Like most of the noteworthy South Asian poets writing in English. Kaiser Haq has moved away from traditional verse from and stereotypical themes. He has been articulating his cultural identity uniquely in the context of Bangladesh—a third world country afflicted with poverty, hunger, floods, tornados, political turmoil and recently corruption—with a treasure house of distinctive poetic images tinged with a sense of irony and humour. This paper explores various aspects of Kaiser Haq's poetry with special emphasis on the poems dealing with cultural duality inherited from the colonial presence in the Indian subcontinent. In some of the poems, Haq deliberately uses colonial Babu English-inflected and distinctive idioms, non-stop use of the continuous tense and expressions shaped and affected by the first language of a colonial subject only to 'mock' the colonial legacy that we more or less still bear. Besides, his ironic stand while critiquing the colonial burden in his society affirms his existence as a postcolonial poet. Another notable aspect of Haq's poetry is how he clings to his oi.vn cultural reality by refusing to join the immigration queue and become a Diaspora writer. The paper also focuses on his ironic portrayal of the political system existing in the postcolonial Bangladesh. In fact, the paper tries to discover how poetry can bear witness-instead of creating ego-centred lyrical vivacity-to a social system where language, politics, culture and custom are reshaped or reconstructed by different aspects of postcoloniality.


In class incremental learning, discriminative models are trained to classify images while adapting to new instances and classes incrementally. Training a model to adapt to new classes without total access to previous class data, however, leads to the known problem of catastrophic forgetting of the previously learnt classes. To alleviate this problem, we show how we can build upon recent progress on contrastive learning methods. In particular, we develop an incremental learning approach for deep neural networks operating both at classification and representation level which alleviates forgetting and learns more general features for data classification. Experiments performed on several datasets demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method with respect to well known state-of-the-art methods.


The replay attack detection problem is studied from a new perspective based on parity space method in this paper. The proposed detection methods have the ability to distinguish system fault and replay attack, handle both input and output data replay, maintain certain control performance, and can be implemented conveniently and efficiently. First, the replay attack effect on the residual is derived and analyzed. The residual change induced by replay attack is characterized explicitly and the detection performance analysis based on two different test statistics are given. Second, based on the replay attack effect characterization, targeted passive and active design for detection performance enhancement are proposed. Regarding the passive design, four optimization schemes regarding different cost functions are proposed with optimal parity matrix solutions, and the unified solution to the passive optimization schemes is obtained; the active design is enabled by a marginally stable filter so as to enlarge the replay attack effect on the residual for detection. Simulations and comparison studies are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed methods.


The latest phase III data from DESTINY-Breast02 and DESTINY-Breast03 indicate that trastuzumab deruxtecan, or T-DXd, outperforms capecitabine-based chemotherapy and T-DM1 in patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. According to results from an investigator-initiated trial, TRIO-US B-12 TALENT, T-DXd may also have neoadjuvant potential in HER2-low disease.


There is substantial disagreement about several aspects of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH), including its etiology, policies for detection, and treatment. Introduction of hip ultrasound (US) as a diagnostic and screening tool, opened a new era in the field of early diagnosis and effective treatment. In September 2018 an international meeting of medical doctors of various disciplines, with expertise in the detection and treatment of DDH, was held in Csolyospalos, Hungary. The aim was to arrive at a consensus on these topics, to develop a standardized system of teaching and training in hip US, and to work towards the maintenance of quality in all these areas. It was agreed that etiology of the condition is multifactorial; the role of recognized risk factors, in particular breech presentation, female sex and (first degree) family history was recognised. There was strong agreement that clinical examination alone is inadequate, and that screening by US is essential. Specifically Graf's techinque of hip US was selected as the US technique of choice. Universal US screening was strongly favoured. Screening should be carried out as soon as possible, but not later than the sixth week of age. US screening is cost-effective, does not result in overtreatment, and contributes to substantially reducing long term consequences. Essential principles of treatment consist of timely application of a device to achieve reduction, retention and maturation, by holding the hips in flexion, and a safe degree of abduction. Finally, it was agreed that effectiveness of any screening policy heavily depends on the correct application of the scanning technique, so standardization of teaching and training in Graf's technique is considered mandatory. A unified teaching policy and materials will be developed for this purpose. Certification, re-certification and audit have been thoroughly discussed. The group, which has been formalized as the International Interdisciplinary Consensus Committee for DDH Evaluation (ICODE), will continue to meet, and work towards establishing international consensus on DDH, towards standardizing and developing teaching and training in the Graf's technique of hip US, and towards the maintenance of standards in detection and management of DDH.


This work presents a probabilistic crack approach based on the Monte Carlo method, implemented in a 3D fully parallelized finite element code (Paz, [1]). The cracking scheme used is the discrete crack approach. In this approach the heterogeneity of the material is taken into account by considering the properties to vary spatially following a normal distribution determined by the mean and the standard deviation of the considered material properties.Fracturing is modeled by 3D interface elements generated in a previously defined region within the mesh (Paz [1]). The interface elements are triangular base prisms connecting adjacent faces of neighboring tetrahedra. These elements simulate crack opening through relative displacements between the triangular faces.


Surveying has long been one of the techniques used by human beings to determine the limits of lands. Today, this science is witnessed in all engineering tasks. The main objective of surveying is to determine the relative position of points on land surface or close to it. To survey on area, the distance between the existing lands must be covered. This paper intends to locate a tree in the area so that the shortest route may be covered. Therefore, the satellite map of the area is studied prior to surveying and a graph, which involves five benchmarks and their distances, is attained. The minimum spanning tree between the locations is then obtained by means of metaheuristic genetic algorithm (GA). When the tree (i.e., route) is located, surveying of the area can be made via covering the shortest route, decreasing the surveying time and increasing its efficiency.


Abstract In recent times, transitional justice practice has increasingly seen truth commissions tasked with administering accountability programmes, distinct from, and in addition to, their traditional truth-seeking role. Such accountability schemes typically take the form of granting or recommending amnesty for those who disclose involvement in past crimes or facilitate reintegration on the basis of similar disclosures. Self-incriminating disclosures made in the course of traditional truth commission proceedings generally attract a robust set of legal safeguards. However, the protections within transitional accountability schemes administered by truth commissions tend to be less stringent. This article explores this anomaly, focusing particularly on the extent to which the privilege against self-incrimination is protected within truth commission-administered accountability programmes. It considers the programmes operated to date, and the levels of protection afforded, and demonstrates a lack of consistent practice in the safeguarding of individual rights within these programmes. It examines international legal standards on the privilege against self-incrimination and questions whether the procedures operated by accountability programmes can be reconciled with international norms in order to protect those who make self-incriminating disclosures within accountability initiatives. The article argues that a failure to ensure individual rights against self-incrimination risks compromising the efficacy of the programmes themselves and the contribution that they can make to long-term peace and reconciliation in transitional states.


Ontologies based on natural language semantic are supposed to represent the mental models that speakers of a language possess of domains. They are thus commonly understood and may serve as a efficient means for communication between humans and computers. A menu based on a taxonomy extracted from such an ontology may therefore serve as interface for a web site communicating information about the corresponding domain. To determine an ontological representation of a mental model one must consider not only the meaning of isolated words, but also how they enter into true sentences and valid inferences. In this paper a method is presented that consists in identifying true sentences and using valid inferences to construct taxonomies for categorisation hierarchies. The method is discussed and then applied to the construction of a taxonomy for the domain of tasks provided by the Norwegian municipalities.


Friction Stir Welding is a solid – state thermo – mechanical joining process (a combination of extruding and forging). Joining of steels to aluminium alloys can be used for producing steel/aluminium bimetallic parts in a wide range of industrial areas. The overall aim of this study is to get the optimum parameters for the materials under considerations, to investigate the Heated Affected Zone (HAZ), Thermo – Mechanical Affected Zone (TMAZ) and Weld Nugget (WN) besides to study the defects occurring during welding process by applying different parameters chosen. The welding process was done by using conventional milling machine. Three experiments being used are the Tensile Testing, Optical Microscopy (OM) and Electron Scanning Microscopy (SEM) to get the strength of the joint and the metallographic studies. The findings also found out that suitable parameters being choose give less defect and intermetallic compounds (IMCs). Therefore, at higher speed and lower tool plunge length, the joint strength decreased due to lack of bonding between aluminium and steel.


By asymptotically expanding the transfer matrix that relates stresses and displacements on both sides of a thin cylindrical interface between two solids, a new spring model is proposed to describe the scattering of an obliquely incident ultrasonic wave from an interface layer in composite structures. Generalized three-dimensional boundary conditions at the cylindrical interface are obtained. Two stiffness constants, besides three mass terms, for the interface layer are introduced. It is found that the accuracy of the new model satisfies the precision demand in ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation.


With the growth of building monitoring network, increasing human resource and funds have been invested into building monitoring system. Computer vision technology has been widely used in image recognition recently, and this technology has also been gradually applied to action recognition. There are still many disadvantages of traditional monitoring system. In this paper, a human activity recognition system which based on the convolution neural network is proposed. Using the 3D convolution neural network and the transfer learning technology, the human activity recognition engine is constructed. The Spring MVC framework is used to build the server end, and the system page is designed in HBuilder. The system not only enhances efficiency and functionality of building monitoring system, but also improves the level of building safety.


