Rape is one of the most under-reported crimes in the U.S., and yet it is one of the most vicious, devastating, and violent of all crimes. But getting justice for victims has not always been easy. Often the victim is criminalized, demonized, sexualized, or otherwise attacked for her own part in the rape. But over the years, laws have changed and prosecuting rapists has become more common. Taking the Stand describes the criminal prosecution of rapists from the perspective of the women who survived their violence and explores if, when, and how the criminal justice process can work for them. Walking through the various responses rape victims have had to the criminal justice process, Konradi's vivid analysis provides new information to help raped women decide whether and how they should participate in prosecution, to help friends and family assist them, and to improve criminal justice practice for crime victims generally. Taking the Stand follows 47 rape survivors of varied ages and ethnicities, from the terror and trauma of rape through reporting to law enforcement, police investigation and indictment, hearings for probable cause and trials, plea bargaining, and sentencing. It focuses on women's experiences throughout the process and demonstrates how every experience is different. The problems that rape survivors face in the criminal justice process are not simply the result of the adversarial nature of court, defense tactics, or their own emotional reactions to violent sexual domination. Problems emerge from: (1) the social networks in which survivors are situated, (2) their variable access to emotional and financial resources, (3) their lack of knowledge about the formal and informal practices of courtrooms, (4) their lack of structural power in the criminal justice process, and (5) standard procedures employed by prosecutors and police. By recognizing individual differences in rape survivors, and their rape experiences, criminal justice personnel can better serve victims, and by understanding the layers of criminal investigation and prosecution, survivors and their families can play a more active role on their own terms in an effort to bring about justice. A rape survivor herself, Konradi exposes in the raw language of the victims the very sensitive nature of the topic and the personal obstacles survivors face. By addressing each stage of the criminal justice process, she makes it easier for those who seek justice to make decisions and choose behaviors that will positively affect their outcomes and their personal experiences with the system.


Space-division multiplexing (SDM) has become a promising technology for optical communications to seek a sustainable increment in data capacity to keep up with the ever-increasing bandwidth demand. SDM could provide massive parallelization in addition to existing WDM technology for a high capacity without compromising the signal-to-noise ratio requirement of the transmitter. However, the WDM-SDM combination requires arrays of laser sources with associated active wavelength controls. This is not favorable in terms of energy consumption and cost. Single source optical frequency comb (SS-OFC) is an appealing candidate to provide coherent WDM sources, replacing the laser arrays and surpassing the performance by providing the possibility of joint digital signal processing across multiple channels. In this paper, we have generated an SS-OFC based on highly nonlinear fibers (HNLF) for short-reach applications such as optical interconnects, taking advantage of the high pump-to-comb efficiency. The 50-GHz spaced SS-OFC across the whole C band provides 99 comb lines as WDM channel sources. Combining adaptive-rate modulation, a 7.9-km 37-core fiber, and a polarization diversity Kramers-Kronig receiver, we have successfully transmitted 3663 channels (37 SDM × 99 WDM) with reliably error-free performance, achieving 909.5 Tbit/s net rate with an aggregated spectral efficiency of 184.42 bit/s/Hz.


Spastic hypertonia has reflex/non-reflex and dynamic/static components, which were investigated in ankles of 24 spastic hemiparetic and 32 normal subjects. Furthermore, the spastic ankles were treated with an intelligent stretching device with outcome evaluated in terms of phasic and tonic stretch-reflex gains, reflex threshold, joint elastic stiffness, and viscous damping. We found that joint elastic stiffness was increased in spastic ankles, especially in the plantar flexors. The increase was due to an increase in passive stiffness instead of intrinsic stiffness. Viscous damping was increased in spastic plantar flexors. Reflexively, spastic ankles showed higher dynamic reflex gain in spastic plantar flexors, indicating exaggerated phasic stretch reflex. The static stretch-reflex gain was increased in spastic ankles, indicating hyperactive tonic stretch reflex, and spastic muscles did not regulate tonic stretch reflex as controls did. Reflex hyperexcitability in spasticity was associated with both increased tendon reflex gain and decreased threshold. After stretching, the patients were able to generate higher plantar flexion MVC torque, which was corroborated by increased torques induced by matched electrical stimulation of the spastic muscles. They were also able to move in large ROM. Achilles tendon properties evaluated by ultrasonography corroborated the strength increase.


In this article, the author through the digital city management system 12319, illustrates the "information islands" has become affecting construction and development of e-government and e-commerce information, the authors in this paper, in accordance with the need of information resources automatic integration in the cooperative petition processing system, analyze the architecture and the applied characteristics of various data exchange models. Then in the design of internet-based remote data auto-renewing platform and intranet-based increment data auto-exchange platform, the authors take advantages of agent and web service technology and reasonably divide the work and the individual action of each agent so as to fulfill the task of data exchange by multi-agents together and to make the auto-integration process of information resources possess features of autonomy, coordination, easy location and correction when abnormal situation occurs. The platforms operation has proved implementation of the conception to be reliable and effective.


A short term enteric methane emission measurement is not identical to a measure of daily methane production (DMP) made in a respiration chamber (RC). While RC curtail most variation except that from quantity and composition of feed supplied, all short-term measurements contain additional sources of variation. The points of difference can include measurement time(s) relative to feeding, feed intake before measurement, animal behaviour in selection of diet and level of activity before measurement. For systems where a short-term emission measurement is made at the same time in the daily feeding cycle (e.g. during twice-daily milking) scaling up of short-term emission rates to estimate DMP is feasible but the scaling coefficient(s) will be diet dependent. For systems such as GreenFeed where direct emission rates are measured on occasion throughout day and night, no scaling up may be required to estimate DMP. For systems where small numbers of emission measures are made, and there is no knowledge of prior feed intake, such as for portable accumulation chambers, scaling to DMP is not currently possible. Even without scaling up to DMP, short-term measured emission rates are adequate for identifying relative emission changes induced by mitigation strategies and could provide the data to support genetic selection of ruminants for reduced enteric emissions.


Determination of drug's target protein is very important for studying drug-target interaction network, while drug-target interaction network is a key area in the drug discovery pipeline. Thus correct prediction of drug's target protein is very helpful to promote the development of drug discovery. In this study, we developed a two-step similarity-based method to predict drug's target group. In each step, a similarity score (obtained by graph representation in the first step, and chemical functional group representation in the second step) was employed to make prediction. Since some drugs can target proteins distributing in more than one group of proteins, the method provided a series of candidate target groups for each drug. As a result, the first-order prediction accuracy on training set and test set were 79.01% and 76.43%, respectively, which were much higher than the success rate of a random guess. The results show that using graph representation to encode drug is a good choice in this area. We expect that this contribution will provide some help to understand drug-target interaction network.


Evaluation of effectiveness of responsibility centers was studied on basis of reporting for different levels of management, in terms of their overall performance, which should be based on previous key indicators, which should be understood as a set (a system) of indicators both financial and non-financial, enabling managing personnel to determine the extent to which they have reached strategic and operational goals. At the same time, segregation of the appropriate types of centers of responsibility, depending on the chosen approach to implementation of management accounting at enterprises was justified. To achieve target performance indicators of responsibility centers an employee motivation system with financial and social incentives was developed aiming not only to identify contribution of certain responsibility centers in the process of accomplishing management goals, but personal contribution of each individual employee. To evaluate sufficiency of information in management reporting, a diagnostic map developed based on analysis of key indicators is proposed.


Atypical pneumonia which contributes to an important proportion of community acquired pneumonia and Legionella pneumophila is a noteworthy pathogen worldwide. Legionnaires' disease, the severe form of pneumonia is predominantly caused by Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. This study was conducted to determine the presence of Legionella pneumophila as a pathogen and the associated risk factors among the patients admitted with atypical pneumonia to a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. Seventy-five adult patients diagnosed with atypical pneumonia attending professorial medical unit of Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka were enrolled. Risk factors related to the disease was assessed by an interviewer administered questionnaire. Expectorated sputum was processed on supplemented buffered charcoal yeast extract medium and urine specimens were tested for Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 antigen. Fifty-six percent of the patients were males and 91% were residing in urban areas. Smoking was admitted by 32% and that of alcohol consumption was in 25%. Composting and potting, distant travelling and frequent use of air conditioning was reported in 28%, 37% and 4% respectively. Majority of participants were not exposed to cooling towers, humidifiers or plumbing and not visited high risk areas. Among the study group, 21% had diabetes, 24% had ischaemic heart disease and 36% had chronic lung diseases. None of the sputum samples grew Legionella pneumophila, and all urine samples were negative for the antigen of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. It is concluded that, in this population of community acquired atypical pneumonia, Legionella pneumophila was not identified as a causative agent.


Aims: The effects of kefir fermentation were investigated on antioxidation activities (in vitro) and antioxidative stress (in vivo) for different Thai rice; Hawm Nil rice, Red Hawm rice and Khao Dawk Mali 105 rice. Methodology: Antioxidant activity (in vitro) was investigated using ferric reducing antioxidant power and 2, 2 ́-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assays. In addition, antioxidative stress (in vivo) was performed using colitis rat models to study nitric oxide (NO), lipid peroxidation (LPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) compared with rats treated with prednisolone and cow's milk kefir. Results: Antioxidant activity of rice kefir powder from both assays had higher antioxidant activity than cow's milk kefir powder. NO levels of colitis rats received Hawm Nil rice kefir powder (HNKP) was reduced when compared to phosphate buffered saline (PBS) group. Moreover, colitis rats received HNKP did not differ in NO levels from colitis rats that received prednisolone and non-colitis rats. The result of LPO product malondialdehyde (MDA) indicated that colitis rats treated with HNKP had reduced TBARS compared to PBS group, and did not differ in TBARS levels from rats that received prednisolone and non-colitis rats. Surprisingly, increase in SOD activity was observed in colitis rats that received HNKP compared to PBS, with similar results of increased SOD in rats that received prednisolone and cow's milk kefir powder. Conclusion: Hawm Nil rice kefir may offer a protective effect for antioxidative stress resulting from chemical induction; it has potential as a supplementary food with high antioxidant activity and is regarded as safe for consumer health.


