We discuss America's Army, an Internet-based PC game suite developed by the Moves Institute under the auspices of the US Army. The goal within America's Army: Operations was to demonstrate life in the infantry. America's Army: Soldiers was conceived as a realistic look at army personal and career opportunities via sophisticated role-playing.


Community Health Workers (CHWs) have the potential to be a great resource in the further growth of the fledging healthcare systems that exist in many developing countries. Through their position as community members, CHWs can interact with other individuals in the areas where they live and work and serve as valuable health resources by providing basic health information and referrals up the healthcare chain. However, few studies have examined CHWs from a community-based perspective. This study analyzes the work and relationships of several CHWs working for the Mashavu mHealth venture in Nyeri, Kenya. Through the use of participant observation and interviews, the workflows of these CHWs were investigated with a specific eye towards interactions between CHWs and their communities and how these interactions affect potential health data collection opportunities. This community-based perspective reveals unique insights into the workflows of the CHWs and how technology might be designed to support them.


The landscape of research is profoundly different today from that one decade ago. Basic science is moving rapidly and biotechnological revolutions have completely modified the opportunities and concepts for treatment. Still the up gradation in research and developmental science has not been mirrored by the same level of progress in conceptualizing the clinical basis of various diseases and ultimately the development of treatment which are novel and more effective. This gap can be bridged by applying translational research throughout the late-stage discovery and exploratory development stages of drug development. More specifically, translational research is an emerging field of science, embracing disciplines in medicine and public health to create a full-spectrum research agenda. Often described as science "from bench to bedside and back again," translational research may be better described as "from bench to behavior," By achieving a two way dialogue between researcher and clinicians with more inclination towards the pharmacology and clinical basis for disease, it will help to deliver biomarkers that enable drug development decisions to be made earlier and with increased confidence. Also with the development in technologies of proteomics, transcriptional profiling, metabolomics translational research has become a key factor in the production of new innovative therapies. Thus, today translational research has become a buzzword in the life sciences, aimed at moving discoveries from the "bench to the bedside."


How many people in the automobile industry, manufacturing industry, and electrical industry can truly say that they have not heard about JIT? Not many. Just in Time (JIT) has been a very popular operation strategy partly because of its success in Japanese industry. Various benefits for example, inventory reduction, improved in operation efficiency and faster response. JIT implementation can involve a series of incremental steps and missteps, before the desired outcome is achieved. Customer has focus on product quality, product delivery time and cost of product. Therefore, success full implementation of JIT is vital to many industries. JIT implementation improves performance through lower inventory levels, reduced quality cost and greater customer responsiveness. This paper will examine the roll of a company's resource. This paper present a literature review on a small manufacturing that altered its resources configuration from a producerconsumer relationship separated by a buffer, to a simultaneity constraint. The result of this paper shows that the removal of the buffer system increased the manufacturing system's need for mix flexibility and indicates that JIT system is success full, and operating JIT system can lead to many advantages to the case company.


Thirty-year old female developed limited range of motion (ROM) of both ankles after radiofrequency muscle reduction procedure for one month prior to her visit. Dorsiflexion of both ankles was severely limited to zero degree. Plantar flexion of both ankles was limited to 20 degree on the right and 15 degree on the left. The electrodiagnostic study and MRI showed normal nerve conduction study and inflammatory change of both gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. She received ROM and stretching exercise for 1 hour per day and twice per week for 4 weeks as an outpatient with continuous home programming. After 2 weeks of treatment, ROM improved to 20 degree plantar flexion and to 20 degree dorsiflexion on the right ankle and to 20 degree plantar flexion to 10 degree dorsiflexion on the left ankle. This is a case of severe muscles contracture after radiofrequency procedure reversible after intensive strengthening exercise. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2008; 32: 349-351)


This paper provides a didactical model for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to support the acquisition of 21st century skills such as critical thinking. For this purpose, the didactic triangle as a model of teaching and learning is extended to allow for the consideration of experts, resources, literacy and an all-encompassing learning space when designing digital learning settings. The "Dr. Internet" MOOC is presented as a case study for the proposed didactic model. Preliminary results from the evaluation of this MOOC indicated that the setting had met with reasonable acceptance from the participants. Based on these findings, we argue for a more extensive introduction of digital learning settings with an output-oriented approach to foster the acquisition of skills rather than simply knowledge.


The article is devoted to the work of the Bulgarian writer of the XXth century, Angel Karaliychev. In the second half of the XXth century, his most famous fairy tales and stories for children were translated into Russian, including the collection "Bulgarian Folk Talesˮ in two volumes. In the Soviet Union, Karaliychev's fairy tales were included in collections of fairy tales of Slavic peoples and represented Bulgarian folklore in collections of fairy tales of the peoples of the world published in Russian. Despite the fact that the last book edition of Karaliychev's fairy tales in Russian appeared in the 1980s, his works continue their life in the new century in electronic format, on the Internet. Karaliychev's fairy tales, addressed to children 4 – 10 years old, tell about eternal values in a language understandable for children, they also introduce to children and adults the realities of Bulgarian life, the heroes of Bulgarian folk tales, expanding the horizons of the Russian reader.


Investigation of neurological soft signs (NSSs) in schizophrenia may allow for a greater understanding of its underlying pathology. Motor overflow, involuntary movement occurring during voluntary movement, is a NSS thought to occur to a greater degree in schizophrenia. The aim of the current study was to replicate the only objective investigation which found enhanced motor overflow in schizophrenia and to further characterise its properties in a more systematic manner than previous research. The current study involved examining motor overflow production in 30 participants (15 with schizophrenia, 15 controls). Participants exerted 25 and 75% of their maximal force output, while overflow was monitored in the passive hand using linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) units. Patients with schizophrenia not only exhibited a significantly greater degree of motor overflow, compared to controls, they also exhibited a differential pattern of overflow production. Direct investigation of the cortical processes leading to motor overflow may provide a more complete understanding of the pathological relevance of motor overflow, and by extension NSSs, in schizophrenia.


Rainforests offer two contrasted light environments: a bright canopy rich in blue and UV and a dark understorey, rich in green and orange. Therefore, natural selection for crypsis should favour dark brown signals in understorey and bright green signals in canopy, whereas sexual selection for conspicuousness should favour bright yellow-red signals in understorey and dark blue and UV signals in canopy. Using spectrometry and comparative analyses, we examined the relationship between ambient light and colour signals in a bird community of French Guiana. It appears that brightness and hue are mostly naturally selected, while UV content of plumage is more likely sexually selected. At each height, both sexes present similar coloration but males display more conspicuous sexually selected patterns than females. These results show that ambient light drives the evolution of colour signals at community scale, and should be considered when studying signalling in other communities and light-contrasted ecosystems.


This workshop will deal with genre analysis and use-quality analysis in relation to interactive artifacts, as well as provide an opportunity to apply these concepts. Starting out with a wide look at genres of interactive artifacts, we continue into a focused discussion on a repertoire of genre elements. As a tool for design, such a repertoire is needed to be able to understand what experience one might expect from specific designs within a genre. Furthermore, the use qualities of interactive artifacts relate to the concept of genre, and to specific genres in complex ways. We wish to extend the ongoing discussion on the concept of genres in relation to interactive artifacts, as well as further develop tools and insights to advance the genre concept within our field of practice.


The article aims to analyze how the application of qualitative and historical methods contributes to the process understanding and the complexity of the phenomenon of interculturality in organizations. The starting point was the articulated and complementary use of a set of qualitative and historical methods, specifically documentary analysis, narrative interview, life history and oral history for the study of the reflexes of interculturality in an organization of a joint venture. The organization studied was the Inaceres Agricola and Palmito Processing Industry, which was established in Brazil through the partnership between an Ecuadorian and a Brazilian organization, with the subsequent acquisition of another Brazilian organization. The concept of interculturality was taken as interaction and coexistence marked by experiences and symbols shared by members involved in a reality built by their behaviors and actions. In order to understand how this phenomenon of interculturality is reflected in the Inaceres organization, a historical approach to interculturalism was adopted to answer a question that is formulated in the present and answered from the past: what are the reflexes of interculturality in the Inaceres organization? The historical approach was adopted because of its interdisciplinary nature, because culture is one of the objects treated by the new history, to use elements that theoretically and methodologically characterize the historical approach to interculturality, and to allow, as close as possible, proximity to the history of the organization studied . In order to achieve this objective, firstly, the concepts and techniques of each of the methods used are presented and, secondly, the application of this method in the study on interculturality, in terms of purpose and operationalization, is analyzed. Regarding the operationalization, more specifically the field research sought to identify the characteristics of the group of subjects who acted or act at Inaceres as employees from listening to their stories, opinions, beliefs, values and customs, anchored in the "how" and the "what" of their professional experiences. Fifteen (15) subjects were heard, who presented their point of view on the historical trajectory of Inaceres through their own experience. The use of this set of methods allowed the valorization of the discursive reconstruction of something that was lived by the subject and the reconstruction of a past that is not always manifested in the memory of the people. Interculturality was studied within a historical cut that extended from its constitution until its nationalization considering the aspects of the national cultures (Brazil and Ecuador), local (several regions of Brazil in which the company was established) and organizational (the various units from the company). The set of methods used also allowed us to affirm that the different cultures resulted in an interculturality integrated throughout the historical trajectory of Inaceres.


