Dopant segregated Schottky MOSFET (DSS FET) is one of the key technologies which can improve the MOSFET performance thanks to reduction of external resistance and increase of carrier injection velocity. We have found that both laser spike annealing (LSA) and fluorine co-implant can reduce external resistance furthermore, which leads to boost drive currents of DSS FETs by 7% respectively. By optimizing these technologies, high drive currents of 1310 muA/mum and 1080 muA/mum at Ioff of 100 nA/mum are achieved at 1.0 V and 0.9 V respectively, without use of high-k/metal gate.


Purpose
 – The purpose of this paper is to enrich empirical studies on institutional entrepreneurship (IE), more specifically those focusing on the role of the IE in building a new field (here the orphan drug [OD] field). This research addresses the main paradoxes of IE theories: a deterministic vs free agent point of view; an individual hero vs a collective action approach; and a change vs reproduction perspective.

 Design/methodology/approach
 – A case study of the role of an IE in the building of the OD field in Europe conducted through interviews with the main actors and in-depth documentary research.

 Findings
 – The case highlights the IE resources as products of a dynamic historical process driven by values; the process of building the field as an interaction between framing issues, mobilizing agents and resources, transforming a policy window into a political opportunity. It relativizes the IE role: an indispensable catalyst of collective action that can also reinforce the hegemonic bloc while changing the rules.

 Originality/value
 – The paper highlights the necessity of longitudinal analysis to address the agent/structure paradox.


In this paper we present the results for both fixed and floating point operation of a single-input-single-output (SISO) direct spreading code-division multiple-access (DS-CDMA) communication system. Conventional Walsh codes DS-CDMA systems suffer from high levels of interference in frequency selective fading channels due to the loss of their mutual orthogonality which limits the maximum error-free data rates achieved. The CDMA system proposed uses complete complementary (CC) codes due to their robust orthogonality in frequency selective fading environment and is termed CC-CDMA, which together with Walsh-CDMA systems are simulated for an equivalent data rate equal to 3.84 Mbps. Results obtained for CC-CDMA reveal significant improvement in bit-error-rate (BER) performance and data rates when compared to a conventional SISO-CDMA system using orthogonal Walsh spreading codes. Finally to reduce complexity and power consumption of CC-CDMA system a fixed point digital signal processing (DSP) implementation is presented and a comparison with the original floating point system is shown.


Intensive care patients require therapy that can vary considerably in type, duration and cost, so making it extremely difficult to predict patient resource use. Few studies measure actual costs; usually average daily costs are calculated and these do not reflect the variation in resource use between individual patients. The aim of this study was to analyse a data set of 193 critically ill adult patients to look for associations between routinely collected descriptive data and patient‐specific costs. Regression analysis was used to explore any relationships between average daily patient‐specific costs and the following variables: duration of intensive care unit stay, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores in the first 24 h, gender, age, mechanical ventilation at any point during the stay, postoperative status, emergency admission and mortality. Overall, this analysis explained 33.6% of the variation in average daily costs. The additional costs of an extra day of care, mechanical ventilation, an extra point on the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, and survival were obtained.


In recent years, the number of research on regional book culture has increased. This trend can be traced in Buryatia, where, on the contrary to the consistency of surveys carried on during the Soviet period, they are scattered today. The lack of the holistic idea of the main directions to study Buryatia book culture in different historical periods dictates the need to summarize information on the research carried out, to determine the degree of development of the scientific problem. The purpose of the article is to analyze published sources reflecting various aspects of the development of Buryatia book culture. As a result, a historiographic analysis of scientific works devoted to the history and modern state of book publishing, book distribution, printing industry, republican periodicals was carried out, the research activities of the Department of Library and Information Resources of VSGIK in this direction were described. Summing up the results of many years of work on the study of the topic made it possible to identify gaps and determine the prospects for its further development.


Abstract INTRODUCTION: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is superior to Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in detection of atrial septal defects and aneurysm, aortic atheroma, left atrial thrombus and mitral valve abnormalities. TEE is indicated in young adults with cryptogenic ischemic stroke who are suspected of having cardioembolic mechanism despite non-diagnostic TTE. METHODS: A prospective clinical study was conducted in patients with ischemic stroke or TIA who had TTE done in Ghaem hospital, Mashhad during 2006-2007. Ischemic cerebrovascular events were detected by stroke neurologist. TEE was performed with VIPI3/GE device, USA and a 7 MHz transesophageal probe by an echocardiologist. Patients who did not have TTE before TEE were excluded. Comparison of TEE to TTE results was performed by the echocardiologist and stroke neurologist in each patient. Influence of TEE on therapeutic decisions in each patient was evaluated. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients (20 females, 27 males) with a mean age of 42.6±7.3 years were studied. Cardiac and aortic abnormalities were detected in TEE of 35 cases (35/47; 74%) with ischemic cerebrovascular events. Cardiac abnormalities of 17 cases (36%) were only detectable by TEE. These seventeen cases included 7 patients with PFO, 1 case with ASD, 6 cases with aortic atheroma and 2 patients with clot in the left atrium. Comparing the preventive stroke strategies before and after TEE revealed that it was changed only in two cases (2/47; 4.3%) due to performing TEE. These included one patient with a small high-risk PFO and another case with dehicense of mechanical mitral valve. CONCLUSION: TEE revealed cardiac or aortic abnormalities in one-third of the patients with cerebral ischemia and has not been detected by TEE previously. The influence of TEE in therapeutic decisions of patients with ischemic cerebrovascular events is very low. Keywords: Transesophageal echocardiography, Stroke, Transient Ischemic Attack.


Dominant mutations in the gene GJB2 cause keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness (KID) syndrome, a severe condition affecting the skin, cornea and inner ear. GJB2 encodes the protein connexin-26 (Cx26) which forms hemichannels or gap junction channels allowing the passage of signalling molecules. Approximately 80% of KID syndrome patients carry a c.148G>A (p.D50N) mutation in GJB2, which results in aberrant channel function. We hypothesised that silencing of the mutant allele in patient keratinocytes using allele-specific siRNA could correct the channel function. First, to confirm whether patient keratinocytes with only one wildtype GJB2 allele formed functional channels following allele-specific siRNA treatment, GJB2+/- keratinocytes were generated using CRISPR/Cas9. The scrape-loading dye transfer (SLDT) assay showed no distinguishable difference in gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) between GJB2+/- and GJB2+/+ cells, suggesting normal GJIC in GJB2+/- keratinocytes. Nineteen siRNAs were designed and tested in HeLa cells expressing wildtype or mutant GJB2-GFP transgene. A lead siRNA, was discovered, which potently inhibited the mutant mRNA and protein without affecting wildtype GJB2 expression. The efficacy of the lead siRNA was assessed using keratinocytes derived from a KID syndrome patient (KID-KC) harbouring heterozygous c.148G>A mutation. These cells displayed pathological features of KID syndrome, with reduced gap junction plaque formation, impaired GJIC and hyperactive hemichannels confirmed by immunostaining, SLDT, patch clamp and neurobiotin uptake assays. Following treatment with the siRNA, selective silencing of mutant GJB2 allele in KID-KCs was confirmed at mRNA and protein levels. Significant improvement of GJIC and reversal of hemichannel activity were detected, with the latter corrected to a level comparable to that recorded in normal keratinocytes. Furthermore, RNA-Seq analysis showed that only six genes in the KID-KC transcriptome were significantly altered by the siRNA treatment, suggesting low-level off-target effects. In conclusion, allele-specific siRNA silencing of pathogenic dominant GJB2 mutation could be a potential therapeutic intervention for KID syndrome.


A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of masters of public health degree of Makerere University.


AbstractPencak silat is essentially the cultivation of Indonesia in the form of spiritual and physical education to form an agile man who is able to appreciate and practice the moral values of society are sublime. Pencak silat has four aspects as a unity that is mentally spiritual, martial, arts, and sports. The purpose of this study conducted an inventory of the values embodied in the philosophy of pencak silat culture, obtaining an understanding of pencak silat philosophy and meaning of the teachings of pencak silat for education noble character. This study consisted of literature and field research. Data analysis by the method of Hermeneutics Reflexive, with steps description, comparison, critical reflection. The results of this study are as follows: (1) The philosophy of the pencak silatare essentially looking for the real truth and wisdom which is a view of human life in relation to the values of cultural, social, moral, and religious upheld by the people of Indonesia. (2) The philosophy of pencak silat shows an attitude of piety, responsive, resilient, tanggon and trengginas. The philosophy of pencak silatcontains educational material for the formation of human beings who havethe discipline and noble character.


Abstract. GAMHer is a collaborative project that aims at exploiting and validating Geomatics algorithms, methodologies and procedures in the framework of new European regulations, which require a more extensive and productive use of digital information, as requested by the Digital Agenda for Europe as one of the seven pillars of the Europe 2020 Strategy. To this aim, GAMHer focuses on the need of a certified accuracy for surveying and monitoring projects with photogrammetry and laser scanning technologies, especially when used in a multiscale approach for landscape and built heritage documentation, conservation, and management. The approach used follows a multi-LoD (level of detail) transition that exploits GIS systems at the landscape scale, BIM technology and "point cloud based" 3d modelling for the scale of the building, and an innovative BIM/GIS integrated approach to foster innovation, promote users' collaboration and encourage communication between users. The outcomes of GAMHer are not intended to be used only by a community of Geomatics specialists, but also by a heterogeneous user community that exploit images and laser scans in their professional activities.


We give detailed discussion of a procedure for determining the robust D-stability of a 4 ×4 real matrix. The procedure begins from the Hur- witz stability criterion. The procedure is applied to two numerical examples.


