Skin is an endocrine organ. Skin produces various hypothalamic, pituitary, adrenal and sex steroid hormones. This raises the question whether skin cancer melanoma is a hormone dependent cancer. But, a review of in-vivo and in-vitro studies suggested that melanoma could be a hormone responsive cancer or hormone sensitive cancer. In fact, previous clinical study showed that menstruating females were better protected in melanoma than post-menopausal women and men of any age. However, the study did not show any direct effect of steroid hormone on melanoma cells. Our in-vitro study showed that progesterone, a female sex hormone significantly inhibited human melanoma (BLM) cell growth. Progesterone inhibitory effect on other melanoma cell lines was also reported by Fang et al., Moroni et al. and Kanda and Watanbe. So, it was hypothesized that progesterone could be protecting menstruating females in melanoma. Our further research showed that progesterone action was mediated by a specific suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8. Several in-vivo and in-vitro studies showed the importance of IL-8 in the regulation of melanoma growth. Hence, IL-8 could be considered as a potential target for melanoma treatment.


A comprehensive account of a new structured algorithm for obtaining nonrelativistic diffeomorphism invariances in both space and spacetime by gauging the Galilean symmetry in a generic nonrelativistic field theoretical model is provided. Various applications like the obtention of nonrelativistic diffeomorphism invariance, the introduction of Chern-Simons term and its role in fractional quantum Hall effect, induction of diffeomorphism in irrotational fluid model, abstraction of Newton-Cartan geometry and the emergence of Horava-Lifshitz gravity are discussed in details.


The orbits of two black holes (BHs) that are initially unbound can be transformed into bound orbits by emitting gravitational waves during close encounters in a star cluster, which is called gravitational-wave (GW) capture. The effects of spin of BHs on GW capture are investigated in the context of numerical relativity. The radiated energy during the encounter is dependent on the effective spin when the BHs have equal masses, as expected from post-Newtonian approximation. The strongest emission is produced when the spins of both BHs are anti-aligned to the orbital angular momentum in the case of fly-by encounters. But the opposite is true in the case of direct merging: the strongest emission comes from the BHs with aligned spins to the orbital angular momentum. The fraction of direct merging among the GW captures increases in proportion to v4/7, assuming the uniform distribution of pericenter distances in the encounters, where v is the velocity dispersion of the cluster, which means about 5% of GW capture leads to the direct merging for star clusters with v = 150 km s−1.


A novel micro-fabrication technology using optical radiation pressure is presented. A simulation program has been written and simulation results have demonstrated that micro silica or diamond particles, trapped by focused laser beam, could be used as micro-fabrication tools for nanometer manufacturing. An experiment setup for laser trapping has been established and Silica particles, with diameter of 8 μm has been successfully trapped in water and arbitrary-shaped diamond particles, whose size is about 3-8 μm has been trapped and rotated as micro-fabrication tools. When trapped rigidity micro-particles tools was controlled by laser beam, the work stage was horizontally moved repeatedly so that a machining trace of 2nm on work piece has been attained.


In almost all organizations, supervisors set performance targets and budgets for their employees. This research shows that supervisors who have worked on the employees' task themselves before, overemphasize their own experiences and tend to discount other relevant information. Furthermore, it was shown that by increasing targets based on past performance, supervisors can make sure that employees invest more in future productivity improvements. Finally, when employees are responsible for different tasks such as short-term production and also creative tasks, performance targets around the routine task can provide the necessary cognitive closure to achieve a free-mind and hence use the available time for creative work most efficiently. Thus, by setting performance targets on short-term output tasks companies can increase the efficacy of the growing practice to allow certain amount of time for creative work.


Energy dispersal analysis by x-rays of various macrophytes were carried out with the help of Electron Microscope to study the mineral composition of these plants. The results revealed a great variation in the mineral content of the ash of these plants. Among the tested plants sodium content was highest in T. angustata (23.1%), magnesium content was maximum in H.verticillata (11.9%), aluminium (9.6%), silica (16.0%). and calcium (32.3%) content was highest in Chara sp. A pinnata showed the maximum phosphorus (16.7%), whereas sulphur (9.0%) was highest in/. aquatica. Potassium (33.4%) and chlorine (37.0%) were highest in E. crassipes.Significance of these results have been discussed.


A well defined electro-spraying and electro-static precipitator(ESP) experiment is carried out to investigate the charging characteristics of the submicron particles and the monodisperse particles. The basic idea is that the highly charged electro-sprayed droplets will be exploded into smaller droplets when the Coulombic repulsive force on the surface is higher than the surface tension. During this process many highly charged smaller droplets or ions if the droplets are completely dried out will be produced in the space. These charged species will be attached to the particle and eventually charged the particles. These charged species will be easily collected with ESP. The experimental result shows that the atomizer generated particles with GMD 50㎚ is collected more than 99% even at the mean face velocity of 2.0 ㎧.


The present dissertation was aimed at evaluating the mechanism, safety and efficacy of novel pH-sensitive nanoparticles (NPs) for the oral delivery of insulin. The self-assembled NPs with pH-responsive characteristics were prepared by mixing the anionic poly-r-glutamic acid solution with the cationic chitosan (CS) solution in the presence of MgSO4 and sodium tripolyphosphate. The absorption enhancing potential of the test NPs was evaluated using an in vitro Caco-2 cell monolayer model. The in vitro results indicated that the transport of insulin across the cell monolayers was improved by NPs in a pH-dependent manner; with an increase in pH, the amount of insulin transported decreased significantly. The impact of orally administered NPs on the pharmacodynamics (PD) and pharmacokinetics (PK) of insulin was evaluated in a diabetic rat model. Oral administration of insulin-loaded NPs demonstrated a significant hypoglycemic action for at least 10 h in diabetic rats and the corresponding relative bioavailability of insulin was found to be 15.1 0.9%.
The test NPs were then used to deliver the aspart-insulin, a monomeric insulin analogue. The biodistribution of orally administered aspart-insulin via NPs was studied in rats using the single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT). The results indicated that the insulin was absorbed into the systemic circulation, while the drug carrier (CS) was mainly retained in the gastrointestinal tract. The biodistribution of orally administered aspart-insulin was then compared that administered via subcutaneous (SC) injection. In the PD/PK evaluation in a diabetic rat model, the orally administered aspart-insulin-loaded NPs produced a slower hypoglycemic response for a prolonged period of time, whereas the SC injection of aspart-insulin produced a more pronounced hypoglycemic effect for a relatively shorter duration. Finally, comparison of the PD/PK profiles of the orally administered aspart-insulin with those of the SC injection of NPH-insulin (an intermediate-acting insulin preparation) suggested the suitability of our NP system as a noninvasive alternative for the basal insulin therapy.
It has been suggested that the paracellular permeation enhancement by CS may result in the absorption of unwanted toxins present in the GI tract. Therefore, the effects of test NPs on the oral absorption of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, a model toxin) were evaluated in animal models. The results indicated that the intestinal mucus layer acts as a barrier for the absorption of orally administered LPS. However, the test NPs could infiltrate the mucus layer due to their positive surfaces and were able to enhance the absorption of loaded insulin alone without affecting the absorption of LPS. Additionally, the toxicity study confirmed that test NPs did not improve the oral absorption of LPS.
Finally, the ultrastructural effects of CS on the epithelial tight junctions and paracellular permeability were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicated that the interaction of CS with intestinal cells induced a relatively rapid increase in paracellular permeability both in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism of action of CS with regard to its ability to disrupt epithelial cell TJs was found to be due to the translocation of the TJs proteins ZO-1, occludin and JAM-1 from the plasma membrane into the cytosol. The TEM results revealed no detectable alterations in the morphology of the TJs or lateral intercellular spaces, indicating that the TJ opening activity of CS was transient and reversible. These results indicated that the prepared NPs can serve as a safe and effective alternative for the oral delivery of insulin


Two MODIS AOD algorithms are being used at the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) for aerosol and visibility monitoring, namely, the standard 10-km resolution product from NASA and the 1-km resolution product developed by Li (PhD thesis, 2002). A new algorithm at 10-km resolution developed by Kim (JGR, 2007) has recently been tried out. The performance of the three algorithms in retrieving AOD near the south China coast is studied in this paper by comparing their outputs with the measurements of a hand-held sun photometer at the Hong Kong International Airport. The period of study is cloud-free days in the autumn of 2008 and the spring/early summer of 2009. The accuracy of the sunphotometer measurements is first established by comparison with AERONET AOD data. It is found that, among the three MODIS AOD algorithms, the 10-km resolution algorithm of Kim (2007) appears to have the best performance. The slope of the best-fit straight line for the data points between the AOD outputs of Kim's algorithm and the sun photometer measurements is the closest to unity and the correlation coefficient is high (above 0.9). Moreover, the AOD values so determined have good correlation with the AERONET AOD data. Further studies for an extended period will be performed with more comprehensive ground-based measurements.


This paper presents an integrated MAC and routing protocol called Delay Guaranteed Routing and MAC (DGRAM) for delay sensitive wireless sensor network (WSN) applications. DGRAM is a TDMA-based protocol designed to provide deterministic delay guarantee in an energy efficient manner. The design is based on slot reuse to reduce the latency of a node in accessing the medium, while ensuring contention free medium access. The transmission and reception cycles of nodes are carefully computed so that data is transported from the source towards the sink while the nodes could sleep at the other times to conserve energy. Thus, routes of data packets are integrated into DGRAM. We provide a detailed design of time slot assignment and delay analysis of the protocol. One major advantage of DGRAM over other TDMA protocols is that the slot assignment is done in a fully distributed manner making the DGRAM network self-configuring. We have simulated DGRAM using ns2 simulator and compared the results with those of SMAC for a similar network. Simulation results show that the delay experienced by data packets is always less than the analytical delay bound for which the protocol is designed. As per simulation results, the average energy consumption does not change as the event rate changes, and is less than that of SMAC. This characteristic of DGRAM provides flexibility in choosing various operating parameters without having to worry about energy efficiency.


