the long finger flexor muscles was measured using surface EMG. Recordings of FDI EMG were normalized to the maximal M wave. Five of the 15 subjects also had a radial nerve block to eliminate any co‐contraction of the extensor muscles, and extensor muscle EMG was monitored in subjects without radial nerve block. Compared to thumb up, flexion twitch force was ∼60% greater, and the flexion moment arm was ∼50% greater with the thumb down. There was minimal effect of altered carpometacarpal angle on flexion twitch force for either thumb posture. During voluntary flexion contractions, normalized FDI EMG was ∼28% greater with thumb down, compared to thumb up, with no consistent change in neural drive to the long flexors. Hence, the contribution of FDI to index finger flexion can be altered by changes in thumb position. This is linked to changes in neural drive to FDI such that neural drive increases when the mechanical contribution increases, and provides a central mechanism to produce efficient voluntary movements.


This paper proposes a configuration for a smart radar absorber which is capable of both self-tuning and absorb while scan operation. The discussion is complemented by modelled and measured performance data.


According to Okoth-Okombo, language policy and economic development in Africa play a significant role in ensuring effective participation of large sectors of society in development activities and the public platform.[1] During a time when Sino-African trade and cooperation is at an all-time high, Confucius Institutes (CIs) have become important social funnels to signal cultural interdependency, while sensitizing the incumbent African workforce to the Chinese language and culture that awaits them within the new world order. Between the possibility of employment in increasingly numerous, African-based Chinese business ventures or the possibility to travel to China for further education, understanding the Chinese perspective has become more important than ever.
[1] Okombo, Okoth (2001), 'Language Policy: The Forgotten Parameter in African Development and Governance Strategies.' (Nairobi: Univ. of Nairobi)


Foraging Task is a typical task on swarm robotic and Building Task (extend from blocks world) is widely used for testing performance of task planning in multi-robots. In this paper we combine foraging and building task as a new type task and implement on our swarm robotic system-SociBuilder. The platform is composed of three parts: active region, modules and many robots called Socibots. In order to execute the task automatically and effectively, we propose a new system architecture including three layers: human-computer interaction layer (HCI), planning layer and execution layer. For the same reason, we put forward a novel algorithm to adjust individual behavior dynamically. As a result of our experiments, Socibots use only local information and do not need communication with others in forage, and fewer individuals are centralized control for building task. The architecture and algorithm are effective in swarm robotics, which guide system to perform complex task with less burden.


We apply a new method consisting of a coordinate transformation and two-step scheme to simulate numerically Z-scan characteristics of a nonlinear medium. A comparison of numerical results obtained by this new method with those by the conventional numerical method is made. The results show that the new scheme yields a large, orders-of-magnitude range improvement in computational speed and accuracy for the analysis of the closed-aperture and open-aperture Z-scan characteristics, compared with the conventional numerical method.


Abstract Passive acoustic monitoring can provide valuable information on coral reefs, and examining the acoustic attributes of these ecosystems has the potential to provide an insight into their status and condition. From 2014 to 2016, a series of underwater recordings were taken at field sites around Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Six individual fish choruses were identified where each chorus displayed distinct acoustic characteristics. Choruses exhibited diurnal activity and some field sites displayed consistently higher diversity of choruses and levels than others, suggesting that particular locations are important aggregation areas for soniferous fish species. During peak activity, choruses were a prominent component of reef soundscapes, where received levels of a chorus reached upwards of 120 dB re 1μPa rms over the 450–650 Hz band, equating to a 40 dB increase above ambient noise levels of ≈80 dB re 1μPa rms. Three out of the six detected choruses exhibited spectral and temporal characteristics similar to choruses previously documented at these sites and elsewhere, produced by planktivorous fish species. Three of these choruses appear to be undocumented and could hold information on the presence, abundance and dispersal patterns of important fish species, which may have potential long-term management applications. Future research should focus on extricating the temporal patterns associated with bioacoustic activity and determining the potential environmental drivers of biological choruses. Additionally, developing appropriate techniques for direct identification of vocalizing species would strongly increase the management applicability of passive acoustic monitoring.


A major threat to the seagrass ecosystem worldwide, due to the growth of human population along the coastal environment, is pollution or contamination resulting from industrial and urban development. Although seagrass appears to be rather resistant to heavy metal contaminants, these substances may possibly harm some components of the seagrass and such responses have not been examined to a significant extent. Lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) was tested on seagrass, Halophila ovalis, to see whether the metals are environmental stressor on the seagrass. Reduced growth rate of the seagrass was observed both in Pb and Cu treatments. Leaf size of the plant also reduced as the metal concentrations increased and when the plants were exposed to the heavy metal for longer duration. An increased leaf asymmetry was more apparent at the 2 mg/L Cu treatment and no significant increases in fluctuating asymmetry were found in Pb treatment or in low levels of Cu treatment. Further discussion were made in view of selecting non-costly bioindicators of heavy metal contamination.


The AASHTO-supported interim Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) was published in 2008 for trial use. However, local calibration of the empirical distress models in the design guide has been an essential exercise for any transportation agency before it formally adopts the MEPDG for practical design use. Nevertheless, a universally agreed upon local calibration methodology using historical pavement performance data from field evaluation has not been available. This research focuses on permanent deformation or rutting models in MEPDG and presents a layer-by-layer longitudinal local calibration process at the DARWin-METM platform coupled with Excel Macros. Using the best input data available, many of Level 3 accuracy, the study performs local calibration for 10 reconstructed and 19 rehabilitated flexible pavement sections. Further, this thesis statistically evaluated the level-3 pre-overlay rut value for rehabilitated flexible pavements in Ontario. A comparison of the longitudinal calibration and pooled local calibration demonstrated the importance of the longitudinal calibration in the quantification of uncertainties involved in local calibration.