Electrochemical reduction of a wide variety of aromatic diazonium salts on carbon electrodes (glassy carbon, highly oriented pyrolytic graphite) leads to the covalent attachment of the corresponding aromatic radicals. The films thus deposited on glassy carbon surfaces require mechanical abrasion to be removed. Cyclic voltammetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, polarization modulation IR reflection absorption spectroscopy, Auger spectroscopy, and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy allow the characterization of the overlayer and an estimate of the surface coverage. The latter can be controlled through diazonium concentration and electrolysis duration. The mechanism of derivatization is discussed on the basis of the kinetic data obtained from cyclic voltammetry and preparative electrolysis. This versatile method of surface modification may find applications in the field of carbon−epoxy composites as attested by the successful binding of grafted p-aminophenyl groups with epichlorhydrin.


Cardiomyopathy refers to a spectrum of heterogeneous myocardial disorders characterized by morphological and structural alterations leading eventually to heart failure, by affecting cardiac filling and/or the cardiac systolic function. Heart transplantation is currently the gold standard surgical treatment for patients with heart failure, with a median survival in adults of 12 years according to international registries. However, the limited available donor pool does not allow its extensive employment. For this reason, mechanical circulatory supports are increasingly used, and in the short term are becoming as possible alternatives to heart transplantation, owing to improved technologies and increased biocompatibility. However, long-term outcomes of mechanical assist devices are still burdened with a high rate of adverse events. Conventional surgical treatments could be still considered as alternatives to heart replacement treatment when tailored both on patient clinical conditions and etiology of cardiac diseases. In particular, among patients affected by ischemic cardiomyopathy, coronary artery bypass grafting has proven to improve survival when associated to optimal medical treatment, and surgical ventricular restoration might be considered as a valid treatment in particular cases. Correction of functional mitral valve regurgitation by mitral annuloplasty, which aims to restore left ventricular geometry, has not demonstrated unambiguous results, and outcomes of this procedure are still controversial. Pericardial pathology becomes of surgical interest when it is responsible for a reduced filling capacity of the heart chambers, which can develop acutely (cardiac tamponade) or chronically (as in the case of constrictive pericarditis). This review focuses on the different surgical approaches that could be adopted to treat patients with heart failure and pericardial diseases.


The Gowdy spacetimes are vacuum solutions of Einstein's equations with two commuting Killing vectors having compact spacelike orbits with T 3 , S 2 × S 1 or S 3 topology. In the case of T 3 topology, Kichenassamy and Rendall have found a family of singular solutions which are asymptotically velocity dominated by construction. In the case when the velocity is between zero and one, the solutions depend on the maximal number of free functions. We consider the similar case with S 2 × S 1 or S 3 topology, where the main complication is the presence of symmetry axes. We use Fuchsian techniques to show the existence of singular solutions similar to the T 3 case. We first solve the analytic case and then generalise to the smooth case by approximating smooth data with a sequence of analytic data. However, for the metric to be smooth at the axes, the velocity must be 1 or 3 there, which is outside the range where the constructed solutions depend on the full number of free functions. A plausible explanation is that in general a spiky feature may develop at the axis, a situation which is unsuitable for a direct treatment by Fuchsian methods.


AIM
Cysteinyl leukotrienes are important pro-inflammatory mediators in the pathogenesis of asthma, while leukotriene C4 synthase is a key enzyme in their biosynthesis. Our aim is to evaluate whether responsiveness to leukotriene receptor antagonists was determined by expression of the variant (C) or wild-type (A) polymorphism of this enzyme.

METHODS
We carried out a retrospective analysis of 8 randomised, placebo-controlled trials performed in our department in mild-to-moderate asthmatics. In all trials, effect of leukotriene receptor antagonist was compared to placebo, where the primary outcome was bronchial hyperresponsiveness to adenosine monophosphate or methacholine. Secondary outcomes were forced expiratory volume in 1 second, exhaled nitric oxide and peripheral blood eosinophils.

RESULTS
For the primary outcome of attenuation of bronchial hyperresponsiveness by leukotriene receptor antagonist vs placebo, there were significant effects within each genotype on adenosine monophosphate (AMP) (n = 78): 2.21 and 2.07-fold improvements for AA and AC/CC, respectively; while for methacholine (n = 81) there were 1.39 and 1.36-fold improvements, respectively. There were no significant differences between genotypes (i.e. AA vs AC/CC): geometric mean fold-differences of 1.07 (95%CI 0.63-1.81) and 1.02 (95%CI 0.70-1.50) for AMP and methacholine, respectively. There were also no differences between genotypes for all secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSION
Polymorphisms of leukotriene C4 synthase did not determine responsiveness, in terms of attenuation of bronchial hyperresponsiveness, to leukotriene receptor antagonists in mild-to-moderate asthmatics. Further prospective large pharmacogenetic studies are required in more severe patients, where there may be greater improvements in pharmacodynamic outcome measures such as bronchial hyperresponsiveness and exhaled nitric oxide.


Objectives: Increasing national influenza vaccination rates continues to be a challenge for Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the Saudi public perceptions toward seasonal influenza vaccination and their association with the rate of vaccination. Methods: Individuals aged 15 years and older were surveyed about their knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward the seasonal influenza vaccine using a previously developed and validated 19-item online questionnaire. The impact of the participants' perceptions toward the seasonal influenza vaccine on their past influenza vaccination history was assessed using multiple linear regressions. Results: The rate of regular vaccination among the 790 surveyed participants was 12.65%, and those who were aged <24 years had the highest rate (57%). The vast majority of the participants with chronic diseases (>90%) reported irregular vaccination histories against seasonal influenza. Participants who believed that the influenza vaccine is safe (β = 3.27; 95% CI: 2.067 to 5.171; p <0.001), efficacious (β = 2.87; 95% CI: 1.834 to 4.498; p <0.001), should be given during a specific time in the year (β = 1.821; 95% CI: 1.188 to 2.789; p = 0.0059), and were aware of their need to get vaccinated against the seasonal influenza (β = 2.781; 95% CI: 1.254 to 6.188; p = 0.0119) were more likely to have received the vaccine. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the rate of seasonal influenza vaccination is low among the Saudi population, which necessitates the launching of public awareness campaigns about the importance of the seasonal influenza vaccine.


The paper sets forth materials reflecting the present-day views of morphologists concerning the problem of cardiac insufficiency. The current state of the problem relating to morphology of the myocardium in cardiac incompetence is characterized. It is suggested that cardiac incompetence cannot be approached as a unique issue, and in different affections the pathogenesis of the heart muscle debility may prove to be dissimilar. Ultrastructural changes in the left heart myocardium of the rabbit, at a distance from the ischemic area, in experimental myocardial infarction at the stage of compensatory hypertrophy and with developing acute cardiac incompetence are described. In the lastly named case the mitochondria of myocites were found to contain compact bodies, apparently made up of calcium phosphate. Their appearance comes as a proof of irreversibility of the supervened changes.


In this article, we examine the ways in which the creation of a third space can bridge the divide between coursework and practice for preservice secondary mathematics teachers (PSTs) taking a technology, pedagogy, and content course. A university-based instructor partnered with two high school teachers to create a space in which PSTs draw upon and use both academic and practitioner knowledge while creating technology-based tasks for high school students to use. Our results revealed increased focus on pedagogical decisions in areas such as technology-task design and questioning techniques. The data also indicate that the success of this collaboration was connected to fair distribution of work, feeling valued, and personal benefit and challenges centered on maintaining rejection of hierarchy.


The specific heat of CePd2.02Ge1.98 has been measured with an ac calorimetric technique up to 22 GPa for temperatures in the range 0.3 K ≤T ≤10 K. A thermocouple allowed the temperature oscillations to be read when an ac heating current was sent through the sample. The inverse of the thermovoltage Vac recorded at low temperature exhibits a pronounced anomaly as a function of pressure. It is shown that 1/Vac extrapolated to zero temperature is a measure of the Sommerfeld coefficient γ.


This study analyses economic importance of forest-based enterprises and income inequality among forest indigenous households in South-western Nigeria. Descriptive statistics, budgetary analysis and Gini coefficient decomposable technique were used to estimate income inequalities among forest entrepreneurs. For every N1000 invested on high income yielding forest-based Enterprises, 243 on the average was realized as profit while 184 and 125 on the average were realized as profit on middle income yielding and low income yielding forest-based Enterprises respectively. Forest-based enterprises are profitable ventures with higher market efficiency in South-western Nigeria having the average investment worth of 127, 022 and profitability index of 0.192 on the aggregate. Also, aggregate income inequality for the region was 0.73 and engaging in diverse income sources would reduce income inequality. Finally, forest enterprises income is the most inequality decreasing business with a correlation coefficient of 0.72 followed by commerce income with a correlation coefficient of 0.91. Forest-based approaches, such as market development for forest products like wood, bush meat, wood crafts, furniture making and pole should be aided. Also, credit facilities should be made friendly accessible to local traders to boost their commerce particularly the low return forest based businesses while the economy-environment trade-offs of forest resources should be minimized.


