Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) has become the most fatal adult meningitis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). There is no conclusive evidence for the superiority of one-week amphotericin B deoxycholate (AmphB) + flucytosine (5-FC) regimen over other antifungals in the management of HIV patients with CM (HIV-CM patients). We aimed to evaluate the differences in efficacy and tolerability of different antifungal agents in HIV-CM patients by conducting a current network meta-analysis NMA. Overall, 19 randomized controlled trials were included with 2,642 participants. A regimen indicated a possibly lower early mortality rate, namely, AmphB + 5-FC + High dose azole (Azole_H) (OR = 1.1*10− 12, 95% CIs = 1.3*10− 41 to 0.06) comparing to AmphB + 5-FC. Azole_H was possibly associated with the lowest late-mortality rate (OR = 0.27, 95% CIs = 0.08 to 0.99). The current NMA provides evidence that AmphB + 5-FC + Azole_H are superior to all the investigated treatments for induction regimen in HIV-CM patients.


The pertuzumab study in the neoadjuvant setting for HER2+ nonmetastatic breast cancer in Australia (PeRSIA—ML39622) is an analysis of safety and effectiveness data from the pertuzumab patient registry. Although the prognosis of patients with early stage HER2+ breast cancer has been greatly improved by advances in chemotherapy approximately 25% to 30% of patients develop recurrent disease. Our study aimed to examine the effectiveness of neoadjuvant pertuzumab on surgical outcomes, describe the medium‐term effectiveness outcomes of patients treated with pertuzumab, and describe the planned and actual anticancer treatment regimens that patients received. Deidentified data were collected from the patients' medical records and entered into REDCap, between March 2018 and July 2019 (n = 95). The adverse events (AEs) reported most frequently were diarrhea (20; 21.1%), rash (4; 4.2%), and LVSD (4; 4.2%; two patients during neoadjuvant treatment and two patients during adjuvant treatment). AEs, ≥Grade 3 were diarrhea (2; 2.1%) and LVSD (1; 1.1%). Following surgery, a breast pathological complete response (bpCR) was achieved in 65 patients (70.7%; 95% CI: 60.2%‐79.7%) and total pathological complete response (tpCR) in 59 patients (64.1%; 95% CI: 53.4%‐73.9%). All patients who did not achieve a tpCR obtained a partial response (33/92, 35.9%). Our study is the first to capture real‐world data on the use of pertuzumab in the neoadjuvant setting in Australia. The effectiveness and safety data are consistent with those reported in clinical trials of pertuzumab in patients with HER2+ breast cancer, with no new safety concerns.


Urban growth should be evaluated less as good or bad in itself than in terms of whether it promotes the efficient and equitable performance of vital economic functions within a nation. Much urban growth in developing nations both reflects national growth and promotes it. Cities are sources of economic growth, which is their dominant characteristic. There is a strong tendency for large cities and their surrounding core regions to be the most active, rapidly growing areas of developing nations. Certain economic functions tend to be found only in cities and tend to cluster into certain cities because it is economically efficient. 3 mechanisms which make cities economically efficient are 1) internal economies of scale, 2) localization economies, and 3) agglomeration economies. Urban areas can provide support functions for rural areas and, in turn, their growth depends on the support of an agricultural base. Urban areas also provide alternative employment and income opportunities for the rural surplus population. There are 4 prominent questions often raised about possible negative effects of urbanization on national growth and development. One question is urban growth and urban bias, which the authors argue is overemphasized. Another question is diseconomies of scale in large cities; this, the authors suggest, is not a matter of size as much as operating efficiently. Third is urbanization and regional dualism, which the authors argue can be maintained through a strategy of changing a nation's mix and location of urban activity. Fourth is the question of cities and rural outmigration. The authors argue that although most people who leave rural areas are younger, more motivated, and better educated than those left behind, their departures are economically favorable. Getting economic activity located correctly along an urban-rural spectrum is important to the growth of developing countries. 6 rules that illustrate how to do this are 1) be guided by local circumstances, not theoretical models; 2) promote better management of major urban areas; 3) avoid direct controls on migration and location; 4) understand the reluctance of industry to locate outside core regions; 5) develop secondary cities with an eye to economic eficiency; and 6) be cautious about "new town" developments. The authors conclude that 1) both host governments and those involved in development assistance should realize that urban growth is a natural process; and 2) when they do intervene in the process, they should do so in ways designed to build upon economic forces already at work.


The Jarzynski equality relates the free energy difference between two equilibrium states of a system to the average of the work over all irreversible phase space trajectories for going from one state to the other. We claim that the derivation of this equality is flawed, introducing an ad hoc and unjustified weighting factor which handles improperly the heat exchange with a heat bath. Therefore the experiment of Liphardt et al cannot be viewed as a confirmation of this equality, although the numerical deviations between the two are small. However, the Jarzynski equality may well be a useful approximation, e.g. in measurements on single molecules in solution.


Field trials with a VHF impulse radar have been undertaken in the Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T. area during the summer of 1973 and the spring seasons of 1974 and 1975. The radar transmits a wavelet with a centre frequency of 110 MHz and a pulse duration of 18 ns. Separate transmitter and receiver antennas were used.Preliminary interpretation of the data obtained at the Involuted Hill test site indicates that ice/sand interfaces were detected to ranges greater than 30 m. In icy sand, ice lenses separated by 3 m were resolved. Clay-till/ice interfaces were not detected at ranges greater than about 3 m. At other sites near the village of Tuktoyaktuk, sand/clay-till interfaces were detected at ranges greater than 5 m.Wide angle reflection and refraction sounding yields estimates of reflector depths and propagation velocities. Radar has proven useful in delineating geologic structure, but bore-hole control is required for identification of the geological composition of the structure.


The reaction of lithiated trimethylsilyldiazomethane (LTMSD) with aldehydes and subsequent quenching with TMSCl furnished relatively stable alpha-silylated diazocompounds. Upon treatment of the alpha-silylated diazocompounds with Rh2(OAc)4 in refluxing toluene, alpha-silyl silyl enol ethers were formed from unbranched and branched aliphatic aldehydes through predominantly 1,2-migration of the C-H bond. In contrast, treatment of the alpha-silylated diazocompounds with Rh2(tfa)4 at room temperature gave alpha-silyl silyl enol ethers through exclusive and unusual 1,2-migration of the C-C bond. The origin of the selectivity observed from the two catalysts is discussed in relation to early and late transition states.


The data given below show the efficiency of the therapy of the patients suffering from iron-deficiency anemia with gastroenterological pathology and helicobacter infection. The indicators of red blood of the patients from the group where they had been treated with medicine containing iron and antihelicobacterial therapy had a tendency to be higher with a prolonged compensation of anemia in comparison with the group of the patients who had not had antibacterial therapy. Finger kirliandiagnostics was offered as an express-method to identify a possible infection. The feature of a high probability of infection is intoxication in gastroduodenal zone, abdomen area and a colon.


: We apply an analysis of time-dependent spin-polarized current in a semiconductor channel at room temperature to establish how the magnetization configuration and dynamics of three ferromagnetic terminals, two of them biased and third connected to a capacitor, affect the currents and voltages. In a steady state, the voltage on the capacitor is related to spin accumulation in the channel. When the magnetization of one of the terminals is rotated, a transient current is triggered. This effect can be used for electrical detection of magnetization reversal dynamics of an electrode or for dynamical readout of the alignment of two magnetic contacts. We apply an analysis of time-dependent spin-polarized current in a semiconductor channel at room temperature to establish how the magnetization configuration and dynamics of three ferromagnetic terminals, two of them biased and third connected to a capacitor, affect the currents and voltages. In a steady state, the voltage on the capacitor is related to spin accumulation in the channel. When the magnetization of one of the terminals is rotated, a transient current is triggered. This effect can be used for electrical detection of magnetization reversal dynamics of an electrode or for dynamical readout of the alignment of two magnetic contacts. © 2006 American Institute of Physics . (cid:3) DOI:


Summary In this paper we suggest a possible answer to the question on why Social Network Systems (SNSs) are important for bridging social capital and for knowledge construction during emerging adulthood. We argue why web social artefacts 2.0, and particularly those defined as Personal Learning Environments, which consider also SNSs, could be more effective than web artefacts 1.0, such as those defined as Virtual Learning Environments (mainly represented by classical web platforms and web forums), for overcoming knowledge confines between activity systems during transitions in emerging adulthood. This theoretical route starts with the definition of emerging adulthood as a period broadly located between adolescence and adulthood in which individuals are faced with many types of transitions. A fundamental aspect of such a transition period is the personal network of relations, and in particular the concept of bridging social capital formed by networks of weak ties. Researches on the use of web technologies in emerging adulthood are also discussed, as the results show the importance of these tools for maintaining and reinforcing bridging social capital. The conclusions derived from this theoretical route emphasise the relevance that web artefacts 2.0 have, in particular SNSs, providing emerging adults with many possibilities and support in: − maintaining and developing their social capital; − constructing a knowledge background that could help them during transitions through different activity systems. These conclusions also lead towards a new conception of eLearning strategies employed in contexts such as universities, characterized until now by a heavy use of web artefacts 1.0 in which students play a passive role. We believe more flexible eLearning systems, such as SNSs, should be taken into consideration, since they are more likely to meet the needs of today's emerging adults in terms of information and knowledge.