This paper presents a scheme to measure radial and axial position of a magnetically levitated rotor based on hall-effect sensors. Linear hall-effect sensor is selected due to its low cost and miniature size. The proposed sensor system consisted of two hall-sensor modules attached on the stator, and a ring permanent magnet mounted on the rotor. The sensor module is designed via finite-element analysis to optimize sensitivity and accuracy of the measured signal. The experimental results demonstrated a satisfactory performance of the sensor system. However, it was also found that the magnetic field on the ring PM must be uniform to prevent errors in the position measurements.


Background Early identification and treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) improves outcomes, but specific evidence needed to individualize treatment recommendations is lacking. Biomarkers that could be routinely measured within the clinical setting could potentially transform clinical care for patients with ASD. This demonstration project employed collection of biomarker data during regular autism specialty clinical visits and explored the relationship of biomarkers with clinical ASD symptoms. Methods Eighty-three children with ASD, aged 5–10 years, completed a multi-site feasibility study integrating the collection of biochemical (blood serotonin, urine melatonin sulfate excretion) and clinical (head circumference, dysmorphology exam, digit ratio, cognitive and behavioral function) biomarkers during routine ASD clinic visits. Parents completed a demographic survey and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community. Cognitive function was determined by record review. Data analysis utilized Wilcoxon two-sample tests and Spearman correlations. Results Participants were 82% male, 63% White, 19% Hispanic, with a broad range of functioning. Group means indicated hyperserotonemia. In a single regression analysis adjusting for race and median household income, higher income was associated with higher levels of blood serotonin and urine melatonin sulfate excretion levels (p = 0.004 and p = 0.04, respectively). Melatonin correlated negatively with age (p = 0.048) and reported neurologic problems (p = 0.02). Dysmorphic status correlated with higher reported stereotyped behavior (p = 0.02) and inappropriate speech (p = 0.04). Conclusion This demonstration project employed collection of multiple biomarkers, allowed for examination of associations between biochemical and clinical measures, and identified several findings that suggest direction for future studies. This clinical research model has promise for integrative biomarker research in individuals with complex, heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD.


Twenty-six elderly patients with chronic leg ulcers infected by Pseudomonas aeruginosa or other aerobic Gram-negative rods were randomised to two treatment groups. The control group (eight patients) received conventional local therapy and the other group (18 patients) was treated with oral ciprofloxacin for three months in addition to conventional local therapy. In the beginning of the study both groups were comparable with the age of the patients and the associated diseases including impairment of arterial and venous circulation in the lower legs. Also the size, duration and the severity of the inflammation reaction in the leg ulcers were comparable before the start of the therapy. Ciprofloxacin was clinically more effective than the standard therapy in reducing the size of the ulcer (p less than 0.05). Also the need of extra systemic antibiotics decreased significantly in the ciprofloxacin group compared with the controls. In three out of eighteen ciprofloxacin treated patients the leg ulcers disappeared completely during the three months' study period compared with none in the control group. However, ciprofloxacin resistant strains, mainly staphylococci, appeared in the leg ulcers in 67% of the ciprofloxacin treated patients compared with 0% in the control group (p less than 0.01). No significant side-effects due to ciprofloxacin except the resistant strains were noticed. We conclude that oral long-term ciprofloxacin therapy is effective in the treatment of chronic leg ulcer infections due to Gram-negative rods but selection of ciprofloxacin resistant strains is a problem in this patient group.


Background and objectives Vitamin D3 (calcitriol) was found to downregulate innate immune response in human macrophages and showing immune-modulatory effects1. Gender-linked differences in serum levels of sex hormones and their peripheral metabolites play an important role in the neuroendocrine immune/inflammatory response also in monocyte/macrophage cells2. This in vitro study evaluated the effects of calcitriol on the expression and the activity of the aromatase involved in estrogen production in cultures of human macrophages and its possible ability to modulate the production of the proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα)) involved in the innate immunity response. Materials and methods Cultures of human THP-1 were activated to macrophages by interferon γ (IFNγ) (500 U/ml) and treated for 24 h with calcitriol (10−8M) and 17β-estradiol (E2, 10−8M) alone and in combination.Untreated macrophages (THP-1-activated) were used as controls (cnt). P450-aromatase synthesis was evaluated by immunocytochemistry (ICC) and western blotting (WB), whereas the expression of the related CYP19A1 gene was quantified by Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR). IL-1β, IL-6 and TNFα synthesis was analysed by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) and WB. The signal transduction pathway of mitogen activated proteins ERK1/2 was evaluated by WB. Results P450-aromatase synthesis and related CYP19A1 mRNA expression were found significantly downregulated by calcitriol in presence of E2 (p<0.001 vs E2-treated cells). The IL-1β, IL-6 and TNFα production decreased in the THP-1-activated macrophages treated with calcitriol with and without E2 (p<0.001 in calcitriol alone vs cnt and in calcitriol/E2 vs E2 for all cytokines). The data were obtained by ELISA and confirmed by WB. Interestingly, calcitriol decreased ERK1/2 phosphorilation both alone (vs cnt) and in presence of E2 (vs E2-treated cells) reducing the ERK pathway activation, as observed by WB. Conclusions Our data suggest that calcitriol downregulated the aromatase expression, involved in the production of estrogens, and decreased proinflammatory cytokine production by human macrophages. These downregulatory effects of calcitriol were found to correlate with the reduction in phosphorilation of ERK pathway. These results suggest a possible role of calcitriol on innate immunity of human macrophage that drive the inflammatory processes in RA and its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive intracrine activity.


Background: Vitiligo is a common depigmented skin disorder that is caused by selective destruction of melanocytes. It is generally accepted that the main function of melanin resides in the protection of skin cells against the deleterious effect of ultraviolet rays (UVRs). Association of vitiligo and skin cancer has been a subject of controversy. Occurrence of skin cancer in long-lasting vitiligo is rare despite multiple evidences of DNA damage in vitiliginous skin. Aim: To detect the expression of P53 and Mdm2 proteins in both depigmented and normally pigmented skin of vitiligo patients and to compare it to control subjects suffering from nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Materials and Methods: Thirty-four patients with vitiligo and 30 age and sex-matched patients with nodulo-ulcerative basal cell carcinoma (BCC) as a control group were selected. Both patients and control subjects had outdoor occupations. Skin biopsies were taken from each case and control subjects. Histopathological examination of Hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections was done. Expression of P53 and Mdm2 proteins were examined immunohistochemically. Results: Both P53 and Mdm2 were strongly expressed in depigmented as well as normally pigmented skin of vitiligo patients. This expression involved the epidermis, skin adnexa and blood vessels with significant differences between cases and controls. Conclusions: The overexpression of P53 and Mdm2 proteins in both normally pigmented and depigmented skin of patients with vitiligo could contribute to the decreased occurrence of actinic damage and NMSC in these patients.


Another fifty-seven replies to Lima have been published. Churches Respond to BEM Vols. IV, V & VI Edited by Max Thurian (WCC [1987-8], EIO.90/$17.50/SwF27.50,f 7.95/$12.90/SwFI9.50, and E6.50/$10.40/SwF] 5.90, pp. 257, 190, & 141, ISBN 28254-0896-4, -0886-7, -0919-7.) Once more one is struck by the consensus that exists among the majority of 'official' church spokesmen. Most contemporary Christians seem broadly of a common mind concerning the meaning of baptism and eucharist and the role of the Christian ministry. The Anglo-Catholic view that Anglicans, Romans and Orthodox are in some way quite distinct from all other Christian on these matters is now manifestly false. This does not mean that all churches now agree. Disagreement, often over minutiae of wording, is more marked in these latter responses than in those published earlier. A few divergences are very significant. The Orthodox Church in Greece, unlike her sister churches, is opposed to the Lima process, and thinks it would be 'harmful' to respond. The Roman Catholics, while welcoming the convergence of contemporary Christian thought, have reverted to their old demand of unconditional surrender as the


Even for known nonlinear dynamical systems, feedback controller synthesis is a difficult problem that often requires leveraging the particular structure of the dynamics to induce a stable closed-loop system. For general nonlinear models, including those fit to data, there may not be enough known structure to reliably synthesize a stabilizing feedback controller. In this paper, we discuss a state-dependent nonlinear tracking controller formulation based on a state-dependent Riccati equation for general nonlinear control-affine systems. This formulation depends on a nonlinear factorization of the system of vector fields defining the control-affine dynamics, which always exists under mild smoothness assumptions. We propose a method for learning this factorization from a finite set of data. On a variety of simulated nonlinear dynamical systems, we empirically demonstrate the efficacy of learned versions of this controller in stable trajectory tracking. Alongside our learning method, we evaluate recent ideas in jointly learning a controller and stabilizability certificate for known dynamical systems; we show experimentally that such methods can be frail in comparison.


Concept"of "conformal transform 旦 tion"is introduced in areal spaces. Under tihs transformation , changes of various geom 巴 tricobj 巴 ctsm ar 巴 alspac 巴 sof the gener 且 1 type and of the submetric class are consider 巴 d ~ 1. Conformal transformation in the areal space of the general type. We assume that there be given two metric m-tensors g J,] and 'g[ ,] in the areal space of the general type.' Let us consider a transformation which satisfies the relation scalar


Part 1 The context and the problem: "Lanzelet" in context - source, author and the question of date, and reception Ulrich and his narrator - prologue, reflections, appeals to the source and addresses to the audience the problem of structure - variation within repetition. Part 2 Narrative style in "Lanzelet": defining style the hero as a literary all-rounder - the first part of "Lanzelet" a "post-classical" Arthurian hero - the second part of "Lanzelet". Part 3 The essence of a hero - a thematic analysis of "Lanzelet": "aventiure", "manheit" and "minne" "gelucke", "heil", "soelde" and "wipsoelikheit" conclusion.