Monoclonal antibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase (anti-GAD) were modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and the resulting conjugates were characterized. Monoclonal anti-GAD antibodies were purified from ATCC HB184 hybridoma cells by either cell culture supernatant or ascites fluid from BALB/c mice. Polyclonal rabbit IgG antibodies were also used as a model protein. Polyclonal rabbit IgG or purified anti-GAD was modified by PEG (MW = 5000 or 20000 Da) through either the lysine residues or through the carbohydrate moiety. Lysine modification was performed in PBS (pH 7.4) or 0.1 M borate (pH 9.2) by adding a molar excess (5-80) of a succinimidyl activated propionic acid terminated mPEG (SPA-PEG) while stirring at room temperature. Carbohydrate modifications were performed in PBS (pH 6.2) by first oxidizing the antibody with sodium periodate followed by incubation with hydrazide-terminated PEG followed by reduction with sodium cyanoborohydride. The degree of modification was assessed by 1H NMR or TNBS (trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid). Circular dichroism (CD) spectra were obtained for lysine-modified rabbit IgG at various degrees of modification ranging from 5 to 60 PEG per antibody. Binding was assessed using an ELISA method with GAD or rabbit anti-mouse-IgG (H+L) coated plates. The TNBS and 1H NMR analysis of the modified antibody showed reasonably similar results from 5 to 60 PEG per antibody. The 1H NMR method showed greater sensitivity at low modifications (below 20:1) and was fairly linear up to about 60 PEG per antibody. The CD spectra of the polyclonal rabbit IgG showed only small differences at variously modified antibody. The binding affinity of anti-GAD is lower for all PEG modifications with respect to unmodified anti-GAD. Modifications at pH 7.4 show lower binding to GAD than modifications at pH 9.2. Binding to GAD or anti-mouse-IgG is decreased as the degree of modification is increased. Lysine modifications showed lower binding to GAD or anti-mouse-IgG than carbohydrate modifications. Binding to GAD or anti-mouse-IgG is lower for PEG20000-modified anti-GAD with respect to PEG5000-modified anti-GAD.


In this paper, we mainly study error bounds for a single convex inequality and semi-infinite convex constraint systems, and give characterizations of stability of error bounds via directional derivatives. For a single convex inequality, it is proved that the stability of local error bounds under small perturbations is essentially equivalent to the non-zero minimun of the directional derivative at a reference point over the sphere, and the stability of global error bounds is proved to be equivalent to the strictly positive infimum of the directional derivatives, at all points in the boundary of the solution set, over the sphere as well as some mild constraint qualification. When these results are applied to semi-infinite convex constraint systems, characterizations of stability of local and global error bounds under small perturbations are also provided. In particular such stability of error bounds is proved to only require that all component functions in semi-infinite convex constraint systems have the same linear perturbation. Our work demonstrates that verifying the stability of error bounds for convex inequality constraint systems is, to some degree, equivalent to solving the convex optimization/minimization problems (defined by directional derivatives) over the sphere.


Brazilian semi-arid productive techniques use rainwater harvesting systems, which are a sustainable water management practice with a low environmental impact that have been adopted as an alternative to meet water demand worldwide. The aim of this study was to find an optimal sizing methodology for rainwater harvesting systems using local parameters allied to the lowest system cost. The analyses were based on a system supplying 95% of a 250 L/d demand for a goat herd in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. The area available for system implementation did not limit the analysis. The only limiting parameters were the quantity and quality of water required for the herd. The results indicated that, among the combinations of catchment area and water tank volume capable of meeting the defined demand, there is an optimal set, with minimum cost. This was a catchment covering 220 m² with a 21.1 m³ water tank, equivalent to a 0.62 demand fraction (FD). The variance influence of meeting service efficiency and demand, in the system's implementation and performance, was also analyzed.


Recently, sustainability has emerged as a core context for 21st Century living, to maintain or improve our quality of life without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own.  This has led to the sustainable development as a basis for overcoming the environmental challenges. The purpose of this research is a pathology study of the curriculum renewal process based on education for the sustainable development strategic approach at Shiraz University for undergraduate courses. The research tools were designed following the Helix model (Desha & Hargroves, 2011) for Rapid Curriculum Renewal. After assessing its validity and reliability, the samples were distributed among the individuals and the final data were analyzed by mean and standard deviations of descriptive statistics method. The statistical population consists of members of the curriculum development council at Shiraz University. Using purposeful sampling method, 54 people were selected as members of the analytical sample. The results showed that in the 'prepare' stage of the curriculum renewal process at Shiraz University, the mean of element 'identify graduate attributes', in the 'explore' stage of the mentioned process , the mean of elements ' identify graduate attributes' and continually monitor and evaluate, in the 'test &pilot' stage of the process, the mean of elements ' identify graduate attributes', 'continually monitor and evaluate' and 'implement program', and in the 'integrate' stage of the process the mean of elements 'identify graduate attributes', ' continually monitor and evaluate' and collaborate Internally and externally, were lower than the standard mean and were considered as some defects.


Agriculture productivity, growth and regional change in post-colonial India from a spatial perspective are yet to be rigorously examined. In particular, the impacts of economic liberalisation, globalisation and deregulation are not being empirically investigated at a small-area level using advanced statistical and spatial techniques. Understanding the process of regional formation and the rapid transitioning of agricultural landscapes in the Post-Liberalisation phase is pivotal to developing and devising regional economic development strategies. This book employs advanced methods to empirically examine the key characteristics and patterns of regional change in agricultural growth and productivity. It offers insights on changes in agricultural production and practices since the colonial period through to the Post-Liberalisation phase in India. It also incorporates the key public policy debates on the progress of India s agricultural development with the aim of formulating spatially integrated strategies to reduce rapid rise in the regional convergence and to promote equitable distribution of strategic government investment. "


Acquired long QT syndrome results from secondary causes and can be caused by more than 100 non-antiarrhythmic drugs. Cardiac arrest due to Torsades de pointes induced by drugs causing prolonged QT syndrome is a rare but potentially fatal event, even in hospitals. The case of a 47-year-old patient diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma admitted to the hematology department of the Dr. Gustavo Aldereguia Lima University General Hospital in Cienfuegos is presented. The patient had been previously treated with anthracyclines and developed episodes of palpitations and syncope later. The treatment included monitoring the patient, avoiding other QT prolonging agents and administrating magnesium sulfate and potassium chloride with a proper maintenance of the fluid and acid-base balance. The presentation of this case aims at motivating interest in new reports on the subject and establishing a direct causal relationship through the evidence provided by new experiences.


Purpose – This paper seeks to present a model based on evidence‐based administration (EBA), which aims to facilitate the creation, transformation and diffusion of knowledge in learning organizations.Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical framework is proposed based on EBA and the case method. Accordingly, an empirical study was carried out in two organizations to illustrate the value of the framework.Findings – Results show the goodness of this framework applied to learning organizations, both at the individual and the group scale.Research limitations/implications – The present study provides a basis for further research in the joint application of EBA and the case method.Originality/value – A new field of future research is open, applying learning from the medicine field, which has theoretically been suggested in managerial science. Managerial implications are also very important.


The transcription levels of stem cell factor (SCF) and c‐kit were examined using real‐time RT PCR in interstitial and intratubular cell fractions, as well as in tissue homogenates from normal, azoospermic and neoplasmic patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were used as a systemic control. The observed level of c‐kit expression in all investigated groups was generally higher than the expression of SCF. The highest (statistically significant) level of c‐kit was noted in testicular tumours (the greater part of which were represented by seminomas) in contrast to SCF mRNA, which may indicate an association between c‐kit overexpression and seminoma development. In Sertoli cell only syndrome, almost equal levels of SCF and c‐kit transcripts were noted. These results may indicate Leydig cells as the alternative source of c‐kit gene transcription. SCF transcript values were low and comparable among the analysed subgroups except that in maturation arrest at spermatocyte stage, the SCF gene expression was statistically higher than in testicular tumours. It appears from the study that c‐kit has been a dynamic gene, changing its activity in a variety of testicular pathologies while being expressed in all testicular compartments but clearly overexpressed in testicular tumours of seminomatous origin.


The risk of severe illness and mortality from COVID-19 significantly increases with age. As a result, age-stratified modeling for COVID-19 dynamics is the key to study how to reduce hospitalizations and mortality from COVID-19. By taking advantage of network theory, we develop an age-stratified epidemic model for COVID-19 in complex contact networks. Specifically, we present an extension of standard SEIR (susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed) compartmental model, called age-stratified SEAHIR (susceptible-exposed-asymptomatic-hospitalized-infectious-removed) model, to capture the spread of COVID-19 over multitype random networks with general degree distributions. We derive several key epidemiological metrics and then propose an age-stratified vaccination strategy to decrease the mortality and hospitalizations. Through extensive study, we discover that the outcome of vaccination prioritization depends on the reproduction number <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R_0$</tex-math></inline-formula>. Specifically, the elderly should be prioritized only when <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R_0$</tex-math></inline-formula> is relatively high. If ongoing intervention policies, such as universal masking, could suppress <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R_0$</tex-math></inline-formula> at a relatively low level, prioritizing the high-transmission age group (i.e., adults aged 20-39) is most effective to reduce both mortality and hospitalizations. These conclusions provide useful recommendations for age-based vaccination prioritization for COVID-19.


Electric vehicle parking lots (EVPLs) create new alternatives for planning and operation of distribution systems with its aggregated EV potential and charging/discharging coordination. On the other hand, distributed storage support of EVPLs changes the distribution system topology because of bidirectional power flows. Therefore, distribution system reliability improvement through highly penetrated distributed energy resources (DERs) has got the attraction of power system operators. However, this improvement so does the operation philosophy of EVPL storage capacity are strongly correlated with the feeder failure statistics. The objective of this study is therefore devoted to the sensitivity of EV supported distribution system reliability improvement on the failure rate of feeder components, such as transformers, busbars and cables. Several case studies regarding the supporting status of EVPL are generated to quantify the impacts of the failure rate of these elements on distribution system reliability. The results will guide the utilities on how they can optimize the benefits of EVPL support in terms of system reliability.


This paper describes the influence of a high-optical power light launched into optical fibers in an mechanically transferable (MT) connector. The features of the MT connector are the use of index matching material to suppress Fresnel reflection and the accommodation of several optical fibers to allow the connection of optical fiber ribbons. First, we experimentally investigated the relationship between connection loss, launched light power, temperature increase, and optical loss increase using an MT connector sample without contamination. Based on the results, we clarified the relationship between the allowed connection loss and the launched optical power in the optical fibers needed to maintain MT connector reliability. In addition, we examined the influence of the contamination of the connector endface and confirmed that it is necessary to clean the endface appropriately in an optical transmission system that uses high-optical power light to prevent any fatal damage to the MT connector.


