We have reported that a major cause of growth inhibition of Escherichia coli by L-serine is its inhibition of homoserine dehydrogenase I (HDH I), which is involved in the biosyntheses of threonine and isoleucine [Hama, H., Sumita, Y., Kakutani, Y., Tsuda, M., & Tsuchiya, T. (1990) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 168, 1211-1216]. However, Patte et al. reported that L-serine does not inhibit HDH I [Patte, J.-C., Truffa-Bachi, P., & Cohen, G.N. (1966) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 128, 426-439]. In studies on the reason for these discrepant results, we found that the concentration of K+ and the pH in the assay mixture strongly influenced the inhibitory effect of L-serine. L-Serine strongly inhibited the HDH I activities in both the forward and reverse reactions between aspartate semialdehyde and homoserine at a physiological K+ concentration (100 to 200 mM) and physiological pH (7.5) for E. coli cells. On the other hand, two well-known inhibitors of HDH I, L-threonine and L-cysteine, strongly inhibited the activity regardless of the K+ concentration and pH.


In order to investigate effects of thyroid hormone on ketone bodies metabolism, fasting levels of serum ketone bodies, serum free fatty acids (FFA), serum insulin (IRI), plasma glucagon (IRG) and plasma glucose were examined in 29 untreated patients with hyperthyroidism and 20 healthy subjects. In 21 patients the levels of serum ketone bodies were re-examined when euthyroidism was achieved after treatment. In all of healthy subjects and 17 patients changes in the levels of serum ketone bodies after oral glucose load were examined. The results were as follows: 1). Fasting levels of serum FFA and total ketone bodies (TK), acetoacetate (AcAc), 3-hydroxy-beta-butylate (3OHBA), ratio of 3OHBA to AcAc in the patients were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects. The levels of IRI, IRG or ratio of IRG to IRI in the patients were not different from those in healthy subjects. In the patients, the fasting level of TK was significantly correlated with the level of FFA. 2). After oral glucose load the levels of TK and FFA in the patients decreased gradually. 3). The fasting levels of TK and FFA in the patients decreased when euthyroidism was achieved after treatment. It was suggested that the fasting levels of serum ketone bodies in patients with hyperthyroidism elevated probably due to activated lipolysis.


These lectures review some of the progress made in the quantitative understanding of B decays. The emphasis here is on applications of QCD using perturbative and non-perturbative techniques. In some cases, however, phenomenological models must at present be invoked to make meaningful comparison with data. The resulting picture is consistent with the standard model (SM) and this agreement is quantified in terms of the branching ratios, mixing probabilities, and lifetimes which measure the charge current and effective flavour changing neutral current transitions involving B hadrons. This, in turn, enables a determination of five of the nine elements of the quark mixing matrix. We discuss several proposals on improving the precision on the parameters of this matrix in forthcoming experiments. Issues intimately related to the quark mixing matrix such as the profile of the unitarity triangle and CP-violating asymmetries in B decays are discussed. In particular, we emphasize the role of rare B decays and B 0-B 0 mixings in testing the SM quantitatively and in searching for physics beyond the SM.


Bioceramics have experienced great development over the past 50 years. Modern bioceramics are designed to integrate bioactive ions within ceramic granules to trigger living tissue regeneration. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that strontium is a safe and effective divalent metal ion for preventing osteoporosis, which has led to its incorporation in calcium phosphate-based ceramics. The local release of strontium ions during degradation results in moderate concentrations that trigger osteogenesis with few systemic side effects. Moreover, strontium has been proven to generate a favorable immune environment and promote early angiogenesis at the implantation site. Herein, the important aspects of strontium-enriched calcium phosphate bioceramics (Sr-CaPs), and how Sr-CaPs affect the osteogenic microenvironment, are described.


There are increasing concerns regarding the risks of injury associated with methamphetamine use. The aim of this study was to explore whether it would be feasible to collect data at a one‐day music festival, to investigate whether the sample included methamphetamine users, and whether they represented a sample that might yield information on methamphetamine use and injury. An anonymous, self‐completion questionnaire was administered to individuals waiting to enter a 1‐day music festival in Auckland, New Zealand in 2005. Of the 401 individuals approached, 188 successfully completed the questionnaire. Forty‐two respondents reported using methamphetamine in the last 12 months. Whilst reports of injury in the previous 12 months were not high, information was obtained on a range of injuries occurring in the context of personal drug use or clandestine manufacture. The research methodology successfully recruited participants and collected information that, if replicated in a larger study, could quantify the relationships between drug‐related behaviour and injury. This preliminary study suggests important public health implications of methamphetamine use.


STUDY OBJECTIVE
During inferior acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the ECG lead aVR is frequently ignored, and therefore its clinical significance remains unclear. We examined the relation between ST-segment deviation seen in lead aVR on ECGs obtained at hospital admission and myocardial reperfusion in patients who have experienced recanalized inferior AMIs.

DESIGN AND SETTING
Retrospective study.

PATIENTS
A total of 225 patients with inferior AMIs in whom Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction grade 3 flow was achieved within 6 h after symptom onset.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS
Patients were classified as follows according to ST-segment deviation in lead aVR on an ECG obtained at hospital admission: group A, 103 patients with no ST-segment depression; group B, 80 patients with ST-segment depression of < or = 1.0 mm; and group C, 42 patients with ST-segment depression of > 1.0 mm. There were no differences in time from symptom onset to hospital admission or in the culprit lesion among the three groups. The degree of ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, aVF, V5, or V6, the degree of ST-segment depression in leads V1 to V4, and the sum of ST-segment deviation in these leads were lowest in group A and highest in group C. In groups A, B, and C, the incidence of impaired myocardial reperfusion, defined as myocardial blush grade 0/1, was 2%, 23%, and 67%, respectively (p < 0.001). The sensitivity and negative predictive values of ST-segment depression in lead aVR for impaired myocardial reperfusion were higher than those based on other ECG variables. Multivariate analysis showed that the degree of ST-segment depression in lead aVR was an independent predictor of impaired myocardial reperfusion (odds ratio 8.41; 95% confidence interval, 2.96 to 23.9; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the degree of ST-segment depression in lead aVR is a useful predictor of impaired myocardial reperfusion in patients who have experienced inferior AMIs.


Decision-making capacity (DMC) is a prerequisite for informed consent to medical treatments. However, little is known about the knowledge, attitudes, and evaluation of DMC among physicians in Croatia. A survey was conducted among 180 general practitioners and psychiatrists in Croatia. Although from a legal perspective DMC is a dichotomous concept, about 90% of physicians indicated that they understand DMC to be a gradual concept. A majority of physicians considered themselves responsible and qualified to conduct DMC evaluations, though some physicians considered themselves insufficiently qualified. General practitioners considered themselves less responsible and less qualified than psychiatrists. Almost all participants indicated that they would welcome official guidelines and training.


Problem setting. In spite of the presence of numerous conventions, treaties and organizations in the world today, the issue of security is still a very acute issue for the world community. There are many reasons for this: the presence of nuclear powers, serious disputes between countries that are justly considered world leaders, the existence of numerous local conflicts and wars of a more global nature across the globe. These and other factors are pushing states around the world to allocate budget funds to ensure effective security policies. Given today's realities, one can trace the tendency of several countries to pool their own efforts and resources to pursue a common security policy. The European Union is one of the clearest examples of this behavior. This intergovernmental organization is committed to maintaining peace, diplomacy, trade and development around the world. The EU also promotes cooperation with neighboring countries through the European Neighborhood Policy.
Target research. The aim of the research is to study the role of the European Union's institutional mechanism in the exercise of its powers to ensure the defense and foreign policy cooperation of the Member States.
Analysis of recent research and publication. Many domestic and foreign scholars, including B. Tonro, T. Christiansen, S. Morsch, G. Mackenstein, and others. The institutional basis of foreign and security policy is analyzed in detail by J. Peterson, questions related to the European Union's security policy. M. Shackleton. K. Gill, M. Smith and others study the general features of the development of a common EU security policy. Some contribution to the study of various problems related to European and Euro-Atlantic integration has been made by such national scientists as V. Govorukh, I. Gritsyak, G. Nemyrya, L. Prokopenko, O. Rudik, V. Streltsov, O. Tragniuk, I. Shumlyaeva, I. Yakovyuk and others.
Article's main body. The article examines the emergence and development of the European Union's security policy from the date of the Brussels Covenant to the present. Particular attention is paid to the role of the European Union's institutional mechanism in the exercise of its powers to ensure the defense and foreign policy cooperation of the Member States. A study of the officially adopted five-year global foreign and security policy of the EU is being done to improve stability in Europe and beyond, analyzing EU conflict resolution and crisis management activities.
Conclusions and prospect of development. In view of the above, it can be concluded that the EU's foreign and security policy institutional framework is an extensive system in which all the constituencies are endowed with a certain range of general and specific powers and are called upon to cooperate with one another to achieve a common goal. It cannot be said that such close cooperation puts pressure on Member States. Yes, a Member State has the right to refrain from voting for any decision that requires unanimity and such abstention will not prevent the above decision being taken. In this case, the mechanism of so-called "constructive retention" is triggered: the abstaining country is not obliged to comply with the decision, however, accepts the fact that it is binding on other Member States and takes this into account when concluding treaties, which should not contradict the said decision.


