Methamphetamine use during pregnancy can have negative consequences on the offspring. However, most studies investigating the impact of prenatal exposure to methamphetamine have focused on behavioral and neurological outcomes. Relatively little is known regarding the impact of prenatal methamphetamine on the adult cardiovascular system. This study investigated the impact of chronic fetal exposure to methamphetamine on vascular function in adult offspring. Pregnant female rats received daily saline or methamphetamine (5 mg/kg) injections starting on gestational day 1 and continuing until the pups were born. Vascular function was assessed in 5 month old offspring. Prenatal methamphetamine significantly decreased both the efficacy and potency of acetylcholine-induced relaxation in isolated male (but not female) aortas when perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) remained intact. However, prenatal methamphetamine had no impact on acetylcholine-induced relaxation when PVAT was removed. Nitroprusside-induced relaxation of the aorta was unaffected by prenatal methamphetamine. Angiotensin II-induced contractile responses were significantly potentiated in male (but not female) aortas regardless of the presence of PVAT. This effect was reversed by L-nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Serotonin- and phenylephrine-induced contraction were unaffected by prenatal methamphetamine. Prenatal methamphetamine had no impact on acetylcholine-induced relaxation of third order mesenteric arteries and no effect on basal blood pressure. These data provide evidence that prenatal exposure to methamphetamine sex-dependently alters vasomotor function in the vasculature and may increase the risk of developing vascular disorders later in adult life.


Background: Treponema pallidum, the causative organism of syphilis has been a public health challenge for centuries. Syphilis is a significant cause of morbidities and mortalities in pregnant women, and information regarding its prevalence in Nigerian pregnant women is scanty particularly from the south-south zone. Objective: To determine the prevalence of syphilis in women receiving antenatal care in twelve health care centres in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Methodology: Pre-coded structured questionnaires were administered to 911 participants over an eight week period. Venous blood samples were collected from each participant and tested with a Treponema pallidum immunochromatographic test. Results: There were about 18 women (1.98%) tested positive to syphilis. Prevalence rates in urban and rural areas were 2.63% and 1.32% respectively. The women from urban areas had a 3.22 (95% CI 1.05-9.85) increased risk of acquiring syphilis when compared to the rural dwellers. Women with tertiary level of education had a significantly reduced risk of acquiring syphilis compared to those with primary level education while having an unemployed husband increased the risk of acquiring the infection by 10 times. Conclusion: Though VDRL is part of routine antenatal care screening, a policy of its use in the screening of all women receiving antenatal care in Akwa Ibom state should emphasized and it should be incorporated into the state Government's free antenatal care program. Preferably, a single rapid test should be employed for screening, so that women testing positive could be treated at same clinic visit. Economic empowerment of women should be accorded priority and the practice of safe sex and use of contraception, especially barrier methods should be promoted.


Background A number of gene loci are closely associated with the incidence of nonsyndromic cleft lip/palate (NSCL/P). Herein, this meta-analysis assessed the association between ATP-binding cassette, sub-family A, member 4 (ABCA4) polymorphisms (rs560426 and rs481931) and the risk of NSCL/P by reviewing case-control studies.Methods Four databases including Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and PubMed were searched for articles published up to December 2018. The Review Manager 5.3 software was used to calculate the crude odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).Results Of 82 retrieved studies, 12 were analyzed in this meta-analysis (2,859 NSCL/P patients and 3,792 controls for ABCA4 rs560426 polymorphism and 1,333 NSCL/P patients and 1,884 controls for ABCA4 rs481931 polymorphism). There was no significant association between the polymorphisms and the risk of NSCL/P, with the exception of the allelic model (OR=1.13; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.27; p=0.03), the homozygote model (OR=1.53; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.31; p=0.04), and the recessive model (OR=1.30; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.63; p=0.03) in the Asian ethnicity for rs560426 polymorphism.Conclusion The findings confirmed that G allele and GG genotype of rs560426 polymorphism were significantly associated with the risk of NSCL/P in the Asian population, but not for rs481931polymorphism. Also, there was no association between both polymorphisms (rs560426 and rs481931) with the risk of NSCL/P in the Caucasian and the mixed ethnicities, as well as the source of controls. Therefore, ethnicity may play a significant role in this association.


With the development of language research and language teaching, people realize that grammatical competence is an important part of communicative competence. In foreign language teaching, grammar teaching is not only necessary but also the main way to achieve the goal of communicative competence. This article mainly studies the virtual reality technology college English immersive context teaching method based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. The purpose is to improve students' English learning ability. Through the comparative teaching experiment of two classes of freshmen in a university, the experimental class conducted VR technology-based immersive virtual context teaching from the perspective of constructivism, while the control class adopted common multimedia equipment and traditional teaching methods. In the classroom, teachers occupy most of the time, students only passively receive a lot of information from teachers, they have little chance to participate in the exchange of information and express ideas in the target language, and most of the time they are "immersed" in the Chinese environment. The overall English level was also better than that of the control class, with an average score of 2.8 points higher. This shows that college English immersive context teaching combining constructivism theory and VR technology can indeed improve students' English level.


A superconducting bandpass /spl Delta//spl Sigma/ modulator employing a 2.23 GHz microstrip resonator and a single flux quantum comparator clocked at 42.6 GHz achieves 49 dB peak SNR over a 20.8 MHz bandwidth. At 40.2 GHz clock rate, in-band noise over a 19.6 MHz bandwidth is -57 dBFS. The test chip with integrated acquisition memory contains 4065 Josephson junctions and dissipates 1.9 mW at T=4.2K.


This study explores the rediscovery and development of a tradition of Ciceronian academic scepticism in British philosophy between c.1660-c.1760. It considers this tradition alongside two others, recently recovered by scholars, which were recognised by contemporaries to offer opposing visions of man, God and the origins of society: the Augustinian-Epicurean, and the neo-Stoic. It presents John Locke, Conyers Middleton and David Hume as the leading figures in the revival of the tradition of academic scepticism. It considers their works in relation to those of Anthony Ashley Cooper, third earl of Shaftesbury, and Bernard Mandeville, whose writings refashioned respectively the neo-Stoic and Augustinian-Epicurean traditions in influential ways. These five individuals explicitly identified themselves with these late Hellenistic philosophical traditions, and sought to contest and redefine conventional estimations of their meaning and significance. This thesis recovers this debate, which illuminates our understanding of the development of the 'science of man' in Britain. Cicero was a central figure in Locke's attempt to explain, against Hobbes, the origins of society and moral consensus independent of political authority. Locke was a theorist of societies, religious and civil. He provided a naturalistic explanation of moral motivation and sociability which, drawing heavily from Cicero, emphasised the importance of men's concern for the opinions of others. Locke set this within a Christian divine teleology. It was Locke's theologically-grounded treatment of moral obligation, and his attack on Stoic moral philosophy, that led to Shaftesbury's attempt to vindicate Stoicism. This was met by Mandeville's profoundly Epicurean response. The consequences of the neo-Epicurean and neo-Stoic traditions for Christianity were explored by Middleton, who argued that only academic scepticism was consistent with Christian belief. Hume explored the relationship between morality and religion with continual reference to Cicero. He did so, in contrast to Locke or Middleton, to banish entirely moral theology from philosophy.


Abstract I estimate the effect of removing children with disabilities from Supplemental Security Income (SSI) on parental earnings and household disability receipt. Using administrative data from the Social Security Administration (SSA), I implement regression discontinuity and differencein- differences designs based on changes in SSA's budget for child medical reviews. I find that parents fully offset the SSI loss with increased earnings, and the loss of the child's SSI payment reduces disability applications by parents and siblings but does not reduce their actual disability receipt. I examine alternative hypotheses for the large parental earnings response.


We present a new mechanism called Elon for enabling efficient and long-term reprogramming in wireless sensor networks. Elon reduces the transferred code size significantly by introducing the concept of replaceable component. It avoids the cost of hardware reboot with a novel software reboot mechanism. Moreover, it significantly prolongs the reprogramming lifetime by avoiding flash writes for TelosB nodes. Experimental results show that Elon transfers up to 120--389 times less information than Deluge, and 18-42 times less information than Stream. The software reboot mechanism that Elon applies reduces the rebooting cost by 50.4%-53.87% in terms of beacon packets, and 56.83% in terms of unsynchronized nodes. In addition, Elon prolongs the reprogramming lifetime by a factor of 2.3.


Varicose veins are a major and increasing burden on the health service with waiting lists growing in the majority of units. Most successive Governments have funded waiting list initiatives to deal with this problem. We report the results of a one year varicose vein waiting list initiative which dealt with a total of 1104 patients. A standard triage regime was established. Two hundred and eighty five patients were removed from the waiting list due to failure to attend, surgery performed elsewhere, medically unfit or no longer wishing to have surgery. There were 63 late cancellations and 23 operations were cancelled following admission due to unrelated medical complications. Planned operating lists worked well and complications were uncommon. Several important lessons were learnt during this initiative and recommendations are made with regard to the optimal method of dealing with the problem of varicose veins.


