Ammonia is decomposed in a microwave discharge to give hydrazine, nitrogen and hydrogen. Product yields have been measured as a function of ammonia flow-rate, pressure, power input, temperature and added allyl alcohol and propylene. Hydrazine yields are increased with these additives, although the effect falls off at high powers, whereas gas yields (which approximate to the overall ammonia decomposition) are not appreciably affected. Kinetic and analytical evidence shows that the effect of allyl alcohol in increasing the hydrazine yield is by scavenging H atoms and that few NH2 radicals are scavenged. The remaining hydrazine destruction mechanism (particularly at high power) is probably electron-induced.


High Entropy Alloys (HEA) are alloy systems that are formed with five or more principal elements of alloy or have an entropy of mixture higher than 1.5R. Although at first it may seem like if it is extrapolated from binary and ternary diagrams these supposed high entropy alloys may generate very complex microstructures with multiple phases, segregations and intermetallic compounds, making them very difficult to analyze and understand, however, due to the thermodynamics involved in a system with multiple components, HEAs tend to have simple crystal structure like body-centered cubic (BCC) and face-centered cubic (FCC).
Because of the first ideas that multiple elements alloys tend to have complicated microstructures and non-interesting properties, this field of study wasn't explored until the year 2004 when Jian-Wei Yeh and Brian Candor started investigating them. After the first studies, showing to the world that these new alloys presented interesting properties, publications related to High Entropy Alloys started increasing worldwide as it can be seen in Figure 1.
As the investigation effort related to HEAs is increasing, the more it is becoming clear that HEA systems exhibit excellent characteristics such as high strength and hardness, excellent wear resistance, high-temperature strength, good structural stability, good corrosion and oxidation resistance over conventional alloys.


The second installment of The Malayan Trilogy (1964), The Enemy in the Blanket (1958), an English literary text by Anthony Burgess (1917-1993), is written with the colliding of cultures and clashes of religions as the central themes. Set in pre-independence Malaya, Burgess is part of a group of Western writers who had actually lived in their fictional settings where the literary continuation of this group of writers has been ignored for a long time and has not appeared in anthologies in the academic context. As scholarship on the Muslim Malay characters in Burgess' novel is still overlooked in terms of scholarly value as well as its Islamic and Malay ethnicity discourses, we argue that Burgess has addressed a conundrum still faced by current Muslim Malay society: the pre-independence Muslim Malay characters in The Enemy in the Blanket are conflicted; trapped in a state of betwixt and between being a Muslim, and of a Westernised lifestyle which, more often than not, oppose each other. Thus, we examine Burgess' portrayals of the Muslim Malay characters that adopt a Westernised lifestyle and appear to be in a quandary with regards to their Islamic beliefs and practices. As methodology, we utilised Victor Turner's concept of liminality (1967) to analyse scenes in the novels which depict such binary opposition. Findings demonstrate that the Muslim Malay characters have to negotiate their identity issues in order to either feel more socially acceptable through the preference of a Westernised lifestyle or struggle to become ethically and morally truthful to their religious faith.


We perform an extensive study of the correlations between the neutrino-nucleon inverse mean free paths (IMFPs) and the underlying equation of states (EoSs). Strong interaction uncertainties in the neutrino mean free path are investigated in different density regimes. The nucleon effective mass, the nucleon chemical potentials, and the residual interactions in the medium play an important role in determining neutrino-nucleon interactions in a density-dependent manner. We study how the above quantities are constrained by an EoS consistent with (i) nuclear mass measurements, (ii) proton-proton scattering phase shifts, and (iii) neutron star observations. We then study the uncertainties of both the charged current and the neutral current neutrino-nucleon inverse mean free paths due to the variation of these quantities, using Hartree-Fock+random phase approximation method. Finally, we calculate the Pearson correlation coefficients between (i) the EoS-based quantities and the EoS-based quantities; (ii) the EoS-based quantities and the IMFPs; (iii) the IMFPs and the IMFPs. We find a strong impact of residual interactions on neutrino opacity in the spin and spin-isospin channels, which are not well constrained by current nuclear modelings.


The functioning of the eukaryotic cell genome is mediated by sophisticated protein-nucleic-acid complexes, whose minimal structural unit is the nucleosome. After the damage to genomic DNA, repair proteins need to gain access directly to the lesion; therefore, the initiation of the DNA damage response inevitably leads to local chromatin reorganisation. This review focuses on the possible involvement of PARP1, as well as proteins acting nucleosome compaction, linker histone H1 and non-histone chromatin protein HMGB1. The polymer of ADP-ribose is considered the main regulator during the development of the DNA damage response and in the course of assembly of the correct repair complex.


ion, Relation and Induction: Three Essays in the History of Thought. By JULIUS WEINBERG. (Madison and Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin Press, 1965. Pp. xii + 156. Price $5.00) It is very interesting and useful to trace, in the perspective of a long history of subsequent criticisms and modifications, the development of certain important concepts from their initial crude form. The present book is such an attempt. In it the author traces in a very illuminating way, the development of the three related concepts of 'abstraction', 'relation' and 'induction'. The first essay of the book discusses both a nominalist critique of the doctrine of abstraction as held by Locke in modern times and by scholastics like Boethius, Abelard, Avicenna, Scotus and Aquinas in the middle ages, and the alternative explanation of general terms as given by the nominalists. Berkeley's main objection, according to the author, and contrary to the consensus of opinion, is logical rather than psychological (an inability to find any abstract idea in his mind). Weinberg maintains that Berkeley's critique centres around his pointing out contradictions actually involved in the doctrine as presented by its defenders. And he tries to elucidate the nature of the contradictions in the following lines. 'The specific difference cannot exist save as determination of a genus, and the genus cannot be save within a species. But the doctrine of abstraction holds that the genus-concept exists in separation from the species. This is to separate some feature of reality from itself (p. 20). But Weinberg's argument here appears to me to be a bit misleading. The separation of a genus, which cannot exist save within a species, from its species indeed amounts to the contradiction of separating a thing from itself. But then this is not the same as showing that the genus-concept is impossible save within a species-concept and hence that the separation of the former from the latter involves a contradiction. I can very well understand what a triangle is without understanding what a scalene triangle is. Nor can Weinberg be supposed to meet such an objection by saying, 'However, the fact that in some sense or other it is possible to "think" in terms of the triangular without adding further determinations, does not imply that there is an object of awareness which is merely generic and in no way specific in character' (pp. 23-24). Because although such an argument might apply ad hominem against Locke's version of the doctrine, it certainly does not apply (contrary to the author's intention) against the doctrine of abstraction in general.


The power spectra of many geophysical phenomena are well approximated by a power-law dependence on frequency or wavenumber. I derive a simple expression for the root-mean square variability of a process with such a spectrum over an interval of time or space. The resulting expression yields the power-law time dependence characteristic of fractal processes, but can be generalized to give the temporal variability for more general spectral behaviors. The method is applied to spectra of crustal strain (to show what size of strain events can be detected over periods of months to seconds) and of sea level (to show the difficulty of extracting long-term rates from short records).


Traumatic bone cyst (TBC) is a jaw disorder that is asymptomatic, slow growing, and usually detected during routine panoramic examinations. The etiology and pathogenesis of TBC are still unknown. The lack of information and scarce research efforts on TBC has made it difficult for operators to appropriately diagnose and monitor cases, which often requires extensive treatment. Here, we report the case of a moderate-sized TBC, scalloping and pass¬ing through the mandibular midline and suspected to be a malignant lesion.


In this report, the capacitive performance of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) supercapacitors and the effect of NiO nanoparticle incorporation is investigated. A comparison between rGO, MoS2, and MoS2/rGO sheets revealed that the MoS2/rGO composite exhibited higher capacitance owing to better charge transfer in comparison to its individual counterparts. The incorporation of NiO nanoparticles was feasible through sputter deposition of 10 nm NiO film, which upon thermal annealing converted into nanostructures with an average grain size of 35 nm. The NiO-decorated MoS2/rGO electrode showed superior capacitance performance compared to non-decorated samples. The thermal treatment of NiO film was performed at 350 °C in the presence of argon gas for 30 min. The final capacitance of the a:NiO/rGO and a:NiO/MoS2/rGO electrodes was significantly enhanced to 4.8 and 7.38 mF cm−2, respectively, compared with individual rGO (2.31 mF cm−2) or MoS2 (1.01 mF cm−2) electrodes at the same scan rate of 25 mV s−1. Moreover, the a:NiO/MoS2/rGO electrode exhibited a long discharging time of 34.5 s with promising cycle stability (about 90%) over 1000 cycles.


As the technology of adjustable speed drives (ASDs) matured, possibilities for technical breakthroughs slowly decreased. In response, most of the research in this field is pursuing increasingly esoteric topics in search of opportunities for original contributions. This paper presents a view from industry of the remaining highly relevant research problems, the solution of which would represent significant contributions. Research opportunities in both low and medium voltage drives are explored and the impact of developments in drive supporting technologies is assessed.


We examined the telephone response rates in a 2-year study of patients with COPD to identify factors associated with non-response. A total of 381 patients received monthly telephone calls to assess symptoms and treatment in 2007 and 2008. A total of 9019 calls were made over 24 months, of which 73% were answered. The highest response rate was obtained in February 2007 (81 %), and the lowest in July 2008 (48%). The monthly response rate was lower in the second year of follow up. There were 39 patients (10%) who were less frequent responders, with 10 or fewer responses. Less frequent responders were more likely to be current smokers and have hypoxaemia. The median number of answered calls was 18 (interquartile range 16–20). In bivariate models the median number of responses was significantly lower in subjects with chronic cough. In multivariate models neither demographic nor disease characteristics were significantly associated with non-response. We found less frequent responders to monthly telephone calls to be similar in characteristics to frequent responders. This suggests that non-response does not necessarily introduce bias in telephone surveys of patients with COPD.