The purpose of this study is to estimate the housing demands in order to address a suitable housing policy for a metropolitan city of Daegu in South Korea. Although the population of Daegu declines, a number of households increase since a number of people per households decrease. Currently a household with four people is a main housing type, however it is expected that a household with one or two increase. In 2017, a household with one will be dominant. Estimating housing sizes and their demand, the households below gradually decline while those over is expected to rise. Nevertheless, the demands for the house below in its size increase at 39.2 per cent. Currently a house with is being constructed. In particular, that of gradually increases. The current trends may result in the widening gaps between the household demand and supply of Daegu. Therefore, it is recommended that relevant local authorities and developers should consider providing various house sizes by taking the current housing demand of Daegu into account.


In this letter, we study theoretically the adhesion of colloidal particles (such as virus, liposomes, nanovectors…) on the surface of a cell. The Brownian colloidal particles bear specific ligands at their surface and might bind to one or several freely diffusing receptors present in the membrane. We are interested in the statics and dynamics of this ensemble of particles adsorbed on the cell as a function of the concentration in the bulk. Proposing a very simple thermodynamical approach, we show the existence of two regimes. At low concentration, the amount of adherent colloids varies linearly with the volume fraction, with a fixed number of links per object, whereas at higher concentration, the number of links per object decreases with the number of fixed colloids, revealing their competition to access to the receptors. Consequently, the time spent by each colloid at the surface depends on the volume concentration and this might be relevant for biological processes such as endocytosis.


Objective Heavy duty staples are used for many purposes in industry. Children can be exposed to open staples in homes with carpets, boxes, staple guns (applicators) and worn furniture. The purpose of this study was to examine the epidemiology of staple-related injury among children in the USA from 2002 to 2006. Method Data were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) for staple-related injuries among children 0–14 years of age. NEISS provides data from selected emergency rooms throughout the USA. Analysis included frequencies and χ2 analysis. Results Analysis revealed 66 cases of injury to children related to industrial staples. There were an estimated 2107 injuries reported in the USA between 2002 and 2006 related to industrial staples. A majority of the cases were male, aged 6–10 years, and occurred in the home environment. Most injuries were lacerations to the fingers and arms. The source of the staples came mainly from furniture, boxes, staple guns and carpets. Conclusion The study reveals that children are injured when exposed to staples that are open in boxes, carpets and furniture. There are alternative methods to use when manufacturing boxes and furniture, such as glue. It is recommended that alternative methods for carpets, furniture and boxes be pursued to limit hazards and injury that could be preventable. In most cases the injury was minor, but there still exists a burden on the healthcare system for a hazard that could be replaced with updated technology.


DNA polymerase β (β-pol) plays a central role in repair of damaged DNA bases by base excision repair (BER) pathways. A predominant phenotype of β-pol null mouse fibroblasts is hypersensitivity to the DNA-methylating agent methyl methanesulfonate. Residues in the 8-kDa domain of β-pol that seem to interact with a known natural product β-pol inhibitor, koetjapic acid, were identified by NMR chemical shift mapping. The data implicate the binding pocket as the hydrophobic cleft between helix-2 and helix-4, which provides the DNA binding and deoxyribose phosphate lyase activities of the enzyme. Nine structurally related synthetic compounds, containing aromatic or other hydrophobic groups in combination with two carboxylate groups, were then tested. They were found to bind to the same or a very similar region on the surface of the enzyme. The ability of these compounds to potentiate methyl methanesulfonate cytotoxicity, an indicator of cellular BER capacity, in wild-type and β-pol null mouse fibroblasts, was next ascertained. The most active and β-pol-specific of these agents, pamoic acid, was further characterized and found to be an inhibitor of the deoxyribose phosphate lyase and DNA polymerase activities of purified β-pol on a BER substrate. Our results illustrate that NMR-based mapping techniques can be used in the design of small molecule enzyme inhibitors including those with potential use in a clinical setting.


Vocal production learning (VPL) is the capacity to learn to produce new vocalizations, which is a rare ability in the animal kingdom and thus far has only been identified in a handful of mammalian taxa and three groups of birds. Over the last few decades, approaches to the demonstration of VPL have varied among taxa, sound production systems and functions. These discrepancies strongly impede direct comparisons between studies. In the light of the growing number of experimental studies reporting VPL, the need for comparability is becoming more and more pressing. The comparative evaluation of VPL across studies would be facilitated by unified and generalized reporting standards, which would allow a better positioning of species on any proposed VPL continuum. In this paper, we specifically highlight five factors influencing the comparability of VPL assessments: (i) comparison to an acoustic baseline, (ii) comprehensive reporting of acoustic parameters, (iii) extended reporting of training conditions and durations, (iv) investigating VPL function via behavioural, perception-based experiments and (v) validation of findings on a neuronal level. These guidelines emphasize the importance of comparability between studies in order to unify the field of vocal learning. This article is part of the theme issue 'Vocal learning in animals and humans'.


This paper presents a novel reduced-rank implementation of the set-membership (SM) Bounding Ellipsoid Adaptive Constrained Least Squares (BEACON) algorithm using the method of joint iterative optimization (JIO) of adaptive filters. The sparsely updating estimation error SM framework is applied to the adaption of the rank reduction matrix and the symbol estimation filter that operates in the reduced-rank signal subspace. A derivation of the scheme, based on least squares (LS) optimization, is given along with an intuitive geometric interpretation of the update procedure. The proposed JIO-BEACON algorithm along with other established reduced-rank algorithms are applied to interference suppression in a multiuser DS-CDMA system. The JIO-BEACON algorithm is shown to exceed the performance of the standard LS JIO and other existing algorithms in terms of convergence and steady state error whilst achieving significant complexity savings.


We present a learning framework for Markovian decision processes that is based on optimization in the policy space. Instead of using relatively slow gradient-based optimization algorithms, we use the fast Cross Entropy method. The suggested framework is described for several reward criteria and its effectiveness is demonstrated for a grid world navigation task and for an inventory control problem.


We extend an optimal entanglement distillation of the triplet Greenberger—Horne—Zeilinger (GHZ) state via entanglement concentrating in the three-partite partially electron-spin-entangled systems. Two entanglement concentration protocols are similarly designed in detail with the post-selection in quantum-dot (QD) and micro-cavity coupled systems. The proposed protocol can be repeated several rounds to achieve an optimal success probability with an assistance of the ancillary QD, where only the single photon needs to pass through the micro-cavity for each round. It increases the total success probability of the distillation even if the implemented cavity is imperfect in practice during the whole process.


Introduction: Snehapana (oleation) is the prerequisite treatment for the purification in Panchakarma. Internal oleation therapy is essential for the Dosha migration in the body. So, to identify the effectiveness of instant oleation with incremental as well as safety nature of intervention, the pilot study was planned. Materials and Methods: The study was randomized, parallel group, controlled trial. Participants eligible for internal oleation were included in the study, having age in-between 20 and 40 years. Plane cow ghee was the intervention for both groups. The only difference was in dose pattern. In Group A, 150mL cow ghee with rock salt as used instant administration, whereas in Group B, administration was carried out in incremental dose from 30mL to maximum 210mL (up to the appearance of proper oleation features). Fifteen participants were recruited in each group. Randomization was carried out with simple block method. Objective: The pilot study was intended to measure the hematological and biochemical changes appearing after Snehapana (internal oleation). Outcome: The primary trial objectives of the study were to evaluate therapeutic response of internal oleation in instant and incremental manner and to find out effective modality in vogue. Secondary outcome was to assess safety for the consumption of cow ghee in large amount, which is not good as pretended by contemporary science. Conclusion: Intended primary outcome was not possible to attain because of small sample size. But significant results were obtained in some parameters such as blood urea, serum bilirubin, total bilirubin, serum triglyceride, serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, and very low-density lipoprotein (P < 0.05) but within normal range, and the intervention in both were safe in nature, none of the participants had developed any harm in the study. Further clinical trial is suggested for large sample size.


In this article, we propose a self-gating radio frequency (RF) energy harvester (RFEH) for reaching a high-power harvesting efficiency (PHE) at a low incident RF power level with a high peak-to-average power ratio (high-PAPR) waveform. It includes a power switch between a cross-coupled rectifier and its supplied load to cut off the reverse leakage current in between the short power bursts. The power switch is dynamically controlled based on an indication of the ability of the RFEH to effectively charge the load at the instantaneous incident power level. This is achieved by comparing the load voltage with the open-circuit voltage of a replica rectifier. A comparator with optional proteresis (reversed hysteresis) is proposed for compensating its logic delay at the start and at the end of the short RF power bursts. As a result, the power switch is accurately turned on only during the power bursts. The self-gating RFEH was prototyped for 2.45-GHz wireless power transfer (WPT). It includes a cross-coupled rectifier with the proposed self-gating circuit fabricated in a 65-nm process, a discrete balun, a parasitic-aware-sized $\pi $ matching network, and an off-the-shelf power management unit (PMU) with maximum power point tracking (MPPT). Measurement results show sensitivity as low as −26.7 dBm with a peak PHE of 32.3% at −14.1-dBm incident power. Compared with the state-of-the-art works, the proposed design significantly improves the RFEH performance at the target low average incident power.