Introduction: The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 epidemic an international public health emergency on January 30th, 2020. Many patients required ICU admission for advanced respiratory support, including high flow nasal oxygen, and non‐invasive, and invasive mechanical ventilation. Lower Ct values may be associated with disease severity Objective: To observe the Cycle threshold (Ct) value and outcome of the COVID-19 patients admitted in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Methods: Nasopharyngeal/ oropharyngeal samples were collected via swabs from suspected COVID-19-positive patients admitted to Corona ICU of Teaching Hospital, Dera Ghazi Khan (DG Khan). Samples were proceeded for RNA extraction and amplification and were declared positive on basis of the S-shaped amplification curve at FAM (ORF1) and ROX channel, and a Ct value of ≤40. Results: Out of 59 ICU admissions, 17 were females and 42 males. The highest percentage of mortality was observed in the 60 and above years of age group (78.98%). Ct values were lower in patients who expired as compared to the patients who were discharged (mean 21.052 vs 23.739). Conclusion: Males were more frequently admitted to ICU for management of severe infection by COVID-19 than females. Mortality is associated with increasing age. Cycle threshold (Ct) values were lower in patients who expired than those who recovered Keywords: Cycle threshold, RT-PCR, COVID-19, ICU


Visualization tools that target helping developers understand software have typically had visual scalability limitations, requiring significant input before providing useful results. In contrast, we present Strata, which has been designed to actively help users by providing layered diagrams. The defaults used are based on the package structure, and user interactions can allow for overriding these defaults and focusing on relevant parts of the codebase.


The modeling of the friction heat generation has become increasingly important in product design process including areas such as electronics, automotive, aerospace, railway (e. g. wheel and rail rolling contact, braking systems, and so on), medical industries, etc. Determination of generated friction heat in the contact of wheel and rail is important for understanding the damage mechanisms on these two bodies such as wear. This paper presents a method to determine the friction generated heat in contact of wheel and rail during normal operation using transient structural-thermal analysis in ANSYS software.


Eight unlinked isozyme loci were used as genetic markers to characterize fecundity genes contributing to inbreeding depression in two selfed progeny arrays of Mimulus guttatus. Five fecundity traits were measured. Six of eight marked chromosomal segments were significantly associated with the expression of these traits. The number of genes detected for five traits in two progeny arrays varied, with an average of 2.8 genes per trait. Individual segments explained 1.44-9.29%, and together accounted for 3.85-11.32%, of phenotypic variation. Of 20 significant associations, 10 could be interpreted as exhibiting partial dominance, 7 overdominance, 3 partial recessivity, and 0 underdominance. Significant pairwise epistasis was rare. The results of this study suggest that inbreeding depression is caused by many deleterious genes of relatively small, partially dominant effects.


Despite the large-scale antipoverty programs, especially food and nutrition programs, 15 per cent of Indian population is undernourished. The National Food Security Act (NFSA) aims at reducing food insecurity by granting a right to food to a large share of the population. The implementation of the world largest food aid program, however, is controversially debated: While historically, rationed highly subsidizes staple food have been used to improve the access to food for poor people, cash transfers are considered as an alternative with lower market distortions, leakages and fiscal costs. This study analyzes consumption patterns of wheat and rice delivered through the Public Distribution System in India and investigates targeting errors as well as reasons for leakage, self-selection and under-supply of staples using cross-sectional household data on all-India level. Our findings indicate some serious targeting errors of the current distribution system as migrant workers and female-led households are not well covered. We find that leakage rates are in general very low for poor households and regions with high poverty rates, implying that higher market prices have negative consequences for the poor excluded from the system. Further, wealthier households restrain from consuming subsidized grains. This negative self-selection of wealthier households implies a high potential for cost savings that would be lost under a cash-transfer scheme. Thus, or study provides a subtle and differentiated analysis that is highly useful for improving the current distribution system as well as design and targeting issues relevant for an alternative cash-transfer system.


A widespread appreciation for the role that calcium plays in cell physiology and patho physiology has now been achieved due to the pioneering studies of many of the scientists who attended the VIIth International Spring Symposium on Health Sciences at George Washington University in Washington, D. C. The participants in this unique meeting rep resented diverse fields of basic and clinical research, such as molecular physiology, oncology, molecular genetics, cardiology, bioenergetics, pathology, and endocrinology. The content of the proceedings of the symposium represents work in these and other areas of biomedical research. Organization of the book is aimed at striking a balance between the biochemistry 2 and physiology of normal cell Ca + metabolism and the pathological consequences of al 2 terations in cell Ca + homeostasis. The first section of the book is devoted to the transport mechanisms responsible for 2 2 regulating intracellular Ca + and the pharmacological modalities for controlling cell Ca + . Particular attention is given to the molecular basis for plasma membrane transport activities, 2 2 including the ATP-driven Ca + pump, the Na + -Ca + exchange system, and voltage sensitive 2 Ca + channels. The second section covers the exciting relationships between phosphoinositide metab 2 olism, signal transduction, and cell Ca + metabolism. This section begins with an eloquent overview by Professor Michael Berridge, who was the keynote speaker at the symposium and the recipient of the scientific merit award."


Poor spellers/readers and younger normal children of similar spelling and reading ability carried out phonemic segmentation and spelling tasks. The poor spellers were impaired relative to controls in their ability to detect the odd word out where the middle or final phoneme of the word differed from that of the other items in the list. For example, in the series 'dot','cot','pot', 'bat', the word 'bat' differs from the other items in terms of its middle vowel. Spelling errors were classified as being 'pre-phonetic','phonetic', or 'transitional' in character, according to Morris and Perney's (1984) developmental scheme.'Transitional' errors indicate a knowledge of English orthography, and are relatively easy for the reader to decode phonetically, for example, green −>'grene', whereas 'phonetic' errors indicate a level of phonetic awareness which is not matched by an ability to represent the word according to the conventions of English spelling, for example green −>'gren'. Poor spellers were found to make significantly fewer 'transitional' errors than controls, there being a non-significant tendency for them to make more 'pre-phonetic' and 'phonetic' errors. It was found that performance on the odd word out task correlated significantly with the occurrence of 'transitional' errors, there being no such relationship with 'phonetic' errors.


Polymer composite electrolytes of Nafion and phosphotungstic acid (PWA) are fabricated and analyzed using electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM) and conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) to visualize hydrophilic ion channels near the surface, which are composed of water and sulfonic acid groups. The results indicate that the fibrillar objects in ESM image, without significant changes in topography, are hydrophilic ion channels and additional ion channels formed by interaction between PWA and sulfonic groups in Nafion. In this study, the buried ion channels lying under the surface are probed as well as the inlet and outlet of the channels on the surface through combined use of ESM and C-AFM. The results further enhance the understanding of ionic conduction in composite polymer electrolytes in various fields.


The GHGs emissions by different activities show that the main part that is 25% belongs to electricity and heat production and the industrial activities counting as 21% of total emission. About 37% of the electricity consumption in Europe belongs to manufacturing and share of industrial activities in GHGs are among 30% to 40%. The electricity production trends show that the proportion of the renewables energy is going to reach to 20% in Europe by 2020 and according to the new energy targets, the minimum use of renewable energy must be 27% by 2030 and decarbonizing by 2050. For the industrial sector as a main energy consumer several elements affect the total energy consumption that start from the mining of the raw materials, transporting the materials to factories, grid network and finally the product to the end users and landfilling/recycling the used products. In this regards, to analyse all factors together a new multi-objective dynamic model has been developed. Moreover, to achieve eco-factories, the main solutions have been provided and dynamically analysed by the model. The results show that, all possible factors must be considered at the same time and applying just some approaches such as solar panels and forgetting the other factors such as end user, life cycle analysis and many other factors will not achieve the sustainability goals. The multi-objective dynamic models can be used as an appropriate approach to check the role of all solutions in achieving eco and sustainable factories.


The purpose of the study is to determine if there is a difference between FFA members and non-members as to their perception of FFA programs and services, and to determine if students' perceptions of FFA programs and services are influenced by gender and ethnicity, enrollment choice, prior enrollment in an agriculture class, block scheduling, grade level and extracurricular activities. Data were collected using a questionnaire administered to 404 students enrolled in the Agriscience Applications course in 27 schools in North Carolina. It can be concluded that: A student's decision to join or not join the FFA is influenced by their perception of FFA programs and services. A student's gender, ethnicity, enrollment choice, prior enrollment in an agriculture class, block scheduling, grade level and extracurricular activities do not influence their perceptions of the FFA programs and services. The implications are significant for the FFA and agricultural education in that students tend to join and participate in the FFA based upon the organization's ability to meet a student's need for a sense of belonging. The FFA should continue to seek ways to involve all members in positive personal growth activities that allow students to experience that sense of belonging. Based upon the responses of members, the social aspects of the organization were motivating factors in their desire to be members.


Metal quantum point contacts (MQPCs), with dimensions comparable to the de Broglie wavelength of conducting electrons, reveal ballistic transport of electrons and quantized conductance in units of G0=2e(2)/h. While these contacts hold great promise for applications such as coherent controlled devices and atomic switches, their realization is mainly based on the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and mechanically controlled break junction (MCBJ), which cannot be integrated into electronic circuits. MQPCs produced by these techniques have also limited stability at room temperature. Here we report on a new method to form MQPCs with quantized conductance values in the range of 1-4G0. The contacts appear to be stable at room temperature for hours and can be deterministically switched between conductance values, or reform in case they break, using voltage pulses. The method enables us to integrate MQPCs within nanoscale circuits to fully harness their unique advantages.


Models of robotic bipedal walking are hybrid, with a differential equation that describes the stance phase and a discrete map describing the impact event, that is, the nonstance leg contacting the walking surface. The feedback controllers for these systems can be hybrid as well, including both continuous and discrete (event-based) actions. This paper concentrates on the event-based portion of the feedback design problem for 3-D bipedal walking. The results are developed in the context of robustly stabilizing periodic orbits for a simulation model of ATRIAS 2.1, which is a highly underactuated 3-D bipedal robot with series-compliant actuators and point feet, against external disturbances as well as parametric and nonparametric uncertainty. It is shown that left-right symmetry of the model can be used to both simplify and improve the design of event-based controllers. Here, the event-based control is developed on the basis of the Poincaré map, linear matrix inequalities and robust optimal control. The results are illustrated by designing a controller that enhances the lateral stability of ATRIAS 2.1.