The effects, in adult animals, of limbic lesions produced in infancy were studied in 273 male Wistar rats using weight gain and conditioned emotional response (CER) and conditioned avoidance response (CAR) acquisition as the critical measures. Subjects received bilateral lesions of the amygdala, septum, posteroventral hippocampus (PH), anterodorsal hippocampus (AH), or frontal cortex either as infants (at 10 days of age) or as adults (at 60 days). Normal and anesthetized control groups were also used. Frontal cortical lesions, AH lesions, and anesthetization had no effect on weights or on CER and CAR acquisition. Both infant and adult amygdala and septal lesions significantly disrupted normal weight gain. Adult-accrued amydala and PH lesions significantly retarded CER acquisition, and adult septal and PH lesions significantly facilitated CAR acquisition. Infant-accrued amygdala lesions significantly retarded CER acquisition but had no effect on CAR acquisition. Infant septal lesions significantly facilitated CAR acquisition, and infant PH lesions had no effect on either task. The results were interpreted to mean that the observed task-specific recovery in early-operated animals may have been due to some form of functional reorganization.


Textured Ag foils 200 /spl mu/m thick have been obtained after cold rolling and recrystallization at 800/spl deg/C with a reduction ratio of up to 95%. Subsequently, a thick layer of YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ (20 /spl mu/m) has been deposited by screen printing, A directional solidification process under a temperature gradient with displacement velocity between 1 mm/h and 10 mm/h has been performed to induce a biaxial texture to the superconducting layer. This last treatment has been performed at low P(O/sub 2/) atmosphere and at maximum temperatures below 945/spl deg/C. The texture of the layers has been studied by X-ray diffraction, rocking curves and pole figures, whilst the critical currents have been measured inductively by SQUID magnetometry. The relationship between the in-plane crystalline orientation and the observed critical currents has been discussed.


Over the last decade, innate immune system receptors and sensors called inflammasomes have been identified to play key pathological roles in the development and progression of numerous diseases. Among them, the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD-), leucine-rich repeat (LRR-) and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is probably the best characterized. To date, NLRP3 has been extensively studied in the heart, where its effects and actions have been broadly documented in numerous cardiovascular diseases. However, little is still known about NLRP3 implications in muscle disorders affecting non-cardiac muscles. In this review, we summarize and present the current knowledge regarding the function of NLRP3 in diseased skeletal muscle, and discuss the potential therapeutic options targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome in muscle disorders.


Background/Purpose: The recurrence of indirect inguinal hernia vary from less than 0.5% to approximately 4%. Recurrence may be attributed to tearing of a friable sac, slipping of the ligature at the neck of the sac or failure to ligate the sac high at the internal ring. In boys, re-operations are difficult and require tedious and careful dissection of the dense fibrous tissue resulting from the earlier surgery. There are definite risks of damaging the vas deferens and testicular vessels. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and outcome of using the mesh plug technique in the repair of certain difficult cases
of recurrent indirect inguinal hernia in male infants and children.
Materials & Methods: This prospective study was carried out at the pediatric surgery unit, surgical department, Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt during the period from April 2008 to September 2009. The study included 10 boys with recurrent indirect inguinal hernia. Patients were included in the study during the surgical procedure if they have one of the following inclusion criteria: marked adhesions and fibrosis surrounding the cord, distorted anatomy of the inguinal region and patulous internal ring
Results: A total of 10 operations in 10 infants were performed. The patients age ranged from 3 months to 2 years with the mean age (12.1 months). All cases had severe adhesions surrounding the cord structure with marked distortion of the
anatomy. Two cases had associated patulous internal ring. The operative time ranged from 20-30 minutes (mean 25 min). The follow- up period ranged from one month to 11 months (mean 5.8 months), during the follow-up period no major complications were noted.
Conclusion: The application of mesh plug technique in the repair of difficult cases of recurrent indirect inguinal hernia in boys is easily applicable, safe and not expensive.

 Index Word: Laparoscopes, recurrent indirect inguinal hernia in children, mesh plug technique.


In this paper, we present a new domain decomposition technique which considers the effect of multiple reflections between the subdomains. This method has the ability to simulate accurately large electromagnetic problems which are difficult to handle using the direct application of the FDTD method. The results of the examples considered in this paper compare well with the direct FDTD solution.


Guinea pigs primed with 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP)-ovalbumin (OVA) will develop markedly enhanced secondary anti-DNP antibody responses to the heterologous conjugate DNP-bovine γ globulin (BGG) provided that they have been supplementally immunized with appropriate amounts of BGG. This phenomenon reflects the enhancing influence of BGG-specific thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes on anti-DNP antibody production. The present studies demonstrate that such enhancing T cell influences can be abolished by the following manipulations: 1) simultaneous supplemental immunization with two unrelated proteins such as BGG and keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) or glucose oxidase (GO) significantly diminished the secondary anti-DNP response upon challenge with a DNP-conjugate of one of the carriers employed; 2) the intraperitoneal injection of soluble BGG, in the appropriate dose range, 1 day before secondary DNP-BGG challenge completely abolishes the anti-DNP response regardless of whether BGG alone or BGG together with KLH had been used in the supplemental immunization; 3) a challenge with soluble KLH 1 day before secondary challenge with DNP-BGG inhibits the anti-DNP response provided KLH had been administered simultaneously with BGG in the supplemental immunization. The failure to observe similar suppression when KLH was replaced by a copolymer of d-glutamic acid and d-lysine (D-GL) which is nonimmunogenic for T cells indicates that this suppression is a reflection of a T cell-mediated influence.
 We have interpreted these observations to indicate the production of soluble inhibitory mediators in phenomena such as antigen-induced suppression ("antigenic competition") and, furthermore, that the elaboration of such mediators is most likely by T lymphocytes. Reasons for favoring the concept that enhancing or inhibitory influences on antibody production represent two ends of the spectrum of regulation exerted, perhaps, by the same T cell product are discussed.


These are exciting times for unconventional resource development across North America. This success has proven to be a driver for the rest of the world to attempt to emulate the game-changing results found in the industry. As a consequence, improved horizontal drilling and hydraulic completion technology are currently being disseminated to the rest of the world, where operators are seeking to replicate the North American success in tight reservoirs and shale plays of interest. This being further fueled by higher gas prices than are awarded in North America.
 This paper introduces a work-flow process to describe how tight gas-sand potential was discovered in the Mezardere Formation in the southern part of the in Thrace Basin in NW Turkey. The process began with the development of an improved understanding of geology and reservoir characterization followed by the application of North American drilling and completion technologies to commercially extract hydrocarbons from previously uneconomic resources.
 Design of hydraulic fracturing, including pad volumes, proppant and gel concentrations, stage volumes and typical pressure profiles, production profiles and well design parameters are established. The content also presents how completion designs can be improved in a vertical well application in existing wellbores as a means to mitigate capital risk in a horizontal development plan.
 The paper concludes by showing how the successful extraction of commercial gas production from heretofore uneconomic portions of the Thrace basin has the potential to change the energy future in Turkey via dramatically improved production results over previous conventional completions. When results were made public, the basin garnered attention from many large E&P Operators. The results proved that improved economic enhancement of deep basin unconventional resources as possible; thereby changing and accelerating development plans for this type of play.


Several authors have discussed that the current structure of the educational system, geared to creating successful employees and consumers, is not adequate for the needs of today's students. Higher education continues to struggle. Today, it is imperative that higher education institutions find renewed confidence from public constituents. The emphasis on this chapter will be what faculty members can focus on to strengthen the learning and quality outcomes of instruction by developing trusting relationships with students and enhanced student motivation. Teaching the Adult Learner: Building Trust and Motivation


Recent research has explored links between cognition and personality, with prominent hypotheses proposing that personality drives consistent individual differences in cognitive function. These hypotheses particularly expect bolder individuals to be faster, but less accurate, as a trade-off in cognitive function. However, cognitive processes are typically interconnected and defined in more complex terms than simply speed and accuracy. Here, we present evidence that personality-based differences in learning rates are a result of differences in decision-making during training in a two-alternative forced-choice spatial memory task. This was examined in the mormyrid fish Gnathonemus petersii in the presence of light, where both vision and the electric sense are available, and in the dark, where visibility is limited and fish rely mostly on electrosensing. The species is adapted for the dark to avoid visual predators; thus, the presence of light can induce high-risk and the dark low-risk. We show that light conditions had little effect on learning, with bolder fish learning faster both in the light and in the dark conditions. Yet the relationship between learning rates and error rates indicates that the effect on learning is indirectly influenced by accuracy during training. Speed-accuracy trade-offs were not found in decision-making, with bolder individuals deciding faster and more accurately both in the light and in the dark. Only learning strategy was affected by light conditions, with significantly more fish preferring response to place learning in the dark than in the light, where distal cues were not visible. We conclude that other than effects from the integration of visual information, bolder individuals show a consistently greater tendency to explore and find food rewards during training. This affects their decision-making and in turn their learning performance. We highlight the complexity by which personality-based effects are exhibited in spatial associative learning.


The restabilizing mechanisms after the onset of thermal instability in bipolar transistors are studied by theoretical analyses, computer simulations and experimental measurements. Restability conditions are described by novel analytical formulae. Furthermore, the expression of collect current in the second fly-back point is given for the first time. The effects of emitter ballast resistance, collector-emitter voltage and thermal resistance on restabilization mechanisms are expressed and investigated.