Barbituric acid is the parent compound of a large family of hypnotic barbiturates. A nitrogen mustard (N-mustard) group (-CH2CH2N[CH2CH2Cl]2) was placed onto the two nitrogen atoms at positions 1 and 3 of the pyrimidine ring. This N-mustard agent is a solid at 25 degrees C, stable at -10 degrees C for >10 weeks, and soluble in aqueous solvent at 37 degrees C and 25 degrees C. The partition coefficients miLog P and CLog P were calculated to be -0.93 and -1.441 for barbituric acid. The miLog P and CLog P for the N-mustard agent were 1.82 and 2.707, respectively. The N-mustard substituents significantly increased solubility in lipid by-layers. The N-mustard agent alkylated a nucleophilic primary amine (p-chloroaniline) at physiological conditions of pH 7.4 and 37 degrees C. Aliquots of reaction mixtures were withdrawn at known time periods to react with fluorescamine for determination of unreacted p-chloroaniline and calculation of rate constants. The alkylation of the primary amine was second order with rate = k2[Nu]2, (Nu is nucleophile) and rate constant k2 = 0.01358 L/(mole.min). The molecular dipole of barbituric acid and the N-mustard agent was calculated by SPARTAN software (wavefunction, Irvine, CA) to be 0.681 and 2.153 Debye, respectively. The brain/blood partition coefficient (Log BB) of the N-mustard agent was -0.399. Values of molecular polar surface area (TPSA) for barbituric acid and the N-mustard agent was 75.27 and 64.17, respectively. TPSA values indicate an expected intestinal absorbance to be 79% and 90%, respectively. The N-mustard agent showed zero violations of the Rule of 5, indicating good bioavailability.


Well-designed amino-appended β-cyclodextrins (ACDs) with an amino side chain of different lengths at the primary face of β-CD were synthesized and employed in the catalytic synthesis of a series of tetraketones as supramolecular catalysts in water for the first time. Yields of 58–97% were obtained with up to 30 examples of substrate. The catalyst could be recycled easily, while a 92% yield and 84% rate of catalyst recovery could be achieved after 8 cycles of catalyst recycling. Moreover, a catalytic mechanism merging supramolecular catalysis and aminocatalysis could be proposed through detailed 1D and 2D NMR, ESI-MS and Job plot analyses. This protocol retained the promising characteristics of ambient temperature, green medium, simple operation, broad substrate scope, excellent yields, superb catalyst recycling performance and unique catalytic mechanism.


The immobilized cats, the influences of 2nd somatosensory and temporal areas on responses of the caudate nucleus' neurons to stimulation of the tibial and splanchnic nerves, were studied. The majority of spontaneously active neurons responded to the cortical stimulation, mainly from the 2nd somatosensory area. Over half of the neurons revealed the "binareal" feature. The typical form of interaction of the cortical and sensory stimuli (with the 50-msec interval between the conditioning and the testing stimuli) was either partial or complete suppression of responses of the caudate neurons both to the somatic and to the visceral stimulation. The results of cortico-sensory interaction were independent of the nature and functional significance of the stimulated cortical areas.


The fluorescent compounds ethidium monoazide and ethidium bromide were found to react intensely with nucleic acids of fixed, paraffin embedded tissues of rat and mouse. For routine staining, 10(-5) M solutions of ethidium bromide and its monoazide analogue were virtually identical in their reactions. Fresh frozen sections of the tissues reacted in the same manner as fixed, paraffin embedded samples. Fluorescence of DNA and RNA in rat pancreas could be selectively abolished by taking advantage of the greater sensitivity of RNA to acid hydrolysis. Hydrolysis in aqueous solutions (1 N HCl at 55-60 C) abolished RNA fluorescence in 5 min, whereas 20 min or longer were required to destroy DNA fluorescence. DNA fluorescence was selectively abolished by 3 hr in 0.1 N HCl in anhydrous methanol while the RNA remained unaffected. Rat pancreas stained with the 10(-5) M ethidium compounds below pH 5.0 showed reduced RNA fluorescence, but the DNA continued to fluoresce brightly at pH 0.6. Reducing the pH of the staining solution to pH 1.0, therefore, was an additional method of selectively abolishing RNA fluorescence. Ethidium solutions in 5.0 M NaCl at pH 5.0 had little effect on DNA or RNA fluorescence. This new method of examining nucleic acids in fixed tissue samples opens new approaches to the histochemistry of these substances. The method also offers new possibilities for the study of mutagenic drug-DNA interactions.


Meta-learning has proven to be a powerful paradigm for transferring the knowledge from previously tasks to facilitate the learning of a novel task. Current dominant algorithms train a well-generalized model initialization which is adapted to each task via the support set. The crux, obviously, lies in optimizing the generalization capability of the initialization, which is measured by the performance of the adapted model on the query set of each task. Unfortunately, this generalization measure, evidenced by empirical results, pushes the initialization to overfit the query but fail the support set, which significantly impairs the generalization and adaptation to novel tasks. To address this issue, we include the support set when evaluating the generalization to produce a new meta-training strategy, MetaMix, that linearly combines the input and hidden representations of samples from both the support and query sets. Theoretical studies on classification and regression tasks show how MetaMix can improve the generalization of meta-learning. More remarkably, MetaMix obtains state-of-the-art results by a large margin across many datasets and remains compatible with existing meta-learning algorithms.


Construction development of Commercial and Recreational Complex Building Projects (CRCBPs) is one of the community needs of many developing countries. Since the implementation of these projects is usually very costly, identifying and evaluating their Critical Risk Factors (CRFs) are of significant importance. Therefore, the current study aims to identify and prioritize CRFs of CRCBPs in the Iranian context. A descriptive-survey method was used in this research; the statistical population, selected based on the purposive sampling method, includes 30 construction experts with hands-on experience in CRCBPs. A questionnaire related to the risk identification stage was developed based on a detailed study of the research literature and also using the Delphi survey method; 82 various risks were finally identified. In order to confirm the opinions of experts in identifying the potential risks, Kendall's coefficient of concordance was used. In the first stage of data analysis, qualitative evaluation was performed by calculating the severity of risk effect and determining the cumulative risk index, based on which 25 CRFs of CRCBPs were identified for more accurate evaluation. At this stage, the identified CRFs were evaluated based on multi-criteria decision-making techniques and using the TOPSIS technique. Results show that the ten CRFs of CRCBPs are external threats from international relations, exchange rate changes, bank interest rate fluctuations, traffic licenses, access to skilled labor, changes in regional regulations, the condition of adjacent buildings, fluctuations and changes in inflation, failure to select a suitable and qualified consultant, and employer's previous experiences and records. Obviously, the current study's results and findings can be considered by CRCBPs in both the private and public sectors for proper effective risk identification, evaluation, and mitigation.


This research tries to discuss film "Kiamat Sudah Dekat (KSD) " related to Islamic
education in particular on contents and method. According to the author, this film contains
moral messages on Islamic education. This is reflected on Moslem figures played by its actors
and actress. Besides, the coctents of Islamic education in this film are on belief in God and
the day of judgment, shalat, al-Qur'an recital, pilgrimage, andakhlaq, either to Allah, the
self, family and society. After all, the methods of Islamic education employed in this film are
discussion, demonstration, recitation, punishment and advice.


The pervasive use of scenarios in the development of computer systems and software has motivated the need of formalisms for the description and manipulation of scenarios. In this paper we propose a scenario–based methodology to support requirements engineering. This methodology enables to exploit the emerging XML technologies in order to offer powerful ways to create, maintain, distribute and use scenarios.


After the implementation of No. regulations 22 in 1999 about local government and afterwards in revision became No. regulations 32 in 2004, then education was a field that also was decentralised to the government of the City / the regency. Through this decentralisation system, education it was hoped was able to resolve problems of the subject that was dealt with the nation at this time, that is concerning the problem of the quality, the even distribution, the relevance, efficiency and the management of education that became the right of each resident. As that has been entrusted in UUD and UU about Sisdiknas.
The government of the Malang City, it was hoped was able to undertake the task and his function well and in a responsible manner in implementation the policy in the educational field. In order that the achievement of the government of the Malang City could go maximally, then must the existence of the supervision from the community or from local agencies that had the function of the control towards the achievement of the government. In relation to that, the available NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION in the Malang City in demanded to Carry out his role well and independently in Fight for the community's rights. One of the agencies was MCW (Malang Corruption Watch). Where MCW was an organisation of the civil community that moved in carrying out the supervision of the achievement of the Government of the Malang City.
Both in the matter of the supervision of the implementation of the policy in the political field, economics, the law and education. In this research, the researcher more the focus to the MCW role in carrying out the supervision of the implementation of the policy of the government of the
Malang City in the educational Field.
In this research, the method that the researcher used was the descriptive method, whereas the technique of the data collection that was used was through observation, the interview that was carried out to 3 people from the subject of the research, and the documentation. Afterwards the
analysis technique of the data that the writer used was the analysis of the qualitative data. As for the location of his research was to the secretariat MCW (Malang Corruption Watch) the Malang City.
Results of the research that the writer did that is about the role of the NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION/MCW in carrying out the supervision in the educational field covered; first, the Supervision of the implementation of the policy of education in the Malang City, that is MCW abundant through accommodated all information, traced information, carried out investigation, held discussions, concluded and analysed cases of corruption or budget corruption of education. As well as revealed this case through the research, polling and the study. And afterwards The socialisation to the public through through the forum for the resident, for example the PKK forum (in RT and RW), the forum for discussions, but also went through the print media also electronics, like in the newspaper and the interactive dialogue in radio, The direct action in the field, that all those were special about education. Secondly, the Monitoring towards the implementation of the policy of education in the Malang City, that is MCW carried
out observation carefully in revealing the case of budget corruption of education by means of followed continued the development of the case and observed the Attorney General's Office in handling the case of education. Thirdly, Pressure towards the policy of education in the Malang City, that is MCW carried out the campaign (the campaign through the available mass media like the newspaper, radio and television), made Ranperda Tandingan, the action (was the last alternative), carried out the research (survey) on the occasion of gave pressure to the government. Fourthly, hindrances that were dealt with by MCW in the implementation of the supervision of the implementation of the policy of education in the Malang City, were when the
government of the Malang City no longer pays attention to the demand from the community, and is not monitoring in an investigatif manner from DPRD, Diknas at will in taking the policy.
In this research, could be concluded that the role of the NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION, more to be precise MCW in Did the supervision of the implementation of the policy of the government of the Malang City in the educational field, really was organised well as well as the guide against agreements that already in had gotten up since the beginning. For example, the guide to AD/ART available in MCW.


