The proposed work presents the design and application of many-objective Jaya (MaOJaya) algorithm to optimize many-objective benchmark optimization problems. The basic Jaya algorithm is modified by introducing non-dominated sorting and tournament selection scheme of NSGA-II. The reference point mechanism is introduced to traverse algorithm towards the best solutions. The basic Jaya algorithm is modified while preserving its essential properties. The Tchebycheff – a decomposition based approach is used to simplify the complex MaOPs. The proposed MaOJaya algorithm is tested on DTLZ benchmark functions with objectives ranging from three to ten to measure its applicability and effectiveness to solve many-objective optimization problems. The IGD and Hypervolume performance metrics are used to evaluate the performance of proposed MaOJaya algorithm. The obtained IGD and Hypervolume values compared with the best known results and it is observed that, the proposed MaOJaya algorithm gives competitive or better results than known best results.


Today's information and communication devices provide always-on connectivity, instant access to an endless repository of information, and represent the most direct point of contact to almost any person in the world. Despite these advantages, devices such as smartphones or personal computers lead to the phenomenon of attention fragmentation, continuously interrupting individuals' activities and tasks with notifications. Attention management systems aim to provide active support in such scenarios, managing interruptions, for example, by postponing notifications to opportune moments for information delivery. In this article, we review attention management system research with a particular focus on ubiquitous computing environments. We first examine cognitive theories of attention and extract guidelines for practical attention management systems. Mathematical models of human attention are at the core of these systems, and in this article, we review sensing and machine learning techniques that make such models possible. We then discuss design challenges towards the implementation of such systems, and finally, we investigate future directions in this area, paving the way for new approaches and systems supporting users in their attention management.


Problems of developing countries that could be addressed with studies of time use are identified and associated methodological issues are discussed. Time use studies investigate how individuals allocate time among various activities. Such studies have revealed sex and age differences in time spent at work among adults and children of various societies, thus providing a view of the extent of women's and children's work and a perspective on the choices women make about their children when time is scarce. However, in order to meet quality standards in the quantitative social sciences, more stringent efforts must be made to improve the quality of time use data being collected. As a step toward this end, ten time use studies from developing countries using three kinds of methodology (observation, sequential recall and activities recall methods) are examined and ranked in terms of 12 methodological issues. Issues raised include problems of reliability, validity, coding, justifications for age classifications of children, sample coverage and quality of time use. Methodological improvements for time use studies are suggested. (Author/RH) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************


SUMMARY Field experiments were conducted at Tel Hadya, Syria during 1985–1988 using faba bean (field bean) cultivars of three different plant types – independent vascular supply to each flower (IVS), determinate and indeterminate, sown at 22 and 44 plants/m2. The objective of the study was to determine whether yields had been stabilized and improved in the newly developed plant types. Both determinate and indeterminate cultivars continued producing nodes late into the season, the former by producing new branches and the latter on the existing branches. Late formation of branches in determinate lines was suppressed by sowing at a high seeding density of 44 plants/m2 in contrast to the usual density of 22 plants/m2. Indeterminate lines, e.g. ILB 1814, produced the highest leaf area index (LAI), intercepted the highest photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and produced the highest total dry matter (DM). Among the determinate lines, FLIP 84–239F had a high LAI, intercepted a high PAR and produced a high DM. The IVS line, IVSFG–IVS 6, had a low LAI, intercepted a low PAR and attained a low DM. Sowing at a high density of 44 plants/m2 rather than 22 plants/m2 increased LAI and intercepted PAR, resulting in a higher DM production. Determinate lines partitioned proportionately more of the DM to the reproductive parts. Dry matter production was strongly correlated with cumulative intercepted PAR; with r ranging from 0·90–1·00 in both 1986/87 and 1987/88. The variation in the efficiency of conversion of intercepted PAR into DM amongst cultivars was low (1·309–2·017 g/MJ in 1986/87 and 1·191·2·057 g/MJ in 1987/88). ILB 1814 (an indeterminate cultivar) and FLIP 84–239F (a determinate cultivar) had higher light use efficiencies than the other cultivars. The range in cumulative intercepted PAR was, however, high; 224·8–417·8 MJ/m2 in 1986/87 and 118·4–369·1 MJ/m2 in 1987/88. Differences in DM at maturity were mainly due to differences in cumulative intercepted PAR. The relationship between DM at different growth stages and DM at maturity was strong; with the DM values at flowering showing the greatest correlations (r values of 0·93 in 1986/87 and 0·96 in 1987/88).