Hypertension is one of the most common worldwide diseases afflicting humans. Over the past several decades, extensive research, widespread patient education, and a concerted effort on the part of health care professionals have led to decreased mortality and morbidity rates from the multiple organ damage arising from years of untreated hypertension. Approximately 50 million people in the United States are affected by hypertension. Substantial improvements have been made with regard to improving awareness and treatment of hypertension. However, approximately 30% of adults are still unaware of their hypertension; up to 40% of people with hypertension are not receiving treatment; and, of those treated, up to 67% do not have their blood pressure (BP) controlled to less than 140/90 mm Hg. The classification of BP (expressed in mm Hg) for adults aged 18 years or older is as follows: Normal - Systolic lower than 120, diastolic lower than 80 Prehypertension - Systolic 120-139, diastolic 80-90 Stage 1 - Systolic 140-159, diastolic 90-99 Stage 2 - Systolic equal to or more than 160, diastolic equal to or more than 100.


We consider high-dimensional multiclass classification by sparse multinomial logistic regression. Unlike binary classification, in the multiclass setup one can think about an entire spectrum of possible notions of sparsity associated with different structural assumptions on the regression coefficients matrix. We propose a computationally feasible feature selection procedure based on penalized maximum likelihood with convex penalties capturing a specific type of sparsity at hand. In particular, we consider global sparsity, double row-wise sparsity, and low-rank sparsity, and show that with the properly chosen tuning parameters the derived plug-in classifiers attain the minimax generalization error bounds (in terms of misclassification excess risk) within the corresponding classes of multiclass sparse linear classifiers. The developed approach is general and can be adapted to other types of sparsity as well.


A psychiatrist's review of the state of knowledge about the effects of pornography and the reasons for the ferocious arguments on the subject.


A new histogram based algorithm for characterization of analog-to-digital converters has been introduced. The proposed method is based on using a highly nonlinear but stationary signal, which can be easily and practically generated on chip. This not only relaxes the requirement on the signal generator, but also enables the use of fast sources, thereby reducing test time and test costs. Experimental test results on commercially available 10 bit pipelined ADCs indicate that the algorithm can estimate the linearity specifications of the device to within 0.5 LSB by using an input signal of just 2 bit linearity.


Abstract A novel high-efficient sorbent composed of polyaniline (PANI), MoS2 nanoparticles, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTS) was synthesized and used for the extraction and preconcentration of salmon sperm DNA for the first time. For the effective adsorption of the DNA chain, which has many interacting functional groups, the ability of the MoS2 in the sandwich-like structure to adsorb analytes was combined with the hydrogen bonding ability of the PANI polymer and the high adsorption capacity of MWCNTs with high surface area. With the awareness of the importance of DNA extraction and preconcentration studies, salmon sperm DNA was selected to be the analyte in this study. After rapid extraction and preconcentration of salmon sperm DNA, inexpensive and easy analysis was performed by spectrophotometry that is available in almost every laboratory. This method has the potential to be routinely used in DNA extraction and determination from various media. The characterization of synthesized PANI@MoS2@ MWCNTs was carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy mapping, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Spectrophotometry at 260 nm was used to determine the DNA. The optimum extraction conditions of the SPE procedure were pH 6.0, 25 of mg adsorbent, 2 min of vortexing, and 1 mL of 2 M sodium hydroxide as the eluent. Under the optimal conditions, the calibration curve was linear from 33 to 567 µg L−1, the relative standard deviation was 2.2% for 100 μg L−1, and the limit of detection limit was 13 μg L−1. The maximum obtained preconcentration factor was 30 and the sorption capacity of synthesized adsorbent for DNA was 9.16 mg g−1.


System identification and artificial neural networks (ANN) are families of algorithms used in systems engineering and machine learning respectively that use structure detection and learning strategies to build models of complex systems by taking advantage of input-output type data. These models play an essential role in science and engineering because they fill the gap in those cases where we know the input-output behaviour of a system, but there is not a mathematical model to understand and predict its changes in future or even prevent threats. In this context, the nonlinear approximation of systems is nowadays very popular since it better describes complex instances. On the other hand, digital image processing is an area of systems engineering that is expanding the analysis dimension level in a variety of real-life problems while it is becoming more attractive and affordable over time. Medicine has made the most of it by supporting important human decision-making processes through computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems.

This thesis presents three different frameworks for breast cancer detection, with approaches ranging from nonlinear system identification, nonlinear system identification coupled with simple neural networks, to multilayer neural networks. In particular, the nonlinear system identification approaches termed the Nonlinear AutoRegressive with eXogenous inputs (NARX) model and the MultiScales Radial Basis Function (MSRBF) neural networks appear for the first time in image processing. Along with the above contributions takes place the presentation of the Multilayer-Fuzzy Extreme Learning Machine (ML-FELM) neural network for faster training and more accurate image classification.

A central research aim is to take advantage of nonlinear system identification and multilayer neural networks to enhance the feature extraction process, while the classification in CAD systems is bolstered. In the case of multilayer neural networks, the extraction is carried throughout stacked autoencoders, a bottleneck network architecture that promotes a data transformation between layers. In the case of nonlinear system identification, the goal is to add flexible models capable of capturing distinctive features from digital images that might be shortly recognised by simpler approaches. The purpose of detecting nonlinearities in digital images is complementary to that of linear models since the goal is to extract features in greater depth, in which both linear and nonlinear elements can be captured. This aim is relevant because, accordingly to previous work cited in the first chapter, not all spatial relationships existing in digital images can be explained appropriately with linear dependencies.

Experimental results show that the methodologies based on system identification produced reliable images models with customised mathematical structure. The models came to include nonlinearities in different proportions, depending upon the case under examination. The information about nonlinearity and model structure was used as part of the whole image model. It was found that, in some instances, the models from different clinical classes in the breast cancer detection problem presented a particular structure. For example, NARX models of the malignant class showed higher non-linearity percentage and depended more on exogenous inputs compared to other classes.

Regarding classification performance, comparisons of the three new CAD systems with existing methods had variable results. As for the NARX model, its performance was superior in three cases but was overcame in two. However, the comparison must be taken with caution since different databases were used. The MSRBF model was better in 5 out of 6 cases and had superior specificity in all instances, overcoming in 3.5% the closest model in this line. The ML-FELM model was the best in 6 out of 6 cases, although it was defeated in accuracy by 0.6% in one case and specificity in 0.22% in another one.


Although sport management is now well established in higher education and is an increasingly popular major for students, there are a number of critical issues that face the discipline. The purpose of this lecture is to identify some of these critical issues and what can be done to address each of them. The primary issue for sport management is a lack of qualified faculty to (a) teach the increasing number of students enrolling in sport management programs and (b) conduct the research necessary to build a distinct body of knowledge. In addition, sport management faculty also need to work together to make a better case for the contributions of their programs to their respective universities to avoid being a very low priority in their home units. The lecture focuses on the need for sport management faculty to work together to address each of these issues.


Chronic parodontit inflammation in elderly patients was found to be accompanied by inbalance of complement system; IgA (sIgA), IgA, IgG, IgM hyperproduction; the increase of IL-8, IL-1α concentration and decrease of IL-4 level; increase Hsp-70 antibodies.


This study was about "The Human Development Bonus and its contribution in the quality of life of the beneficiaries of the Cascales Canton, Sucumbios Province, 2017-2018 period", which permitted to have real knowledge about the contribution of this social protection program in the investigated population.
The introduction explains the origin of the Human Development Bonus program in the country, whose purpose is justified by promoting a decent life for its beneficiaries. At the same time, the problem and the hypothesis are detailed.
State of the art begins with the antecedents of the research, giving rise to concepts already established by several authors to theoretically base each variable of the research.
The methodology details the type, techniques, and instrument which are necessary for the development of this word. It defined the population and the sample under study, to which a survey was applied that permitted obtaining timely data for the research.
Finally, after having processed all the information and data, the conclusions and recommendations are issued by the objectives set forth previously in the present research.


freeze drying ; K value; TVB-N Abstract: Taken Pseudosciaena Crocea fillets as experimental material, effects of three drying methods on the quality of fish fillet were compared, including hot air drying, controlled freezing-point vacuum drying and vacuum freeze drying. The result showed: when the final moisture content was set to 20%, hot air drying rate was the fastest after 8h, followed by ice temperature vacuum drying, while vacuum freeze was the slowest at 24h; K value of hot air drying was significantly higher than those of controlled freezing-point vacuum drying and vacuum freeze drying, reaching 40.24%, while the latter both remained the excellent grade (less than 10%); On the contrary, controlled freezing-point vacuum drying increased by 38mg/100g instead. From micro-organisms and TVB-N, values of three drying ways were far below the fresh and controlled freezing-point vacuum drying showed the lowest. It inferred that: the quality of fillet dealt by controlled freezing-point drying was the best.