The global scientific community has been successful in their efforts to develop, test, and commercialize vaccines for COVID-19. However, the limited supply of these vaccines remains to be a widespread problem as different nations have started their respective vaccine rollouts. Policymakers continue to deal with the difficult task of determining how to allocate them. This research work will present how the use of mathematical models can provide valuable decision support under such conditions. Both a linear programming model and a nonlinear programming model have been developed to determine the optimal allocation of COVID-19 vaccines that minimize fatalities and COVID-19 transmission, respectively. These scenarios have to be dealt with when not enough vaccines are available, and the pandemic is still in progress. The model is capable of handling large scale allocation problems such as those intended for the general population of a country. It could also be scaled down for organizations such as private companies or universities. The model also considers multiple vaccines with different levels of efficacy. The distribution of vaccines reduces transmission and relative infectiousness of individuals across different age groups. A hypothetical case study is solved to illustrate the computational capability of the models. The results indicate that priority should be given to the elderly when fatalities are minimized. In contrast, the younger population should then be prioritized when the objective shifts to suppressing contagion. © 2021, AIDIC Servizi S.r.l.


Recently, a high affinity amylin binding site was identified in the mouse alpha-TSH thyrotroph cell line. In this study, we have characterized binding sites for 125I-salmon calcitonin (125I-sCT), 125I-rat alpha-calcitonin gene-related peptide (125I-CGRP), and 125I-rat amylin in alpha-TSH cells. Using 125I-CGRP or 125I-rat amylin, equilibrium was rapidly reached, and binding was fully reversible. Competition binding revealed the relative potency of peptides was sCT>amylin, CGRP>>rCT, which is similar to the specificity profile of amylin receptors characterized in rat brain. Furthermore, specific binding of 125I-rat amylin and 125I-CGRP to membrane preparations was reduced by 52% and 39%, respectively, in the presence of 20 microM GTP-gamma-s, indicating a requirement of G protein coupling for high affinity binding. In contrast, 125I-sCT binding reached equilibrium more slowly, was essentially irreversible, and was unaltered by GTP-gamma-s. Competition binding studies using 125I-sCT as radioligand demonstrated only weak interaction by CGRP or amylin, consistent with other described CT receptors. Assessment of ligand-induced cAMP accumulation and intracellular calcium signaling revealed a relative specificity profile of sCT>rCT with little or no second messenger signaling stimulated by amylin or CGRP, consistent with a C1-CT receptor phenotype. RT-PCR amplification of messenger RNA indicated that the predominant isoform was the C1a CT receptor. In cross-linking studies, 125I-rat amylin and 125I-CGRP specifically labeled a major band of relative molecular mass (Mr) approximately 80K, being approximately 10 kDa higher than the major 125I-sCT binding protein. Full deglycosylation of N-linked carbohydrates with endoglycosidase F reduced the Mr of each of the labeled proteins to approximately 50K. Cross-linked amylin or CT receptors were immunoprecipitated with C-terminally directed antimouse or antirat CT receptor antibodies but were not immunoprecipitated with nonimmune sera or antihuman CT receptor antibodies. The current data demonstrate expression of two biochemically distinct receptor phenotypes in mouse alpha-TSH cells, a CT receptor phenotype and an amylin receptor phenotype that have highly similar protein backbones.


The migration of circulating neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes into perivascular tissues entails the interaction of specific ligands on their surface with receptors on endothelial cells. These ligands and their receptors have been defined as 'adhesion molecules'. In vitro studies have shown that cellular expression of these molecules is affected by cytokines, for example, interleukin 1 (IL 1), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF a), and interferon gamma (IFN y) *1 Immunohistochemistry studies have shown that increased tissue expression occurs in inflamed tissue, including liver tissue from patients with hepatitis. Cytokines of the chemokine family such as MIP-11P can also enhance adhesion by increasing the affinity of the leucocyte ligands for particular adhesion molecules expressed on the endothelial cell membrane.2 Soluble forms of several adhesion molecules have recently been identified in serum and plasma whose measurement may permit ready monitoring of inflammatory diseases or immunotherapy and improve our understanding of the immunopathogenesis of disease.


. The results of simulation of extreme weather indices of modern climate by two versions of the INM RAS climate model (INMCM4, INMCM5) are considered. It is shown that the INMCM5 model simulates most of the temperature and average precipitation related indices better, but the simulation results of extreme precipitation related indices are worse. Various precipitation related physical factors in the model are analyzed. A parameterization of vertical mixing of the horizontal velocity components due to large-scale condensation, as well as air resistance acting on falling precipitation, is implemented in the INMCM5. The corresponding model parameters are adjusted. The effect of the adjustments on the simulation results of extreme indices is presented.


Abstract Intersex phenotypes are rarely observed in natural isopod populations and their expression is typically associated with infection of Wolbachia, a reproductive parasite that manipulates arthropod reproduction. During an intensive sampling effort of a natural population of the isopod Porcellioscaber, an adult individual was isolated that expressed both male and female traits. The intersex individual exhibited clearly developed external male genitalia and carried multiple eggs in its brood pouch. No Wolbachia infection could be identified in this individual, a result that needs to be approached with caution due to suboptimal DNA preservation for diagnostic PCR assays. Wolbachia were, however, detected in two adult females of the same population, and appear closely related to isolates that infect other terrestrial isopod species. This is the first demonstration that intersex phenotypes can arise under natural conditions in P.scaber.


Tc-99m labeled red blood cells were successfully used to determine the site of hemorrhage in a 67-year-old man with hemobilia. A false hepatic artery aneurysm was confirmed at angiography and ultimately successfully embolized. The relative merits of using Tc-99m labeled red blood cells for detecting sources of upper gastrointestinal bleeding are discussed.


Background:  As life expectancy increases,most women spent a larger part of their lives in the post-menopausal state,with part of this during the peak of their career for working class women. Perception, attitude and experience of the menopause and its transitional period may differ from one female population to the other. Objective:  The objective of this study was to determine the perception and experience of menopause among a group of educated Nigerian career women, and how menopausal symptoms affect their family relationship and work performance. Method:  This was a cross sectional study.Two hundred and twenty five post menopausal primary school teachers in Jos North were administered structured questionnaires.The information obtained were analysed using Epi info 2002 statistical software. Results:  Most of the women (99.1%) felt that menopause was a natural process of aging.The most frequently reported symptoms were low backache or muscle pains (72.9%),poor memory or forgetfulness (63.6%),hot flushes (51.1%) and tiredness (49.8%).  Over half (55.6%) of the women were sexually active with 84.8% of them reporting reduced libido.Over half (56%) of the women studied felt that menopause negatively affected their work performance.Only 8% of the women had heard of hormone replacement therapy. Conclusion:  Post-menopausal primary school teachers in Jos North have a positive perception of menopause. Menopausal symptoms are also common and this negatively affects work performance in quite a number of them. Keywords: Perception,Experience,Menopause,Primary school teachers


Invisible to most biophysical techniques, transient intermediates formed during biomolecular association orchestrate protein recognition and binding. Here, we study such minor species mediating the interaction between physiological partners, cytochrome c and cytochrome c peroxidase, by paramagnetic relaxation enhancement NMR spectroscopy. The visualization of multiple protein–protein orientations constituting the transient encounter state reveals a broad spatial distribution, which is in striking agreement with that obtained in earlier theoretical simulations. Being inactive in the intermolecular electron transfer, the encounter complex pre-orients the interacting molecules, enabling a reduced dimensionality search of the dominant, functionally active bound form. The encounter complex is insensitive to the redox and spin states of the interacting molecules, suggesting that its properties are determined by protein polypeptides rather than heme cofactors.


Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is becoming a major public health event affecting China and even the whole world. During the epidemic period of corona virus disease, appropriate oral health management and disease prevention of children is very important for children's oral and general health. In order to prevent the occurrence of cross-infection and epidemic spreading of COVID-19 during dental practice, the recommendations to parents include: not only training children to maintain hand hygiene at home, exercise appropriately, strengthen physical resistance, but also helping children develop good oral and diet habit such as effective brushing and flossing to avoid oral diseases and emergency. If non-emergency oral situation occur, parents could assist their child to take home based care such as rinsing to relieve the symptoms. When oral emergencies such as acute pulpitis, periapical periodontitis, dental trauma, oral and maxillofacial infections happen, parents and children should visit dental clinic in time with correct personal protection. During the epidemic period, children's oral emergencies should be treated in accordance with current guidelines and control of COVID-19.


The population growth rate in Africa has been the highest in the world since 1970--about 2.7% annually. A lower mortality rate because of better health conditions, their tradition of early marriage and polygamy, and the predominantly agricultural economy are the main reasons. The lack of coordination of such rapid population growth with the slow economic development and backward industrial and agricultural conditions have caused a very serious unemployment problem and inhibit increases in the living standard. The vast areas of desert and equatorial forest are sparsely inhabited. The coastline, Nile delta, and the plateaus are the most densely populated areas of the world. The abnormally developed cities cause expansion of the urban population and serious problems in employment, housing, traffic, health, and education. Many leaders of African countries have begun to realize the seriousness of the rapid population growth, and a few have begun family planning programs. Most countries have no official policies concerning population control and a few even encourage population growth.


Background: Hereditary spastic paraparesis (HSP) is a rare neurodegenerative condition that results in gradual deterioration of lower limb function due to spastic weakness. It can manifest at any age and predominantly presents as gait abnormalities especially tip toe walking. They are classified as simple or complicated based on additional clinical/neurological symptoms apart from lower limb involvement. These are genetically heterogeneous disorders with mutations discovered in more than 50 genes. The association of thin corpus callosum (TCC) along with clinical features of spastic paraplegia is particularly described in mutations of SPG11 gene. Case presentation: We describe two unrelated cases of childhood onset HSP-TCC associated with mutations in exon16 and exon 28: exon 30 respectively. Both these patients also have associated learning difficulties. Conclusion: The constellation of clinical symptoms and MRI findings led to targeted genetic testing and subsequent identification of their diagnosis.