Objectives:We sought to examine the extent to which physicians recognize H. pylori as a causal agent in peptic ulcer disease or as a potential cofactor in other gastrointestinal diseases, and to observe how this knowledge has influenced diagnostic and therapeutic practices.Methods:We used a national mail survey in the U.S. between February and May of 1996, querying 5994 U.S. physicians (family/general practitioners [FPs], internists [IMs], and gastroenterologists) selected at random from three different membership databases of professional associations.Results:The response rate was 52%. More than 95% of physicians who treat symptoms empirically would prescribe acid suppressant therapy rather than anti-H. pylori therapy. Between 43% and 66% of physicians, varying in frequency by medical specialty, would treat the infection in H. pylori-positive patients with nonulcer dyspepsia. In confirmed peptic ulcer disease, between 88% and 100% of physicians would treat the H. pylori infection, depending on the physician group and whether or not the presentation of an ulcer was recurrent. Although 103 distinct anti-H. pylori regimens were reported, 89% of the gastroenterologists and 70% of the primary care physicians (PCPs) used combinations of antimicrobials with reported cure rates of at least 80%. Conclusions: General knowledge regarding H. pylori-associated diseases was widespread among primary care physicians and gastroenterologists. However, anti-H. pylori therapies judged ineffective were reported as the first choice regimen by 5% of gastroenterologists and 18% of primary care physicians. Gastroenterologists appear to implement the latest scientific developments in the field rapidly whereas PCPs manifest a delayed response, due to either insufficient knowledge or to other factors influencing their approach to treatment.


Background Complex genetic, host-derived and environmental factors contribute to the immunepathophysiologic development of systemic autoimmunity. In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus(SLE), type I interferons (IFN) produced by plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) is clinically associated with the disease (1-4). IFN production by pDCs is induced by autoantibodies complexed with self-nucleic acids and associated proteins or NETs, which exacerbates the ongoing autoimmune pathology. However, how pDCs and IFN participate in early lupus development remains to be elucidated. Objectives Previously we found that amyloid precursor proteins readily form amyloid fibrils in the presence of nucleic acids, which can potently induce IFN production by pDCs (5,6). Furthermore, immunization of non-autoimmune mice with DNA-containing amyloid fibrils leads tothe development of stable anti-nuclear serology and lupus-like disease (6). Here we characterized the IFN response and its functional significance in lupus initiation in vivo. Methods Non-autoimmune mice were immunized with DNA-containing amyloid fibrils or controls as described (6). The development of autoantibodies was measured by antigen-specific ELISA, or standard tests with Hep-2 cells or C. luciliae. Acute peritonitis induced by DNA-containing amyloid fibrils or controls was analyzed as described (6). Transcript expression was examined by quantitative PCR. Results Mice received DNA-containing amyloid fibrilsmounted rapid IFN response, which was correlated with selective peritoneal pDC infiltration. Interestingly, type I interferon and IFN-inducible genes are also detected in the peripheral blood, suggesting an acute systemic response. Mice deficient of IFNAR were resistant to the induction of lupus by DNA-containing amyloid fibrils, consistent with the effect of pDC depletion which abolished the IFN production. Moreover, while female Balb/c mice eventually developed anti-dsDNA antibodies, male mice failed to establish stable autoimmune disease, a phenomenon resonant with clinical lupus. Conclusions Type I interferon production and signaling is essential to induce systemic autoimmunity. Targeting IFN pathway thus would be effective to prevent the development of autoimmunity. References Rönnblom, L., and Pascual, V. (2008) Lupus 17, 394-399 Theofilopoulos, A. N., Baccala, R., Beutler, B., and Kono, D. H. (2005) Annu. Rev. Immunol. 23, 307-336 Marshak-Rothstein, A. (2006) Nat Rev Immunol 6, 823-835 Mark J, S. (2009) Curr. Opin. Immunol. 21, 626-633 Di Domizio, J., Zhang, R., Stagg, L. J., Gagea, M., Zhuo, M., Ladbury, J. E., and Cao, W. (2012) J Biol Chem 287, 736-747 Di Domizio, J., Dorta-Estremera, S., Gagea, M., Ganguly, D., Meller, S., Li, P., Zhao, B., Tan, F. K., Bi, L., Gilliet, M., and Cao, W. (2012) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109, 14550-14555 Acknowledgements This research is supported by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Institutional Research Grant (to W.C.), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant AI074809 (to W.C.), and NIH MD Anderson 's Cancer Center Support Grant CA016672. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


The Reverse Link (mobile to base station) average data rate carrying capacity of a CDMA communications system is analyzed comparing different antenna array spatial combining algorithms: Optimum Combining (OC) versus Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC) in a multi-user system employing multi-rate traffic (combined voice and data users) over Rayleigh faded channels. Typical CDMA power and interference relationships for an embedded multi-cell CDMA Reverse Link are discussed in the context of spatial OC algorithms and related to the total Reverse Link data throughput. Other-cell interference and chosen system rise-over-thermal metrics arc found to limit the possible gain increase using OC vs. MRC.


Since the invention of the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) in the early 1980s atomic level microscopy has taken on a new dimension. The STM and the atomic force microscope (AFM) have become key instruments in the study of phenomena in the smallest dimensions ranging from magnetism in ultra-thin films, through the understanding of how atoms and molecules organise themselves, to insights into the propagation of electron waves. A good understanding of these issues will facilitate the manufacture of components or devices that are a few atomic dimensions in size and this will have far-reaching implications in fields ranging from medicine through to consumer electronics. As early as the 1970s, the scientific community was discussing the possibility of embedding a few molecules, or even a single molecule, between electrodes to perform the basic switching function. This is now possible in the case of individual components but key challenges lie with the economic commercial fabrication of whole devices. A key challenge lies in determining whether such quantum computers will work and how quantum effects can be used to perform variety of previously unsuspected and potentially useful schemes of information processing.


An electrochemical method for synthesizing 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles was developed under undivided electrolytic conditions. This synthesis was specifically realized based on electrochemical C(sp3)-H amination via enamines and amines. Readily available starting materials were used, avoiding the use of both transition metals and oxidants. The practicability of the method lies in its broad substrate adaptability and in its ability to provide a simple green pathway for synthesizing GABAA receptor analogs.


High-resolution seismic reflection profiles obtained throughout the inner California continental borderland offshore northwestern Baja California, Mexico, show the presence of numerous modern submarine canyons and associated fans. One set of these, the Banda submarine canyon/fan, is of relatively recent origin, as demonstrated by onlap of the basal fan sediments against an acoustically transparent, presumably hemipelagic deposit. Late Quaternary sedimentation rates inferred from isotopically dated piston core samples place the age of the postulated hemipelagic unit at approximately 650,000 years ago. The Banda submarine canyon heads within the Bahia Todos Santo and passes through a narrow gorge between Punta Banda and Islas Todos Santos. It is proposed that this submarine canyon and fan system formed entirely during late Quaternary time, following the breach of the Punta Banda ridge during a late Pleistocene high sea level stand. The presence of an ancient, buried channel exiting to the north out of Bahia Todos Santos probably marks the head of an earlier submarine canyon which acted as the conduit of clastic sediments from Valle Maneadero to the deep borderland basins. The now active Banda submarine canyon pirated the supply of terrigenous clastics from this older canyon. The active Agua Blanca fault zone cuts acrossmore » the head of Banda submarine canyon, suggesting that tectonic movements may have played a role in the development of the Banda submarine canyon and fan system.« less


BACKGROUND
Evaluation of a licensed inactivated EV71 vaccine is needed in a phase IV study with a large population to identify its effectiveness and safety for further application.

METHODS
An open-label and controlled trial involving a large population of 155,995 children aged 6-71 months is performed; 40,724 were enrolled in the vaccine group and received 2 doses of inactivated EV71 vaccine at an interval of 1 month, and the remaining children were used as the control group. The EV71-infected hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases were monitored in the vaccine and control groups during a follow-up period of 14 months since the 28th days post inoculation through the local database of Notifiable Infectious Diseases Network. The effectiveness of the vaccine was estimated by comparing the incidence density in the vaccine group versus that in the control group based upon EV71 infected patients identified via laboratory testing. In parallel, the active and passive surveillance for safety of the vaccine was conducted by home or telephone visits and by using the Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) system, respectively.

RESULTS
An overall level of 89.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 24.0 to 98.6) vaccine effectiveness (VE) against EV71 infection and a 4.58% rate of reported AEs were observed. Passive surveillance demonstrated a 0.31% rate of reported common minor reactions.

CONCLUSIONS
The clinical protection and safety of the EV71 vaccine were demonstrated in the immunization of a large population.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION
NCT03001986.


1. Preliminaries 2. Scales 3. Folk-music 4. Incipient harmony 5. Pure choral music 6. The rise of secular music 7. Combination of old methods and new principles 8. Climax of early instrumental music 9. Beginnings of modern instrumental music 10. The middle stage of modern opera 11. The middle stage of 'sonata' form 12. Balance of expression and design 13. Modern tendencies 14. Modern phases of opera Summary and conclusion Index.


We introduce here a cross-correlation term between CMB lensing and galaxy intrinsic alignment, noted here as $\ensuremath{\phi}I$. This effect acts as a contaminant to the cross correlation between CMB lensing and galaxy lensing. The latter cross correlation has recently been detected for the first time, and measurements will greatly improve as the area of overlap between galaxy and CMB surveys increases and measurements of the CMB polarization become more significant. This will constitute a powerful probe for studying the structure and evolution of the universe. The magnitude of the $\ensuremath{\phi}I$ term is found to be about 15% of the pure CMB lensing-galaxy lensing component and acts to reduce the magnitude of its measured spectrum. This offset in the spectrum will strongly impact its use for precision cosmological study if left unmitigated. We also propose here a method to calibrate this $\ensuremath{\phi}I$ contamination through the use of a scaling relation that allows one to reduce the impact of $\ensuremath{\phi}I$ by a factor of 20 or more in all redshift bins, which would reduce its magnitude down to detection limits in almost all cases. This will allow the full use of this probe for precision cosmology.