Intrusions detection systems (IDSs) are systems that try to detect attacks as they occur or after the attacks took place. Honeypots are decoy computer resources set up for the purpose of monitoring and logging the activities of entities that probe, attack or compromise them. This paper describes a hybrid honeypot which is the combination of high and low intraction honeypot, technique of applying Genetic Algorithm (GA) to it. A brief overview of the Intrusion Detection System, genetic algorithm and related detection techniques is presented. This is helpful for identification of complex anomalous behaviors proceedings.


The length-weight relationship and spatial, temporal and ontogenetic changes in the condition factor of Micropogonias furnieri (Desmarest, 1823) were analyzed, from samples collected between October 1998 and September 1999, in the Sepetiba Bay, a coastal area with a wide communication with the sea (22o54'-23o04'S, 43o34'-44o10'W) at Southeast Brazil. The aim was to supply basic information on the form of growth of the population of M. furnieri that uses the bay, as well as to assess changes in the fish condition. Most fish were young and subadults. The length-weight equation, based on 2499 unsexed individuals, was W t = 0.009095 * L t 2.99 , where W t is the total weight (g) and L t is the total length (cm). The regression constant and the regression coefficient presented significant inverse relationship (p < 0.01), indicating that the regression coefficient from the length- weight relationship is not a good parameter for characterizing different populations, because its strong association between one another. The best condition was recorded in October/November and April, and the worst, between January and March. Spatially, the best condition was observed in the inner bay zone, where most fish were young-of-the-year, and in the outer zone where predominate larger sized fish, indicating that individuals of intermediary size could be allocating large amount of energy for growth, presenting, consequently, lowest condition. Isometry was detected for M. furnieri populations at Sepetiba Bay, and variations in physiologic condition could be associated to feeding availability, mainly in the inner zone, where the harsh water quality would not be constrained for development of this species.


Understanding speech in background noise is challenging. Wearing face-masks during COVID19-pandemics made it even harder. We developed a multi-sensory setup, including a sensory substitution device (SSD) that can deliver speech simultaneously through audition and as vibrations on fingertips. After a short training session, participants significantly improved (16 out of 17) in speech-in-noise understanding, when added vibrations corresponded to low-frequencies extracted from the sentence. The level of understanding was maintained after training, when the loudness of the background noise doubled (mean group improvement of ~ 10 decibels). This result indicates that our solution can be very useful for the hearing-impaired patients. Even more interestingly, the improvement was transferred to a post-training situation when the touch input was removed, showing that we can apply the setup for auditory rehabilitation in cochlear implant-users. Future wearable implementations of our SSD can also be used in real-life situations, when talking on the phone or learning a foreign language. We discuss the basic science implications of our findings, such as we show that even in adulthood a new pairing can be established between a neuronal computation (speech processing) and an atypical sensory modality (tactile). Speech is indeed a multisensory signal, but learned from birth in an audio-visual context. Interestingly, adding lip reading cues to speech in noise provides benefit of the same or lower magnitude as we report here for adding touch.