The Information System Risk Map is undergoing a new phase of development of topics about the dangers of the area and the risk of monuments, dealing not only with the three domains (static-structural, environmental-air, anthropic) - characterizing, since the 90s, the start up of the system - but also emphasizing the seismic category. New models for the calculation of seismic risk have been linked to indicators of seismic hazard, updated with the vulnerability and exposure informations derived from a new line of seismic data (VS). The new card has been differentiated for 3 different types of goods (1-buildings, 2-towers/steeples, 3-churches/theaters/complex building systems). The reason for the choice of the 3 types approach lies in the patterns of vulnerability (feasible only for those types). The main aims were the carrying out of an initial survey on a sample example of monuments in Sicily and Calabria, involving a total of about 3150 goods presenting in-depth aspects of anamnesis-seismic construction and the control of the response of microtremors to environmental noise. The census and the tab are in accordance with the «Guidelines for the assessment and mitigation of seismic risk of the cultural heritage in relation to technical standards for construction », now become a «Directive of the President of the Council of Ministers » (12/10/2007). All this is intended as a first step in accordance with the aforementioned Directive.


In this issue, "Best of the Web" focuses on speaker and spoken language recognition technology. Speaker recognition is a computing task to establish or to verify the speaker's identity using the speaker's voice. Similarly, spoken language recognition is a task to identify or to confirm the language, dialect or accent that is spoken given a speech sample. The latter is also referred to as language recognition. We present both technologies here because they are built on similar mathematical foundations, and therefore, share common tools, utilities, and performance evaluation metrics.


The COVID-19 pandemic has severely tested humanity, revealing the need to develop and improve the medical, economic, managerial, and IT components of vaccine management systems. The vaccine lifecycle includes vaccine research and development, production, distribution, and vaccination of the population. To manage this cycle effectively the proper organizational and IT support model of the interaction of vaccine lifecycle management stakeholders is needed—which are an innovation ecosystem and an appropriate virtual platform. A literature review has revealed the lack of methodological basis for the vaccine innovation ecosystem and virtual platform. This article is devoted to the development of a complex approach for the development of an innovation ecosystem based on vaccine lifecycle management and a virtual platform which provides the data exchange environment and IT support for the ecosystem stakeholders. The methodological foundation of the solution, developed in the article, is an enterprise architecture approach, CALS technologies, supply chain management and an open innovation philosophy. The results, presented in the article, are supposed to be a reference set of models for the creation of a vaccine innovation ecosystem, both during pandemics and periods of stable viral load.


Cell assemblies — subgroups within neuronal networks — are believed to serve as functional entities underlying cognitive capabilities such as categorical perception or memory formation and storage. However, little is known about their long-term dynamics. Using chronic in vivo calcium imaging in the mouse auditory cortex, we find that cell assemblies undergo continuous recombination, even under behaviorally stable conditions. We identify a basis set of elementary operations capturing the dynamics of cell assemblies, which involve plasticity of both the stimulus tuning of particular assemblies as well as the cellular composition of an assembly. Auditory fear conditioning introduces biases in the frequency of specific cell assembly operations that lead to increased association of representations and improved sound encoding. Thus, decomposing cell assembly dynamics during basal conditions into a basis set of elementary operations provides a general framework to explain learning-induced changes in global population activity.


Boileau and colleagues address a clinically and scientifically important topic: the role of dopamine D2-like (particularly D2/D3) receptors in pathological gambling (PG) [1]. As the authors note, PG is recommended for reclassification in DSM-5, with a proposed move from the category of 'Impulse Control Disorders Not Elsewhere Classified' to one entitled 'Addiction and Related Disorders' [2]. This move is supported by epidemiological, phenomenological, clinical, behavioral and biological similarities between substance-use disorders and PG [3,4]. Despite these similarities, it is only recently that investigators have used positron emission tomography (PET) to investigate the neurobiology of PG.

Given the importance of dopaminergic projections from the ventral tegmental area to ventral striatum in substance addictions, it was reasonable to hypothesize a similar involvement in PG [5]. The absence of between-group differences in D2/D3 [11C]-raclopride binding is consistent with findings from two other studies of community PG subjects [6,7], although one study suggested a between-group difference (lower binding in PG) among individuals performing less advantageously on the Iowa Gambling Task. Additionally, among Parkinson's disease patients, those with PG versus those without demonstrated lower [11C]-raclopride binding in the ventral striatum at baseline and greater [11C]-raclopride displacement during a gambling task [8]. Thus, the extent to which D2/D3 receptor availability relates to gambling-related decision-making warrants further consideration.

The associations between D3-related [11C]-(+)-PHNO binding and impulsivity and problem-gambling severity in the present study are important. These findings resonate with others, indicating in limbic regions and ventral striatum an inverse correlation in PG between mood-related impulsivity and [11C]-raclopride binding [7] and a positive correlation between problem-gambling severity and [11C]-P943 binding [9]. [11C]-P943 assesses the availability of serotonin 1B receptors, implicated in striatal dopamine regulation and showing increased availability in alcohol-dependent subjects [10]. The impulsivity related findings suggest that this important construct (one that has been linked to addiction risk and addictive disorders) may relate to D3 function in PG, whereas the latter findings suggest that PG severity may link both to aspects of dopamine and serotonin function in the striatum, although conjoint PET imaging of PG subjects using dopaminergic and serotonergic radioligands has yet to be performed to examine their interrelationships. Additionally, as impulsivity has multiple aspects (e.g. relating to response and choice [4]), future studies should examine howfacets of impulsivity relate to neurochemical functioning and addictive processes.

The dual radiotracer approach performed here, which used a D3-preferring radioligand ([11C]-(+)-PHNO) [11] and the D2/D3 receptor radioligand ([11C]-raclopride), is a novel aspect of the study and potentially represents an emerging line of research in the molecular imaging field. Given knowledge about regional receptor binding of these radioligands [12,13], the ratios of D3 to D2 receptors and high- to low-affinity D2/D3 receptors were evaluated, as were overall D2 and D3 levels. Although overall binding potentials of either radioligand did not differ between participants with and without PG, this approach demonstrated a positive correlation between D3 receptor density and problem-gambling severity and impulsivity in the PG group. The specificity of the positive finding was facilitated by the dual-receptor approach and prior data demonstrating that 100% of PHNO binding in the substantia nigra relates to D3 receptor binding [13]. Together, the observed range of relationships between clinical features and D2 versus D3 receptor availabilities may help to explain why medications having affinities for D2 and D3 receptors show limited efficacy in the treatment of substance and non-substance addictions [14].

With increasing availability of reliable radioligands for neuroimaging, the dual radioligand approach with PET provides insight into relationships between molecules and behavior. In one study examining both the pre-synaptic serotonin (5-HT) transporter and post-synaptic 5-HT(2A) receptor [15], impulsive aggression was associated with higher brainstem pre-synaptic 5-HT transporter levels and lower post-synaptic 5-HT(2A) levels, implying overactive serotonin release. In another study [16], current ecstasy [3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA)] users demonstrated lower 5-HT transporter binding and higher 5-HT(2A) receptor binding in cortical regions, implying that MDMA use leads to damage in 5-HT neuron terminals innervating the cortex. In a third study [17], no differences were found in serotonin transporter or receptor levels between those with and without Asperger's disorder.

In addition to allowing for detailed associations between neurotransmitter systems and behavior, dual radiotracer approaches may provide insight into receptor profiles of antipsychotic [18] and antidepressant [19] medications, yielding more detailed accounts of receptor occupancies in vivo. Thus, the use of more than one radiotracer in a single study to gain detailed information about neurotransmitter systems of known importance is a novel area of research for which the Boileau et al. study is a strong addition to the field of PG. Additionally, using single and dual radioligand PET information in conjunction with other imaging modalities (such as magnetic resonance imaging approaches that investigate volumetric, white matter and functional characteristics), genetic assessments and other clinical information, such as treatment outcome, will help to advance prevention and treatment approaches for PG and substance addictions.


In this paper, we describe the high-performance implementation of an optical-flow algorithm that takes advantage of the processor's architecture. Tuning the code, i.e., adapting it to take full advantage of the processor, is challenging, time consuming, and requires efficient programming at different levels but can lead to significant improvements in performance. The optimized implementation presented here is highly interesting for a number of applications since it delivers real-time motion estimations at high-image resolution on a PC or in an embedded system based on a general-purpose processor. In a 2.83 GHz Core 2 Quad PC, it achieves a speedup of 14 compared to our first code version and 2052.7f/s for the well-known 252 times 316 Yosemite sequence, and a speedup of 17.6 and 68.5 f/s for a 1016 times 1280 sequence. But the description of how this high-performance is achieved goes beyond a specific application since the paper presented here illustrates how inherently dense, low-level visual algorithms (pixel-wise computation) can be structured and improved to take full advantage of a standard processor. The implementation is compared with other hardware (based on FPGAs and GPUs) and software (based on clusters, PCs, and special-purpose processors) optical-flow implementations, showing that it outperforms them.