Basic theoretical ideas on a phase transition to a plasma of free quarks and gluons in heavy ion collisions are outlined. First results from experiments with oxygen beams at 14.5 GeV/c/N (BNL), 60 and 200 GeV/c/N (CERN) are discussed. 30 refs., 9 figs.


This paper is an attempt to determine the presence and empirical significance of monetary policy and the bank lending view of the credit channel for Mauritius, which is particularly relevant at these times. A vector autoregressive (VAR) model of order three is used to examine the monetary transmission mechanism using quarterly data from 1985Q1 to 2006Q4. The variables Gross Domestic Product (GDP), price level, money supply and credit to private sector are considered. The results of econometric analysis show the effectiveness and relevance of monetary policy and of a credit channel in the short-run. Changes in the monetary policy variable (M2) affect the credit variable (CPS) in the short-run. Output (GDP) increases temporarily, while the effect of a monetary stimulus on prices is a persistent increase. Keywords: Monetary Transmission Mechanism, Credit Channel, VAR model.


The purpose of this study was to assess the diversity and biocontrol potential of nematicidal actinobacteria from agricultural soils. Two hundred soil samples were collected from 20 provinces (autonomous regions or municipalities) of China, and 4000 actinobacteria isolates were obtained. Of the 4000 isolates evaluated, 533 (13.3% of total) and 488 (12.2%) respectively showed nematicidal properties to target nematodesPanagrellus redivivus and Bursaphelenchus xylophilus with nematicidal activities (NA) of more than 30%. The sum of strains with NAs of 90-100%, 80-90%, 60-80% and 30-60% was 55, 100, 127 and 251 to P. redivivus, while 37, 85, 111 and 255 to B. xylophilus, respectively. The most active isolates showed high host selectivity, in which only 101 isolates (5.1% of the total) were toxic to the both targets with NAs>30%. Additionally, 69 of the 101 isolates were randomly selected for species diversity analysis. Phylogenetic analysis placed the 69 actinobacteria in three families (Streptomycetaceae, Pseudonocardiaceae and Nocardiaceae) of the Actinobacteria with sequence similarity of 97.4-100%. The largest group was Streptomycetaceae, containing 58 isolates (84.1% of the total) that showed 97% to 100% sequence identity to 28 species of the generaStreptomyces (57 isolates, 27 species) and Kitasatospora (1, 1). The Pseudonocardiaceae group contained 7 isolates (10.1% of the total) showing 98.5-99.7% homology to Amycolatopsis lurida (4 isolates) and A. niigatensis (3). The Nocardiaceae group included 4 isolates (5.8% of the total) with 99-99.6% sequence identity to one species N. fluminea.

 Key words: Nematicidal actinobacteria, nematode, biocontrol, phylogenetic analysis.


The idea of an "economic constitution" was developed by a group of German economists and lawyers in the Weimar Republic which sought a "third way" – the "ordo-liberal way" – between laissez-faire liberalism and socialist politics. Ordo-liberalism survived the Third Reich untainted. In the 1950s, Ordo-liberalism was complemented by the concept of the social market economy. In the formative phase of the EEC, ordo-liberal scholars started to promote the ensemble of European economic freedoms and a system of undistorted competition as the constitutional core of the European integration project. The Economic and Monetary Union, as accomplished by the Maastricht Treaty, was expected to complete this project. However, the entire edifice soon proved to be much more vulnerable than its advocates had promised. Following the financial and the sovereign debt crises, EMU with its commitments to price stability and monetary politics is perceived as a failed construction precisely because of its reliance on inflexible rules. European crisis management seeks to compensate for these failures by means of regulatory machinery which disregards the European order of competences, disempowers national institutions, burdens, in particular, Southern Europe with austerity measures; it establishes pan-European commitments to budgetary discipline and macroeconomic balancing. The ideal of a legal ordering of the European economy is thus abolished while the economic and social prospects of these efforts seem gloomy and the Union's political legitimacy becomes precarious.


Context: Continuous delivery is a software development discipline in which software is always kept releasable. The literature contains instructions on how to adopt continuous delivery, but the adoption has been challenging in practice. Objective: In this study, a systematic literature review is conducted to survey the faced problems when adopting continuous delivery. In addition, we identify causes for and solutions to the problems. Method: By searching five major bibliographic databases, we identified 293 articles related to continuous delivery. We selected 30 of them for further analysis based on them containing empirical evidence of adoption of continuous delivery, and focus on practice instead of only tooling. We analyzed the selected articles qualitatively and extracted problems, causes and solutions. The problems and solutions were thematically synthesized into seven themes: build design, system design, integration, testing, release, human and organizational and resource. Results: We identified a total of 40 problems, 28 causal relationships and 29 solutions related to adoption of continuous delivery. Testing and integration problems were reported most often, while the most critical reported problems were related to testing and system design. Causally, system design and testing were most connected to other themes. Solutions in the system design, resource and human and organizational themes had the most significant impact on the other themes. The system design and build design themes had the least reported solutions. Conclusions: When adopting continuous delivery, problems related to system design are common, critical and little studied. The found problems, causes and solutions can be used to solve problems when adopting continuous delivery in practice. © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).


The chemical constituents of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) vary by environmental stimuli and cultivar. The effect of cultivars produced under hydroponic and greenhouse conditions on the mineral composition, chemical and nutraceutical quality of the calyx was evaluated. An experiment was conducted in greenhouse and hydroponic conditions, in a randomized complete design with three replicates and four plants per experimental unit. Treatments were formed by a six roselle cultivars: Cruza Negra, Criolla Huajicori, UAN25-1, UAN16-2, 4Q4, and UAN6-Puga. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that 'Cruza Negra' is the best cultivar because it presents the highest values of total and insoluble fiber (395 and 260 g kg-1 dry basis [db]), total phenols (29.178 mg kg-1 db), anthocyanins (18.133 mg kg-1 db), 2,2-diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH; 645 mg kg-1 db), and the absorption capacity of oxygen radicals (ORAC; 240 mg kg-1 db). The highest contribution of minerals was observed in 'Cruza Negra' (K, Na, Zn, and Cu) and 'Criolla Huajicori' (Ca, Mg, S, and Mn), contributing significantly to the recommended daily intake (RDI). Variability was evident in all the quality characteristics evaluated in the greenhouse roselle calyx. Ash, total and insoluble fiber, phenols, anthocyanins, DPPH, and ORAC contributed the most to the nutritional and nutraceutical quality of the roselle calyx. These variables were influenced by the cultivar.


Background:As the number of long-term survivors of childhood cancer has grown, it has become increasingly clear that central nervous system therapy may have serious long-term effects on cognition and endocrine function. These complications have been studied most extensively in children with brain tumors and leukemia. Review Summary:Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia previously treated with cranial irradiation are at risk for cognitive decline. Chemotherapy-only regimens, which rely on high-dose frequently administered methotrexate, are also associated with producing cognitive dysfunction. Children irradiated for brain tumors are even more vulnerable. Risk factors include perioperative morbidity, young age, large-volume high-dose cranial irradiation, supratentorial location of tumor, moyamoya syndrome, and leukoencephalopathy. Cognitive decline is progressive over at least a decade. The most common radiation-induced endocrinopathies are hypothyroidism and growth hormone deficiency. Treatment effects on growth are multifactorial and include growth hormone deficiency, spinal shortening, precocious puberty, undetected hypothyroidism, and poor nutrition. Fifty percent to 80% of children treated with craniospinal radiation for brain tumors will experience growth failure. In hopes of reducing neurotoxicity, current treatments limit the dose and volume of radiation while adding chemotherapy. Results have not been uniformly positive, however, and may increase toxicity in some cases. Conclusions:The standard of care in 2004 is that children who have been treated for brain tumors and leukemia should be monitored for cognitive and endocrine dysfunction. Until effective nonneurotoxic treatment is identified, long-term effects assessments are essential to maximize the quality of life of survivors of childhood cancer.


Soluble ultra-narrow armchair graphene nanoribbons (AGNRs) with length of ≈20 nm and completely fused cores exceeding 5 nm in length, pronounced near-infrared (NIR) absorption up to 1400 nm, and a low band gap (≈0.9 eV) are synthesized from 3,9(3,10)-dibromoperylene and 3,4,9,10-tetrabromoperylene. Since the monomers are obtained from perylene carboxyanhydrides, a remarkable link between dye and graphene chemistry is established. The two-step protocol for the AGNR synthesis by aryl-aryl coupling and subsequent cyclodehydrogenation is compared with a direct Yamamoto polymerization. Ultrafast photoconductivity analysis by optical pump-terahertz (THz) probe spectroscopy of the longest AGNRs excited in the NIR regime (800 nm) reveal their high intrinsic charge carrier mobility.


The Japanese comic format known as Manga is popular all over the world. It is traditionally produced in black and white, and colorization is time consuming and costly. Automatic colorization methods generally rely on greyscale values, which are not present in manga. Furthermore, due to copyright protection, colorized manga available for training is scarce. We propose a manga colorization method based on conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (cGAN). Unlike previous cGAN approaches that use many hundreds or thousands of training images, our method requires only a single colorized reference image for training, avoiding the need of a large dataset. Colorizing manga using cGANs can produce blurry results with artifacts, and the resolution is limited. We therefore also propose a method of segmentation and color-correction to mitigate these issues. The final results are sharp, clear, and in high resolution, and stay true to the character's original color scheme.