We develop a model relating mid-ocean ridge normal faulting and crustal structure by examining recently available high-resolution gravity and multibeam bathymetric data of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and other spreading centers. Results of the analysis reveal a consistent pattern of positive residual gravity anomalies along the crust paralleling all major Atlantic offsets studied, especially along the inside corner side of the offsets. Individual residual gravity anomaly spikes (local peaks), which have amplitudes of up to 20 mGal and typical across-axis spacing of 10–30 km, often coincide with individual major fault scarps, suggesting crust thinned by normal faulting. Theoretical calculations indicate that the amplitude and spacing of the observed residual gravity spikes are consistent with the presence of successive, ridge-parallel low-angle faults that originate episodically at inside corners of ridge offset intersections. Fault scarp heights and the amounts of crustal thinning (as inferred from gravity anomalies) are consistently larger at inside corners than at outside corners, supporting a model in which tectonic extension near ridge offsets is asymmetric with low-angle faults occurring preferentially at inside corners. These results on spatial variations in seafloor morphology and gravity anomalies further support a three-dimensional tectonic faulting model at oceanic spreading centers with three major characteristics: (1) Low-angle faults form preferentially at inside corners, where the mantle lithosphere is the strongest and the lithospheric plates are sufficiently decoupled across ridge axis offsets; (2) low-angle faults decrease in throw toward midpoints of long ridge segments, where large low-angle faults may not be sustained by a weak lithosphere; and (3) the residual gravity peaks are statistically larger at transform than near nontransform offsets, indicating that the length of a ridge offset and its tectonic style control the development of low-angle faults.


Rates of maternal and neonatal mortality are high in Uganda. In much of the country, high-impact best practices in maternal and newborn health and family planning have yet to be implemented, and quality of care is poor. To address these issues, the Evidence to Action for Strengthened Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services for Women and Girls (E2A) Project partnered with the STRIDES for Family Health (STRIDES) project, and Uganda's Ministry of Health (MOH) to introduce and implement an Improvement Collaborative (IC), a systematic approach for introducing and scaling up best practices. The IC was designed around an integrated package of maternal, neonatal health, and family planning best practices delivered at hospitals and high-tier health facilities (facilities III and IV) in Uganda. This technical brief describes the process and results of the IC introduction. Health Context


The success of infrared surveillance systems is proportional to distinguishing the radiance of the target and the background. In this study, a simulation program, namely, DAMA (InfrareD SeA Modeling and Analysis) software is developed to calculate the total radiance and its components seen by an observer looking towards the sea surface. Total radiance is composed of thermal sea radiance, reflected source (sun or moon) radiance, reflected sky radiance and path radiance seen by the observer. The sea surface models are directly effective on the calculation of reflected radiances. DAMA program includes Cox and Munk, Mermelstein and Shaw-Churnside models and models for six different saltiness levels. The inputs of the software are classified as observer, time, wavelength, medium, model selection and output file parameters. The software developed by modules gives the total radiance and its components as output. The program has been run for approximately 10,000 times to obtain the effects of input parameters on total radiance and its components and the outputs are examined. DAMA is validated by SEARAD software and measurement results. By this way, for the first time in open literature, a simulation program including all sea surface and saltiness models is developed and the behavior of the total radiance and its components are examined with respect to the variation of all input parameters.


Three cases of end-stage renal disease are presented where plain radiographs of the chest suggested the diagnosis of rounded atelectasis. The clinical setting and follow-up radiographs in each case served to corroborate this diagnosis. The recognition of this benign condition in patients with end-stage renal disease may be important in obviating further invasive procedures in this subset of high risk patients.