In contrast to the common notion of experiments as a means for testing theories, Science Studies currently emphasize the explorative character of experiments, thus elevating their systematic epistemologica! relevance. Consequently the experiment has become another challenge to Reichenbach's distinction between discovery and justification, which has been valid in the philosophy of science for several decades. Repeatedly the experiment has served as an epistemological paradigm in philosophy. Engaging with recent positions in Science Studies the paper investigates Kant's understanding of the use, meaning, and function of the experiment, focusing on its specifications with the catch words touchstone and the art of attempt. The historical and systematic approach shows to what extent the experiment is situated between freedom and coercion.


Clumped‐isotope measurements in CO2 and carbonates (Δ47) present a number of technical challenges and require correcting for various sources of analytical nonlinearity. For now, we lack a formal description of the analytical errors associated with these correction steps, which are not accounted for in most data processing methods currently in use. Here we formulate a quantitative description of Δ47 error propagation, fully taking into account standardization errors and their properties. We find that standardization errors are highly sensitive to the isotopic compositions (δ47, Δ47) of unknown samples relative to the standards used for analytical corrections, and in many cases constitute a non‐negligible source of uncertainty, causing true measurements errors to exceed traditionally reported error estimates by a factor of 1.5 (typically) to 3.5 (in extreme cases). Using Monte Carlo simulations based on the full InterCarb data set, we find that this model yields accurate error estimates in spite of small non‐Gaussian effects which remain entirely negligible in practice. We also describe various standardization strategies, along with the assumptions they rely on, in the context of this model, and propose a new, "pooled" standardization approach designed to yield more robust/accurate corrections. Among other uses, the mathematical framework described here may be helpful to improve standardization protocols (e.g., anchor/unknown ratios) and inform future efforts to define community reference materials. What is more, these models imply that the inter‐laboratory scatter (N = 5,329) observed in the InterCarb exercise (Bernasconi, Daëron, et al., 2021) can be entirely explained as the effects of current standardization procedures. Based on these findings, we recommend that future studies systematically report full analytical uncertainties taking standardization errors into account. In line with this recommendation, we provide user‐friendly online resources and an open‐source Python library designed to facilitate the use of these error models.


Missing observations are common in time series data and several methods are available to impute these values prior to analysis. Variation in statistical characteristics of univariate time series can have a profound effect on characteristics of missing observations and, therefore, the accuracy of different imputation methods. The imputeTestbench package can be used to compare the prediction accuracy of different methods as related to the amount and type of missing data for a user-supplied dataset. Missing data are simulated by removing observations completely at random or in blocks of different sizes depending on characteristics of the data. Several imputation algorithms are included with the package that vary from simple replacement with means to more complex interpolation methods. The testbench is not limited to the default functions and users can add or remove methods as needed. Plotting functions also allow comparative visualization of the behavior and effectiveness of different algorithms. We present example applications that demonstrate how the package can be used to understand differences in prediction accuracy between methods as affected by characteristics of a dataset and the nature of missing data.


This investigation employs an optimized method to alleviate defects occurring at BF<inf>2</inf>+ implanted source/drain areas, some white spots defects found at scribes lines after BPSG (boron and phosphorus doped silicon glass) anneal. The results of physical failure analysis indicate the white spot defects are relative to outgassed fluorine that can't be released out during BPSG thermal annealing. Various approaches which includes changing the stress of post cap layer, lowering down the BF<inf>2</inf>+ implant doping concentration, and optimizing the ramp-up speed of post-annealing are all able to alleviate the generation of white spot defects. The optimized process with an additional RTP (rapid thermal annealing) right after BF<inf>2</inf>+ implantation delivers 7% yield improvement.


Moses test is a nonparametric method to test the equality of two dispersion parameters. The Moses test does not assume equality of location parameters, and this fact gives the test wider applicability. However, this test is inefficient since different people applying the test will obtain different values because of a random process. One sub-division may lead to significant results where another does not. To overcome the problem of uniqueness of the result, this study proposed to modify the random selection of the observation for the subsamples based on the ranking procedure to lead for a unique result for each solution. The original and modified Moses test were tested on the same data set. The finding shows that the result for both tests is similar in terms of decision and conclusion. The analysis revealed that the modified Moses test based on ranking approach has a smaller sum of squared values compared to the original Moses test. Thus, the variability of data for each subsample is decreased as well. Ranking approach can be used as an alternative to replacing the random procedure of selecting observations for subsample to overcome the problem of uniqueness in the test statistic.


This paper reports on the ways in which teaching principals in rural schools in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, Canada enact instructional leadership within the five leadership domains conceptualized by Robinson, Lloyd, and Rowe (2008). Although participants suggested that they were "not where they wanted to be" in their efforts to enact instructional leadership, their actions demonstrate exemplary practice in this regard. The nature of the discourse perpetuated by leadership groups and teachers' associations that equates instructional leadership with classroom visits only has the effect of decreasing teaching principals' self-efficacy as instructional leaders. We argue for recognition of these leaders' efforts to support learning, and a reconstitution of the role of the teaching principal such that instructional leadership expectations are realistically manageable for leaders in small rural schools.


The Neotropical lizard Mabuya agmosticha Rodrigues, 2000 is a habitat-specialist of thorny bromeliads in rocky outcrops of northeastern Brazil. Its distribution in the Caatinga Domain is most likely relictual. In recent years, new surveys conducted in northeastern Brazil have revealed new records of the species in the Caatinga and also in the Atlantic Forest Domain. In this study, we add four new records for M. agmosticha, extending its known geographic range in the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Paraiba. In addition, we investigated the potential geographical distribution of the species using ecological niche modeling (ENM), which combines the available occurrence records with environmental variables. Our model revealed a continuous range of areas with suitable climatic conditions for the species, from the state of Rio Grande do Norte to the northeast portion of the state of Bahia, plus some relictual distribution spots, mainly in the states of Bahia, Pernambuco, Ceara and western Rio Grande do Norte. Based on the model, we suggest that the distribution of M. agmosticha is continuous on a large geographic scale. On a smaller spatial scale, however, it is clear that its distribution is clumped, reflecting its specialist habits associated with rupicolous bromeliads.


The coal-bearing strata in the Basoren Formation from the Sariz-Karapinar coal region are of middle Miocene age and were deposited in a lacustrine environment. Coal in this formation is lignitic in rank (%Ro, random of eu-ulminite B is 0.37). These lignites have high inertinite content (up to 37.4%), which is higher than in any other Turkish lignites studied previously. Inertinite content in the region increases from the northeast to the southwest, possibly indicating oxidation of organic matter in the coal-forming environment due to lowering of the water level. Total sulfur content in the lignites ranges from 1.8 to 4.8%. High-rank coals present in the Upper Permian Yigiltepe Formation (%Ro, random is 0.66-0.70) contain more sulfur (Stot = 5.6-6.9%) and less inertinite (9.6-12.1%).


Transactional Information Systems is the long-awaited, comprehensive work from leading scientists in the transaction processing field. Weikum and Vossen begin with a broad look at the role of transactional technology in today's economic and scientific endeavors, then delve into critical issues faced by all practitioners, presenting today's most effective techniques for controlling concurrent access by multiple clients, recovering from system failures, and coordinating distributed transactions.

The authors emphasize formal models that are easily applied across fields, that promise to remain valid as current technologies evolve, and that lend themselves to generalization and extension in the development of new classes of network-centric, functionally rich applications. This book's purpose and achievement is the presentation of the foundations of transactional systems as well as the practical aspects of the field what will help you meet today's challenges.

* Provides the most advanced coverage of the topic available anywhere--along with the database background required for you to make full use of this material.
* Explores transaction processing both generically as a broadly applicable set of information technology practices and specifically as a group of techniques for meeting the goals of your enterprise.
* Contains information essential to developers of Web-based e-Commerce functionality--and a wide range of more "traditional" applications.
* Details the algorithms underlying core transaction processing functionality.

Table of Contents

PART ONE - BACKGROUND AND MOTIVATION
Chapter 1 What Is It All About?
Chapter 2 Computational Models
PART TWO - CONCURRENCY CONTROL
Chapter 3 Concurrency Control: Notions of Correctness for the Page Model
Chapter 4 Concurrency Control Algorithms
Chapter 5 Multiversion Concurrency Control
Chapter 6 Concurrency Control on Objects: Notions of Correctness
Chapter 7 Concurrency Control Algorithms on Objects
Chapter 8 Concurrency Control on Relational Databases
Chapter 9 Concurrency Control on Search Structures
Chapter 10 Implementation and Pragmatic Issues
PART THREE - RECOVERY
Chapter 11 Transaction Recovery
Chapter 12 Crash Recovery: Notion of Correctness
Chapter 13 Page Model Crash Recovery Algorithms
Chapter 14 Object Model Crash Recovery
Chapter 15 Special Issues of Recovery
Chapter 16 Media Recovery
Chapter 17 Application Recovery
PART FOUR - COORDINATION OF DISTRIBUTED TRANSACTIONS
Chapter 18 Distributed Concurrency Control
Chapter 19 Distributed Transaction Recovery
PART FIVE - APPLICATIONS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
Chapter 20 What Is Next?


Evaluating students by giving them assignments and projects is essential for their learning. Yet the validity of this assessment can be threatened by the serious problem of plagiarism. Researchers have found that copying another's work is very common in schools (Decoo, 2002) and is caused by several factors. Curiously, most prominent among these is lack of awareness of what plagiarism is (Pritchett, 2010). Thus, this chapter tries to measure this awareness among English students in a Foundation Program at Oman's Sultan Qaboos University and determine how their teachers deal with it. The sample included 40 English Foundation students (20 males and 20 females) and 20 instructors (10 males and 10 females). A questionnaire revealed that these students lacked awareness of plagiarism because its meaning had not been explained at school. Participants thus suggested receiving more instruction about proper citation and quotation as one solution to the problem. Instructors dealt with plagiarism in different ways, with such penalties as deducting marks the most common. Moreover, a negative relationship was found between students' academic proficiency and their willingness to plagiarize. To help these Foundation students to avoid facing difficulties in higher education, the study suggested teaching them, while still in school, how to cite, quote, and use references without plagiarizing.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the epidemic status of Hepatitis B in children aged 1-14 in 3 counties of Guangdong province in 2013, and to evaluate the effect of hepatitis control in children aged 1-14 after hepatitis B vaccine was integrated into the national immunization program in 2002 and catch-up vaccination was conducted from 2009 to 2011.