Dark energy remains one of the least understood areas of modern cosmology and physics. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) was built to improve our understanding through the acquisition of data from over thirty million galaxies. DESI, located at the four meter Mayall Telescope on Kitt Peak in Arizona, is a highly multiplexed instrument capable of acquiring astronomical spectra for 5000 objects simultaneously. This multiplexing, which is larger than any multi-object spectrograph to date, is made more ambitious with an observing strategy that requires up-to-date information of data quality and completeness on a daily basis to inform the scheduling of future observations. With both an order of magnitude larger data volume than its predecessors and more stringent survey demands, novel methods have been developed to rapidly process the data in near-real-time and make inferences based on the results. The data acquired from thirty highly sensitive cameras are transferred from local storage on the mountaintop to the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Using an urgent queue operating at NERSC, a parallelized set of routines process the images and extract astronomically relevant information within minutes to hours of acquisition, enabling daytime analysis by the operations manager to make observing program decisions for the following night. The implementation has been run at scale and tested in the spring of 2020 during commissioning of the instrument and proven successful at giving critical feedback to the observing team about the previous night's data quality. Quantitative and qualitative results will be discussed, along with planned improvements to the workflow before the survey begins full operation in 2021.


Because of the rapid growth of international business activities, this study focuses on examining the relationship between the existence of MNEs and the regional agglomeration. We apply the database of China Statistics Bureau to express the agglomeration effects from MNEs' behaviours. Basing on the data of 31 regions, we use both graphs and regression model to examine the relationship between international business activities and the formation of regional agglomeration, which is represented by different regional economic activities. We have found that the regions with high inward FDI motivate more various local business and transactions that encourage the regional economic growth.


The authors use a method of traveltime inversion of high-resolution seismic data to provide the first reliable images of internal details of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG), the subsurface basalt/sediment interface, and the deeper sediment/basement interface. Velocity structure within the basalts, delineated on the order of 1 km horizontally and 0.2 km vertically, is constrained to within [plus minus]0.1 km/s for most of the seismic profile. Over 5,000 observed traveltimes fit their model with an rms error of 0.018 s. The maximum depth of penetration of the basalt diving waves (truncated by underlying low-velocity sediments) provides a reliable estimate of the depth to the base of the basalt, which agrees with well-log measurements to within 0.05 km (165 ft). The authors use image blurring, calculated from the resolution matrix, to estimate the aspect ratio of images velocity anomaly widths to true widths for velocity features within the basalt. From their calculations of image blurring, they interpret low velocity zones (LVZ) within the basalts at Boylston Mountain and the Whiskey Dick anticline to have widths of 4.5 and 3 km, respectively, within the upper 1.5 km of the model. At greater depth, the widths of these imaged LVZs thin tomore » approximately 2 km or less. They interpret these linear, subparallel, low-velocity zones imaged adjacent to anticlines of the Yakima Fold Belt to be brecciated fault zones. These fault zones dip to the south at angles between 15 to 45 degrees.« less


Night-time vehicle detection plays a vital role due to the high incidence of abnormal events in our daily security field. However, existing studies mainly focus on vehicle detection in autonomous driving and traffic intersection scenes, but ignore urban scenes. There are vast differences between these scenes, such as viewpoint, position, illumination, etc. In this paper, the authors present a night-time vehicle detection dataset collected from urban scenes, named Vehicle Detection in Night-Time Urban Scene (VD-NUS). The VD-NUS dataset consists of more than 100 K challenging images, comprising a total of about 500 K labelled vehicles. This paper introduces a vehicle detection framework via an active auxiliary mechanism (AAM) to reduce the annotation workload. The proposed AAM framework can actively select the informative sample for annotation by estimating its uncertainty and locational instability. Furthermore, this paper proposes a computer-assisted detection module embedded in the AAM framework to help human annotators to rapidly and accurately label the selected data. AAM outperformed the baseline method (random sampling) by up to 0.91 AP and 3.0 MR−2 on the VD-NUS dataset.


Abstract Stability of the shoulder joint is derived from a number of different mechanisms involving the articular geometry,dynamic (muscular) stabilizers, static capsuloligamentous tissues, and intra-articular forces (negative intraarticular pressure, surface forces of adhesion and cohesion). Capsuloligamentous structures might contribute to the joint stability by providing an afferent feedback for reflexive muscular contraction of rotator cuff and the biceps brachii. The role of proprioception in allowing a feedback mechanism to work, which in turn allows a synergistic contraction of muscle groups, may be vital both for normal functioning of the muscle groups of the shoulder joint and in protecting the shoulder against potential instability. Significant proprioceptive deficits have been reported in patients who had chronic, traumatic anterior shoulder instability and surgical stabilization of such shoulders restored proprioceptive deficits. Whereas the many studies done on proprioceptors and their distribution patterns are relatively free of controversy, the relationship between proprioception deficit and instability is still not crystal clear. However, most studies have shown that proprioception may play an important role in contributing to joint stability. Future work needs to look at the exact mechanisms of proprioception, whether proprioceptive sensibilities are congenital or acquired factors, and whether there is any role for proprioceptive prophylaxis in modern day injury prevention.


Background UCB Pharma have designed and developed an innovative electromechanical, universal injection platform for subcutaneous drug delivery (eDevice), providing full electronic management of the injection process via an interactive graphical user interface (GUI). Here, the eDevice was tested for use with certolizumab pegol (CZP). Objectives To validate that patients (pts) can self-inject safely and effectively using the eDevice, and that healthcare professionals (HCPs) are able to configure the eDevice and demonstrate its operation by performing a simulated injection, in the expected scenarios and environments, using the instructions for use (IFU), eDevice GUI and training cassette. Methods The study took place in Stockport and London, UK, with 15 pts with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 15 HCPs. An injection test scenario was performed in a room simulating a home (pts) or office (HCPs). Pts/HCPs were supplied with the eDevice, IFU, training cassette and a CZP cassette containing sorbitol, mimicking CZP viscosity. Using an artificial skin pad attached to the intended injection site (abdomen/thigh), pts were asked to perform 2 simulated self-injections of CZP loading dose (LD; 2 x 200mg) and determine the next scheduled injection date. HCPs were asked to configure CZP LD (2 x 200mg Q2W at Wks 0, 2, 4) and 2 maintenance regimens (200mg Q2W, 2 x 200mg Q4W), and perform 2 simulated pt injections. No training was provided; pts/HCPs could use only the IFU, GUI and training cassette for guidance. An independent human factors researcher scored pts and HCPs against 18 and 22 predefined critical tasks, respectively. Pts/HCPs had 3 attempts for each task. Critical tasks were those required to safely and effectively use the eDevice, scored on the final attempt as pass, pass with difficulty, or fail. Pts/HCPs were then interviewed for 120 mins to identify root causes (RC) of difficulties/failures. RC analyses were reported as perception failure (misreading GUI/IFU), cognition failure (misinterpreting GUI/IFU), action failure (participant understood task but performed incorrectly), prior experience (assumed eDevice was same as other injection devices), test artefact (if pt said "I did not do X as it is not a real situation") or medical condition (symptoms caused use error). Results All 15 pts and 15 HCPs were able to inject the full simulated CZP LD. 330 critical tasks were assessed for HCPs, and 270 for pts. 4 task failures were recorded for HCPs and 8 for pts (Table). The 1 HCP failure to correctly configure the eDevice was due to poor English understanding, not device design (post-study interview RC analysis). 14 pt and 26 HCP critical tasks were passed with difficulty (Table); the most common reason being an inability to find information within IFU (RC analysis). There were no needle stick injuries or unexpected user errors. Conclusions All study participants could perform a simulated injection and administer a full CZP LD safely and effectively. There were no incidences of potential over or under dosing, either by self-injection or incorrectly reading the next treatment date on the GUI. All HCPs able to read the instructions could configure the eDevice. Most difficulties encountered by pts/HCPs could be rectified by improving the IFU design. Acknowledgement The authors acknowledge Costello Medical Consulting, funded by UCB Pharma, for writing and editorial assistance. Disclosure of Interest B. Domanska Employee of: UCB Pharma, S. Poon Employee of: UCB Pharma, C. Pichon Employee of: UCB Pharma, O. Stumpp Employee of: UCB Pharma


The exponentially decreasing intrinsic absorption tail in polar semiconductors is calculated by a second-order cumulant expansion for the interaction of excitons and longitudinal optical (LO) phonons. In the wide class of semiconductors in which exciton self-trapping does not occur, the calculated and measured slopes of the absorption tail agree for the first time quantitatively, where all input parameters are obtained from experimental data which are independent of the absorption tail. This agreement holds for all considered coupling constants and all ratios of the exciton binding energy to the LO-phonon energy.


We report herein on five new Fe(II) complexes of general formula [Fe(L)2(NCCH3)2](BF4)2•xCH3CN (L = substituted 2-pyridylimine-based ligands). The influence of proximally located electron withdrawing groups (e.g., NO2, CN, CF3, Cl, Br) bound to coordinated pyridylimine ligands has been studied for the effect on spin crossover in their Fe(II) complexes. Variable-temperature UV-visible spectroscopic studies performed on complexes with more strongly electronegative ligand substituents revealed spin crossover (SCO) in the solution, and thermodynamic parameters associated with the spin crossover were estimated.


Glyoxal (GL) represents an important precursor of a secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and has broad biogenic and anthropogenic sources, but the interfacial chemistry of GL contributing to SOA formation is uncertain. Here, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and quantum chemical (QC) calculations to examine the interfacial process of gaseous GL on aqueous nanoparticles, including probing the GL attraction to the nanoparticles, uptake at the air–nanoparticle interface, and the hydration reaction within the nanoparticles under neutral and acidic conditions. The MD simulations show that the carbonyl O-atom of GL exhibits a preferential orientation to the air–nanoparticle interface. The acidic nanoparticle interface displays a preference for the uptake of gaseous GL relative to the neutral nanoparticle interface, showing that the presence of sulfuric acid (SA) enhances the adsorption and accommodation for GL. In addition, SA accelerates the aqueous reaction of GL inside the interior region of the nanoparticle, which indirectly promotes the uptake at the nanoparticle interface. Our results reveal the significantly enhanced uptake of GL at the acidic nanoparticle interface, highlighting the necessity to account for the interfacial process when assessing SOA formation.