PURPOSE
To segment the inner macular layers (IML) and compare the discriminating abilities of the macular and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (mRNFL and pRNFL, respectively) thicknesses in patients with early-stage normal tension glaucoma (NTG).

DESIGN
Cross-sectional study.

METHODS
Forty-nine normal subjects and 69 preperimetric glaucoma (PPG) and 60 NTG patients were enrolled. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was used to obtain pRNFL and macular thickness parameters and segment the IML in all subjects. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves were used to compare the diagnostic capabilities of different parameters.

RESULTS
The pRNFL, total macular layer (TML), mRNFL, and macular ganglion cell layer (mGCL) were significantly thinner in the NTG group than in the PPG and normal groups. The global and superotemporal pRNFL and the mGCL in the superior outer area were the three best parameters for detecting early NTG. The discriminating capabilities of the superior and inferior mGCL were comparable to those of the corresponding pRNFL (p = 0.573, 0.841). Concerning location, the mGCL had higher AUROCs in the outer sectors (0.863, 0.837) than in the inner sectors (0.747, 0.747). Pearson's correlation coefficients also revealed significant correlations between the mGCL and pRNFL (superior: r = 0.499, inferior: r = 0.624). The strongest correlation was between the mGCL and mean deviation (MD) (superior: r = 0.434 and inferior: r = 0.402).

CONCLUSIONS
The diagnostic value of mGCL thickness is comparable to that of pRNFL thickness. IMLs in the outer sectors had better diagnostic capabilities than those in the inner sector for detecting early NTG.


The Rhino Bond is the first financial instrument dedicated to protecting a species. The Bond allows investors to invest in the conservation of the black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis, with the amount of money returned by the investment depending on whether rhinoceros numbers increase (and by how much). In this paper we focus on how the Bond was brought into being. We draw on an analysis of organizational reports along with data collected from interviews with key informants to investigate the roles of the various stakeholders in the Bond, how species and sites were selected, the motivations and experiences of the stakeholders and the involvement of stakeholders in decision-making. We found that although conservation actors are attracted by the potential for new funding, they have experienced challenges navigating complex financial instruments. The needs of financial actors often dictated decision-making, with implications for the species and sites chosen for the Bond. As profits are tied to an increase in population size of a specific species (which needs to be monitored), the instrument has favoured large and easily counted species and populations. Only some sites were able to meet the stringent conditions of financial instruments, including metrics on financial sustainability. We argue that the dominance of financial principles and motives means that not all species or sites will be viable candidates for investment and that conservation finance should not be seen as a panacea.


In response to the MDG and WSSD targets, Government of Bangladesh, having formed an effective partnership with Development
partners including UNICEF, NGO's and other stake holders, have declared Bangladesh's target of achieving
total sanitation, whereby, every household in the nation will have facilities of sanitary latrine by 2010. The target will be
fulfilled in three phases by 2005, 2008 and 2010. It is realized that in order to set the sanitation target at the grassroots
level, it is very important to know the present status of sanitary latrines. To design the intervention it is also important
to know the reasons as to why such a vast number of people do not have latrine at all. It was further felt that the elected
leaders of the Local Government institutions (LGI's) should be involved in all activities towards total sanitation. With this
in mind, under the leadership of Local Government Division of the Ministry of LGRD&C, nationwide baseline survey was
conducted covering all household under the leadership of LGI's with the assistance of concerned Government departments
with minimum financial involvement and within a few weeks. The successful conduction of the survey induced the confidence
of the local government institutions for managing nation wide events. The baseline survey was also instrumental to
sensitize the grassroots about the sanitation issues.


The method of the statistical energy analysis (SEA) has become a useful technique to predict the sound insulation and structural vibration in buildings. The accuracy of the prediction depends on the model of interaction of waves of different types and wave transmission through joints of structural elements. The method of SEA requires exact calculations of modal densities of waves of different types in structures. At high frequency, the correction based on the theory by Rayleigh, R.D. Mindlin and J.H. Rindel gives more accurate dispersion relations for phase velocities of longitudinal and bending waves in thick beams and plates.


A moving wavelength particle in cell computer code has been used to study the interaction in emitting sole crossed-field amplifiers (CFAs). Results of the study of magnetrons using a related code have been published previously. The CFA results echo many of the features of the magnetron results. Application of the code to a cold cathode, pulsed CFA showed the existence of chaotic fluctuations in the space charge which we believe are related to noise in experimental CFAs. A major feature of these fluctuations is voids in the charge above the cathode which propagate slower than the RF wave (and, hence, travel backward in the moving reference frame). As the voids pass beneath the base of the spokes they modulate the amount of charge entering the spokes and enhance the chaotic behavior. The spokes recirculate from output to input becoming partially debunched in the process. Differing amounts and distributions of the space charge recirculated result in the computed power and phase pushing varying from pass-to-pass of the moving wavelength around the CFA anode. The fluctuations in field at the cathode and the pass-to-pass fluctuations are used as a measure of the fluctuation of the simulation. Two alternative designs have been investigated in an attempt to reduce CFA noise. A nonreentrant design eliminates the pass-to-pass fluctuations. However, the simulations show internal fluctuations commencing shortly after the space charge has built up. Experimentally, noise of this CFA was improved over the baseline design by from 4 to 8 dB depending on the operating frequency. Simulation of an alternate reentrant design with a thermionic cathode capable of a current density which will support a "Slater" solution of the sheath trajectories, showed elimination of the internal space-charge fluctuations. Experimentally, noise of this CFA was improved by 10-30 dB over that of the baseline CFA. Fluctuations observed in the simulations are believed to be a qualitative model of noise generation phenomenon and may help point the way to future reduction of such noise.


With the advent of Knowledge Economy,Human Resource Accounting becomes more and more important.Further,the recognition and measurement of human resource play a leading role in it.However,as human resource itself has the characteristic of complication and uncertainty,a uniform Human Resource Accounting Value-measured Model has not been established.This paper is to establish a Human Resource Accounting Value-measured Model from the view of Factor Demand Theory of Western Economics and give a primary study on measurability of human resource.


The coordinated control of generator excitation and FACTS device is an effective and economical measure to improve power system stability. This paper proposes a coordinate control strategy of exciter and TCSC based on generalized Hamilton theory. The dynamic of the overall conductance is introduced to represent the TCSC control effect, with which the third order generator model can be expressed as generalized Hamilton system. An energy compensation and damping injection method, with a more obvious physical meaning, is used to design the coordinated control law of excitation and TCSC. Simulation results of a practical power system demonstrate that the proposed control strategy can increase the system damping and improve the stability of the system.


This paper focuses on the coverage control of a group of heterogeneous mobile robots with nonholonomic constraints. The robots are subject to kinematic characteristic of pure-rolling, no-slip constraints. A network of mobile robots shall converge to the centroid of their Voronoi regions to get a final optimal sensing configuration. This shall be accomplished with a decentralized coverage control law. For an unknown environment, a parameter adaptive law is used for estimating the centroid of Voronoi cells. The parameters of the robots are unified using a consensus algorithm. We consider different types of driving mechanism such as differential drive and car-like robots, such that the method provided in this paper can be applied to a group of heterogeneous mobile robots. At the end of this paper, simulative results verify effectiveness of the improved distributed coverage algorithm.


Background: It is essential to enhance life quality in patients with premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) with the use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The aim of the study was to assess symptom burden and life quality in patients with a low PVC burden following RFA. Methods: 31 individuals with a low PVC burden in whom RFA was indicated were included in the study. At baseline and after a year following RFA, the Arrhythmia-Specific questionnaire in Tachycardia and Arrhythmia (ASTA) scale was used for appraisal. A 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram was used to detect recurrent PVCs 12 months after the RFA intervention.Results: ASTA scores related to symptom burden, including the near-syncope score, healthrelated quality of life (HRQOL) scales pertaining to physical and mental health, and consequently the total HRQOL score, were all diminished a year after RFA (p<0.001). The ASTA score for syncope symptoms was also reduced (p<0.05). A fall in mean PVC burden was seen from 8.0% to 0.8% (p<0.001). Conclusion: The long-term clinical endpoint in individuals with a low PVC burden following RFA is reported. Symptom load, life quality and ultimate PVC burden were all enhanced. Additional studies incorporating longer follow-up and monitoring periods, respectively, would be beneficial.