METHODS
A multi-stage stratified random sampling was designed to survey 1 621 children aged 1-14 in rural area of Nanxiong county, Haifeng county and Xinxing county by questionnaires including general information, medical history and risk factors. The samples were tested with chemiluminescence method to detect hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to HbsAg (anti-HBs) and antibody to HBV core antigen (anti-HBc). Chi-square test was used to compare the positive rate of HBV serum markers in different age groups, vaccine histories, birth weight and HBV infection status of mother.

RESULTS
Among the children aged 1-14 in 3 counties rural regions of Guangdong province, the positive rate of HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc was 1.11% (18/1 621), 60.69% (982/1 618) and 1.92% (31/1 617), respectively. The HBsAg positive rate of vaccinated children (0.84%, 13/1 547) was lower than that of unvaccinated children (1/13) or children with unknown vaccination status (6.56%, 4/61) (χ² = 22.64, P < 0.001). The HBsAg positive rate (0.45%, 5/1 118) of the children with birth-dose given within 24 hours was lower than those that of children given beyond 24 hours (2.63%, 61/190) (χ² = 10.21, P < 0.001). The HBsAg positive rate (5/18) of children with birth weight under 2 kilogram was higher than that of children with birth weight above 2 kilogram (0.78%, 12/1 548) (χ² = 120.8, P < 0.001). The HBsAg positive rate of children born to HBsAg-positive mothers (2.80%, 3/107) was higher than that of children born to HBsAg-negative mothers (0.21%, 1/470) (χ² = 8.50, P = 0.004). With the age increasing, the coverage and timely birth-dose coverage of Hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) decreased, and the positive rate of anti-HBs gradually decreased.

CONCLUSION
After the catch-up vaccination was conducted in unvaccinated children aged 1-14 years from 2009 to 2011, the HBsAg and anti-HBc positive rate decreased, while the anti-HBs positive rate increased significantly.


Quest Alliance began its organizational journey as digital technology was about to unfold sweeping changes in India, including in the areas of education and employment. As if to symbolize its tryst with technology, it is nestled in India's "silicon valley" city of Bengaluru. Today, it also happens to enjoy the patronage of an enviable list of marquee donors ranging from leaders in the financial services industry and information technology to multilateral development agencies and Indian Government. Over the course of its work with these partners, Quest Alliance has come to serve as an interesting node in the arena of skill development and operates at the intersection of education, technology and youth employment. Established in 2005, it started as an earnest but modest enterprise. From 2009—when it had seven people and a sudden crisis of funding at hand—till 2022, it saw rapid acceleration. By the end of 2022, it had a team of 234 handling over INR 62 crore worth of annual funding. What Quest was working on—"Enabling self-learning"—was highly topical and certainly aided its growth, but amidst this growth something unusually remained steadfast: the extent of its investment on learning, development and capacity building of its own team. This holds significance for civil society where sourcing and building talent is a continuous pre-occupation for leadership. The case engages with the journey of Quest and its founder Aakash Sethi, and explores what it takes to put in place the internal scaffolding to hold together this deliberate and sustained focus on self-learning and development of its own people. It also engages with Quest's work towards evolving a model of talent-building of young people in schools as well as those in transition from education to employment: anchored in the notion of young people as self-learners equipped with 21st century skills. The latter part of the case explores how Quest has crafted its own people management practice around the "self-learner" and gives learners the opportunity to reflect on the challenges of building and maintaining a way of being, doing and relating in a rapidly growing organization.


This unit reports the synthesis of oligodeoxyribonucleotides covalently linked via their 5′ termini to various ligands such as intercalating agents, reactive groups, or labels. Methods for incorporation of halogenoalkyl, isothiocyanate, and 2‐pyridyldisulfide linkers onto ligands, and addition of amino, carboxyl, thiophosphate, phosphate, and masked thiol groups at the 5 terminus of an oligodeoxyribonucleotide are described elsewhere in the series. This unit reports procedures for coupling the ligands and oligonucleotides, as well as details for purification and characterization of the final products.


With regard to the use of bio materials, there is a great need for clarification of the legal ramifications. And since procuring and storing bio materials is becoming an increasingly important point for answering molecular-genetic questions within medical research, finding an answer soon for the related legal and organisational questions is extremely important. This article examines the modern uses of bio materials, suitable types of legal entity for biobanks as well as questions related to ownership of samples.


AIMS
To evaluate a 2.5-year prevention programme working through parents, targeting drinking among 13-16-year-olds.

DESIGN
Quasi-experimental using matched controls with a pre-post, intention-to-treat design.

SETTING
Schools located in inner city, public housing and small town areas.

PARTICIPANTS
A total of 900 pupils entering junior high school and their parents, followed longitudinally.

INTERVENTION
Parents received information by mail and during parent meetings in schools urging them to: (i) maintain strict attitudes against youth alcohol use and (ii) encourage their youth's involvement in adult-led, organized activities.

MEASUREMENTS
Evaluation of the implementation used measures of parental attitudes against underage drinking and youths' participation in organized activities. Outcomes were youths' drunkenness and delinquency.

FINDINGS
The implementation successfully influenced parents' attitudes against underage drinking, but not youth participation in organized activities. At post-test, youths in the intervention group reported less drunkenness and delinquency. Effect sizes were 0.35 for drunkenness and 0.38 for delinquency. Findings were similar for boys and girls and for early starters. Effects were not moderated by community type.

CONCLUSIONS
Working via parents proved to be an effective way to reduce underage drinking as well as delinquency.


OBJECTIVES
We evaluated the utility of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography in determining the vascular pathology in patients with sudden hearing loss.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
The study included 13 patients (11 males, 2 females; mean age 46.6+/-17.7 years; range 18 to 66 years) with a diagnosis of sudden hearing loss. Patients having chronic otitis media or other middle ear diseases or a history of surgery in the affected ear were excluded. All the patients were evaluated by pure-tone audiometry, impedance audiometry, transient evoked otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem responses, and transcranial Doppler ultrasonography. The results were compared with those of a control group of 19 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (12 males, 7 females; mean age 46.8+/-6.9 years; range 33 to 58 years) who did not have any ear disease or a history of ototoxic drug intake or working in a noisy environment, and no pathology on otoscopic and audiometric examinations.

RESULTS
Compared to the normal ear, the mean blood flow and systolic flow velocities of the vertebral artery were significantly decreased, and the mean pulsatile index was significantly increased on the affected side. The mean flow velocity of the basilar artery in the patient group was lower than that found in the control group.

CONCLUSION
Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography can be used for the evaluation of vascular involvement of the vertebral and basilar arteries in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss.


In this paper we define and study new directional Metropolis–Hastings algorithms that propose states in hyperplanes. Each iteration in directional Metropolis–Hastings algorithms consist of three steps. First a direction is sampled by an auxiliary variable. Then a potential new state is proposed in the subspace defined by this direction and the current state. Lastly, the potential new state is accepted or rejected according to the Metropolis–Hastings acceptance probability. Traditional directional Metropolis–Hastings algorithms define the direction by one vector and so the corresponding subspace in which the potential new state is sampled is a line. In this paper we let the direction be defined by two or more vectors and so the corresponding subspace becomes a hyperplane. We compare the performance of directional Metropolis–Hastings algorithms defined on hyperplanes with other frequently used Metropolis–Hastings schemes. The experience is that hyperplane algorithms on average produce larger jumps in the sample space and thereby have better mixing properties per iteration. However, with our implementations the hyperplane algorithms is more computation intensive per iteration and so the simpler algorithms in most cases are better when run for the same amount of computer time. An interesting area for future research is therefore to find variants of our directional Metropolis–Hastings algorithms that require less computation time per iteration.


While recent studies emphasize the importance of firm heterogeneous effects in understanding international trade and its gains, these insights have largely been ignored in the literature on standards. In this paper we analyze how the adoption of private food standards by individual firms affects their export performance at the intensive and extensive margins of trade. We use unique 18-year panel data from 95 asparagus export firms in Peru and apply fixed effects and system GMM models. Results indicate that, when export persistence, unobserved heterogeneity and reversed causality are controlled for, certification to private standard schemes does not improve firms' propensity to export, nor their export volumes and values. This insight puts doubt on the effectiveness of development programs to support developing country exporters to comply with private food standards in order to maintain or improve international market access.


Summary form only given. The gang scheduling paradigm allows timesharing of computing nodes by multiple parallel applications and supports the coordinated context switches of these applications. It can improve system responsiveness and resource utilization. However, the memory paging overhead incurred during context switches can be expensive and may diminish the positive effects of gang scheduling. We investigate the reduction of paging overhead in gang scheduling environments by applying a set of simple, yet effective, adaptive paging techniques: selective page-out, aggressive page-out, adaptive page-in and background writing. Our experiments with NAS NPB2 benchmark programs show that these new adaptive paging mechanisms can reduce the job switching time significantly (up to 90%).