We use direct numerical simulations to examine fully developed turbulent open channel flow where the near wall region is unstably stratified and the outer boundary layer is stably stratified. The simulations are a model for flow in shallow turbid river channels with incident solar radiation. The aim is to determine under what conditions and by what mechanism the stably stratified layer is overturned. The flow is attained by applying a radiative heat flux at the free surface of the open channel. The absorption and transmission of the radiation follows the Beer--Lambert law with a constant absorption coefficient. We examine conditions where approximately 20% of the incident radiative heat flux penetrates through to the wall, releasing heat at the wall as a heat flux. The problem is specified by our buoyancy parameter which is analogous to the bulk Obukhov length scale. In the stable outer boundary layer we observe that the flux Richardson number reaches the limiting value, as was observed in the atmospheric boundary layer under sheared convective conditions.

 References S. M. Mitrovic, L. Hardwick, and F. Dorani. Use of flow management to mitigate cyanobacterial blooms in the Lower Darling River, Australia. J. Plankton Res. , 33(2):229–241, 2011. doi:10.1093/plankt/fbq094 J. R. Taylor, S. Sarkar, and V. Armenio. Large eddy simulation of stably stratified open channel flow. Phys. Fluids , 17(11):116602, 2005. doi:10.1063/1.2130747 M. Garcia-Villalba and J. C. del Alamo. Turbulence modification by stable stratification in channel flow. Phys. Fluids , 23(4):045104, 2011. doi:10.1063/1.3560359 N. Williamson, S. W Armfield, M. P. Kirkpatrick, and S Norris. A canonical model for stratified flow in estuaries and rivers. ANZIAM J. , 54:C88–C101, 2012. http://journal.austms.org.au/ojs/index.php/ANZIAMJ/article/view/6429 S. W. Armfield, S. E. Norris, P. Morgan, and R. Street. A parallel non-staggered Navier-Stokes solver implemented on a workstation cluster. In S. Armfield, P. Morgan, and K. Srinvas (Eds.) Computational Fluid Dynamics 2002: Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Computational Fluid Dynamics, Sydney, Australia, 15–19 July 2002 , pages 30–45. Springer, 2003. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-59334-5 R. J. Conzemius and E. Fedorovich. Dynamics of Sheared Convective Boundary Layer Entrainment. Part I: Methodological Background and Large-Eddy Simulations. J. Atmos. Sci. , 63(4):1151–1178, 2006. doi:10.1175/JAS3691.1


The recent article by Maurits Dolmans and Thomas Graf summarises their views on the analytical framework adopted under EC tying law and applies this framework to the European Commission's March 2004 decision in Microsoft. We appreciate the opportunity this article provides for engaging in a healthy debate about sound approaches towards tying practices and for examining the permissible limits of product design by dominant firms. Both have significant ramifications for the development of the Common Market.


The effects of prolonged dexamethasone (Dx) administration to pregnant rats on the structure and function of the adrenal glands of fetal and neonatal offspring have been investigated by combined stereological and ultrastructural methods, as well as by metaphase index determination. Pregnant rats were injected subcutaneously with Dx (0.3 mg/kg body weight/day) during 5 days, starting from day 16 of gestation. The dams and their fetuses were killed 24 hr after the last injection. The neonatal offspring were killed in the same way on the 3rd and 14th day of life. Because in fetal and 3-day-old neonatal rats zona reticularis (ZR) was poorly defined and could not be clearly seen as a separate zone, zona fasciculata (ZF) and ZR were analyzed as one, inner zone (IZ). In 14-day-old rats ZF and ZR were analyzed separately. Proliferative activity of adrenocortical cells was estimated following the application of Vincristine sulphate. Dx treatment of pregnant rats induced a marked decrease of fetal adrenal gland volume and the volumes of zona glomerulosa + capsula (ZG + C) and IZ as the consequence of atrophic changes in the gland and reduction of the average volume and total number of adrenocortical cells. Similar morphometric changes were found in 3- and 14-day-old pups. However, in 3-day-old animals the number of cortical cells in the ZG was increased, whereas on the 14th postnatal day cortical cell number remained decreased only in the ZF. The multinuclear giant cells, numerous lymphocytes, and the resorption zones, present in the adrenal cortex of fetuses and 3-day-old pups of both experimental and control dams, were not seen in 14-day-old offspring. These results demonstrate that prolonged treatment of pregnant rats with Dx in the period when intensive differentiation of the fetal hypothalamo-hypophyseal system takes place inhibits proliferative activity of adrenocortical cells and evokes considerable atrophic changes in the adrenal glands of offspring from 20 days gestation to 14 days after birth. The histological appearance of the adrenal cortex and the ultrastructure of adrenocortical cells suggest that cortical cell function was inhibited.


Affinity distributions are calculated from adsorption isotherm data obtained for the enantiomers of L- and D-phenylalanine anilide (PA) on native and thermally annealed polymers molecularly imprinted with L-PA. The calculation is obtained with an iterative algorithm called expectation-maximization that does not require prior fit of the data to an isotherm model before inversion and thus yields a distribution indicative of the data only. The results show bimodal distributions, suggestive of a two-site model describing relatively selective and nonselective adsorption modes of the L-enantiomer and a corresponding unimodal/nonselective adsorption mode for the D-enantiomer. The nonselective adsorption region of the distributions exponentially decreases with increasing association constant, whereas the selective adsorption is Gaussian in appearance. The thermally annealed polymer exhibits altered affinity distributions that are somewhat less heterogeneous and more selective. Their selective sites have a lower s...


The present research was undertaken to approach the formation of the Brainstem Evoked Response (BSER) by means of modelling techniques similar to those previously successfully adopted to interpret the generation of the Auditory Nerve Action Potential. The definition of a model intended to reproduce the compound electrical response of a given ensemble of neural units, firing after stimulation, is taken as the basic constituent for the formulation of the complete model. The activity of the primary auditory neurons is assumed to be the input to the BSER model; then, a simplified structure for the connections among the neural complexes contributing to the BSER is proposed to account for monaurally evoked, homolaterally recorded responses. Computer simulations of the model show a satisfactory degree of approximation between the experimental data taken as reference and the final output, in spite of the rather small number of parameters and the simplicity of the structure used. Even though this work has to be considered as preliminary in character, at least in certain respects, some applicative implications of the present approach can be outlined.


Information plays a crucial role in mechanism design problems. A potential complication is that this information may endogenously and flexibly depend on what options they are offered. I model this by considering an optimal mechanism design problem in which a principal screens agents with uncertain value. The agent is inattentive regarding their true value, and decides how to optimally acquire information in response to the offered mechanism. I show that any implementable mechanism is characterized by a non-participation belief, which in turn determines the beliefs and prices for every possible probability of allocation (including those not chosen). For every possible non-participation belief, the mechanism design problem then reduces to one of Bayesian persuasion. The optimal mechanism is then implicitly determined by choosing the optimal non-participation belief. I provide results characterizing optimal mechanisms in both the single- and multiple-agent cases.


The current study aimed at the optimization of circulating tumor cell (CTC) enrichment for downstream protein expression analyses in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to serve as a tool for the investigation of immune checkpoints in real time. Different enrichment approaches—ficoll density, erythrolysis, their combination with magnetic separation, ISET, and Parsortix—were compared in spiking experiments using the A549, H1975, and SKMES-1 NSCLC cell lines. The most efficient methods were tested in patients (n = 15) receiving immunotherapy targeting programmed cell death-1 (PD-1). Samples were immunofluorescently stained for a) cytokeratins (CK)/epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)/leukocyte common antigen (CD45), and b) CK/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1)/ indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). Ficoll, ISET, and Parsortix presented the highest yields and compatibility with phenotypic analysis; however, at the patient level, they provided discordant CTC positivity (13%, 33%, and 60% of patients, respectively) and enriched for distinct CTC populations. IDO and PD-L1 were expressed in 44% and 33% and co-expressed in 19% of CTCs. CTC detection was associated with progressive disease (PD) (p = 0.006), reduced progression-free survival PFS (p = 0.007), and increased risk of relapse (hazard ratio; HR: 10.733; p = 0.026). IDO-positive CTCs were associated with shorter PFS (p = 0.039) and overall survival OS (p = 0.021) and increased risk of death (HR: 5.462; p = 0.039). The current study indicates that CTC analysis according to distinct immune checkpoints is feasible and may provide valuable biomarkers to monitor NSCLC patients treated with anti-PD-1 agents.


Loading an electrocatalyst on poorly conducting substrate can easily lead to undervaluation of its intrinsic property. In this study, the excellent activity of MoS2|NiS|MoO3 nanowires for hydrogen evolution is revealed. The precursor NiMoO4 synthesized on chemically polished Ti foil can be successfully converted to MoS2|NiS|MoO3 catalyst via gas-phase sulfurization. Without deep polish in sulfuric acid for 2 h, the as-synthesized materials do not show competitive results. After sulfurization, the surface morphology of the precursor is transformed into rough features, and the peripheries of these electrocatalysts are coated by multilayered and misaligned MoS2 with a high density of active sites and conductive component NiS. Further analysis shows that defect MoO3 is embedded inside each nanowire, which may facilitate fast electron transfer. Such nanostructured architecture shows promising results for hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline medium with only 91 mV overpotential for the current density of 10 mA cm-2 and robust long-term stability during more than 20 h of tests.