The Fc-fusion mimetic RpR 2[combining low line] was prepared by disulfide bridging conjugation using PEG in the place of the Fc. RpR 2[combining low line] displayed higher affinity for VEGF than aflibercept. This is caused primarily by a slower dissociation rate, which can prolong a drug at its site of action. RpRs have considerable potential for development as stable, organ specific therapeutics.


In this study, we examined 239 outpatients receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer for a period of 6 months from July 2016 to December 2016. Using a questionnaire, we investigated the patients' symptom score and uneasiness. A symptom score of 2 and over was found in 24.7%(59)of the cases. Twenty-seven of the 59 cases experienced adverse effects of chemotherapy. Peripheral neuropathy was observed in 20 cases, of which only 2 cases improved after providing palliative care. Palliative care was effective against nausea, constipation, malaise, and sleeping disorders. Thirty-two cases(13.4%)had 5 or more painful feeling score. Among these, 10 cases resulted from the adverse effects of treatment, 10 cases from the aggravation of existing cancer, and 6 cases showed anxiety for the illness, family, and future. In 15 of the 32 cases, the pain score improved by providing palliative care, conversation with the nursing staff, reduction in the quantity of drug intake, etc.


Polyethylene glycol (PEG) modification of liposomes is one of the most commonly applied ways of increasing both in vitro and in vivo stability of liposomes. The formed liposomes are commonly referred to as stealth liposomes because the PEG corona renders the liposomes invisible to the macrophages in the bloodstream. The first detailed small-angle neutron scattering analysis of PEG-modified liposomes is presented here. An analytical model for the PEG-modified liposomes is derived, where the liposomes are described as a water core surrounded by a bilayer lipid film with grafted polymer chains in a Gaussian random coil conformation attached to the inside and the outside lipid leaflets. There is an excellent agreement between the obtained experimental data and the proposed structural model of the liposomes. These results are the most direct proof of the structure of the PEG-modified liposomes presented so far, and the described formalism may easily be generalized to more complex liposome structures such as synaptic vesicles.


In order to develop and bring to fruition strategic information systems (SIS) projects, chief information officers (CIOs) must be able to effectively influence their peers. This research examines the relationship between CIO influence behaviors and the successfulness of influence outcomes, utilizing a revised model initially developed by Yukl (1994). Focused interviews were first conducted with CIOs and their peers to gain insights into the phenomenon. A survey instrument was then developed and distributed to a sample of CIO and peer executive pairs to gather data with which to test a research model. A total of 69 pairs of surveys were eventually used for data analysis. The research model was found to be generally meaningful in the CIO-top management context. Furthermore, the influence behaviors rational persuasion and personal appeal exhibited significant relationships with peer commitment, whereas exchange and pressure were significantly related to peer resistance. These results provide useful guidance to CIOs who wish to propose strategic information systems to peers.


In this paper, the design and the evaluation of haptic HMI systems for motorbike are presented. The final goal of designing haptic interfaces is to set a communication between the rider and the motorbike increasing the rider safety. The designed systems have been evaluated through simulation using MSC Adams'®. Considering the possibility of a future realization of the simulation tested system, the haptic HMI devices have been designed taking into consideration a wide number of specific requirements. Starting from the state of the art, a preliminary study has been done in order to determine the design requirements. Three solutions have then been modelled: the Haptic Brake Lever, the Haptic Handle and the Haptic Knob. Each of the models has been tuned through simulations to convey the optimal haptic feedback to the rider, in terms of amplitude and frequency. In the end, the three solutions have been compared basing on safety, feedback perceivability, design and mechanical efficiency. The best solution will be realized and tested on a real motorbike during future work.


The binding of Escherichia coli Gal repressor to linear DNA fragments containing two binding sites (OE and OI) within the gal operon was analyzed in vitro with quantitative footprint and mobility-shift techniques. In vivo analysis of the regulation of the gal operon [Haber, R., & Adhya, S. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85, 9683-9687] has suggested the role of a regulatory "looped complex" mediated by the association of Gal repressor dimers bound at OE and OI. The binding of Gal repressor to a single site can be described by a model in which monomer and dimer are in equilibrium and only the dimer binds to DNA. At pH 7.0, 25 mM KCl, and 20 degrees C, the binding and dimerization free energies are comparable, suggesting that the equilibrium governing the formation of dimers may be important to regulation. The two intrinsic binding constants, delta GI and delta GE, and a constant describing cooperativity, delta GIE, were determined by footprint titration analysis as a function of pH, [KCl], and temperature. Only at 4 and 0 degrees C was delta GIE negative, signifying cooperative binding. These results are thought to be due to a weak dimer to tetramer association interface. delta GE and delta GI had maximal values between pH 6 and pH 7. The dependence of these constants on [KCl] corresponded to the displacement of approximately 2 ion equiv. The temperature dependence could be described by a change in the heat capacity, delta Cp, of -2.3 kcal mol-1 deg-1. Mobility-shift titration experiments conducted at 20 and 0 degrees C yielded values for delta GIE that were consistent with those resolved from the footprint analysis. Unique values of delta GIE were determined by analysis of mobility-shift titrations of Gal repressor with wild-type operator subject to the constraint that delta GE = delta GI: a procedure that eliminates the need to simultaneously analyze wild-type titrations with titrations of OE- and OI- operators.


The Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is developing an initiative to promote an interest in marine technology. The initiative involves students at three distinct levels: British Columbia high-school students, BCIT Technology Diploma students and BCIT Engineering Degree students. The high-school level of the project, the BCIT Underwater Discover Challenge, brings together high school students from around British Columbia to attend a two-day workshop to design, build and test an underwater ROV. This year on February 18th 30 students from five schools from across British Columbia attended the design and build workshop. By the end of that day all five school groups left with a nearly completed ROV that could be used to perform an underwater task. Over the next two weeks the students finalized their ROVs and, on March 3 at the BCIT Marine Campus, the students tested their designs and found out how challenging it is to successfully complete the underwater mission assigned to them. These students are encouraged to take the ROV they built to the regional MATE ROV competition [1] and this year one of the ROVs designed and built at the Underwater Discovery Challenge came in 3rd place at the MATE regional competition. The Technology Diploma level of the project involves one or more groups of students completing their diploma of Mechanical Engineering Technology at BCIT. Interested students work on the design and building of an Explorer class ROV for the MATE International ROV competition. If more than one group decided to participate a BCIT competition is held to determine which ROV design will be entered into the international competition. This year six BCIT students were involved in the project and traveled to St. John's, NL in June to compete. Many interesting ideas on how to capture algae and jellyfish, service a wellhead and thread a messenger line through an eye-bolt were discussed at the team meetings and an innovative ROV was developed for the task. The team had great success at the competition and received three honors including the Sharkpedo award for best engineering innovation on an ROV. The Engineering Degree level of the project, still under development, involves a team of BCIT Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering students and students from other departments who design and build an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for the AUVSI Autonomous Underwater Vehicle competition. Having all three levels of students involved in the design and building of different underwater vehicles allows BCIT to show students how a simple ROV built for a high-school challenge can lead the students to building a fully autonomous vehicle, thereby sparking an interest marine technology and showing the students a potential educational path towards a career in the marine industry. This year the BCIT ROV team volunteered at the high-school challenge and it was great to see the interaction between the high-school and the BCIT students. This type of interaction is key to a successful project and we believe that, by integrating all these different initiatives into a single project within a the department more students will become interested and involved in marine technology.


Article history Received: 21 March 2019 Accepted: 18 September 2019 Published Online: 30 November 2019 The increasing prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder makes it as considerable issue worldwide. Recent studies addresses the hot topic of Mirror Neuronal System (MNS) confers behind the ASD. However, the cause is uncertain, Indian population prone to varied prenatal and postnatal factors of the condition. Indian parents and professional still be at the initial awareness phase of the spectrum. Years of delay in identification and intervention while comparing with world standards due to various Indian socio-economic and socio-cultural factors. Less availability of screening and diagnostic tools headed to relay on culturally irrelevant and expensive international tools. Government funded research initiatives developed ISAA, INDT-ASD, CASI and AIIMS Modified INDT-ASD as culturally relevant indigenous tools and available on practice. So far, the tools have their own advantages and limitations, requires further research and progression. Owing to scarcity of trained professionals for a wide population range, home based parent-mediated therapies be the most preferred mode of therapy. However, the therapeutic options vary with people. The study aimed to ascertain the present Indian scenario, look upon the awareness about the condition, availability of screening and diagnostic facilities, the early identification and timely intervention program. In addition, the study briefly confers the biological and clinical background of ASD.


This paper considers the design problems of processor specification and task allocation for embedded computer systems. A partitioning-based representation is proposed that allows these problems to be solved concurrently. An algorithm based on this representation is described that utilizes simulated annealing coupled with a heuristic processor specification technique. This algorithm, named SA2, is compared against three baseline algorithms on a combination of real and synthetic test cases with respect to two figures of merit: hardware cost and run-time. The real test cases are based on commercially developed automotive electronic applications and the baseline algorithms represent a mixture of heuristic approaches with varying degrees of sophistication. For all test cases, SA2 is found to generate near optimal solutions, and the relative trade-off between solution quality and run-time exhibited by the algorithms is quantified and analyzed.