Loss of phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) expression may be prognostic in colorectal cancer (CRC) and may have a correlation with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression via hypoxia‐inducible factor 1 (HIF‐1) alpha, and the PI3K/mTOR pathways. We therefore have explored the prognostic association of PTEN loss and the potential that PTEN loss may be predictive of outcome with bevacizumab. Patients enrolled in the AGITG MAX trial, a randomized Phase III trial of capecitabine (C) +/− bevacizumab (B) (+/− mitomycin C [M]) with available tissues were analyzed for PTEN expression (loss vs. no loss) as assessed using a Taqman® copy number assay (CNA). Of the original 471 patients enrolled, tissues from 302 (64.1%) patients were analyzed. PTEN loss was observed in 38.7% of patients. There was no relationship between PTEN loss and KRAS or BRAF mutation. PTEN status was not prognostic for progression‐free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS) in multivariate analyses adjusting for other baseline factors; loss versus no loss PFS hazard ratio (HR) 0.9 (0.7–1.16), OS HR 1.04 (0.79–1.38). PTEN was not prognostic when assessed by KRAS and BRAF status. By using the comparison of C versus CB+CBM, PTEN status was not significantly predictive of the effectiveness of B for PFS or OS. PTEN status was not prognostic for survival in advanced colorectal cancer, irrespective of KRAS or BRAF status. PTEN status did not significantly predict different benefit with bevacizumb therapy.


The Balkan Peninsula is considered the most important refugium for species during the Pleistocene glaciations and today harbours c. 2000 endemic species, but we know surprisingly little about the evolution of taxa in this region. Veronica saturejoides, V. thessalica and V. erinoides are a group of closely related alpine taxa endemic to the Balkan Peninsula. Here, we analyse four DNA regions [the nuclear chalcone synthase intron (CHSi) and ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the plastid rpoB-trnC spacer and trnL-trnL-trnF region] and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprints to provide a phylogenetic hypothesis for the relationships among these taxa. Additionally, we analyse leaf morphological characters used to distinguish the three subspecies of V. saturejoides. The analyses support the distinction of the three subspecies based on previously intuitively suggested characters. Nuclear chalcone synthase intron data indicate that the southern taxa are genetically much more diverse than the more northern V. saturejoides subsp. saturejoides. Phylogenetic relationships inferred from this region and AFLP fingerprints support the monophyly of V. saturejoides. In contrast, plastid DNA regions suggest a closer relationship of V. saturejoides subsp. saturejoides to V. thessalica. The most likely scenario involves introgression into V. saturejoides subsp. saturejoides from V. thessalica. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 159, 616‐636. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) ‐ chalcone synthase intron ‐ glacial refugia ‐ internal transcribed spacer (ITS) ‐ leaf morphology ‐ phylogeography ‐ rpoB-trnC spacer ‐ trnL-trnL-trnF-region.


In two studies comprising 249 children and their families, the authors utilized secondary, exploratory data analyses to examine Boyce and Ellis' (this issue) evolutionary–developmental theory of biological sensitivity to context. The theory proposes that individual differences in stress reactivity constitute variation in susceptibility to environmental influence, both positive and negative, and that early childhood exposures to either highly protective or acutely stressful environments result in heightened reactivity. In Study 1, 127 3- to 5-year old children were concurrently assessed on levels of support/adversity in home and preschool environments and on cardiovascular reactivity to laboratory challenges. In Study 2, 122 children were prospectively assessed on familial stress in both infancy and preschool and on autonomic and adrenocortical reactivity to laboratory challenges at age 7. In both studies, a disproportionate number of children in supportive, low stress environments displayed high autonomic reactivity. Conversely, in Study 2, a relatively high proportion of children in very stressful environments showed evidence of heightened sympathetic and adrenocortical reactivity. Consistent with the evolutionary–developmental theory, the exploratory analyses also generated the testable hypothesis that relations between levels of childhood support/adversity and the magnitude of stress reactivity are curvilinear, with children from moderately stressful environments displaying the lowest reactivity levels in both studies.The research on which this paper was based was supported by grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's Research Network on Psychopathology and Development, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (1RO1 HD 24718), and the National Institute of Mental Health (R01-MH44340 and P50-MH53524). We thank Jay Belsky and David Bjorklund for comments on an earlier draft of this paper.


In March of 2020, education across the world transitioned to virtual delivery and medical education was not exempt. This study explored the efficacy of virtual medical education in a pre-clerkship immunology course during the COVID-19 pandemic at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville. Course delivery methods and educational resources provided to students during either 2019 or 2020 were evaluated to generate a picture of the learning environment by year. Deidentified summative exam performance data from 204 students was analyzed across 61 matched questions that did not differ between the 2019 and 2020 exams. Statistical significance was determined by unpaired t-test using GraphPad Prism. As expected, in 2020, the content delivery shifted towards remote and asynchronous sessions. The total number of integrated clinical cases decreased in 2020 compared to 2019, although a greater percentage of the clinical cases directly mapped to the USMLE Content Outline in 2020. Formative multi-attempt online quizzes replaced in-person practice questions and the overall number of available review questions increased from 2019 to 2020. There was no significant difference in student performance between the two years on matched exam questions or on exam performance as a whole. While the switch to virtual learning offered fewer synchronous sessions for student-faculty interactions, modifications to course materials appears to have counteracted any potential learning loss. This suggests that virtual medical immunology education with adequate resources can be as effective as in-person delivery, which has implications for undergraduate and medical immunology instruction and for the entirety of medical education.


The study of the latest civilistic instruments of medical reform is conditioned by its purpose, which is to clarify the legal nature of the declaration of choice of primary care physician and the contract for medical care under the programme of medical guarantees, highlighting the specific features of the right to choose a doctor, conditioned by the outlined tolls, as well as identifying gaps and controversies in the legislation of Ukraine and judicial practice in law enforcement in this area. The main method of the study was the method of studying judicial practice, which allowed to assess the effectiveness of law enforcement, the level of perception of legislation in this area in practice, as well as to determine the necessity of improving the legal regulation. The study highlights the problematic aspects related to the exercise of the right to free choice of a doctor, in particular due to legislative changes regarding medical reform. The legal essence of the declaration on the choice of a primary care physician has been covered. The study clarifies that it is not a transaction, but a document certifying the exercise of the right to freely choose a primary care physician. The contract on medical care of the population under the programme of medical guarantees is analysed and its civil law matter is established. It is determined that it is a contract for the provision of services under the public procurement, concluded for the benefit of third parties. The reimbursement agreement was also investigated, which is also an agreement in favour of third parties – patients in terms of full or partial payment for their medicines. The judicial practice is analysed, which gives grounds to assert the problems with enforcement and administration of law, and proposals are made to improve the current legislation, including in the aspect of the subject of the contract under the programme of medical guarantees. The "legitimate expectation" that arises in a person in the presence of regulatory guarantees is under conventional protection, as illustrated by the European Court of Human Rights in its decisions, and to change the paradigm of implementation requires a transformation of legislation. The practical significance of this study is to intensify scientific intelligence in this direction, to improve the legal regulation of these innovative legal constructions, to optimise the enforcement and administration of law in the outlined civilistic plane


This paper serves as an introduction to this special issue of Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal; an issue which embraces themes associated with social and environmental reporting (SAR) and its role in maintaining or creating organisational legitimacy. In an effort to place this research in context the paper begins by making reference to contemporary trends occurring in social and environmental accounting research generally, and this is then followed by an overview of some of the many research questions which are currently being addressed in the area. Understanding motivations for disclosure is shown to be one of the issues attracting considerable research attention, and the desire to legitimise an organisation's operations is in turn shown to be one of the many possible motivations. The role of legitimacy theory in explaining managers' decisions is then discussed and it is emphasised that legitimacy theory, as it is currently used, must still be considered to be a relatively under‐developed theory of managerial behaviour. Nevertheless, it is argued that the theory provides useful insights. Finally, the paper indicates how the other papers in this issue of AAAJ contribute to the ongoing development of legitimacy theory in SAR research.


Reports of IUD transmigration with complications have for many years caused concern among both clients and service providers. The incidence of transmigration is, however, rare, but the unusual nature of the complications has attracted more attention than warranted to the issue. While the mechanism of IUD transmigration is uncertain, total or partial perforation of the uterus at the time of insertion is thought to be the main reason for the phenomenon. The incidence of uterine perforation due to the use of modern IUDs is estimated to be only one in 3000 insertions. This paper summarizes what is known about transmigration, and includes some examples from the author's own experience which shows that, in most cases, transmigration produces few or no symptoms. Sites of translocation and complications, case studies, mechanism of transmigration, and clinical management are discussed.


The family Toxoderidae (Mantodea) contains an ecologically diverse group of praying mantis species that have in common greatly elongated bodies. In this study, we sequenced and compared the complete mitochondrial genomes of two Toxoderidae species, Paratoxodera polyacantha and Toxodera hauseri, and compared their mitochondrial genome characteristics with another member of the Toxoderidae, Stenotoxodera porioni (KY689118). The lengths of the mitogenomes of T. hauseri and P. polyacantha were 15,616 bp and 15,999 bp, respectively, which is similar to that of S. porioni (15,846 bp). The size of each gene as well as the A+T-rich region and the A+T content of the whole genome were also very similar among the three species as were the protein-coding genes, the A+T content and the codon usages. The mitogenome of T. hauseri had the typical 22 tRNAs, whereas that of P. polyacantha had 26 tRNAs including an extra two copies of trnA-trnR. Intergenic regions of 67 bp and 76 bp were found in T. hauseri and P. polyacantha, respectively, between COX2 and trnK; these can be explained as residues of a tandem duplication/random loss of trnK and trnD. This non-coding region may be synapomorphic for Toxoderidae. In BI and ML analyses, the monophyly of Toxoderidae was supported and P. polyacantha was the sister clade to T. hauseri and S. porioni.