We evaluated the effects of different methods of conserving the total mixed ration (TMR) and processing hulled rice (Oryza sativa L.) on intake, digestion, ruminal fermentation, lactation performance, and nitrogen utilization in dairy cows. Eight multiparous Holstein cows (126 ± 19 d in milk) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of dietary treatments. The experimental diets used fresh TMR and ensiled TMR containing either dry-rolled (DR) hulled rice or steam-flaked (SF) hulled rice. The fresh TMR was prepared every morning. The ensiled TMR was prepared by baling fresh TMR and then sealing it with a bale wrapper; this was stored outdoors at 10 to 30°C for >4 mo. The method of grain processing did not affect the dry matter (DM) intake. The DM intake tended to be greater for ensiled TMR than for fresh TMR. Apparent total-tract DM digestibility and milk yield were increased by feeding ensiled TMR instead of fresh TMR and by replacing DR with SF. An interaction effect between the TMR conservation method and the grain processing method was detected for DM digestibility and milk yield; replacing DR with SF increased the DM digestibility and milk yield in cows fed fresh TMR, but this did not affect the cows fed ensiled TMR. The milk fat and lactose contents did not differ among dietary treatments. The milk protein concentration was higher for the cows fed SF processed hulled rice than those fed DR, but it was not influenced by the TMR conservation method. The ruminal total volatile fatty acid concentration was higher for the cows fed ensiled TMR compared with those fed fresh TMR, but it was not affected by the grain processing method. The molar proportion of acetate was decreased and propionate was increased by feeding ensiled TMR instead of fresh TMR and by replacing DR with SF. The concentrations of rumen ammonia N and plasma urea N were higher for the cows fed ensiled TMR than fresh TMR and were lower for SF than DR. Feeding ensiled TMR instead of fresh TMR increased the cows' urinary N excretion and decreased the retention N. Replacing DR with SF decreased the urinary N excretion, increased the milk N secretion, and then improved the nitrogen efficiency. These results show that feeding ensiled TMR instead of fresh TMR has an adverse effect on N utilization, but it increases digestion and milk production. Replacing DR with SF also increases digestion, milk yield, and milk protein content, and the improvement of milk yield by replacing DR with SF was prominent in the cows fed fresh TMR.


This study assessed behavioural and neurochemical effects of i.c.v. injections of both the cholinergic toxin 192 IgG‐saporin (2 μg) and the serotonergic toxin 5,7‐dihydroxytryptamine (5,7‐DHT; 150 μg) in Long–Evans female rats. Dependent behavioural variables were locomotor activity, forced T‐maze alternation, beam walking, Morris water‐maze (working and reference memory) and radial‐maze performances. After killing by microwave irradiation, the concentrations of acetylcholine, monoamines and 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‐HIAA) were measured in the hippocampus, frontoparietal cortex and striatum. 192 IgG‐saporin reduced the concentration of acetylcholine by ∼ 40% in the frontoparietal cortex and hippocampus, but had no effect in the striatum. 5,7‐DHT lesions reduced the concentration of serotonin by 60% in the frontoparietal cortex and 80% in the hippocampus and striatum. Noradrenaline was unchanged in all structures except the ventral hippocampus where it was slightly increased in rats given 192 IgG‐saporin. Cholinergic lesions induced severe motor deficits but had no other effect. Serotonergic lesions produced diurnal and nocturnal hyperactivity but had no other effect. Rats with combined lesions were more active than those with only serotonergic lesions, showed motor dysfunctions similar to those found in rats with cholinergic lesions alone, and exhibited impaired performances in the T‐maze alternation test, the water‐maze working memory test and the radial‐maze. Taken together and although cholinergic lesions were not maximal, these data show that 192 IgG‐saporin and 5,7‐DHT lesions can be combined to selectively damage cholinergic and serotonergic neurons, and confirm that cholinergic–serotonergic interactions play an important role in some aspects of memory, particularly in spatial working memory.


Purpose – Building on the property rights framework, the purpose of this paper is to frame the cooperative business model in terms of strategic options held either by the board or by members. Options that are analyzed include growth and restructuring, dividend allocation, member entry and exit, and member embedded value options. Design/methodology/approach – Empirical estimates of the options' financial value, as well as sensitivity analyses, are presented for a stylized example using historical data and Monte Carlo option-pricing methods. Attention is paid to the effect of member age, discount rate and business operation size. Findings – Results suggest that the board's growth options can be substantial, while member options generally have small but nontrivial value. Implications for the stability of membership are drawn. Practical implications – The financial or economic value of strategic options in agricultural cooperatives can be significant, and decision makers may benefit from accounting for their presence. Originality/value – Cooperatives play an important role in agribusiness but have undergone significant changes in the past two decades in terms of organizational and financial structure. This paper contributes to an understanding of the value of control and residual rights associated with the Board and members of cooperatives. JEL classification: G32, Q14