Background: Levothyroxine (LT4) sodium is a standard treatment for hypothyroidism. Its absorption and bioavailability when taken as a tablet have been shown to be significantly decreased with concomitant food ingestion. Therefore, LT4 formulations are recommended to be taken on an empty stomach, at least 30, ideally 60, minutes before breakfast, potentially affecting adherence to therapy. A novel LT4 solution (Tirosint®-SOL) has been shown to result in a faster absorption process than tablets or soft-gel capsule formulations. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the bioavailability of this preparation taken 15 minutes before a high-fat high-calorie meal in comparison with the minimally recommended 30-minute interval. Methods: Thirty-six (33 completers, 24 males and 9 females) healthy volunteers participating in the randomized study took 600 mcg of LT4 oral solution, single doses after a 10-hour fast, 15 or 30 minutes before a high-fat, high-calorie, FDA-approved standardized meal in a controlled research setting. We measured serum total thyroxine using Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry at baseline and multiple time points up to 72 hours after LT4 administration. The predefined equivalence boundaries for the extent of exposure reflected by the area under the curve (AUC) were 80–125%. The washout period was at least 35 days. Results: The geometric mean ratios and confidence intervals (CIs) for the baseline-adjusted extent of exposure represented by AUCs truncated at both 48 and 72 hours after dosing (AUC0–48: 90% [90% CI 86–94]; and AUC0–72: 92% [90% CI 87–97]) were within the prespecified equivalence boundaries. The baseline-adjusted peak concentration was also clinically similar (Cmax: 85% [90% CI 80–90]). The median tmax was 1.5 hours in each group. The rate of adverse events was similar between groups. Conclusions: We observed no significant difference in the pharmacokinetic properties of a novel LT4 solution administered 15 and 30 minutes before a high-fat high-calorie meal in normal subjects. Further research is needed to evaluate (a) the differences in overall bioavailability at other time points (including immediately premeal) and (b) the real-world effectiveness of this preparation in newly proposed administration conditions to optimize treatment outcomes in hypothyroid patients.


The advantages of a nexus approach in addressing complex environmental challenges are becoming increasingly clear. In Central Asia, however, the nexus between water–food–energy has not received adequate attention, as the very few studies that have been conducted fell short of quantifying nexus trade‐offs and benefits at a practical, small scale. This paper applies a quantitative accounting method to assess water and energy use intensity in irrigated areas of the Karshi Steppe of Central Asia that are supplied by pumping water uphill (lift‐irrigated) from the underlying river. The results indicated that the potential water and energy savings as well as the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions could be achieved by applying an optimal planning deficit irrigation schedule simulated using CROPWAT 8. Some 575 MCM (million cubic metres) of water and 259 GWh of electricity can be saved, while the CO2 equivalent emissions can be reduced by almost 122 000 t. Achieving these savings requires a mix of technical and policy components. This paper describes an example of proper irrigation planning as a tool for water/energy savings and consequent reduction of CO2 emissions. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Baseline popping noise (BLPN) is one of the major types of instability in a GMR head, and it is often shown as "popping" of the baseline between isolated pulses. From the experiment, BLPN is still a problem in the servo frequency range (10-15 MHz). The offtrack performance of a high BLPN head and the impact of BLPN on a HDD position error signal (PES) are studied in this paper. Generally, burst average amplitude (BAA) rises when the unstable permanent magnet is in the track, especially at the track edge. The head PES is distorted and its linear range could be significantly reduced because of BLPN. A simple model is introduced to analyze it. When the servo tolerance is known, it can be used to scan the head at component level with spin stand.


INTRODUCTION: Limited data are available for management of COVID-19 in pregnant patients and teratogenicity of remdesivir We present a case of a mother with twin gestation admitted to the intensive care unit with severe COVID19 pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome who was treated with mechanical ventilation, remdesivir and inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) METHODS: A 26-year-old female with history of mild intermittent asthma and morbid obesity at 29 weeks gestations with dichorionic diamniotic twins who presented with hypoxemia and laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 positive She failed to maintain goal oxygen saturations despite maximal support with high flow nasal cannula and required intubation and mechanical ventilation A high PEEP low tidal volume strategy was utilized as well as initiation of iNO to obtain saturation goals of greater than 95% which is the minimal set threshold in pregnancy The patient received remdesivir, iNO, and steroids on day 1 of ICU admission On ICU day 6 she developed pre-eclampsia with severe features and she was taken to the operating room for successful delivery via cesarean section at 30 weeks gestation Following delivery she demonstrated rapid improvement in clinical status and on day 10 was successfully extubated Twin A was a male fetus born with APGAR scores of 6 and 8 at 1 and 5 minutes respectively Twin B was a female fetus born with APGAR scores of 7 and 8 at 1 and 5 minutes Both infants required endotracheal intubation for respiratory distress and tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 They demonstrated chest imaging consistent with surfactant deficiency and received exogenous surfactant They were diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia but were able to be extubated and weaned to 0 2L nasal cannula RESULTS: This case suggests successful use of remdesivir and iNO in addition to low tidal volume ventilation strategy mechanical ventilation in a pregnant patient with twin gestation Both infants underwent an expected neonatal ICU course for premature delivery at 30 weeks and to our knowledge no complications were attributed to remdesivir or iNO While more research in the form of randomized clinical trials is needed to demonstrate safety and efficacy of these therapeutic modalities clinicians may consider taking a similar approach


The catalytic concentrations of lipase and carboxypeptidase A in sera of patients with and without pancreatic diseases show no correlation. 40 sera out of 44 with elevated values for lipase, derived from a collective of 135 different sera, showed no increase in the catalytic concentrations of carboxypeptidase A. The demanding titrimetric determination of lipase cannot be replaced by the more simple colorimetric determination of carboxypeptidase A for the laboratory diagnosis of pancreatic diseases.


LBL-27170 (2004) Volume 1 Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Site Environmental Report for 2003 Volume 1 Environment, Health, and Safety Division July 2004 Photo: Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy of Sciences


Abstract The emergence and evolution of the Folsom point is analyzed in light of cultural transmission and dual inheritance theories. While the Folsom point was an outstanding techno-functional solution to Late Pleistocene bison hunting of the Great Plains of North America, archaeological data indicate that fluting was an unnecessary high-risk activity that served as much a socio-cultural role as a techno-functional one. In dual inheritance terms, the fluting of Folsom points likely gained a foothold as one piece of the "good hunter" model which was passed from elders to youths within specific cultural contexts. The demise of Folsom points during the early Holocene likely was instigated by a transformation of social image, from fluting as an indicator trait of success, to fluting as a measure of increased risk and waste in the face of challenging subsistence realms.


The Fas pathway is not required for T cell activation yet loss-of-function mutation that inactivates Fas (lpr) or FasL (gld) prevents autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice without interfering with normal immune responses. However, the Fas pathway has not been considered a viable therapeutic option because these mutations also cause double negative (DN) T cell lymphoproliferation and lupus-like syndrome. Using bone marrow chimeras and adoptive transfer, we show that gld mutation on either hemopoietic or nonhemopoietic compartment is equally protective from autoimmune diabetes; however, gld mutation on hemopoietic cells is responsible for most of DN T cell lymphoproliferation. Therefore, limiting gld mutation to the nonhemopoietic tissue completely controls diabetogenicity of wild type T cells without causing lymphoproliferation. The protection is recapitulated therapeutically by treating NOD-wt mice with FasL neutralizing antibody. Anti-FasL treatment curtailed insulitis and did not lead to lupus-like disease or DN T cell lymphoproliferation. These results suggest the potential of generating a new class of immunotherapy that is based on targeting T cell apoptosis inducing ligand rather than costimulatory pathways.


This article discusses the stages of formation and development of digital economy in Uzbekistan, as well as the problems of implementing information and communication technologies in activities of enterprises in Uzbekistan.


There are many features that make music composition a challenging task for computer science. In this paper we investigate the suitability of using genetic algorithms and Kohonen musical grammar for task of music composition, and ability of these systems to cope with challenging aspects of music. Genetic algorithms are used as a tool to combine musical ideas which models the combination-theory of creativity. Kohonen musical grammar is used to extract the deterministic rules and structural patterns of music from an existing music to define the fitness function. These concepts have been applied to the generation of new melodic passages by considering pitch and duration properties of notes.


true objectives and goals of the decision maker. An example of this approacist was a systems analysis done for the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene in determining the best food service system for use in its various, widely scattered institutions. Rudwick (20) has termed the first approach &dquo;The Mathematics of Systems Analysis&dquo; and the latter &dquo;The Logic of Systems Analysis.&dquo; The Rand Corporation (21) has defined systems analysis as: An inquiry to aid a decision maker choose a course of action by systematically investigating his proper objectives, comparing quantitatively where possible the cost, effectiveness, and risks associated with alternative policies or strategies for achieving them and formulating additional alternatives if those examined are found want-


Background : Diabetes describes a group of disorders characterized by elevated levels of glucose in the blood and abnormalities of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. A number of oral diseases and disorders have been associated with diabetes, and periodontitis has been identified as a possible risk factor for poor metabolic control in subjects with diabetes. Methods: This paper reviews the scientific literature to identify oral conditions that have been proposed and are known to be affected by diabetes. The literature has also been examined concerning periodontitis as a modifier of glycemic control. Results : Although a number of oral disorders have been associated with diabetes, the data support the fact that periodontitis is a complication of diabetes. Patients with long-standing, poorly controlled diabetes are at risk of developing candidiasis, and the evidence indicates that periodontitis is a risk factor for poor glycemic control and the development of other clinical complications of diabetes. Conclusions : Diabetes is an important health care problem. The evidence suggests that oral health care, specifically in relation to periodontal diseases, can have a significant, positive effect on the oral as well as general health of patients with diabetes mellitus


We study the thermal evolution of a pulsar after a glitch in which the energy is released from a relatively compact region. A set of relativistic thermal transport and energy balance equations is used to study the thermal evolution, without making the assumption of spherical symmetry. We use an exact cooling model to solve this set of differential equations. Our results could differ significantly from those obtained under the assumption of spherical symmetry. Even for young pulsars with a hot core like the Vela pulsar, a detectable hot spot could be observed after a glitch if a large amount of energy is released in a small region close to the surface of the star. The results suggest that the intensity variation and the relative phases of hard X-ray emissions in different epochs may provide important information on the equation of state.