Background: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) characterized by nerve damage is a common and disabling chronic microvascular complication in patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM), affecting at least half of patients diagnosed with T2DM. Unfortunately, the current treatment for DPN is not ideal. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with a unique theoretical system, has made outstanding contributions in the treatment of T2DM and related complications. Mudan granule, a Chinese patent medicine, has been previously validated that could ameliorate the symptoms, promote nerve tissue repair, increase nerve conduction velocity (NCV) in patients with DPN. However, the previous studies are of variable quality, which limits the clinical application of Mudan granule. Therefore, we designed a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm, multi-center trial to estimate the safety and efficacy of Mudan granule in conjunction with methylcobalamin in individuals suffering from type 2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Methods: This work is conducted as a 14-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm trial. In all, 402 subjects (aged 30–70 years) will be recruited and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to an intervention group (n = 201; Mudan granule + methylcobalamin) and a control group (n = 201; placebo + methylcobalamin). Treatment is administered in 24 weeks cycles without any treatment interruption between cycles. Michigan Diabetic Neuropathy Score (MDNS) as the primary outcome will be evaluated at baseline, 12 weeks during the intervention period, and after 24 weeks of the intervention. Adverse events and safety assessments will be also documented. The analysis of all data will be carried out based on a predefined statistical analysis plan. Discussion: The outcomes from this study will offer important evidence regarding the safety and efficacy that Mudan granule can be used as an alternative and complementary therapeutic intervention in patients with type 2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Clinical trial registration: Registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/. Trial registration number: NCT04711980. Registered January 2021.


Orientational dependences of the quadrupole spin-lattice relaxation rates are calculated for a system of spin-3/2 nuclei in a single crystal subject to a random two-site exchange in a high magnetic field. A technique with which the transition probabilities per unit time w1 ( Delta m=1) and w2 ( Delta m=2) can be measured with approximately equal accuracies is proposed. The possibility of extracting the elements of the fluctuating electric-field-gradient tensor in a crystal-fixed coordinate system together with the exchange rate from the orientational dependences of the spin-lattice relaxation rates w1 and w2 is discussed. Two examples-a thermal exchange between two equilibrium sites in a temperature-independent double-potential well and an exchange between two sites above and below an order-disorder phase transition-are briefly discussed.


Although school choice programs are common, we know little about the underlying decision-making processes. In this study, we randomly assigned 900 junior high schools in Ghana, a country with universal secondary school choice, to 1 of 3 treatment arms: (1) information to students, (2) information to students and guardians, and (3) control group. We observe changes in beliefs, behaviors, and the decision maker's identity through a survey of guardians. Our intervention increased the likelihood that guardians were involved with and informed about the school selection process. Moreover, specifically targeting guardians led to significantly larger changes for most outcomes.


BACKGROUND
The Bedouins in the Negev are a population in transition from traditional nomadic to a western sedentary lifestyle, characterized by changes in dietary habits and reduction in physical activity, with substantial changes in morbidity patterns. To describe the current state of diabetes prevalence and control among the Bedouin population in the Negev and to compare it to the non-Bedouin population.

MATERIAL/METHODS
A cross-sectional study was performed utilizing the database of Clalit Health Services. In patients with a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes, the following variables were extracted from the laboratory records: hemoglobinA1c (HgA1C) level, urine microalbumin level and low density lipoprotein (LDL) level. Chi-square test was used to compare categorical parameters between the groups.

RESULTS
Age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes was 5.1% in the Bedouin population as compared to 3.7% in the non-Bedouin population (p<0.001). Diabetes was more prevalent in urban as compared to rural settlements (5.5% vs. 3.9%, respectively, p<0.001). The proportion of Bedouins patients with controlled diabetes (HgA1C<7) was significantly lower in Bedouin patients (29.3%) as compare to Non-Bedouin patients (46.7%) (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS
Age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes is increased in the Bedouin population as compared to the Non-Bedouin population in southern Israel. Despite similar performance status of laboratory tests and similar treatment regimens, the overall control of diabetes is poorer in the Bedouin population as compared to the Non-Bedouin population. These findings support previous observations that diabetes has become a major public health problem among Bedouins.


Rainfall threshold (RT) method is one of the evolving flood forecasting approaches. When the cumulative rainfall depth for a given initial soil moisture condition intersects the threshold rainfall curve, the peak discharge is expected to be equal or greater than the threshold discharge for flooding at the target site. Besides the total rainfall depth, spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall impacts the flood peak discharge and the time to peak. To revisit a previous study conducted by the authors, in which spatially independent rainfall pattern was assumed, the spatial distribution of rainfall was simulated following a Monte Carlo approach. The structure of the spatial dependence among sub‐watersheds' rainfalls was taken into account under three different scenarios, namely independent, bivariate copula (2copula) and multivariate Gaussian copula (MGC). For each set of generated random dimensionless rainfalls, the probabilistic RT curves were derived for dry moisture condition. Results were evaluated with both historical and simulated events. For the simulated events, threshold curves were assessed by means of categorical statistics, such as hit rate, false rate and critical success index (CSI). Results revealed that the best performance based on the CSI criterion corresponded to 50% curve in 2copula and MGC scenarios as well as 90% curve in the independent scenario. The recognition of 50% curve in 2copula and MGC scenarios is in agreement with our expectations that the mean probable curve should have the best performance. Moreover, the proposed inclusion of spatially dependent rainfall scenario improved the performance of RT curves by about 25% in comparison with the presumed spatially uniform rainfall scenario. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


UNLABELLED
We studied in 11 patients the individual variable pattern of coronary blood supply after the end of diagnostic coronary catheterisation by intracoronary injection of T1201 into the left and J 123-heptadeconic acid into the right coronary artery. In 4 static views computer aided quantitative analysis of circumferential profiles was performed. Based on Schlesinger's criteria three types of coronary arterial patterns were defined (right, left preponderant, balanced) after the presentation in the angiographic projections.

CONCLUSIONS
Sharp boders between different perfusion areas could be detected by the gamma camera. If patients with right preponderant circulation are compared with balanced circulation, the perfusion areas of the left coronary artery are greater in all cases with balanced circulation than expected. More important for the indication of coronary artery surgery is that a considerable area of the left ventricular myocardium is perfused by the right coronary artery independent of the anatomical perfusion pattern with the exception of the left preponderant type.


A common problem in distributed systems is the selection of a particular service instance from a set of possible services. In this paper, we identify the kinds of information required to select services within enterprise distributed systems and present a flexible mechanism for selecting services. This mechanism enables clients to build complex queries that are able to utilise script-based interaction with service instances. The use of scripts allows the selection of particular services based on their internal state and permits services to tailor their responses based on the particular client.


abstract:The work of Gloria Anzaldúa has not typically been read in concert with utopian studies. Much of her writing, however, offers a rich resource for utopian critique. This is a significant omission given that much of Latin@ speculative fiction has been deemed inherently utopic. Latin@futurism is a field of inquiry by which to focus on the utopian as a broader category of visionary, speculative forms. Anzaldúa draws on techniques of defamiliarization to usher a change of consciousness in the reader, exemplified by her theories of conocimiento, el cenote, and nepantla. This article discusses Anzaldúa's theory of el cenote as a powerful heterotopic space of renewal and transformation in Yuri Herrera's novel Signs Preceding the End of the World. Anzaldúa's theories of conocimiento and nepantla flesh out culminating aspects of borderlands dreaming in the novel that connect to a discourse of apocalypse and its relationship to historical renewal and social justice.


The author proves that political parties are an important element of the political system, a force that represents the interests of various social groups, provides communication between them and forms the domestic and foreign policy of the state. It is noted that Bulgaria's path to the European Union was quite diverse in historical and political context and contributed to positive changes in the political and economic sphere of society. Political parties played an important role in the European integration processes of the Republic of Bulgaria. In the early 1990s a consensus had been formed among the leading political parties on the need for its accession to the EU. Due to this, the course of European integration of Bulgaria was successfully implemented, despite the change of socialist, liberal or conservative political forces in the government. The official programs on European integration of the most influential political parties in Bulgarian society that had representation in the Parliament and were part of the government since 1989 – the Bulgarian Socialist Party, the Union of Democratic Forces, the National Movement "Simeon II", the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, the "Attack", the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) – were analyzed. It is pointed out that political consensus between political parties is extremely important in achieving the main goal of Bulgarian society – accession to the European Union and development of the Republic as a member of this international organization.


This study examines the rainfall induced change in soil microroughness of a bare soil surface in agricultural landscapes. The focus is on the quantification of roughness length under the action of rainfall for initial microroughness length scales of 2 mm or less, defined here as initial smooth surface conditions. These conditions have not been extensively examined in the literature as most studies have focused on initial disturbed surface conditions (bed surface conditions with initial length scales greater than 2 mm and varying between 5–50 mm). Three representative intensities namely 30 mm/h, 60 mm/h and 75 mm/h were applied over a smoothened bed surface at a field plot via a rainfall simulator. Soil surface microroughness measurements were obtained via a surface-profile laser scanner. Two indices were utilized to quantify soil surface microroughness, namely the Random Roughness (RR) index and the crossover length. Findings show a consistent increase in roughness under the action of rainfall for initial microroughness length scales of 2 mm. This contradicts existing literature where a monotonic decay of roughness of soil surfaces with rainfall is recorded for disturbed surfaces. Analysis shows that on an average the RR and the crossover length post run increase by a multiple of 3.15 and 1.9, respectively from their corresponding values apriori the runs.


One hundred eighty adults who presented for general dental care at an urban dental school clinic were interviewed and given epidemiological screening examinations. The findings presented include a profile of a clinic population with respect to ethnic identity, family income, education, nuclear family structure, and residence. The two major racial groups (black and white) are found to have highly significant differences in their perception of dental services and their experiences with dental disease and treatment. An assessment of dental health status indicates that whites were more likely to have filled teeth, and blacks, decayed or unfilled teeth. This relates to different patterns in seeking recent preventive dental services and a marked disparity in utilization early in life. Fear and anxiety about dental care, degree of orientation towards prevention and differences in exposure to preventive information varied with race. Consumerist orientation is examined in terms of willingness to criticize services, be cared for by auxiliary health workers and accept professional fees. The identification of diversity in perception and values with respect to dental health care is characterized as an element in developing understanding between providers and consumers.