Dynamic Multi-objective Optimization (DMO) is a challenging research topic since the objective functions, constraints, and problem parameters may change over time. Several evolutionary algorithms have been proposed to deal with DMO problems. Nevertheless, they were restricted to unconstrained or domain constrained problems. In this work, we focus on the dynamicty of problem constraints along with time-varying objective functions. As this is a very recent research area, we have observed a lack of benchmarks that simultaneously take into account these characteristics. To fill this gap, we propose a set of test problems that extend a suite of static constrained multi-objective problems. Moreover, we propose a new version of the Dynamic Non dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II to deal with dynamic constraints by replacing the used constraint-handling mechanism by a more elaborated and self-adaptive penalty function. Empirical results show that our proposal is able to: (1) handle dynamic environments and track the changing Pareto front and (2) handle infeasible solutions in an effective and efficient manner which allows avoiding premature convergence. Moreover, the statistical analysis of the obtained results emphasize the advantages of our proposal over the original algorithm on both aspects of convergence and diversity on most test problems.


Formal architectural education in sub-Saharan Africa was established in the 1920s, initially in South Africa, and later in Kenya and Nigeria during the 1950s. The first postcolonial schools in Ghana and Sudan were also inaugurated in the 1950s, triggering debates on the form architectural education should take for a postcolonial Africa. The origins of architectural education as a practice that was imposed across the region have had an unwavering impact on the current state of education in Africa. As the state of architectural education is increasingly discussed in global terms, the need to tell the story of sub-Saharan Africa has never been more urgent. Although this is often obscured by discourse from other parts of the world, it remains especially significant in relation to growing debates on decolonising and transforming education. This article engages with discourses of architectural education in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing from a wider study of architectural education across the region, it offers crucial insights into the pedagogical positions and knowledge frameworks that have defined (and to an extent continue to define) how architectural education is perceived and practised. The article investigates historic and contemporary discourses of architectural education that are informed by the recognition that architecture is a sociocultural phenomenon. The cases presented may further destabilise the status quo and the embedded hierarchies in architectural education. In the final instance, they are testament to a growing penchant for change, as they acknowledge alternative forms of knowledge and break from the hegemony of ahistoric educational approaches.


As part of an ongoing research development at Carleton University in ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) for high-temperature gas turbine applications, it was recognized that the performance of an oxide matrix could be improved by incorporating a metal reinforcement material. For this reason, a low cost CMC was created by reinforcing a yttria-stabilized zirconia (7YSZ) ceramic matrix with a Hastelloy X (HX) wire mesh. The CMC was manufactured by coating the HX mesh with a NiCrAlY bond coat, and then 7YSZ ceramic matrix, both using plasma spraying. The bond coat was employed to improve bonding and also to act as an oxygen diffusion barrier. In order to evaluate the performance of the HX/7YSZ composite at high temperatures, isothermal and cyclic oxidation tests were carried out for 1000 hours at 1050°C. The results showed that oxidation resistance was improved by vacuum heat treatment prior to testing due to the formation of stable thermally grown oxides (TGO) on the NiCrAlY bond coat. In the cyclic oxidation test, differences in thermal expansion coefficients caused cracking at interfaces between mesh/bond coat and bond coat/7YSZ. Minimizing the effect of thermal expansion by better material combination, as well as modifying manufacturing methods will allow for improved performance of metal mesh reinforced CMCs.© 2014 ASME


The Tokamak family is from Soviet Union. These devices were exclusively studied at the Kurchatov Institute in Moscow for more than ten years. The first occidental Tokamak started in 1970 at Princeton. The TFR (Tokamak Fontenay-aux- Roses) was built to be superior to the Russian T4. Tokamak future is now represented by the JET (Joint European Tokamak). (FR)


Backgrounds: Sirolimus and sorafenib both have been used in recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) patients after Liver Transplantation (LT). In the present study, we evaluated the side effects and efficacy of acombination therapy consisting of sirolimus and sorafenib. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who had recurrent HCC after LT between 2005 and 2012. Toxicity was evaluated by reviewing medical records for each follow-up visit. Efficacy was evaluated according to the modified RECIST guidelines. Results: A total of 24 patients who received combination therapy were reviewed to evaluate drug toxicity. Side effects included hand-foot syndrome (n=12, 50%), diarrhea (n=7, 29.2%), fatigue (n=2, 8.3%), and alopecia (n=1, 4.2%). Among the 24 patients enrolled in this study, 19 were evaluated for efficacy. A complete response was observed in only 1 case (5.3%), while a partial response was observed in 2 cases (10.5%). Five cases (26.3%) showed disease stabilization. The median overall survival after initiation of the combination therapy was 21.6 months. In comparison, 26 recipients with recurrent HCC received non-combination therapy. The median survival of patients receiving a noncombination therapy was 12.0 months. However, there was no statistically significant difference in patient survival rate between the combination and non-combination therapy groups (P=0.101). Conclusion: Combination therapy of sorafenib and sirolimus for recurrent HCC LT recipients may be useful for disease management. However, controlled prospective study is needed to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of combined sorafenib and sirolimus therapy.


Total variation (TV) denoising is an effective noise suppression method when the derivative of the underlying signal is known to be sparse. TV denoising is defined in terms of a convex optimization problem involving a quadratic data fidelity term and a convex regularization term. A non-convex regularizer can promote sparsity more strongly, but generally leads to a non-convex optimization problem with non-optimal local minima. This letter proposes the use of a non-convex regularizer constrained so that the total objective function to be minimized maintains its convexity. Conditions for a non-convex regularizer are given that ensure the total TV denoising objective function is convex. An efficient algorithm is given for the resulting problem.


There is no long history of fish farming cages in the southern Caspian Sea. The rainbow trout is one of the most important fish raised in the last decade in this sea. The aim of this study was to determine the growth performance and survival of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in floating cages in the south of the Caspian Sea. In this study, circular polyethylene floating cages with a diameter of 20 meters and a net height of 8 meters were used. The cages were located at a depth of 32 meters in the sea and at a distance of 5.6km from the shore. This research was conducted in 2017-2018 in a marine farm in the central region of the southern Caspian Sea. The fish culture period was 165days from December to May of the following year. For each cage, 37400±570 fish weighing 110±28grams and a fork length of 19.9±1.9cm were introduced. After 165 days, the average weight of fish reached 1200±168g in the marine fish farm. But, the fish yield was supplied with a weight of 700g to the local market, from March and continued to June of the following year (1200g). Fish average daily growth (ADG:g/day) was 6.61±1.02. The value feed conversion ratio of fish and the condition factor was determined 1.03±0.07and 1.42±0.05respectively. The fish special growth rate (SGR:%day-1) was determined1.44±0.09.The fish survival rate (SR%) at the end of during culture wasdetermined95.6±1.07 in cages. The results showed that the growth performance of rainbow trout was suitable in the Caspian Sea's brackish water in floating cages.


In this provocative new study, Iain McLean argues that the traditional story of the British constitution does not make sense. It purports to be both positive and normative: that is, to describe both how people actually behave and how they ought to behave. In fact, it fails to do either; it is not a correct description and it has no persuasive force. The book goes on to offer a reasoned alternative. The position that still dominates the field of constitutional law is that of parliamentary sovereignty (or supremacy). According to this view, the supreme lawgiver in the United Kingdom is Parliament. Some writers in this tradition go on to insist that Parliament in turn derives its authority from the people, because the people elect Parliament. An obvious problem with this view is that Parliament, to a lawyer, comprises three houses: monarch, Lords, and Commons. The people elect only one of those three houses. This book aims to show, contrary to the prevailing view, that the United Kingdom exists by virtue of a constitutional contract between two previously independent states. Professor McLean argues that the work of the influential constitutional theorist A. V. Dicey has little to offer those who really want to understand the nature of the constitution. Instead, greater understanding can be gleaned from considering the 'veto plays' and 'credible threats' available to politicians since 1707. He suggests that the idea the people are sovereign dates back to the seventeenth century (may be fourteenth century in Scotland), but has gone underground in English constitutional writing. He goes on to show that devolution and the United Kingdom's relationship with the rest of Europe have taken the United Kingdom along a constitutionalist road since 1972, and perhaps since 1920. He concludes that no intellectually defensible case can be made for retaining an unelected house of Parliament, an unelected head of state, or an established church. This book will be an essential reading for political scientists, constitutional lawyers, historians, politicians, and the like.


Synopsis A recent collection of fossil fishes from concretions in the Lower Oil Shale Group (Lower Carboniferous) of the Wardie Shore north of Edinburgh has enabled the fish-bearing strata, originally described as 70 ft of black shale, to be subdivided on characteristics of the concretions. Other horizons above and below these strata also yielded specimens. The numbers of various genera collected from these beds have been expressed as a table, which may form the basis for future studies on palaeoecology. The abundance of well preserved elasmobranchs is the most important result of this work, and may make necessary a reconsideration of the environment.


ABSTRACT A recent study by Zlinszky et al.,1 uses high-resolution terrestrial laser scanning to investigate the variability of overnight movement of leaves and branches in vascular plants. This study finds among others that the investigated plants show periodic movements of around one centimetre in amplitude and 2–6 hour periodicity. Sub-circadian process dynamics of plants were so far not in focus of research, but here we compare the findings with other published cases of short-term periodicity in leaf turgor, sap flow and especially trunk diameter. Several authors have noted overnight variations in these parameters within periods of several hours and in absence of environmental changes with similar dynamics. We revisit the unknown questions of short-term plant movement and make a suggestion for future research.