To determine modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors for term large for gestational age (T-LGA) births in Northern and Central Alberta and their public health importance, a retrospective cohort study (n = 115,198) of singleton live births (1996–2003) was conducted using maternal and newborn data from a provincial perinatal database. After adjusting for potential confounders, predictors of T-LGA births included prepregnancy weight 91 kg or greater, multiparity, and previous LGA birth. The strongest modifiable predictor was prepregnancy weight 91 kg or greater (OR = 2.52; CI 2.39, 2.65). The population-attributable risk percentage for prepregnancy weight 91 kg or greater was 10%.


The Application of High-Resolution Solid State Detectors to X-Ray Spectrometry - A Review.- Detection of Single Ions by Pulse Counting: Application to Ion Microprobe Mass Analyzer.- Application of Computers in Electron Probe and X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis.- Computer-Controlled X-Ray and Neutron Diffraction Experiments.- An Automated Two-Crystal Spectrometer Employing Direct Angular Positioning and Readout.- A Paper Tape Controlled X-Ray Diffractometer for the Measurement of Retained Austenite.- Automated X-Ray Diffraction Laboratory System.- X-Ray Diffraction Topography-Differential Omega Scanning Technique.- A Modular Automatic X-Ray Analysis System.- An Automated Electron Microprobe System.- Rapid Quantitative Analysis by X-Ray Spectrometry.- On the Method of Variable Take-Off Angle for Quantitative X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis (XRFA).- An Automatic X-Ray Analytical Instrument for the Chemical Laboratory.- Energy Dispersive Analysis for Adjacent Elements Using Two Single Channel Analyzers.- Determination of Zirconium, Hafnium, Niobium, Tantalum, Molybdenum and Tungsten in Aqueous Solutions by Radioisotopic Excited X-Ray Fluorescence.- Fluorescence Analysis Using an Si (Li) X-Ray Energy Analysis System with Low-Power X-Ray Tubes and Radioisotopes.- Rapid Recording of Powder Diffraction Patterns with Si(Li) X-Ray Energy Analysis System: W and Cu Targets and Error Analysis.- A Complete Instrumental System for Energy Dispersive Diffractometry and Fluorescence Analysis.- Small X-Ray Tubes for Energy Dispersive Analysis Using Semiconductor Spectrometers.- Rapid Analysis of Mn in Plain Carbon Steels by Nondispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy.- The Use of Field Emission Tubes in X-Ray Analysis.- Old Errors and New Corrections in X-Ray Line Profile Analysis.- The Effects of Self-Irradiation on the Lattice of 238(80%)PuO2.- The Disorder-Order Transformation in Ni4Mo.- A Strategy for Rapid and Accurate (p.p.m.) Measurement of Lattice Parameters of Single Crystals by Bond's Method.- X-Ray Spectral Distributions from Thick Tungsten Targets in the Energy Range 12 to 300 kV.- Elemental X-Ray Cross Sections at Selected Wavelengths.- A Computerized Technique of Plotting a Complete Pole Figure by an X-Ray Reflection Method.- Proton-Induced X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy in Elemental Trace Analysis.- Use of a Solid-State Detector for the Analysis of X-Rays Excited in Silicate Rocks by Alpha-Particle Bombardment.- Studies of X Rays Induced by Charged Particles.- Evaluation of X-Ray Image Intensifiers as Detectors for X-Ray Astronomy.- An Electro-Optical X-Ray Diffraction System for Grain Boundary Migration Measurements at Temperature.- Proposed Flash X-Ray System for X-Ray Diffraction with Submicrosecond Exposure Time.- Analysis of Solid Surfaces by Soft X-Ray Appearance Potential Spectroscopy.- Detector Background and Sensitivity of Semiconductor X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometers.- The Measurement of Surface-Layer Stresses in a Polycrystalline Glass by Means of X-Ray Diffraction.- The Determination of the Axis of Lattice Rotation with Respect to a Change in Texture.- Simultaneous Spiral Recording of Pole Figures on Polaroid Film for Texture Goniometers.- X-Ray Double Crystal Diffractometer Investigations of Implanted Silicon: D+ and N+.- X-Ray Investigations of Spinel Substrates.- Cross Linking of Collagen by Hydrophobe Bonds.- Effect of Ion Exchange Resin Particle Size on X-Ray Fluorescent Analysis.- On-Line Process Control Compositional Analysis of Aluminum Films Containing a Low Percentage of Copper.- Flame Technique for High Temperature Single Crystal Weissenberg Photography (1000-3000 C).


The speed of evolution of a qubit undergoing a nonequilibrium environment with spectral density of general ohmic form is investigated. First we reveal non-Markovianity of the model, and find that the non-Markovianity quantified by information backflow of Breuer et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 103 210401 (2009)] displays a nonmonotonic behavior for different values of the ohmicity parameter s in fixed other parameters and the maximal non-Markovianity can be achieved at a specified value s. We also find that the non-Markovianity displays a nonmonotonic behavior with the change of a phase control parameter. Then we further discuss the relationship between quantum speed limit (QSL) time and non-Markovianity of the open-qubit system for any initial states including pure and mixed states. By investigation, we find that the QSL time of a qubit with any initial states can be expressed by a simple factorization law: the QSL time of a qubit with any qubit-initial states are equal to the product of the coherence of the initial state and the QSL time of maximally coherent states, where the QSL time of the maximally coherent states are jointly determined by the non-Markovianity, decoherence factor and a given driving time. Moreover, we also find that the speed of quantum evolution can be obviously accelerated in the wide range of the ohmicity parameter, i.e., from sub-Ohmic to Ohmic and super-Ohmic cases, which is different from the thermal equilibrium environment case.


JH HENRIKSEN, H RING-LARSEN, NJ CHRISTENSEN. Sympathetic nervous regulation in patients with cirrhosis: Pathogenesis of fluid retention and formation of ascites. Can J Gastroentcrol 1991 ;5(3 ): 103111. Increased circulati l'~ noraJrenaline in pat ients with cirrhosis is Jue to enhanced sympathetic nervous activity and is not merely the result of decreased clearance of catecholamines. There is a direct relation between the level of arteria l nornJrenaline and severity of c irrhosis, increased portal pressure and !luid accumulation; patients with the hepatorenal syndrome exhibit the highest values of plasma noradrenaline. In patients with cirrhosis, the kidneys have been idcnt ificJ as an unportant source of noradrenaline 'spillover' into plasma, which indicates enhanced sympathetic nervous activity in these orgam. Moreover, the level of plasma noradrenaline is inversely related to renal bloodflow and urinary excretion of sodium, and directly related to plasma renin, vasopressin and aldosterone. An increased spi llover of noradrenaline has recently been demonstrateJ in the splanchnic system and superior portosystemic colla tera ls. ReduceJ centra l and arterial blood volume and low arterial blood pressure seconda,y to peripheral vasodilation are probably important afferent stimuli for enhanced sympathetic nervous activity, a lthough a nonvolume-dependent hepatic baroreceptor may also be present. The authors conclude that the sympathetic nervous system, in concert with other regulatory systems, plays an important ro le in sodium-water homeostasis and fluid retention, as well as in the systemic and hepatosplanchnic circulatory derangement seen in patients with c irrhosis. (Pour resume, voir page 104)


In three decisions handed down on 2 September 2010, the Court of Appeal of Versailles ruled that the tax on direct sales failed to comply with the "Altmark test" designed by the European Court of…


Microaggression research has made great strides over the past decade while steadily pushing itself into mainstream psychological science. Yet the field remains firmly situated within the Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) cultural context. Correspondingly, recurring criticisms against the validity of microaggressions are often rooted in individualist, decontextualized understandings of behavior, and critics' rebuttals are often grounded in a philosophical and reflective understanding of the cultural context. In this article, I put forward that (a) the enactments and appraisals of microaggressions are the behavioral results of the cognitive salience of cultural schemas; (b) cultural schemas are informed by cultural ideologies, underlining their methodological and empirical relevance for future research; and (c) cultures are dynamic by highlighting the effects of geopolitical events on the content of cultural schemas that may moderate the perception and enactment of microaggressions. For these reasons, I argue that a cultural psychology of microaggressions may help to depathologize the individual by situating behavior in its cultural context while at the same time necessitating the inclusion of communities residing in non-WEIRD societies.


Learning control of dynamical systems based on Markov decision processes (MDPs) is an interdisciplinary research area of machine learning, control theory, and operations research. The main objective in this research area is to realize data-driven multi-stage optimal control for complex or uncertain dynamical systems. This paper presents a comprehensive survey on the theory, algorithms, and applications of MDP-based learning control of dynamical systems. Emphases are put on recent advances in the theory and methods of reinforcement learning (RL) and adaptive/approximate dynamic programming (ADP), including temporal-difference learning theory, value function approximation for continuous state and action spaces, direct policy search, approximate policy iteration, and adaptive critic designs. Applications and the trends for future research and developments in related fields are also discussed.