This study aimed at understanding the feelings of the puerperas with babies hospitalized in neonatal intensive care unit. This is a descriptive exploratory research with qualitative approach accomplished with six mothers whose babies were hospitalized in neonatal intensive or intermediate care unit in a maternity hospital in Fortaleza, Ceara. The information were obtained through structured individual interviews and displaced in two categories of analysis: Feelings that emerge from the discovery that the newborn will need hospitalization and those experienced during the process of hospitalization of the newborn. We conclude that a mother who is experiencing the hospitalization of a newborn child needs effective care as a means of obtaining a better way of facing such a crisis, avoiding this that such a situation bring damage to the physical and emotional health of the mother Keywords: Mothers; Emotions; Child hospitalized; Intensive Care Units Neonatal.


ABSTRACT A region of the bovine coronavirus (BCV) genome that functions as a packaging signal has been cloned. The 291-nucleotide clone shares 72% homology with the region of mouse hepatitis coronavirus (MHV) gene1b that contains the packaging signal. RNA transcripts were packaged into both BCV and MHV virions when the cloned region was appended to a noncoronavirus RNA. This is the first identification of a BCV packaging signal. The data demonstrate that the BCV genome contains a sequence that is conserved at both the sequence and functional levels, thus broadening our insight into coronavirus packaging.


Local response is estimated within the sediment fill of the Tagliamento River Valley (THV), northeastern Italy, using about 90 weak‐to‐medium local and regional earthquakes. Ground motion is recorded at six stations deployed in a linear array across the valley. Site amplification factors are determined using the standard spectral ratio, the generalized inversion technique, and evaluations of receiver functions. Results obtained from earthquake data are then compared with ambient noise analysis. Azimuthal effects in the seismic response are observed locally for waves coming from the east‐southeast, aligned with the longitudinal axis of the valley. The seismic responses evaluated at the mid‐valley and at the valley edge are then convolved with the 1976 M w 6.4 Friuli mainshock recorded at accelerometric station TLM1, located close to the array. The local response at the valley edge, in the town of Cavazzo Carnico, is responsible for an enhancement of the input motion of an average factor of about 4 in the frequency range from 2 to 8 Hz. The elastic demand from the current national regulation for a 475‐year return period and specific for Cavazzo Carnico is overcome by the 5%‐damped pseudoacceleration response spectrum estimated at the valley edge. The underestimation of the Italian code is mostly due to a 2D amplification effect at the valley edge rather than a simple inadequacy of the V S 30 site classification.

Online Material: Figures showing locations of historical earthquakes, distribution of fundamental frequency of vibration, waveforms of the M D 5.1 Kobarid earthquake, S ‐wave velocity versus depth, and GIT and RF amplification median values and spectra; tables of seismic station locations and soil type, and of local and regional earthquakes.


Forty-five literate schoolchildren aged 9 (n = 25) and 11 (n = 20) from urban Zambia were given core and expanded tests on the NEPSY and their performance was scored according to age-equivalent norms for U.S. children. This study indicates that in urban, literate Zambian children, the NEPSY is relatively insensitive to language and cultural influences that often compromise the applicability of Western tests in the developing world. No consistent improvement in the standard scores was found as a function of educational experience. Comparison against the U.S. normative average revealed that both age groups were poorer in the domains of language and attention and executive functions, whereas their performance was better in the visuospatial processing domain. It is concluded that the NEPSY in its present form may be clinically useful, but its results should still be treated with caution, taking into account cultural, language, and personal demographic information. More studies, with divergent and larger samples of varying age ranges are required. It seems that the NEPSY could serve as the initial step in the development of neuropsychological practices in Zambia.


Three case studies involving the use of numerical models are presented in this paper. First, a comparison of FE modelling of a deep excavation is made using 2-D finite element software, SAGE-CRISP and PLAXIS. In the second study, benchmarking is made between results obtained from 2-D FE modelling using PLAXIS and well-established 3-D centrifuge studies for the case of an existing single pile and pile group located nearby to an excavation. Finally, practical application of FEM in the design of a 12-m high hydraulically placed sand-fill embankment is presented to demonstrate the importance of time-dependent analyses. These benchmarked studies using FEM technique will undoubtedly increase the confidence level of any designer who is involved in the challenging field of geotechnical engineering.


Pink rot of potato, caused by Phytophthora erythroseptica, causes yield losses in the field and in storage. Surveys were conducted in Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) during 1999–2001 to determine the sensitivity of local isolates of the pathogen to mefenoxam (Ridomil®). In addition, field trials were established to test the efficacy of foliar applications of Ridomil to control pink rot in stored progeny tubers. Of 47, 24, and 4 samples of infected tubers collected from harvested fields or warehouses across P.E.I. in 1999, 2000, and 2001, respectively, 15 (32%), 2 (8%), and 2 (50%) contained tubers showing symptoms of pink rot. Tissues excised from infected tubers of samples showing symptoms of pink rot yielded 62, 7, and 8 field isolates of P. erythroseptica in 1999, 2000, and 2001, respectively. In 1999 and 2000, 97 and 17 single-zoospore isolates were also generated, respectively, for testing of sensitivity to mefenoxam. An assay on agar amended with mefenoxam revealed that all field and single-zoospore isolates collected from P.E.I. were highly sensitive to mefenoxam (EC50 < 0.5 µg mefenoxam/mL). By contrast, tester isolates of P. erythroseptica from Maine were either sensitive, moderately resistant, or highly resistant to mefenoxam. Tubers ('Russet Burbank' and 'Kennebec') harvested from field plots managed with foliar applications of mefenoxam were inoculated with selected isolates of P. erythroseptica. Isolates that were inhibited on agar medium amended with mefenoxam were also suppressed in tubers from plants treated with foliar applications of the chemical. One foliar application of mefenoxam at tuber initiation was often sufficient to provide a significant (P = 0.05) reduction in pink rot incidence and severity. In some instances, two foliar applications (at tuber initiation and 2 weeks thereafter) reduced disease incidence and severity significantly (P = 0.05) more than a single application. By contrast, tester isolates of P. erythroseptica from Maine designated as either moderately or highly resistant following the amended-agar assay, also infected tubers from plants treated with mefenoxam. Fungicide efficacy was found to vary between cultivars and among years of study; suppression of pink rot was greater in 'Kennebec' than 'Russet Burbank', and fungicide efficacy was reduced in drier years. Management of resistance to mefenoxam and application scheduling are discussed.


Information services are an integral part of the grid architecture. It is the foundation of how resources are defined and their state known. More importantly, the user of the Grid gets a perspective of what a grid looks like, how it performs and what capabilities it has from information services. The Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative (ASCI) has designed and deployed a set of grid services within the context of the ASCI program. We deploy information services by augmenting the Globus toolkit in order to meet the unique aspects of the ASCI grid. We describe the decisions made and processes developed to run a grid information service in the ASCI grid.


The origin of the universal optical conductivity form σ(ω) ∝ (1 − e−ω/T)/ω, representing well the results of numerical model studies of doped antiferromagnets and also experiments on cuprates near optimal doping, is considered. We argue that such a behaviour appears quite generally when the single-particle excitations are overdamped and their relaxation follows the marginal Fermi-liquid concept. The relation to recent ARPES experiments is also discussed.


Background The COVID-19 pandemic impacted many aspects of normal operations in academic medicine. While effective leadership is always important, the intensity and urgency of COVID-19 challenged academic medicine leaders to find new ways to lead their institutions and manage their own experiences of the pandemic. Methods Sixteen physician leaders from Michigan Medicine took part in semistructured interviews during April and May 2020. Participants were asked open-ended questions about the attributes and techniques that were important to effectively lead during a crisis. The authors analysed the interviews using thematic analysis. Results Participants described three overarching themes of leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) bringing together a diverse team with clear, shared goals; (2) using a range of strategies to tend to their teams'—as well as their own—well-being; and (3) engaging in leadership reasoning as a way of learning from others and reflecting on their own actions to inform their future leadership practice. Conclusion The results of this study reveal several salient themes of crisis leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings also highlight the role of leadership reasoning, a reflective practice employed by leaders to understand and improve their leadership skills. This finding presents leadership skill development as part of lifelong learning in medicine. Findings may be incorporated into best practices and preparations to inform future healthcare leaders.


A variety of PtFeNi catalysts supported on carbon materials have been prepared and tested for CO preferential oxidation (PROX) in excess hydrogen. 100% O2 and CO conversions have been achieved over carbon black (CB) and carbon nanotube (CNT) supported PtFeNi catalysts at room temperature in a feed gas containing 1% CO, 0.5% O2 (volume ratio) and H2 balance gas. N2 adsorption, temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies indicate that the carbon textural properties and surface chemistry determine the catalyst particle size distribution and mean size; but the mean particle size does not have a great influence on the catalytic performance within the investigated particle size range. X-ray diffraction (XRD), resistance measurements and the designed catalytic reaction results reveal the ability of graphitic carbon to capture and shuttle electrons from the noble metal to spatially different sites in the FeNi species through the π–π network, enables the indirect interactions between Pt and the FeNi species, leading to a strengthened synergistic effect, enhancing the CO oxidation activity at room temperature, increasing the Pt utilization efficiency, and apparently decreasing the Pt loading level.


We compared recently published sedimentary records of δ 15 N from several coastal areas affected by both natural and anthropogenically produced shallow hypoxia with the objective of testing this as a proxy for denitrification in coastal settings. We examined the eastern boundary systems of continental shelves off western India and Peru, which appear to be experiencing intensification of bottom-water oxygen depletion, most likely as a consequence of intensification of eastern boundary coastal upwelling over the last few decades. In systems that are significantly affected by an enhanced inventory of nutrients from organic matter in soils due to continental erosion following colonial land clearing (e.g., Chesapeake Bay), fertilizer and wastewater runoff (e.g., western Indian shelf and Long Island Sound), the productivity increase is largely local and induced by anthropogenic activity. The western Indian shelf thus experiences a double effect, being both an upwelling zone and prone to nutrient enrichment from land. While in other regions of both natural and anthropogenic bottom-water hypoxia, sedimentary δ 15 N has undergone significant increases over the Anthropocene; in the eastern Arabian Sea, an opposite trend is noticed despite historical water-column measurements revealing a contemporaneous intensification of denitrification. Plausible causes are discussed here in detail, which led us to conclude that the sedimentary δ 15 N may not always work as a reliable proxy of denitrification in coastal regions.