Exposure of antibodies to low pH is often unavoidable for purification and viral clearance. The conformation and stability of two humanized monoclonal antibodies (hIgG4‐A and ‐B) directed against different antigens and a mouse monoclonal antibody (mIgG1) in 0.1M citrate at acidic pH were studied using circular dichroism (CD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and sedimentation velocity. Near‐ and far‐UV CD spectra showed that exposure of these antibodies to pH 2.7–3.9 induced only limited conformational changes, although the changes were greater at the lower pH. However, the acid conformation is far from unfolded or so‐called molten globule structure. Incubation of hIgG4‐A at pH 2.7 and 3.5 at 4°C over the course of 24 h caused little change in the near‐UV CD spectra, indicating that the acid conformation is stable. Sedimentation velocity showed that the hIgG4‐A is largely monomeric at pH 2.7 and 3.5 as well as at pH 6.0. No time‐dependent changes in sedimentation profile occurred upon incubation at these low pHs, consistent with the conformational stability observed by CD. The sedimentation coefficient of the monomer at pH 2.7 or 3.5 again suggested that no gross conformational changes occur at these pHs. DSC analysis of the antibodies showed thermal unfolding at pH 2.7–3.9 as well as at pH 6.0, but with decreased melting temperatures at the lower pH. These results are consistent with the view that the antibodies undergo limited conformational change, and that incubation at 4°C at low pH results in no time‐dependent conformational changes. Titration of hIgG4‐A from pH 3.5 to 6.0 resulted in recovery of native monomeric proteins whose CD and DSC profiles resembled those of the original sample. However, titration from pH 2.7 resulted in lower recovery of monomeric antibody, indicating that the greater conformational changes observed at this pH cannot be fully reversed to the native structure by a simple pH titration. Proteins 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Ray-tracing method is used to investigate the light extraction efficiency (LEE) of Bragg diffraction-assisted GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LED's) with vertical sidewalls. The ray tracing is based on the analytical formulae of the LEE in the incoherent regime for LED model with infinite lateral size. It is shown that without considering the sidewalls, the change of the LEE with the absorption or backside reflectivity is too small and thus not reasonable. And the enhancement with respect to the unpatterned case could be overestimated by ignoring the finite-size effect. Numerical calculations show that the enhancement of the LEE due to the sidewalls when com- pared to the infinite model could be up to 10% or even higher. Besides, the extracted energy from the sidewalls de- creases due to the increased extraction from the PhC when compared to the unpatterned LED.


ABSTRACT Characterization and production of efficient lignocellulytic enzyme cocktails for biomass conversion is the need for biofuel industry. The present investigation reports the modeling and optimization studies of lignocellulolytic enzyme cocktail production by Cotylidia pannosa under submerged conditions. The predominant enzyme activities of cellulase, xylanase and laccase were produced in the cocktail through submerged conditions using wheat bran as a substrate. A central composite design approach was utilized to model the production process using temperature, pH, incubation time and agitation as input variables with the goal of optimizing the output variables namely cellulase, xylanase and laccase activities. The effect of individual, square and interaction terms on cellulase, xylanase and laccase activities were depicted through the non-linear regression equations with significant R2 and P-values. An optimized value of 20 U/ml, 17 U/ml and 13 U/ml of cellulase, xylanase and laccase activities, respectively, were obtained with a media pH of 5.0 in 77 h at 31C, 140 rpm using wheatbran as a substrate. Overall, the present study introduces a fungal strain, capable of producing lignocellulolytic enzyme cocktail for subsequent applications in biofuel industry.


As the electron moves in deformable three-dimensional continuous medium, it is not only affected by phonons but also affected by deformable potential. It is found that when the motion of electron is in the direction of non-deformation, it is plane wave, but it is soliton wave in the direction of deformation.


When primary lung infection is the main aetiological factor the common causes are viral bronchitis or bronchiolitis, often complicating pertussis or measles, and bacterial pneumonia. Bronchiectasis frequently occurs in fibrocystic disease and in congenital or acquired hypogammaglobulinaemia, because these patients are especially prone to lung infections. Among primary lung lesions are congenital bronchiectasis; situs inversus and sometimes pulmonary sequestration (Kartagener's syndrome2), which tends to show an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance and to be associated with low serum IgA levels3; and bronchomalacia due to congenital absence of cartilage distal to the first division of the peripheral bronchi (Williams-Campbell syndrome4). More common are lung collapse and subsequent infection due to inhaled foreign bodies, infected congenital cysts, and inhalation pneumonia. In adults, bronchiectasis is most commonly a result of lung collapse, which is often due to bronchial carcinoma or tuberculous bronchial stenosis, and it may also occur in diseases complicated by bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.5 Whatever the underlying cause of the bronchiectasis the common infecting organisms are Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae, and infection with Staphylococcus aureus is an ever-present risk, especially in fibrocystic disease. The physical signs depend on the stage of the disease. There may be none, but in more advanced cases there is upper respiratory tract sepsis, purulent sputum (very rarely fetid), and finger clubbing, while signs of collapse and consolidation are frequent over the damaged and infected area of lung. Persistent medium or coarse post-tussive crepitations over the bronchiectatic area are a frequent and important physical sign. A plain chest radiograph may show areas of collapse and consolidation, cyst-like shadows, and bronchial dilatation, but for diagnosis and to demarcate the extent of the disease bilateral bronchography is essential. Complications of the disease include lung abscess and empyema and more rarely cerebral abscess or suppurative encephalitis. The incidence of bronchiectasis is less than it was. Between 1952 and 1960 the hospital admission rate for children fell four fold.6 This reflects the control of infection by antibiotics and the reduced incidence of childhood respiratory infections attributable to immunisation against the specific fevers. In treatment prevention is of first importance. Pulmonary infections should receive thorough treatment with appropriate antibiotics and with postural drainage to ensure that areas of collapsed lung expand. Upper respiratory sepsis must be sought out and treated, and in hypogammaglobulinaemia injections of concentrated gammaglobulin will be needed every four weeks or so. In established bronchiectasis the aim is to keep the airways clear of secretion by a properly learnt technique of postural drainage; this is combined with control of infection by broad-spectrum antibiotics such as tetracycline, oxytetracycline, ampicillin, or amoxycillin. Co-trimoxazole is an effective drug, but when given over a long period it may lead to folic acid deficiency. If Staph aureus is grown from the sputum ampicillin should be combined with cloxacillin, unless the organism is sensitive to benzylpenicillin. Antibiotics are probably best given only when the sputum is purulent, and in some patients vigorous medical treatment as outlined may lead to a reversal of the bronchiectatic disease.' As these young patients grow up they should be warned against the dangers of smoking. Surgical resection of the bronchiectatic area must be considered only when the patient has had an adequate course of medical treatment without any real improvement. Those most likely to benefit will have localised disease with prominent cough and sputum. 1 Williams, H E, and Phelan, P D, Respiratory Illness in Children, p 198. Oxford, Blackwell, 1975. 2 Kartagener, M, Beitrage zur Klinik der Tuberkulose und specifischen Tuberkulose-Forschung, 1933, 83, 489. 3 Holmes, L B, Blennerhassett, J B, and Austen, K F, American Journal of Medical Science, 1968, 255, 13. 4 Williams, H, and Campbell, P, Archives of Disease in Childhood, 1960, 35, 182. 5 Crofton, J, and Douglas, A, Respiratory Diseases, p 429. Oxford, Blackwell, 1969. 6 Field, C E, Archives of Disease in Childhood, 1969, 44, 551.


AbstractCultural heritage ami art were integrated with various curricular topics to teach children about art, women, culture, community, intergenerational sharing, and various school and life skills. As a result. 22 children, ages 3 through 9,designed and createdfriendship quilts. Throughout the protest the children worked together in a meaningful way, and were encouraged to investigate, question, and Itmk at things creatively. Clearly, the children exercised their cognitive skills in a way that challenged their visual, intellectual, and affective thinking. This in turn, carried over into artistic self expression and through cooperative efforts, each child created a uniquely personal and visually rich, keepsake quilt.


The rupture process of the destructive July 16, 1990, Luzon, Philippines, earthquake is analyzed using a long-period surface wave spectral inversion technique to estimate the average source properties and a broadband body wave and surface wave empirical Green function technique to investigate the slip distribution. The average source model has a seismic moment of 4.2 ± 0.1 × 1020 N m (Mw = 7.7), a total duration of 30 to 35 s, a left lateral strike-slip focal mechanism with strike, ϕ = 153°, dip, δ = 89°, and rake, λ = 16°, and a north-northwestward directivity. These results are consistent with previous work on the Luzon earthquake. However, the broadband analysis indicates that, for periods longer than about 20 s, the teleseismic source time function is characterized by a single, relatively smooth pulse of energy release with azimuthal variations in duration of 24 to 60 s. This contrasts with previous body wave results that inferred two discrete pulses of energy release. The simpler source process is inferred as a result of using empirical Green functions rather than standard theoretical Green functions for a layered crustal model, and by considering only the seismic energy with periods longer than 20 s. The Luzon earthquake began rupturing bilaterally, but evolved into a predominantly northwest directed rupture that extended for 75 to 100 km. The largest slip (10–15 m) occurred about 25 km northwest of the epicenter, beyond which the slip decreased gradually as the rupture propagated into a restraining bend. The peak slip at depth appears to exceed the surface rupture by a factor of 2 to 3. There is little evidence for significant energy release later than 50 s after the rupture initiated.