Background
Normally endometrial carcinoma presents with post-menopausal bleeding in the majority of cases. It rarely presents with haematometra. If it does, it rarely reaches the term pregnant uterus size.
Case presentation
This case report is a rare presentation of endometrial carcinoma which was at first diagnosed as a huge ovarian mass later found out to be haematometra intraoperatively. There was a discordant finding between the endometrial invasions with distant metastasis (Local invasion of stage 1A with lung metastasis which should be stage 4B).
Conclusion
It is an uncommon combined occurrence but at least we learnt there can be possible different presentation for endometrial cancer. It further proved that almost all of haematometra can turn out to be associated with endometrial carcinoma.


Photovoltaic (PV) systems has received great attention in research for
generating renewable energy due to its advantages over fossil based energy in terms
of sustainability, environmental friendliness and price stability. However, the
widespread use of PV meets several challenges such as increasing the efficiency of
PV conversion. Another drawback of PV system is that it does not provide a constant
energy source because its output power changes with temperature and irradiation or
insulation. PV modules have unique current versus voltage characteristics. From the
I-V characteristics, PV systems must be operated at a maximum power point (MPP)
of specific current and voltage values so as to increase the PV efficiency. For any PV
system, the output power can be increased by tracking the MPP of the PV module by
using a controller connected to a boost converter. An important consideration in
increasing the efficiency of PV systems is to operate the system near maximum power
point (MPP) so as to obtain the approximately maximum power of PV array. To
achieve maximum energy produced by a PV array, maximum power point tracking
(MPPT) techniques are used. The position of the MPP is unknown but can be traced
by using an MPPT To overcome this problem, Maximum Power Point Tracker DCDC
Boost convertor are developed using Fuzzy Logic Control. The Fuzzy Logic
Controller and the MPPT it self are being represented and implimented using
Mathlab Simulink.


The growing inequalities we are witnessing in the world today are having a very negative impact on the health and quality of life of its populations. It is true, as many conservatives and neoliberal authors continue to stress, that health indicators are improving in many parts of the world, including in many underdeveloped countries. But what these authors are not saying is that the rate of improvements in these indicators have slowed down in most countries that have experienced a growth of inequalities, and in many of them, including the United States, these indicators have even reversed. According to the last report of the National Center for Health and Vital Statistics, infant mortality in the United States has increased, reversing the decline that had occurred since 1953. The growth of inequalities is thus bad for people's health. But why?This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.


OBJECTIVE
The current study examined whether social phobia (SP) symptoms in early adolescence prospectively predicted alcohol use through middle adolescence in a community sample of youth.

METHOD
Data from an ongoing longitudinal study (N = 277) of mechanisms of HIV-related risk behaviors in youth were used to assess the extent to which SP symptoms in early adolescence (mean [SD] age = 11.00 years [0.81]) would predict alcohol use across five annual assessment waves. Adolescents completed measures of SP symptoms, depressive symptoms, and alcohol use at each wave.

RESULTS
Higher SP symptoms at baseline predicted higher average odds of alcohol consumption during subsequent waves but did not significantly predict an increase in the odds of alcohol use as a function of time. Within a lagged model, SP symptoms measured at a prior assessment point (1 year earlier) predicted greater odds of drinking alcohol at the following assessment point. Importantly, alcohol use did not significantly predict SP symptoms over time. These results suggest that early SP symptoms are an important risk factor for increased odds of subsequent alcohol use.

CONCLUSIONS
The present findings highlight that elevated SP symptoms place adolescents at risk for early alcohol use. Early interventions targeting SP symptoms may be crucial for the prevention of problematic alcohol use in early to mid-adolescence. Implications for prevention and treatment approaches are discussed.