Purpose Little is known about factors that predict dietary adherence among Chinese patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. We investigated whether self-regulatory fatigue and trait self-control influence dietary adherence among Chinese patients with peritoneal dialysis. Methods A total of 192 Chinese patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis were recruited at two peritoneal dialysis centers. The dietary adherence, trait self-control and self-regulatory fatigue of these patients were assessed using self-administered questionnaires. Clinical data were extracted from the hospital medical records. The significance of several social demographic factors on dietary adherence was analyzed using One-way ANOVA was used to analyze, whereas the association between dietary adherence and self-regulatory fatigue as well as trait self-control were analyzed using Pearson correlation. The independence association between dietary adherence and other influencing factors was assessed using Multivariable linear regression analyses. Results We found that peritoneal dialysis patients only moderately adhere to dietary prescriptions. The top three least adherences were observed for salt intake (1.89±0.36), face of difficulty (2.86±0.26) and fluid restriction adherence intake (2.97±0.30). Multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that education level (β=0.339, P<0.001), residence (β=−0.151, P=0.015), self-regulatory fatigue (β= −0.648, P<0.001), and trait self-control (β=0.118, P=0.022) were independent predictors of dietary adherence. Conclusion Education level and residence strongly influence dietary adherence among Chinese peritoneal dialysis patients. On the other hand, Self-regulatory fatigue and trait self-control are independent predictors of dietary adherence among peritoneal dialysis patients. These findings can guide the enhancement of dietary adherence of peritoneal dialysis patients.


Summary Little information is available on the incidence of splanchnic vein thrombosis and on mortality rates during the acute phase of the disease. We performed a large epidemiologic study on hospital admissions for portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and the Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) between 2002 and 2012 in Northwestern Italy. Primary and secondary discharge diagnoses of PVT and BCS were identified using the 9th edition International Classification of Diseases codes 453.0, 572.1 and 452. Hospitalisations for recurrent events were not included. Information was collected on age and gender, vital status at discharge, duration of hospitalisation, and up to five secondary discharge diagnoses. Comorbidity was evaluated using the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). A total of 3535 patients with PVT and 287 with BCS were hospitalized. The overall gender-specific incidence rates for PVT were 3.78 per 100,000 inhabitants in males and 1.73 per 100,000 inhabitants in females; for BCS 2.0 and 2.2 per million inhabitants, respectively. In-hospital case fatality was 7.3 % in patients with PVT and 4.9 % in patients with BCS. Age, non-abdominal solid cancer, and CCI were independently associated with in-hospital mortality in both PVT and BCS after stepwise regression analysis, male gender and haematologic cancer were associated with mortality in BCS patients only. In this large study we confirmed the low incidence of BCS and we found an incidence of PVT higher than previously reported. This incidence was stable during the period of observation. In-hospital mortality is not negligible, in particular in PVT patients.


This study explores the way in which the two sexes are presented in education and particularly in the illustration of the language textbook used in the 6th Grade of Greek elementary school. In a society where gender equality is constitutionally enshrined and displayed as an educational policy objective, it attempts to examine if school textbook images respond to the demands of social reality, or perpetuate outdated gender stereotyped educational practices. The visual communication system that school textbooks use has the same rhetoric in of the conveyance of ideological and cultural messages as the linguistic system. Therefore, students receive plenty of information from both communication systems about the roles and stereotypes that are considered appropriate for each sex. In the past, several studies have analyzed the linguistic system, while this is the first attempt at an organized and systematic analysis of the visual system in language textbooks, and specifically the one in 6th Grade. Both content analysis, as a measurement technique, and semiotics, as a visual analysis method, were used as a research method. The analysis of data showed that (a) the presentation of the two sexes in the illustration of this language textbook is not objectively compared with social changes, (b) apart from the quantitative inequality that exists in the presentation of the two sexes, there also appears to be a big difference in qualities such as behavioral characteristics, occupations, and activities, and (c) there is a reduction in the representation of outdated gender stereotypes, which is not necessarily positive, as the diversity of roles they undertake in the modern social sphere is not emphasized.


Multivariate time series anomaly detection has been extensively studied under the one-class classification setting, where a training dataset with all normal instances is required. However, preparing such a dataset is very laborious since each single data instance should be fully guaranteed to be normal. It is, therefore, desired to explore multivariate time series anomaly detection methods based on the dataset without any label knowledge. In this paper, we propose MTGFlow, an unsupervised anomaly detection approach forMultivariate Time series anomaly detection via dynamic Graph and entityaware normalizing Flow, leaning only on a widely accepted hypothesis that abnormal instances exhibit sparse densities than the normal. However, the complex interdependencies among entities and the diverse inherent characteristics of each entity pose significant challenges to density estimation, let alone to detect anomalies based on the estimated possibility distribution. To tackle these problems, we propose to learn the mutual and dynamic relations among entities via a graph structure learning model, which helps to model the accurate distribution of multivariate time series. Moreover, taking account of distinct characteristics of the individual entities, an entity-aware normalizing flow is developed to describe each entity into a parameterized normal distribution, thereby producing fine-grained density estimation. Incorporating these two strategies, MTGFlow achieves superior anomaly detection performance. Experiments on five public datasets with seven baselines are conducted, MTGFlow outperforms the SOTA methods by up to 5.0 AUROC%.


In this review, we focus on temporal variability of cardiac repolarization. This phenomenon has been related to a higher risk for ventricular arrhythmia and is therefore interesting as a marker of sudden cardiac death risk. We review two non-invasive clinical techniques quantifying repolarization variability: T-wave alternans (TWA) and beat-to-beat variability of repolarization (BVR). We discuss their pathophysiological link with ventricular arrhythmia and the current clinical relevance of these techniques.


Oral cancer is a major public health problem in South‐Central Asia, home to one fifth of the world's population. In most regions of India, it is the most common cancer in men and the third most common cancer in women. Prevention is an effective tool to reduce disease burden on society and may offer particular advantages in developing countries.


The most abundant readily isolated alkaloids of the aerial portion of Aconitumcolumbianum Nutt• were found to be talatisamine and cammaconine. New spectral data for known derivatives of these alkaloids and descriptions of new derivatives are presented. Less abundant alkaloids identified included the known ones sachaconitine, talatizidine, isotalatizidine, and 14-O-acetyltalatisamine, and the new ones 8-O-methyltalatisamine and a tetrahydroxymonomethoxy alkaloid, columbianine, with the same oxygenation pattern and stereochemistry as cammaconine.


Hatta has a specific concept of democracy in which there are some differences from liberal democracy. One of them is based on its axiological ground. Therefore, the purposes of this research are to analyze Hatta's thought on democracy and its axiological ground. The primary data is taken from Hatta's works,they are : Demokrasi Kita (1978), Pengertian Pancasila (1981), and Kumpulan Pidato , 3 volumes (1985). The results of this research are : Hatta's concept of democracy for Indonesia is not similar at all with the Western concept of liberal democracy. Hatta developed the Indonesian democracy as a specific concept which its principles base on the original values within Indonesian society. His concept embraces political, economical and social aspects. From the axiological perspective, Hatta's concept of democracy is based on the fundamental values, such as truth, justice, goodness, honesty, beauty, and holiness. Therefore, it can be said that the fundamental values in Hatta's concept of democracy embrace ethic, aesthetic, and religious values. Keywords : democracy, axiological ground, fundamental values.


The paper considers two observer-based rotor position estimation schemes for sensorless control of Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines (IPMSMs). Emphasis is given to techniques based on feedbacklinearisation followed by Luenberger observer design, and direct design of non-linear observers. Genetic Algorithms (GAS) based on the principles of evolution, natural selection and genetic mutation are employed to address difficulties in selecting correction gains :for the observers, since no analytical tuning mechanisms yet exist, with results included to demonstrate the enhanced performance attributes offered by observers tuned in this way.


Integrated water resources management provides a set of ideas to help us manage water more holistically. However, these ideas have been formalized over time in what has now become, in capitals, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), with specific prescriptive principles whose implementation is often supported by donor funding and international advocacy. IWRM has now become an end in itself, in some cases undermining functioning water management systems, in others setting back needed water reform agendas, and in yet others becoming a tool to mask other agendas. Critically, the current monopoly of IWRM in global water management discourse is shutting out alternative thinking on pragmatic solutions to existing water problems. This paper explains these issues and uses examples of transboundary water governance in general, groundwater management in India and rural–urban water transfer in China to show that there are (sometimes antithetical) alternatives to IWRM which are being successfully used to solve major water problems. The main message is that we should simply get on with pragmatic politics and solutions to the world's many individual water challenges.


Abstract : Consider a system of two millimeter wave transceiver nodes A and B. We assume that each node is equipped with a circular array antenna that has beamforming capability. We are interested in using the beamforming capability to find the best possible directions for transmission and reception such that the communication link between two nodes provides maximal SNR at the receiver. A protocol that in most cases achieves the optimal solution is developed and simulation results are provided to show the effectiveness of the algorithm.


The building of functional linkages between non-profit/non-state organizations and other collaborators at various levels is a necessity to benefit the welfare of the rural poor. Pakistan is also embracing its inclusion in the list of economies that are considered to have weak social capital. Strengthening of social capital has a valuable contribution by the NGOs especially in the rangelands of Pakistan. The current study is designed to examine the role of non-governmental and non-state organizations in building up social capital. Data were taken from three different localities in the Mansehra district of Hazara region in Pakistan adopting qualitative and quantitative approaches. A weak organizational infrastructure in terms of horizontal and vertical principles (transparency, viability, integrity, accountability etc.) was found in all three study areas. The access to social capital at sites I II obtained 1.98 and 1.78 respectively and residents of site III were found deprived. The study showed that rural people with low income (often referred to as poor) have lower social incomes compared to people with high- and medium-income levels (often referred as well off and better off). The limitations of time availability and social confidence results in no contact or social interaction among poor. A significant role of NGOs has been observed in bringing poor and oppressed people into mainstream social capital. The study delineates the increased involvement of registered and unregistered local groups/organizations in the development of rural community. Findings of the research also conclude that local community groups are more vital than that of the registered organizations due to their informal culture and true representation of practical needs of the community. The volunteers played an important role in creating social grants, and their inclusion in the form of a comprehensive social capital plan will result in refinement of services and overall betterment of society.