T H E SIGNING of the Hospital Survey and Construction Act by the President on August 1 3 launched the Nat ion on the most comprehensive hosp i t a l and public heal th construction program ever undertaken. Congress has authorized the appropriation during the next 5 years of $375 mi l l i on i n Federal funds for the building of hospitals and health centers. Since the act provides tha t the Federal share is to constitute one-third of the cost, and non-Federal funds the other two-thirds , the total expenditure for this Nation-wide hospital program would approximate $1,125 mi l l ion . The Hospital Survey and Construct i on Act is more or less unique i n social legislation. Rarely has a legislative act had the unanimous support of so many interested groups, both professional and consumer. A t the hearings on the b i l l , spokesmen for medical, hospital, labor, fa rm, and civic groups backed the proposal.


Context. The Hercules-Lyra association, a purported nearby young moving group, contains a few tens of zero age main sequence stars of spectral types F to M. The existence and the properties of the Her-Lyr association are controversial and have been discussed in the literature. Aims. The present work reassesses the properties and the member list of the Her-Lyr association based on kinematics and age indica- tors. Many objects form multiple systems or have low-mass companions and so we need to properly account for multiplicity. Methods. We use our own new imaging observations and archival data to identify multiple systems. The colors and magnitudes of kinematic candidates are compared to isochrones. We derive further information on the age based on Li depletion, rotation, and coronal and chromospheric activity. A set of canonical members is identified to infer mean properties. Membership criteria are derived from the mean properties and used to discard non-members. Results. The candidates selected from the literature belong to 35 stellar systems, 42.9% of which are multiple. Four multiple systems (V538 Aur, DX Leo, V382 Ser, and HH Leo) are confirmed in this work by common proper motion. An orbital solution is presented for the binary system which forms a hierarchical triple with HHLeo. Indeed, a group of candidates displays signatures of youth. Seven canonical members are identified The distribution of Li equivalent widths of canonical Her-Lyr members is spread widely and is similar to that of the Pleiades and the UMa group. Gyrochronology gives an age of 257 ± 46 Myr which is roughly in between the ages of the Pleiades and the Ursa Major group. The measures of chromospheric and coronal activity support the young age. Four membership criteria are presented based on kinematics, lithium equivalent width, chromospheric activity, and gyrochronological age. In total, eleven stars are identified as certain members including co-moving objects plus additional 23 possible members while 14 candidates are doubtful or can be rejected. A comparison to the mass function, however, indicates the presence of a large number of additional low-mass members, which remain unidentified.


Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is one of the most popular and successful sensing modalities that have been investigated for landmine and subsurface threat detection. Many of the detection algorithms applied to this task are supervised and therefore require labeled examples of threat and nonthreat data for training. Training data most often consist of 2-D images (or patches) of GPR data, from which features are extracted and provided to the classifier during training and testing. Identifying desirable training and testing locations to extract patches, which we term "keypoints," is well established in the literature. In contrast, however, a large variety of strategies have been proposed regarding keypoint utilization (e.g., how many of the identified keypoints should be used at threat, or nonthreat, locations). Given a variety of keypoint utilization strategies that are available, it is very unclear: 1) which strategies are best or 2) whether the choice of strategy has a large impact on classifier performance. We address these questions by presenting a taxonomy of existing utilization strategies and then evaluating their effectiveness on a large data set using many different classifiers and features. We analyze the results and propose a new strategy, called PatchSelect, which outperforms other strategies across all experiments.


A large number of nanoparticles are present in the
environment in which some are unintentionally produced;
ultra fine particles or intentionally produced engineered
nanoparticle (ENPs). The carbon based ENPs include singlewalled
and multi walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs and
MWCNTs), spherical fullerenes and dendrimers. Among all
ENPs, the carbon based ENPs are attracting much attention
for potential biomedical applications, such as biosensors
design, drug design, drug delivery, tumor therapy and tissue
engineering, because of their electronic, optical and
mechanical properties. The pristine CNTs are inert in nature
so it needs to be functionalized to make it reactive. The
functionalization appends different functional group e.g. C=O,
C–O, –OH and –COOH to CNTs, which make it dispersible
and suitable for different applications. The biocompatibility of
these functionalized CNTs and their composite has to be
tested before real time applications in the biological system.
Determining the toxicity of CNT is the most persistent
questions in nanotechnology. Inconsistent reports on toxicity
of CNTs often appear in the literature and a mechanistic
explanation of the reported toxicity remains
incomprehensible. Results from various scientific tests on
cells have so far proven confusing, with some results
indicating it to be highly toxic and others showing no signs of
toxicity. Several toxicity mechanisms have been proposed for
CNTs including interruption of trans membrane electron
transfer, disruption/penetration of the cell envelope, oxidation
of cell components, and production of secondary products
such as dissolved heavy metal ions or reactive oxygen species
(ROS).Toxicity of a CNT sample is dependent on its
composition along with its geometry and surface
functionalization. Several studies have suggested that wellfunctionalized
CNTs are safe to animal cells, while raw CNTs
or CNTs without functionalization show severe toxicity to
animal or human cells at even moderate dosage.


Citation: Okick RE, Kessy JF, Nyamoga GZ, Solomon ZW (2018) Factors Influencing Consumption of Honey in Mwanza City, Tanzania. Glob Environ Health Saf. Vol. 2 No. 2: 7. Abstract Despite the proliferating consumption of honey in Mwanza City, scant information is available on the quantity consumed and the factors influencing consumption. This study quantifies honey consumption and the major factors that influence the consumption at household level. A total of 120 households from highincome, medium-income and low-income residential categories were randomly selected and interviewed. Both quantitative and qualitative data related to honey consumption were collected. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression model were employed to analyze data. The study revealed that present quantity of honey consumption was about 423,900 Kg while the per capita consumption was about 0.6 Kg. Binary logistic regression model revealed a positive association between consumption and taste of honey (14.2). Other variables such as natural healing characteristic of honey (5.7) and freeness of cholesterol and dangerous sugar contents (1.6) also had a positive correlation. On the other hands, consumption of honey showed a negative association with the education level of head of the household (-3.5). The adjustment in one of these variables can significantly influence the probability of household choice for honey and consumption popularity in the study area. Although honey has important medicinal values but quality is sensitive and important to majority of the consumers.


As a result of globalised development and the rise of capitalism, the craft of traditional Chinese paper cutting is facing marginalisation. The loss of this craft has resulted in a loss of opportunities to share the valuable role of this art form: to bring good wishes to people. The revitalisation of paper cutting as a component of contemporary design offers a strategy to sustain the value and meaning of this craft.
My research explores a potential strategy that supports the transformation of Chinese paper cutting in the contemporary context through its application in design practice. This research investigates the traditional patterns applied to Chinese paper cutting and their implication and symbolic meaning within Chinese folk culture. Through the development of a criteria-led design case study, this research aims to translate these concepts into the formation of new design outcomes applicable to product packaging.
As an element of packaging design, this approach intends to take advantage of the democratisation of and universal access to this medium ensuring wide dissemination to the public.
The purpose of this research is to translate traditional paper cutting into a contemporary design approach that enables the values of this special Chinese craft to prosper.


Aims: The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between preoperative findings and the postoperative outcome following surgical removal of lower third molar. Settings and Design: This is a prospective observational study conducted at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Saveetha University. A total of 104 patients requiring surgical removal of unilateral third molar were evaluated. Patients who were on antibiotics and analgesic for an underlying problem related to impacted third molars preoperatively were excluded. Preoperative variables evaluated were age, sex, maximum interincisal distance, facial measurements both vertical and horizontal, radiographic measurement of position, class, angulation of impacted lower third molar, experience of operator, and duration of surgery. Postoperative evaluation was done on the 1st and 4th day and 7th postoperative day, and the following parameters were evaluated: facial swelling, pain, dry socket, secondary infection, paresthesia, postoperative bleeding, and fracture of jaw. Statistical Analysis Used: The preoperative parameters and postoperative outcomes were compared and correlated using one-way ANOVA, independent "t" test, and Chi-square test. Results: There is statistically significant result to demonstrate that pain and swelling increase with age, the depth of impaction, and when there is no adequate available space between the anterior border of ramus and second molar. As duration of surgery increases, pain, swelling, trismus, and frequency of dry socket increase in our study. Frequency of dry socket increases with increased depth of impaction. Conclusions: In our study, age, sex, the depth of impaction, the space available for the impacted tooth between the anterior border of ramus and second molar, duration of surgery, and horizontal and distoangular impactions have a positive correlation with the outcome of surgical removal of third molar.


We consider adaptive-rate scheduling for downlink unicast transmissions of video streams over cellular wireless networks. We study a service under which each mobile client receives requested video streams at a variable Quality of Experience (QoE) level, based on its experienced communication quality condition. We employ a proxy-video manager at the base station node. The manager classifies users into two groups, based on their reported experienced CQIs (Channel Quality Indicators). The manager intercepts a client's video stream request destined to the HTTP server, determines its group classification, and proceeds to transmit a properly encoded version of the requested stream. To effectively regulate inter- cell signal interference, we examine a number of different spectral reuse and fractional frequency reuse scheduling schemes. We calculate, for each scheduling and user group classification scheme, the average bandwidth per stream that is required to provide user groups with their targeted QoE levels. We demonstrate a user classification process that aims to optimize a utility metric based on the definition of a will-to-pay utility function. The derived optimal configuration of FFR based schemes are shown to significantly enhance the system's performance behavior.