Introduction: Senescent cells play a key role in the initiation and development of various age-related diseases. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) senescence is closely associated with age-related cardiovascular diseases. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that senolytics, the combination of dasatinib and quercetin (D+Q), could selectively eliminate senescent cells. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most abundant internal transcript modification, greatly influences RNA metabolism and modulates gene expression. We aimed to investigate whether RNA m6A functions in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced HUVECs senescence and D+Q suppress HUVECs senescence by regulating RNA m6A. Methods: Senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, western blot, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were performed to demonstrate that D+Q suppress HUVECs senescence. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP)-qPCR assay and RIP-qPCR confirmed that RNA m6A plays a key role in the suppression of HUVECs senescence by D+Q. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and mRNA stability assay were carried out to prove that D+Q alleviate HUVECs senescence in a YTHDF2-dependent manner. Results: Here, we demonstrate that D+Q alleviate LPS-induced senescence in HUVECs via inhibiting autocrine and paracrine of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). We further confirm that D+Q alleviate HUVECs senescence via the TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6)-MAPK pathway. Mechanically, this study validates that D+Q suppress SASP by upregulating m6A reader YTHDF2. Besides, YTHDF2 regulates the stability of MAP2K4 and MAP4K4 mRNAs. Conclusion: Collectively, we first identified that D+Q alleviate LPS-induced senescence in HUVECs via the TRAF6-MAPK-NF-κB axis in a YTHDF2-dependent manner, providing novel ideas for clinical treatment of age-related cardiovascular diseases.


We present a technique to measure the lateral stiffness of the nanometer-sized contact formed between a friction force microscope tip and a sample surface. Since the lateral stiffness of an elastic contact is proportional to the contact radius, this measurement can be used to study the relationship between friction, load, and contact area. As an example, we measure the lateral stiffness of the contact between a silicon nitride tip and muscovite mica in a humid atmosphere (55% relative humidity) as a function of load. Comparison with friction measurements confirms that friction is proportional to contact area and allows determination of the shear strength.


When Mikhail Gorbachev initiated economic reforms in the mid-1980s, many people in the USSR found international peddling more profitable than anything else they could do. At first, tens of thousands of Soviet citizens poured into 'socialist' Poland, Hungary, or China, but by the mid-1990s the trade expanded to include thirty million people and a wide range of countries and became the backbone of Russian consumer trade. Even though scholarly works have begun to acknowledge the unique role of this shuttle business in the post-Soviet Russian economy, this study analyzes the role of gender in the business based on extensive oral history fieldwork. The research demonstrates that even though the shuttle business gave women new opportunities for financial advancement, their prolonged absence from home and the specificity of this semi-legal trade also brought high rates of divorce and rising health problems for these women as well as lack of parental control for their children. These women-traders facilitated the transition to a free market economy in Russia but their shared experiences demonstrated the gap between the rhetoric of free market economy and the actual market practices of the 1990s.


Fine spatial and temporal resolution of 3D displacement field in the mouse left ventricle (LV) is reconstructed from finely sampled stacks of 2D orthogonal images. Using orthogonal 2D image stacks allows for each of X, Y and Z direction displacement vectors to be detected. Serial short-axis (SA) and long-axis (LA) images of both healthy and infarcted mouse left ventricles were acquired at 0.5mm intervals using a linear array transducer operating at 30MHz. Myocardial motion was tracked using a 2D minimum sum of absolute difference (MSAD) speckle tracking technique. In regions experiencing image artifacts or signal dropout, an incompressible tissue mathematical model was employed, and motion was corrected based on a weighted average of tracked motion and model predicted values. Displacement error was computed based on the ratio of final displacement to the length of the trajectory through the entire heart cycle. By incorporating an incompressible LV mathematical model, tracking error was reduced from 8.4±1.4% to 5.6±1.2%. 3D analyses of cardiac motion provide a more comprehensive assessment of post-infarct ventricular function than conventional 2D analyses. For example, after evaluating the relative displacement magnitudes of post-infarct hearts, dysfunctional myocardium was localized to the apical-anterolateral region of the LV. In the dysfunctional tissue, average radial, circumferential, and longitudinal displacements were reduced by 45.1±9.8%, 43.5±8.2%, and 52.4±9.2%, respectively.


Abstract : The Battle of the Atlantic was the dominating factor all through the war. Never for one moment could we forget that everything happened elsewhere, on land, at sea, or in the air, depended ultimately on its outcome, and amid all other cares we viewed its changing fortunes day by day with hope or apprehension. The Atlantic proved to be the decisive grounds on which Britain's ability to wage a sustained war against the axis powers rested. The period of August 1942 through May 1943 has proven to be the critical period in the Battle of the Atlantic. During this phase of the battle, the allies turned the tables on a surge in German U-boat successes and rising confidence and precipitated such a severe reversal of fortune that and Commander in Chief (CinC) of the German Navy and U-boat arm, Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz, was driven to the conclusion that a complete withdrawal of U-boats from the North Atlantic was required. This paper will examine the operational aspects of the German offensive in the Battle of the Atlantic during the culminating phase in the first half of 1943 and the factors that led to the German collapse. The lessons learned from the German perspective can be instructive in how a unified approach to this battle would have prolonged Germany's ability to truly affect the allied shipping, and may have influenced the final outcome.