The magnetic honeycomb lattice series of compounds, AAg2(M'1/3M2/3)[VO4]2 with A = Ba(2+), Sr(2+), M' = Mg(2+), Zn(2+), and M = Mn(2+), Co(2+), and Ni(2+), have been synthesized and their physical properties are reported. This series of compounds contains the M' and M cations in a 1:2 ratio on a single crystallographic site. In an ordered arrangement, this could generate a magnetic honeycomb-type lattice. Presented X-ray diffraction data, spectroscopic measurements of lattice dynamics, along with ab initio calculations, magnetic, and specific heat data for these compounds clearly point toward the formation of magnetic honeycomb-type lattices.


This essay constitutes a reflection on some of the paradoxes involved in the notion of health in a consumer society. The text attempts to flesh out some of the points of tension that, through analysis, can be found in discourses on physical ability and health in the area of Physical Education, as well as within the idea of choice as it is used in relation to market-manufactured needs. Within this context, Physical Education becomes a new counselor that claims to guarantee, in these times of uncertainties and wagers, the acquisition of an appropriate and healthy body. This process has only been made possible through the linking of Biomedicine - as a scientific and bio-political register - and Physical Education.


Place is on the one hand a commonsense everyday word with diversely connotative meanings, and on the other a contested concept with different interpretations across a broad range of academic disciplines and discourses. This thesis researches theories of place and their implications for the theory and design practice of landscape architecture. Responding to problems of insufficient theoretical grounding and inconsistent use of the concept of place within the discipline presently, it argues the need for a theory of place better articulated in relation to landscape architecture. It seeks to contribute to such theory formation by drawing on ideas from related disciplines – tracing diverse understandings of place beyond the commonsense meanings of the word and into the deeper reaches of place theory as tools to explain physical, social and spiritual aspects of the environment, and human relationships with it. Based on literature studies, four theoretical paradigms of place are synthesized and outlined (place as natural essence; place as experiential phenomenon; place as relational construct; and place as assemblage), and their implications and relevance for landscape architecture are analyzed through a framework of principles, processes, and contemporary tendencies of the discipline. A case study of a derelict wool store in Melbourne, Australia, is used as an example to illustrate and reflect upon the different theoretical views. The research shows that different theoretical understandings of place serve to frame and impact on the design process and its outcome in multiple ways, as well as condition the professional identity of landscape architects. It suggests that a contemporarily relevant understanding of place within landscape architecture reconciles a phenomenological and relational perspective, and regards place as four-dimensional.


Current therapeutic options for obesity often require pharmacological intervention with dietary restrictions. Obesity is associated with underlying inflammation due to increased tissue macrophage infiltration, and recent evidence shows that inflammation can drive obesity, creating a feed forward mechanism. Therefore, targeting obesity-induced macrophage infiltration may be an effective way of treating obesity. Here, we developed cargo-less liposomes (UTS-001) using 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, DOPC (synthetic phosphatidylcholine) as a single-agent to manage weight gain and related glucose disorders due to high fat diet (HFD) consumption in mice. UTS-001 displayed potent immunomodulatory properties, including reducing resident macrophage number in both fat and liver, downregulating liver markers involved in gluconeogenesis, and increasing marker involved in thermogenesis. As a result, UTS-001 significantly enhanced systemic glucose tolerance in vivo and insulin-stimulated cellular glucose uptake in vitro, as well as reducing fat accumulation upon ad libitum HFD consumption in mice. UTS-001 targets tissue residence macrophages to suppress tissue inflammation during HFD-induced obesity, resulting in improved weight control and glucose metabolism. Thus, UTS-001 represents a promising therapeutic strategy for body weight management and glycaemic control.


Purpose: To investigate the association between the maximum cystometric capacity (MCC) and other cystometric parameters in lumbar canal stenosis (LCS) rats. Material and Methods: One small hole was drilled at the fifth lumbar vertebral arch (Sham), and a rectangular piece of silicone rubber was then placed in the epidural space (LCS) of Wister rats. Two weeks after surgery, awake cystometry was performed. LCS rats were divided into three groups: Group A (n = 5, MCC 1.81 mL). Cystometric parameters were investigated in sham and LCS groups. Results: MCC did not significantly correlate to the frequency of non-voiding contractions (NVCs), voided volume (VV), or maximum intravesical pressure during voiding (Pmax), but significantly positively correlated to postvoid residual urine volume (PVR) and residual urine rate (RUR) (Spearman's correlation coefficients (ρ) = 0.8973 (p < 0.0001) and 0.4915 (p = 0.0068), respectively). Compared with the sham rats, LCS rats in each group revealed significantly smaller VV, larger RUR, and lower Pmax. On the other hand, among LCS rats, VV, RUR, and Pmax were not significantly different. The frequency of NVCs in each LCS group was not significantly different from that in sham-operated rats (Tukey-Kramer's HSD test). However, a Jonckheere-Terpstra trend test revealed a significant trend toward higher NVCs in the order of sham, Groups C, B, and A (p = 0.036). Conclusions: LCS rats showed the same degree of detrusor underactivity regardless of MCC. NVCs did not significantly increase in LCS rats with decreased MCC, but the trend toward higher NVCs with smaller MCC was significant.


Using a data set on the investments made by a large number of retail investors from 1991 to 1996, we find that households exhibit a strong preference for local investment - the average household invests nearly a third of their portfolio in firms headquartered within 250 miles. We test whether this locality bias is driven by information or by simple familiarity. The average household generates an additional return of 3.7% per year from its local holdings relative to its non-local holdings, suggesting local investors are able to exploit local knowledge. The excess return to investing locally is even larger among stocks not in the S&P 500 index (firms where informational asymmetries between local and non-local investors may be largest), while there is no excess return earned by households that invest in local S&P 500 stocks.


Background and Aims: Complex nontraumatic foot lesions often lead to major lower-limb amputation in diabetic patients. We aimed to evaluate outcome of free flap transfer in such cases. Materials and Methods: A total of 11 consecutive diabetic patients, hospitalized between 2007 and 2012 at a university central hospital for a free flap transfer, were followed until September 2013. Amputation-free survival, patient survival, and complete wound healing were defined as primary endpoints. Healing time of tissue lesions was analyzed. All pre- and postoperative data were retrospectively collected from hospital charts. Results: Complete tissue healing at 6 and 12 months after free flap transfer were 55% (6/11) and 82% (9/11), respectively. The median time to complete tissue healing was 123 days (range, 45–207 days). Overall limb salvage, survival, and amputation-free survival rates at 12 months were 90%, 91%, and 82%, respectively. The clinically important endpoint, namely, amputation-free survival with completely healed wounds, was attained in 9 of 11 patients at 1 year. Conclusion: Free tissue transfer enables successful wound healing and limb salvage rather than amputation in selected diabetic patients with difficult-to-heal wounds. Complete healing of tissue lesions is slow even after successful surgery. Preoperative assessment of the condition of patients is the key to success.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Interleukin-4 (IL-4), secreted mainly by T-helper 2 cells, is a key cytokine for the growth and proliferation of B lymphocytes. Previous studies have proved that IL-4 has an anti-inflammatory effect owing to its efficient inhibition of the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-8 by monocytes/macrophages. The aim of the present study was to assess the relation between clinical parameters and concentrations of IL-4 within gingival crevicular fluid from inflamed gingiva and periodontitis sites and, subsequently, after treatment of the periodontitis sites.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
A total of 60 subjects were divided into three groups based on gingival index (GI), pocket probing depth and clinical attachment loss (CAL): healthy (group 1), gingivitis (group 2) and chronic periodontitis (group 3). A fourth group (group 4) consisted of 20 subjects from group 3, 6-8 weeks after treatment (i.e. scaling and root planing). Gingival crevicular fluid samples collected from each patient were quantified for IL-4 using the enzymatic immunometric assay.

RESULTS
The highest mean concentration of IL-4 was obtained for group 1 (99.39 +/- 49.33 pg/mL) and the lowest mean concentration of IL-4 was obtained for group 3 (15.78 +/- 21.92 pg/mL). The mean IL-4 concentrations for group 2 (64.34 +/- 39.56 pg/mL) and group 4 (68.92 +/- 42.85 pg/mL) were intermediate between the levels in healthy subjects and periodontitis subjects.

CONCLUSION
The mean concentration of IL-4 decreased from periodontal health to disease. Thus, we suggest that type 2 helper T cell cytokine, as represented by IL-4, was associated with the remission or improvement of periodontal disease.


: Data collection and estimation of variables that describe the structure of tropical forests, diversity, and richness of tree species are challenging tasks. Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is a powerful technique due to its ability to penetrate small openings and cracks in the forest canopy, enabling the collection of structural information in complex forests. Our objective was to identify the most significant LiDAR metrics and machine learning techniques to estimate the stand and diversity variables in a disturbed heterogeneous tropical forest. Data were collected in a remnant of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest with different successional stages. LiDAR metrics were used in three types of transformation: (i) raw data (untransformed), (ii) correlation analysis, and (iii) principal component analysis (PCA). These transformations were tested with four machine learning techniques: (i) artificial neural network (ANN), ordinary least squares (OLS), random forests (RF), and support vector machine (SVM) with different configurations resulting in 27 combinations. The best technique was determined based on the lowest RMSE (%) and corrected Akaike information criterion (AICc), and bias (%) values close to zero. The output forest variables were mean diameter at breast height (MDBH), quadratic mean diameter (QMD), basal area (BA), density (DEN), number of tree species (NTS), as well as Shannon–Waver (H') and Simpson's diversity indices (D). The best input data were the new variables obtained from the PCA, and the best modeling method was ANN with two hidden layers for the variables MDBH, QMD, BA, and DEN while for NTS, H'and D, the ANN with three hidden layers were the best methods. For MDBH, QMD, H'and D, the RMSE was 5.2–10% with a bias between − 1.7% and 3.6%. The BA, DEN, and NTS were the most difficult variables to estimate, due to their complexity in tropical forests; the RMSE was 16.2–27.6% and the bias between − 12.4% and − 0.24%. The results showed that it is possible to estimate the stand and diversity variables in heterogeneous forests with LiDAR data.