The use of economical and environmentally friendly recycled asphalt materials has become increasingly popular for asphalt pavement construction. Although reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) are typically used in hot-mix asphalt, increasing the amount of RAP and RAS materials increases the potential for premature pavement distresses, especially cracking. This research evaluated four recycled Superpave mixtures with different RAP and RAS contents from Kansas Department of Transportation projects. Two of the mixtures contained 10% RAP and 5% RAS, while the other two mixtures contained 25% RAP but no RAS. Illinois semicircular bending and Florida indirect tension tests were performed to assess mixture cracking and fracture properties. Results showed that mixtures containing 10% RAP and 5% RAS have relatively low fracture energy, creep compliance, energy ratio, and flexibility index but high resilient modulus. These results indicate that mixtures containing 10% RAP and 5% RAS are stiffer, more prone to cracking, and tend to absorb less fracture energy. Mixtures with 25% RAP and no RAS showed the opposite behavior.


Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined by a cluster of several cardio-metabolic risk factors, specifically visceral obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and impaired glucose metabolism, which together increase risks of developing future cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). This article is a narrative review of the literature and a summary of the main observations, conclusions, and perspectives raised in the literature and the study projects of the Working Group of Childhood Obesity (WGChO) of the Italian Society of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology (ISPED) on MetS in childhood obesity. Although there is an agreement on the distinctive features of MetS, no international diagnostic criteria in a pediatric population exist. Moreover, to date, the prevalence of MetS in childhood is not certain and thus the true value of diagnosis of MetS in youth as well as its clinical implications, is unclear. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize the pathogenesis and current role of MetS in children and adolescents with particular reference to applicability in clinical practice in childhood obesity.


Abstract Stable organic open-shell systems have attracted much attention in the field of molecule-based magnetism. We have been exploring novel stable neutral radicals based on a phenalenyl system known as an odd-alternant hydrocarbon π-radical with a highly spin-delocalized nature. Recently, we have designed and synthesized novel oxophenalenoxyl neutral radical systems possessing two oxygen atoms on the phenalenyl skeleton. These systems are unique in comprising some topological isomers depending on the positions of oxygen substituents on the phenalenyl skeleton. The isomers exhibit different topological symmetries of spin density distributions (spin topological symmetry control). In addition, two-stage one-electron reductions of these systems give the corresponding radical dianions, which show remarkably different topological symmetries of a spin-delocalized nature from those of the neutral radical systems (redox-based spin diversity). In this paper, we discuss the unique spin-delocalized nature of 3-, 4-, and 6-oxophenalenoxyl systems in view of the topological symmetry and redox ability, emphasizing the results from the radical dianion of 4-oxophenalenoxyl system from both experimental and theoretical sides.


An oxide coating is formed on zirconium or zirconium alloys of refined microstructure by a process comprising at least the step of inducing an appropriate altered surface roughness such that subsequent oxidation results in a uniformly thick oxide coating. An oxide coating of uniform and controlled thickness is especially useful on orthopedic implants of zirconium or zirconium-based alloys to provide low friction, highly wear resistant surfaces on artificial joints, such as hip joints, knee joints, elbows, etc. The uniformly thick oxide coating of controlled depth on oxide coated prostheses provides a barrier against implant corrosion caused by ionization of the metal prosthesis.


The study of international relations (IR), and political science more broadly, has derived great benefits from the recent growth of conceptualizing and modeling political phenomena within their broader network contexts. More than just a novel approach to evaluating old puzzles, network analysis provides a whole new way of theoretical thinking. Challenging the traditional dyad-driven approach to the study of IR, networks highlight actor interdependence that goes beyond dyads and emphasizes that many traditional IR variables, such as conflict, trade, alliances, or international organization memberships must be treated and studied as networks. Properties of these networks (e.g., polarization, density), and of actor positions within them (e.g., similarity, centrality), will then reveal important insights about international events. Network analysis, however, is not yet fully adapted to account for important methodological issues common to IR research, specifically the issue of endogeneity or possible nonindependence between actors' position within international networks and the outcomes of interest: for example, alliance network may be nonindependent from the conflict or trade network. We adopt an instrumental variable approach to explore and address the issue of endogeneity in network context. We illustrate the issue and the advantages of our approach with Monte Carlo analysis, as well as with several empirical examples from IR literature.


The intestinal immune system must concomitantly tolerate food and commensals and protect against pathogens. Dendritic cells (DCs) orchestrate these immune responses by presenting luminal antigens and inducing functional differentiation of CD4+ T cells into regulatory (pTreg) or pro-inflammatory (Th) subsets. However, the exact nature of the DCs inducing tolerance or inflammation to dietary antigens has been difficult to define. Using an intestine-adapted Labeling Immune Partnerships by SorTagging Intercellular Contacts (LIPSTIC) combined with single-cell transcriptomics, we characterized DCs presenting dietary antigens in the context of tolerance or infection. At steady-state, migratory cDC1 and cDC2 DCs, but not resident DCs, were found to present dietary antigen to cognate CD4+ T cells. Whereas cDC2s promoted T cell activation, only cDC1s induced their differentiation into pTregs. Infection with the helminth Strongyloides venezuelensis abrogated cDC1 presentation of dietary antigens, preventing pTreg and oral tolerance induction. In contrast, Heligmosomoides polygyrus infection only partially affected cDC1s, allowing oral tolerance to be maintained. An expanded population of cDC2s that induced type-2 immunity during both helminth infections did not present dietary antigens, demonstrating that compartmentalized presentation of luminal antigens can prevent food-specific Th2 responses during inflammatory conditions. Our data uncover novel cellular mechanisms by which tolerance to food is induced and can be disrupted during infections.


The study population consisted of 248 patients with at least five-year (mean 8.7+/-4.2 yrs.) history of drinking, mean age (48+/-4.2 years), including 132 subjects with arterial hypertension (mild or moderate according to WHO/ISH guidelines) and 116 normotensives. A group of 48 patients with essential arterial hypertension not consuming alcohol served as controls. Groups of alcoholics with hypertension, alcoholics with normal blood pressure and the controls were compared with respect to differences in standard BP measurements and 24hr blood pressure monitoring, left ventricular mass index, systolic and diastolic left ventricular function by echocardiography. In alcohol-dependent subjects the left ventricular mass index progressed with the increasing declared consumption of ethanol and duration of abuse. The incidence of LVH in drinking hypertensives (28%) did not differ from that in non drinking hypertensives (26%), p>0.05. In hypertensives irrespective of ethanol consumption delayed relaxation was a marker of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. The present study did not confirm the hypothesis that left ventricular hypertrophy was responsible for diastolic impairment in alcohol abusers. Chronic ethanol consumption significantly deteriorated left ventricular diastolic function irrespective of its effect on blood pressure and left ventricular mass. In patients with the highest level of ethanol consumption and the longest duration of abuse ejection fraction was significantly lower than in patients with the lowest level of alcohol consumption and the shortest duration of abuse (EF 61.8% vs. EF 67.4%, p<0.05). Thus, the deterioration of systolic function is significantly related with the level of alcohol consumption and duration of abuse.


Growth factor overexpression, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression, is common in hepatocellular cancers. Erlotinib is a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor with specificity for EGFR. The primary objective of this study was to determine the proportion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with erlotinib who were alive and progression‐free (PFS) at 16 weeks of continuous treatment.

http://www.hcc-infohelp.org/2006-2007/phase 2 study of erlotinib in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma 2007.pdf


Abstract The subject of this paper is the study of the pre-Linnaean herbarium of Paolo Boccone (1633–1704) which is kept in Leiden (the Netherlands) and its connections with two works of the same author: the imprinted herbarium kept in Paris in the Bibliothèques Interuniversitaires de Médecine and the printed volume "Icones et Descriptiones" of 1674. By means of the comparative analysis of the three works we have verified the existence of numerous similarities (even a complete overlap) between the samples of the Leiden herbarium (some with visible traces of ink), the imprints of the Paris herbarium and the figures of "Icones et Descriptiones". The drawings to be found in this work, thanks to the realistic fidelity that distinguishes them, have been used by various authors until quite recent times for the description of new taxa. This shows the importance and the usefulness of the herbarium in question for the processes of typification. The taxonomic identification of the specimens (121 angiosperms and 1 alga) allowed us to designate the lectotype and the epitype of Daucus gingidium subsp. polygamus (Gouan) Onno and of Daucus carota subsp. commutatus (Paol.) Thell.


Dietary nitrate supplementation enhances sea level performance and may ameliorate hypoxemia at high altitude. However, nitrate may exacerbate acute mountain sickness (AMS), specifically headache. This study investigated the effect of nitrate supplementation on AMS symptoms and exercise responses with 6-h hypoxia. Twenty recreationally active men [age, 22 ± 4 yr, maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o2max), 51 ± 6 ml·min-1·kg-1, means ± SD] completed this randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled crossover study. Twelve participants were classified as AMS- on the basis of Environmental Symptoms Questionnaire [Acute Cerebral Mountain Sickness score (AMS-C)] <0.7 in both trials, and five participants were classified as AMS+ on the basis of AMS-C ≥0.7 on placebo. Five days of nitrate supplementation (70-ml beetroot juice containing ~6.4 mmol nitrate daily) increased plasma NO metabolites by 182 µM compared with placebo but did not reduce AMS or improve exercise performance. After 4-h hypoxia [inspired O2 fraction ([Formula: see text]) = 0.124], nitrate increased AMS-C and headache severity (visual analog scale; whole sample ∆10 [1, 20] mm, mean difference [95% confidence interval]; P = 0.03) compared with placebo. In addition, after 5-h hypoxia, nitrate increased sense of effort during submaximal exercise (∆7 [-1, 14]; P = 0.07). In AMS-, nitrate did not alter headache or sense of effort. In contrast, in AMS+, nitrate increased headache severity (∆26 [-3, 56] mm; P = 0.07), sense of effort (∆14 [1, 28]; P = 0.04), oxygen consumption, ventilation, and mean arterial pressure during submaximal exercise. On the next day, in a separate acute hypoxic exercise test ([Formula: see text] = 0.141), nitrate did not improve time to exhaustion at 80% hypoxic V̇o2max In conclusion, dietary nitrate increases AMS and sense of effort during exercise, particularly in those who experience AMS. Dietary nitrate is therefore not recommended as an AMS prophylactic or ergogenic aid in nonacclimatized individuals at altitude.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to identify that the popular dietary nitrate supplement (beetroot) does not reduce acute mountain sickness (AMS) or improve exercise performance during 6-h hypoxia. The consumption of nitrate in those susceptible to AMS exacerbates AMS symptoms (headache) and sense of effort and raises oxygen cost, ventilation, and blood pressure during walking exercise in 6-h hypoxia. These data question the suitability of nitrate supplementation during altitude travel in nonacclimatized people.