We consider the following conjectures: , (over a perfect finitely generated field), Grothendieck's standard conjecture of Lefschetz type on the algebraicity of the Hodge operator , conjecture on the coincidence of the numerical and homological equivalences of algebraic cycles and conjecture on the algebraicity of Künneth components of the diagonal for smooth complex projective varieties. We show that they are compatible with monoidal transformations: if one of them holds for a smooth projective variety and a smooth closed subvariety , then it holds for , where is the blow up of along . All of these conjectures are reduced to the case of rational varieties.


This paper presents empirical analyses of econometric models of older males' labour force participation based upon the orthodox theory of labour supply. The aim is to assess the effectiveness of using of micro data to account for older male labour force participation rate patterns over recent decades. As such, the influence of financial variables from the budget constraint and observable characteristics from the utility function are incorporated into reduced form models estimating the older male's expected retirement age and the probability of an older male's labour force participation using unit record data. The research findings presented emphasise the role of human capital and potential market wages for an older individual's labour force participation. In contrast, the coefficients attached to observable characteristics variables, representing tastes and preferences for work and leisure, were rarely statistically significant or of a consistent sign across age groups or time periods, meaning that that unobservable tastes may dominate the labour force participation decision. A major finding was that higher wage earners were more likely to anticipate an earlier exit than lower earners. This shows that expectations do not necessarily match actual labour force participation behaviour, and that lower wage earners may be more vulnerable to unanticipated labour force exit. Finally, micro-based findings were not adequately translated to the macro level, being unable to directly offer inferences for aggregate changes in older male labour force participation rates over time. This problem of aggregation results in a fallacy of composition in reasoning, meaning that the micro models presented have only limited use for explaining older male labour force participation rate patterns over recent decades.


LAT Y136F mutant mice carry a tyrosine-to-phenylalanine mutation in the LAT adapter gene that leads to a lymphoproliferative disease (LPD) initiated by CD4+ helper T cells. In a screen to detect microRNAs (miRs) specifically regulated in LAT Y136F CD4+ T cells, we found that levels of miR-155 were higher in these T cells than in other proliferating CD4+ T cells from wild type C57BL/6 mice. In order to reveal a potential role of miR-155 in LAT Y136F LPD, we crossed LAT Y136F mice to miR-155-deficient mice yielding double mutant (DM) mice. This resulted in a delay and decreased severity of LPD in DM mice. DM CD4+ T cells showed equal or higher proliferation rates than CD4+ T cells from age-matched LAT Y136F mice, however levels of apoptosis in DM CD4+ T cells were higher. One direct target downregulated by miR-155 is the forkhead transcription factor FOXO3a. In DM T cells, increased expression of FOXO3a led to accumulation of the pro-apoptotic factor Bim and enhanced apoptosis. In addition, elevated Pak1 kinase activity in DM T cells led to activation of Jnk leading to phosphorylation of FOXO3a, FOXO3a nuclear translocation and increased FOXO3a activity. Consequently, direct and indirect effects of miR-155 on FOXO3a led to an increase in Bim-mediated apoptosis and decreased LPD in DM mice. Investigation of downstream targets of miR-155 has led to new information on signaling molecules that control LPD and lymphocyte homeostasis.


Polycrystalline samples of Zr doped BaTiO3 with a general formula Ba(Zrx Ti1-x) O3(x =0.0, 0.05,0.1, 0.2) have been synthesized by sol-gel technique. Structural analysis of the compound shows that there is a slight distortion in the perovskite crystal on Zr doping at Ti -site. Detailed analysis of dielectric constant(ER) and dissipation factor(tan i¤) at different temperatures(roomtemperature to 2000C) at 10kHz, 100kHz, 1MHz and frequencies(100Hz to 4MHz) shows little relaxor type behavior upto 10 atomic percent Zr doping at Ti-site.Adiffuse phase transition is observed in these compositions. D.C. resistivity after Tc shows a slight temperature dependence indicating suitable for temperature sensitive detector. Higher amount of Zr diminishes Ferro-electric property. The competition between randomness and interaction between the polar micro-grains may be the cause of temperature independent of resistivity at higher temperature.


Recent years with the widespread use of social media, the aesthetic perception of societies has started to change. People, with the desire to be liked, turn to plastic surgery with the importance they attach to physical appearance. Women's aesthetic genital surgery operations also show a parallel trend with this trend. Aesthetic surgery operations performed in the genital area are mostly designed and focused on sexual satisfaction and attractiveness. Among these procedures that do not have a medical indication, the most common ones are; labiaplasty, perineoplasty, vaginoplasty, hymenectomy and G-point amplification. Although the operations are performed by gynecology and plastic and reconstructive surgery specialists, pre-and postoperative care is provided to the patient by midwives and nurses. In this context, in this review, it is aimed to evaluate the counseling and care role of midwives and nurses with the Ex-PLISSIT Model, as well as the recommendations of international obstetrics and gynecology associations for genital aesthetic surgery operations and these operations.


Ionization rates of para-substituted triphenylmethyl (trityl) acetates, benzoates, and para-nitrobenzoates have been determined in aqueous acetonitrile and aqueous acetone at 25 degrees C. Conventional and stopped-flow techniques have been used to evaluate rate constants ranging from 1.38 x 10(-5) to 2.15 x 10(2) s(-1) by conductimetry and photospectrometry methods. The varying stabilities of the differently substituted tritylium ions account for a gradual change of reaction mechanism. Poorly stabilized carbocations are generated slowly by the ionization of their covalent precursors and trapped fast by water. Better stabilized carbocations are generated more rapidly and accumulate, so that ionization and trapping by water can be observed as separate steps in a single experiment. Finally, highly stabilized tritylium ions do not react with water, and only the rates of their formation could be measured. The ionization rate constants correlate linearly with Winstein's ionizing powers Y; the low slopes (0.17<m<0.58) indicate non-carbocation-like transition states. While the correlation between the ionization rates and Hammett-Brown's sigma(+) parameters is excellent for symmetrically substituted tritylium derivatives, deviations for unsymmetrically substituted systems are observed. The failing rate-equilibrium relationship between the rates of ionizations (log k(ion)) and the stabilities of the carbocations in aqueous solution (pK(R(+))) may be explained by the late development of resonance between a p-amino group and the carbocationic center of the tritylium ion during the ionization process.


A novel arylalkoxycarbonylation of N-aryl acrylamides with carbazates leading to alkoxycarbonylated oxindoles has been developed. The reported reactions employ economical and environmentally benign FeCl2·4H2O as a catalyst and easily accessible and safe carbazates as alkoxycarbonyl radical precursors.


Background: Patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopic surgeries are generally placed in the left lateral position and require endotracheal intubation to maintain airway patency. We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled study to evaluate the feasibility of intubation under video laryngoscopic guidance in the left lateral position during upper gastrointestinal endoscopic surgery. Methods: We compared the data of patients (n = 120) who underwent intubation under video laryngoscopic guidance in the supine or left lateral position. Patients in Group S (n = 59) were initially placed in the supine position and then shifted to the left lateral position after airway establishment. Patients in Group L (n = 61) were placed in the left decubitus position during both induction and intubation. Laryngoscopic view, intubation time, success rate, hemodynamic changes, adverse effects, and complications of intubation were compared between the groups. Results: The 2 groups showed no difference in terms of time required for intubation (Group L, 23.95 ± 4.43 seconds and Group S, 23.44 ± 4.78 seconds; P = .545) and number of intubation attempts. Further, the overall rate of intubation success was 100% in both groups. However, Group S exhibited significant hemodynamic changes during shift of decubitus (P < .001) and severe sore throat (P = .030). The incidences of other adverse effects such as productive cough, dryness of mouth, hoarseness, oral mucosal injury, dental injury, and hypoxia in the 2 groups were comparable. Conclusion: We concluded that intubation in the lateral position under video laryngoscopic guidance is safe and feasible performed in the left lateral position and prevents the hemodynamic change and sore throat resulting from change in decubitus.


ABSTRACT Duarte, C.M.; Ferreira, J.C., and Fortes, J., 2020. Risk modelling in urban coastal areas to support adaptation to climate change and extreme weather events: Early warning, emergency planning and risk management systems. In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 785–789. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The Portuguese coast is exposed to the Atlantic high-energy storms, endangering populations and coastal infrastructures and causing economic and environmental losses. With climate change and the rise of sea-level, it is expected that these storms became more frequent and violent. For this reason, it is essential to provide the authorities with tools for managing the hazards and risks associated with coastal events. The purpose of the To-SEAlert project is to develop, implement, and validate a set of tools and methodologies based on a WebGIS to monitor, prevent and manage wave overtopping and flooding emergencies caused by coastal events. In this work, XBeach software was used to model the effects of storm induced wave overtopping and sea erosion in a low-lying sandy shore in Costa da Caparica, Portugal. Two experiments were carried out, simulating a storm event in a segment and in a grid area. Results show beach and dune erosion and wave overtopping, similar to recorded effects in past events, and important limitations are discussed. The improvement of these simulations can be essential to input data on the To-SEAlert project model, allowing its objectives accomplishment.


Technical organizations are different, the author argues, and anyone who tries to manage them without understanding those differences will fail. Most managers will need to change not just their own approach but their entire organization's. The necessary techniques are grounded firmly in human nature, and it is possible to build a technical environment that's not only productive but also healthy and enjoyable. In "Technimanagement", Brown synthesises thinking in technical management, and puts forward ideas on what works and what does not in Theory Y, Theory X, The Peter Principle, TQM, Deming's 14 Obligations of Management, and other approaches. Brown outlines a step-by-step transition strategy that offers immediate payoffs and leads to long-term change.


The paper describes a tool developed to automate the study of solar array configurations using a general-purpose simulator such as Spice. The main advantage of the proposed method is that studies can be done for any solar array configuration formed from elementary models of solar cell units. Hierarchical structure of solar cell elements with semiconductor detail allows simulations of electrical properties as well as evaluation of environmental conditions impact. Application examples such as the effect of unequal illumination on various array interconnections and the mismatch of solar cells are presented to demonstrate the usefulness of the tool. The automated process eases investigation of large system and worst-case study for given environmental scenarios.


Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-dependent angiogenesis plays a crucial role in the corpus leteum formation and their functional maintenances in mammalian ovaries. We recently reported that the activation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α signaling contributes to the regulation of VEGF expression in the luteal cells (LCs) in response to hypoxia and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). This study was designed to test the hypothesis that, HIF prolyl-dydoxylases (PHDs) express in LCs and overexpression of PHD attenuates the expression of VEGF induced by HCG in LCs. By real-time PCR and western blot analysis, we examined the expression of PHDs, confirmed the plasmid transfection and their expression and also investigated the changes of HIF-1α and VEGF expression after treatment with HCG and PHD2 transgenes. PHD2 expression was significantly higher than the others, indicating its main roles. Moreover, a significant increase of VEGF mRNA was found after HCG treatment, while this increased VEGF mRNA was also blocked by PHD2 overexpression in LCs. Further analysis also found that, this HCG-induced increase of VEGF mRNA was consistent with the level of HIF-1α protein, which is regulated by HIF prolyl-dydoxylase -mediated degradation. Taken together, our results indicated that, PHD2 mainly expressed in LCs and HCG-induced VEGF expression can be blocked by PHD2 overexpression through HIF-1α -mediated mechanism in LCs. This PHD2-mediated transcriptional activation may be one of the important mechanisms regulating VEGF expression in LCs during mammalian corpus leteum development. Key words : Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, HIF prolyl-dydoxylase, vascular endothelial growth factor, human chorionic gonadotropin, luteal cells.


The inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is expressed after systemic administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The importance of expression of iNOS in blood vessels is poorly defined. Because nitric oxide from iNOS may alter vasomotor function, we examined effects of LPS on vasomotor function in carotid arteries from iNOS-deficient mice. We studied contraction of the carotid artery from wild-type and iNOS-deficient mice in vitro 12 h after injection of LPS (20 mg/kg ip). Contractile responses to PGF2α (3-30 μM) and thromboxane A2 analog (U-46619; 3-100 nM) were evaluated using vascular rings from mice treated with vehicle or LPS. Maximum force of contraction generated by rings in response to PGF2α was 0.39 ± 0.02 and 0.25 ± 0.01 (SE) g ( n = 14) in vehicle and LPS-treated wild-type mice, respectively ( P < 0.001 vs. vehicle). Thus LPS reduced constrictor responses in wild-type mice. Thiocitrulline and aminoguanidine (inhibitors of iNOS) improved contractile responses from LPS-treated wild-type vessels. Indomethacin also improved constrictor responses in arteries from wild-type mice injected with LPS. In contrast, contraction of the carotid arteries in response to PGF2α and U-46619 was not impaired in LPS-treated iNOS-deficient mice, and contraction was not altered by inhibitors of iNOS. Expression of iNOS mRNA was confirmed using RT-PCR in carotid arteries from wild-type mice after injection of LPS but not vehicle. PCR products for iNOS were not observed in iNOS-deficient mice. These findings provide the first direct evidence that iNOS mediates impairment of vascular contraction after treatment with LPS.


T o the Editor: In their recent survey on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in children with inflammatory bowel disease, Serpico et al (1) demonstrated that CAM therapy was used by 84% of patients, although only a minority of patients/families considered themselves to be using CAM (approximately 24%). The 3 most common CAM therapies were vitamins/supplements, stress management techniques, and/or dietary changes. Important factors associated with using specific CAM therapies included self-reported adverse effects caused by conventional therapy (P< 0.01) and moderate/severe disease activity (P< 0.01). Given the controversy surrounding the (non-) effectiveness of CAM, we would like to add some further information on this important issue. In a systematic analysis, we analyzed all Cochrane reviews published between 1995 and 2012 with regard to CAM use in children (2). Main outcome variables were percentage of reviews that concluded that a certain intervention provides a benefit, percentage of reviews that concluded that a certain intervention should not be performed, and percentage of studies that concluded that the current level of evidence is inconclusive. A total of 135 reviews were included, most from the UK (29/135), Australia (24/135), and China (24/135). Only 5/135 (3.7 %) reviews suggested a recommendation in favor of a certain intervention; 26/135 (19.4 %) issued a conditional positive recommendation, and 9/135 (6.6 %) reviews concluded that certain interventions should not be performed. Ninety-five reviews (70.3 %) were inconclusive. The proportion of inconclusive reviews increased from the first to the second interval, and then remained roughly on the same high level during the third time interval (1995–2000, 15/27 [55.6 %]; 2001–2006, 33/44 [75 %]; and 2007–2012, 47/64 [73.4 %]). The 3 most common criticisms of the quality of the studies included were more research needed (82/135), low methodological quality (57/135), and small number of study participants (48/135). In parallel with the above stated analysis, we conducted a systematic literature review, including all Cochrane reviews published by the Cochrane Review Group in the field of pediatric gastroenterology between 1993 and 2012 (3). In total, 86 reviews in the field of pediatric gastroenterology were included. The majority of reviews assessed pharmacological interventions (46/86); other important fields included prevention (15/86) and nutrition (9/86). A total of 33/86 reviews issued definite recommendations (positive, 19/86; negative, 14/86). The remaining 53/86 reviews were either inconclusive (24/86) or only of limited conclusiveness (29/86). The percentage of inconclusive reviews increased from 9% (1998– 2002) to 19% (2003–2007; P< 0.05) to finally 24% (2008– 2012) (P< 0.05). The 3 most common reasons for the need for further research were heterogeneity of studies (26/86), small number of patients (18/86), and insufficient data (16/86). Given the disproportionate number of inconclusive reviews in the field of CAM use in pediatrics, also when compared with other subspecialties in pediatrics (4), there is an ongoing need for high-quality research to assess the potential role and limitations of CAM in children. Our data may help physicians, pharmacists, and other health care workers when discussing different aspects of CAM in an open manner with children, adolescents, and their parents, thereby being able to provide them with information regarding the (non-) effectiveness of various CAM therapies. Health care workers should be aware that many CAM substances are sold over the counter with the customer knowing little to nothing about potential intrinsic adverse effects and possible interactions with other medications (5). With respect to medicinal CAM such as homeopathic remedies, herbal drugs, nutritional supplements, and the like, pharmacists seem to be in a very important position, having both the knowledge and the duty to inform parents and patients adequately. In conclusion, and in line with the results and remarks from Serpico et al (1), pediatric gastrointestinal physicians should be knowledgeable of different aspects of CAM therapies and open to discuss these aspects with families/caregivers and patients.


Samples of A and B horizons of a humic red-yellow latosol with a clayey texture were incubated in salt solutions of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn under greenhouse conditions at the Universidade Federal de Vicosa, Brazil, from March to September 1994. The main objectives were to adapt a method for fractional extraction of metals and to evaluate their behavior in soluble, exchangeable, bound to organic matter, bound to Al oxides, bound to Fe oxides, and residual forms. The experiment consisted of two horizons and two concentrations of metal, arranged in a randomized block design with three replications. After 17 hours of incubation, the samples were air dried, homogenized, passed through a 2 mm sieve and stored in plastic bags for subsequent extraction of the metals. The samples were subjected to the methodology of fractional extraction and the evaluation of the treatment with NaOH to characterize the oxides of Al was made. The fractional extraction showed to be adequate for studying the behavior of heavy metals in soil. The Cd was found mainly in the soluble and exchangeable forms and Cr in the more stable chemical forms (bound to Fe oxides and residual); Cu and Pb presented highest affinities towards Fe oxides and organic matter, respectively. Ni was found mainly in the residual form and showed lower affinity for organic matter. The study of Zn behavior was not possible, due to the contamination of extracts stored in flasks with rubber caps. There is still a need to improve a methodology to characterize metals associated with Fe and Al oxides.


Relativizing computations of Turing machines to an oracle is a central concept in the theory of computation, both in complexity theory and in computability theory(!). Inspired by lowness notions from computability theory, Allender introduced the concept of "low for speed" oracles. An oracle A is low for speed if relativizing to A has essentially no effect on computational complexity, meaning that if a decidable language can be decided in time $f(n)$ with access to oracle A, then it can be decided in time poly(f(n)) without any oracle. The existence of non-computable such A's was later proven by Bayer and Slaman, who even constructed a computably enumerable one, and exhibited a number of properties of these oracles as well as interesting connections with computability theory. In this paper, we pursue this line of research, answering the questions left by Bayer and Slaman and give further evidence that the structure of the class of low for speed oracles is a very rich one.


Abstract This article aims to present a brief reflection on the studies in the field of the public policy agenda. To this end, the text presents the main theoretical and methodological developments on the subject found in the international literature, with an emphasis on three fundamental contributions: the studies developed by Cobb and Elder in the 1970s; John Kingdon's multiple streams model in the 1980s; and Baumgartner and Jones' propositions from the 1990s until the present. Next, we seek to understand how policy agenda-setting studies have been developed in Brazil. To do so, we conduct a mapping of the Brazilian academic production, considering theses, dissertations, and articles published in journals between 2000 and 2018. In conclusion, we note the growing expansion of agenda studies in Brazil, and we draw attention to some of the characteristics of these works, such as the preferred policy areas and the theoretical and methodological frameworks favored by researchers, among other aspects.