Three cases of chronic expanding hematoma occurring within the capsule surrounding breast implants are described. All developed at least 4 years after the last operation. No identifiable etiology could be demonstrated. Although this pathologic entity has been widely reported in other anatomic locations, a periprosthetic chronic expanding hematoma of the breast has not been described previously.


Background Mutation of the PRDM16 gene has been associated with human cardiomyopathy. The PRDM16 protein is a transcriptional regulator affecting cardiac development via Tbx5 and Hand1 regulating myocardial structure. Biallelic Prdm16 inactivation induces severe cardiac dysfunction with postnatal lethality and hypertrophy in mice. Early pathological events upon Prdm16 inactivation have not been explored. Methods This study performed in depth pathophysiological and molecular analysis of male and female Prdm16csp1/wt mice carrying systemic, monoallelic Prdm16 gene inactivation. We systematically assessed early molecular changes with transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Kinetic modelling of the cardiac metabolism was undertaken in silico with CARDIOKIN. Results Prdm16csp1/wt mice are viable up to 8 months, develop hypoplastic hearts, and diminished systolic performance that is more pronounced in female mice. Prdm16csp1/wt hearts demonstrate moderate alterations of specific transcripts and protein levels with consistent upregulation of pyridine nucleotide-disulphide oxidoreductase domain 2 (Pyroxd2) and the transcriptional regulator pre B-cell leukemia transcription factor interacting protein 1 (Pbxip1). The strongest concordant transcriptional upregulation was detected for Prdm16 itself probably by an autoregulatory mechanism. Prdm16csp1/wt cardiac tissue showed reduction of metabolites associated with amino acid as well as glycerol metabolism, glycolysis, and tricarboxylic acid cycle. Global lipid metabolism was also affected with accumulation of triacylglycerides detected in male Prdm16csp1/wt hearts. In addition, Prdm16csp1/wt cardiac tissue revealed diminished glutathione (GSH) and increased inosine monophosphate (IMP) levels indicating oxidative stress and a dysregulated energetics, respectively. Metabolic modelling in silico suggested lowered fatty acid utilization in male and reduced glucose utilization in female Prdm16csp1/wt cardiac tissue. Conclusions Monoallelic Prdm16 mutation restricts cardiac performance in Prdm16csp1/wt mice. Metabolic alterations precede transcriptional dysregulation in Prdm16csp1/wt cardiac tissue. Female Prdm16csp1/wt mice develop a more pronounced phenotype indicating a sexual dimorphism at this early pathological window. This study suggests that metabolic dysregulation is an early event in PRDM16 associated cardiac pathology. Novelty and Significance What Is Known? - Mutation of the PRDM16 gene has been associated with human cardiomyopathy. - Biallelic inactivation of Prdm16 in mice induces severe cardiac dysfunction with early postnatal lethality. - Prdm16 cooperates with transcription factors such as Tbx5 and Hand1 to activate transcriptional programs that define the development of the compacted myocardium. What New Information Does This Article Contribute? - Systemic, monoallelic inactivation in Prdm16csp1/wt mice induces cardiac dysfunction with normal survival. - Metabolic alterations are the leading pathophysiological consequences and induce cardiac hypoplasia. On the molecular level this is associated with upregulation of metabolic regulators Pyroxd2 and Pbxip1. - Metabolic response after Prdm16 inactivation occurs in a sex specific manner.


It is seen that the population policies which appear as efforts to control the population may vary depending on the location and the strategies of the countries that they had in the course of history. The population policies in Turkey from the beginning of the republic until 1965 called for an increase in population, but after that year the policies demanded that population be brought under control by reducing the population growth rate. Today it is claimed again that the population should increase. According to data of the Turkish Statistical Institute, the population of Turkey is expected to increase at a slow rate until 2050 and reach its highest point in 2050 with 93,475, 575 people. Expected to start decreasing by 2050, the population is anticipated to fall down to 89,172,088 in 2075. If current trends in demographic indicators remain the same way, it is predicted that population in Turkey will continue ageing. This situation is marked as a problematic issue by the government; Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, the leader of Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Prime Minister advices that each family have at least three children. This study is intended to put forward how the discourse of ?three children? of the prime minister was presented in media texts and what kind of discourses were produced out of the three children discourse. The texts that were taken up for this analysis are all newspaper columns. Columns of four national and daily newspapers with different ideologies (Cumhuriyet, Hurriyet, Sabah, Yeni ?afak) were analyzed with a time period from the year 2008 when the prime minister started this discourse of three children until today.In the study, critical discourse analysis was used in an effort to point out how the discourse of ?three children? of the prime minister was depicted in newspaper columns and the types of discourse that were generated through this issue in the same columns. Critical discourse analysis provides important data in bring out the ideologies that are re-produced by way of discourse in media texts, in determining around what themes any given subject is presented in media discourse, and finally in identifying the relationships between media-government-ideology and discourse by way of analyzing ideological representation through texts.


Nasal provocation test with house dust mite is a method to investigate the relationship between allergen of house dust mite and allergic rhinitis through observing the symptoms of allergic rhinitis after delivering a certain doses of house dust mite extracts to the nasal mucosa.It can also offer us an objective way in studying the interactions between upper and lower airways by looking at the changes of the airway mucosal cytology,immunologic mediators,as well as bronchial responsiveness.As a result,it was considered as a valuable method for the investigation of the pathophysiology,immunology and therapeutic effecacy of allergic rhinitis.This article is to review the nasal provocation test with house dust mite in the study of allergic rhinitis.


A circular cylinder was tested in cross flow over the subsonic speed range. Timeresolved pressure distributions give information on surface pressure fluctuations and the corresponding drag and base drag coefficients are provided. The Strouhal number variation is compared with the measurements of other authors. Flow changes at higher subsonic velocities and into the transonic range are described. At Mach numbers above 0.6 the changing strength of the vortices reduces the base drag coefficient up to a Mach number of 0.9, where the onset of sonic flow increases the drag. Time-resolved base pressure fluctuations at low Mach numbers are in agreement with the findings of other researchers with regard to the relative time spent in vortex formation and shedding. As the Mach number increases the time spent in vortex formation becomes equal to that spent in shedding. The paper concentrates on providing detailed base pressure data rather than attempting to produce universal correlations. Physical explanations have been given, where possible, to assist toward a more general modeling of the problem.


The objective of the present study is to investigate the relationship between the receptive language, and the index of non-verbal intelligence and the level of severity of autistic disorders in primary-school-aged children with Autism spectrum disorder. One of the main areas influenced by autistic disorders is communication. Therefore, the study of the language abilities of such children and factors that affect them provides a better approach to the therapy and education. The sample included 50 children aged 7–11 years diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Children were tested using the KORABLIK method (basic linguistic skills), the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II) or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children ― Third Edition (WISC-III) (non-verbal intelligence), the Autism Diagnosis Observation Schedule ― Second Edition (ADOS-II) (autistic traits). The results support the hypothesis of the relationship between receptive language skills, the index of non-verbal intelligence, and symptoms of autism. The severity of autistic traits is negatively associated with some phonological and lexical levels of the receptive speech, as well as with understanding of discourse. The non-verbal intelligence index is positively associated with speech comprehension at all levels. A specific feature of receptive language in children with Autism spectrum disorder aged 7–11 years is the uneven development, which is associated with the severity of autistic traits and is not associated with the intelligence level.


This paper shows that there is
 more scope for a borrower to engage in a
 sustainable infinite debt rollover (a "Ponzi scheme") when interest/growth rates are stochastic. In this context, I prove that the relevant "r vs. g" comparison uses the yield
 r
 long to an infinite‐maturity zero‐coupon bond. I show that
 r
 long is lower than the risk‐neutral expectation of the short‐term yield when it is variable, and that
 r
 long is close to the minimal realization of the short‐term yield when it is highly persistent. The paper applies these results to illustrative heterogeneous agent dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models to obtain similarly weakened sufficient conditions for the existence of public debt bubbles.


Contour deformities of the lateral forehead are not uncommon after direct injuries or extirpative procedures, or as a sequela to iatrogenic maneuvers for juxtaposed craniomaxillofacial endeavors. Transposition of noncutaneous local vascularized autogenous tissues for augmentation of these defects has minimal inherent risks and little donor site morbidity. Although the temporoparietal fascia has previously been described as a first choice in this regard, if unavailable due to concomitant injury or absence of the superficial temporal vessels, the temporalis muscle itself provides an excellent second option that deserves consideration.


Simulation of local process disturbances is a computation- ally intensive task. The VLASIC (VLSI LAyout Simulation for Inte- grated Circuits) catastrophic fault yield simulator uses a Monte Carlo method that often requires tens of CPU hours to perform a simulation. In order to reduce the simulation time, we have developed DVLASIC, a distributed version of VLASIC, which is implemented on a network of 25 VAXstation 3200 workstations. DVLASIC achieves a speedup of 13.3 over VLASIC, with an efficiency of 89%. We describe the distrib- uted processing environment and implementation techniques used to obtain this speedup. Large speedups are difficult to obtain on the VLASIC problem due to the expense of Monte Carlo problem gener- ation, and the relatively small problem granularity. The distributed processing environment can be applied to many other CAD problems.