Oxy-combustion is a form of low-carbon power generation, where the oxygen is separated from the air for combustion, yielding a flue gas consisting largely of CO2 and water, which in turn allows for relatively easy CO2 capture. Oxy-combustion comes in several forms, including atmospheric oxy-combustion, which can be done at conventional or higher flame temperatures, and a variety of pressurized oxy-combustion concepts. A special case of oxy-combustion is chemical looping combustion (CLC) where the air separation is done using an oxygen carrier, eliminating the need for an energy-intensive cryogenic air separation unit. Another special case, where the oxy-combustion is performed directly within the cycle, is the direct-fired supercritical CO2 (sCO2) power cycle ("Allam Cycle"). Oxy-combustion in its various forms has the potential to capture CO2 economically along with generating water and potentially other revenue streams. However, despite its potential, these technologies are not yet commercial, and their end states are hence unknown.

Various oxy-combustion technologies are at different stages of maturity with multiple developers involved. Developing a roadmap that provides the status of the technology and its relative maturity level; reviews potential applications for oxy-combustion; assesses the performance, costs, and benefits; identifies the critical technical challenges that could limit successful commercial deployment; lays out a pathway to address those challenges; and includes a timeline required to reach commercial deployment, is necessary to get a better understanding of the potential of this novel technology.

The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI) led a team that developed such an oxy-combustion roadmap, focusing on technologies that have established developers and are beyond lab-scale efforts. These technologies were:

• Babcock & Wilcox Company's (B&W) Coal Direct Chemical Looping: A CLC technology, which uses a form of oxy-combustion where the oxygen separation is done using an oxygen carrier, eliminating the need for an energy-intensive air separation. B&W utilizes iron-based oxygen carriers in its system.
• Clean Energy Systems, Inc.'s (CES) Tri-Gen: One of several pressurized oxy-combustion processes that yield smaller components and allow the latent heat recovery of water at useful temperatures designed to improve efficiency. CES' system uses platelet combustors and customized turbomachinery and heat exchangers with one of its initial targets focused on biomass.
• General Electric's (GE) Limestone Chemical Looping Combustion™: A CLC technology, GE uses a calcium-based oxygen carrier in its system.
• Gas Technology Institute's Oxy-Pressurized Fluidized-Bed Combustion: A pressurized oxy-combustion process that utilizes fluidized beds.
• ITEA's Flameless Pressurized Oxy-Combustion: A pressurized oxy-combustion process that utilizes flameless combustion.
• Jupiter Oxygen Corporation's High-Temperature Oxy-Combustion: A form of atmospheric oxy-combustion that employs high flame temperature through a modified burner designed to improve heat transfer.
• Natural Resources Canada's G2: A pressurized oxy-combustion process that is being designed to be coupled with an sCO2 power cycle.
• NET Power, LLC / 8 Rivers, LLC Allam Cycles: Direct-fired, sCO2 power cycle that performs oxy-combustion in-situ, yielding a working fluid of CO2 and water that drives a turbine. NET Power, LLC is developing the natural gas version, while 8 Rivers, LLC is developing the coal-syngas version.
• Washington University in St. Louis' Staged, Pressurized Oxy-Combustion: A pressurized oxy-combustion process that stages the combustion using multiple boilers.

The provides detailed information on each technology's status and work done in the field, assess its maturity level, give data on its costs and performance (in some cases calculated independently by EPRI), review technology gaps that must be addressed, and present multiple timelines for when each is projected to be commercially ready―the first is a deliberate, conservative approach developed by EPRI, and the second was provided by the developer, which generally is an accelerated, more aggressive (and hence riskier) approach that seeks to shorten the timeline.


The core level electrons in iron and its three oxides FeO, Fe3O4 and alpha -Fe2O3 have been studied by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The main features of the spectra have been identified and electron binding energies have been measured. The Fe 2p peaks of the oxide spectra are broadened (FWHM approximately 4.5 eV) due to unresolved multiplet splitting, and shake-up satellites can be observed for both FeII and FeIII species. For all the samples studied the O 1s spectra consist of two overlapping peaks, one due to the oxide and a higher binding energy peak due to an adsorbed species. The higher binding energy peak was frequently dominant indicating a high degree of absorption on the oxide surfaces. The effect of argon ion etching on the surfaces has also been investigated and the results indicate that the analysis of surfaces by means of ion etching in conjunction with XPS can give misleading results.


INTRODUCTION This chapter rounds off the study of WEs by examining them in the context of linguistic aspects of globalisation and some practical issues surrounding it. The main areas covered are WEs in education, special purpose international communication like air traffic control, the growing call-centre industry in the Outer Circle and the further spread of English in Europe. SOME EDUCATIONAL ISSUES In previous chapters we focused on the characteristics of New Englishes that set them apart from metropolitan varieties. These structural and discourse characteristics lead us to characterise individual New Englishes as varieties in their own right. That is, they are treated as relatively autonomous varieties, or dialects with a special status, namely being L2 varieties, not frequently used in the home. Crucially a New English like that of Sri Lanka is not invented anew with each generation of learners. Earlier generations are responsible for effectively laying down tracks that subsequent generations were to follow and modify. Thus Sri Lankan English is not simply 'English in Sri Lanka', but a variety with a certain regional and social identity, one of its characteristics being, as Kachru (1982) and others have stressed, acculturation to the languages, environment and sociopolitical activities in the society. A relevant question that has arisen is whether the New English should be overtly recognised within the educational system, if it is the tacit norm that people follow.


A great number of criticism has been made about the Hungarian population's financial culture and its financial knowledge. The main reason of the incredible indebtedness of households is the lack of financial knowledge, according to several studies, researches and papers. 18-year-olds form a legal entity, they are creditable, they may get into debt limitlessly, and they can allocate their savings where they want to. But what are the main considerations when they choose a credit or a saving construction? What kind of information do they use for their financial decisions? The first aim of the present study is to present the background of the financial decisions of young generations, the circumstances of the compilation of the necessary information, based on the results of a questionnaire research. The second aim of the paper is to reveal the inner context of their decisions with the help of mathematical and statistical methods.


We consider the problem of scheduling distributable realtime threads under run-time uncertainties including those on thread execution times, thread arrivals, node failures, and message losses. We present a distributed scheduling algorithm called ACUA that is designed under a partially synchronous model, allowing for probabilistically-described message delays. We show that ACUA satisfies thread time constraints in the presence of crash failures and message losses, is early-deciding, and has an efficient message and time complexity. The algorithm has also better "best-effort" real-time property than past thread scheduling algorithms.


Particulate organic matter, in varying amounts, falls to the sediment in lakes, where it undergoes decomposition via a mixed chemoorganotrophic bacterial population. This paper proposes the use of methanogenesis as a means of measuring this chemoorganotrophic activity in strict anaerobic environments typical of eutrophic lake sediments. The theory, a review of methods, applications, and examples of data are presented for both in vitro and in situ methods of measuring rates of methane production in sediments. Data are presented from the literature and the authors' laboratory demonstrating a direct relationship between sedimentation rates of organic matter and rates of methanogenesis.


At a time when more nuanced understandings of Muslim countries and their legal and social practices are urgently needed in the West, the appearance of this collection is especially welcome. In these illuminating and accessible essays, the contributors explain how Islam sees itself in terms of social policy, how it treats women, and how it encourages charity, education, and general social welfare. The essays encompass many regional cultures and draw on court records and legal debates, field work on government ministries, and an extensive reading of Islamic law. In his overview of waqf (similar to the Western idea of a foundation, in which an endowment is set aside in perpetuity for specified purposes), Ahmad Dallal explains how charity, a central organizing principle in Islam, is itself organized and how waqf, traditionally a source of revenue for charitable purposes, can also become a source of tension and conflict. Donna Lee Bowen, in her essay on the position of women in Islamic law, points out the crucial differences between the Islamic principles of family equity and the Western notion of individual equality. In a subsequent essay, Bowen addresses the problems surrounding family planning and the dilemmas that have arisen within the Muslim world over differing ideas about birth control. The two final essays look at specific instances of how the modern state has treated Islamic social policy. Gall Richardson examines zakat, an Islamic tax used to assist the poor, and its administration in Pakistan. Carol Underwood, meanwhile, explores public health policy in Iran, both before and after the Islamic revolution that deposed the Shah. Addressing some of the most profound misunderstandings between Islamic and Western societies, Islam And Social Policy will be of vital interest not only to scholars and policymakers but to anyone concerned with Islam's critical place in the modern world. Stephen P. Heyneman is a professor of international education policy at Vanderbilt University. From 1976 to 1998, he helped design and implement education policies for the World Bank. He is the editor or author of a number of reports on international education, economic and social policy.