For decades, the prevailing standard for a judge making a decision regarding parenting time has been "the best interest of the child." Because the high degree of discretion afforded to a trial court by the best interest standard may render inconsistent and unpredictable results, the standard has been widely criticized. In the past half century, federal sentencing has undergone similar scrutiny. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines — "the most controversial and disliked sentencing reform initiative in U.S. history" — have substantially curtailed judicial discretion in an effort to ensure uniformity in sentencing. Several states have explored limiting judicial discretion in the area of parenting time by a mechanism appropriate for comparison to the federal sentencing guidelines — parenting time guidelines. Both involve "whole person" adjudication, and both purport to pronounce a result governing an individual's future based on predetermined classifications and categories. This Article advocates rejection of parenting time guidelines. Instead, modest limitations on the discretion afforded by the best interest standard can address the concerns of its critics but also preserve a judge's ability to make individualized case-by-case determinations regarding a child's best interest. This Article will make its case by applying observations regarding the evolution of federal sentencing guidelines to the concept of parenting time guidelines. The development of the federal sentencing guidelines shows that a guidelines approach to judicial decision making comes with significant sacrifice, likely to the guidelines' very purpose. Federal sentencing guidelines came with a sacrifice of the purposes of punishment, and parenting time guidelines will come with a sacrifice to the best interest of children. Every child deserves the careful case-by-case deliberation of a judge as to what future parenting arrangement is in his or her best interest.


In neuropathic pain, the nerve fibers themselves may be damaged, dysfunctional or injured. A 49-year-old female patient experienced radiating right anterior arm pain following an operation on the same arm. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score was 10. Tramadol, gabapentin and amitriptyline were started as medical treatment. In view of the persisting complaints, epidural pulsed radiofrequency with Pasha-Cath was scheduled. After 2 years, VAS remained at 1-2. It was concluded that epidural pulsed radiofrequency with Pasha-Cath is an alternative and effective choice of treatment in neuropathic pain when the medical treatment alone is not sufficient.


We have developed a set-up with modified "seesaw heating method" for the thermopower measurement under pressures P up to 3 GPa at the temperature range between 2 K and 300 K. By using this set-up, the thermopower and electrical resistivity of the single crystalline YbMn2Ge2 under high pressure were measured with enough accuracy. S(T) curve shows the characteristic feature at the magnetic transition in all pressure range, while no evidence of the magnetic phase transition is observed in ρ(T) at P > 1.25 GPa. The measurement results indicate that the simultaneous measurement of the thermopower and electrical resistivity is a useful tool to study the pressure-induced phase transitions.


A bioassay of (2-chloroethyl)trimethylammonium chloride for possible carcinogenicity was conducted by administering the test chemical in feed to F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice. Groups of 50 rats of each sex were administered either 1,500 or 3,000 ppm of the compound for 108 weeks, and 50 mice of each sex were administered 500 or 2,000 ppm for 102 weeks. Matched controls consisted of 20 untreated and 20 untreated mice of each sex. All surviving animals were killed at the end of the period of administration of the test chemical. Mean body weights of dosed rats and mice were lower than those of corresponding controls for part or all of the bioassay, except for the dosed male mice, whose mean body weights were essentially the same as those of the corresponding controls. Survival was not affected significantly in any of the dosed groups of rats or mice and was at least 64% in every dosed or control group of each species at the end of the bioassay. Sufficient numbers of dosed and control rats and mice of each sex were at risk for the development of late-appearing tumors. Since there was virtually no decrease in mean body weight in dosed male mice and only a slight decrease in female mice, and since there were no other toxic signs and no dose-related mortality, the animals may have been able to tolerate higher doses. No tumors occurred in the rats or mice of either sex at incidences that could be associated with administration of the test chemical. It is concluded that under the conditions of this bioassay, (2-chloroethyl)trimethylammonium chloride was not carcinogenic for F344 rats or B6C3F1 mice of either sex.


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Most of the preoperative risk tools predicting prostate cancer (PCa) recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP) considered biochemical recurrence (BCR) as the main endpoint. However, not all patients experiencing BCR ultimately progress to clinical recurrence (CR). We aimed at developing and externally validate a novel risk classification predicting long-term CR in European patients treated with RP. METHODS: Overall, 19,825 PCa patients treated with RP between 1991 and 2018 at two European referral centers were identified. The study outcome was 8-year CR defined as positive imaging after the onset of BCR. Kaplan-Meier analysis assessed time to CR. A multivariable Cox regression model-derived nomogram predicting 8-year CR was developed in one institution cohort and externally validated in the second institution cohort. Predictors were: PSA level at RP (<10 vs. 10-20 vs. >20), biopsy grade group (1 vs. 2 vs. 3 vs. 4-5), clinical stage (T1 vs T2 vs. T3) and percentage of positive cores at biopsy (<33% vs. 34-66% vs. >66%). The accuracy of our model was compared to the D'Amico classification and CAPRA score in predicting 8-year CR. Finally, nomogram-derived coefficients were used to develop a novel risk score. RESULTS: Overall, 6,640 (33%), 8,823 (44%) and 4,362 (23%) had low, intermediate and high-risk disease according to the D'Amico classification. The 8-year overall CR-free survival rate was 92.9%. No significant differences were observed in the 8-year CR-free survival rates between D'Amico low- and intermediate-risk patients (98.9 vs. 94.1%; P=0.1). The 8-year CR-free survival rate was 78% for D'Amico high-risk patients. The developed model predicting CR depicted excellent discrimination at external validation (area under the curve [AUC] 89%). After testing the accuracy of the D'Amico risk groups and the CAPRA score in our cohort, the novel model showed higher AUC (89% vs. 76% vs. 80%). Finally, we assigned a specific coefficient to each covariate of the model and the sum of the derived score identified three risk groups: low (0), intermediate (1-2) and high (>2). The 8-year CR-free survival was 99%, 85%, and 62% for patients in the novel low-, intermediate- and high-risk group, respectively (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We developed and externally validated a novel preoperative risk tool to predict long-term CR after RP. Our model exhibited higher accuracy as compared to available tools in the prediction of stronger oncologic endpoints at long-term follow-up. This stratification might assist physicians in preoperative counselling. Source of Funding: none


Abstract Glioma is the most common form of primary central nervous malignant tumors. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is a blood supply channel that is different from endothelial blood vessels in glioma. VM is related to tumor invasion and metastasis. Therefore, it plays an important role to target therapy for glioma VM. Our experimental results showed abnormal expression of UBE2I, PUM2, CEBPD, and DSG2 in glioma cells. The Co‐IP and Immunofluorescence staining were used to detect that PUM2 can be modified by SUMO2/3. The interaction between PUM2 and CEBPD mRNA was detected by the RIP assays. The interaction between transcription factor CEBPD and promoter region of DSG2 was detected by the ChIP assays and luciferase assays. The capacity for migration in glioma cells was observed by the laser holographic microscope. The capacity for invasion in glioma cells was detected by Transwell method. The VM in glioma cells was detected by three‐dimensional cell culture method. The experimental results found that the upregulation of UBE2I in glioma tissues and cells promotes the SUMOylation of PUM2, which decreases not only the stability of PUM2 protein but also decreases the inhibitory effect of PUM2 on CEBPD mRNA. The upregulation of CEBPD promotes the binding to the upstream promoter region of DSG2 gene, further upregulates the expression of DSG2, and finally promotes the development of glioma VM. In conclusion, this study found that the UBE2I/PUM2/CEBPD/DSG2 played crucial roles in regulating glioma VM. It also provides potential targets and alternative strategies for combined treatment of glioma.


OBJECTIVE
To identify blood chemistry changes in coronavirus of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

METHODS
Biochemical changes in SARS patients were summarized and compared with other viral pneumonias. Serum total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), calcium (Ca), ferrum (Fe), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) between SARS and other viral pneumonias were examined by Roche Diagnostics assay, HITACHI7600 automatic analyzer. Clinically confirmed SARS patients, patients with other viral pneumonias, and healthy controls were included in the study.

RESULTS
Compared with healthy person, the levels of serum TC, Fe, Ca, Alb were significantly lowered (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the activity of LDH, CK, ALT, AST were elevated, the increase of CK and the decrease of Fe were the most significant (P<0.05 or P<0.01), the changes of TP and TG were not obvious. In the other viral pneumonias patients, ALT, AST, LDH were elevated slightly than those of healthy person, while Fe, Ca, Alb, TC, CK were a little reduced, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. In convalescent stage, all the tests were returned to normal ranges except ALT, AST were still elevated in SARS patients.

CONCLUSION
The changes in serum biochemistry are more marked in SARS patients compared with patients suffering from other viral pneumonias, the decrease of Fe as well as the inhibition of TC may be caused by the treatment of anti-virus.