Introduction. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is diagnosed mainly in children (2/3 of diseases) making this type of leukemia one of the most common oncological diseases among children. Oncogenes are involved in the development of ALL, in particular the product of chromosomes 1 and 19 translocation, the oncogene E2A-PBX1 that codes for E2A-PBX1 chimeric oncoprotein with strong transcription activation properties as well as oncogenes of HOX family, mainly HOXA and HOXB cluster genes. E2A-PBX1 chimeric oncoprotein and НОХА proteins are associated in vivo with factors participating in epigenetic regulation of gene expression such as chromatin modifying and remodeling enzymes that partially determines their oncogenic properties. In previous studies we obtained data indicating genetic interactions of E2A-PBX1 and НОХ genes participating in leukemia development. The aim of this research was to confirm the role of Е2А – РВХ1 oncogene in the activation of the expression of НОХА cluster genes coding for the proteins with high oncogenic potential. Materials and methods. The objects of the study were four B cell progenitor (pre-B) leukemia cell lines: RCH-ACV, KASUMI-2, 697 and NALM-6. Standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for the identification of chromosome 1 and 19 translocation product, E2A-PBX1 oncogene and its expression. Method of reverse transcription coupled with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-RT-PCR) was used for the analysis of 11 HOXA cluster genes expression. Results . It is demonstrated that E2A-PBX1 oncogene is present and expressed in three studied human pre-B leukemia cell lines, RCH-ACV, KASUMI-2 and 697, while its expression is absent in NALM-6 cell line. High expression of 7 from 11 HOXА cluster genes is revealed in RCH-ACV, KASUMI-2 and 697 cell lines expressing E2A-PBX1 oncogene, whereas NALM-6 cell line, that does not express E2A-PBX1 oncogene, also does not express HOXA genes except low expression of two genes from this cluster. Conclusions. The data obtained in this study demonstrate that RCH-ACV, KASUMI-2 and 697 human leukemia pre-B cell lines, containing and expressing Е2А-РВХ1 oncogene, also express most of HOXA genes (7 genes of 11 genes) at high level in contrast to control NALM-6 cell line that does not comprise Е2А-РВХ1 oncogene and almost does not express НОХА genes. Therefore, the results of this study suggest the participation of strong transcriptional activator, chimeric oncoprotein Е2А-РВХ1, associated with chromatin modifying and remodeling enzymes, in the expression activation of HOXA cluster genes that also possess high oncogenic potential.


Background CKD Patients on routine hemodialysis (HD) are prone to medical complications and conditions that are potentially detrimental to the quality of life (QoL), such as anemia, malnutrition, low body mass index (BMI), HD shift time, and HD adequacy measured by Kt/V. CKD patients undergoing routine HD mostly have lowered QoL and are at higher risk for malnutrition, inflammation, hospitalization, and mortality, compared to the general population. This study intends to find out whether there is a correlation between these factors and the quality of life of patients undergoing routine hemodialysis. Methods The design of this study is a cross-sectional analysis of observational data. Hemodialysis patients from general hospital Prof. dr. R. D. Kandou Manado for 3 months from August to October 2017 were included. Fifty-two patients meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The correlation between quality of life with anemia, serum albumin, BMI, adequacy of HD, using Pearson correlation test (if normality test fulfilled) or Spearman correlation test (if the normality test not fulfilled) and Independent Samples T-test to assess the quality of life with HD shift time. Results This study found no correlation between hemoglobin levels (p=0.244, r=-0.098), BMI (p=0.473, r=-0.010), HD timing (p=0.082) and quality of life of the patients, but a significant correlation between serum albumin (p=0.020, r=0.286), HD adequacy measured by Kt/V (p=0.030, r=0.257) and subjects' quality of life. Conclusion This study showed that serum albumin and Kt/V values had a significant correlation with quality of life, while hemoglobin, BMI and dialysis shift time are not related to the quality of life.


The article considers the historical aspects of the formation of the codification of international law. The codification of international law is carried out for a long time, and its value is very large, especcialy for the development of the legislation of states, despite this, in author's opinion, greater significance at the current stage will be given to the process of progressive development of international law, as most of the existing areas of international law are codified, but with the appearance of new international legal institutions, this procedure will be necessary again. The author values the roleof the international bodies (eg, the International Law Commission) in the process of codification. Also this article reveals the importance of formal and informal codification and shows the participation of international institutions in that field. The author is analysing the doctrines of reputable scientists jurists in international law.


A recent report by the authors presented theoretical studies of a new method of interrogation of the position of arrays of micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) cantilever and doubly clamped beams. This letter represents the first experimental evidence of the performance of such an interrogation technique, confirming the modelling and showing noise performance close to the theoretical predictions. Such a technique will be useful in applications such as MEMS-based chemical sensing. Our experimental results show the potential to realize a shot-noise limited component of minimum detectable deflection of 16 ${\rm fm}/\sqrt{\rm Hz}$.


With the aid of clinical scales and eventual components, regressive and discriminant analysis the author elaborated a system of prognostical indices for the assessment of unfavourable outcomes and formation of pathological personality development as well as in patients with reactive conditions in the form of depressions, neurasthenia and hysterical neurosis. Observations which amounted to the mark equal to or exceeding the critical (68) should be considered as dangerous in relation to a formation of a pathological personality. Language: ru


Abstract The Particle Measuring System's 2DC optical array probe has been used as a primary instrument to measure ice particle concentrations since its introduction in 1976. In certain mixed-phase clouds containing cloud droplets in size ranges 30–100 μm, the 2DC has been found to respond to both liquid and ice particles. This is of real concern, since ice crystals occur naturally in tens per liter, while supercooled droplets in this size range can occur in tens to hundreds per liter. In this note, the effect of cloud droplets on the measurement of ice particle concentrations with the 2DC probe is discussed. An example is presented where supercooled droplets overwhelm the probe, making accurate measurements of ice particle concentrations difficult to obtain.