A first coil element is constituted by a first loop-shaped conductor (LP1) and a second loop-shaped conductor (LP2). A second coil element is constituted by a third loop-shaped conductor (LP3) and a fourth loop-shaped conductor (LP4). The first loop-shaped conductor (LP1) and the second loop-shaped conductor (LP2) are interposed between the third loop-shaped conductor (LP3) and the fourth loop-shaped conductor (LP4) in the layer direction. A conductor pattern (L1B), which comprises part of the first loop-shaped conductor (LP1), and a conductor pattern (L1C), which comprises part of the second loop-shaped conductor (LP2), are connected in parallel. Moreover, a conductor pattern (L1A), which comprises the remainder of the first loop-shaped conductor (LP1), and a conductor pattern (L1D), which comprises the remainder of the second loop-shaped conductor (LP2), are connected in series with respect to the aforementioned parallel circuit.


In a previous study, anticataleptic action of cyproheptadine was reported. The present investigation deals with the influence of WA-335 (9,10-dihydro-10-(1-methyl-4-piperidylidene)-9-anthrol), another antagonist of serotonin, on catalepsy induced in rats with spiroperidol, pimozide, fluphenazine and reserpine. WA-335 antagonized catalepsy induced by these neuroleptics (the effect on reserpine-induced catalepsy was weakest). Joint administration of WA-335 and L-DOPA with an inhibitor of peripheral decarboxylase, or WA-335 and amantadine produced a stronger antagonistic effect (spiroperidol catalepsy) than either of these substances separately. WA-335 did not prevent catalepsy induced with physostigmine.


Introduction: Renal clear cell carcinoma(ccRCC) accounts for about 85% of patients with renal carcinoma and is the most common pathological type of renal cancer. Renal clear cell carcinomas usually metastasize to the lungs, lymph nodes, liver, bones, and brain, with rare skin metastases, especially to the eyelids. In this study, we report the third current case of renal clear cell carcinoma with eyelid mass as its initial presentation.Case presentation: In this study, we describe in detail the case of a 62-year-old male patient with clear cell carcinoma of the kidney whose first symptom was a mass of the right eyelid. The patient had no clinical manifestations other than eyelid mass before the diagnosis of renal clear cell carcinoma. After resection of eyelid mass, postoperative pathological and immunohistochemical studies showed clear cell carcinoma of the kidney. Subsequently, a computed tomography scan disclosed bilateral renal tumors, bilateral adrenal nodules, and nodules in the upper lobe of the left lung. At the time of writing, the patient was receiving sunitinib treatment and receiving regular outpatient follow-up. Discussion and conclusion: Metastasis of renal carcinoma to the eye is rare, especially with an eyelid mass as the initial presentation. If they occur before the diagnosis of cancer or years after nephrectomy, the diagnosis of the tumor may be missed. In this study, we report the rare case and review reports of renal cell carcinoma metastasizing to the eye to raise our awareness of this rare phenomenon.


It has previously been shown that computer-assisted subtraction of serially-obtained radiographs yields a higher degree of accuracy in the detection of small changes in the marginal periodontal bone than conventional radiographs. This study concerns another important aspect of such diagnostic methods, namely the intra- and inter-examiner agreement rates. On 10 patients with moderate to severe periodontal bone loss involved in a clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of subgingival antimicrobial irrigation, conventional radiographs were taken at baseline and after 32 and 52 weeks. The changes in terms of gain or loss of bone occurring between the examination at baseline and that after 32 weeks, as well as those occurring between the examination performed after 32 weeks and that made after 52 weeks, were evaluated by means of conventional radiographs and by subtraction images. Both types of image were interpreted by each of 4 observers. The images were read a 2nd time after a period of at least 2 weeks. The inter-observer as well as the intra-observer agreement were assessed by calculating 3 different measures of agreement: the overall agreement, the specific agreement and the kappa value. Regardless of measure, higher inter-observer agreement rates were found for all observers when the subtraction technique was employed. A similar pattern was found with respect to the intra-observer agreement rates.


The risk of predation directly affects physiology, behavior, and fitness of wild birds. Social interactions with conspecifics may affect how individuals respond to stressors such as predators. Strong social connections could help individuals recover from a stressful experience; however, competitive interactions also have the potential to exacerbate stress. Few studies have investigated the interaction between environmental stressors and the social landscape in wild bird populations. Here, we experimentally simulated predation attempts on breeding female tree swallows (Tachicyneta bicolor). At the same time, we manipulated female breast plumage color, a key social signal. Simulated predation events on tree swallows negatively affected their nestlings' condition, telomere lengths, and fledging success. However, the effects of experimental manipulations were timing-dependent: simulated predation during the early nestling period was more detrimental than "predation" during incubation. Contrary to our expectations, manipulation of the social environment did not affect the response of tree swallows to simulated predation. However, manipulating female plumage during the nestling period did affect nestling size, indicating an effect of the social environment on reproductive success. Our data demonstrate that transient stressors on breeding female birds can have carry-over effects on their nestlings, some of which may be long-lasting.


Standardized writing tests are often high stakes tests for students and the writing test scores often have consequences for the student, the writing teacher, and the instructional program which trains the student writers. How to evaluate writing is usually an important part of teaching writing. However, a close investigation of the current realities of scoring writing in an EFL teaching context reveals a number of difficulties that all teachers face in improving validity when scoring writing for standardized tests. This study explores the best practices that raters use when they score standardized test essays and provides feasible solutions to the scoring of two popular standardized tests, notably the IELTS and the TOEFL-iBT, by non-native English-speaking raters in the English language teaching context of Vietnam. A thorough review of the current literature regarding the scoring of standardized test essays provided this study with essential information on the best rating practices. In addition, a small set of anecdotal data from questionnaires and interviews with three experienced raters is used to supplement key ideas in the literature review. A framework of decision-making behaviors and rating instruments is proposed, which enables raters to align their decision-making behaviors with the rating requirements, thereby enhancing the validity and consistency of their scoring of EFL writing.


Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is an autosomal-dominant polyposis disorder with an increased risk of multiple cancer. The LKB1/STK11 gene, which acts as a tumor suppressor, is responsible for PJS and plays a role in suppressing breast cancer. The low expression of LKB1/STK11 in sporadic breast cancer is significantly associated with shorter survival. Here we describe a PJS patient with aggressive breast cancer that carried not only a germline mutation of LKB1/STK11 but also loss of the normal allele. The combination of these mutations may be associated with the poor prognosis of this patient. To our knowledge, we are the first to show that a germline mutation causing PJS is combined with the loss of the homologous normal allele of LKB1/STK11 in breast cancer.


The Aeolian wall lizard, Podarcis raffonei, is an endangered species endemic to the Aeolian archipelago, Italy, where it is present only in three tiny islets and a narrow promontory of a larger island. Because of the extremely limited area of occupancy, severe population fragmentation and observed decline, it has been classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Using Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) High Fidelity (HiFi) long read sequencing, Bionano optical mapping and Arima chromatin conformation capture sequencing (Hi-C), we produced a high-quality, chromosome-scale reference genome for the Aeolian wall lizard, including Z and W sexual chromosomes. The final assembly spans 1.51 Gb across 28 scaffolds with a contig N50 of 61.4 Mb, a scaffold N50 of 93.6 Mb, and a BUSCO completeness score of 97.3%. This genome constitutes a valuable resource for the species to guide potential conservation efforts and more generally for the squamate reptiles that are underrepresented in terms of available high-quality genomic resources.


In this paper, data flow graphs are used to represent the algorithmic description of a problem and serve as the starting description for high level architectural synthesis process. No assumption is made on the class of DFGs considered (i.e. iterative or general) thus allowing the description of any algorithm. Balancing of DFGs where nodes represent computational activities whose exchange of information is not self synchronised is a convenient way to raise the throughput of the graph (architecture). This paper presents a methodology that allows balancing acyclic and cyclic data flow graphs optimizing both latency and throughput.<<ETX>>


In his recent paper on 'The Red Sandstone-Rocks of Peel,' Prof. Boyd Dawkins mentions a rock which occurs in a derived form in one of the conglomerates of the Peel Series, and has been identified with the Keisley Limestone. When Prof. Boyd Dawkins was preparing the paper quoted above, he entrusted to me the examination of the pebbles of the rock in question; and as the resulting identification possesses an interest apart from the main issues of his own work, he has kindly offered me the opportunity of giving a separate account of it. The following notes, therefore, contain a brief description of the rock and its fossil contents, with the grounds for believing it to be identical with the Keisley Limestone. The pebbles which formed the material for the investigation were collected by Prof. Boyd Dawkins from the conglomerates forming the coast-line at Whitestrand, near Peel (Isle of Man). They are composed of a coarsely-crystalline limestone, greyish-white in ground-colour, and as a rule thickly mottled with pink : agreeing, in fact, very closely with those beds of the Keisley Limestone which Mr. F. R. Cowper Reed, M.A., F.G.S., speaking of their lithology in his exhaustive paper on that group, :~ describes as Type 3. The amount of this limestone available for examination was not great; and at first, as no fossils more distinctive than ostracods and some small and indefinite braehiopods had been met with, it was thought, on the strength of other fragments with which it was associated


It has previously been demonstrated that muscle atrophy associated with aging and disuse is accompanied by changes in microvascular function including absolute loss of capillaries, increased mean red blood cell velocity (VRBC), and absence of reactive hyperemia. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether disuse could account for these changes. The right extensor digitorum longus muscle in male Fisher 344 rats was subjected to 15 days of disuse through the neural application of tetrodotoxin (TTX). Microvascular function, as assessed using intravital microscopy, was compared for muscles from control (n = 8) and TTX-treated (n = 5) animals. The TTX-induced disuse was associated with a 40.5% decrease in muscle weight, a 51.6% decrease in fiber cross-sectional area, a 62% decrease in mitochondrial volume density, and increased capillary damage (TTX, 11% control, 1.1%). Although capillary density in the disused muscle increased (by 139%), when corrected for muscle atrophy, the absolute number of capillaries was maintained. With TTX disuse, VRBC heterogeneity was not different from that in the control rats while the mean velocity increased 3.18x. TTX disuse did not alter the pattern of reactive hyperemia following 30 min of complete ischemia. These results suggest that short-term TTX-induced atrophy affects both microvascular structure and resting state blood flow in rat skeletal muscle, but it does not affect the vascular responsiveness following a metabolic challenge.