Wiring of the radius marrow in 96 children with fractures of the lower arm or radius always gave adequate stability compared with purely conservative treatment (54 children). Any danger of delayed discovery of secondary dislocation with all its risks can thus be definitely excluded. The method is safe and relatively quick, done in conjunction with any necessary repositioning. Hospitalisation is reduced to a few days,until soft-tissue swelling has gone. Open alignment is indicated only very rarely, in otherwise unresponsive fractures. The small scar at the wrist is acceptable even for girls.


We examine the possibility that expanding trans-Mediterranean trade during the Iron Age (ca. 1,000–350 BCE) has resulted in increased morphological variability among sheep from maritime sites in the southern Levant. Using geometric morphometric tools, we compared the variability in sheep astragal morphology in a port settlement on the Carmel coast (Tel Dor), a coastal settlement in the Akko valley (Tell Keisan), and an inland urban settlement in the Hula Valley (Tel Abel Beit Maacah). Our results suggest that the sheep astragali from the port settlement at Tel Dor occupy a significantly different part of shape space than the specimens examined from the two other sites. In addition, a source-sink dynamic is implied by the appearance of coastal morphotypes in the inland site, whereas unique inland morphotypes do not occur at the coastal site. This findings do not contradict the possibility of maritime importation and consequent overland spread of non-local sheep variants in the southern Levant during the heyday of 'Phoenician' trade.


Aim: The Pandora Project is a longitudinal database - implemented by general practitioners since June 1997 in the Ravenna area (Italy) - providing information on patients with hypertension. Data from 1651 patients were followed up for 1 year in order to investigate the cost of hypertension. Only direct medical costs were considered in the perspective of the National Healthcare System. Findings : At enrolment, 552 patients were classified as normotensive, 1099 as hypertensive. After 1 year, among normotensive group, 352 patients remained normotensive and 200 became hypertensive; among hypertensive group, 323 patients became normotensive and 776 remained hypertensive. The average total cost per patient at follow-up was 779.59 Euros. About 46% of total cost was due to anti-hypertensive therapy, irrespective of the evolution of blood pressure levels registered, whilst other direct costs represented 54% of total patient cost in all cohorts. It is possible that co-morbidities play a significant role in this situation. Patient aged 80-89 years generate higher costs. Even if further investigation is needed on the burden of comorbidity on a per-patient cost of hypertension, this work provides evidence that the average total cost per patient is likely to increase with age and co-morbidities.


Medication non-adherence is a concern in chronic disease management. Currently, there is no scale that characterizes sufficient non-adherent reasons for practical use in the Chinese population. This study developed and validated the Chinese version of the Medication Adherence Reasons Scale (ChMAR-Scale) and described non-adherence reasons in adult patients taking blood pressure medicine in Taiwan. A forward–backward procedure was used to translate the original MAR-Scale, and new items pertinent to cultural differences were added. Patients aged above 20 years old who were taking blood pressure medicine were recruited from a regional hospital and eight community pharmacies in the Taipei metropolitan area. Data analyses were conducted with IBM SPSS 19 (Armonk, NY, USA). Exploratory factor analysis revealed six domains, including belief, self-perception, forgetfulness, management, availability, and miscellaneous issues, with Cronbach's alphas ranging from 0.649 to 0.852, item-total correlations ranging from 0.362 to 0.719, and factor loadings ranging from 0.365 to 0.775. Criterion-related validity with the visual analog scale and two global items were 0.525, 0.436, and 0.502. Forgetfulness, belief issues, and self-perception issues were the most common non-adherence reasons. In conclusion, the ChMAR-Scale showed good psychometric properties and identified more reasons for medication non-adherence than other existing scales. Healthcare providers should be vigilant of these problems while consulting patients.


Digital images have been widely used in many applications. However, digital image forgery has already become a serious problem due to the rapid development of powerful image editing software. One of the most commonly used forgery techniques is Copy-move forgery that copies a region of an image and pastes it on the other region in the same image. In recent years, most techniques aim to detect such tampering. Different feature extraction methods have been used to improve the capability of the detection algorithm. In this work, we used two dimensional Fourier Transform (2D-FT) to extract some features from the blocks. Predetermined number of Fourier coefficients hold information about the blocks. At the final stage, the similarity search between the adjacent feature vectors is performed to determine the forgery. Experimental results show that proposed method can detect the duplicated regions with high accuracy rate even if the image is distorted with blurring mask or it is compressed with different JPEG quality factors. The dimension of feature vector is also lower than the other methods in the literature. Thus, the method ensures the lower feature vector with high accuracy rates. The proposed method also detects multiple copy move forgery as shown in the results.


Hyperthermia and dehydration can occur during exercise in hot environments. Nevertheless, whether elevations in extracellular osmolality contributes to the increased skeletal muscle tension, sarcolemmal injury, and oxidative stress reported in warm climates remains unknown. We simulated osmotic and heat stress, in vitro, in mouse limb muscles with different fiber compositions. Extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus (SOL) were dissected from 36 male C57BL6J and mounted at optimal length in tissue baths containing oxygenated buffer. Muscles were stimulated with non-fatiguing twitches for 30 min. Four experimental conditions were tested: isotonic-normothermia (285 mOsm•kg-1 and 35°C), hypertonic-normothermia (300 mOsm•kg-1 and 35°C), isotonic-hyperthermia (285 mOsm•kg-1 and 41°C), and hypertonic-hyperthermia (300 mOsm•kg-1 and 41°C). Passive tension was recorded continuously. The integrity of the sarcolemma was determined using a cell-impermeable fluorescent dye and immunoblots were used for detection of protein carbonyls. In EDL muscles, isotonic and hypertonic-hyperthermia increased resting tension (P < 0.001). Whereas isotonic-hyperthermia increased sarcolemmal injury in EDL (P < 0.001), this effect was absent in hypertonic-hyperthermia. Similarly, isotonic-hyperthermia elevated protein carbonyls (P = 0.018), a response not observed with hypertonic-hyperthermia. In SOL muscles, isotonic-hyperthermia also increases resting tension (P < 0.001); however, these effects were eliminated in hypertonic-hyperthermia. Unlike EDL, there were no effects of hyperthermia and/or hyperosmolality on sarcolemmal injury or protein carbonyls. Osmolality selectively modifies skeletal muscle response to hyperthermia in this model. Fast-glycolytic muscle appears particularly vulnerable to isotonic-hyperthermia, resulting in elevated muscle tension, sarcolemmal injury and protein oxidation; whereas slow-oxidative muscle exhibits increased tension but no injury or protein oxidation under the conditions and duration tested.


Ion-exchange resins, sodium or calcium polystyrene sulfonate, are commonly used medications for management of hyperkalaemia. However, the drug can be associated with serious bowel injury. We report a case of a renal transplant recipient who developed duodenal ulcer perforation secondary to the use of calcium polystyrene sulfonate. Characteristic eosinophilic non-polarisable rhomboid shaped crystals were evident in the affected area of ulceration on histologic examination in addition to features of cytomegalovirus inclusions. We also hypothesised that gastroparesis secondary to autonomic dysfunction could have led to prolonged luminal contact time with polystyrene, further predisposing to bowel injury.


The stability of pericentromeric heterochromatin is maintained by repressive epigenetic control mechanisms, and failure to maintain this stability may cause severe diseases such as immune deficiency and cancer. Thus, deeper insight into the epigenetic regulation and deregulation of pericentromeric heterochromatin is of high priority. We and others have recently demonstrated that pericentromeric heterochromatin domains are often epigenetically reprogrammed by Polycomb proteins in premalignant and malignant cells to form large subnuclear structures known as Polycomb bodies. This may affect the regulation and stability of pericentromeric heterochromatin domains and/or the distribution of Polycomb factors to support tumorigeneses. Importantly, Polycomb bodies in cancer cells may be targeted by the cancer/testis-related SSX proteins to cause derepression and genomic instability of pericentromeric heterochromatin. This review will discuss the interplay between SSX and Polycomb factors in the repression and stability of pericentromeric heterochromatin and its possible implications for tumor biology.


In this chapter I argue that soldier enhancement technologies have the potential to transform the ethical nature of the relationship between combatants, in conflicts between 'Superpower' militaries, with the ability to deploy such technologies, and technologically disadvantaged 'Underdog' militaries. The reasons for this relate to Paul Kahn's claims about the paradox of riskless warfare. When an Underdog poses no threat to a Superpower, standard just war theoretic justifications for the Superpower's combatants using lethal violence against their opponents breaks down. Therefore, Kahn argues, combatants in that position must approach their opponents in an ethical guise relevantly similar to 'policing'. I argue that the kind of disparities in risk and threat between opposing combatants that Kahn's analysis posits, don't obtain in the context of face-to-face combat, in the way they would need to in order to support his ethical conclusions about policing. But then I argue that soldier enhancement technologies have the potential to change this, in a way that reactivates the force of those conclusions.


SIR. Berth-jones and tlrahaiii-Brown' compared terfenadine with placebo for pruritus in atopic eczema using a double-blind controlled cross-over design. Although it is easy to agree with their conclusion, we cannot place much reliance on the evidence that they presented, even though 'there was no evidence of a carry-over or period effect'. Although they quoted Hills and Armitage.a masterpiece of clear exposition on the limitations of the cross-over designs and what to do about them, they went on to recommend strongly the use of the crossover design. The crux of the problem with a cross-over design is the emphasis on economy in the number of patients. The study is planned to use all the data collected from both periods of treatment in the analysis, with each patient contributing two sets of responses. It is hoped that the estimates of response to treatment will be more precise as 'each patient is his own control', and that therefore fewer patients (less than half the number required for a parallel group design) will be needed In order to come to a clear conclusion. Unfortunately the analysis of all the data so collected is only valid when there is no interaction of response to treatment with time. i.e. when those who start on Drug A show a response of size R,\ to Drug A and a response of size R,, to Drug B. while those who start on Drug B show a response of size RH followed by a response of size R,\ on Drug A (on average), hence making sense of the consolidation of the two sets of results. Even when there should be no pharmacological reason for such an interaction (as in BerthJones and Graham-Brown's study, where it was expected that the pharmacological effect of the first drug taken would be long gone before the second drug was administered) a common finding is that the responses to a treatment differ in amount with the period of treatmenl. i.e. that there has been an interaction.