Introduction/Background Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynecological cancer and is the tenth most frequent cancer among women. Eighty percent of patients with advanced stage decease will experience a progression either during or after treatment. Methodology A retrospective, observational study of all women referred to adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment for ovarian cancer between the 1st of June 2013 and 31st of May 2014 at two university hospitals in Denmark. Results We included 142 women with diagnosed ovarian cancer. Median overall survival from diagnosis was 48.5 months (95% CI 36.6–57.9). Median survival after first, second, third, fourth and fifth progression was 19.3 (95% CI 13.9–27.3), 11.4 (7.7–18.8), 9.5 (6.3–12.7), 8.3 (7.6–11.5), 5.6 (2.9–NA) months, respectively. Median progression-free survival from diagnosis was 15.6 months (95% CI 14.3–18.4). Median progression-free survival after first, second, third, fourth and fifth progression was 9.2 (95% CI 7.7–10.6), 6.0 (3.5–7.7), 3.3 (2.6–4.6), 4.9 (3.6–8.3), 3.0 (2.4–5.7) months, respectively. The most frequently used treatment at first progression was carboplatin and liposomal doxorubicin (n=37). The most used non-platinum containing treatment at progression was liposomal doxorubicin (n=26) followed by paclitaxel (n=23). Conclusion Ovarian cancer remains a highly aggressive decease with most patients diagnosed in advanced stages. The treatment has not changed a lot in the last 15 years and the same is evident for the overall survival. Disclosure Mr. Tobias Berg received an unrestricted scholarship grant from the Danish Cancer Society. The remaining authors have nothing to disclose.


A predictive load shifting control system for a heat pump has been developed and installed in a low carbon test house located at the BRE Innovation Park, Motherwell, near Glasgow. The house features an exhaust-air source heat pump supplying an under floor heating system. The controller predicted the day-ahead space heating requirements for the house, based on forecast air temperatures and solar radiation levels and then automatically set the heat pump's start and stop times for the following day. The heat pump's operation was restricted where possible to off-peak electricity tariff periods (00:00-07:00). The controller's operating parameters were pre-set using a calibrated building simulation model. After installation, the controller's performance was monitored during September 2015 and analysis of test data showed that the predictive control maintained indoor air temperatures between 18-23oC for around 87% of notional occupied hours between 07:00-22:00; this was better than predicted by simulation. However, the energy performance of the heat pump was extremely poor as it did not function well under intermittent load-shifting operation, with the majority of the heat was delivered primarily by an auxiliary immersion coil rather than the heat pump itself. The paper concludes with suggestions for refinements to the controller and further work.


Abstract. In recent years, an important development in flood management has been the focal shift from flood protection towards flood risk management. This change greatly promoted the progress of flood control research in a multidisciplinary way. Moreover, given the growing complexity and uncertainty in many decision situations of flood risk management, traditional methods, e.g., tight-coupling integration of one or more quantitative models, are not enough to provide decision support for managers. Within this context, this paper presents a beneficial methodological framework to enhance the effectiveness of decision support systems, through the dynamic adaptation of support regarding the needs of the decision-maker. In addition, we illustrate a loose-coupling technical prototype for integrating heterogeneous elements, such as multi-source data, multidisciplinary models, GIS tools and existing systems. The main innovation is the application of model-driven concepts, which put the system in a state of continuous iterative optimization. We define the new system as a model-driven decision support system (MDSS ). Two characteristics that differentiate the MDSS are as follows: (1) it is made accessible to non-technical specialists; and (2) it has a higher level of adaptability and compatibility. Furthermore, the MDSS was employed to manage the flood risk in the Jingjiang flood diversion area, located in central China near the Yangtze River. Compared with traditional solutions, we believe that this model-driven method is efficient, adaptable and flexible, and thus has bright prospects of application for comprehensive flood risk management.


Abstract National surveillance of psychosocial risk factors in the workplace is important to record the changing work environment and for the development (and monitoring) of policies and programs to prevent stress and promote mental and physical health and well-being at work. This paper overviews national surveillance systems for psychosocial risks and outcomes (35 national systems across 20 different countries, and an additional four multi-country systems), and then looks for convergence between the system, and the current research literature. This paper is the first to provide a compendium of current national surveillance systems on psychosocial risk. It describes the content of each system and gives an overview of sampling methodology, providing an evaluation of comprehensiveness rather than of quality of tools and methods. Recommendations include: (1) surveillance should be the priority for any national research agenda for psychosocial risk management; (2) stakeholders should cooperate with international systems operators to work towards the development of "state of the art" systems; (3) issues for priority inclusion in surveillance systems are emotional demands/emotional labour, workplace bullying, harassment, and violence, exposure to acute stressors, organizational justice, the occurrence and impact of global organizational change, and positive psychological states; (4) systems should be flexible to identify and assess emerging risk factors/groups; and (5) an international surveillance system should be implemented.


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Previously, we showed that, owing to effects arising from quantum electrodynamics (QED), magnetohydrodynamic fast modes of sufficient strength will break down to form electron-positron pairs while traversing the magnetospheres of strongly magnetised neutron stars. The bulk of the energy of the fast mode fuels the development of an electron-positron fireball. However, a small, but potentially observable, fraction of the energy (∼ 10 ergs) can generate a nonthermal distribution of electrons and positrons far from the star. In this paper, we examine the cooling and radiative output of these particles. We also investigate the properties of non-thermal emission in the absence of a fireball to understand the breakdown of fast modes that do not yield an optically thick pair plasma. This quiescent, non-thermal radiation associated with fast mode breakdown may account for the recently observed non-thermal emission from several anomalous X-ray pulsars and soft-gamma repeaters.


Mutations in ribosome protein (Rp) genes and ribosome biogenesis factors result in debilitating diseases known as ribosomopathies. Recent studies in Drosophila have shown that cells heterozygous mutant for Rp genes (Rp/+) exhibit proteotoxic stress and aggregates, which drive stress pathway activation and apoptosis. Understanding how Rp/+ cells fend off proteotoxic stress could suggest mechanisms to ameliorate these and other conditions caused by proteotoxic stress. Here we find that Rp/+ epithelial cells express all six Gustatory Receptor 64 (Gr64) genes, a cluster of sugar receptors involved in taste sensation. We show that Rp/+ cells depend on Gr64 for survival and that loss of Gr64 autonomously exacerbates stress pathway activation and proteotoxic stress by negatively effecting autophagy and proteasome function in Rp/+ cells. This work identifies a non-canonical role in proteostasis maintenance for a family of gustatory receptors known for their function in neuronal sensation.


Two models are proposed for forecasting global solar radiation. The forecasted values are used to predict the output power of photovoltaic systems installed in power systems and control the output of other generators to meet the electricity demand. One of the models is used for at least one-day-ahead demand and supply planning. The other model is used for three-hour-ahead demand and supply operation. The models are based on weather information and use descriptive statistics and binary trees respectively. The focus is on estimation of the anticipated variations in the forecasts and dealing with the nonlinearity of the relationship between the global solar radiation and the input variables. In addition, the smoothing effect of the errors is investigated and utilized when they are applied to wide area forecasting. The results show that they are promising in keeping the balance between demand and supply in power systems with photovoltaic systems installed.


VERITAS, the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System, is a major new ground-based observatory for studying nonthermal astrophysics in the gamma-ray band above 100 GeV. VERITAS has operated a stereo pair of telescopes using a true array trigger at the Mt. Hopkins base camp site in southern Arizona since March, 2006. We report here on the status of certain key technical aspects of the project, including the optomechanical system and the trigger electronics.


Although vital to the existence of the Philippine movie industry, stardom has rarely garnered scholarly attention apart from the auteurist (film-artist) or biographical modes. Part of the reason is external, in the sense that media-studies approaches to star-text discourses emerged relatively recently, and may still be in the process of further refinement. However, a crucial internal reason is that the primary Philippine example, Nora Aunor, inadvertently affirms the earlier, now-conventional approach by virtue of her singular dominance as both top star and top multimedia performer. This study will track relevant trends in star studies vis-a-vis Philippine scholarly output, and will then look at an extreme example of Aunor-as-auteur by way of demonstrating the predicament her presence has posed for local scholarship.


Background DMARDs are beneficial for a number of rheumatic conditions. However, treatment effect may take a few weeks. On the other hand, patients may experience adverse effects (AEs) early on and they may not be able to follow complicated dosage titration regimen. In order to enhance treatment safety and empower self-management, rheumatic disease patients requiring initiation or change of DMARDs were recruited to a rheumatology nurse phone follow-up program. Objectives (1) To evaluate the service outcomes of Rheumatology Nurse Phone follow-up Program and (2) explore the factors that may influence treatment adherence Methods Upon initiation of DMARDs therapy at out-patient clinic or before hospital discharge, patients and/or their caregivers will be counseled for the new treatment plan and self-management knowledge by rheumatology nurse. A telephone follow-up by rheumatology nurse will be arranged within 4 weeks to monitor patients' condition. Treatment responses, AEs, drug concordance of patients and advice given in each phone consultation (PC) were recorded. Retrospective case review was performed. Results There were 1230 episodes of PC performed by rheumatology nurse in 2015. 180 episodes of PC involved 76 patients (56 female) were randomly selected. The average number of PC was 2.4 times per case. The mean age of patient was 58 (24–85) years. Disease categories mainly involved rheumatoid arthritis (60.5%), systemic lupus erythematosus (7.9%), spondyloarthritis (5.3%) and gout (3.9%). The most common DMARDs prescribed were methotrexate (40.8%), hydroxychloroquine (27.6%), sulphasalazine (22.4%) and 39.5% of the study cases have received steroid courses. Among the 76 patients, 8 (10.5%) have taken wrong dosage and another 4 (5.3%) patients have not started therapy due to worries about potential AEs. Altogether 40 patients (52.6%) reported AEs after starting DMARDs. The most common AEs were rash, itchiness, dizziness, alopecia and oral ulcers. For non-adherence behaviour, 8 patients (10.5%) have self-stopped their medication and another 7 patients (9.2%) have self-adjusted the medication respectively. Eventually 90% of the cases were able to continue therapy with or without adjustment of regimes. Only 7 cases (9.2%) required interruption of current treatment or switching to other DMARDs due to AEs within the study period. Conclusions Rheumatology nurse phone follow-up program provided a timely and convenient platform to increase patient understanding of disease and treatment, improve their self-efficacy and enhance safety and concordance with DMARDs treatment. Disclosure of Interest None declared


Chemical reactions are at the heart of chemistry and the dream of controlling the outcome of these reactions is an old one. Thus, with given reactants, a solvent and perhaps assisted by a catalyst, we would like to 'steer' the reactants into a particular desired product. This review focuses on how to control the dynamics of chemical reactions, beyond traditional temperature control, with the emphasis on unimolecular reactions. The electromagnetic radiation of lasers can induce so-called coherent dynamics. The recent theoretical and experimental results on this coherent control are explained and illustrated with computational and experimental examples.