FEBRUARY 2007 -s 44 ABSTRACT. This paper details an investigation into the measurement and the prediction of heat-affected zone (HAZ) toughness for construction structural steels. The HAZ toughness was examined using both single-layer and multilayer welded joints, and correlated to the chemical compositions of the steels used. From the series of the tests, the parameter, fHAZ, was derived to assess approximately whether a steel plate has adequate HAZ toughness. The condition is shown below. fHAZ ≤ 0.577 for vE273 (single layer) ≥ 30J, vE273(multilayer) ≥ 70J fHAZ ≤ 0.632 for vE273(single layer) ≥ 12J, vE273(multilayer) ≥ 27J fHAZ = C +Mn/8 + 6 (P + S) + 12 N – 4 Ti (Note: The content of Ti should be considered as 0 when it is equal to or less than 0.005 mass-%.)


Linear causal models are conveniently developed by the method of path coefficients proposed by Sewall Wright. Path analysis is useful in making explicit the rationale of conventional regression calculations. It may also have special usefulness in sociology problems involving the decomposition of a dependent variable or those in which successive experiences of a cohort are measured. Path analysis focuses on the problem of interpretation and does not purpot to be a method for discovering causes. It may, nevertheless, be invaluable in rendering interpretations explicit, self-consistent, and susceptible to rejection by subsequent research.


The ElectroStatic Precipitator (ESP) removes dust and tar droplets very efficiently from biomass product gas. Dust was removed for more than 99%. The tar dewpoint was reduced from 130°C to 21°C, which is sufficient for the application of the product gas in a gas engine. Tar removal is not sensitive to the voltage or fluctuations in the gas residence time . The voltage was varied between 28 to 37 kVarith and the gas residence time between 4 and 11s. Fouling of the ESP collector plates was negligible, which was concluded from visual inspection after 200 hours of operation. A reduction in the residence time reduces the size of the ESP and has a significant impact on the investment costs of the ESP.


Estimating the individual treatment effect (ITE) from observational data is meaningful and practical in healthcare. Existing work mainly relies on the strong ignorability assumption that no hidden confounders exist, which may lead to bias in estimating causal effects. Some studies considering the hidden confounders are designed for static environment and not easily adaptable to a dynamic setting. In fact, most observational data (e.g., electronic medical records) is naturally dynamic and consists of sequential information. In this paper, we propose Deep Sequential Weighting (DSW) for estimating ITE with time-varying confounders. Specifically, DSW infers the hidden confounders by incorporating the current treatment assignments and historical information using a deep recurrent weighting neural network. The learned representations of hidden confounders combined with current observed data are leveraged for potential outcome and treatment predictions. We compute the time-varying inverse probabilities of treatment for re-weighting the population. We conduct comprehensive comparison experiments on fully-synthetic, semi-synthetic and real-world datasets to evaluate the performance of our model and baselines. Results demonstrate that our model can generate unbiased and accurate treatment effect by conditioning both time-varying observed and hidden confounders, paving the way for personalized medicine.


Mapping of mortality rates has been a valuable public health tool. We describe novel Bayesian methods for constructing maps which do not depend on a post stratification of the estimated rates. We also construct posterior modal maps rather than posterior mean maps. Our methods are illustrated using mortality data from chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) in the continental United States. Poisson regression models have attracted much attention in the scientific community for their superiority in modeling rare events (including mortality counts from COPD). Christiansen and Morris (JASA 1997) described a hierarchical Bayesian model for heterogeneous Poisson counts under the exchangeability assumption. We extend this model to include latent classes (groups of similar Poisson rates unknown to an investigator). Also, it is standard practice to construct maps using quantiles (e.g., quintiles) of the estimated mortality rates. For example, based on quintiles, the mortality rates are cut into 5 equal size groups, each containing 20% of the data, and a different color is applied to each of them on the map. A potential problem is that, this method assumes an equal number of data in each group, but this is often not the case. The latent class model produces a method to construct maps without using quantiles, providing a more natural representation of the colors. Typically, for rare events, the posterior densities of the rates are skewed, making the posterior mean map inappropriate and inaccurate. Thus, although it is standard practice to present the posterior mean maps, we also develop a method to provide the joint posterior modal map (i.e., the map with the highest posterior probability over the ensemble). i For the COPD data, collected 1988-1992 over 798 health service areas, we use Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to fit the model, and an output analysis is used to construct the new maps.


Introduction: Physical activity plays an integral role in the normal physical, mental, social and cognitive development of children. One of the main reasons for overweight children in low- and middle-income countries like South Africa is inactivity. This study's aim was to describe the physical activity measured in boys and girls from section 21, quintile 5 pre-primary and primary schools in a small rural South African town and to compare it with recommended international physical activity levels. Method: Seventy-eight rural children, representing Caucasian and black African children, divided into three age groups, were issued a piezoelectric pedometer for seven complete days. Pedometer data obtained were total steps, aerobic steps, aerobic walking time, calories and distance. Steps per day were compared with international levels. Correlation statistics examined the association between physical activity and adiposity. Results: Boys in the age groups 9–11 and 12–14 years are statistically more active than girls of the same age (p = 0.005 and 0.045 respectively). Although girls' physical activity levels tend to decrease with age, their aerobic activity levels increase with age. This group of rural children's physical activity levels are far lower than the recommended international normative levels. No correlation was found between physical activity and adiposity. Conclusion: The pedometer data indicated that gender and age influence the activity of children. This group of rural children's physical activity is far less than international normative levels. Nine to 11-year-old boys are the most active boys, and girls of 12–14 years old are the most aerobic active girls in this study, therefore the authors concluded that, to increase physical activity, the age group 9–11 may be the ideal age to focus on for gender-specific intervention programmes.


ABSTRACT Bacterial hydroxy fatty acids and alpha-hydroxy fatty acids have been demonstrated in complex lipid extracts of subgingival plaque and gingival tissue. However, little is known about the relationship between these hydroxy fatty acids in plaque and gingival tissues or the significance of these complex lipids in promoting inflammatory periodontal disease. The present study determined the percentages of ester-linked and amide-linked hydroxy fatty acids in complex lipids recovered from plaque and gingival tissue samples and the relationship between bacterial hydroxy fatty acids and alpha-hydroxy fatty acids in the lipid extracts. To evaluate a potential role for these hydroxy fatty acids in inflammatory periodontal disease, gingival tissue samples were examined for a relationship between prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and hydroxy fatty acids recovered in gingival lipid. This investigation demonstrated that alpha-hydroxy fatty acids are only ester linked in plaque lipids but are largely amide linked in gingival tissue lipids. Furthermore, the level of alpha-hydroxy fatty acid in gingival lipid is directly related to the level of the bacterial hydroxy fatty acid 3-OHiso-branched C17:0 (3-OH iC17:0) in the same lipid extract. However, the relationship between hydroxy fatty acids in gingival lipids does not parallel the fatty acid relationship observed in plaque lipids. Finally, alpha-hydroxy fatty acid levels in gingival tissue lipids correlate directly with the recovery of PGE2 in the same tissue samples. These results demonstrate that alpha-hydroxy fatty acid levels in gingival lipids are directly related to both 3-OH iC17:0 bacterial lipid levels and PGE2 levels. These results indicate that in periodontal tissues there are unusual host-parasite interactions involving penetration of bacterial lipid in association with an altered gingival lipid metabolism and prostaglandin synthesis.


A new method (algorithm and computer implementation) has been developed to define the 3-D shape of a surface based on an analysis of the shadow moire patterns of the object. The approach is based on a phase-shifting technique enhanced by the solution of a set of overdetermined nonlinear equations involving the light intensities acquired by means of the shadow moire method. Such an approach allows the accuracy of the measurements to be improved by utilizing excess information. Because the method uses a conventional white-light source, it can be applied to measure the geometry of human faces and bodies as well as the out-of-plane surface deformation of a loaded structure. The theory of the algorithm is described, together with test results. The results obtained show that the described approach can resolve the shape of an object with an average error of less than 2%.


The article deals with the whole spectrum of the figurative meanings of the ornithonym cuckoo in the Russian and Spanish languages. This word's semantics plays a perceptible role in the process of shaping the linguistic world view of the Russian and Spanish native speakers.


This work is a follow-up to a previous study that was aimed at reducing the uncertainty of the air density correction used to correct mass comparisons for the effects of air buoyancy. To clarify the difference observed previously in moist air between two absolute methods (CIPM-81/91 formula and air buoyancy artefacts determination), additional measurements were carried out in moist air, dry nitrogen and vacuum. The results obtained by the two methods for nitrogen density were in good agreement while the discrepancy was confirmed for the moist air density. A comparison of a 1 kg stainless steel mass against a 1 kg Pt/Ir mass standard was carried out to compare the accuracy of these two methods. The results of this comparison made in moist air, dry nitrogen and vacuum by using buoyancy artefacts gave an agreement within 1 µg. Our particular results confirmed the good accuracy of the air buoyancy artefacts method and reinforced the hypotheses that the accuracy of the air density using the CIPM formula is limited by the estimation of its composition.