Background: Many individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) upload and review blood glucose data between clinic visits. Mobile phone applications that receive data from a "connected" glucometer and that support pattern management are available and have the capacity to make data upload and review less burdensome. Whether mobile apps can improve diabetes self-management among individuals with type 1 diabetes remains unknown. Method: We analyzed retrospective data on 81 youths with T1D who were trained to use a glucometer-connected mobile app in their self-management. To assess the effect of glucometer synchronization ("sync") rate on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), mean blood glucose (mBG), and daily frequency of SMBG, we regressed those clinical outcomes on the frequency of glucometer syncs with the mobile app after controlling for other clinical care variables. Results: Median age was 14.0 (IQR 10.4-15.9) years, median duration of diabetes was 4.9 (2.7, 7.5) years, and median baseline HbA1c was 8.6% (7.9, 9.8). The sample was 49% male and 86% white. Youths with T1D synchronized glucometer data with the mobile app an average of 0.22 times per week (range 0-2.25). The glucometer sync rate did not have a statistically significant association with HbA1c or mean BG; in contrast, data sync frequency was associated with the frequency of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) such that each additional sync was associated with a 2.3-fold increase in SMBG frequency (P < .01). Conclusion: A glucometer-connected mobile app may increase an individual's engagement with other aspects of care (eg, SMBG frequency). Whether diabetes device-connected mobile apps can improve glycemic control remains to be determined.


An environmentally benign method for the synthesis of 3,3-di(3-indolyl)- and 3,3-di(2-pyrrolyl)oxindoles by using various isatins, indoles, and pyrrole in water in excellent yields and high regiose...


Access to complex stenotic pulmonary arteries can be challenging due to their anatomy or secondary to prior multiple surgeries and interventions. Two techniques have been previously described to address this issue: the telescopic catheter-in-long sheath parallel to a stiff guidewire technique and the use of a microcatheter in a telescopic scope. We integrated and modified these techniques creating a super telescopic system with a SuperCross® microcatheter-in-catheter-in-long sheath, parallel to a contralateral stiff guidewire to access a previously repaired and stented left pulmonary artery. The stiff wire support and the 90° flexiblity of the Supercross® microcatheter assembled coaxial to the diagnostic catheter and the long sheath contributed to the successful ballooning and stenting-in-stent of the pulmonary artery.


The last decade has brought many changes to Colorado's water supply outlook. Despite the recent economic recession, the state has experienced significant population growth, and Colorado's population is expected to nearly double within the next 40 years. Other pressures on Colorado's water supply include severe drought, a desire to meet multiple needs (i.e., municipal, environmental, recreational) with existing resources, and impacts to agriculture due to water shortages, urbanization, and transfers to new users. To address these challenges, the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) has undertaken a visioning process to explore solutions to these future water supply challenges. As part of this process, CWCB has led the state in identifying demand and supply strategies to meet the state's future water needs while considering agriculture and the environment. These strategies have been combined into varying portfolios that include methods such as conservation, local water projects, new Colorado River development, and agricultural transfers. This paper details the development and evaluation of these portfolios and describes stakeholder's efforts to balance meeting Colorado's water needs in the future.


Primary malignant tracheal tumors are not common and adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of trachea is rare. We report an extremely rare case of ACC of proximal trachea, which was diagnosed in a 42-year-old male who presents with 6-month history of dyspnea. Lateral skiagram of neck, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a broad-based polypoidal soft tissue mass arising from posterior wall of the proximal trachea. Biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of ACC. The patient was treated by surgical resection followed by radiotherapy and is on regular follow-up. Follow-up at 18 months post-treatment showed no local recurrence or distant metastases. The literature on tracheal ACC is reviewed. Image findings are briefly discussed.


Whereas negotiated regulation of social interactions has become the issue in society as a whole, the true extension of this contractualisation of relations remains debatable. Does not the permanence of strong social determinations throw up a major obstacle? This article focuses on the contractualisation of the workings of conjugal and familial relations. It shows that the relations between spouses (and ex-spouses) are marked by a strong expectation relating to negotiation of how the couple functions, but that this cannot be turned into an exclusive model for the couple and the family. Similarly, social regulators, while constantly expressing their preference for the contractualisation of couple/family relations, remain confronted by situations in which other, less democratic, forms of regulation of the couple predominate and where it appears futile to seek to force spouses to come to an understanding.


We developed an antigen delivery system based on the nanoerythrocyte vehicle combined with anti–PD-L1 for cancer immunotherapy. Erythrocytes or red blood cells (RBCs) represent a promising cell-mediated drug delivery platform due to their inherent biocompatibility. Here, we developed an antigen delivery system based on the nanoerythrosomes derived from RBCs, inspired by the splenic antigen-presenting cell targeting capacity of senescent RBCs. Tumor antigens were loaded onto the nanoerythrosomes by fusing tumor cell membrane–associated antigens with nanoerythrosomes. This tumor antigen–loaded nanoerythrosomes (nano-Ag@erythrosome) elicited antigen responses in vivo and, in combination with the anti–programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade, inhibited the tumor growth in B16F10 and 4T1 tumor models. We also generated a tumor model showing that "personalized nano-Ag@erythrosomes" could be achieved by fusing RBCs and surgically removed tumors, which effectively reduced tumor recurrence and metastasis after surgery.


This paper investigates three techniques for estimating the parameter values for the unit hydrograph: full model optimisation (the CWI and CMD versions of IHACRES were used), simple rainfall scaling approaches for estimating effective rainfall and an inverse filtering approach. The approaches are tested using synthetic streamflow data generated by the catchment moisture deficit (CMD) version of the IHACRES model, based on observed rainfall data for Cotter catchment (near Canberra, Australia) and the Singkarak catchment (Sumatra, Indonesia). The impact of rainfall and streamflow errors are considered by reducing the raingauge density and introducting errors in the rating curve. The inverse filtering apprach performed well for the synthetic streamflow derived from the rainfall data for the Cotter catchment. For the Singkarak catchment data, the differences between the approaches was small, due possibly to either the higher frequency of rainfall in that area, or to the lower correlation between the rainfall gauge locations.


Root resection and hemisection is a treatment option for furcated molars, and the prognosis of this technique has been well documented. The aim of the present paper is to systematically review studies examining the survival and/or failure rate of root resection and hemisection and to determine the factors behind the variability in the outcome reported. A Medline (PubMed), Embase, and Google Scholar search was undertaken, looking for articles published up to September 2016. A total of 1,012 publications were screened. Two reviewers analyzed the articles and extracted the data. Case series studies required a minimum of 5 cases, and all levels of evidence were accepted. A total of 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. Survival rate and follow-up times differed widely: survival rate ranged from 40.3% to 100% and follow-up from 6 months to 23 years. Half of the studies had a survival rate > 90% with a follow-up period ranging from 5 to 23 years. Therefore, root resection and hemisection are associated with high survival rates, making it a reliable option for treatment of furcated molars that should be considered before every extraction and implant placement. In a great number of studies, incomplete information was found concerning case selection and endodontic, restorative, and maintenance therapy, which makes one question the obtained results and the occasional reports of low survival rates. These concerns should encourage more detailed, long-term clinical trials, with respect to each phase requirement for the procedure, for a better assessment of survival rate.


This paper presents an online event location estimating process in a wide-area power system using the phasor measurement unit (PMU). For real-world applications of PMU-based event location estimation (ELE), it is necessary to consider the insufficiency of PMU data caused by a lack of PMUs, communication failure, PMU malfunction, etc., because insufficient PMU data cannot guarantee event observability over the entire network. To ensure possible event locations in a real-world system, an estimation method is developed by combining offline zonal analysis and an online ELE algorithm. The K-mean clustering method is utilized for electrical-bus clustering, which enables us to recognize separate electrical zones (EZs). Then, we propose a two-stage ELE algorithm by estimating the event EZ and localizing the specified event section within the estimated EZ. Proposed ELE algorithm is applied to a real-world PMU data collected from southwestern part of the United States. Finally, successful results from a real-world PMU data application are presented at the end of this paper.


A package that permits the electrical coupling of a cryosampling system with a high temperature device has been constructed and tested. The Faris sampling system has demonstrated 5 ps time resolution and 10 μV sensitivity. The interface couples the sampler at 4.2 K to a higher temperature region, with minimal heat transfer, by means of low inductance contacts to a high quality 50 ohm thin-film transmission line. Initial time domain reflectometry tests using the sampler have been carried out over a range from liquid helium temperature to 210 K. Five reflections have been observed of a step initiated and detected by the sampler at the low temperature end and traversing a 14 cm path to the high temperature end and back, No more than 20 ps was added to the pulse risetime for one roundtrip and signals on the order of 100 μV were detected, We expect to improve this performance and to use the system for experiments on superconductors, gallium arsenide, and semiconductor devices.