Semi-solid processing is a promising technique used to fabricate parts, minimize manufacturing steps post preparation, and reduce casting defects. The globular structure is the key in this process, a characteristic achieved with the partial remelting of material to temperatures between solidus and liquids. In this sense, the aim of this research is to evaluate the microstructure quality of the aluminium matrix composite (AMC) reinforced with NbC, after semi-solid treatment. Micron-sized NbC powder with 0 wt. %, 5 wt. %, 10 wt. %, and 15 wt. % was employed as reinforcement, to fabricate a composite through the stir casting method. Furthermore, was used an Al-5Ti-1B alloy grain refinement. Globularization heat treatment at 562 °C, with a holding time of the 90s, was realized. An optical microscope under conventional and polarized light and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) allows the microstructure analyses. The dendritic cell size (DCS), grain size (GS), shape factor (SF), and rheo quality index (RQI) were used to analyse the morphology and microstructure. The results show a general reduction of GS and DCS parameters with a higher amount of NbC. The AMC with NbC shows more globular microstructure when compared with non-reinforced alloy.


Understanding the impacts of cash crop expansion on natural forest is of fundamental importance. However, for most crops there are no remotely-sensed global maps1, and global deforestation impacts are estimated using models and extrapolations. Natural rubber is an example of a major commodity for which deforestation impacts have been highly uncertain, with estimates differing more than five-fold1–4. Here we harnessed earth observation satellite data and cloud computing5 to produce the first high-resolution maps of rubber and associated deforestation covering all Southeast Asia. Our maps indicate that rubber-related forest loss has been significantly underestimated in policy, by the public and in recent reports6–8. Our direct remotely-sensed observations show that deforestation for rubber is two to threefold higher than suggested by figures currently widely used for setting policy4. With over 3.76 million hectares of forest loss for rubber since 1993 (2.77 [2.5-3 95% CI] million hectares since 2000), and over 1 million hectares of rubber plantations established in Key Biodiversity Areas, the impacts of rubber on biodiversity and ecosystem services in Southeast Asia are extensive. Thus, rubber deserves more attention in domestic policy, within trade agreements and in incoming due diligence regulations.


What Are the Implications of the Subjective Feelings of Overcoming One's Eating Disorder in Anorexia Nervosa? A Follow-Up. The current study examined the weight course and psychological distress of 134 alumni inpatients with the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN), who were treated between 1993 and 2006 at the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Essen. Besides a structured interview the Structured Inventory for Anorexic and Bulimic Syndromes


Online condition monitoring and diagnosis systems are very important in the modern manufacturing industry. We present a new method to assess the degradation processes of multiple failure modes using the Hidden Markov Model (HMM). The HMM is combined with statistical process control (SPC) to detect the occurrence of unknown faults. This method allows an HMM to adjust and update the state space with the identification of new states. Hence, the online degradation assessment and adaptive fault diagnosis can be simultaneously obtained. The turning process are used to illustrate that previously unknown tool wear processes can be successfully detected at the early stages using the HMM.Copyright © 2010 by ASME


The spatial-temporal analysis of the abundance of insects, vectors of tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL), was performed in Argentina using spatial-temporal increasing scales. In the microscale (microfocal), the effect of the primary vegetation-crop interface in vector abundance was observed, and also how the shelters, food sources, and other environmental characteristics contribute to habitat microheterogeneity and so to a microheterogeneous vector distribution. In the mesoscale (locality or epidemic focus), the results from different foci of TL (rural and periurban) and VL (urban) suggested a metapopulation structure determined partially by quantifiable habitat variables that could explain the increase of risk associated to an increase of vector-human contact due to climatic or anthropogenic changes. In the macroscale (regional), captures of vectors and records of human cases allowed the construction of risk maps and predictive models of vector distribution. In conclusion, in order to obtain valid results transferrable to control programs from spatial studies, special attention should be paid in order to assure the consistency between the spatial scales of the hypotheses, data, and analytical tools of each experimental or descriptive design.


WNT signals play key roles in carcinogenesis and embryogenesis through the specification of cell fate and polarity. Dishevelled proteins are implicated in the WNT - beta-catenin pathway and the WNT-PCP pathway. DAAM1/KIAA0666 is a Dishevelled-binding protein transducing WNT signals to the PCP pathway. Here, we identified and characterized DAAM2 gene by using bioinformatics. Uncharacterized FLJ34430 and KIAA0381 cDNAs were homologous to DAAM1. FLJ34430 was recombined with URB (XM_087331) in the 3'-region, and KIAA0381 was truncated in the 5'-region. Nucleotide sequence of DAAM2 cDNA was determined in silico by adding nucleotide position 1-793 of FLJ34430 onto the 5'-end of KIAA0381. DAAM2 gene consists of 27 exons, and gives rise to four splicing variants due to alternative splicing of alternative promoter type as well as of cassette exon type. DAAM2 gene was linked to the MOCS1 gene on human chromosome 6p21.3 with an interval less than 1 kb. DAAM2 mRNA was expressed in fetal heart, adult hypothalamus, eye, spinal cord, lung, prostate, kidney, and also in glioblastoma, oligodendroglioma, melanoma, mammary adenocarcinoma and chondrosarcoma. DAAM2 was a 1077-amino-acid protein with Formin-homology FH1 and FH2 domains, which showed 68.9% total-amino-acid identity with DAAM1. Among Formin-homology proteins, FDD (Formin-like, Diaphanous, Daam) domain was conserved in FMNL1/FMNL/KW-13, FMNL2/KIAA1902/FHOD2, DIAPH1, DIAPH2, DAAM1 and DAAM2, but not in Fmn1, Fmn2, FHOD1 and Grid2ip. Therefore, it was concluded that FMNL1, FMNL2, DIAPH1, DIAPH2, DAAM1 and DAAM2 proteins constitute the Formin-homology FDD subfamily.


The conformations of homopolymers of (+)-catechin and (–)-epicatechin, linked from C(4) of one monomer to C(6) to the next, have been established by the combination of the results from recent MM2 calculations and time-resolved fluorescence studies. Matrix methods were used for evaluation of the unperturbed dimensions and persistence vectors. The polymers linked from C(4) to C(6) tend to be more compact than polymers linked from C(4) to C(8).


Satellite network has become very popular in recent years. The great development of satellite network motivates the research on satellite-air-ground integrated network to accommodate a variety of services. The concept of space service computing is predicated on moving some services towards space network to harness service capabilities that are currently untapped in space nodes, such as satellites, orbital stations, aircrafts and so on. In this paper, we attempt to sketch a big picture about space service computing with a hope of arousing interest of the research community in this emerging field. We first present a space service computing framework. Compared with the traditional service computing, there are many new challenges for space service computing due to the unique space and aerial environment. Therefore, we also discuss the challenges and opportunities in space service computing.


A prospective observation over 347 families formed through creating a new family with a new partner from among incomplete families. A total of 195 families of the above figure were formed by single mothers (103--divorced, 49--widowed). The study results showed that only 62.5% of women got married for the second time the others preferred to live temporarily together. 55% of women gave birth to common children with new partners. A number of specific features were detected, the main of which are the relations between the members of newly created families and their relatives. The nature of psychological relations in such families has an essential influence on the reproductive policy and on the health condition of their members.


Advance of VLSI technology allows programmable devices to implement the high-speed and large circuits, as well as ASIC. This fact drives forward concept of reconfigurable computing (RC). RC can establish an efficient computing system that has the characteristics of the software flexibility and the high-speed hardware. Although many RC systems have developed, evaluations including the behaviors of memory system, IO devices, operating system and so on were few. We have developed an RC system called RCPII (reconfigurable processor) system using off-the-shelf products. RCPII system stands on the motherboard of personal computer (DOS/V machine) having the main memory, hard disk, display and so on. Therefore, the RCPII system can perform the evaluations taking into account of the real system behaviors. In this paper, we report an effect of real memory system on RC using the RCPII system.


Transport spectra of a quantum dot dimer are studied with the assumption that energy levels are quantized in each quantum dot. The splitting of energy levels between bonding and antibonding states is modulated by the coupling with electronic states in an emitter and a collector. When the coupling with external electrodes is strong enough, the spectra of a quantum dot dimer are not necessarily observed by I-V characteristics.


The purpose of this panel is to expand internationally a National Action Plan for sharable and comparable nursing data for quality improvement and big data science. There is an urgent need to assure that nursing has sharable and comparable data for quality improvement and big data science. A national collaborative - Nursing Knowledge and Big Data Science includes multi-stakeholder groups focused on a National Action Plan toward implementing and using sharable and comparable nursing big data. Panelists will share accomplishments and future plans with an eye toward international collaboration. This presentation is suitable for any audience attending the NI2016 conference.


Non-covalent bonds are fundamental for designing self-assembled organic structures with potentially high responsiveness to mechanical, light, and thermal stimuli. The weak intermolecular interaction allows triggering charge-transport, energy-conversion, enzymatic, and catalytic activity, to name a few. Here, we discuss the synergistic action that multiple highly-directional and purely electrostatic bonds have in assembling one molecular specie, namely 4,7-dibromobenzo[c]-1,2,5-thiadiazole (2Br-BTD), in two different patterns on the Au(111) surface. We find, using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT), that multiple secondary-interactions strengthen the electrostatic attraction between the pnicogen and chalcogen atoms forming [S-N]2 heterocycles, the building block of the two networks. Among these interactions, there are halogen-halogen bonds that form characteristic supra-molecular synthons of 3, 4, or 6 molecules. However, not all these nodal structures contribute to the cohesion of the system. In such cases, other secondary bonds involving hydrogen or nitrogen compensate for the eventual deficiency.