In this issue, we are pleased to announce that Revista Ambiente & Agua has acted upon previous recommendations and taken all of the steps necessary to fully conform with SciELO Brazil collection requirements. Those steps included increasing the frequency of publication and broadening the editorial staff's thematic and geographic coverage, to include augmenting the Editorial Board with professionals that have greater expertise in the life sciences and engineering of water, sanitation, environmental resources, and biological sciences. The journal was also advised, if possible, to seek professionals outside of the State of Sao Paulo and to increase Hispanic representation on the Editorial Board. The current issue includes 15 peer reviewed articles with "doi" registration, five in English, one in Spanish and nine in Portuguese. The articles each include an abstract in English and Portuguese, and collectively encompass a wide range of multidisciplinary subjects. We continue to promote the visibility of the articles in several search engines and academic and social networks.


The Cryogenic Analysis Tools (CAT) is a LabVIEW and Root-based Software Package that has been developed in order to study the performances of large size cryostats, where many parameters, input and control variables need to be acquired and analyzed at the same time. The code has a 3-step-based fundamental architecture. First, a LabVIEW class of codes (VIs) collects all the data coming from different kind of instruments and pass these raw data to a dedicated Root module, called CryoNtuplizer, which produce custom Root-ntuples (CryoNtuples). At the end, a so-called Automatic Analyzer (AutoANA) analyzes the CryoNtuples, performing a complete and totally customized analysis of the data collected from the cryostat instrumentation. CAT is also able to work in stand-alone mode being able, in this way, to perform an offline analysis of the whole cryostat performances.


Background & aim: Sexual dysfunction is one of the most common problems in women which negatively affect their quality of life, self-esteem, and interpersonal relationships. The prevalence of this problem varies in different studies. Regarding this, this review was conducted to provide a clear picture of the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among reproductive-age women in Iran using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: The relevant articles published up to April 9, 2017 were searched both in the international including Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus and national electronic databases such as SID, IranMedex, Magiran, and Irandoc. The searching process was accomplished using a set of standard keywords. The data were analyzed using RevMan software, version 5.3. Results: Thedatabase search resulted in the retrieval of 1,024 articles, 9 cases of which were selected for systematic review. Out of the selected studies, seven articles were eligible to be included in the meta-analysis. According to the results of the reviewed studies, the pooled prevalence rate of sexual dysfunction among the reproductive-age women was estimated as 52% (95% CI: 39-66%). Furthermore, the pooled prevalence of sexual dysfunction in the domains of sexual desire, sexual arousal, lubrication, sexual pain, and orgasm was estimated as 39% (95% CI: 35-42%), 34% (95% CI: 21-46%), 32% (95% CI: 21-43%), 38% (95% CI: 24-51%), and 30% (95% CI: 22-38%), respectively. Conclusion: The results of the retrieved studies demonstrated that sexual dysfunction is a common health problem among the Iranian women of reproductive age. However, more high-quality research is needed in this area.


Choledochal cysts are congenital dilations of the biliary ducts that may be associated with intermittent biliary obstruction. If the condition goes unrecognized and uncorrected, the impaired bile outflow can lead to chronic hepatic injury, fibrosis, and ultimately, biliary cirrhosis. Although typically diagnosed in the pediatric population, as many as 20-30% of choledochal cysts can be discovered in adulthood. There is a female predominance. Unresected choledochal cyst is clearly associated with increased risk of cholangiocarcinoma. Treatment includes surgical removal of the choledochal cyst and bilioenteric anastomosis. In this article, we report two cases of cholangiocarcinoma occurring in an unresected choledochal cyst.


Biotic stress due to fungal infection is detrimental to the growth and development of chickpea. In our study, two chickpea genotypes viz Cicer pinnatifidum (resistant) and PBG5 (susceptible) were inoculated with (1 × 104 spore mL−1) of nectrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea at seedling stage. These seedlings were evaluated for morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular differences after 3, 5 and 7 days post inoculation (dpi). Visual symptoms were recorded in terms of water-soaked lesions, rotten pods and twigs with fungal colonies. Light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the differences in number of stomata, hyphal network and extent of topographical damage in resistant (C. pinnatifidum) and susceptible (PBG5) genotypes, which were validated by stomatal index studies done by using fluorescence microscopy in the infection process of B. cinerea in leaves of both chickpea genotypes. In case of control (water inoculated) samples, there were differences in PCR analysis done using five primers for screening the genetic variations between two genotypes. The presence of a Botrytis responsive gene (LrWRKY) of size ~300 bp was observed in uninoculated resistant genotype which might have a role in resistance against Botrytis grey mould. The present investigation provides information about the variation in the infection process of B. cinerea in two genotypes which can be further exploited to develop robust and effective strategies to manage grey mould disease.


A 57-year-old man presented with sudden-onset consciousness disturbance. He had a 10-year history of a subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH)caused by a ruptured aneurysm in the right middle cerebral artery, and had undergone aneurysmal clipping. He could perform all his daily life activities independently. Computed tomography showed diffuse SAH with intraventricular hemorrhage. Digital subtraction angiography(DSA)demonstrated mild fusiform dilatation of the left A2 portion of the left anterior cerebral artery(ACA)and the terminal portion of the left internal carotid artery with no sign of right middle cerebral artery(MCA)aneurysm recurrence. We could not identify the bleeding lesion at that time; therefore, conservative treatment was selected in the acute phase. Fourteen days later, repeated DSA showed fusiform dilatation of the left A2 portion leading to a diagnosis of ACA dissection. We initially performed superficial temporal artery(STA)-ACA anastomosis and secondary internal trapping with detachable coils in the operating room. Postoperative DSA revealed complete obliteration of the dissection and parent artery. Endovascular treatment with STA-ACA bypass is a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of ACA dissection.


In an effort to bring about social change, individuals often form groups opposing the social and regulatory institutions perpetuating their oppressions. One tool social movements rely on to facilitate change is accounting. However, the formation of accounting mechanisms is a social process; one experienced under a capitalist system built on inequalities. In turn, accounting itself acts toward reinforcing social systems and dominant interests, perpetuating systematic social barriers. Given documented differences in the formation and activities of feminist social movements, it remains unclear whether leaders in these movements will assimilate and rely on conventional accounting logic or will develop new forms of feminist accounting to further their emancipatory efforts. We interview 33 individuals working with, or affected by, the Time's Up movement, one focused on eradicating pervasive sexual harassment in the workplace. Our findings suggest individuals within the movement incorporate a hybrid form of accounting, one reliant on some conventional quantitative accounting techniques, albeit for new and unique purposes, and on more creative forms of accounting including narratives and pictorials, which have helped progress the movement and influence change.


Utilization of limited resources and quality of service (QoS) improvement are the major concerns for wireless communication networks. Excessive call blocking is a constraint to attain the desired QoS. In cellular network, as the traffic arrival rate increases, new call blocking probability (CBP) increases considerably. Paying profound concern, we have proposed a guard-band call admission control policy that reduces the new call blocking probability with approximately steady handover call dropping probability (CDP) that ensures QoS. Our proposed scheme introduces the acceptance factor in specific guard channels where new calls get access according to the acceptance factor. The analytical results prove better performances than the conventional new-call bounding scheme and fractional guard channel (FGC) policy.


As part of its response to a perturbation, an animal often needs to reposition its body. Inertia acts to oppose motion, delaying the completion of the movement—we refer to this additional elapsed time as inertial delay. As animal size increases, muscle moment arms also increase, but muscles are proportionally weaker, and limb inertia is proportionally larger. Consequently, the scaling of inertial delays is complex. Here, we quantify it using two biomechanical models representing common scenarios in animal locomotion: a distributed mass pendulum approximating swing limb repositioning (swing task), and an inverted pendulum approximating whole body posture recovery (posture task). We parameterized the anatomical, muscular, and inertial properties of these models using literature scaling relationships, then determined inertial delay for each task across a large range of movement magnitudes and the full range of terrestrial mammal sizes. We found that inertial delays scaled with an average of M0.28 in the swing task and M0.35 in the posture task across movement magnitudes—larger animals require more absolute time to perform the same movement as small animals. The time available to complete a movement also increases with animal size, but less steeply. Consequently, inertial delays comprise a greater fraction of swing duration and other characteristic movement times in larger animals. We also compared inertial delays to the other component delays within the stimulus-response pathway. As movement magnitude increased, inertial delays exceeded these sensorimotor delays, and this occurred for smaller movements in larger animals. Inertial delays appear to be a challenge for motor control, particularly for bigger movements in larger animals.


For the purpose of studying the structure-activity relationships of N'-methyl-N'-beta-chloroethylbenzaldehyde hydrazones, new hydrazones were synthesized in which the beta-chloroethyl group was replaced by substituents conveying a partial positive charge at the N' moiety by induction and/or mesomerism. In a preliminary antitumor evaluation, some of these hydrazones showed a cytostatic activity in vivo similar to that of the beta-chloroethyl hydrazones. The new hydrazones also strongly inhibit the uptake of nucleosides into tumor cells and intensify the in vivo cytostatic effect of methotrexate.


Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of R403C variant in DNM1L gene caused encephalopathy, lethal, due to defective mitochondrial peroxisomal fission 1 (EMPF1). Methods: The clinical data of three patients, who carried R403C variant in the DNM1L gene, diagnosed at Xiangya Hospital from February 2018 to February 2020 were retrospectively summarized. Literature reviewing was performed by taking "DNM1L" or "encephalopathy, lethal, due to defective mitochondrial peroxisomal fission 1" as keywords for searching in online Mendelian inheritance in man (OMIM), PubMed, China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang data knowledge service platform up to July 2020. And the clinical manifestation, laboratory examination, imaging, treatment, and prognosis were reviewed. Results: Case 1, a 7-year-old boy, developed seizures after a 9-day course of cough without fever. The seizures manifested as generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) and soon converted to focal status epilepticus (EPC) or focal myoclonus, which were resistant to multi-anti-epileptic drugs combined with sedative drugs. The boy died at the 2nd week after seizure onset. Case 2, also a 7-year-old boy, developed seizures after a 10-day history of amygdalitis. The seizures manifested as focal to generalized tonic-clonic seizure and then converted to EPC or focal myoclonus. And all seizures showed poor responses to multi-anti-epileptic drugs combined with sedative drugs, ketogenic diet, and methylprednisolone treatment. The boy died after 1 month's treatment. Case 3, a 3-year and 5-month old girl, had seizures onset after a 2-week course of viral pneumonia. The seizures onset manifested as focal clonic seizure and converted to EPC, shortly. She was resistant to multi-anti-epiletic drugs combined with sedative drugs and ketogenic treatment. The girl died 3 months afte seizure onset. All of their images showed multifocal T1 low, T2, fluid attenuated inversion recovery, and diffusion-weighted imaging high signal lesions among the brain, and diffuse brain atrophy in case 3. The blood metabolic and cerebrospinal-fluid immunological assays were normal. Genetic analysis suggested a de novo, heterozygous, NM_012062.4: c.1207C>T, p.R403C variant in the DNM1L gene. According to their clinical manifestations, all of them were diagnosed with EMPF1. Literature review included 11 patients carrying this variant in the world. Summarizing the 14 cases, 8 cases had an infectious history before seizure onset, 8 cases had mild or moderate development delay. All of 14 cases had seizures, and the forms mainly included EPC (n=9), focal myoclonus (n=6), GTCS (n=5) and focal clonic seizures (n=4). All of them were refractory, and no effective anti-epileptic drugs were recommended. Early-stage cranial magnetic resonance imaging results showed multiple intracranial focal lesions (n=10), including thalamus (n=7), hippocampus (n=5), basal ganglia (n=4), frontal lobe (n=3), and temporal lobe (n=2). As the disease progressed, the brain manifested as diffused progressive atrophy (n=10). Five of the 14 cases died at reported age. Conclusions: R403C variant in the DNM1L gene can cause mitochondrial fission dysfunction. Patients carrying this variant may manifest as refractory status epilepticus with or without mild-infection indction, development regression and brain atrophy.


We consider submodular optimization problems, and provide a general way of translating oracle inapproximability results arising from the symmetry gap technique to computational complexity inapproximability results, where the submodular function is given explicitly (under the assumption that NP ≠ RP). Applications of our technique include an optimal computational hardness of (1/2 + ε)-approximation for maximizing a symmetric nonnegative submodular function, an optimal hardness of (1-(1-1/k)k + ε)-approximation for welfare maximization in combinatorial auctions with k submodular bidders (for constant k), super-constant hardness for maximizing a nonnegative submodular function over matroid bases, and tighter bounds for maximizing a monotone submodular function subject to a cardinality constraint. Unlike the vast majority of computational inapproximability results, our approach does not use the PCP machinery or the Unique Games Conjecture, but relies instead on a direct reduction from Unique-SAT using list-decodable codes.


: Pentobarbitone sodium anaesthesia was found to produce an increase in protein content in some regions of the rat brain, i. e. posterior cortex, caudate nucleus, and a decrease in protein content in the ventral cortex. Acetylcholinesterase expressed in terms of wet weight was found to increase in the cerebellum, medulla, and to decrease in the medial cortex, hippocampus, thalamus and caudate nucleus. The changes in activity were not explicable in terms of a direct effect of the anaesthetic on the enzyme. A decrease in protein content of rat brain was observed in the frontal cortex, ventral cortex, hippocampus and caudate nucleus after electrical shocks. Following shock avoidance conditioning procedure (shuttle-box), decreases in protein content were observed in the medial cortex, posterior cortex, cerebellum and ventral cortex; in the thalamus an increase in protein content was observed. Changes in AChE activity were observed following footshock in the frontal cortex and medulla where there was an increase in activity and in the caudate nucleus, hypothalamus, thalamus, and olfactory tubercule where there was a decrease in activity. Following shock avoidance conditioning the activity of the AChE increased in posterior cortex, hippocampus, thalamus and hypothalamus and the activity of the enzyme decreased in the ventral cortex.


This paper introduces multirate coupled hidden Markov models (multirate HMMs, in short) for multiscale modeling of nonstationary processes, extending traditional HMMs from single to multiple time scales with hierarchical representations of the process state and observations. Scales in the multirate HMMs are organized in a coarse-to-fine manner with Markov conditional independence assumptions within and across scales, allowing for a parsimonious representation of both short- and long-term context and temporal dynamics. Efficient inference and parameter estimation algorithms for the multirate HMMs are given, which are similar to the analogous algorithms for HMMs. The model is applied to the classification of tool wear in titanium milling, for which acoustic emissions exhibit multiscale dynamics and long-range dependence. Experimental results show that the multirate extension outperforms HMMs in terms of both wear prediction accuracy and confidence estimation


Since the introduction of minimal access surgery to general surgeons in the 1980s, pediatric surgeons have been employing this innovative technology to perform surgery on children.; in many cases multiple small incisions are the only access necessary to perform complicated procedures that would otherwise require a large wound. Improvements in techniques and tools have made minimal-access procedures increasingly available and can be applied to most of surgical procedures in children Additional benefits of minimal access surgery may include reduced postoperative analgesic requirements, shortened length of stay, and faster resumption of normal activities. Growing popularity of laparoscopy and thoracoscopy has resulted in greater numbers of patients benefiting from this approach. Disadvantage is increase in the operative costs, needs longer training period, Loss of tactile sensation, and some times major complication can occur The pediatric surgical community has embraced minimal access techniques for some operations; others remain controversial.


While it has been suggested that perceived value is the most important indicator of future purchase behavior for services, few studies have examined the underlying frame-work of perceived value. Research has also suggested the importance of identifying differences between first-time and repeat visitors. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to test the relationships between reputation, emotional response, monetary price, behavioral price, quality, perceived value, and repurchase intentions. Results from a survey of cruise line passengers revealed distinct differences between the antecedents of first-time visitors' and repeat visitors' perceived value. It was also found that quality was the best predictor of repurchase intentions for first timers, while perceived value was the best predictor for repeaters. Specific theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.


To the Editor-In their article on the pharmacodynamics of rapacuro nium, Wright et at.' stated that after a I.5-mg/kg dose, the drug's time course of action (at the adductor pollicis) is similar to what they observed in a previous study after 1.0 mgkg of succinylcholine.2 I think this statement is somewhat misleading. Although the onset profiles of both drugs do indeed seem equivalent, the same is not true of offset. In their study, they reported a bolus to 25% recovery interval of 13.4 ? 3 .2 min after rapacuronium. This is not clinically comparable to their data for succinylcholine (8.0 t 2 min). Certainly, the recovery index noted for rapacuronium (8.8 -t 1.6 min) is far longer than the value usually cited for succinylcholine, which is at most 2-3 min. It should also be noted that 1.5 mg/kg rapacuronium represents not more than 2 times the ED,,, whereas 1.0 mg/kg succinylcholine represents 3-4 times the ED,,. Based on currently available information, rapacuronium should be viewed as a rapid-onset blocking agent of short rather than ultrashort duration. Aaron F. Kopman, M.D. Department of Anesthesiology St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center of New York N e w York, N e w York 10011 email@example.com


A collection of 141 Tertiary and younger intrusive igneous rocks from the Papua New Guinea-Solomon Islands region, representing barren and porphyry copper-mineralized intrusions from island-arc, continental margin, and continental settings, have been studied petrographically and analyzed for a wide range of major and minor elements. Samples from individual complexes have been grouped into one or more suites, each of which is mineralogically and geochemically distinct. Field and geochronological data, where available, support these distinctions.Geochemical variation (principally potassium) permits recognition of low K, normal K, and high K calc-alkaline suites having 2.5 percent K 2 O at 62 percent SiO 2 , respectively. High K and normal K suites occur in the Australian Continental Block, while the whole range of suite chemistries occurs in the New Guinea Mobile Belt (continental margin) and Outer Melanesian island-arc settings. The highest K suite occurs in the continental setting (Ok Tedi Complex) and the lowest K suite occurs in an island-arc setting (Koloula Igneous Complex).Porphyry copper mineralization is intimately associated with all types of calc-alkaline suites. However, where different suites occur in a single complex, mineralization is associated with a later, lower K suite. Amphiboles from mineralized suites display Mg enrichment toward rims with an intermediate compositional gap, while amphiboles from barren suites usually show steady Fe enrichment toward rims. Higher oxygen fugacities are inferred for mineralized suites.Statistical analysis of the intrusive rocks shows an increase of K, Rb, La, Ce, Y, Th, U, and Pb and a decrease of Ni, Co, Cu, and Zn from island-arc settings, through the continental margin, to the continental setting. These geochemical variations characterize continental margins in other areas of the world.Geochemical and textural features of these rock suites are consistent with their derivation by segregation of mafic crystalline material (relic crustal source rock) from silicic partial melt. The degree of segregation determines the extent of chemical variation within the suite and determines in part its ability to evolve a hydrothermal (porphyry copper) system. The genesis of porphyry copper systems is thus interpreted to be a natural extension of magmatic phenomena in certain intrusive suites.In many instances, calc-alkaline magmas were intruded soon after extensive andesitic volcanism and rapid regional uplift. It is suggested that volcanism and its probable effects at the base of the crust, rapid uplift and erosion, and subsequent generation of calc-alkaline magmas from crustal sources are all intimately related geologic phenomena.