PURPOSE
To examine the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the cervical tissue of individuals divided into the control group (normal cervix), group A (HSIL lesions), and group B (cervical cancer, FIGO stage I-IIA). Analyzed was also the expression of VEGF between groups and subgroups in group A and B. The expression of VEGF was also compared with histopathological parameters in group B.

METHODS
Examined was the histopathological material taken from 109 operated patients. The patients were divided into 3 groups based on the definitive histopathological findings: control group (30 patients), group A (33 patients), and group B (46 patients). Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine the expression of VEGF.

RESULTS
The expression of VEGF was negative in the control group, while in 11 patients (33.33%) from group A and 28 patients (60.87%) from group B it was significantly different (p<0.05) compared to the control group. There was neither statistically significant difference in the expression of VEGF in group A regarding the type of intraepithelial lesion, nor in group B regarding the FIGO disease stage (p>0.05). In patients with poor histopathological prognostic parameters such as tumor diameter ≥ 2 cm (24/46), depth of stromal invasion ≥ 10 mm (32/46), positive lymph nodes (17/46), and with infiltration of the uterine body (11/46) a statistically significant difference was confirmed regarding the expression of VEGF.

CONCLUSION
The increased VEGF expression in groups A and B compared with the control group indicated the importance of VEGF as a proangiogenic factor in neoangiogenesis in precancerous and cancerous changes in the cervix. The frequent expression of VEGF in the subgroup of patients with poor histopathological prognostic factors (group B) indicated the importance of the activity of proangiogenic factors in the process of cervical cancer neoangiogenesis. Further investigations should be aimed at these markers as prognostic factors in the high risk group of patients with cervical cancer who should receive adjuvant therapy after radical operation and consider using antiangiogenic drugs as part of adjuvant treatment.


In order to explore the pollution characteristics of water-soluble ions in PM2.5 in Zhengzhou, high time resolution and continuous observation of water-soluble inorganic ions in PM2.5 was conducted from December 1, 2017, to November 30, 2018, in Zhengzhou. The results showed that during the observation period, the average concentration of total water-soluble ions in Zhengzhou was 42.7 μg·m-3. The order of mass concentration of each ion, from large to small, was as follows:NO3-(17.7 μg·m-3), SO42-(10.2 μg·m-3), NH4+(9.0 μg·m-3), Cl-(2.3 μg·m-3), K+(1.3 μg·m-3), Na+(1.3 μg·m-3), Ca2+(0.8 μg·m-3), and Mg2+(0.1 μg·m-3). The mass concentration of total water-soluble ions was the highest in winter, slightly higher in autumn than in spring, and lowest in summer. The diurnal variation in single peak distribution was observed across the whole year in spring, summer, and autumn, while there was no significant diurnal variation in winter. The mass concentration of secondary inorganic ions (SO42-, NO3-, and NH4+) accounted for 43.8% of PM2.5, mainly in the form of (NH4)2SO4 and NH4NO3. There was a large degree of secondary transformation throughout the observation period; relative humidity had a significant influence on the sulfur oxidation rate, and temperature had a significant influence on the nitrogen oxidation rate. During the observation period, there was a good correlation between secondary ions, and K+ showed a good correlation with Mg2+ and Cl-. The main source of the secondary ions was the secondary conversion of gaseous pollutants. Mg2+ and Ca2+ were derived from soil dust and construction dust. K+ was one of the main biomarkers of biomass combustion. Na+ was mainly derived from sea salt and soil dust, and Cl- was derived not only from sea salt but also biomass and fossil fuel combustion. The results of principal component analysis showed that the water-soluble ions in PM2.5 in Zhengzhou were mainly affected by secondary transformation, combustion sources, and dust emission from soil or building construction.


【Objectives : This study was carried out to investigate the latest study tendency in mouse model of skin pruritus published since 2005 and to arrange various experimental methods. Methods : We examined the journal(such as Experimental dermatology and British journal of dermatology) and in Pubmed since 2005, regarded pruritus and scratching behavior model as key words. Results and Conclusion : 1. BALB/c, hairless, NC/Nga and ICR mice were the most used in scratching behavior model. According to scratching-induced agents. we need to select experimental mice. 2. There are various methods inducing skin pruritus; by cohabitation with NC/Nga mice having severe skin lesions, by injection intradermally(or subcutaneously) with agent inducing inflammation, by inducing contact dermatitis with TNCB, TNFB, destruction of skin barrier and by transgenic mice. 3. Injection intradermally(or subcutaneously) with agent inducing inflammation is the most used out of methods inducing skin pruritus. Compound 48/80, histamine, substance P and others(chloroquine, serotonin, carrageenin, TPA etc.) were included in agents inducing inflammation and pruritus in skin pruritus model. 4. Video camera, SCLABA system, MicroAct and acoustic evaluation system were included in evaluation methods of scratching behavior mouse model.】


In this thesis I want to present project work through which a child gets familiar with a new material – wood. Quite a number of educators have problems with treating new materials and working with them. At the same time I would like to stimulate the children's motor function by working with wood. Thus I decided we would make a motor board from wood that will strengthen children's fine and gross motor skills. Many a thing can be made from wood. This was already proven by children aged 4 to 6. We began making the motor board in the kindergarten in Jevnica. By doing that we wanted to show and prove that children can make various things from wood as well. Before doing this the educators of the kindergarten Litija were given the questionnaire which helped me learn about how and how much they use wood. Having the answers to this questionnaire I found out that the majority of the educators do not use wood as a material for making products but they incorporate it in playing with unstructured material. They list reasons such as injuries, not knowing how to treat it, the children's age and others for not using wood. In the theoretical part of this thesis I described the development of motor function, the use of wood and tools used by the children to work with wood, how the project work took place and, most importantly, that the making of the board is a game, which is a part of technical education. In the empirical part of it I described the activities which were used to learn about wood as a material and to make the motor board. The activities were performed in the group called 'Jurcki' with 22 children, aged 4 to 6. Through these activities we carried out the project work where the children autonomously researched, shared ideas, solved potential problems, trained their own imagination and gained new experience. Based on observation of children playing with the game, I came to the conclusion that they enjoyed the game, encouraged and helped each other while playing, etc. The game contributed new knowledge as well as mutual cooperation where kids gained not only motor but also social skills

By writing this thesis I want to encourage all educators to begin working with wood, because the children enjoy using this material immensely. At the same time I am already looking forward to the next technical project.


In this paper the analysis of small signal stability of grid-connected doubly fed induction generators (DFIG) is presented. The detailed model of grid-connected DFIG wind turbine is firstly established, and the eigenvalues are classified and characterized based on participation factors. Then the modal analysis including its converter and pitch controllers is studied, and model simplification of the DFIG wind turbine is presented under the acceptable assumption. Finally, simplified model of DFIG wind turbine is used in dynamic analysis of Zhangjiakou wind plant in China, and the results offer a good dynamic performance.


BACKGROUND
The prosthetic valve endocarditis(PVE) is a serious complication of valve replacement surgery. The aim of this work was to analyze the clinical and echocardiography characters of the PVE, deduce surgery indication, and determinate the prognostic factors Methods :We presented a retrospective descriptive study from 2000 to 2014 which included 30 patients hospitalized in department of cardiology in la Rabta hospital for certain PVE according to DUCKES criteria.

RESULTS
Our study consisted of 18 male patients with sex ratio of 1.5 ,the mean age was 44 years; These PVE were early in 6 cases and delayed in 24 cases. Fever was present in 28 patients..splénomegaly was present in 7 patients and cutaneous signs were present in 6 patients Blood cultures were negatives in 16 patients .Staphylococcus was isolated in 7 cases (23.3%), a streptococcus in 5 cases (16.6%), a gram negative bacillus in 1 case (3, 3%) and one enterococci in 1 case (3.3%).The transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography performed in all patients showed vegetation for 17 patients, a Dishence of prosthetic valve in 14 patients, prosthesis obstruction in two patients and annular abscess in 4 patients . 22 complications were reported in 21 patients; il was an hemodynamic complication in 13 cases , a septic complication (uncontrolled infection ) in three patients, embolic complication (ischemic transit stroke ) in 4 cases and mixed (hemodynamic and septic) in one patient. The indication for surgery was retained in 18 patients; the need for early surgery was because of congestive heart failure in 14 patients and uncontrolled infection in 4 patients ; but it was performed in 13cases with a period between 1 and 30 days the operation the global mortality was about 30%. he predictors factors of mortality released from our study are: the early character of EPV, heart failure, uncontrolled infection, staphylococcal endocarditis and dishence of prosthesis with significant regurgitation.

CONCLUSION
PVE is still a serious complication leading to high mortality . Combined medical and surgical treatment is recommended.