The toxic phase of peritonitis in patients with perforating duodenal ulcers is accompanied with the development of syndrome of redundant bacterial colonization of the small intestine. However, it is less pronounced than in other forms of intra-abdominal infection. The greatest quantitative growth in all the patients is observed among the species of the family of enterobacteria and aerobic Gram-positive bacilli, the bacterial species dominating in the upper part of the intestine in health being the leading etiological agents of intra-abdominal infection in patients with perforating duodenal ulcers. Unlike peritonitis of other etiology strict anaerobic bacteria are found in the small intestine much rarer.


Summary: The cardiac and hemodynamic effects of R80122, a new specific phosphodiesterase III inhibitor, were studied in a closed-chest canine model of acute global left ventricular ischemia complicated by heart failure. The results obtained were compared with those obtained with milrinone. Intravenous infusion of the compounds (0.005 mg/kg/min for both) was started when stable heart failure had developed and was continued for 50 min followed by a washout period of 60 min. Both R80122 and milrinone improved the function of the acutely failing heart, as indicated by the increase in the values of the variables related to left ventricular function, but differences existed. The most striking differences were the normalization of the left ventricular external mechanical efficiency with R80122, but not with milrinone, and the maintenance of aortic blood pressure during infusion of R80122, which decreased during infusion of milrinone. Milrinone tends to induce ventricular tachycardia more frequently than R80122. It can be concluded that R80122 and milrinone improve the function of the acutely failing heart, but that the changes induced by R80122 are better balanced, i.e., enhancement of external mechanical efficiency with maintenance of aortic blood pressure.


Objective: Cell-cell adhesion molecules play an essential role in cell growth and differentiation. β-catenin and CD44s are two adhesion molecules which their expression changes are correlated to loss of differentiation and gain of an invasive epithelial phenotype. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignancy of oral cavity. Aim of this study was to compare β-catenin and CD44s expression in different histopathological grades of OSCC. Methods: β-catenin and CD44s expression were evaluated in 10 well differentiated OSCC (group A) and 10 moderately/poorly differentiated OSCC (group B) using immunohistochemistry. Results: β-catenin membranous and nuclear/cytoplasmic expression were significantly different between groups A and B. CD44s membranous expression was insignificant amongst the two groups. Conclusion: Expression of β-catenin and CD44s alter in different histopathological grades of OSCC. It seems that more rate of aberrant cytoplasmic and/nuclear expression and less membranous expression of β-catenin can lead to significantly lower degree of cell differentiation in OSCC.


GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT ABSTRACT A novel flame retardant curing agent for epoxy resin (EP), i.e., a DOPO (9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenan-threne-10-oxide)-containing 4,4'-bisphenol novolac (BIP-DOPO) was synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), 1H NMR, 31P NMR spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography. The epoxy resin cured by BIP-DOPO itself or its mixture with a commonly used bisphenol A-formaldehyde novolac resin (NPEH720) was prepared. The flame retardancy of the cured EP thermosets were studied by limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL 94 and cone calorimeter test (CCT), and the thermal properties by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that the cured epoxy resin EPNP/BI/3/1, which contains 2.2% phosphorus, possesses a value of 26.2% and achieves the UL 94 V-0 rating. The data from cone calorimeter test demonstrated that the peak release rate, average heat release rate, total heat release decline sharply for the flame retarded epoxy resins, compared with those of pure ones. DSC results show that the glass-transition temperatures of cured epoxy resins decrease with increasing phosphorus content. TGA indicates that the incorporation of BIP-DOPO promotes the decomposition of epoxy resin matrix ahead of time and leads to higher char yield. The surface morphological structures of the char residues reveal that the introduction of BIP-DOPO benefits to the formation of a continuous and solid char layer on the epoxy resin material surface during combustion.


Introduction Guidelines on neonatal cardiorespiratory resuscitation (CPR) suggest the provision of coordinated compressions to inflations at a rate of 3:1. However, manikin studies, and human trials have shown that coordinated chest compression/manual ventilation is difficult to achieve. In a manikin study, we aimed to investigate how music might help to control CPR in neonates. Methods 36 medical professionals were trained in neonatal resuscitation with and without listening to music (Radetzky-Marsch). CPR was performed using a neonatal lung model and a T-piece resuscitator for manual ventilation. Chest compressions were counted using a mechanical tally counter and the rate of inflations were recorded using a respiratory monitor. Results A total of 2514 inflations and 7678 chest compressions were analysed, with a median (interquartile range, IQR) number of chest compressions of 213 (196–229) and 70 (66–76) inflations per participant. Without music the median (IQR) rate of chest compressions was 115 (100–129)/min and the rate of inflations was 38 (32–42)/min. While listening to the Radetzky-Marsch the rate of chest compressions decreased significantly to 96 (96–100)/min (p=0.002) and the rate of inflations decreased to 32 (30–34)/min (p=0.001). Furthermore, with music the IQR of chest compression rate decreased by 86% and the IQR inflation rate by 60%. Conclusion A musical mnemonic has a significant impact on the delivery of neonatal CPR. Listening to music optimizes the rate of chest compressions and inflations and reduces the variability between individuals.