More than 30 million U.S. adults have hearing loss. This condition is underrecognized, and hearing aids and other hearing enhancement technologies are underused. Hearing loss is categorized as conductive, sensorineural, or mixed. Age-related sensorineural hearing loss (i.e., presbycusis) is the most common type in adults. Several approaches can be used to screen for hearing loss, but the benefits of screening are uncertain. Patients may present with self-recognized hearing loss, or family members may observe behaviors (e.g., difficulty understanding conversations, increasing television volume) that suggest hearing loss. Patients with suspected hearing loss should undergo in-office hearing tests such as the whispered voice test or audiometry. Patients should then undergo examination for cerumen impaction, exostoses, and other abnormalities of the external canal and tympanic membrane, in addition to a neurologic examination. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (loss of 30 dB or more within 72 hours) requires prompt otolaryngology referral. Laboratory evaluation is not indicated unless systemic illness is suspected. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is indicated in patients with asymmetrical hearing loss or sudden sensorineural hearing loss, and when ossicular chain damage is suspected. Treating cerumen impaction with irrigation or curettage is potentially curative. Other aspects of treatment include auditory rehabilitation, education, and eliminating or reducing use of ototoxic medications. Patients with sensorineural hearing loss should be referred to an audiologist for consideration of hearing aids. Patients with conductive hearing loss or sensorineural loss that does not improve with hearing aids should be referred to an otolaryngologist. Cochlear implants can be helpful for those with refractory or severe hearing loss.


Sustainable practices which increase awareness of people in industries which deal with environmental issues need to be implemented. However, information that needs to be considered to make informed decision on sustainable procurement is located in different places and comes in different form, either internal or external of the organizations. Thus, there is a strong need to consider this information to be interrelated and put in one place for easy access. The aim of this paper is to consider all of these concerns and develop information model to support sustainable procurement. It is hope that this information model is able to guide buyers in making the most informed decisions.


Plants must constantly respond to various environmental stresses during growth and development. Heat-shock and anaerobic stress are known to alter the expression of many genes (Sachs and Ho, 1986). Among them is the GAPDH gene that encodes an enzyme in the glycolytic pathway (Russell and Sachs, 1989; Yang et al., 1993). The enzyme catalyzes the NAD+-dependent oxidative phosphorylation of glyceraldehyde-3-P, generating a high-energy intermediate, 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate, one of the most important metabolic reactions in the glycolytic pathway (Mathews and van Holde, 1990). As an altemative ATP-producing pathway, the activation of the GAPDH gene may be an adaptative response to heat-stress-related mitochondrial damage or anaerobic stress-induced inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation. The elucidation of the functional significance of this induction will provide insight into primary carbon metabolism involved in cellular responses to environmental stresses. Atriplex nummularia L., a salt bush indigenous to the Negev desert, tolerates high temperature and osmotic stresses. We have obtained a cDNA done encoding the GAPDH from A . nummularia and characterized its regulation in response to heat and anaerobic stress. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence from the A. nummularia cDNA with those in data bases indicates a high degree of conservation for this enzyme among plants (Table I). The largest open reading frame within the 1339-bp cDNA encodes a polypeptide of 360 amino acids. The predicted peptide contains highly conserved domains for NAD+ binding (residues 1-151) and catalytic function (residues 152338), as well as functionally important residues: C Y S ' ~ ~ for glyceraldehyde-3-P binding and His'*' for thiol group activation during glycolysis (Martinez et al., 1989). A unique feature of the peptide encoded by this particular cDNA is the extension at the carboxyl terminus, resulting in a protein about 20 amino acids longer than other GAPDHs. The significance of the extra amino acids at the C terminus is unknown; however, it would be intriguing to determine its possible function in gene expression. Using the full-length cDNA as a probe, we detected


Abstract An assessment of snow loads in Switzerland was required for a revision of the building code. Settling curves of snow are used to compute water equivalents of snow if direct measurements are not available. Based on a frequency analysis, relations between the snow load and the altitude are given for various return periods. Problems of regional effects and of converting the snow-cover data to roof loads are outlined.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the article is to determine pedagogical conditions of healthy lifestyle principles formation of children aged 6-7.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Materials and methods: Three groups of methods have been used in the research - theoretical - content analysis of scientific literature and modeling; empirical - surveys, observations, questionnaires and pedagogical experiment; statistical - mathematical processing, quantitative and qualitative analysis.

RESULTS
Results: The definition of notion «health» has been analyzed. Attention is focused on the interdisciplinary aspect of the problem. We have conducted pedagogical experiment wcich involved 145 primary school studets (aged 6-7) of Lviv specialized school № 8 (Ukraine) in order to find ways to form the healthy lifestyle principles in general secondary educational institutions. We have identified the levels of formation of healthy lifestyle of primary school children (aged 6 - 7) as high, medium and low.

CONCLUSION
Conclusions: The organizational and pedagogical conditions for the formation of the healthy lifestyle principles of children aged 6-7during curriculum and extracurriculum activities are: axiological approach application to the formation of healthy lifestyle principles; strengthening positive attitude of primary school children (aged 6-7) toward the healthy lifestyle principles formation; organizational, methodological and pedagogical support of the healthy lifestyle principles of primary school students. It has been found that the implementation of the proposed tools contributes to better understanding of healthy lifestyle importance and develop means to be fit and healthy.


The connection between the slab-like and the curvature-induced electrostatic drift modes in the collisionless regime of a plasma in an axisymmetric toroidal confinement geometry is discussed.


The whitemouth croaker is considered the main demersal resource landed in southeastern and southern Brazil, caught mainly by gillnets and pair trawls. This study evaluated the directed fishing effort at whitemouth croaker in different fishing modalities (or 'metiers'). We also investigated the bathymetric range and seasonal variations related to capture of whitemouth croaker in each modality. In the different types of gillnet, the whitemouth croaker was considered an incidental species or "by catch", a target species and a 'massive' target. For pair trawlers, the species was considered a target species. Catches occurred mainly in depths ranging between 10-20 m. However, in winter the largest catches occurred in 75 m depths. Catches of the gillnet fisheries peaked mainly between May and July. Pair trawl catches had two annual peaks one between March and May and another between August and November. This seasonal variation is probably related to the migration pattern of the species in association with physical and operational characteristics of vessels.


This research aimed to investigate the geochemical mechanisms that govern the strong hydrochemical variations in the fractured aquifers of the Itabuna/BA region. Plagioclase and quartz comprise the major mineralogy of metatonalite/metatrondhjemite rocks, while plagioclase, pyroxenes and amphiboles comprise the major mineralogy of metabasic rocks. Zeolites, chlorites and montmorillonites comprise the main mineral phases generated by rock/water interaction. Conceptually, three distinct processes act on the hydrochemical variations of the aquifer. The irst one is represented by the interaction of meteoric water with marine aerosols, while the second one is governed by high evapotranspiration rates that increase the water salinity, and the third one is represented by the interaction with metatonalite/metatrondhjemite and methasic rocks. The geochemical simulations were able to reproduce the compositional variations observed in the ield. The increase of Clcan be attributed to the interaction of precipitated meteoric water with marine aerosols and subsequent evaporation, whereas the increase of Ca, Na, Mg and HCO 3 is due to the weathering of plagioclase, pyroxenes and amphiboles.


How service employees express their emotions with customers is an important part of service quality. However, the emotional expressiveness of contact employees can be affected by the importance they give to customers and can have consequences on their work attitudes and well- being. This study aims to explore the influence of customer orientation in emotional labour strategies and analyses the impact of emotional labour strategies on four outcomes: burnout, affective delivery, job satisfaction and affective commitment. The sample consisted of 283 contact employees from hotels and travel agencies. The results show that organisational customer orientation promotes the expression of genuine emotions and that individual customer orientation fosters both deep acting and expression of genuine emotions. The study reveals that while surface acting promotes both emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation, deep acting promotes affective commitment. Finally, it is shown that the expression of genuine emotions fosters personal accomplishment, affective delivery, job satisfaction and affective commitment. Findings provide insight for organisations and managers about the importance of customer orientation in management of emotions in customer service and how can have positive implications on employees and on the quality of service.


EDIN-B (epidermal cell differentiation inhibitor-B; also termed C3Stau) is an exotoxin of Staphylococcus aureus which ADP-ribosylates and inactivates Rho GTP binding proteins. The EDIN-B gene (edin-B) and the gene for exfoliative toxin D (etd) make up the central part of a recently described pathogenicity island. Here we evaluated the prevalence and genetic organization of the edin-B/etd pathogenicity island in invasive S. aureus isolates, and characterized edin-B transcription and EDIN-B production using artificial constructs transduced in S. aureus strains RN6390 and Newman. We found that eight out of 121 (7 %) S. aureus blood culture isolates harbour edin-B, which is organized in three novel variants of the original edin-B/etd pathogenicity island. In the serum of patients infected with edin-B-positive S. aureus, significant titres of anti-EDIN-B antibodies could be detected. Regulation of edin-B transcription depended on the sarA but not on the agr regulatory system. Furthermore, retrieval of EDIN-B protein secreted by S. aureus RN6390 required the presence of alpha2-macroglobulin to inhibit the activity of extracellular proteases. These data suggest that the EDIN-B toxin is produced during human infection, is part of a highly variable pathogenicity island and can be controlled by the sarA gene regulon and secreted bacterial proteases.