In their paper Doplicher, Fredenhagen and Roberts (DFR) proposed a simple model of a particle in quantum spacetime. We give a new formulation of the model and propose some small changes and additions which improve the physical interpretation. In particular, we show that the internal degrees of freedom e and m of the particle represent external forces acting on the particle. To obtain this result we follow a constructive approach. The model is formulated as a covariance system. It has projective representations in which not only the spacetime coordinates but also the conjugated momenta are two-by-two noncommuting. These momenta are of the form Pµ-(b/c)Aµ, where b is the charge of the particle. The electric and magnetic fields obtained from the vector potential Aµ coincide with the variables e and m postulated by DFR. Similarly, the spacetime position operators are of the form Qµ-(al2/c)Ωµ, where a is a generalized charge and l a fundamental length, and with vector potentials Ωµ which are in some sense dual w.r.t. the Aµ.


Two different models of the channel bundle of the peptaibol antiamoebin were studied using molecular dynamics simulations in an explicitly modeled environment consisting of a POPC bilayer surrounded by water. Both the octameric and tetrameric bundles were found to be stable over tenths of nanoseconds with characteristic interhelical hydrogen bonding patterns stabilizing the channels. The dimensions of the channels have also been assessed and compared to each other and the modern potassium channels.


The authors examined how 2 lemur species (Eulemur fulvus and Lemur catta) reason about tools. Experiment 1 allowed subjects to use 1 of 2 canes to retrieve an inaccessible food reward. Lemurs learned to solve this problem as quickly as other primates. Experiment 2 then presented subjects with novel tools differing from the originals along one featural dimension. Subjects attended more to tools' sizes than to their colors and made no distinction between tools' shapes and textures. Experiments 3 and 4 presented problems in which some of the tools' orientations had to be modified relative to the food. Subjects performed well on these problems, sometimes modifying the position of the tool. These results are discussed in light of the performance of other primates on this task.


This paper focuses on the arithmetical understandings and behaviours of one fifteen-year old student with very low attainment in mathematics, as she worked on a sequence of scenario-based partitive division (sharing) tasks with individually-tailored verbal and visuospatial support. The student's independent and co-created visuospatial representations of arithmetical structures, along with her verbal comments, were analysed qualitatively using a multimodal microgenetic approach. This paper focuses on three particular excerpts which illustrate the fundamentally componential nature of the concept and practice of division, some difficulties that may be experienced when modelling 'sharing' tasks, and the pedagogical importance of spatial structuring when a learner is moving between different kinds of representation.


In this paper we study the determinants of the factor content of the CEE agricultural trade. Examining empirically three hypothesis, which relate cross- country di§erences in technology, relative factor abundance and transaction costs and market imperfections to the factor content of trade, we find that the first two hypotheses are confirmed by the ma jority of the developed EU countries, but rejected by roughly one half of the CEE transition country pairs. Second, we find that when accounting for transaction costs of farm (re)organisation, both hypotheses are confirmed by the ma jority of the CEE country pairs. These findings provide empirical evidence of market imperfections, and particularly, of transaction costs of farm (re)organisation in the CEE.


Abstract As numbers of sandwiched caregivers in the United States grow, it is essential to document the literature on the impact of dual care responsibilities on aspects of psychological well-being and physical health. This scoping review examined the literature on sandwiched caregivers' psychological well-being and physical health, identified gaps in the literature, and provided suggestions for future studies to advance the literature on sandwiched caregivers in the United States. Guided by the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework, this scoping review comprised of 15 peer-reviewed articles between 1980 and 2019, that examined aspects of the psychological well-being (e.g., depression, affect) and physical health (e.g., health behaviors, chronic conditions) of sandwiched caregivers in the United States. Findings showed that there was ambiguity surrounding the conceptualization of sandwiched caregivers, specifically how older and younger care recipients were defined. Also, most studies examined psychological well-being while physical health was understudied. The findings of this review also showed that, compared to non-sandwiched caregivers (e.g., spousal, filial caregivers) and non-caregivers, sandwiched caregivers exhibited greater depressive symptoms and psychological distress as well as poorer health behaviors. Furthermore, sandwiched caregivers who were female and employed were more susceptible to greater depressive symptoms than their employed male counterparts or employed non-caregivers. In considering future directions, more work is needed that examines physical health. Additionally, sandwiched caregivers of minority status merit attention as multigenerational care occurs at greater rates in these populations. Finally, caregiving during the pandemic may have a detrimental impact on sandwiched caregivers' lives which should be investigated.


Contemporary accounts of the events which led up to the Afghan conquest of Persia in 1722 ascribe some importance to the role played by the Georgians in this catastrophe. The well-known narrative of Jonas Hanway and reports of Catholic missionaries, European travellers, and Consular agents, together with the published documents from Russian archives, indicate that the deterioration of relations between the Shah and the King of K'art'li was among the factors which assisted Mīr Maḥmūd's enterprise. In the present brief study, the archives of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Quai d'Orsay, as well as Georgian sources, have been drawn on to sketch the history of Georgian relations with the government of Shah Sulṭān Ḥusayn, and follow up some suggestive indications contained in Professor Minorsky's own writings.


BACKGROUND. Mechanisms triggering prostatic NE differentiation are poorly understood. Since dog and man naturally develop prostatic proliferative diseases with age, our objectives were to confirm the presence of NE cells in the dog prostate and test their hormonal regulation in both species. METHODS. Serotonin staining was examined by immunohistochemistry in 37 dog prostates: 17 from intact and 20 from castrated animals. In intact dogs, 9 prostates were normal and 8 hyperplastic. In the castrated group, 6 dogs were left untreated while androgens and estrogens were administered to 7 dogs, each. Human prostates were from 48 prostate cancer patients; half of themwere submitted to androgen ablation prior to prostatectomy. The density of serotonin-positive NE cells was expressed relatively to the number of acini. RESULTS. Serotonin-positive NE cells were morphologically similar in dog and human prostates and identified in all groups, independent of the hormonal status. NE cell densities were within the same range in normal and hyperplastic dog prostates but significantly higher after castration. Androgens and estrogens after castration restored NE cell density to normal values and induced luminal differentiation and basal metaplasia, respectively. In human, the density of serotonin-positive NE cells was also significantly higher in benign glands after androgen ablation. CONCLUSIONS. The dog is a suitable animal model and mimics the human, since androgen ablation favored prostatic NE differentiation in both species. The down-regulation elicited by steroids suggests that the process may be reversible and hormonally-repressed. Prostate 51: 117–125, 2002. # 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.


Durum wheat is widely grown as a rainfed crop in the semi-arid tropics. Its production is low and variable from season to season due to frequent drought-stress. Characterization of target environment and employing both analytical and empirical breeding approaches would speed up progress in the development of cultivars with improved adaptation to the prevailing weather conditions. Analysis of historical weather data and a crop growth model were used to predict the growing season and the optimum plant growth cycle in six different ecological regions of Ethiopia. The matching of crop development to the prevailing soil water availability patterns is considered as a major step towards sustainable durum wheat production. High yield and yield stability are equally important breeding objectives under drought conditions. The cause-effect relationships of the duration of vegetative period, the duration of grain-filling period, yield components (number of spikes/m 2, kernels/spike, kernel weight) and grain yield revealed a complex pattern of relationships. Longer grain-filling period, increased number of kernels per spike and limited tillering were found to be associated with drought- resistance. Increasing water use efficiency is the major focus of the dryland cropping system. The different definitions of water use efficiency are explained. Water use efficiency on the basis of grain yield proved the most valuable parameter. The ratios of water used before anthesis and after anthesis by drought-resistant and -susceptible cultivars were different. Relative growth rate (RGR) and its components (leaf area ratio, LAR, and net assimilation rate, NAR) changed with growth stage and moisture availability. Drought-resistant cultivars were characterized by a fast growth rate in the beginning and slow growth later. Deep rooting and a low shoot:root ratio are effective components of drought-resistance. Durum wheat straw is one of the major feed sources. The quality of straw varied among cultivars, but did not correlate with drought-resistance. Drought-stress considerably improved straw quality, due to reduced remobilization of assimilates. The research showed that there is considerable potential to improve the current low and variable durum wheat production in the semi-arid regions.


Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an underdiagnosed genetic inherited condition that may lead to premature coronary artery disease (CAD). FH has an estimated prevalence in the general population of about 1:313. However, its prevalence in patients with premature STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction) has not been widely studied. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of FH in patients with premature STEMI. Cardiovascular risk factors, LDLc (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) evolution, and differences between genders were also evaluated. Consecutive patients were referred for cardiac catheterization to our center due to STEMI suspicion in 2018. From the 80 patients with confirmed premature CAD (men < 55 and women < 60 years old with confirmed CAD), 56 (48 men and eight women) accepted to be NGS sequenced for the main FH genes. Clinical information and DLCN (Dutch Lipid Clinic Network) score were analyzed. Only one male patient had probable FH (6–7 points) and no one reached a clinically definite diagnosis. Genetic testing confirmed that the only patient with a DLCN score ≥6 has HF (1.8%). Smoking and high BMI the most frequent cardiovascular risk factors (>80%). Despite high doses of statins being expected to reduce LDLc levels at STEMI to current dyslipidemia guidelines LDL targets (<55 mg/dL), LDLc control levels were out of range. Although still 5.4 times higher than in general population, the prevalence of FH in premature CAD is still low (1.8%). To improve the genetic yield, genetic screening may be considered among patients with probable or definite FH according to clinical criteria. The classical cardiovascular risk factors prevalence far exceeds FH prevalence in patients with premature STEMI. LDLc control levels after STEMI were out range, despite intensive hypolipemiant treatment. These findings reinforce the need for more aggressive preventive strategies in the young and for intensive lipid-lowering therapy in secondary prevention.