Abstract We analyze the interactional organization and embodied actions of children and adults involved in gift-opening activities. Attention is drawn to gift-opening as a situated activity system, comprised of gift-opening activities occurring within shifting participation frameworks and intense focus clusters. Talk and embodied actions (the use of objects, body orientations, and the structure of the environment) are revealed as seamlessly conjoined in the midst of a routine birthday party. Attention is further drawn to an extended summons–answer sequence involving initiation of a gift-opening, enthusiastic response cries, positive assessments of the gifts, the offering and prompting of thanks, and related actions. It is revealed that children at the party are not just playing games and opening gifts, but involved in a complex social system where adults model and facilitate the construction and integration of past, present, and future relationships. Implications are raised for understanding how gift-opening activities provide opportunities for examining how language development and childhood socialization are enacted as interactional achievements.


Theory and evidence indicate that, if family size grows, the younger children will get less parental involvement than the older children. These differences in parental involvement through birth order may impact academic achievement if, and only if, parental involvement is an important determinant of children's educational attainment. The oldest child then benefits the most in terms of educational outcomes. This hypothesis is tested for one European country, the Netherlands, by using an instrumental variables empirical strategy. In particular, birth order is used as an instrument for parental involvement in order to account for endogeneity issues. The estimates show a robust negative relationship between birth order and parental involvement, and significant positive medium to large effects of parental involvement through birth order on various measures of academic achievement. Furthermore, our findings indicate that academic achievement is rooted in a school-supportive home climate, often created by the mother, and unrelated to parents' background. Notwithstanding mothers' indispensable role in teaching values about school(ing) to her children at home, having both parents concerned about education can significantly increase achievement and reduce grade retention in Dutch compulsory education.


Community-based participatory research (CBPR) has furthered our understanding of the working principles required for academic-community partnerships to address persistent public health problems. However, little is known about how effective these partnerships have been in eliminating or reducing community-based public health issues. To contribute to the literature in this area, the authors conducted a survey of U.S. schools and programs in public health and community groups working with these academic partners to: (1) identify the most common local public health issues addressed; (2) examine the characteristics of the partnership and the actual or perceived benefits and challenges for each partner; (3) assess the perceived effectiveness of the partnership and their evaluation techniques; and (4) analyze the intent to continue or dissolve the partnership and the associated factors that influence this decision. The authors provide recommendations that can improve the development, functioning, and effectiveness of academic-community collaborations aimed at addressing a variety of public health concerns.


Abstract This paper describes a hitherto poorly documented, deep-seated rift system offshore Namibia, here named the Namib Rift. The structural history and rift geometry of this system are determined from reflection seismic data. No wells penetrate the rift-fill succession but from its stratigraphic context, regional thickness relationships and by analogy with onshore Karoo stratigraphy, the age of the rift is interpreted as broadly equivalent to the Karoo Supergroup. The rift is divisible into two major arms, with rift segmentation evident in the north. An angular unconformity separates a rift and post-rift sequence. This is interpreted as a Mid-Triassic hiatus related to a regional compressional events. The basement comprises the Pan-African Fold Belt along the coast, with the Damaran arm extending inland. In the Cape Cross-Walvis Bay area, the Autseib Lineament separates the Kaoko and Damaran arms. This lineament, and the adjacent basement fabrics, are shown to have strongly influenced rift geometry in this area. South of the Autseib Lineament, Damaran basement fabrics largely determined fault trends within the Namib Rift. To the north, Kaoko basement fabrics strongly influenced basement extensional faulting. This area was also subjected to Mid-Triassic compression. South of the Autseib Lineament, large-scale uplift was distributed across large folds whereas to the north, uplift occurred close to pre-existing faults. North-northeast directed compression was common to both areas, but the Autseib Lineament partitioned the structural response. McKenzie-type pure shear extension is favoured as the rift mechanism, with Mid-Triassic uplift modifying thermal subsidence. The final compressive event of the Cape Orogeny, coeval with the regional Mid-Triassic hiatus, terminated rifting in offshore Namibia.


The present application relates to a method for manufacturing an organic electronic device, an organic electronic device manufactured by the same, and a use thereof. The present application can provide a method capable of efficiently performing exposure of a pad area, among processes for manufacturing an organic electronic device, through a simple process and thereby preventing inflow and the like of contaminants, an organic electronic device manufactured by the method, and a use thereof.


The SSEPs in 115 patients with head trauma were analysed by NT+ W value, da, db and b/a methods. The results revealed that the abnormal rates of the SSEPs were 94.8%. The pathological bases resulting in it were the direct and/or indirect lesion on the somatosensory pathway. The SSEPs recorded six months after the trauma indicated that the electric activities of neurons in some of the patients were still abnormal although they recovered well. The patients complicated with traumatic lesion of acoustic nerve, blood clots in external ear canal and pre-existing hearing loss had abnormal BAEPs that could not be used in diagnosing brainstem lesion. The patients without these complications in whom BAEPs were abnormal had an unfavourable outcome. The SSEPs and BAEPs simultaneously recorded could aid localization of the injury in the brain and enable discovery of the fact that the rigidity after decortication or decerebration is a result of severe injury of the cerebral hemisphere.


It is known that the weight (that is, the number of nonzero coefficients) of a univariate polynomial over a field of characteristic zero is larger than the multiplicity of any of its nonzero roots. We extend this result to an appropriate statement in positive characteristic. Furthermore, we present a new proof of the original result, which produces also the exact number of monic polynomials of a given degree for which the bound is attained. A similar argument allows us to determine the number of monic polynomials of a given degree, multiplicity of a given nonzero root, and number of nonzero coefficients, over a finite field of characteristic larger than the degree.


The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is associated with various painful symptoms and could potentially lead to a significant increase in patients experiencing chronic pain. While churches had to close their doors during the pandemic, emerging scientific data suggest that, when our spiritual needs are not met, our well-being can be in jeopardy, and it could also increase the experience of physical pain. The aim of this article is, therefore, to explore the role that spirituality and religion could play in addressing physical pain. An interdisciplinary approach is used with the goal of integrating different insights so as to construct a more comprehensive understanding of the problem. Literature in the disciplines of humanities, health sciences, as well as social sciences is explored to identify the concepts of physical, social and spiritual pain and to explore the link between the different dimensions of pain. It became clear that physical, social, and spiritual pain can influence one another, and addressing one kind of pain can also improve pain in another dimension. Several spiritual and religious interventions were found in the literature and confirmed to be valuable in helping patients cope with physical pain, such as accepting and giving meaning to pain, prayer, meditation, scripture, music, support from the religious community and helping others. Contribution: This article highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates religion and/or spirituality to address physical pain during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2022. The Author.


Yield monitoring is one of a precision agriculture technology that is used most widely. It is spatial variability analysis of yield information that should be attained with yield monitoring system development. This experiment was conducted to evaluate spatial variability of yield and grain moisture content in rice paddy field, and their relationships to rice productivity. It is necessary to minimize sampling interval for accurate yield map making or to control cutting width of rice combine. Considering small rice plots such as 0.2~0.4 ha, optimum size of sampling plot was below 15 m more than 5 m in with and length. In variable rate treatment field, average yield was similar, but yield variation was reduced than conventional field. Gap of yield by another plot in same field was bigger than half of average yield than yield variation was significantly big. Therefore yield measuring flow sensor must be able to measure at least 300 kg/10a more than 1000 ㎏/10a. Variation of moisture content in same field was not big and spatial dependance did not appear greatly. But, variation between different field is appeared difference according to weather circumstance before harvesting. Change of spatial dependence of yield was not big, because of field variation of moisture content is not big.


While governments around the world have adopted policies and regulations making pay more transparent, pay transparency continues to be a contentious issue. Proponents argue that greater transparency is more consistent with the ethical underpinnings of humanistic societies and likely to benefit employees, employers, and/or society. In contrast, opponents highlight the ethical challenges that transparency may pose to personal privacy, as well as its potential social, psychological, and economic risks for stakeholders. Despite mixed beliefs, there may be some transparency-related shifts that most stakeholders welcome, or at least accept, as well as reforms whose benefits likely outweigh particularistic stakeholder costs, offering society-wide, longer term utility. We first discuss steps that policymakers and leaders may take that are likely to have positive implications for both labor and management while minimizing unintended, negative consequences and then review recent public policy interventions already adopted, as well as additional interventions to be considered for future adoption.


The main purpose of the research was to create a referential model of an LGU (Local Government Units) website with the content appropriate for the needs of local and foreign users. The creation of web tracking software was the other aim of this research and it has been fully achieved. On the basis of the implemented rules, the software allows examining the shortest access path to information, the smallest number of clicks and the examination of website quality on the basis of the questions answered by users for the purpose of this research.


A big challenge of sustainable power systems is the integration of climate variability into the operational and long-term planning processes. In this paper, we focus on the run-of-river based hydropower generation on a European scale. In particular, we deal with the modeling of this form of power production based on climate variables. Translating time series of climate data (precipitation and air temperature) into time series of run-of-river based hydropower generation is not an easy task as it is necessary to capture the complex relationship between the availability of water and the generation of electricity. Indeed, this kind of electricity generation is limited by the flow of the river in which the power plants are located. Moreover, the water flow is a nonlinear function of the climate variables and the geographical characteristics of the river basins. Finally, the impact of the climate variables on the runoff may occur with a certain delay, whose determination depends on physically based phenomena (e.g., melting snow-local temperature). In this work, we first compare well-established machine learning regression algorithms to be used for modeling the run-of-river hydropower generation. Then, the technique showing to have the best performance is used for producing long-term estimates of hydropower capacity factors based on future climate scenarios for each European country.