Standard antimicrobial susceptibility tests used to determine bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics are growth dependent and time consuming. The long incubation time required for standard tests may render susceptibility results irrelevant, particularly for patients infected with lethal bacteria that are slow growing on agar but progress rapidly in vivo, such as Yersinia pestis. Here, we present an alternative approach for the rapid determination of antimicrobial susceptibility, based on the quantification of the changes in the expression levels of specific marker genes following exposure to growth-inhibiting concentrations of the antibiotic, using Y. pestis and ciprofloxacin as a model. The marker genes were identified by transcriptomic DNA microarray analysis of the virulent Y. pestis Kimberley53 strain after exposure to specific concentrations of ciprofloxacin for various time periods. We identified several marker genes that were induced following exposure to growth-inhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin, and we confirmed the marker expression profiles at additional ciprofloxacin concentrations using quantitative RT-PCR. Eleven candidate marker transcripts were identified, of which four mRNA markers were selected for a rapid quantitative RT-PCR susceptibility test that correctly determined the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values and the categories of susceptibility of several Y. pestis strains and isolates harboring various ciprofloxacin MIC values. The novel molecular susceptibility test requires just 2 h of antibiotic exposure in a 7-h overall test time, in contrast to the 24 h of antibiotic exposure required for a standard microdilution test.


A laser system is designed for operation with a photocathode electron gun for a linear accelerator with the following parameters of radiation at a wavelength of 262 nm (the fourth harmonic of a Nd:YLF laser). The pulse trains (macropulses) with a repetition rate of 5 Hz and a duration of 900 μs consist of 8-ps micropulses with an energy of 1.4 μJ and a repetition rate of 2.708 MHz. This repetition rate is variable within ±32 kHz and is stabilised by an external signal with an accuracy of 10 Hz. Due to the use of a feedback-controlled acousto-optic modulator, the root-mean-square deviation of the micropulse energy in the first and second harmonics is 2.5% and 3.6%, respectively. Using the decaying branch of the dependence of the second-to-fourth harmonic conversion efficiency on the second harmonic intensity, we decreased the root-mean-square deviation of the energy of the fourth-harmonic micropulses to 2.3% at the first-to-fourth harmonic conversion efficiency of 27%.


Mesenteric fibromatosis (MF) is a rare, locally aggressive tumor without distant metastasis, which has a high recurrence rate. Based on its location, it is classified as intra-abdominal, from abdominal wall, and extra-abdominal. The incidence of cystic-solid, retroperitoneal tumors is very low in comparison to other MF forms. Intra-abdominal MFs are asymptomatic in early stages, but their symptoms appear late in the tumor course. There is no specific imaging finding since radiological diagnosis is mostly impossible. Thus, diagnosis is made histopathologically. Nowadays, there is no consensus about its treatment although surgical resection is widely used. In the present study, a very rare case of cystic-solid retroperitoneal MF associated with separate synchronous skin tumors is reported.


To increase rainfall over the watershed of Gutian reservoir, halfway from Shanghai to Canton and 100 km inland from Taiwan strait, metaldehyde and silver iodide were injected by rocket into clouds during three seasons, April-June 1975, 1977, and 1981. Randomization provided 50 seeded and 51 unseeded three-hour cases, indicating a 20% increase (significant at 5% level) in mean rainfall over the 1500 km target, mostly in frontal situations. Fourthroot transformations provided adequate transformation to normality of the threehour rainfall totals. Residual variances of regressions of seeded and unseeded cases differed markedly, requiring special analyses. Contrary to previous assumptions, seeding effects were not proportional to control area rainfall, and regression intercepts were not zero.


The product distribution of isomers from the deuterium exchange of neopentane over palladium supported on silica-alumina particles is influenced by the competition among three rate processes: desorption, diffusion, and surface exchange. The theory based on a single-step surface mechanism is presented and given quantitative treatment, suitable for large conversions. The experimental results show a very wide variety of product distributions over the same catalyst, and can be quantitatively correlated by the theory.


The O antigen (Oag) component of LPS is a major Shigella flexneri virulence determinant. Oag is polymerized by WzySf, and its modal chain length is determined by WzzSf and WzzpHS2. Site-directed mutagenesis was performed on wzySf in pWaldo-wzySf-TEV-GFP to alter Arg residues in WzySf's two large periplasmic loops (PLs) (PL3 and PL5). Analysis of the LPS profiles conferred by mutated WzySf proteins in the wzySf deficient (Δwzy) strain identified residues that affect WzySf activity. The importance of the guanidium group of the Arg residues was investigated by altering the Arg residues to Lys and Glu, which generated WzySf mutants conferring altered LPS Oag modal chain lengths. The dependence of these WzySf mutants on WzzSf was investigated by expressing them in a wzySf and wzzSf deficient (Δwzy Δwzz) strain. Comparison of the LPS profiles identified a role for the Arg residues in the association of WzySf and WzzSf during Oag polymerization. Colicin E2 and bacteriophage Sf6c susceptibility supported this conclusion. Comparison of the expression levels of different mutant WzySf-GFPs with the wild-type WzySf-GFP showed that certain Arg residues affected production levels of WzySf in a WzzSf-dependent manner. To our knowledge, this is the first report of S. flexneri WzySf mutants having an effect on LPS Oag modal chain length, and identified functionally significant Arg residues in WzySf.


An analysis of individual differences in behavior under high arousal conditions was conducted. Participants completed a measure of optimism (the Explanatory Style questionnaire) and were divided into high and low optimists on the basis of these scores. Then, participants played the "water-pipe game" under conditions of "time pressure" and "severity" designed to increase arousal. ("Emergency" consists of both these factors together.) In this game, they had to click a computer mouse to complete the game using the minimum number of clicks. We found that high optimists' click frequency increased and their thinking time declined under the high-arousal condition. This was not so in the control condition, who tended to act promptly without much active thought. On the other hand, we found that low optimists' click frequency did not increased under any conditions, but their total number of clicks was larger than high optimists'. Namely low optimists seemed to act carefully but in an inefficient fashion. Processing efficiency theory can account for this pattern: anxiety leads to a reduction in the storage capacity of the working memory system. These results suggest that trait optimism can influence behavior patterns such as "choking" under pressure. Language: en


We have investigated the effects of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rG-CSF) on hemopoietic reconstitution after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) following lethal irradiation in mice. Mice received a daily administration of 10 μg/kg rG-CSF or control vehicle one through 21 days after BMT. Spleen colony-forming units (CFU-S), granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM), megakaryocyte colony-forming units (CFU-Meg), and erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E) increased in both bone marrow and spleen of the rG-CSF-treated mice as compared with the control. This increase was evident during the administration period. In spite of the increase in the progenitor cells in bone marrow and spleen, only a recovery of neutrophils was accelerated in peripheral blood. Thus rG-CSF accelerated granulopoietic recovery in the BMT mice, with an enhanced recovery of the stem cells and the progenitors for erythrocytes and megakaryocytes. These results indicate the potential clinical usefulness of rG-CSF in the treatment of patients undergoing BMT.


Changes in climate are altering disturbance regimes in forests of western North America, leading to increases in the potential for disturbance events to overlap in time and space. Though interactions between abiotic and biotic disturbance (e.g., the effect of bark beetle outbreak on subsequent wildfire) have been widely studied, interactions between multiple biotic disturbances are poorly understood. Defoliating insects, such as the western spruce budworm (WSB; Choristoneura freemanni), have been widely suggested to predispose trees to secondary colonization by bark beetles, such as the Douglas-fir beetle (DFB; Dendroctonus pseudotsugae). However, there is little quantitative research that supports this observation. Here, we asked: Does previous WSB damage increase the likelihood of subsequent DFB outbreak in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests of the Southern Rocky Mountains, USA? To quantify areas affected by WSB and then DFB, we analyzed Aerial Detection Survey data from 1999–2019. We found that a DFB presence followed WSB defoliation more often than expected under a null model (i.e., random distribution). With climate change expected to intensify some biotic disturbances, an understanding of the interactions between insect outbreaks is important for forest management planning, as well as for improving our understanding of forest change.


The neuronal generation of vertebrate locomotion has been extensively studied in the lamprey. Computer simulations of this system have been carried out with different aims and with different techniques. ln this article, we review some of these simulations, particularly those leading toward models that describe the interaction that occurs between the neuronal system and its mechanical environment during swimming. Here we extend these models, enabling two new experiments to be conducted. The first one addresses the role of sensory feedback by exposing the neuromechanical system to unexpected perturbations. The second one tests the validity of an earlier proposed hypothesis for the neural generation of three-dimensional (3D) steering by coupling this central pattern generator to a mechanical 3D simulation.