Backgrounds: The tissue resident memory CD8 T cell (Trm) constitutes an important component of the local immunity. In the context of malignant tumors, mounting evidence also supports the potential anti-tumor property of this cell subset. Therefore, identification of Trm marker genes and exploration of the causative effect of Trm in shaping tumor microenvironment (TME) heterogeneity might provide novel insights for the comprehensive management of cancer patients. Methods: By dissecting a single T cell transcriptome dataset, we acquired marker genes for Trm, which were latter applied to bulk RNA sequencing profiles of two large colorectal cancer (CRC) patient cohorts downloaded from TCGA and GEO databases. First, colorectal cancer patients were divided into different Trm clusters using consensus clustering algorithm. Then, we established a Trm-related gene (TRMRG) risk score signature and tested its efficacy in predicting prognosis for colorectal cancer patients. Moreover, a sequence of rigorous and robust analyses were also carried out to investigate the potential role of Trm-related gene risk score in tumor microenvironment remodeling and therapeutic utility of it in colorectal cancer treatment. Results: A total of 49 Trm marker genes were identified by analyzing single cell RNA sequencing profiles. First, colorectal cancer patients were successfully classified into two Trm clusters with significant heterogeneity in functional enrichment patterns and tumor microenvironment landscapes. Then, we developed a Trm-related gene risk score signature and divided patients into different risk levels. High risk patients were characterized by attenuated immunogenicity, weakened sensitivity to immunotherapy, as well as adverse clinical outcomes. While low risk patients with advantages in survival exhibited increased immunogenicity, stronger metabolic activity and improved immunotherapeutic responses. Conclusion: Through combinatorial analysis of single cell and bulk RNA sequencing data, the present study identified Trm to play a non-negligible role in regulating the complexity and heterogeneity of tumor microenvironment for colorectal cancer. Moreover, the Trm-related gene risk score signature developed currently was corroborated to be tightly correlated with prognosis and therapeutic responses of colorectal cancer patients, thus exhibiting potential application value for clinical practice.


Eyes, Lies and Illusions. Werner Nekes and Marina Warner, curators. Hayward Gallery, South Bank Centre, London. Through 2 January 2005. www.hayward.org.uk Eyes, Lies and Illusions Drawn from the Werner Nekes Collection. by Laurent Mannoni, Werner Nekes, and Marina Warner. Hayward Gallery, London, 2004. Paper, 240 pp. £24.95. ISBN 1-85332-244-X. The exhibition combines images and devices drawn from the collection of the German experimental filmmaker Nekes with works by contemporary artists to explore visual deception and perception.


This paper presents a method of determining electromotive force and battery internal resistance as time functions, which are depicted as functions of state of charge (SOC) because . The model is based on battery discharge and charge characteristics under different constant currents that are tested by a laboratory experiment. This paper further presents the method of determining the battery SOC according to a battery modeling result. The influence of temperature on battery performance is analyzed according to laboratory-tested data, and the theoretical background for calculating the SOC is obtained. The algorithm of battery SOC indication is depicted in detail. The algorithm of the battery SOC ldquoonlinerdquo indication considering the influence of temperature can be easily used in practice by a microprocessor. An NiMH battery is used in this paper to depict the modeling method. In fact, the method can also be used for different types of contemporary batteries, as well as Li-ion batteries, if the required test data are available.


To meet both landscape aesthetics and health needs, the effects of different concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from Pistacia chinensis Bunge (P. chinensis) and Juniperus chinensis cv. Kaizuka (J. chinensis) on mouse spontaneous behavior were studied during successive six-day experiments. The results were as follows: 1) The excitability of the mice and their total moving distance increased significantly upon exposure to low volatile concentrations of P. chinensis (P<0.05), whereas there was an opposite effect after exposure to J. chinensis. 2) The explorative capacity of mice was enhanced by J. chinensis; in contrast, P. chinensis treatment resulted in an opposite effect. 3) The scent of P. chinensis volatiles reduced mouse appetites while J. chinensis had the opposite effect. 4) P. chinensis volatiles helped enhance mouse tension. The number of fecal grains in the treatment group was always greater than that of the control group and increased with increasing volatile concentration to a number that was two times that of the controls when the volatile concentration reached a relatively high level. In contrast, in the J. chinensis environment, the mice were relatively relaxed, with overall numbers of fecal grains that were only 81.7% to 97.6% that of the controls. Overall, VOCs from J. chinensis had beneficial effects on mice. Therefore, more J. chinensis should be planted in urban green spaces. However, VOCs from P. chinensis could cause adverse effects on mice. Therefore, it is suggested to minimize their planting in city or repairing their branches to keep away from the smelling range of humans.


Paleotemperature analysis in sedimentary basins is very important to petroleum exploration because generation of petroleum from kerogen is controlled mainly by temperature. Vitrinite reflectance generally is used for this analysis. A new technique of paleotemperature analysis depends on the relationship between transformation temperatures of authigenic minerals in diagenetically altered argillaceous sediments and their depth of first appearance in any specific well. Study of both the paleogeothermal gradient and porosity-depth relationships in a basin make possible predictions of hydrocarbon pools in the exploration area. For example, primary migration of oil in Neogene rocks of the Niigata basin in central Honshu, Japan, has occurred at burial depths between 2,260 and 3, 50 m (7,410 and 12,960 ft). This corresponds to the analyzed paleogeothermal gradients of exploited oil and gas fields in the basin (3.0° to 4.0°C/100 m = 1.6° to 2.2°F/100 ft).


The anatomical knowledge of the dorsal aspect of the hand has been enriched these last years by a more surgically applied approach, especially of that of its integument and blood supply. The vascularization of the superficial nerves, the anastomoses between the dorsal and palmar arterial networks has allowed designing new flaps, ante- and retrograde, usable in the coverage of more and more distal defects. The extensor apparatus shows many anatomic variations, often asymptomatic, except the extensor digitorum brevis manus muscle, which can mimic a mass at the dorsal aspect of the hand.


Heart rate, mean blood pressure, adrenal blood flow, and adrenal plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline were compared before and after ligation of the anterior descending coronary artery in dogs anesthetized with chloralose. One group of 12 dogs responded to acute coronary occlusion with a sudden and marked decrease in mean blood pressure (mean, 31%) and heart rate (mean, 18%) followed by an early onset (mean, 227 sec) of ventricular fibrillation. Another group of nine dogs responded with slight decreases in mean blood pressure (mean, 13%) and heart rate (mean, 5%), during which time ventricular fibrillation occurred late (mean, 30 min) or not at all. While the two groups were statistically different in mean blood pressure and heart rate, the minute output of adrenal catecholamines in either group was not found to be related to the early or late occurrence of ventricular fibrillation.


To explore possible risk factors for progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), we conducted a case-control study of 50 cases in New Jersey. Two neurologists confirmed the diagnosis in the 41 living patients. Two hospital controls were matched by age, sex, race, date of death, and relationship of next-to-kin to each case. A structured interview was administered in person to the next-of-kin of cases and controls. Genetic, viral, toxic, medical, surgical, and personality factors were investigated. Cases lived in areas with low population as adults significantly more frequently than controls. The study identified no other factors associated with PSP including a history of stroke, hypertension, or smoking.


The impact of anomalous sea surface temperature (SST) warming in the Kuroshio Extension in the previous winter on the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) was investigated by performing simulation tests using NCAR CAM3.The results show that anomalous SST warming in the Kuroshio Extension in winter causes the enhancement and northward movement of the EASM.The monsoon indexes for East Asian summer monsoon and land-sea thermal difference,which characterize the intensity of the EASM,show an obvious increase during the onset period of the EASM.Moreover,the land-sea thermal difference is more sensitive to warmer SST.Low-level southwesterly monsoon is clearly strengthened meanwhile westerly flows north (south) of the subtropical westerly jet axis are strengthened (weakened) in northern China,South China Sea,and the Western Pacific Ocean to the east of the Philippines.While there is an obvious decrease in precipitation over the Japanese archipelago and adjacent oceans and over the area from the south of the Yangtze River in eastern China to the Qinling Mountains in southern China,precipitation increases notably in northern China,the South China Sea,the East China Sea,the Yellow Sea,and the Western Pacific to the east of the Philippines.North China is the key area where the response of the EASM to the SST anomalous warming in the Kuroshio Extension is prominent.The surface air temperature shows a warming trend.The warming in the entire troposphere between 30oN and 50oN increases the land-sea thermal contrast,which plays an important role in the enhancement of the EASM.Atmospheric circulation and precipitation anomalies in China and its adjacent regions have a close relationship with the enhancement of the Western Pacific subtropical high and its northward extension.


Abstract The use of photoactivatable dyes in STED microscopy has so far been limited by two‐photon activation through the STED beam and by the fact that photoactivatable dyes are poorly solvable in water. Herein, we report ONB‐2SiR, a fluorophore that can be both photoactivated in the UV and specifically de‐excited by STED at 775 nm. Likewise, we introduce a conjugation and purification protocol to effectively label primary and secondary antibodies with moderately water‐soluble dyes. Greatly reducing dye aggregation, our technique provides a defined and tunable degree of labeling, and improves the imaging performance of dye conjugates in general.


Equity ownership by public pension funds (PPFs) is widely used in the literature (see, e.g., Cremers and Nair 2005; Dittmar and Mahrt-Smith 2007) as a measure of the strength of shareholder monitoring/governance. This paper raises caution on such practices by illustrating an inverted-U shape relationship between PPF ownership and firms' future performance, measured by stock returns and operating performance: during 1985–2005, future performance first increases, then declines in aggregate equity ownership by PPFs. Our results suggest that PPFs' presence is consistent with shareholder value maximization when they have moderate influence on firm management, whereas excessive PPF ownership may facilitate PPF managers' pursuits of political interests and destroy shareholder value. Therefore, it is important to impose an upper bound to PPF ownership when measuring the strength of shareholder monitoring/governance.