This paper describes a situation analysis of the rehabilitation personnel, employed by the state and non-governmental organisations, and the services available for people with disabilities in one health district in Cape Town. The recurrent cost of employing the rehabilitation personnel is analysed to determine how funding is allocated within the district. The results indicate that most expenditure on personnel is at two state institutions in the district, with 76% of the expenditure at the regional psychiatric hospital and its residential facility for people with a profound intellectual disability. The balance - 24% of expenditure - is the cost of employing rehabilitation personnel who provide a district level service. Seventy percent of this district level expenditure is at one special school that accepts 6% of children with disabilities in the district. A high percentage of intellectually disabled children and adults, with or without physical disabilities, do not have access to rehabilitation. There is minimal expenditure on employing rehabilitation personnel at the community heath centre. The only expenditure on community based rehabilitation is provided by the non-governmental organisation. The study demonstrates the inequitable distribution of funding for rehabilitation services within one relatively well-resourced health district and makes recommendations to facilitate change.


Scattering rate calculations in two-dimensional Si Si1-x Gex systems have typically been restricted to rectangular Ge profiles at interfaces between layers. Real interfaces, however, may exhibit diffuse Ge profiles either by design or as a limitation of the growth process. It is shown here that alloy disorder scattering dramatically increases with Ge interdiffusion in (100) and (111) n -type quantum wells, but remains almost constant in (100) p -type heterostructures. It is also shown that smoothing of the confining potential leads to large changes in subband energies and scattering rates, and a method is presented for calculating growth process tolerances.


Integrins are heterodimeric adhesion receptors associated with bidirectional signaling. In vitro studies support a role for the binding of evolutionarily conserved tyrosine motifs (NPxY) in the beta integrin cytoplasmic tail to phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain-containing proteins, an interaction proposed to be dynamically regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation. Here we show that replacement of both beta1 integrin cytoplasmic tyrosines with alanines, resulting in the loss of all PTB domain interaction, causes complete loss of beta1 integrin function in vivo. In contrast, replacement of beta1 integrin cytoplasmic tyrosines with phenylalanines, a mutation that prevents tyrosine phosphorylation, conserves in vivo integrin function. These results have important implications for the molecular mechanism and regulation of integrin function.


BACKGROUND
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular mortality, but little is known about the association between physician utilization and cardiovascular disease risk-factor control in patients with CKD. We used 2005-2010 data from the National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP) to examine this association at first and subsequent screenings.

METHODS
Control of risk factors was defined as control of blood pressure, glycemia, and cholesterol levels. We used multinomial logistic regression to examine the association between participant characteristics and seeing a nephrologist after adjusting for kidney function and paired t tests or McNemar tests to compare characteristics at first and second screenings.

RESULTS
Of 90,009 participants, 61.3% had a primary care physician only, 2.9% had seen a nephrologist, and 15.3% had seen another specialist. The presence of 3 risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia) increased from 26.8% in participants with CKD stages 1-2 to 31.9% in those with stages 4-5. Target levels of all risk factors were achieved in 7.2% of participants without a physician, 8.3% of those with a primary care physician only, 9.9% of those with a nephrologist, and 10.3% of those with another specialist. Of up to 7,025 participants who met at least one criterion for nephrology consultation at first screening, only 12.3% reported seeing a nephrologist. Insurance coverage was associated strongly with seeing a nephrologist. Of participants who met criteria for nephrology consultation, 406 (5.8%) returned for a second screening, of whom 19.7% saw a nephrologist. The percentage of participants with all risk factors controlled was higher at the second screening (20.9% vs 13.3%).

CONCLUSION
Control of cardiovascular risk factors is poor in the KEEP population. The percentage of participants seeing a nephrologist is low, although better after the first screening. Identifying communication barriers between nephrologists and primary care physicians may be a new focus for KEEP.


This study deals with the retardation of cement setting time and workability in hot weather such as in Sultanate of Oman. Combination of sugar and gypsum was used as retarders. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of retarders on consistency, setting time of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) paste and compressive strength of concrete cubes after 7 days of curing. OPC paste with a water cement ratio 0.4 to 0.5 was prepared by mixing 500 grams of ordinary Portland cement, a fixed amount of sugar of 0.02% by weight of cement with a combination of different gypsum of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5% by weight cement and water. Sugar has a strong retarding effect, and this effect, controlled by Gypsum, can shorten the long setting time caused by sugar. The setting time of cement paste was reduced from 5.5 hours to 3 hours with an increase in Gypsum at a fixed amount of sugar. At a constant sugar content, increasing the gypsum content reduced the compressive strength from 31.5 MPa to 30.92 MPa.


The novel nitrosyl-bridged complex [W2Cp2(μ-PtBu2)(μ-κ:η-NO)(CO)(NO)](BAr4) [Ar = 3,5-C6H3(CF3)2] was prepared in a multistep procedure starting from the hydride [W2Cp2(μ-H)(μ-PtBu2)(CO)4] and involving the new complexes [W2Cp2(μ-PtBu2)(CO)4](BF4), [W2Cp2(μ-PtBu2)(CO)2(NO)2](BAr4), and [W2(μ-κ:η5-C5H4)Cp(μ-PtBu2)(CO)(NO)2] as intermediates, which follow from reactions with HBF4·OEt2, NO, and Me3NO·2H2O, respectively. The nitrosyl-bridged cation easily added chloride upon reaction with [N(PPh3)2]Cl, with concomitant NO rearrangement into the terminal coordination mode, to give [W2ClCp2(μ-PtBu2)(CO)(NO)2], and underwent N–O and W–W bond cleavages upon the addition of CNtBu to give the mononuclear phosphinoimido complex [WCp(NPtBu2)(CNtBu)2](BAr4). Another N–O bond cleavage was induced upon photochemical decarbonylation at 243 K, which gave the oxo- and phosphinito-bridged nitrido complex [W2Cp2(N)(μ-O)(μ-OPtBu2)(NO)](BAr4), likely resulting from a N–O bond cleavage step following decarbonylation.


A histological study was made to observe the early response of four resistant and four susceptible potato clones to invasion by race A of Heterodera rostochiensis Wollenweber. The resistant clones were hybrids between Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum and four different sources of resistance: S. tuberosum ssp. andigena, S. spegazzinii, S. vernei, and S. multidissectum. The response of each resistant clone was compared to that of a related, but susceptible, clone. The response to invasion in all of the susceptible clones was the formation, through cell-wall dissolution, of a multinucleate syncytium, characterized by dense, granular cytoplasm. In all of the resistant clones, larvae were able to penetrate the roots and initiate the syncytium, but the amount of tissue included and the maintenance of the dense cytoplasm were limited by the resistant reaction. The mechanisms of resistance involved vacuolation of the syncytial cytoplasm, necrosis, and enclosure of the syncytium, but were not


Context-dependent signaling, as a ubiquitous phenomenon in nature, is a dynamic molecular process at nano- and microscales, but how to mimic its essence using non-covalent synthesis in cellular environment has yet to be developed. Here we show a dynamic continuum of non-covalent filaments formed by instructed-assembly (iA) of a supramolecular phosphoglycopeptide (sPGP) as context-dependent signals for controlling death and morphogenesis of cells. Specifically, while enzymes (i.e., ectophosphatases) on cancer cells catalyze the formation of the filaments of the sPGP to result in cell death, damping the enzyme activity induces 3D cell spheroids. Similarly, relying on the ratio of stromal and cancer cells in a co-culture to modulate the expression of the ectophosphatase, the iA process enables cell spheroids. The spheroids act as a mimic of tumor microenvironment for drug screening. As the first demonstration of iA as multifunctional processes according to local enzyme activity for controlling cell behavior, this work illustrates context-dependent biological functions of non-covalent synthesis in cellular environment.


We report on the solution‐based synthesis and characterization of three‐dimensional networks of ZnO nanoparticles where the formation of structures is achieved by covalently linking the nanocrystals with bifunctional organic ligands. The colloidal synthesis will be presented with application of two ligands that vary in size and binding sites. Furthermore we report on structural characterization of dried powders and thin films by means of X‐ray diffraction and electron microscopy in order to examine the regularity of the structures. We also present first investigations of the optical properties and electrical conductance behavior in lateral direction of the differently linked hybrid ZnO networks.