Measuring similarity among graphs is a challenging issue in many disciplines including neuroscience. Several algorithms, mainly based on vertices or edges properties, were proposed to address this issue. Most of them ignore the physical location of the vertices, which is a crucial factor in the analysis of brain networks. Indeed, functional brain networks are usually represented as graphs composed of vertices (brain regions) connected by edges (functional connectivity). In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm to measure a similarity between graphs. The novelty of our approach is to account for vertices, edges and spatiality at the same time. The proposed algorithm is evaluated using synthetic graphs. It shows high ability to detect and measure similarity between graphs. An application to real functional brain networks is then described. The algorithm allows for quantification of the inter-subjects variability during a picture naming task.


Matrix algebra basic structural concepts and energy theorems the discrete system static analysis of pin-jointed trusses static analysis of rigid-jointed frames finite element analysis in-plane quadrilateral elements vibrations of structures grillages non-linear structural mechanics steady-state field problems axisymmetric problems transient field problems.


There is a growing demand for environmentally friendly ways of transportation, and
therefore the electric bicycle has been booming in Sweden. The electric bicycle is
often used as means of transportation to and from work, but has potential to be used
in other situations as well. The environmental impact caused by transportation
during holidays has recently gained attention. At the same time the demand for soft
adventures, comfortable and accessible nature experiences, in Sweden has increased
according to Visit Sweden. If these different driving forces are combined, an area
of use for the electric bicycle could be when on holiday.
This master thesis has the purpose of developing a product that connects electric
bicycles with the trend of soft adventures, and in that way encourage people to cycle
more.
The design process started by studying the potential users. Based on the functions
noticed in the user study, various concepts were developed in several iterations in
the shape of sketches, physical models and computer models. These iterations
finally resulted in a concept that was further developed, and a final prototype, taking
both form and function in consideration, was created. This prototype was then tested
and evaluated.
The final concept, called Kamrat, is a foldable holiday camper that is small and
lightweight enough to be towed after an electric bicycle. In parked mode Kamrat
can be unfolded, which results in a bed for two persons with a tent as a roof. This
allows for a comfortable overnight stay in nature.
The accessible and functional design helps and inspires the user to bring its electric
bicycle on a soft adventure and thereby holiday in an environmentally friendly way.


In a vehicular ad-hoc network (VANET), an important application is to let moving vehicles collaborate with each other by sharing traffic information and alerting others of any emergency or accidental scenarios. To make this application possible, a security mechanism must be designed in the beginning to guarantee that no malicious vehicles or persons can intercept, manipulate, or modify traffic information propagating in a VANET without being detected. In this paper, we present a novel approach to provide reliable traffic information propagation in a VANET: two-directional data verification. Two-directional data verification approach uses vehicles in both directions of a two-way road as two separated media channels to propagate traffic data. By receiving messages from both channels, a recipient vehicle verifies the message integrity by checking if data received from both channels are matched. This approach exploits the fact that it is difficult for an adversary to have two collaborative vehicles on both driving directions in the same region. Even if an adversary can do this, it is costly and attacks can be done only in a short time period. The proposed approach is simple and readily to be implemented, requiring no complicated public-key infrastructure to protect traffic information propagation in VANET.


Glucose and fatty acid substrates had different effects on the cardiac output, heart work and rates of release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) from isolated perfused working rat hearts with coronary artery ligation. Release of LDH or CPK was increased in hearts perfused with free fatty acids (FFA) instead of glucose. The addition of insulin decreased palmitate-induced release of LDH but did not increase cardiac output, while the addition of glucose to hearts perfused with fatty acid both increased cardiac output and depressed LDH release. In FFA-perfused hearts addition of both glucose and insulin gave lowest rates of enzyme release and increased cardiac output, heart rate and heart work. It is proposed that glucose and/or insulin protected the hearts from the deleterious effects of FFA.


The purpose of this work is to compare learning algorithms to identify which is the fastest and most accurate for training mechanical neural networks (MNN)s. MNNs are a unique class of lattice-based artificial-intelligence (AI) architected materials that learn their mechanical behaviors with repeated exposure to external loads. They can learn multiple behaviors simultaneously in-situ and re-learn desired behaviors after being damaged or cut into new shapes. MNNs learn by tuning the stiffnesses of their constituent beams similarly to how artificial neural networks (ANN)s learn by tuning their weights. In this work, we compare the performance of six algorithms (i.e., genetic algorithm, full pattern search, partial pattern search, interior point, sequential quadratic progression, and Nelder-Mead) applied to MNN leaning. A computational model was created to simulate MNN learning using these algorithms with experimentally measured noise included. 3,900 runs were simulated. The results were validated using experimentally collected data from a physical MNN. We identify algorithms like Nelder-Mead that are both fast and able to reject noise. Additionally, we provide insights into selecting learning algorithms based on the desired balance between accuracy and speed, as well as the general characteristics that are favorable for training MNNs. These insights will promote more efficient MNN learning and will provide a foundation for future algorithm development.


This paper uses a comparative method to analyze China's evolving Social Credit System (SCS) for corporations, and the political discourse used to portray SCS as a governance tool facilitating Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with Chinese characteristics. A modified relational governance framework is used. The importance of relationships ( guanxi ) in the Chinese business context is that it makes a modified form of the relational governance perspective uniquely appropriate. This study also draws upon evolving literature examining the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in international business contexts. China's corporate SCS is explicitly designed to evaluate corporate behavior through a "scoring" system of "points." A comparative lens highlights the similarities, and crucial differences, between this and recent efforts to develop concepts of non-financial capital giving value to "social capital" in business contexts. This paper makes a unique contribution to the comparative governance literature by providing unique comparative insights into China's corporate SCS, and by setting these insights in the context of a world increasingly dom-inated by two competing models of AI-driven organizational governance one controlled by western technology giants and driven by primarily commercial motives—the other shaped and driven by the politics of China's Party-state institutions.