This study aimed to compare the quality characteristics of developed rice Jochung (E) with those of commercial-rice Jochung (A, B, C, and D). The total soluble solid, reducing sugar, and dextrose equivalent of developed rice Jochung were 80 °Brix, 44.53%, and 56.94%, respectively. The pH and titrable acidity were 6.25 and 0.19%, respectively. The color difference value (ΔE) of developed rice Jochung was 74.42, which was significantly lower than the other samples investigated. The light transmittance and total polyphenol contents of developed rice Jochung were 56.4%T and 108.23 mg GAE/100 g, respectively. The adhesiveness values of various commercial-rice Jochung products were 29.0~66.0 sec, while that of developed-rice Jochung was 61 sec, showing good textural properties for use in manufacturing Hangwa, a Korean traditional cookie. The electron-donating values of various rice Jochung were 20.4~50.3%, among which the developed-rice Jochung showed the highest value. The reducing powers of various rice Jochung products were 0.44~0.72, while that of the developed product was 0.72, which was significantly higher than the other values. Sensory evaluation revealed that the color scores of developed- and commercial-rice Jochung products were 6.70~6.80. Flavor scores of rice Jochung products ranged from 6.00 to 7.00. Taste and mouth feeling scores of developed-rice Jochung did not significantly differ from those of commercial Jochung products. Compared to commercial-rice Jochung products, developed-rice Jochung made with malt extract exhibited high polyphenols content. However, there were no significant differences in the overall acceptability scores between commercial-rice Jochung products and the developed product. The developed-rice Jochung analyzed in this study may be useful as a traditional sweetener for various Hangwa products as a substitute for corn syrup or Jochung.


We extracted the immunoreactive luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (IR-LHRH) from villous and plasma in the first trimester of pregnancy with 0.2N acetic acid and the florisil absorbtion method. Recovery rate was 40.0 +/- 4.08% in the former and 62.5 +/- 9.5% in the latter, respectively. These IR-LHRH were measured by radioimmunoassay, which showed sensitivity from 5 to 500 pg/ml. The villous IR-LHRH was compared with synthetic LH-RH by a dilution curve in different concentrations and the column gel filtration of sephadex-G25. The dilution curve of synthetic LH-RH and sample material showed a significant correlation, and the elution time of villous IR-LHRH on the column was something faster than that of synthetic LH-RH. The concentration of villous IR-LHRH showed 20--100 pg/0.1g dry weight in the first trimester of pregnancy, and the peak was at 9 weeks of normal pregnancy and at 8 weeks of inevitable abortion respectively, but these IR-LHRH levels were not changed between pre- and post-dilation and curettage. From this evidence, we considered that IR-LHRH show activity of the local hormone in villous tissue similar to somatostation.


When environmental interaction is expensive, model-based reinforcement learning offers a solution by planning ahead and avoiding costly mistakes. Model-based agents typically learn a single-step transition model. In this paper, we propose a multi-step model that predicts the outcome of an action sequence with variable length. We show that this model is easy to learn, and that the model can make policy-conditional predictions. We report preliminary results that show a clear advantage for the multi-step model compared to its one-step counterpart.


Objective. To estimate metabolizable energy requirements for maintenance (MEm), energy efficiency of weight gain (EEWG) and fat thickness, in Pelibuey and Katahdin ewes in Yucatan, Mexico. Material and method. Eight non pregnant, non lactating, multiparous ewes, were feed at three intake levels with a diet containing 2.0 Mcal/Kg-1 of ME and 11 % of CP. Feed intake was measured daily, ewes weight and thickness of subcutaneous fat (SF) were determined every 14 days. The EMm was estimated by regressing values of live weight against metabolizable energy intake (MEI), EEWG was estimate as gram of weight gain per Mcal of MEI. Results. There were no differences between breeds in MEm (97±4 and 110±4 kcal/Kg0.75, for Pelibuey and Katahdin) and EEWG (58±8 and 63±8 g/Mcal of MEI, for Pelibuey and Katahdin); differences were found in SF (6.1±0.2 and 4.9±0.2 mm, for Pelibuey and Katahdin). Conclusions. The energy requirements for maintenance were similar in Pelibuey and Katahdin ewes in Yucatan, Mexico.


This column focuses on the conceptual and practical aspects of teaching information literacy. Column co-editor Patrick Ragains and I write about trends and issues that have come to our attention, but we also solicit contributions to this space. Readers with ideas for Teaching Matters may contact Patrick Ragains at email@example.com, or the editors of Communications in Information Literacy at firstname.lastname@example.com.