In response to the revision of social medical insurance policy, in which hospital clinics can additionally charge for laboratory testing when the test results are presented to an outpatient in a print-out form on a visiting day, we evaluated laboratory-spending times, so-called turnaround times (TATs). A total of 14,802 outpatients during the period from October 2010 to May 2011 were enrolled. TATs from venipuncture accession to completing blood collection revealed a log-normal distribution with 5 to 6 min of mode and 10(0.95 +/- 0.26) (4.90 to 16.2) min of mean +/- standard deviation. Order waiting time figured a half-normal distribution, 50% tile and 90%-tile being 4 and 16 min, respectively. TATs of blood collection and order waiting time were significantly influenced by days of the week and accession time. Through analysis of TATs from specimen receipt to reporting test results, it became apparent that the tests determined by immunoassay and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) required more minutes when compared to the remaining tests. Total TATs from venipuncture accession to reporting test results ranged 28 to 29 min (50%-tile) for complete blood count and hemoglobin A1c, whereas those of endocrinology and tumor markers were 65 to 73 min. In conclusion, the tests determined by immunoassay are rate-limiting for rapid reporting efforts in clinical laboratories. Secondly, TATs of blood collection are mostly influenced by order waiting time depending on days of the week and accession time. At present, there is no target value for TATs, however it is important to recognize the necessity to shorten laboratory-spending TATs.


We propose and develop a novel method to identify a chaotic system with time-varying bifurcation parameters via an observation signal which has been contaminated by additive white Gaussian noise. This method is based on an adaptive algorithm, which takes advantage of the good approximation capability of the radial basis function neural network and the ability of the extended Kalman filter for tracking a time-varying dynamical system. It is demonstrated that, provided the bifurcation parameter varies slowly in a time window, a chaotic dynamical system can be tracked and identified continuously, and the time-varying bifurcation parameter can also be retrieved in a sub-window of time via a simple least-square-fit method.


700 -ma"i some payment toward reducing the principal each year. As soon as construction began upon the house it was necessary to se~ure a fire insurance. policy. This involved a study of property insurance. The amount wanted was determined, the rate was as-certained, and the premium computed. Since the pupil had gone into debt he was urged to protect his family by taking out life insurance. The amount was left largely to each pupil, but in no case was it less than the amount of his indebtedness. This insured that in case of his death his family would have the property free from debt. The different groups were assigned to investigate different companies. A report was made on the New York Life, the Mutual Life of New York.ithe Equi~ble, the Aetna, etc. Only the simpler forms of policies were considered-the ordinary life, the twenty-payment life, and the twenty-year endowment, Most pupils took twenty-payment life policies. The work upon life insurance was necessarily made simple. There is no doubt, however, that the pupils appreciate the significance of life insurance as a protection as well as an investment. The final step in this work was to complete; the house and move in. This stops paying rent, and gives the enjoyment of a good home. This applied work for the BB grade has been given more or less-in detail. There are several instructive things about it: First, one dav a week for four and a half months is ample time' to cover the work very thoroughly; _second, this one day of each week upon practical problems has a wonderful reflex in(luence upon the-routine anddrill work of the other four 'davs," . There isa difficulty \\'hi~h must be removed in case a pupil fails to pass in his work. If the same work were. repeated the second term the pupil would be compelled to cover the same field again. This difficulty' is obviated by alternating the work from term to term. The second term .this year the SB work will be to buy a farm and go into the farmingw business. This work has been carried on heretofore, and is equally interesting and profitable. The details are as man v and lengthy as those given' in describing the'work of buying a lot and building a house. The objective work of the SA class has reference to the choosing of an occupation, and includes the figuring of profits in different lines of business. This has been a 'very helpful line of work. The time has usually permitted the class to complete another line of work closely related t~ this ; that is. organizing a company. The directors are chosen, the officers are elected, stock certificates are written, and the stocks and bonds of the company are issued. This term the "Twentieth Century Cement Company" is being organized. with a capital stock of $60,000. It so happens that a Cement Mixture Company is being organized in the city at this time. This has beer; a great help. and the facts as to expenditures, output, profits, etc., have been based December 28, .9.1


Using a classical ensemble approach, electrons detached sequentially by short circularly polarized laser pulses are predicted to be correlated in their emission directions. The correlation is introduced by the laser pulses. By changing the laser intensity, the angle between the two emissions can be controlled continuously, from 0° (parallel) to 90° (perpendicular) to 180° (antiparallel). The effect on the resultant ion momentum distribution is discussed.


Lithium metal electrodes promise high energy density, but their poor cycling stability has been limiting applications in real batteries. In this study, we examine the cycling and failing behaviors of Li metal electrodes in a commercial carbonate electrolyte and their dependence on the electrode thickness and cycling conditions. We find that thick and thin Li metal electrodes fail for different reasons. The cycle life of a Li||Cu cell with a thick (∼80 mAh cm–2) Li foil electrode can be divided into three stages, and the cell stops functioning when ionic transport is blocked by the accumulated solid electrolyte interphase layer on the Cu electrode. In contrast, thin (2 mAh cm–2) Li metal electrodes fail because of Li metal depletion caused by side reactions with the electrolyte, and their cycle life is determined by Coulombic efficiency. The results suggest that application-relevant performance of Li metal anodes should be assessed using thin and deeply cycled electrodes rather than the currently prevalent...


Four-fermion operators have been utilized in the past to link the quarkexchange processes in the interaction of hadrons with the effective mesonexchange amplitudes. In this paper, we apply the similar idea of Fierz rearrangement to the electromagnetic processes and focus on the electromagnetic form factors of nucleon and electron. We explain the motivation of using four-fermion operators and discuss the advantage of this method in computing electromagnetic processes.


BACKGROUND: The ROSA robot (Medtech) has been shown to be a useful instrument in the surgeon's armamentarium for accurate placement of stereotactic electroencephlography depth electrodes. However, it has not yet been used as a navigation tool for lesion resection. Here, we demonstrate a novel adapter that allows the surgeon to use the ROSA robot with the NICO BrainPath for the resection of deep lesions. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the utility of an adapter that allows the ROSA robot to be used in conjunction with the NICO BrainPath tube for lesion resection. METHODS: A stainless steel adapter was made based on the specifications of the ROSA pointer instrument. Two 3D printed models were used to undergo a "mock" surgery using the adapter to assess for ease of use and applicability. RESULTS: The adapter allowed for adequate accessibility and visualization of the tumors in both mock cases. In addition, the stability of the ROSA robot and the design of the adapter allowed the surgeon to rest their hands on the instrument without jeopardizing its position. CONCLUSION: The ROSA adapter allowed for accurate navigation and exposure of these lesions, combining the accuracy and stability of the ROSA robot, with the retraction of the BrainPath tube.


A review of the most commonly used dental age estimating techniques is generated. The most important issue for the forensic odontologist involved in dental age estimation is to employ as many of these methods as possible by performing repetitive measurements and calculations of different age-related parameters. That is the only way in order to try and establish reliable dental age estimations. In particular, a special chapter is attributed to the complex problem of determining the age of majority.


The sui generis database right was added to copyright protection of databases in the Russian legislation only in 2008. In December 2010, new draft amendments to the RF Civil Code were published, substantially developing this regulation. This article examines the position of the Russian Federation regarding regulation of databases in its historical development and compares it with the relevant regulation in the European Union. While the Russian Federation generally follows the European model, there are some important specific provisions in the Russian Federation that should be taken into account by database producers and database users.


statistically significant. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Higgins I2 index. Results: Nine randomized controlled trials involving 483 patients were included in the metaanalysis. Compared to placebo, patients who received steroids were more likely to achieve histologic remission (RR 12.50, 95% CI 6.04 – 25.88, p , 0.00001, I2 5 0%) and report symptomatic clinical improvement (RR 1.84, 95% CI 1.02 – 3.32, p 5 0.04, I2 5 64%). Oral or esophageal candidiasis was more likely to occur in patients who received steroids (RR 4.31, 95% CI 1.53 – 12.18, p 5 0.006, I2 5 0%). Conclusion: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that topical corticosteroids were more effective than placebo in achieving histologic remission and improving clinical symptoms. However, they are more likely to cause oral or esophageal candidiasis. Future studies should investigate the effect of topical corticosteroids on endoscopic remission and other side effects.


Author(s): Alberty, Marion Sofia | Advisor(s): Sprintall, Janet; MacKinnon, Jennifer | Abstract: This dissertation investigates the mechanisms which modulate the transport and transformation of water masses using observational techniques. Observations were made in the Solomon Sea during the Southwest Pacific Ocean Circulation and Climate Experiment (SPICE) (Chapters 2 a 3) and in the Canada Basin during the ArcticMix and Stratified Ocean Dynamics of the Arctic (SODA) experiments (Chapter 4).The Solomon Sea connects the subtropical and equatorial Pacific, transporting water masses that supply the equatorial undercurrent and support eastern equatorial primary productivity. Chapter 2 investigates the spatial patterns of vertical diffusiv- ity and dissipation of kinetic energy in the Solomon Sea, indirectly estimated from shipboard and Argo observations. Across the Solomon Sea, dissipation is strong rel- ative to global estimates over the same latitudinal band and decreases by 2-3 orders of magnitude from the surface to 2000 m depth. Mixing along intermediate and deep isopycnals is indicative of tidally driven mixing. The sources of energy for thermocline mixing are temporally and spatially variable and observations do not resolve a clear relationship at this time.Chapter 3 details the first, full-depth mooring transport time series from all three exit passages of the Solomon Sea: Vitiaz Strait, St. Georges Channel, and Solomon Strait. Vitiaz Strait is confirmed to supply the majority of transport (53%) toward the equator and is relatively steady in time. Transport through Solomon Strait supplies 34% of the total mean transport but dominates the total transport temporal variability. Thermocline transport variability in Solomon Strait is well described by the arrivals of the off-equatorial Rossby waves. St. Georges channel, which is typically not resolved in global and regional models due to the narrow channel width, supports 13% of total transport and seasonally exchanges water between the Bismarck Sea and Solomon Sea.The Canada Basin has experienced greater than predicted losses in summer sea ice extent and the responsible dynamics are still an active area of research. Chapter 4 studies the influence of submesoscale dynamics on the transport of heat in the Canada Basin summer mixed layer using novel observations of mixed layer temperature and salinity from a bow chain. Simultaneous microstructure observations find asymmetric mixing across surface fronts. Horizontal wavenumber spectra from in-situ and satellite observations are used to infer upper ocean dynamics and evaluate satellite sea surface temperature products.