:  This study examined cultural and age differences in the recall of the literal and interpretive meanings of narrative text. Twenty Japanese younger adults (age: M = 21.05, SD = 1.02), 20 Japanese older adults (age: M = 66.95, SD = 1.71), 20 American younger adults (age M = 21.7, SD = 1.76), and 16 American older adults (age M = 69.56, SD = 3.43) participated in this study. One story rich in both literal and interpretive content was used as a stimulus text for two recall tasks, to retell and interpret the story. The response task order was counterbalanced across the participants for each group. When asked to retell a story as close to the original as possible, the younger adults in both of the two cultural groups recalled more of the literal propositions than did the older adults. Both older and younger adults in the two cultural groups recalled more of the main ideas relative to the details; however, when asked to interpret the same story, more older than younger adults represented deep and synthetic representations of the story's interpretive meanings in the Japanese group. The interpretive responses by both the older and younger adults were almost to the same extent on depth; however, the younger adults' responses were slightly higher on synthesis in the American group. These interpretive patterns stem from cultural background.


A general circulation model is used to evaluate the impact of geographic differences between the early Eocene and the present day on ocean thermal structure. The model includes reconstructed Eocene bathymetry and surface thermal boundary conditions that mimic a diffusive atmosphere. The model estimates that bathymetric changes alone caused surface waters to cool by 3–4°C in high latitudes and warm by 1–2°C in low latitudes over the last 55 million years, which would account for as much as half (∼4–5°C) of the increase in the meridional sea surface temperature gradient during this time. Other changes include a cooling (∼2°C) of deep ocean waters, a warming of low‐latitude intermediate waters (∼2°C), and decreases in Southern Ocean zonal sea surface temperature gradients.


The effects of Ir doping on thermoelectric (TE) as well as transport and magnetic properties of Ca3Co4−xIrxO9 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) series samples have been investigated systematically. Based on the analysis of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data, the valence state of the doped Ir ions is suggested to be +4. As Ir ions are doped into system, both the resistivity and the metal-insulator transition temperature increase till to x = 0.3, indicating the more stable spin-density-wave state in these Ir-doped samples. The thermopower increases monotonously with increasing x. For x = 0.4 sample, its room-temperature thermopower S300K reaches 166.2 μV/K, which is 36% larger than that of the undoped sample. The results show that a proper Ir doping may be an effective route to strengthen the TE performance of Ca3Co4O9 system, which is suggested to originate from the variations of carrier concentration and lattice disharmony induced by Ir doping. At the same time, Ir doping suppresses the low-temperature ferrimagnetic state and also introduces a spin-glass behavior at low temperatures.


Purpose
This study has two purposes. Firstly, it aims to investigate whether self-efficacy constitutes one of the mechanisms by which transformational leadership impacts on employee positivity in reacting to change. Secondly, it aims to investigate whether the extent of change moderates the relationship between transformational leadership, self-efficacy and reactions to change. This study also explores the possibility that when the extent of change is higher, the effectiveness of transformational leadership may be lower.

Design/methodology/approach
This study used a sample of employees where the organization was going through significant change. Employee ratings on specific scales were used to measure transformational leadership, self-efficacy, affective commitment to organizational change, and intention to support change. A cumulative change index was used to assess the number of changes employees had experienced during the change process.

Findings
The results confirmed hypothesis 1 that transformational leadership was related to affective commitment and intention to support change and this was to a high level of statistical significance. Testing hypothesis 2 that self-efficacy mediated the effect of transformational leadership on commitment and intention to support change indicated that self-efficacy did mediate in this relationship confirming both hypothesis 2a and 2 b. The results did not support hypothesis 3a, with no significant interaction effect showing that the interaction between transformational leadership and self-efficacy did not differ between low versus high extent of change. However, the results did support hypothesis 3 b with the strength of the positive relationship between self-efficacy and reactions to change differing across high versus low extent of change. For both affective commitment and intention to support change, the interaction of self-efficacy and change index was significant.

Research limitations/implications
Current weaknesses in the transformational leadership research include: a bias towards heroic leadership and away from collective and shared process of leadership, the underlying processes have not been clearly identified, lack of precision about situational variables that may impact on these processes. This paper does not address the first weakness.

Practical implications
Self-efficacy gains importance when the extent of change is high. The results suggest that change managers should adopt a transformational style of leadership to enhance recipients' self-efficacy to generate positive attitudes and behaviours during change. They also suggest the selection and training of managers in transformational leadership attributes and also the inclusion of this in the monitoring of managers' behaviours in post. The research outlined in this paper makes a significant contribution to an organization's capacity to achieve change, particularly when the extent of change is high.

Social implications
This research provides ways in which organizations can better achieve change through positive processes.

Originality/value
Transformational leadership can create a vision of the future and inspire followers to work to achieve it and to build hope and confidence for the future. This can prevent or overcome resistance to or reluctance about change. Lack of alignment of values between employees and the organization can result in change failure. This paper provides original insight into how change can be achieved by transformational leadership building self-efficacy.


This paper discusses common iteration schemes and highlights the interest of using explicit iterators. The advantages of external iterators are compared to those of internalized iterators. The integration of an iterator class hierarchy to an existing library without modifying the latter is detailed. This integration brings an extra level of abstraction to the library, which thus becomes more flexible, more adapted to certain design patterns and hence can be used in a higher-level way. Such an integration is not only possible, but can even be done in an optimized way, taking into account the specific structure of the collection traversed. A slight extension of existing class libraries can also be implemented that does not cause any compatibility problem and does not break existing code, but allows even further abstraction and makes it easier for the developer to use high-level, optimized, external iterators.


III-V nanostructures have the potential to revolutionize optoelectronics and energy harvesting. For this to become a reality, critical issues such as reproducibility and sensitivity to defects should be resolved. By discussing the optical properties of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown GaAs nanomembranes we highlight several features that bring them closer to large scale applications. Uncapped membranes exhibit a very high optical quality, expressed by extremely narrow neutral exciton emission, allowing the resolution of the more complex excitonic structure for the first time. Capping of the membranes with an AlGaAs shell results in a strong increase of emission intensity but also in a shift and broadening of the exciton peak. This is attributed to the existence of impurities in the shell, beyond MBE-grade quality, showing the high sensitivity of these structures to the presence of impurities. Finally, emission properties are identical at the submicron and submillimeter scale, demonstrating the potential of these structures for large scale applications.


RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES.The clinical feasibility and application of the maximum entropy method for data analysis from in vivo phosphorus-31–magnetic resonance (P-31–MR) spectra of the liver were determined. METHODS.Image-guided localized P-31–MR spectroscopy was performed in 24 patients with liver metastases and in 20 healthy volunteers. The spectra were obtained with a whole body scanner operating at 1.5 T using a surface coil. Phosphomonoester/ β-adenosine triphosphate (ATP), phosphodiester/ β-ATP, and inorganic phosphate/β-ATP were calculated from the maximum entropy method-spectra and from spectra evaluated with standard data processing (Fourier transformation spectra). RESULTS.Phosphomonoestcr/β-ATP and phosphodiester/ β-ATP were increased significantly with both methods in patients' spectra. Maximum entropy method spectra showed a distinct pattern with low noise. It was easier to determine peak borders and to attach resonances to the different metabolites using this method. CONCLUSIONS.Maximum entropy method is an alternative method for evaluation and quantification of P-31–MR spectra data and is preferred to standard data processing with Fourier transformation in cases of reduced signal-to-noise ratio of spectra.


Quantifying sedimentary deposits is crucial to fully test generic trends cited within facies models. To date, few studies have quantified downstream trends alongside vertical and lateral variations within distributive fluvial systems (DFS), with most studies reporting qualitative trends. This study reports on the generation of a quantitative dataset on the Huesca DFS, Ebro Basin, Spain, in which downstream, vertical and lateral trends in channel characteristics are analyzed using a fusion of field data and virtual outcrop model derived data (VOM). Vertical trend analysis reveals that the exposed portion of the Huesca DFS does not show any systematic changes through time, which suggests autogenic-driven local variability. Proximal-to-distal trends from field data display a downstream decrease in average channel body thicknesses (13.1–0.7 m), channel deposit percentage (70–4%), and average storey thicknesses (5.2–0.7 m) and confirm trends observed on other DFS. The VOM dataset shows a similar downstream trend in all characteristics. The range in values are, however, larger due to the increase in amount of data that can be collected, and trends are thus less clear. This study therefore highlights that standard field techniques do not capture the variability that can be present in outcrops. Channel percentage was found to be most variable (37% variation) in the medial setting, whereas channel body thickness is most variable (∼15 m range) in the proximal setting. Storey thickness varied in both the proximal and medial settings (range of 9 and 11 m for field and VOM data respectively) becoming more consistent downstream. Downstream shifts in architecture are also noted from massive, highly amalgamated channel-body sandstones in proximal regions to isolated or offset-stacked channel-bodies dominating the distal region. Trends are explained by spatial variability in DFS processes and preservation potential. The overlap present indicates that no single value is representative of position within a DFS, which has important implications for interpreting the location that a data point sits within a DFS when using limited (i.e., single log) datasets. These comparative results contribute to improving the accuracy of system-scale downstream predictions for channel characteristic variability within subsurface deposits.


Danish hospitals have permanent hygiene units which may be contacted when infections occur. This is not the case in primary health care or at local level. As in other European countries, the spread of MRSA has been observed in primary health care and at local level. In nursing homes the balance of keeping the residents in a "home-like" situation combined with institutional conditions may be difficult. It is important to establish access to hygiene counselling and education at local level also taking into account the above mentioned difficulties. The GP has a key coordinating role in relation to the patient.