Temporally ordered multi-neuron patterns likely encode information in the brain. We introduce an unsupervised method, SPOTDisClust (Spike Pattern Optimal Transport Dissimilarity Clustering), for their detection from high-dimensional neural ensembles. SPOTDisClust measures similarity between two ensemble spike patterns by determining the minimum transport cost of transforming their corresponding normalized cross-correlation matrices into each other (SPOTDis). Then, it performs density-based clustering based on the resulting inter-pattern dissimilarity matrix. SPOTDisClust does not require binning and can detect complex patterns (beyond sequential activation) even when high levels of out-of-pattern "noise" spiking are present. Our method handles efficiently the additional information from increasingly large neuronal ensembles and can detect a number of patterns that far exceeds the number of recorded neurons. In an application to neural ensemble data from macaque monkey V1 cortex, SPOTDisClust can identify different moving stimulus directions on the sole basis of temporal spiking patterns. Author summary The brain encodes information by ensembles of neurons, and recent technological developments allow researchers to simultaneously record from over thousands of neurons. Neurons exhibit spontaneous activity patterns, which are constrained by experience and development, limiting the portion of state space that is effectively visited. Patterns of spontaneous activity may contribute to shaping the synaptic connectivity matrix and contribute to memory consolidation, and synaptic plasticity formation depends crucially on the temporal spiking order among neurons. Hence, the unsupervised detection of spike sequences is a sine qua non for understanding how spontaneous activity contributes to memory formation. Yet, sequence detection presents major methodological challenges like the sparsity and stochasticity of neuronal output, and its high dimensionality. We propose a dissimilarity measure between neuronal patterns based on optimal transport theory, determining their similarity from the pairwise cross-correlation matrix, which can be taken as a proxy of the "trace" that is left on the synaptic matrix. We then perform unsupervised clustering and visualization of patterns using density clustering on the dissimilarity matrix and low-dimensional embedding techniques. This method does not require binning of spike times, is robust to noise, jitter and rate fluctuations, and can detect more patterns than the number of neurons.


Distributed Multi-target Localization System Based on Optical Wavelength Division Multiplexing Network ZHU Dan XU Weiyuan CHEN Wenjuan LIU Jiang PAN Shilong (Key Laboratory of Radar Imaging and Microwave Photonics, Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China) Abstract: A distributed multi-target localization system based on optical Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) network is demonstrated. The wideband orthogonal waveforms are generated by introducing the chaotic OptoElectronic Oscillator (OEO). The optical WDM network is introduced to transmit the wideband signals from multiple distributed transmitting and receiving units to the central station for processing, and the accurate localization of multiple targets is achieved based on the time of arrival localization method. The multiple optical carriers are generated at the central station, the complex processing to achieve the highprecision of the target localization is supported by the resources at the central station, and the remote transmitting and receiving units are simplified. Moreover, a proof of concept of the distributed multi-target localization system based on optical WDM network is obtained. The localization system comprising two transmitters and two receivers is experimentally established. The orthogonal chaotic waveforms with the frequency range of 3.1~10.6 GHz are successfully generated from the chaotic OEOs. The two-dimensional localization of two targets is realized via the maximum positioning error of 7.09 cm. Additionally, the reconfiguration of the system is experimentally verified.


A novel entire-domain finite element technique based on curvilinear hexahedral geometrical modeling using B-splines in conjunction with higher order hierarchical polynomial curl-conforming vector basis functions for field expansions is proposed for electromagnetic analysis of microwave devices. The effectiveness of the technique is evaluated in analysis of microwave cavities and it is compared with alternative reference solutions and with HFSS. Examples demonstrate large single-element (entire-domain) models with p-refined field distributions and better accuracy in curvature modeling than with the Lagrange interpolation. Extraordinary flexibility of the B-spline hexahedral elements, combined with higher order field expansions, allows accurate modeling of complex structures with sharp edges using a single finite element.


Computing solutions to linear systems is a fundamental building block of many geometry processing algorithms. In many cases the Cholesky factorization of the system matrix is computed to subsequently solve the system, possibly for many right-hand sides, using forward and back substitution. We demonstrate how to exploit sparsity in both the right-hand side and the set of desired solution values to obtain significant speedups. The method is easy to implement and potentially useful in any scenarios where linear problems have to be solved locally. We show that this technique is useful for geometry processing operations, in particular we consider the solution of diffusion problems. All problems profit significantly from sparse computations in terms of runtime, which we demonstrate by providing timings for a set of numerical experiments.


Plant sterols (PSs) cannot be synthesized in mammals and are exclusively diet-derived. PSs cross the blood-brain barrier and may have anti-neuroinflammatory effects. Obesity is linked to lower intestinal uptake and blood levels of PSs, but its effects in terms of neuroinflammation—if any—remain unknown. We investigated the effect of high-fat diet-induced obesity on PSs in the brain and the effects of the PSs campesterol and β-sitosterol on in vitro microglia activation. Sterols (cholesterol, precursors, PSs) and polyunsaturated fatty acid-derived lipid mediators were measured in the food, blood, liver and brain of C57BL/6J mice. Under a PSs-poor high-fat diet, PSs levels decreased in the blood, liver and brain (>50%). This effect was reversible after 2 weeks upon changing back to a chow diet. Inflammatory thromboxane B2 and prostaglandin D2 were inversely correlated to campesterol and β-sitosterol levels in all brain regions. PSs content was determined post mortem in human cortex samples as well. In vitro, PSs accumulate in lipid rafts isolated from SIM-A9 microglia cell membranes. In summary, PSs levels in the blood, liver and brain were associated directly with PSs food content and inversely with BMI. PSs dampen pro-inflammatory lipid mediators in the brain. The identification of PSs in the human cortex in comparable concentration ranges implies the relevance of our findings for humans.