The hypothesis that cAMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A; PKA) is in an active state in small arteries possessing a myogenic tone was investigated in pressurized rat tail small arteries. At a pressure of 80 mmHg, these vessels constricted to 71.6 +/- 1.0% (n = 32) of the diameter of the fully relaxed state. The PKA inhibitors Rp-8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphothioate (Rp-CPT-cAMPS) and N-(2-([3-(4-bromophenyl)-2-propenyl]amino)-ethyl)-5- isoquinolinesulfonamide HCl (H-89) constricted these vessels dose dependently. For example, 300 microM Rp-CPT-cAMPS and 9 microM H-89 reduced vessel diameter by 11.0 +/- 1.2% (n = 8) and 14.3 +/- 3.6% (n = 5), respectively. The cGMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase G; PKG) inhibitor Rp-8-bromo-beta-phenyl-1,N(2)-etheno-guanosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphothioate (Rp-8-Br-PET-cGMPS) did not alter vessel diameter up to a concentration of 10 microM. Neither endothelium removal nor inhibition of neural transmission affected the action of Rp-CPT-cAMPS. The effect of 300 microM Rp-CPT-cAMPS was reduced by 82% after pretreatment of the vessel with 100 nM iberiotoxin, a blocker of calcium-activated potassium (K(Ca)) channels. However, the effect of 300 microM Rp-CPT-cAMPS was not altered after pretreatment with 1 mM 4-aminopyridine, a blocker of delayed rectifier potassium channels, or 10 microM ryanodine, a blocker of ryanodine receptor-generated calcium sparks. In inside-out patch-clamp experiments on cells isolated from rat tail small arteries, 10 U/ml of the catalytic subunit of PKA together with 100 microM MgATP increased K(Ca) channel activity 30.1 +/- 9. 8-fold (n = 9). Additionally, neither inhibition of PKA or PKG nor moderate activation of PKA or PKG altered the vessel response to a pressure step from 80 to 120 mmHg. These results suggest that in rat tail small arteries possessing a myogenic tone 1) PKA is in an active state modulating the level of the myogenic tone, and 2) K(Ca) channels mediate, at least partly, this effect of PKA.


Recently, several works have been proposed in the literature to take advantage of the diffusion of smartphones to improve people experience during museum visits. The rationale is that of substituting traditional written/audio guides with interactive electronic guides usable on a mobile phone. Augmented reality systems are usually considered to make the use of such electronic guides more effective for the user. The main goal of such augmented reality system (i.e. providing the user with the information of his/her interest) is usually achieved by properly executing the following three tasks: recognizing the object of interest to the user, retrieving the most relevant information about it, properly presenting the retrieved information. This paper focuses on the first task: we consider the problem of painting recognition by means of measure- ments provided by a smartphone. We assume that the user acquires one image of the painting of interest with the standard camera of the device. This image is compared with a set of reference images of the museum objects in order to recognize the object of interest to the user. Since comparing images taken in different conditions can lead to unsatisfactory recognition results, the acquired image is typically properly transformed in order to improve the results of the recognition system: first, the system estimates the homography between properly matched features in the two images. Then, the user image is transformed accordingly to the estimated homography. Finally, it is compared with the reference one. This work proposes a novel method to exploit inertial measurement unit (IMU) measurements to improve the system performance, in particular in terms of computational load reduction: IMU measurements are exploited to reduce both the computational burden required to estimate the transformation to be applied to the user image, and the number of reference images to be compared with it.


Through close analysis of an unpublished body of drawings and teaching material kept at the Norwegian manor of Rosendal, close to Bergen, as well as material from the Royal Library in Copenhagen and the Danish Art Library, it is possible to reconstruct step-by-step the process by which Danish flower painter Johan Lauritz Jensen (1800–1856) taught drawing to his many pupils during the first half of the nineteenth century. This allows us to conclude that Jensen closely followed academic tradition as he had learned it at the Royal Academy of Art in his youth, where instruction followed very precise stipulations, proceeding from the simple to the more complex, with the aim to produce idealised images closely based on tightly controlled reference material such as prints and drawings. The underlying philosophy at the time was that the purpose of art was to capture the ideal beyond the temporal world. In the case of flower painting, this was best achieved by working systematically to construct arrangements that would be entirely implausible in reality. The Norwegian material furthermore includes a number of prints and drawings by I.L. Jensen that must have been acquired by the daughters of the estate while they were studying in Copenhagen in the years 1831–35. The evidence provided by this material makes it clear that they were taught not by Jensen, as has previously been assumed, but rather by the contemporary flower painter Christine Lovmand (1803–1872).


New approaches to the immunotherapy of cancer have been developed based on the adoptive transfer of activated lymphoid cells in conjunction with interleukin-2. This approach is successful in mediating the regression of established pulmonary and hepatic metastases in experimental animal models. The results of preliminary clinical trials in patients with advanced cancer have shown that this treatment approach is capable of mediating regression of cancer in humans as well.


How frequency structure of the signals is reflected at the exit of the model of acoustic system peripheral compartment was investigated. The system incorporated mechanisms of local feedback by microphone and overall potentials. Defects in the work of the feedback mechanisms lead to substantial deformation of sound reflection at the model exit. Format structure of the sounds is not reflected. This deteriorates perception. To restore the reflection of the format structure, previous reconstruction is proposed consisting in enhanced degree of contrast of the frequency signal structure.


Background-Covid-19 Pandemic has proved the Nurse's crucial role in health care delivery system and providing nursing care to critically ill patients. It is a challenge for nurses as they need to be astute, competent, compassionate and critical thinker when they have to take care of patients on mechanical ventilator. Aim-To assess knowledge and practices regarding care of patients on mechanical ventilator among nursing personnel before and after administration ofNursing Care Bundle (NCB) in experimental and comparison group. Material and method. A Quasi Experimental non Equivalent comparison group pretest post test design used in thus study. 65 nursing personnels (30 experimental and 35 comparison groups) were selected from hospitals of North India using convenience sampling technique. NCB was administered in experimental group. Structured knowledge questionairre, Structured Observation Checklist for practices was used to collect data before and after intervention. Results-The mean post test knowledge and practices scores of nursing personnel in experimental and comparison groups were (21.6 ± 3.84, 30.83 ± 4.51) and (17.54 ± 2.76, 19.54 ± 4.17) respectively. There was significant difference between mean pre test and post test knowledge and practices scores (p=0.00).There was statistically no significant correlation between post test knowledge and practices score [r=0.16 (0.39)] among nursing personnel in experimental group at the level of significance 0.05.There was significant association of selected variable in area of gender (0.02) in experimental and education (0.02) in comparison group with pre test knowledge scores , also there was a significant association of selected variable in area of gender in experimental (0.03) and present area of working (0.03) in comparison group with pre test practices score. Conclusion-Nursing Care Bundle was effective in improving knowledge and practices of nursing personnel.


This paper presents a series of experiments for evaluating the infl uence of the interaction between Network Interfaces (NIs) and host computer syst ems on the performance of a messaging system based on Myrinet. Major points of int erest are the data transfer between user buffers and NI local memory and the synchr onization between host systems and NIs. The paper provides a taxonomy of various tra nsfer modes and synchronization schemes, describes experiments for their perf o mance evaluation, and analyzes the results on a specific platform as wel l as between different platforms. Furthermore, this paper points out the affects of the re vi w d data transfer modes and synchronization schemes on the overall performance of Myrinet bas ed message-passing systems and finally, proposes certain architectural sol tions in future NICs for increasing the efficiency of their interaction with host computer systems.


The mountain systems of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) are changing rapidly due to climatic change, but an overlooked component is the subnival ecosystem (between the treeline and snow line), characterized by short‐stature plants and seasonal snow. Basic information about subnival vegetation distribution and rates of ecosystem change are not known, yet such information is needed to understand relationships between subnival ecology and water/carbon cycles. We show that HKH subnival ecosystems cover five to 15 times the area of permanent glaciers and snow, highlighting their eco‐hydrological importance. Using satellite data from the Landsat 5, 7 and 8 missions, we measured change in the spatial extent of subnival vegetation from 1993 to 2018. The Landsat surface reflectance‐derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index product was thresholded at 0.1 to indicate the presence/absence of vegetation. Using this product, the strength and direction of time‐series trends in the green pixel fraction were measured within three regions of interest. We controlled for cloud cover, snow cover and evaluated the impact of sensor radiometric differences between Landsat 7 and Landsat 8. Using Google Earth Engine to expedite data processing tasks, we show that there has been a weakly positive increase in the extent of subnival vegetation since 1993. Strongest and most significant trends were found in the height region of 5,000–5,500 m a.s.l. across the HKH extent: R2 = .302, Kendall's τ = 0.424, p < .05, but this varied regionally, with height, and according to the sensors included in the time series. Positive trends at lower elevations occurred on steeper slopes whilst at higher elevations, flatter areas exhibited stronger trends. We validated our findings using online photographs. Subnival ecological changes have likely impacted HKH carbon and water cycles with impacts on millions of people living downstream, but the strength and direction of impacts of vegetation expansion remain unknown.


Pakistan is suffering from acute shortage of electricity and fuel that has adversely affected its industrial and agricultural progress in-spite of having ~2.9 million MW power potential can be harnessed from solar radiations. This paper aims on the study of technical and economic feasibility of stand-alone PV system in major cities of Pakistan. Current study is based on the results obtained by virtual modeling of a 5kW stand-alone PV System in RETScreen software developed by Canadian Energy Centre. The role of solar irradiance value, load correlation and ambient conditions are closely compared. A built in database in RETScreen uses climate information for simulation of PV system reported by National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Modeled system viability is examined on financial parameters like net present value, internal rate of return and payback period. The simulation results indicate that stand-alone PV system application can save millions being spent on conventional fuel purchasing to deliver base case power. These results demonstrate the feasibility of PV system in a realistic manner thus enlightening its benefits.


In general, buried penetrators made of Depleted Uranium (DU) become hazardous waste. In addition to the detection of DU waste, it is also of interest to know their state of oxidation. However, radioactive target detection techniques usually do not differentiate between metal and oxide. In this study, data fusion techniques are applied to combine results from both the radiation detection and the electromagnetic induction (EMI) detection, so that further differentiation among DU metal, DU oxide, and non-DU metal debris may be achieved. A two-step approach is developed to accomplish decision level fusion. The approach is based on techniques such as majority voting (MV) and weighted majority voting (WMV), in combination with a set of decision rules. The fusion approach has been tested successfully with survey data collected on simulation targets.