Yinchuan Plain is one of drinking-water endemic fluorosis areas in China. To the west of the Yellow River phreatic water with high fluorine distributes in alluvial lacustrine plain and confined water only distributes in Dawukou region to the northwest of Helan Mountain. To the east of the Yellow River high fluorine groundwater with broadly distribution and vertically fluorine content changes observably. Hydrochemical types were complex under weakly alkaline environment. Most of the negative ion in phreatic water main was HCO-3, but in confined water which was mainly SO2-4 and Cl-. Fluorion was controlled by the solubility product, which showed inverse ratio with calcium, and showed positive correlation with (K+ + Na+)/Ca2+ value.


Speech Pathology programs usually send students to workplaces to learn clinical skills necessary for practice. During COVID-19, programs needed to respond quickly to ensure that students continued to gain the necessary experiences and skills required to progress through their program and graduate as clinicians, while simultaneously complying with COVID-19 requirements. Case studies from seven different universities in Australia, Ghana and Hong Kong described the diverse ways in which placements were adapted to be COVID-safe, taking into account local needs. Some practices which had been included in placement education prior to the pandemic, such as telepractice and simulation-based learning, were extended and developed during this time. Educators, students, clinicians and clients responded to the rapidly changing needs of the time with flexibility and innovation, utilising a variety of technologies and tools to support case-based and virtual learning opportunities. Feedback from these diverse stakeholders about the experiences was positive, despite inevitable limitations and less-than-ideal circumstances.  The positive findings provided insights for consideration in the future: could strategies implemented in response to the pandemic continue to be incorporated into placement experiences, enhancing current practices and maintaining student performance outcomes? Exceptional circumstances prompted exceptional responses; flexibility and innovation were accelerated in response to the pandemic and may transform future placement-based learning opportunities.


Neovascularisation plays a crucial role in solid tumor growth and metastasis formation. Our previous studies showed that theophylline and theobromine suppressed cutaneous neovascular reaction induced in mice by human blood leukocytes, and lung as well as ovarian cancer cells. Here, we investigated the in vivo effect of theobromine on angiogenic activity of human urothelial cell line HCV-29, v-raf transfected (mouse cutaneous assay), and the in vitro effect of this drug on VEGF, tPA, uPA and PAI mRNA expression in these cells (RT-PCR method). Theobromine suppressed angiogenesis induced in mice by HCV-29-v-raf cells, inhibited VEGF mRNA expression, and had no effect on transcription of uPA and tPA in these cells. HCV-29-v-raf transfectants do not display transcripts of PAI, in the presence or the absence of theobromine.


This document is an informational snapshot taken by the IRTF's Internet Congestion Control Research Group (ICCRG) in October 2008. It provides a survey of congestion control topics described by documents in the RFC series. This does not modify or update the specifications or status of the RFC documents that are discussed. It may be used as a reference or starting point for the future work of the research group, especially in noting gaps or open issues in the current IETF standards. (IRTF). Documents approved for publication by the IRSG are not a candidate for any level of Internet Standard; see Section 2 of RFC 5741. Information about the current status of this document, any errata, and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at in effect on the date of publication of this document. Please review these documents carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect to this document.


Page-centric Web development structures an application into individual scripts, each responsible for processing a user request and generating a response. Although software developers have long considered go-to statements harmful, they are still present in today's mainstream frameworks, and they hamper the reuse of pages in different parts of the application. In this article, after briefly discussing the key challenges of modern Web application development, we present Seaside, a highly dynamic framework for developing Web applications in Smalltalk. The Seaside framework provides a uniform, pure object-oriented view for Web applications. Exploiting Smalltalk's reflective features, Seaside reintroduces procedure call abstraction in a client-server context. Furthermore, there's no need to recompile and restart Seaside application servers after each modification. Web developers debug and update applications on the fly, thus reducing development time considerably.


In Turkey, refugees from Syria have been continuously increasing with rapid urbanization. Concurrently, energy consumption has been growing promptly. Supply and demand equality may be a crucial problem in the electricity market causing further instability and shortages leading to reliable predictions a necessity. For this reason, an informative questionnaire is prepared to take the expert opinions on the main drivers that shape the energy consumption behavior of Syrian refugees. In total, 17 experts are interviewed. The answers are explored by using NETICA software for Bayesian Belief Networks. Factors affecting energy consumption behavior and also strategies, institutions, tools, and financing methods that change the behavior toward efficient consumption are investigated. Based on obtained results, it can be claimed that to be successful, electricity prices and tariffs in the market should be arranged in the favor of energy efficiency. Besides, support mechanisms by not only the government but also by the municipalities should be considered while setting related policies. Also, electric appliance producers should develop and implement strategies and actions to encourage the usage of more efficient appliances. Last but not the least, nongovernmental organizations should raise refugees' awareness of the efficient electricity consumption to minimize the impacts of refugee inflows on the electricity market.


Andrographis paniculata is an important traditional Chinese herbal material widely used for treatment of fever and diarrhea. The three diterpenoids [andrographolide (AP), dehydroandrographolide (DP) and neoandrographolide (NP)] in A. paniculata were characterized as the key active components for its extractive and related medicinal preparations. A rapid and accurate quantitative analysis of these three diterpenoids in A. paniculata capsules was accomplished by means of a valid and reliable high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric (HPLC-MS/MS) analytical method. An optimized gradient elution method, which under the mobile phase consisting of methanol and water, was established successfully. An XDB C18 column (3.5 μm, 2.1 mm × 50 mm) was successfully applied to separate these three diterpenoids at the flow rate of 0.55 mL/min. A triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using an electrospray ionization source was served for analytical detection. The linearity, specificity, accuracy, recovery, precision, stability and repeatability were demonstrated to fully confirm the validity of this study. Good linear regression relationships for the three analytes were obtained over the range of 0.50-1000 ng/mL. Intra-day and inter-day precisions were evaluated with relative standard deviation < 7.62%, and the extraction recovery varied from 93.8% to 102.0%. The rapid and accurate HPLC-MS/MS analytical method was developed for the quality evaluation of A. paniculata capsules successfully. The content of AP, DP and NP obtained were 3.90-4.08, 4.77-5.04, 4.32-4.48 mg/g in A. paniculata capsules, respectively. Moreover, it is expected that this analytical technique can be applied to detect three effective components rapidly and accurately in other different medicinal preparations of A. paniculata as a method for their quality control.


Relevance. Vasoproliferative retinal tumor is a rare acquired disease. The exact pathogenesis of vasoproliferative tumors remains completely unknown, and it has long been assumed that their development is a reactive process with the proliferation of glial cells and blood vessels. Despite the widespread use of this term, vasoproliferative tumor cannot be fully attributed to true tumors and it cannot be reliably established that it is vascular in its pathogenesis. The clinical signs of vasoproliferative retinal tumor manifests itself as a yellowish-red, often loose mass with vessels of normal or slightly enlarged caliber, usually small, single and located in the lower-outer or lower part of the fundus. Due to their rarity, there are currently no uniform recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of this pathology. Most of the available methods have limited effectiveness, causing a temporary regression of the process, which makes it necessary to repeatedly re-treat or combine several treatments. In some cases, the use of several therapeutic options leads to complications that can be caused by both therapy and the natural progression of the disease, which together prevents reconvalescence and improvement of visual func tions. Purpose. This article presents for the first time a detailed review of the literature, including generalized data on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, histological features, differential diagnosis and modern approaches to the treatment of this pathology. Material and methods. The article uses literary materials of domestic and foreign authors published in the period from 1982 to the present. Conclusion. It is necessary to further study the mechanisms of development of vasoproliferative tumors and related complications. The article uses literary materials of domestic and foreign authors published in the period from 1982 to the present. Keywords: vasoproliferative tumors, retinal vascular tumors, retinal angiomatosis, endoresection, vitrectomy, brachytherapy.


Fifty pregnant women with a hemoglobin between > 10 and < or = 12 g/100 ml during the second three months of pregnancy participated in a non-comparative clinical trial intended to evaluate, during a one month treatment period, the acceptability and effectiveness of an iron supplement (Bio-fer), combined with a high iron diet. Gastric discomfort regressed (present in 11 and 3 women before and after treatment) (p < 0.05), the same applying to constipation (p < 0.05) (present in 17 and 8 women before and after treatment). Reasons for abandoning treatment were nausea (n = 2) and vertigo (n = 1). Anemia or deficiency, evaluated on the basis of hemoglobin and iron-binding capacity levels, improved or stabilised in 34 patients out of 47 (72.3%). Hemoglobin increased (p < 0.0001) on average from 11.4 +/- 0.6 to 11.7 +/- 0.8 g/100 ml.