In this article, the author will discuss how to use negotiation skills to overcome interpersonal challenges and find creative ways to solve problems between the government and the residents. This article will also discuss questions such as how to build a bridge in a relationship and maintain long-term friendships with others. This article will provide cooperation suggestions for people to help them reach their goal effectively and to foster a cooperative atmosphere that will lead to joint problem-solving. As the book Getting Past No says, an effective negotiator will "build a golden bridge" (Ury, 1993, p. 109) across the differences between the two parties. This can be done by understanding the other side's interests and offering a proposal that addresses these interests. Additionally, this article will help people to be more responsive to the needs of the other parties in a negotiation to therefore facilitate collaboration and re-frame the issue as an opportunity.


The great timber roof structures of the Cathedral of Vercelli offer an extraordinary path of knowledge, diagnosis and conservation, through a collaboration between the architects of the Cultural Heritage Office of the Diocese of Vercelli –– responsible for the restoration process –– and experts in the field of timber structures. The interest of the architectural complex is witnessed also by the contribution of renewed architects of Piedmont between the XVIth and XIXth centuries. The paper goes beyond the diagnostic evaluation, giving an overview on the main consolidation interventions respectful of the conservation of the timber structure.


Homogeneously staining regions (HSR) and double minutes, two novel chromosome abnormalities, are believed to represent sites of gene amplification. The basic organization of chromatin in an HSR in a human neuroblastoma cell line was shown, by electron microscopy, to be similar to that in a normal chromosome. Double minutes from another human neuroblastoma cell line were found, by dry mass determination, to contain an average of 1.41 X 10(-14) g DNA. This quantity corresponds to 6.38 X 10(3) kilobase DNA per double minute.


Italy is one of the countries participating in a prospective epidemiological survey of cryptococcosis set up in July 1997 by the European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM). Over a 30-month period 156 cases, all caused by Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans, were reported by 29 hospitals in 9 regions. An ECMM questionnaire was used to report the clinical presentation and the diagnostic and treatment approach used. Cryptococcosis was associated with HIV infection in 147 cases and was considered indicative of AIDS in 65%. The estimated incidence in the Lombardy region was 0.85/100 in the AIDS population. One isolate from each of 129 patients was serotyped and genotyped. PCR fingerprinting using the primer (GACA)4 proved to be a more reproducible typing method than the slide agglutination test. Genotypes VN1 (serotype D), VN6 (serotype A) and VN3-VN4 (serotype AD hybrid strains) occurred in Italy at similar levels nationwide, but VN1 (D) was prevalent in the North. In vitro resistance to antifungals was uncommon.


This book shows how to make global environmental problems more tangible, so that they become an integral part of everyday awareness. At its core is a simple assumption: that the best way to learn to perceive the biosphere is to pay close attention to our immediate surroundings. Through local natural history observations, imagination and memory, and spiritual contemplation, we develop a place-based environmental view that can be expanded to encompass the biosphere.Interweaving global change science, personal narrative, and commentary on a wide range of scientific and literary works, the book explores both the ecological and existential aspects of urgent issues such as the loss of biodiversity and global climate change. Written in a warm, engaging style, Bringing the Biosphere Home considers the perceptual connections between the local and global, how the ecological news of the community is of interest to the world, and how the global movement of people, species, and weather systems affects the local community. It shows how global environmental change can become the province of numerous educational initiatives -- from the classroom to the Internet, from community forums to international conferences, from the backyard to the biosphere. It explains important scientific concepts in clear, nontechnical language and provides dozens of ideas for learning how to practice biospheric perception.


In dealing with problems while translating, translators need to apply translation strategies. It involves finding equivalents which  are similar in meaning. The aims of this study are investigating and analyzing the syntactic strategies and equivalents of English non finite verbs which are translated into Indonesian.
This study employed descriptive qualitative method. The data are 130 complex sentences taken from two feature articles in National Geographic Magazines pulished in English and Indonesian on December 2018. The result of study shows that the syntactic strategies found are loan calque, transposition, phrase structure change, clause structure change, unit shift. and sentence structure change. In addition, formal equivalences are mostly found in translation, in comparison with the dynamic equivalences.  It can be concluded that the syntactic strategy is applied  by the translators to get natural translated text in TL by selecting linguistic equivalences without changing the meaning. The formal equivalence is  used when translators maintain the message by focusing on form and content. While dynamic equivalence is applied when the translator does  not maintain the form and content but focus more on  sense of translation by using natural equivalence which is closest in meaning and shows similar concept in TL.


This paper present the results of the research on different kinds of pedagogical models worldwide was made supported by the Information and Communication Technologies and their impact, attempting to design a Virtual Learning Model for Higher Education on Web 2.0 Technologies in Colombia. In order to achieve this target, a theoretical, applied, qualitative and quantitative investigation was conducted based on descriptive and correlational studies. Implementation and validation of the Virtual Learning Model was made with two student groups. Its methodology was focused on learning by doing from a constructivist approach: Reading-writing-building up-publishing on internet databases, collaborative contents and copyrighted by students according to their concepts already learnt, critical thought and their social context, through new pedagogical mediations and teaching communication and interaction strategies among virtual learning communities.