The experimental literature on the behavioral sequelae of prenatal stress in rodents is reviewed, from which few conclusions can be drawn except that some change in activity-reactivity may be induced. Were more careful consideration given to certain methodologic dimensions, greater clarity of empirical relations could be achieved. These dimensions are: (1) the sex, species, and strain of animal observed; (2) the specification of the prenatal manipulation; and (3) the precision and completeness of the behavioral description which is the dependent variable studied. Multiple descriptions, as in a test-battery approach, appear to be inefficient and generally unwarranted.


Part I: Occurrence, Fate, and Transport (this literature review) summarizes research appearing in 2011 on the occurrence of emerging pollutants in wastewater and environmental waters, sources of emerging pollutants, the fate and transport of emerging pollutants in the environment, monitoring approaches, modeling, and regulatory discussions. Toxicity studies are included where relevant specifically to wastewater. Part II: Treatment (the companion to this review) includes discussion of water and wastewater treatment technologies on emerging pollutants.


Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) is characterized by t(15;17)(q22;q21) which results in the formation of two chimaeric genes, PML/RAR alpha and RAR alpha/PML, thought to play a role in leukaemogenesis. We report a case of a patient with APL apparently lacking the t(15;17) but with t(1;17) translocation identified by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Chromosome 15 seemed intact but PML/RAR alpha fusion transcript was detected by molecular analysis. The patient achieved complete remission with all-trans retinoic acid treatment associated with chemotherapy. This case illustrates the usefulness of combined cytogenetics, FISH and molecular biology in cases with no evident t(15;17) to predict response to treatment.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the incidence, nature, severity, and recovery of early dysphagia in patients following surgical resection of oral and/or oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma with a mandibular lingual release approach (MLRA).

STUDY DESIGN
Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING
Tertiary head and neck cancer center.

METHODS
Inclusion of patients' after surgical resection of oral cavity and/or oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma via an MLRA between 2012 and 2017. Data collection included acute medical care, enteral feeding, and swallowing outcomes derived from clinical swallow examination and videofluoroscopic swallowing study assessments at baseline, after surgery, and prior to discharge.

RESULTS
Twenty-eight patients were eligible for participation (23 males; mean age, 63 years). Baseline clinical swallow examination findings revealed that 32% (n = 9) were tolerating normal diet and fluids preoperatively (Functional Oral Intake Scale [FOIS] = 7). Following surgery, the majority (n = 21, 75%) experienced severe dysphagia (FOIS ≤4), of which 15 were nil by mouth. Twelve patients received a postoperative videofluoroscopic swallowing study, with silent aspiration observed in 9 cases. At discharge, 12 (43%) patients had persistent severe functional dysphagia (FOIS ≤4) with ongoing enteral feeding requirements, of which 7 were nil by mouth. Eleven (39%) were managing diets of modified fluid/diet consistencies (FOIS = 5), and 5 (18%) had mild dysphagia (FOIS ≥6) at discharge. None were able to manage a normal diet. The average length of hospital stay was 27.9 days.

CONCLUSIONS
Early dysphagia post-MLRA is a common and often severe complication of surgery. Patients require extended hospital admission with prolonged enteral feeding, which may persist postdischarge. This cohort requires early intervention by speech-language pathology services to aid swallow rehabilitation.


This paper reports the instrumentation and monitoring techniques developed to improve understanding of the early-life behaviour of concrete industrial ground-floor slabs. Concrete strains, temperatures and joint movements were measured using vibrating-wire embedment strain gauges and thermistors, while ambient conditions were monitored to assess their effects. A reliable, accurate and easy-to-implement methodology, developed by instrumenting four types of floor slab (mesh-reinforced long strip, mesh-reinforced jointed large area pour, steel fibre-reinforced jointed large area pour and steel fibre-reinforced jointless large area pour) is described in detail, along with the further developments and modifications to the instrumentation. The methodology developed would be equally applicable to the early-life monitoring of other concrete structural elements. Some sample results of data gathered using the instrumentation methodology developed are included.


ABSTRACT Low concentrations of P and organic manure in savanna soils limit cowpea response to rhizobia. The study was conducted to determine the combined effect of P and organic manure on cowpea response to rhizobia in a factorial experiment arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications on smallholder farmers' fields in northern Ghana in 2015. The factors were two levels of Bradyrhizobium inoculant, two levels of P fertilizer, three treatments of manure (fertisoil, cattle manure, and no manure). Addition of Bradyrhizobium inoculant to P and fertisoil significantly increased shoot biomass yield from 1677 kg ha−1 in the plots without Bradyrhizobium inoculation to 1913 kg ha−1. Likewise, the addition of Bradyrhizobium inoculant to P and cattle manure significantly increased shoot biomass from 1437 kg ha−1 to 1813 kg ha−1. Grain yield increases of 1427 and 1278 kg ha−1 were obtained over the control when either fertisoil or cattle manure and P, respectively, were added to Bradyrhizobium inoculant. The value cost ratio for adding Bradyrhizobium inoculant to phosphorus and fertisoil was two indicating that it could be attractive to risk-averse smallholder farmers. The study demonstrated the potential of the combined application of organic matter and P to improve cowpea response to Bradyrhizobium inoculation.


Natural language processing techniques have witnessed a notable success in many applications, such as dialogue generation, machine translation, and document summarization. Among them, the study of document summarization is an active research area, which aims to generate a concise version of the original document and preserve its most informative content. However, the existing work fails to consider the interaction among raw data (in terms of contextual similarity and difference), which results in inaccurate and even conflicting outcomes. In this paper, a novel context-aware extractive summarization algorithm is proposed by utilizing the concept of multi-view learning. Multi-view data are represented using latent topics, by parameterizing multiple Gaussian distributions with trainable hyper-parameters. Then those extracted latent topics are fused and integrated to produce the final summarization output. The experiments on one of the largest online-available cartoon data resources demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed algorithm, by achieving the state-of-the-art summarization results when compared with other contemporary approaches.


Microbiota niches have space and/or nutrient restrictions, which has led to the coevolution of cooperation, specialisation, and competition within the population. Different animal and environmental niches contain defined resident microbiota that tend to be stable over time and offer protection against undesired intruders. Yet fluxes can occur, which alter the composition of a bacterial population. In humans, the microbiota are now considered a key contributor to maintenance of health and homeostasis, and its alteration leads to dysbiosis. The bacterial type VI secretion system (T6SS) transports proteins into the environment, directly into host cells or can function as an antibacterial weapon by killing surrounding competitors. Upon contact with neighbouring cells, the T6SS fires, delivering a payload of effector proteins. In the absence of an immunity protein, this results in growth inhibition or death of prey leading to a competitive advantage for the attacker. It is becoming apparent that the T6SS has a role in modulating and shaping the microbiota at multiple levels, which is the focus of this review. Discussed here is the T6SS, its role in competition, key examples of its effect upon the microbiota, and future avenues of research.


The National Literacy Movement (GLN) programmed since 2016 has experienced developments with the emergence of many studies on literacy and literacy programs in schools. Literacy programs are not limited to literacy but also lead to religious literacy. This study seeks to raise the religious literacy program at SMA Negeri 2 Kediri. Based on field research carried out under the light of the Prothero religious literacy concept which was later developed by Gallagher, the study finds that the practice of religious literacy in SMA Negeri 2 Kediri has being carried out through a program of reading the scriptures according to their respective religions guided by the religious literacy reading team. The implementation process takes place through three stages. First, the school principal forms a religious literacy team. Second, the implementation phase which includes the stages of habituation, development, and learning. Third, the assessment stage. The three implementation processes are intended so that the religious literacy program not only leads to the accumulation of knowledge, but slowly increases to the level of daily practice.


The Pashtun are an ethnic group that straddles the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, and are the largest group in Afghanistan. Historically, when Afghanistan has been united, it has been under Pashtun rule. Pashtun rulers of Afghanistan have come from the Durrani Pashtun, who are a western Pashtun group. The Durrani learned governance from serving under Turko-Mongolian dynasties. These dynasties tried to rule only the most populous, productive areas, leaving marginal areas ungoverned. Pashtun social structure is what anthropologists term a segmentary lineage system. In such a system, there is a hierarchy of social groupings starting at the local level, then proceeding upward through various levels to an entire ethnic group. These relationships are based on kinship and shared culture. At any given level (local, regional, ethnic group), social segments operate only in opposition to equivalent segments (local kinship group vs. local kinship group, regional group vs. regional group, etc.). Leadership is situational rather than institutionalized. Both leadership and segmentary organization end when conflict ends. The cultural ideal is egalitarianism. Pashtun society is atomized in the sense that it is based on the most basic element, the individual (especially the individual man). Each man considers himself independent and self-sufficient, and simultaneously in competition with all others Pashtun men. This belief in self-sufficiency, and the perpetual competition, make it difficult for Pashtun to unite for cooperative projects, or even to engage in economic exchange. The ideal economic exchange among the Pashtun is reciprocal and balanced. The Pashtun consider all non-Pashtun to be inferior. A Pashtun man may engage in economic relations with non-Pashtun without losing honor, but also considers it acceptable to cheat non-Pashtun. On the other hand, because of competition within Pashtun society, Pashtun men look to establish friendships with outsiders. The social structure determines how the Pashtun understand the actions of outsiders, and limits their capacity for responding to external intervention. Members of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should understand and consider this social structure when dealing with the Pashtun. Segmentary lineage organization presents outsiders with both opportunities and challenges. It is highly important to understand this in such areas as (a) economic development), (b) Taliban force composition, (c) negotiation, and (d) the establishment of friendships and alliances. The report discusses these topics in some detail. The Pashtun on the one hand, and Western interveners on the other, are likely to have fundamentally different understandings in these areas. Pshtun conceptions of time are not fully understood. This is an important element of economic development, so it is vital to understand how the Pashtun view it.