Abstract The vision of sustainable development and its implementation through forest Certification. Vision and principles of sustainable development are reflected in standards and processes of forest certification (FC) according to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FC contributes to institutional changes and capacity building thus improving structural requirements for sustainable development. FC based on the concept of sustainable development promises to better support conservation and sustainable management of forests than the strategies developed before the Rio Conference


As counterfactual examples become increasingly popular for explaining decisions of deep learning models, it is essential to understand what properties quantitative evaluation metrics do capture and equally important what they do not capture. Currently, such understanding is lacking, potentially slowing down scientific progress. In this paper, we consolidate the work on evaluating visual counterfactual examples through an analysis and experiments. We find that while most metrics behave as intended for sufficiently simple datasets, some fail to tell the difference between good and bad counterfactuals when the complexity increases. We observe experimentally that metrics give good scores to tiny adversarial-like changes, wrongly identifying such changes as superior counterfactual examples. To mitigate this issue, we propose two new metrics, the Label Variation Score and the Oracle score, which are both less vulnerable to such tiny changes. We conclude that a proper quantitative evaluation of visual counterfactual examples should combine metrics to ensure that all aspects of good counterfactuals are quantified.


Nickel ore export ban has been imposed by Indonesia as the leading actor on the global nickel supply chain which created a disruption and has not been perceived well by other countries, especially the European Union (EU) countries. This paper will analyze the implications caused by the export ban to EU countries and the actions following it, including the enactment of the palm oil ban. Starting with the World Trade Organization (WTO) panel, the EU's strategy of forcing Indonesia to lift the export ban has not yet succeeded. With the tit-for-tat strategy, this paper identifies the EU's palm oil ban as a form of retaliation for the Indonesian nickel ore export ban. Although the tit-for-tat strategy often is used in a positive-sum game, the conflict between Indonesia and the EU is a negative-sum game with both parties putting their economies at risk.
Keywords: nickel ore export ban, palm oil ban, tit-for-tat strategy, Indonesia, European Union
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Lim, B., Kim, H. S., & Park, J. (2021). Implicit Interpretation of Indonesian Export Bans on LME Nickel  Prices: Evidence from the Announcement Effect. Risks, 9(5), 93. https://doi.org/10.3390/risks9050093
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TiO2 thin film obtained by the sol-gel technique was used as the active layer in an electric sensor to distinguish the vapours of four volatile organic compounds: hexane, hexanol, cyclohexane and benzene. The measurements were performed at various temperatures of the sensing layer. Some of the output signals obtained from the sensor were characterized by low reproducibility, even within the data series obtained for the same gas. With the current design of the gas sensor, it was sometimes impossible to obtain a reproducible and stable output signal. Therefore, a neural network was used to pre-process the data. A bipolar transfer function of neurons was used as it had the shortest learning time of the network and produced the most stable results. The best results were obtained for a 4-4-4 topology of the neural network, where the input data were the values of the current at 440 and 360 °C when the sensor was exposed to a flow of air with or without organic vapours, with a 4-neuron hidden layer, and BE, CH, HL, HX outputs, each one associated with specific substance (benzene, cyclohexane, hexanol and hexane). The neural network was configured as a classifier recognizing four specific gases.


Detection of acute cardiac allograft rejection (AR) remains an important clinical challenge. The role of Doppler echocardiography for the non-invasive diagnosis of AR is controversial, in particular with regard to milder forms of rejection. This study was designed to evaluate the potential of Doppler echocardiography for the non-invasive diagnosis of mild AR. Serial measurements of left and right ventricular filling parameters were performed in 31 heart transplant recipients and compared with simultaneously obtained endomyocardial biopsies. To account for biological and technical variability, consecutive rejection-free studies were used to calculate 95% confidence limits for mitral and tricuspid maximum early flow velocity and pressure half time. Measurements obtained during mild AR were then compared to these data. The study demonstrated that all parameters varied considerably between consecutive rejection-free examinations. Changes in left and right ventricular filling parameters during mild AR rarely exceeded the calculated 95% confidence limits. Thus Doppler echocardiography appears of little value for the non-invasive diagnosis of mild acute cardiac rejection.


Most of us are affected by "thought models" that lock us into mindsets and behaviors that create inertia for change. We may remain for long periods of time in this state without any need for significant changes. But the lock-in can become a threat to the individual, the organization or the society that is locked-in when the context in which one "operates" changes faster than one can unlock. The inertia to change inhibits sufficiently rapid adaptation. From an evolutionary perspective, such inhibitions can be life-threatening. Many examples can be given where individuals, companies and societies die off because of inabilities to adapt caused by lock-ins in mental models unsuitable for the contextual changes they experience (cf. Diamond, 2006). This lock-in effect may be one important explanation for why society, despite our knowledge regarding human-caused environmental degradation, climate change and the extinction rate of other life forms, seems so reluctant to do something about it. It may also be one important explanation for why companies seem reluctant to change their product offerings despite the insight that those who do – in directions that solve the environmental challenges in ways appreciated and valued by their customers – will experience "one of the biggest business opportunities in the history of commerce" (Hart and Milstein, 1999:25). Lock-in can appear at all three system levels of society: the individual level, the organizational level and the societal level. Each of these three levels' lock-ins pose threats and opportunities for the entrepreneur. This article tries to dismantle these lock-ins and the tragedies of the commons that seem to be consequences of these lock-ins. The focus is the entrepreneur and it is discussed how the threats can be addressed and opportunities exploited in ways that will benefit the entrepreneur's business.


The aim of this work was to gain a comprehensive view of the microbiological char- acteristics of milk, natural whey starter, and cheese during the first months of ageing of Parmigiano Reggiano. A significant presence of different microbial groups in raw milk from the initial moments of production was rapidly substituted by various lactic acid bacteria. Natural whey starter contained a large number of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria ( Lactobacillus helveticus, L. delbrueckii ssp. lac- tis, L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus) and some facultatively heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria belonging to L. rhamnosus. Thermophilic lactic acid bacteria disappeared within 30 d. Rod-shaped mesophilic facultatively heterofermentative lactic acid microflora, consisting of L. casei, L. paracasei ssp. paracasei, L. paracasei ssp. tolerans, L. rhamnosus and pediococci, progressively increased up to the fifth month of ageing. Results showed that thermophilic lactobacilli were derived from natural whey starter whereas Streptococcus thermophilusoriginated from raw milk. Further, natural whey starter was the source of L. rhamnosus which was present throughout the entire period of the cheese ageing. The other components of non-starter lactic acid microflora derived from raw milk.


A rare case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the stomach in a 70‐year‐old man is reported. The protruded mass with central depression resembled a submucosal tumor, located on the posterior wall of a part of the cardia, fornix, and upper corpus. Histologically, submucosal ectopic glands composed of columnar cells, mucus‐producing cells that closely resemble gastric epithelium, and ciliated epithelium were observed. The tumor consisted of an admixture of cuboidal, columnar cells, mucus‐producing cells, singled or pseudostratified ciliated epithelium, and squamous metaplastic cells. The tumor cells were intimately continuous with the submucosal ectopic glands. Gradual transition between tumor cells and epithelium of submucosal ectopic glands was recognized. It is supposed that mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the stomach in this case derived from preexisting submucosal ectopic mucous glands of the stomach.


The effector capacity of endogenous lectins on cell adhesion/growth prompts studies to turn them into pharmaceutically stable forms. Using human galectin-2 as a proof-of-principle model, we first introduced mutations at the site of one of the two Cys residues, that is, C57A, C57M, and C57S. Only the C57M variant was expressed in bacteria in soluble form in high yield. No notable aggregation of the modified homodimeric lectin occurred during 3 weeks of storage. This mutational process also facilitated the site-directed introduction of poly(ethylene glycol) into the remaining sulfhydryl group (Cys75). Product analysis revealed rather complete conjugation with one chain per subunit in the homodimer. We note that neither the secondary structure alteration nor the absence of binding ability to a glycoprotein (asialofetuin) was observed. The results thus document the feasibility of tailoring a human galectin for enhanced stability to aggregation as well as monoPEGylation, which enables further testing of biological properties including functionality as growth regulator and the rate of serum clearance.


We investigated the antigenic specificity of the humoral immune response to infection by Salmonella typhimurium, by competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western immunoblots. A panel of eight murine monoclonal antibodies, raised to OmpC and OmpD porins and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-O antigens, was used to define the specificity of the polyclonal immune response in mice. The monoclonal antibody panel recognized five distinct epitopes; these were localized to surface-exposed loops of OmpC and OmpD porin, to the "eye-let" forming loop L3 of OmpC/OmpD, and to LPS-O4 and O5 factors. The immune mouse serum raised to infections with S. typhimurium LT-2 strain WB600 (wild-type) competitively inhibited the binding of biotin-labelled monoclonal antibodies to the epitopes that they recognize, indicating that all five epitopes were targets of the host immune response to natural infection. However, only two epitopes, one within a surface-exposed loop of OmpC porin, and the other in the LPS-O4 factor, were immunodominant. Furthermore, the bacterial LPS core and O-antigen structure influenced the immune response to the porins. Surface epitopes of porins were dominant in the rough strain SH5014 (rfa), whereas the immune recognition of LPS epitopes was predominant in mice infected with the smooth, wild-type strain (WB600). Finally, the immune response to LPS epitopes O4 and O5 was more pronounced in mice immunized with heat-killed cells than those infected with live S. typhimurium.