This study considers the problem of beamforming optimisation in an amplify-and-forward relaying cooperative network, in which the relay node harvests the energy from the radio-frequency signal. Based on the self-energy recycling relay protocol, the authors study the beamforming optimisation problem. The formulated problem aims to maximise the achievable rate subject to the available transmitted power at the relay node. The authors develop a semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxation method to solve the proposed problem. They also use SDP and the full search to solve the beamforming optimisation based on a time-switching relaying protocol as a benchmark. The simulation results are presented to verify that the self-energy recycling protocol achieves a significant rate gain compared with the time-switching relaying protocol and the power-splitting relaying protocol.


We develop the method of stochastic modified equations (SME), in which stochastic gradient algorithms are approximated in the weak sense by continuous-time stochastic differential equations. We exploit the continuous formulation together with optimal control theory to derive novel adaptive hyper-parameter adjustment policies. Our algorithms have competitive performance with the added benefit of being robust to varying models and datasets. This provides a general methodology for the analysis and design of stochastic gradient algorithms.


Ulaan Baatar is the coldest capital city in the world, with winter lasting for seven months of the year. Following the collapse of communist rule in 1991, increasing numbers of Mongolians are moving into the city, where they mostly live in sprawling, polluted and unplanned slums. Today the Mongolian Government is working with international development agencies in an attempt to ensure a sustainable transition into the modern world. This Life film looks at how Mongolia is powering itself. All electricity produced in Mongolia comes from fossil fuels. What can be done to repair environmental damage and introduce sustainable alternatives? Life examines the long-term environmental implications of exhausting Mongolia's natural resources--global warming, environmental degradation, desertification--and asks, what clean technological solutions are there to Mongolia's problems?


Ten flowers of each of the Eucalyptus species E. citriodora, E. camaldulensis, E. grandis, E. tereticornis and E. urophylla were marked with the objective of determining the type of food (pollen or nectar) that the bees collected at three different hours (08:00, 11:00, and 16:00) daily during the blossoming period. The number of bees visiting each flower was counted at each hour during five minutes of observation. On the first and second blossoming days, E. camaldulensis was the species least visited by the bees for pollen collection at all three hours of observation, when compared with the other four species, which were equally visited. On the other hand, on the first blossoming day at 08:00 h, E. camaldulensis was the most visited species for nectar collection. It is concluded that at the beginning of the blossoming period in the majority of Eucalyptus species studied, the food most collected by the bees is pollen, while from the third blossoming day onward it is nectar. At 08:00 h the food most collected is pollen, while at 11:00 and 16:00 h it shifts to nectar. This information is important for the success of apiculture in certain regions, especially so in the case of migratory beekeeping.


Let $(X,T)$ be a dynamical system where $X$ is a compact metric space and $T:X\rightarrow X$ is continuous and invertible. Assume the Lebesgue covering dimension of $X$ is $d$. We show that for a generic continuous map $h:X\rightarrow[0,1]$, the $(2d+1)$-delay observation map $x\mapsto\big(h(x),h(Tx),\ldots,h(T^{2d}x)\big)$ is an embedding of $X$ inside $[0,1]^{2d+1}$. This is a generalization of the discrete version of the celebrated Takens embedding theorem, as proven by Sauer, Yorke and Casdagli to the setting of a continuous observable. In particular there is no assumption on the (lower) box-counting dimension of $X$ which may be infinite.


Background and Purpose— Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common metabolic disease among the middle-aged and older population, which leads to an increase of stroke incidence and poor stroke recovery. The present study was designed to investigate the impact of DM on brain damage and on ischemic brain repair after stroke in aging animals. Methods— DM was induced in middle-aged rats (13 months) by administration of nicotinamide and streptozotocin. Rats with confirmed hyperglycemia status 30 days after nicotinamide–streptozotocin injection and age-matched non-DM rats were subjected to embolic middle cerebral artery occlusion. Results— Middle-aged rats subjected to nicotinamide–streptozotocin injection became hyperglycemic and developed cognitive deficits 2 months after induction of DM. Histopathologic analysis revealed that there was sporadic vascular disruption, including cerebral microvascular thrombosis, blood–brain barrier leakage, and loss of paravascular aquaporin-4 in the hippocampi. Importantly, middle-aged DM rats subjected to stroke had exacerbated sensorimotor and cognitive deficits compared with age-matched non-DM ischemic rats during stroke recovery. Compared with age-matched non-DM ischemic rats, DM ischemic rats exhibited aggravated neurovascular disruption in the bilateral hippocampi and white matter, suppressed stroke-induced neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis, and impaired dendritic/spine plasticity. However, DM did not enlarge infarct volume. Conclusions— Our data suggest that DM exacerbates neurovascular damage and hinders brain repair processes, which likely contribute to the impairment of stroke recovery.


In this paper, the optimization design module for the brake system of a vehicle is developed. As using this module, design variables, that minimize an object function and satisfy nonlinear constraint conditions, can be found easily. Before an optimization is operated, Plackett-Burman design, one of the factorial design methods, is used to choose the design variables which affect a response function significantly. Using the response surface analysis, second order recursive model function, which informs a relation between design variables and response function, is estimated. In order to verify the reliability of the model function, analysis of variances(ANOVA) table is used. The value of design variables which minimize the model function and satisfy the constraint conditions is predicted through Sequential Quadratic-Programming (SQP) method. As applying the above procedure to a real vehicle simulation model and comparing the values of object functions of a current and optimized system, the optimization results are verified.


Packet Sniffer is a tool which captures all the packets on the network irrespective of the final destination of the packet. Packet Sniffer could be used to monitor the bottlenecks in the network, alarm the irregular behaviour in the network, capture passwords and VoIP from any system in that network. This paper gives a brief introduction of what is a packet sniffer, its structure and what is its working. Then key features of top packet sniffing tools (i.e. Wireshark, TCPdump and Colasoft Capsa) are discussed. Further, the above tools are compared on the basis of characteristic behaviour and quantitative parameters. Finally, one gets the best tool amongst these three in a particular situation.


In situ visualization of proteins of interest in single cells is attractive in cell biology, molecular biology, and biomedicine fields. Time-of-flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is a powerful tool for imaging small organic molecules in single cells, yet difficult to image biomacromolecules such as proteins and DNA. Herein, a universal strategy is reported to image specific proteins in single cells by ToF-SIMS following genetic incorporation of fluorine-containing unnatural amino acids as a chemical tag into the proteins via a genetic code expansion technique. The method was developed and validated by imaging a green fluorescence protein (GFP) in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and human HeLa cancer cells and then utilized to visualize the characteristic polar distribution of chemotaxis protein CheA in E. coli cells and the interaction between high-mobility group box 1 protein and cisplatin-damaged DNA in HeLa cells. The present work highlights the power of ToF-SIMS imaging combined with genetically encoded chemical tags for in situ visualization of specific proteins as well as the interactions between proteins and drugs or drug-damaged DNA in single cells.


The study, entitled "Textual Meaning in Song Lyrics" is aimed to find out the most frequent Topical Theme in the song lyrics. The study used Systemic Functional Grammar to answer the research questions. The data were taken from dreamtheater.net involving three Dream Theater lyrics. Data were analyzed by Halliday Theme and Rheme analytical framework. The research shows that Topical Theme is the most frequent Theme which appears 70 times (68.63%) followed by Textual Theme which appears 28 times (27.45%) and Interpersonal Theme which appears 4 times (3.92%). The messages in the lyrics are mostly about love which is divided into three different points of view, i.e. the issue of love to an opposite sex, the issue of love to a son, the issue of love to life. Key-words: Theme, Topical, song lyrics, message.


It is essential to decrease energy consumption and excess sludge to economically operate sewage treatment plant. This becomes more important along with a ban on sea dumping and exhaustion of resource. Therefore, many researchers have been study on energy consumption reduction and strategies for minimization of excess sludge production from the activated sludge process. The aeration cost account for a high proportion of maintenance cost because sufficient air is necessary to keep nitrifying bacteria activity of which the oxygen affinity is inferior to that of heterotrophic bacteria. Also, additional costs are incurred to stabilize excess sludge and decrease the volume of sludge. There were anoxic, aerobic, membrane, deairation and concentration zone in this MBR process. Continuous aeration was provided to prevent membrane fouling in membrane zone and intermittent aeration was provided in aerobic zone through ammonia sensor. So, there was the minimum oxygen to remove NH4 N below limited quantity that could be eliminated in membrane zone. As the result of this control, energy consumption of aeration system declined by between 10.4 % and 19.1 %. Besides, we could maintain high MLSS concentration in concentration zone and this induced the microorganisms to be in starved condition. Consequentially, the amount of excess sludge decrease by about 15 %.


The new treatment of myocardial infarction in the acute phase is effective if it is applied as early as possible after the onset of ischemia. The concept of extreme emergency implies a change in the overall management of the patients, a reorganization of medical care and major increase in expenditures. Price disparities of thrombolytic agents and variability in complementary reperfusion therapies have a impact on hospital cost of thrombolysis. While individual patients unquestionably benefit from this new methods, further studies are needed to evaluate the increase in health expenditures involved and the economic repercussions of avoidance or limitation of myocardial infarctions.


Text regions in natural scenes have complex and variable shapes. Directly using contour coordinates to describe text regions will make the modeling inadequate and lead to low accuracy of text detection. To address the problem of irregular text regions in natural scenes, we propose an arbitrary-shaped text detection model based on Deformable DETR called BSNet. The model differs from the traditional method of directly predicting contour points by using B-Spline curve to make the text contour more accurate and reduces the number of predicted parameters simultaneously. The proposed model eliminates manually designed components and dramatically simplifies the design. The proposed model achieves F-measure of 86.8% and 87.6% on CTW1500 and Total-Text, demonstrating the model's effectiveness.