We present a novel concept for Fourier synthesis of optical pulses using Brillouin selective sideband amplification in optical fibers and demonstrate the generation of a 7.8 GHz pulse train using two CW lasers and two phase modulators.


The proliferation of slums in many cities of the developing countries has been widely discussed in the literature as a great concern to most countries. The complexities of the slum problem make upgrading difficult. To help reduce such complexities, there have been studies focussed on measures put in place by various governments and organisations to help find solutions to the problem. The article analyses some slum upgrading projects discussed in the literature which are deemed to have been successful. The paper identifies common elements in the upgrading programmes in the literature. It assesses two slum upgrading projects from Ghana and Kenya to determine how the elements were factored into the projects' implementation. The article concludes that stakeholders involved in slum upgrading in Africa should consider the common elements identified to ensure sustainable slum upgrading on the continent.


This application aims to accelerate the preparation of reports BCA Deployment PC Seat Management Project, which has been implemented by the deployment team with the help of the media PC computer through a Visual Basic 6.0. Therefore expected that the Project Manager can easily evaluate the performance of your pc and the deployment team can make the right decisions for the achievement of employment targets that had been predetermined.


Signal transduction in the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK (MAPK) pathway plays a key role in cell survival, growth and proliferation. The pathway is controlled by extracellular signals through receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) and is activated by oncogenic mutations in many types of cancer. K-RAS mutation has been reported in 40% of colorectal cancer patients. These patients have acquired resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Therefore, there is a need for the development of new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of these cancers. The B-RAF selective inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of human melanoma with a B-RAF V600E mutation. However, B-RAF specific inhibitor activates C-RAF in RAS mutant cells by inducing RAF dimer formation and paradoxical activation of C-RAF. These observations require the development of pan-RAF inhibitors without inducing paradoxical activation. In addition, as VEGFR2 represents one crucial promoter of tumor angiogenesis in colorectal cancer, the inhibition of VEGFR2 has been expected to be synergistic for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Therefore, we tried to find dual inhibitors of pan-RAF and VEGFR2 using structure based molecular modeling and identified a selective inhibitor, C1005, which binds to the DFG-out inactive conformation of B-RAF. In addition, C1005 potentially inhibited B-RAF, C-RAF, B-RAF V600E and VEGFR2 with IC50 value of 2.7 nM, 0.7 nM, 5.2 nM and 11nM, respectively. C1005 completely inhibited the phosphorylation of MEK-ERK without paradoxical activation in K-RAS mutant cells compared with Vemurafenib and Regorafenib. We examined the effects of C1005 on cell proliferation of colorectal cancer cells with K-RAS or B-RAF mutation. C1005 displayed potent anti-proliferative activities not only in K-RAS mutant colorectal cancer cells but also in B-RAF mutant colorectal cancer cells. C1005 effectively blocked cell proliferation of HCT-116, LS-513 and WiDr at EC50 of 145 nM, 79 nM and 636 nM, respectively. In addition, growth inhibition of VEGF-stimulated HUVEC indicates that C1005 is a potent inhibitor of the angiogenesis. To study in vivo effect, we tested C1005 in colorectal cancer xenografts with mutant K-RAS. Oral treatment of animals bearing xenograft tumors by 30 and 60 mg/kg, twice daily (BID) of C1005, induced a dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition. We observed 77% and 89% reduction of tumor volume, respectively. In this study, we discovered an orally active dual inhibitor of pan-RAF and VEGFR2. C1005 has been shown to suppress mutant K-RAS colorectal cancer cells without activating the MAPK pathway. Our findings suggest that C1005 could be an excellent preclinical candidate to treat mutant K-RAS driven colorectal cancer. Citation Format: Sungpyo Hong, Young-Il Choi, Jihye Choi, Wonyoung Kim, Ho-Seok Kwon, Yong Bin Park, Min-Hyo Ki, Hee Jong Shin, Michael Lee, Soon Kil Ahn. Development of a dual inhibitor of pan-RAF and VEGFR2 for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer with mutant K-RAS. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3782.


HTTP Adaptive Streaming (HAS) is the de-facto standard for video delivery over the Internet. Splitting the video clip into small segments and providing multiple quality levels per segment allows the client to dynamically adapt the quality to current network conditions. The performance of HAS, and as a consequence the user Quality of Experience (QoE), is influenced by a multitude of parameters. This includes adjustable settings like quality switching thresholds, the initial buffer level, or the maximum buffer, as well as video characteristics like segment duration or the variation of segment sizes along the video. Recently, a couple of analytical models for video streaming have been proposed, allowing to compare these input parameters and derive their impact on QoE-relevant metrics for HAS-based video delivery. The outcome of these models are typically asymptotic probabilities, distribution functions, or centralized and standardized moments. For instance, these models do not yield any temporal information in terms of stalling events or requested video quality. This contradicts to QoE prediction models like P.1203, which compute the QoE based on the chronological sequence of a specific video playback. So far, it is unclear how and to which extent the generalized results of analytical models can be utilized to derive sequence-based QoE values or the QoE distribution for a set of sequences for similar input parameters with stochastic variations. To address this problem, we compare testbed measurements with the output of a GI/GI/1 model with pq-policy and buffer-based quality switching capability to conclude to which extent the results still allow to approximate the video QoE.


A brief overview of the recent trends in physical oceanographic instrumentation in which recent developments in electronics technology play a crucial role has been given. The electronic instruments mainly utilized in the physical oceanographic studies in the laboratory and field works at sea are described. The meteorological instruments are also described that are useful in air-sea interaction studies and marine climate & environmental variability.


Understanding the mechanical properties of human femora is of great importance for the development of a reliable fracture criterion aimed at assessing fracture risk. Earlier ex vivo studies have been conducted by measuring strains on a limited set of locations using strain gauges (SGs). Digital image correlation (DIC) could instead be used to reconstruct the full-field strain pattern over the surface of the femur. The objective of this study was to measure the full-field strain response of cadaver femora tested at a physiological strain rate up to fracture in a configuration resembling single stance. The three cadaver femora were cleaned from soft tissues, and a white background paint was applied with a random black speckle pattern over the anterior surface. The mechanical tests were conducted up to fracture at a constant displacement rate of 15 mm/s, and two cameras recorded the event at 3000 frames per second. DIC was performed to retrieve the full-field displacement map, from which strains were derived. A low-pass filter was applied over the measured displacements before the crack opened in order to reduce the noise level. The noise levels were assessed using a dedicated control plate. Conversely, no filtering was applied at the frames close to fracture to get the maximum resolution. The specimens showed a linear behavior of the principal strains with respect to the applied force up to fracture. The strain rate was comparable to the values available in literature from in vivo measurements during daily activities. The cracks opened and fully propagated in less than 1 ms, and small regions with high values of the major principal strains could be spotted just a few frames before the crack opened. This corroborates the hypothesis of a strain-driven fracture mechanism in human bone. The data represent a comprehensive collection of full-field strains, both at physiological load levels and up to fracture. About 10,000 points were tracked on each bone, providing superior spatial resolution compared to ∼15 measurements typically collected using SGs. These experimental data collection can be further used for validation of numerical models, and for experimental verification of bone constitutive laws and fracture criteria.


I present a 3-D profiler specially devised for the profile measurement of specular surfaces that requires precision shape accuracy up to a few nanometer. A profile is reconstructed from the curvature of a test part of the surface at several locations along a line. The local curvature data are acquired with White-light Scanning Interferometry. Test measurement proves that the proposed profiler is well suited for the specular surface inspection like precision mirror.


The authors would first like to stress the increasing frequency of bronchial asthma during or after influenza. To find an explanation for this occurrence they observed tissue reactions following an injection of viral material. In their experiments, they injected into the skin of guinea pigs, strains of the Hong Kong, Texas and USSR influenza viruses using current vaccines, sacrificing groups of animals 2, 6, 24, 48 hours and 7 days after the injection. The histological study revealed the following picture of reaction to influenza viruses. Two hours after the injection: marked and diffuse infiltration of eosinophils in the connective tissue of the skin. After 6 hours: the infiltration shows a predominance of neutrophils. After 24 hours: the neutrophil infiltration is predominant and diffuse. There is evidence of considerable degranulation of eosinophils. The cutaneous histiocytes undergo fibrocytic and marcophagic proliferation. After 28 hours, the same picture. After 7 days there is sever degeneration with a peripheral fibroblastic reaction. The most important finding of this experiment is the early marked infiltration of eosinophils which follows the injection of the influenza viruses. The eosinophil infiltration appears to be related to the release of histamine caused by influenza viruses. The histological examination did not reveal the presence of immune allergic-type cells at any time. Therefore, the onset of asthmatic attacks would appear to be more related to the histamine-releasing action of the influenza viruses rather than to their sensitizing activity. Naturally, the latter may occur in human pathologies.


Background: The chronic phase of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the limited effectiveness of existing treatments creates the need for the development of potential biomarkers to predict response to antidepressant medication at an early stage. However, findings at present focus on acute therapeutic effect without following-up the long-term clinical outcome of PTSD. So far, studies predicting the long-term clinical outcome of short-term treatment based on both pre-treatment and post-treatment functional MRI in PTSD remains limited. Methods: Twenty-two PTSD patients were scanned using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) before and after 12 weeks of treatment with paroxetine. Twenty patients were followed up using the same psychopathological assessments 2 years after they underwent the second MRI scan. Based on clinical outcome, the follow-up patients were divided into those with remitted PTSD or persistent PTSD. Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and degree centrality (DC) derived from pre-treatment and post-treatment rs-fMRI were used as classification features in a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. Results: Prediction of long-term clinical outcome by combined ALFF and DC features derived from pre-treatment rs-fMRI yielded an accuracy rate of 72.5% (p < 0.005). The most informative voxels for outcome prediction were mainly located in the precuneus, superior temporal area, insula, dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, frontal orbital cortex, supplementary motor area, lingual gyrus, and cerebellum. Long-term outcome could not be successfully classified by post-treatment imaging features with accuracy rates <50%. Conclusions: Combined information from ALFF and DC from rs-fMRI data before treatment could predict the long-term clinical outcome of PTSD, which is critical for defining potential biomarkers to customize PTSD treatment and improve the prognosis.


Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. There is rarely anyone without any of these social media accounts. According to 2020 Internet User Survey by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), 88.7% of Malaysians are internet users. Out of that number, 93.3% of users use social media extensively. Social media has enabled users to connect with family and friends. It has done wonders to small businesses to prosper. It has also empowered communities to grow and prosper. However, there is one dark side to it; CYBERBULLYNG. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, bullying is defined as "abuse and mistreatment of someone vulnerable by someone stronger, more powerful". Most of the time, bullying is done when a bully is in the presence of his or her victim. However, in the cyber world, bullying extends beyond the physical presence. The act of bullying can be done 24 hours a day, by anyone at any time. A victim can be harassed with harsh comments via any social media accounts and even through text messages which sometimes invade the victim's own privacy. There is no clear guidelines and policy regarding cyberbullying. Any form of enforcement is lax due to the nature of the internet being free for all. Thus, it is imperative to empower oneself to understand how to use social media effectively to prevent from being cyberbullied and also NOT to be a cyberbully. There are also tools that can be used in each social media platform to report such cyberbullying issues and also to report to the relevant agencies such as the Royal Malaysian Police and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. International Journal of Human and Health Sciences Supplementary Issue: 2023 Page: S14


Ethnic minorities comprise 40% of the London population (17% South-Asians; 19%Black AfricanC Black; S.Asian & other/mixed. Assessments in schools were performed in 1600 children aged 5-11years on 2 occasions a year apart and included detailed anthropometry; body composition; spirometry and saliva samples (cotinine & DNA analysis). After adjusting for sex, age& standing height, the extent to which ethnic differences in LF can be minimised by including relevant measures of body physique will be determined. Results: To date, we received 54% parental consent for participation with successful spirometry from 1088 (45%boys; 33%White; 31%Black; 21%S.Asian; 15%Other/mixed) healthy children(67% of all assessed, excluding 21% on health grounds; 12% failed spirometry). Follow up studies are in progress. Summary: This study will facilitate early diagnosis and treatment of lung disease in all children, irrespective of ethnic background. Repeated measures after 1y will facilitate interpretation of serial changes in children with respiratory disease. Funded by: Wellcome Trust; Asthma UK.


A curative therapy for HIV-1 infection will have to include measures to eliminate the reservoir of latently HIV- 1 infected cells that allow the virus to persist despite otherwise successful therapy. To date, all efforts to deplete the latent reservoir by triggering viral reactivation have used preexisting drugs that are believed to potentially target molecular mechanisms controlling HIV-1 infection. These therapeutic attempts were not clinically successful. Only in the last few years have cellular models of latent HIV-1 infection suitable for high throughput screening been developed and concerted drug discovery efforts were initiated to discover new HIV-1 reactivating drugs. We here provide a historic overview about the development of cell models with latent HIV-1 infection that lend themselves to drug discovery. We provide an overview from the first reported latently infected cell lines to current in vitro models of latent HIV-1 infection in primary T cells, and compare their potential to be used in future large-scale drug screening efforts.


OBJECTIVE
To identify markers for loss of control of hypertension.

DESIGN
Questionnaire administered to patients who had been monitored for 18 months and had had their blood pressure (BP) measured many times.

SETTING
Fifty family practices in southeastern Ontario.

PARTICIPANTS
Three hundred eighty-five adults with essential hypertension that was initially stable and controlled by medication.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Change in BP (from baseline to mean of three measurements over 18 months) and proportion of patients with BP exceeding threshold values at most follow-up visits.

RESULTS
Higher income was associated with an increase in diastolic BP; poor adherence to medication regimens and higher life stress were associated with increases in systolic BP Stress also led to a twofold increase in risk of exceeding BP thresholds. Other factors under study were not related to loss of control.

CONCLUSION
Adherence to medication regimens, higher income, and life stress were the only factors associated with elevated BP or loss of control in previously controlled hypertension.


An equation is developed for use in meeting emergency conditions which necessitate the paralleling of transformer banks whose impedances expressed in percentage form are not equal. This equation makes it possible to calculate what change should be made in the ratio of transformation of the bank with the lower percentage impedance in order to prevent its being overloaded when the total load approaches the combined capacity of the two banks. It is pointed out that such an expedient is a makeshift justifiable only when maintenance of service is the paramount consideration and efficiency is, for the time being, of secondary importance. When conditions arise which do justify such a temporary arrangements ment, the method developed in the present paper affords a simple, yet accurate, means of solving the problem.


Abstract. Sustainable Development have drawn much attentions to the direct or indirect relationships of land use/land cover changes in past recent years. Being a limited resource, Land is critical issue to manage by the city administration in absence of effective tool. Geospatial Techniques can solve this issues of sprawl modelling and can act as decision supportive tool. This study focuses on Surat and Lucknow Indian Cities, its surrounding area to delineate a metropolitan area with the use of geospatial technology. It encompasses the jurisdictions of various urban development authorities to provide a regional context of development for the year 2035. These cities have unique characteristic of development which is investigated using remote sensing technology. Temporal analysis of study area images has deployed that there is a pressing need to control the Development because of its incessant characteristic. Role of Remote sensing is found to be very vital to understand and measure the sprawl's magnitude. Analysing the spatial dynamics of cities has escalated the need of policy making for controlled development. Insights of this study can be useful for framing policy at a regional or global level.


Fall 2016 | Prof. Kimberly Daniels - Complete a researched proposal on a current issue/problem. Resources to help you figure out how to lay out your paper and citations.


PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the current construction progress monitoring (CPM) process in relation to the contractual obligations, how project management teams carry out this activity in the field and why teams continue to adopt the current method. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current monitoring process and its effectiveness, identify any shortcomings and propose recommendations for improvements that can lead to better project outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThe study conducted semi-structured interviews with 28 construction management practitioners to explore their views on contractual requirements, traditional progress monitoring practices and advanced monitoring methods. Thematic analysis was used to identify existing processes, practices and incentives for advanced monitoring.FindingsStandard construction contracts mandate current progress monitoring practices, which often rely on manual, document-centric and labor-intensive methods, leading to slow and erroneous progress reporting and project delays. Key barriers to adopting advanced tools include rigid contractual clauses, lack of incentives and the absence of reliable automated tools. A holistic automated approach that covers the entire CPM process, from planning to claim management, is needed as a viable alternative to traditional practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe study's findings can inform researchers, stakeholders and decision-makers about the existing monitoring practices and contribute to enhancing project management practices.Originality/valueThe study identified contractually mandated progress monitoring processes, traditional methods of collecting, transferring, analyzing and dispensing progress-related information and potential incentives and points of departure towards technologically advanced methods.


An ultrahigh-speed photonic access node using optical code-based photonic add-drop multiplexing (PADM) and its novel applications to optical data networking are proposed. PADM processes a photonic label of packet, which is mapped onto an optical code, and adds-drops the packet from or to the node, or bypasses the node. PADM is distinct from conventional wavelength ADM (WADM) in that it can handle traffic on a packet-by-packet basis. In the application of PADM to optical data networking, pseudo-time division multiple access (TDMA) and rate-controlled asynchronous access are proposed. The analyses and their numerical simulations of the performances are presented. The simulation results demonstrate low packet-loss probability. Their optical implementations are also demonstrated, in which exploit parallel photonic label processing shows the applicability of proposed optical data networking in an ultrahigh-speed regime.


PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to highlight the specific types of coopetition between small and medium-sized craft breweries and related businesses, as well as its drivers and outcomes.Design/methodology/approachQualitative research was carried out using in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 18 different small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) combined with site visits and secondary data analysis.FindingsThe results reveal that craft breweries are engaging in coopetition in several different ways. Mutual benefit, trust, commitment, and sympathy are the crucial drivers for coopetition; whereas innovation development, market reach and marketing, as well as firm growth represent the key shared outcomes of coopetition.Research limitations/implicationsThis study suffers from two main limitations, including the focus on coopetition of craft breweries operating in German-speaking countries only and the risk of subjectivity in analysis and interpretation due to the qualitative, explorative nature of the research.Originality/valueThe findings reveal insights into the uniqueness of SMEs – specifically craft brewers – regarding coopetition, which is currently of strong cooperative nature. This study completes prior coopetition knowledge by revealing the importance of coopetition for small, micro and resource-constrained firms operating in dynamic and innovative but traditional (here craft) industries; presenting the cooperation-based type of coopetition as a good competition strategy under fierce competition from large, more established and global business rivals; and identifying sympathy as an important coopetition driver.


The vibrational absorption spectra of some substituted benzenes have been measured in the range 50 to 450 cm-1. The compounds were measured as liquids, in solutions, as crystalline solidsat low temperature, and in polyethylene matrices. The extension of the infrared spectrum to very low frequencies has made it possible to determine new values for many fundamental vibrations. An assignment of all the vibrational frequencies in the low-frequency range has been made, from the infrared and Raman data, for p-dihalogeno-benzenes, p-halogenotoluenes, p-halogeno-nitrobenzenes, and for some mono-substituted benzenes. Some measurements have been made on the marked variation of intensity of the lowest frequency bending mode of p-dihalogeno-benzenes.