The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the temporomandibular joint morphology, regarding the relation between mandibular condyle and fossa, after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy in Angle class III dentomaxillary anomalies. Preserving the preoperative position of the condyle during sagittal split osteotomy is considered important to obtain skeletal and occlusal stability. Cone-beam computed tomography of 20 class III patients with mandibular prognathism were assessed before and 6 weeks after operation to evaluate changes of the condylar position. We propose a protocol for head posture and computed tomography investigation, which makes possible the comparison between cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in different moments at the same patient. There are no significant changes after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy regarding joint relations.


Nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes of two new multidentate ligands have been prepared and characterised. Although containing seven potential donor atoms, steric constraints dictate that the ligands behave as quinquedentate (N3O2) species. The nickel(II) complexes are isolated in both hydrated and anhydrous forms, each characterised by its colour and spectroscopic properties. In solution the copper complexes are five-co-ordinate, while the co-ordination number of the nickel(II) complexes depends on the nature of the solvent. In CHCl3 the complexes are five-co-ordinate but in MeOH they are six-co-ordinate. The crystal structure of the trihydrate form of one of the complexes shows the nickel(II) ion to have a six-co-ordinate, pseudo-octahedral geometry, with one water molecule in the primary co-ordination sphere. This complex undergoes extremely facile dehydration to produce the five-co-ordinate, anhydrous form.


The development of competency in personal and professional skills and values is likely to increase in importance as Clinical Psychologists in-training take on leadership and consultancy roles and work with greater complexity on qualification. However, the literature on how this competency develops and what helps and hinders this within Clinical Psychology training programmes is very limited. An understanding of the experience of Clinical Psychologists' in-training development of this competency is important to inform teaching and supervisory practice and to promote development of self awareness, professional effectiveness and resilience. Given the lack of literature and the exploratory nature of the research question, a qualitative approach was undertaken which explored Clinical Psychologists' in-training lived experience of developing personal and professional skills (PPD) through managing risk. A focus on such situations was chosen because managing risk is experienced by many trainees as taking them to the limits of their competence and to often demand interprofessional working. The research explored how the experience of managing such risks and complexity enhanced or diminished PPD learning. A systematic review of the extant literature was conducted and semi-structured qualitative interviews were pursued with ten Clinical Psychologists' in-training across the UK, from a range of doctoral training programmes. An interpretative phenomenological approach was employed to analyse participants' accounts. Four themes which interlinked to form a learning cycle: 'event perception', 'managing the professional self', 'reflective practice' and 'identity'. The emergent themes were interpreted with reference to the literature on PPD in broader populations of health professionals. The findings have a range of implications for training programmes, supervisors, trainees, and for the British Psychological Society/The Committee of Training in Clinical Psychology accreditation criteria which is currently being revised. Implications of the findings for risk management in clinical practice and recommendations for future research are also presented.


A metal-organic nanotube (MONT) was synthesized by linking up the bent organic ligands and the tetra-coordinated zinc cations under mild conditions. Structural analysis revealed that the MONT has a very large exterior wall diameter of 4.91 nm and an interior channel diameter of 3.32 nm. Interlocking of the nanotubes gives rise to a 3D chiral framework containing 1D helical cylindered channels with diameter of 2.0 nm. The MONT has very interesting property by synergizing the functionality of nanotubes, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs). The dye adsorption experiments demonstrate that the channels of the MONTs are accessible to large reagents typically used for catalysis. The postmodification of the MONT can be easily operated by unmarking the imidazolium moieties in the channel walls, which was conducted as a highly active heterogeneous catalyst for Suzuki-Miyaura and Heck coupling reactions, hydrogenation of olefins and nitrobenzene, while the constituent elements are less efficient for these reactions under the same conditions.


Data on climate and nutrient composition of water of commercial cultivation of four different rose varieties were analysed statistically. The calculated mineral uptake was related to nutrient supply, plant growth and glasshouse climate. The data were derived from a production period of 3 to 7 years and consisted of weekly averages of the production (g m-2 wk-1 fresh weight), climate, climate control and fertigation variables. The latter included volumes applied and drained, EC 'in and out' (providing estimates of total ion uptake) and concentrations of macro and micro elements 'in and out'. The roses were grown on rockwool substrate and two glasshouses were equipped with mobile growth systems. The installed assimilation light ranged from 65-165 μmol m-2 s-1 between systems. Regression models were calculated by means of forward stepwise regression, the models describe the total ion uptake and the uptake of the individual elements. The total ion uptake of the crop varied and depended on glasshouse climate, climate regulation of the glasshouse, drain water percentage and drain water pH, season, and production. The uptake of the individual nutrient element was explained for 33% to 99% by the ensemble of nutrient concentrations in the fertigation solution, depending on the element and cultivar. Across the four cultures, the 3-7 year average uptake concentration of the elements showed little variation. Within each culture the uptake of the individual elements varied most of the time parallel with each other and with the production. The regression model gives insights in the supply and demand of nutrients by roses, ultimately leading to a high production and good quality combined with a more sustainable fertilizer management.


At the end of 2005, the recently appointed reformist government led by Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif started to engage in drastic reforms of the business environment. Building on the momentum created by a successful tax reform, the government, through the General Authority for Free Zones and Investment (GAFI), took a very active role in the establishment of one-stop-shop facilities. But despite some visible progress, GAFI was still baffled by the difficulty of re-engineering administrative processes and achieving an effective delegation of authority from central line ministries to their local authorities. One obvious constraint faced by GAFI in Alexandria was the limited knowledge and understanding of the reform process by Egypt's civil servants. Equally, GAFI suffered from a lack of effective recognition and support from the private sector for the government's genuine commitment to turn Egypt into a more transparent and predictable place for start-up investors.


Activated cellular oncogenes (myc and ras, for example) and inactivated anti-oncogenes (p53 or Rb) participate in multistep carcinogenesis. In addition, some high risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) are also involved in uterine cervix carcinomas. Typification of HPV is important for clinical diagnosis. Unravelling the complexities of the immune system and understanding the biochemistry and molecular genetics of cellular oncogenes and tumor viruses have opened up new possibilities for vaccination.


We set up an SYBR Green I real-time RT-PCR method for the detection of genogroup II Norovirus, and this method's primers were encompassed the conservative region of Norovirus II. The limit of the detection was 10(2) copies. The standard curve's linear range was 10(2)-10(6) copies, correlation coefficient was 0.9952, the slope was -2.982, and the intercept was 35.84. This method possessed specificity for genogroup II Norovirus, without any cross-reaction with rotavirus, adenovirus, hepatitis A virus or astrovirus. The coefficients of variation (CV) of the C(t) values of the standard plasmid were 0.95%-1.69% (n = 5) in intra-assay and 0.87%-1.24% (n = 3) in inter-assay. We used this method to detect 30 shellfish samples, and found 3 samples were positive. This method is sensitive, specific and reliable for Norovirus II. It can be used to detect the Norovirus II in the shellfish rapidly.


Otocephaly is an extremely rare lethal congenital anomaly characterized by the absence or underdevelopment of the mandible. The clinical presentation is variable. Some cases may present with severe micrognathia as the only anomaly seen prenatally. The key to early diagnosis is careful assessment of the location of the fetal ears on 2D ultrasound examination.


Objective:To assess trends during 2009–2013 in antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription and viral suppression among adults receiving HIV clinical care in the United States. Design:We used data from the Medical Monitoring Project, a surveillance system producing national estimates of characteristics of HIV-infected adults receiving clinical care in the United States. Methods:We estimated weighted proportions of persons receiving HIV medical care who were prescribed ART and achieved HIV viral suppression (<200 copies/ml) at both last test and at all tests in the previous 12 months during 2009–2013. We assessed trends overall and by gender, age, race/ethnicity, and sexual behavior/orientation. Results:ART prescription and viral suppression increased significantly during 2009–2013, overall and in subgroups. ART prescription increased from 89 to 94% (P for trend <0.01). Viral suppression at last measurement increased from 72 to 80% (P for trend <0.01). The largest increases were among 18–29 year olds (56–68%), 30–39 year olds (62–75%), and non-Hispanic blacks (64–76%). Sustained viral suppression increased from 58 to 68% (P for trend <0.01). The largest increases were among 18–29 year olds (32–51%), 30–39 year olds (47–63%), and non-Hispanic blacks (49–61%). Conclusion:Adults receiving HIV medical care are increasingly likely to be prescribed ART and achieve viral suppression. Recent efforts to promote early antiretroviral therapy use may have contributed to these increases, bringing us closer to realizing key goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.