—Conventional wisdom, based on observations spanning two and a half decades (1975–2000), asserts that inflow to the Gulf of Maine (GoM) occurs primarily in two areas: inshore on the Scotian Shelf off Cape Sable, Nova Scotia and on the eastern side of the Northeast Channel (NEC). In particular, the monthly mean currents in the eastern NEC have shown persistent inflow at all depths and in all seasons, except for the occasional, but brief, reversals near the bottom (~200 m). Conversely, the flow on the western side of the NEC is normally directed out of the gulf in the surface layer and at mid-depth, consistent with the clockwise gyre over Georges Bank, but those currents do show relatively frequent reversals to inflow in the deeper layers (150–200 m), in sympathy with the flow on the eastern side. At some point between the year 2000, when the last Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO)/U.S. GLOBEC mooring was removed from the eastern NEC, and 2004, when a new mooring was placed there as part of the U.S. ocean observing array, a transformation occurred. The recent data, collected from a representative location in the eastern NEC, show a strongly seasonal current signal marked by persistent periods of outflow in the deep layers (>100 m), particularly in winter. This observation was first reported by Pettigrew et al. (2008), where the outflow currents occasionally extend to the surface layers as well, most notably in the winters of 2004–2005 and 2006–2007. Additional data and analyses reported here suggest that this new mode of behavior in the NEC currents could have important consequences for the GoM ecosystem. Possible causes for this "regime shift" in the NEC circulation and implications for the GoM deepwater nutrient fields and ecosystem are discussed. * Corresponding author: email@example.com


In a murine strain combination identical in H-2 Ag but disparate in minor histocompatibility (H) Ag consisting of C3H/He (C3H; H-2k, Mls-1b) mice as recipients and AKR/J (AKR; H-2k, Mls-1a) mice as donors, a permanent skin allograft tolerance can be achieved by the cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced tolerance system that consists of i.v. injection of donor spleen cells (day -2) and i.p. injection of CP 2 days later (day 0). Such permanent take of allografts in CP-induced tolerant mice was interfered with by intramuscular injection of cyclosporin A (CsA) from day -5 to day -1 and their grafts were rejected by 21 days after grafting. Mls-1a-reactive CD4+V beta 6+ T cells in the periphery, as the indicator to follow the kinetics of donor-reactive T cells, increased on day 0 and day 3 in the C3H mice treated with AKR spleen cells alone, whereas they disappeared rapidly from day 0 to day 3 in CP-induced tolerant mice. When CsA capable of interfering with IL-2 production and T cell proliferation was administered before CP treatment in CP-induced tolerance system, the number of CD4+V beta 6+ T cells in periphery did not increase on day 0 and 3, but increased on day 7 in contrast to the decreased number of those in CP-induced tolerant mice. On day 7, MLR against donor cells was decreased in CP-induced tolerant mice, but maintained in CsA-interfered tolerant mice. These result may indicate that the destruction of donor-Ag-stimulated, proliferating T cells by CP is interfered with by CsA, probably because CsA inhibits the proliferation of donor-reactive T cells at the time of CP treatment. Furthermore, these results also implicate that the protocol for immunosuppression with CsA and antimetabolites has to be designed carefully in clinical transplantation.


Single-active-electron potentials are computed for selected molecules, and molecular wave functions with the correct asymptotic behavior are produced. Asymptotic expansion coefficients are extracted from the wave functions and used to compute alignment-dependent ionization yields from molecular tunneling theory. The predictions of molecular tunneling theory are benchmarked by ab initio calculations based on the solution of the time-dependent Schroedinger equation within the single-active-electron approximation.


A simple limiting factor in the intrinsic variable of the normal diffusive coupling is known to facilitate the phenomenon of reviving of oscillation [Zou et al., Nat. Commun. 6, 7709 (2015)2041-172310.1038/ncomms8709], where the limiting factor destabilizes the stable steady states, thereby resulting in the manifestation of the stable oscillatory states. In contrast, in this work we show that the same limiting factor can indeed facilitate the manifestation of the stable steady states by destabilizing the stable oscillatory state. In particular, the limiting factor in the intrinsic variable facilitates the genesis of a nontrivial amplitude death via a saddle-node infinite-period limit (SNIPER) bifurcation and symmetry-breaking oscillation death via a saddle-node bifurcation among the coupled identical oscillators. The limiting factor facilities the onset of symmetric oscillation death among the coupled nonidentical oscillators. It is known that the nontrivial amplitude death state manifests via a subcritical pitchfork bifurcation in general. Nevertheless, here we observe the transition to the nontrivial amplitude death via a SNIPER bifurcation. The in-phase oscillatory state loses its stability via the SNIPER bifurcation, resulting in the manifestation of the nontrivial amplitude death state, whereas the out-of-phase oscillatory state loses its stability via a homoclinic bifurcation, resulting in an unstable oscillatory state. Multistabilities among the various dynamical states are also observed. We have also deduced the evolution equation for the perturbation governing the stability of the observed dynamical states and stability conditions for SNIPER and pitchfork bifurcations. The generic nature of the effect of the limiting factor is also reinforced using two distinct nonlinear oscillators.


A mutant of P450(cam), in which the cysteine ligand was replaced by selenocysteine, was designed theoretically using hybrid QM/MM (quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical) calculations. The calculations of the active species, Se-CpdI (selenocysteine-Compound I), of the mutant enzyme indicate that Se-Cpd I will be formed faster than the wild-type species and be consumed more slowly in C-H hydroxylation. As such, our calculations suggest that Se-Cpd I can be observed unlike the elusive species of the wild-type enzyme (Denisov, I. G.; Makris, T. M.; Sligar, S. G.; Schlichting, I. Chem. Rev. 2005, 105, 2253-2277). Spectral features of Se-Cpd I were calculated and may assist such eventual characterization. The observation of Se-Cpd I will resolve the major puzzle in the catalytic cycle of a key enzyme in nature.


Abstract. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) as a well-known deep learning technique has shown a remarkable performance in visual recognition applications. However, using such networks in the area of hyperspectral image classification is a challenging and time-consuming process due to the high dimensionality and the insufficient training samples. In addition, Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) has attracted a lot of attentions in order to generate virtual training samples. In this paper, we present a new classification framework based on integration of multi-channel CNNs and new architecture for generator and discriminator of GANs to overcome Small Sample Size (SSS) problem in hyperspectral image classification. Further, in order to reduce the computational cost, the methods related to the reduction of subspace dimension were proposed to obtain the dominant feature around the training sample to generate meaningful training samples from the original one. The proposed framework overcomes SSS and overfitting problem in classifying hyperspectral images. Based on the experimental results on real and well-known hyperspectral benchmark images, our proposed strategy improves the performance compared to standard CNNs and conventional data augmentation strategy. The overall classification accuracy in Pavia University and Indian Pines datasets was 99.8% and 94.9%, respectively.


Evidence is presented that sequential auditory grouping constraints apply to the perception of pitch. Experiment 1 shows that the pitch changes produced by mistuning the fourth harmonic of a 90-ms 12-harmonic 155-Hz fundamental complex tone are substantially reduced when the complex is preceded by four 90-ms tones at the same frequency as the mistuned component. Both the pitch changes and their reduction by the tonal sequence precursor remain when the mistuned component and the precursor are presented contralateral to the remaining components. Experiment 2 shows that reducing the level of the same mistuned component reduces the size of the pitch change, but only if the mistuned component is presented ipsilaterally. To the extent that adaptation can be equated with a physical reduction in level, this result provides further evidence against peripheral adaptation playing a significant role in the auditory grouping of harmonics in pitch perception.


This paper discusses the importance, the complexity and the challenges of mapping mobile robot's unknown and dynamic environment, besides the role of sensors and the problems inherited in map building. These issues remain largely an open research problems in developing dynamic navigation systems for mobile robots. The paper presenst the state of the art in map building and localization for mobile robots navigating within unknown environment, and then introduces a solution for the complex problem of autonomous map building and maintenance method with focus on developing an incremental grid based mapping technique that is suitable for real-time obstacle detection and avoidance. In this case, the navigation of mobile robots can be treated as a problem of tracking geometric features that occur naturally in the environment of the robot. The robot maps its environment incrementally using the concept of occupancy grids and the fusion of multiple ultrasonic sensory information while wandering in it and stay away from all obstacles. To ensure real-time operation with limited resources, as well as to promote extensibility, the mapping and obstacle avoidance modules are deployed in parallel and distributed framework. Simulation based experiments has been conducted and illustrated to show the validity of the developed mapping and obstacle avoidance approach.


The collusion incentive constraint is an important economic measure of cartel stability. It weighs the profits of being in a cartel with those of cheating and punishment of the remaining cartel members. The constraint places no restrictions on firm cartel, cheating and punishment pricing, but is usually considered in a restricted competitive set up characterized by either Cournot or Bertrand competition. This paper examines the constraint under Bertrand competition and homogenous goods when assuming that cartel members have the same market power and then continues to examine if this is not so.


This thesis investigates the effect of income diversification on the performance of Islamic banks in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar where they operate alongside conventional banks in a dual banking system. Accounting data was drawn from 68 conventional and 42 Islamic banks from 1997 to 2009. The main focus was to see whether a greater reliance on non-financing income impacts on earnings quality and if so, how this may vary between Islamic and conventional banks. Commission and fee income, trading income and other non-financing income constitute non-financing income. For conventional banks, this is known as non-interest income, but in Islamic banking the payment and receipt of interest is prohibited so this ?other income? is referred to as non-financing income (that is, income unrelated to deposit-taking and loan granting). Islamic banks operate as universal banks and offer retail and wholesale financing plus investment banking services. Using various empirical approaches, we find that non-financing income positively influences banks? risk-adjusted performance on a net overall impact basis, after taking into account, the consequential indirect impact arising from changes in income diversification (provided that the increase in non-financing income is carried out up until the optimal share of non-financing income of 0.5). Greater income diversification on its own, increases income volatility and this negatively impacts bank?s risk-adjusted performance, more so, when income diversification exceeds the optimal score of 0.5. Islamic banks are found to be more focused on deposit/loan financing and less diversified in terms of non-financing income activities compared to conventional banks. We find that Islamic banks appear to be less susceptible to earnings volatility given their lower diversified income source. Islamic banks have lower profitability (on average) on a risk-adjusted basis when compared to their conventional counterparts.