In this study, a mixed method was used. The sample consisted of 175 female and 155 male fifth-, sixth- and seventh-grade students studying in a public secondary school in the Central Anatolia Region in Turkey. The sample was used in accordance with a cluster sampling method, a type of probability sampling. In the quantitative dimension of the research, in order to measure the students' attitudes regarding helpfulness value, the helpfulness attitude scale was used. A form prepared with the aim of measuring the metaphorical perceptions of the students regarding helpfulness value was developed by the researchers. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences program was used to analyse the quantitative data via T-test and one-way analysis of variance. In order to identify the statistical difference between the groups, TUKEY test was applied. Content analysis was used to examine qualitative data. It has been determined that students have various meanings about the value of helpfulness.
Keywords: Social studies, helpfulness, value of helpfulness.


The automated capability of generating spatial prediction for a variable of interest is desirable in various science and engineering domains. Take precision medicine of cancer as an example, in which the goal is to match patients with treatments based on molecular markers identified in each patient's tumor. A substantial challenge, however, is that the molecular markers can vary significantly at different spatial locations of a tumor. If this spatial distribution could be predicted, the precision of cancer treatment could be greatly improved by adapting treatment to the spatial molecular heterogeneity. This is a challenging task because no technology is available to measure the molecular markers at each spatial location within a tumor. Biopsy samples provide direct measurement, but they are scarce/local. Imaging, such as MRI, is global, but it only provides proxy/indirect measurement. Also available are mechanistic models or domain knowledge, which are often approximate or incomplete. This article proposes a novel machine learning framework to fuse the three sources of data/information to generate a spatial prediction, namely, the knowledge-infused global-local (KGL) data fusion model. A novel mathematical formulation is proposed and solved with theoretical study. We present a real-data application of predicting the spatial distribution of tumor cell density (TCD)—an important molecular marker for brain cancer. A total of 82 biopsy samples were acquired from 18 patients with glioblastoma, together with six MRI contrast images from each patient and biological knowledge encoded by a PDE simulator-based mechanistic model called proliferation-invasion (PI). KGL achieved the highest prediction accuracy and minimum prediction uncertainty compared with a variety of competing methods. The result has important implications for providing individualized, spatially optimized treatment for each patient. Note to Practitioners—This article proposes a machine learning framework to fuse local data, global imaging, and domain knowledge to generate a spatial prediction for a variable of interest. This methodology is relevant to multiple application domains. In precision medicine, it will allow for mapping the spatial distribution of important, treatment-informing molecular markers across each tumor by integrating biopsy data, MRI, and biological knowledge. This capability can help resolve the spatial heterogeneity of molecular characteristics and greatly improve the precision of cancer treatment. Other applications include early detection of regional fire risk across a forest by integrating ground/aerial survey data, satellite imagery, and fire simulator output, as well as regional poverty estimation for resource allocation.


We demonstrate that lithium metal is sparingly soluble in poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). 7Li NMR shows that when a PEO sample is placed in contact with lithium metal at elevated temperatures, a lithium species dissolves and diffuses into the bulk polymer. A lithium/PEO/lithium electrochemical cell, containing no lithium salts, shows increasing conductivity over time when annealed at 120 °C. Chronoamperometry shows that the annealed cell obeys Ohm's law, implying that conduction occurs without the development of concentration gradients. To explain the results, it is proposed that atomic lithium dissolves into PEO, where it exists as a lithium cation and free electron. The dissolution of lithium also affects the phase behavior of block copolymer electrolytes. These observations explain the strong adhesion between lithium metal and PEO and have important implications for lithium metal battery systems that contain PEO-based electrolytes.


Background: Root canal treatment constitutes a treatment sequence for infected pulp to eliminate the etiological factors of pulp necrosis and periapical lesion. Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) is an organism commonly found in a high proportion of root canal failure because of its ability to form biofilm. Degradation of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) by oxidizing agents such as sodium hypochlorite is the first step in removing biofilm. However, the toxicity of sodium hypochlorite constitutes the main concern and, therefore, the safest alternative irrigants possible are required. The use of fruits, herbs and plants is widespread, especially in the fields of medicine and dentistry. Food crops are known to be rich in bioactive compounds, especially polyphenols, which have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Cocoa pod husk extract can, therefore, represent an alternative irrigant. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of cocoa pod husk extract in relation to the thickness of E. faecalis EPS biofilm. Methods: Four groups of E. faecalis cultured biofilm samples were analysed: group one contained E. faecalis without cocoa pod husk as a positive control; group two contained E. faecalis with 1.56% cocoa pod husk extract; group 3 contained E. faecalis with 3.125% cocoa pod husk extract; and group 4 contained E. faecalis with 6.25% cocoa pod husk extract. The biofilm thickness of all groups was measured by confocal laser scanning microscopy with statistical analysis subsequently undertaken by means of a post hoc test and Tukey HSD. Results: The average values of EPS biofilm thickness were as follows: group 1: 9500 nm; group 2: 8125 nm; group 3: 8000 nm; and group 4: 6375 nm. A post hoc Tukey HSD test indicated a significant difference between group 1 and group 4, while in group 2 and group 3 compared to group 1, there were no significant differences with the values of each being p = 0.340 and p = 0.267 (p>0.05). Conclusion: 6.25% cocoa pod husk extract reduces E. faecalis EPS biofilm thickness.


Honeycomb composites are common materials in applications where a high specific stiffness is required. Previous research has found that honeycombs with polymer infills in their cells exhibit effective stiffnesses greater than the honeycomb or polymer alone. Currently, the state of analytic models for predicting the effective properties of these honeycomb polymer composites is limited, thus further research is needed to better characterize the behavior of these materials. In this work, a nonlinear finite element analysis was employed to perform parametric studies of a filled honeycomb unit cell with isotropic wall and infill materials. A pinned rigid wall model was created as an upper bound on the deformable wall model's performance, and an empty honeycomb model was employed to better understand the mechanisms of stiffness amplification. Mechanisms by which the stiffness amplification occurs is studied through parametric studies, and the results are compared to current analytic models. It has been observed that both the volume change within the honeycomb cell under deformation, and the mismatch in Poisson's ratios between the honeycomb and infill influence the effective properties. Stiffness amplifications of over 4,000 have been observed, with auxetic behavior achieved by tailoring of the HPC geometry. This research provides an important step toward understanding the design space and benefits of honeycomb polymer composites, and demonstrates the possibilities for variable stiffness structures when considering smart material infill materials.


This paper focuses on reinforcement and restoration of severely weakened teeth having wide flared canals with thin dentinal walls, which are at a high risk of fracture. Traditionally, such teeth would be restored using cast metal posts, but this procedure has often been unsuccessful, because of lack of resistance against root fracture. The case presented depicts a flared canal reinforced using a new innovative technique involving fiber posts along with auxillaryprepolymerizednanohybrid composite posts, rendering the weakened endodontically treated root capable of supporting a post and core, and thereby ensuring continued function of such badly damaged tooth.


Decision making under uncertainty is becoming more important in process industries as optimisation is applied to novel applications as well as plant-wide and enterprise optimisation. Among the standard stochastic optimisation techniques are stochastic programming and dynamic programming. It is difficult to use these techniques for practical applications due to unwieldy computational requirements, arising from a large number of uncertain parameters and state variables, respectively. In this paper, we present sample-based techniques for ameliorating the computational difficulties. Application studies involving catalyst design and real-time optimisation point to the promising potentials of the sample-based techniques. © 2011 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering


Pregnancy with H1N1 infection presenting with early acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a challenging situation, where the life of both mother and fetus are jeopardized. Morbidity and mortality in such a clinical situation are not uncommon; it may result in hypoxemic acute respiratory failure in a pregnant patient, leading to mechanical ventilation and poorer outcomes in neonates due to prematurity. An interdisciplinary approach involving obstetricians, respiratory physicians, neonatologist, and anesthesiologist is mandatory for a good outcome. This case report highlights the management strategy of the parturient infected with H1N1 in early ARDS with the Transnasal Humidified Rapid-Insufflation Ventilatory Exchange therapy, which completely obviated the requirement of the invasive ventilation.


Although several analytical techniques are known for their ability to detect fluorine and its compounds, the investigation of its biotransformation in living organisms is not a trivial task. Therefore, much attention is given to the development of new analytical strategies that can trace the metabolism of fluorine-containing compounds. Molecular absorption and mass spectrometry were used as tools to collect complementary information for the investigation of the biotransformation of the fluorine-containing compounds in animal model organisms. The study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the adsorption of fluorine by animal tissues, which was done by measuring the molecular absorption of gallium monofluoride (GaF) using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace absorption spectrometry (HR-CS GF MAS). The limit of detection (LOD) was 6 μg L−1. Then, the distribution of fluorine-containing compunds was obtained by measuring the studied drug concentrations in animal tissues using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionisation (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The LOD for compounds containing fluorine was 0.05 μg kg−1. Finally, proteins containing fluorine modifications bound in a covalent way were studied using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to an electrospray mass spectrometer equipped with a high resolution Orbitrap mass analyzer (nano-UHPLC-ESI-(Orbitrap)-MS/MS). The developed analytical protocol contributes to considerable progress in understanding the molecular basis of the influence of fluorine-containing compounds on aminal organisms.