Let $H$ be a self-adjoint operator on a Hilbert space ${\cal H}$,
$T$ be a symmetric operator on ${\cal H}$ and $K(t)$ ($t\in \R$) be a
bounded self-adjoint operator on ${\cal H}$.
We say that $(T,H,K)$ obeys the {\it generalized weak Weyl relation} (GWWR)
if $e^{-itH}D(T) \subset D(T)$ for all $t \in \R$ and
$Te^{-itH}\psi=e^{-itH}(T+K(t))\psi, \forall \psi \in D(T)$ (
$D(T)$ denotes the domain of $T$).
In the context of quantum mechanics where $H$ is the Hamiltonian
of a quantum system, we call $T$ a {\it generalized time opeartor} of $H$.
We first investigate, in an abstract framework, mathematical structures and
properties of triples $(T,H,K)$ obeying the GWWR.
These include the absolute continuity
of the spectrum of $H$ restricted to a closed subspace of ${\cal H}$,
an uncertainty relation between $H$ and $T$ (a
\lq\lq{time-energy uncertainty relation}"),
the decay property of transition probabilities $\left|\lang \psi,e^{-itH}\phi\rang
\right|^2$ as $|t| \to \infty$
for all vectors $\psi$ and $\phi$
in a subspace of ${\cal H}$.
We describe methods to construct various examples of triples $(T,H,K)$
obeying the GWWR.
In particular we show that there exist generalized time operators
of second quantization operators on Fock spaces (full Fock spaces,
boson Fock spaces, fermion Fock spaces) which may have
applications to quantum field models with interactions.


Medical image segmentation is a fundamental and critical step in many image-guided clinical approaches. Recent success of deep learning-based segmentation methods usually relies on a large amount of labeled data, which is particularly difficult and costly to obtain especially in the medical imaging domain where only experts can provide reliable and accurate annotations. Semi-supervised learning has emerged as an appealing strategy and been widely applied to medical image segmentation tasks to train deep models with limited annotations. In this paper, we present a comprehensive review of recently proposed semi-supervised learning methods for medical image segmentation and summarized both the technical novelties and empirical results. Furthermore, we analyze and discuss the limitations and several unsolved problems of existing approaches. We hope this review could inspire the research community to explore solutions for this challenge and further promote the developments in medical image segmentation field.


OBJECTIVES
This paper explores health care professionals' potential attitude toward organ donation if the presumed consent system were to be implemented in Malaysia, as well as factors associated with this attitude.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
We used self-administered questionnaires to investigate the attitude of 382 health care professionals from the University of Malaya Medical Center between January and February 2014. The responses were analyzed using logistic regression.

RESULTS
Of the 382 respondents, 175 (45.8%) stated that they would officially object to organ donation if the presumed consent system were to be implemented, whereas the remaining 207 (54.2%) stated that they would not object. The logistic regression showed that health care professionals from the Malay ethnic group were more likely to object than those from Chinese (adjusted odds ratio of 0.342; P = .001) and Indian and other (adjusted odds ratio of 0.341; P = .003) ethnic groups. Health care professionals earning 3000 Malaysian Ringgit or below were more likely to object than those earning above 3000 Malaysian Ringgit (adjusted odds ratio of 1.919; P = .006). Moreover, respondents who were initially unwilling to donate organs, regardless of the donation system, were more likely to object under the presumed consent system than those who were initially willing to donate (adjusted odds ratio of 2.765; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS
Health care professionals in Malaysia have a relatively negative attitude toward the presumed consent system, which does not encourage the implementation of this system in the country at present. To pave the way for a successful implementation of the presumed consent system, efforts should be initiated to enhance the attitude of health care professionals toward this system. In particular, these efforts should at most target the health care professionals who are Malay, earn a low income, and have a negative default attitude toward deceased donation.


Si/SiGe stacked multilayers are key elements in fabrication of gate-all-around (GAA) structures and improvement of electrical properties, with the evolution of the Si/SiGe interfaces playing a crucial role. In this work, a model is developed based on the simplified bond hyperpolarizability model (SBHM) to analysis the anisotropic reflective second harmonic generation (Ani-RSHG) on a three-period stacked Si/Si1−x Ge x multilayer, which builds on Si(100) diamond structures. The C 4v symmetry of the Si(100) structure enables the second harmonic generation (SHG) contribution from the bonds to be simplified and the effective hyperpolarizabilities of the interfacial and bulk sources to be obtained. The effective interface dipolar and bulk quadrupolar SHG hyperpolarizabilities in the Si1−x Ge x sample with various Ge concentration profiles are modeled by interpreting the concentration of a component element as the probability of the element occupying an atomic site. On the basis of the developed model, the Ani-RSHG spectra of the as-grown samples with various Ge ratios for each layer and the samples annealed at 850 °C and 950 °C are analyzed to inspect the change in Ge distribution and its gradient in depth. The ani-RSHG analysis on as-grown samples showed difference in Ge distribution in samples with the multi Si/SiGe structure, which is not well observed in synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra. For the annealed samples, the response to changes in Ge concentration and its gradient in depth reveal the Si/Si1−x Ge x interface intermixing. Results of high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy agree well with the Ani-RSHG with SBHM findings. Compared with the Raman and synchrotron XRD spectra, the Ani-RSHG with SBHM simulation result demonstrates much better response to changes in compositions of the Si/Si1−x Ge x stacked multilayered structures, verifying the potential for characterizing the concentration distribution in stacked multilayered thin films for GAA structures.