It is estimated that up to 40% of patients with distantly metastatic melanoma develop clinically detectable brain metastases. The prognosis for these patients is very poor with an historical median overall survival of approximately 4 months. Targeted surgical and radiotherapy-based approaches can improve outcomes in certain patients. Over the past decade, the efficacy of systemic treatments for metastatic melanoma has improved with the development of anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1-based immunotherapies (checkpoint inhibitors) that provide survival benefit. In patients whose melanoma expresses a V600 BRAF mutation which activates the MAPK signaling pathway, the targeted inhibition of BRAF and MEK also confers survival benefit. These immunomodulatory and molecular-targeted approaches have recently been studied in patients with melanoma brain metastases to determine efficacy of these approaches in treating the brain metastases. Advances in use of chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and BRAF plus MEK inhibitors to treat melanoma brain metastases are discussed.


The patients with obesity are known to suffer 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) deficiency, but the relationship between these two conditions remains unclear. The blood 25(ON)D levels in practically healthy women were compared with the amount and distribution patterns of the fatty tissue and with the content of plasma adipocytokines. The absence or deficit of vitamin D was documented in 61.3% of the women included in the present study. They exhibited negative correlation between 25(ON) D levels and body weight. The patients with obesity were characterized by correlation between the 25(ON)D levels and waist circumference, body weight, BMI, and the amount of fatty tissue. The women of reproductive age with the reduced blood 25(ON)D level ( OR 1.86 [0.88—3.95]; CI 95%) or 25(ON)D deficiency (OR 2.23 [1.03—4.80]; CI 95%) were at a higher risk of development of obesity compared with the women in whom the 25(ON)D levels were in excess of 75 nmol/l. The study confirmed correlations between adypocytokine levels and the amount of fatty tissue even though it failed to demonstrate a significant relationship between the levels of adipocytokines and vitamin D.


The Islamic Heritage Project (IHP) is a collaboration of the Harvard University Library Open Collections Program (OCP) and the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud Islamic Studies Program at Harvard University. The project focused upon Islamic manuscripts and rare books and aima at making unique or difficult-to-obtain works freely available and easily accessible worldwide. Author deals with the strategies by which a large-scale project as this one was set up, and by which considerations this project was managed in a sustainable way. The article highlights key decisions pertaining to selection, cataloging, conservation, and imaging specifications for manuscripts, as well as the local infrastructure of systems and services used in the production workflows for this reasonably large-scale project.


The size distribution and magnetic properties of ultra-small gadolinium oxide crystals (US-Gd2O3) were studied, and the impact of polyethylene glycol capping on the relaxivity constants (r1, r2) and signal intensity with this contrast agent was investigated. Size distribution and magnetic properties of US-Gd2O3 nanocrystals were measured with a TEM and PPMS magnetometer. For relaxation studies, diethylene glycol (DEG)-capped US-Gd2O3 nanocrystals were reacted with PEG-silane (MW 5000). Suspensions were adequately dialyzed in water to eliminate traces of Gd3+ and surfactants. The particle hydrodynamic radius was measured with dynamic light scattering (DLS) and the proton relaxation times were measured with a 1.5 T MRI scanner. Parallel studies were performed with DEG–Gd2O3 and PEG-silane–SPGO (Gd2O3,< 40 nm diameter). The small and narrow size distribution of US-Gd2O3 was confirmed with TEM (∼3 nm) and DLS. PEG-silane–US-Gd2O3 relaxation parameters were twice as high as for Gd–DTPA and the r2/r1 ratio was 1.4. PEG-silane–SPGO gave low r1 relaxivities and high r2/r1 ratios, less compatible with positive contrast agent requirements. Higher r1 were obtained with PEG-silane in comparison to DEG–Gd2O3. Treatment of DEG–US-Gd2O3 with PEG-silane provides enhanced relaxivity while preventing aggregation of the oxide cores. This study confirms that PEG-covered Gd2O3 nanoparticles can be used for positively contrasted MR applications requiring stability, biocompatible coatings and nanocrystal functionalization.


Shell pyramidal, slightly decollated, thin, fragile, moderately shining, blackish-brown, remaining whorls 6½, inflated, with a deep suture; sculpture consisting of flat ridges separated by superficial grooves. Of these ridges there are 5 or 6 on the upper whorls and about 17 on the last whorl, where they reach to the base; the ridges are crossed by more or less distinct lines of growth, which produce here and there small granules, especially towards the upper part of the whorls; last whorl with a varix opposite to the margin of the aperture or slightly backwards. Aperture ovate, outer margin expanded, thickened internally, sinuous and ascending above, produced in the middle, ending in an obtuse angle below; columella with a thin smooth callus, with an obtuse angle or fold below; canal extremely short, enclosing a rather deep sinus.


We examined dietary patterns and the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in the Multiethnic Cohort, which includes more than 215,000 Caucasians, African-Americans, Japanese-Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Latinos aged 45–75 at baseline. All subjects completed a validated food-frequency questionnaire. After a median follow-up time of 10 years, we identified 939 incident NHL cases through linkages with tumor registries. Three patterns, "Vegetables,""Fruit and Milk," and "Fat and Meat," were analyzed using Cox regression. None of the patterns was significantly associated with the risk of NHL in the total population. However, the Vegetables pattern was inversely related to risk in Caucasian women with a hazard ratio of 0.56 (Ptrend = 0.04), and the Fat and Meat pattern was associated with a fivefold higher risk of follicular lymphoma in men (Ptrend = 0.03). The lack of significant results in men and women indicates a limited role of diet in NHL etiology, but dietary patterns might have ethnic- and subgroup-specific effects on NHL.


BACKGROUND Satisfaction with discrete facial areas influences self-perceptions of attractiveness, self-esteem, and quality of life. Currently, there is a lack of understanding of how the submental area impacts feelings and behaviors. OBJECTIVE To characterize the effects of submental fat (SMF) on feelings/emotions and actions/behavior among adults in the United States. METHODS Online health-based surveys recruited approximately 400 adults (18–65 years) in each of 5 categories based on the respondent's assessment of their SMF. Respondents either agreed or disagreed with 17 statements regarding their feelings/emotions and actions/behaviors related to the area underneath their chin. RESULTS Overall, 1996 respondents were included (equal distribution of males/females; mean age, 41.9 years). Even a slight amount of chin fat was associated with negative feelings and behaviors. As SMF increased, so did the number of respondents reporting negative self-perceptions such as being embarrassed by the area under their chin. In general, a greater percentage of female compared with male respondents reported negative feelings and behavioral changes due to their submental area. CONCLUSION Excess SMF can have a substantial negative effect on a person's feelings of attractiveness and behaviors. Reduction of SMF may not only improve one's appearance, but also may enhance one's self-esteem.


Prolonged virus suppression in chronically HIV-infected patients could hypothetically lead to antibody seroreversion. Eighty-four HIV-positive individuals with undetectable viraemia for longer than 5 years under HAART were examined. Only one individual, who had initiated HAART shortly after primary HIV infection, showed seroreversion. In contrast, the cure of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with interferon in 25 controls led to the loss of HCV antibodies in most cases. This information indirectly reflects that whereas HCV may be eradicable HIV is not.


Efficient evacuation plan with which a maximum evacuees can be sent as soon as possible from the disastrous place to the safe place is an important notion during the response phase of the disaster management. Such a plan in terms of optimization models has been extensively studied in a various scenarios, see [3]. The optimization models have been based on the flow conservation constraint which permits an evacuee to be taken out of the disastrous place only if it can be sent into the safe place. However, the evacuation plan model with no flow conservation can keep several evacuees in the relatively safe places besides the evacuees which could be sent into the safe place. In this paper, we describe an optimization model for the evacuation plan based on the non-conservation flow constraint with an efficient solution procedure which keeps a maximum evacuees on the prioritized intermediate places besides a maximum evacuees into the specified safe place.


While automated vehicle technology progresses, potentially leading to a safer, more efficient traffic environment, many challenges remain within the area of human factors, such as user trust in Automated Driving (AD) vehicle systems. The authors previously focused on creating a guiding framework for implementing trust-related factors into the Human-Machine-Interaction (HMI) interface in automated vehicles. This paper presents the result of a first attempt to use the framework in the design process. Three concepts with different levels of system transparency were created to provide Object Recognition (OR) feedback, and subsequently user-tested in a level 3 (NHTSA) Wizard of Oz vehicle. Results indicate that presenting feedback through OR can increase the level of trust in the system, and that users prefer moderation -- neither too much nor too little feedback. The paper also demonstrates the framework's usefulness in guiding HMI designers in the trust-based development process with the help of a well-defined design-space.


South Africa's 2018/2019 summer holidays were marked by a flurry of media reports describing, some in vivid, graphic detail, the ritual slaughter of a sheep on a popular Cape Town beach by a group of #MustFall activists. Their action was in response to reports of a private security company, ostensibly working at the behest of nearby local commercial outlets and residents, having forced Black people off the beach. Focusing on various media reports and responses to the incident, the article shows that there is a revival and regrowth of essentialist expression in the ways contemporary South Africans address persistently overlapping issues of racial and class differences that are made particularly salient through their being marked by everyday discrimination. Through analysis of media reports and responses the article considers the various forms of essentialist expression that manifested during the ritual and in responses to it. In doing that it reveals particular local manifestations of the global turn to a populist politics and it demonstrates that, whilst essentialist expressions take diverse forms, some of which appear to offer empowerment potential in decolonising and other anti-oppressive moments, they also always carry the long-term potential for reinforcing divisive intolerance.


: A comparative analysis has been made of results obtained using different criteria of identification of satellite associations (the authors' own and literature data). Sex differences in frequency and type of associations were revealed, when a narrow criterion "the width of chromatid" was applied. These differences disappear when wide criteria are used.