A defect detection algorithm for wafer inspection based on laser scanning is presented. Microscopic anomalies, contaminants, and process induced pattern defects result in a two-dimensional (2-D) laser scattering signature, which closely resembles the coherent point-spread-function of the scanning laser beam. This point-spread-function is a 2-D Gaussian in the majority of cases and can be characterized by four parameters. The algorithm fits Gaussian surfaces to sampled data points. Events are accepted or rejected on the basis of how similar the Gaussian parameters are to that of the point-spread-function, known a priori. It is shown that the algorithm achieves a 95% capture for submicron particles and pattern defects on typical logic and array wafer regions. Results demonstrating the algorithm's performance relative to mechanical and electronic noise and to signal resolution are presented.


An experimental investigation of high velocity impact responses of composite laminated plates using a helium single stage gas gun has been presented in this paper. The aim of this study was to develop the novel composite structure that meets the specific requirements of ballistic resistance which used for body protections, vehicles and other applications. Thus the high velocity impact tests were performed on composite Kevlar-29 fiber/epoxy resin with alumina powder (Al2O3). The impact test was conducted by using a conical steel projectile of 7.62mm diameter at a velocity range of 160-400 m/s. The results (shown in this work) are in terms of varying plate thickness and the amount of energy absorbed by the laminated plates meanwhile we obtained that the 12mm thickness of composite plate suitable for impact loading up to 200m/s impact velocity. Therefore this composite structure (it is used to reduce the amount of Kevlar) considered most economical armoure products. We used the ANSYS AUTODYN 3D- v.12 software for our simulations. The results have been obtained a 7.3% maximum errors with experimental work of energy absorption.


We present an automatic type inference algorithm for PolyA, a type system for Mobile Ambients presented in earlier work by us together with Torben Amtoft. We present not only a basic inference algorithm, but also several optimizations to it aimed at reducing the size of the inferred types. The final algorithm has been implemented and verified to work on small examples. We discuss some small problems that still exist and methods for solving them.


Traditionally, samples are collected on-site (i.e., in the field) and are shipped to a lab for chemical analysis. An alternative is offered by using portable chemical analysis instruments that can be used on-site (i.e., in the field). Many analytical measurements by optical emission spectrometry require use of light-sources and of spectral lines that are in the Ultra-Violet (UV, ~200 nm – 400 nm wavelength) region of the spectrum. For such measurements, a portable, battery-operated, fiber-optic spectrometer equipped with an un-cooled, linear, solid-state detector may be used. To take full advantage of the advanced measurement capabilities offered by state-of-the-art solid-state detectors, cooling of the detector is required. But cooling and other thermal management hamper portability and use on-site because they add size and weight and they increase electrical power requirements. To address these considerations, an alternative was implemented, as described here. Specifically, a microfabricated solid-state detector for measurement of UV photons will be described. Unlike solid-state detectors developed on crystalline Silicon, this miniaturized and low-cost detector utilizes amorphous Selenium (a-Se) as its photosensitive material. Due to its low dark current, this detector does not require cooling, thus it is better suited for portable use and for chemical measurements on-site. In this paper, a microplasma will be used as a light-source of UV photons for the a-Se detector. For example, spectra acquired using a microplasma as a light-source will be compared with those obtained with a portable, fiber-optic spectrometer equipped with a Si-based 2080-element detector. And, analytical performance obtained by introducing ng-amounts of analytes into the microplasma will be described.


High vitamin A (VA) intakes have been correlated with increased risk of bone fracture. Over 50% of the U.S. adult population reports use of dietary supplements, which can result in VA intakes > 200% of the RDA. In this study, 2 experiments were designed to determine the effect of dietary VA on cortical and trabecular bone properties and resistance to ex vivo fracture. In Expt. 1, we investigated whether orally administered VA accumulates in bone. Seven-week-old rats were treated daily with VA (6 mg/d for 14 d). Total retinol increased in both the tibia and femur (P < 0.01). In Expt. 2, we conducted a longitudinal study in which rats were fed 1 of 3 levels of dietary VA (marginal, adequate, and supplemented, equal to 0.35, 4, and 50 μg retinol/g diet, respectively) from weaning until the ages of 2-3 mo (young), 8-10 mo (middle-age), and 18-20 mo (old). Tibial trabecular and cortical bone structure, bone mineral density, and resistance to fracture were measured using micro-computed tomography and material testing system analysis, respectively. The VA-marginal diet affected measures of cortical bone dimension, suggesting bone remodeling was altered. VA supplementation increased medullary area and decreased cortical thickness in young rats (P < 0.05), but these changes were not present during aging. VA supplementation did not affect resistance to fracture or bone mineral content in old rats. From these results, we conclude that VA-marginal status affects trabecular bone more than cortical bone, and VA supplementation at a moderate level over the lifetime is unlikely to increase the risk of age-related bone fracture in rats.


A survey of use of information resources and services in Public Libraries in Gulbarga district was undertaken with questionnaire as a data collection tool. Nine branch libraries located in taluka headquarters in Gulbarga district, Karnataka State were selected and 50 questionnaire were distributed in each library under study. Out of 450 questionnaire distributed, 259 users responded (57.7%). The main purpose of the study was to evaluate effectiveness of public libraries from users' point of view. The findings include that majority of the users are men and between 11 - 30 years of age. Students, Job holders in private / public undertakings were the regular visitors to the library, who visited the library daily or at least once in two days, mainly to read newspapers and magazines. Users from lower and middle income group use public library services very frequently (either daily or once in two days). Most of them have completed 12 years of schooling or undergraduate degree. Newspapers and Magazine and Reading Room Service are the most frequently used information resources and services respectively. Majority of the users are fairly satisfied with information resources. Only two women (0.77%) and 04 men above 60 years of age (1.54%) visited library during study period. Majority of the respondents are either neutral or not satisfied with Book Lending and Reference Service. The results clearly indicate the need for public libraries to strengthen their document collection and create a better ambience to attract more users from all age groups and gender. More trained personnel are necessary to manage the document collection efficiently and offer innovative library services.


Kemalism consists of six principles according to the constitution; however westernization should be added to these principles. The principles have been applied by five institutions: the judiciary, the military, the education system, the business world and the political order. Kemalism, for which it is natural to have certain economic consequences due to its being the official ideology of the Turkish Republic, prefers self-enclosed, anti-free market and statist economic policies. The fact that the neo-liberal economic policies that have been applied after 1980 are in contradiction with Kemalism is one of the most important reasons for the economic crises that the country has gone through. The economic success of the AK Party rests on the relative decrease in power of the Kemalist ideology and institutions. In addition, the February 28 is a good example where the Kemalist institutions acted together in order to defend the system. Economic reasons are important to understand the February 28. In this article, we investigate Kemalist economic policies and their contradictions with neoliberal economic policies.


The paper deals with the effect of environmental factors and management on various mixed lowland forests in the Medník National Natural Monument, Czech Republic, over a 20-year period. The objectives were to evaluate the structure, production, dynamics and radial growth in relation to climatic conditions in the mixed hornbeam-oak, herb-rich beech and spruce forest stands. The tree density decreased by 8.5% (to 120–1,364 trees·ha–1), while stand volume increased by 28.0% (to 244–767 m3·ha–1) from 1998 to 2018. Large-leaved lime (Tilia platyphyllos Scop.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies /L./ Karst.) showed high variability and sensitivity to climatic factors in radial growth compared to stability and resistance in sessile oak (Quercus petraea /Matt./ Liebl.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). April, June and July were determined as the most significant months in relation to diameter increment. The synergism of precipitation deficit and high air temperature was a limiting factor of growth in the studied lowland area. The frequency of negative pointer years with extremely low radial growth has been increasing recently. Generally, hornbeam-oak stands are characterized by rich structure, high density and lower productivity, herb-rich beech stands represent rich structured productive forests and spruce forests are very productive stands but with low ecological stability.


Partial discharge (PD) activity within a void in a dielectric material is influenced by many factors. One of the factors is the applied voltage waveform on the material. In this paper, a two-dimensional (2D) model of a cylindrical void in polyethylene layers has been developed using finite element analysis (FEA) software. The model was used to simulate PD activity in the void under square waveform applied voltage. The obtained simulation results were compared with the measurement results from literature. It was found that both results are within reasonable agreement but with only slight disagreement. From comparison, critical parameters from the model affecting PD activity under square waveform applied voltage were identified; they include the inception and extinction voltages and electron generation rate. This finding may increase an understanding of PD behaviour within a void in a dielectric material under square waveform applied voltage.


Tattooing is one of the most widely spread forms of body modification in contemporary Czech society. The goal of this article is to inquire into contemporary practices of tattooing with regard to their "ritual" functions. Our research question was whether ritual functions attached to tattooing still remain, or whether they have already been entirely substituted by purely aesthetic functions. We were further interested in the motivations leading to the decision of getting a tattoo and their relation to certain time periods, such as crises. Is obtaining a tattoo a response to a crisis, or rather to the fact that it has been overcome? Our sample consists of sixteen respondents wearing at least two tattoos. The respondent's narrations are supplemented by the perspectives of professional tattoo artists. Our data analysis suggests that among both the tattooed and tattoo artists, tattoo art is perceived rather in its aesthetic and individualizing functions than in its social-ritual function. For the tattooed themselves, tattooing carries deep meanings attached to the process of their (social) individualization. They perceive the very process of tattooing, accompanied by considerable pain, as a form of individualized rite of passage. For some of the tattooed, the new tattoo concludes a previous period of life, while opening a new one, into which they emerge as new beings.