Zn–Ni composite films were electrodeposited under coulostatic (515–5 145 C⋅m) and galvanostatic (5 A⋅m) conditions onto brass plates with a Ni precoating in an unagitated chloride solution at 23°C to investigate the color and structure of the deposited films. The chromaticity of the deposited Zn–Ni composite films changed in a clockwise direction in each quadrant of the a*b* diagram of the L*a*b* color space with increasing amount of charge. The deposited films contained S, Zn, and Ni, and their content decreased in the order of S > Zn > Ni. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the deposited films were primarily composed of ZnS, ZnO, and Ni and contained small amounts of Zn(OH)2 and Zn. The color of the deposited films is attributed to interference of light, and the index of refraction of the deposited films composed of ZnS, ZnO, and Ni is assumed to be large. When Ni was excluded from the electrolytic solution, ZnS did not codeposit and the amount of Zn deposited in the metallic state increased. This result suggests that the Ni deposition induces the codeposition of ZnS.


The Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) is one of the combinatorial optimization problems most studied in Computer Science and of great relevance to the areas of logistics and transport. This paper presents a new algorithm for solving the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP) using Monte Carlo methods. Monte Carlo methods are statistical methods that use random sampling to solve probabilistic and deterministic problems. The proposed algorithm was developed based on Monte Carlo simulations and Clarke and Wright Savings heuristic and demonstrated results comparable to the best existing algorithms in the literature, it overcomes previous work with Monte Carlo methods. The comparison, analysis and evaluation of the algorithm were based on existing benchmarks in the literature.


This study reports the results of a meta-analysis of empirical studies on Internet addiction published in academic journals for the period 1996-2006. The analysis showed that previous studies have utilized inconsistent criteria to define Internet addicts, applied recruiting methods that may cause serious sampling bias, and examined data using primarily exploratory rather than confirmatory data analysis techniques to investigate the degree of association rather than causal relationships among variables. Recommendations are provided on how researchers can strengthen this growing field of research.


This document describes an inventory of 50 semantic labels designed to characterize the use of adpositions and case markers at a somewhat coarse level of granularity. Version 2 is a revision of the supersense inventory proposed for English by Schneider et al. (2015, 2016) and documented in PrepWiki (henceforth "v1"), which in turn was based on previous schemes. The present inventory was developed after extensive review of the v1 corpus annotations for English, as well as consideration of adposition and case phenomena in Hebrew, Hindi, and Korean. Examples in this document are limited to English; a multilingual and more detailed online lexical resource is forthcoming.


In this paper, an improved time-synchronization algorithm is proposed. The improvement of time synchronizing performance was achieved by introducing a stochastic model-based direct compensation of the disturbance effects appearing in the IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP)-based time synchronization system. A dynamic model of PTP clock system was obtained by reflecting the three major sources of disturbances, i.e., clock frequency drift, clock rate offset, and network noise. With the application of the dynamic model of the PTP clock system, the effects of the disturbances can be effectively eliminated in the PTP time synchronization control loop. Computer simulations are performed to verify the performance of the proposed time synchronization algorithm by applying the various types of disturbances, including network noise and clock drift. The simulation results are compared with those of other representative time synchronization algorithms, i.e., IEEE 1588 PTP algorithm and Kalman-filter-based algorithm. It is shown that the proposed algorithm improves time synchronizing performance up to 84% with respect to that of the Kalman-filter-based synchronization algorithm when simulated with colored noise type disturbances. The proposed time synchronization algorithm is expected to contribute for the realization of future Ethernet-based industry-plant monitoring and control including IEC 61850-based digital substation.


This paper presents some results from the project entitled "Learning and School Climate: Innovative Devices to Educational Achievement," which aimed essentially at producing knowledge in two nuclear domains of forms of life inside the school: the learnings and the school climates. The project also intended to understand the specificity of the educational and relational processes related to these domains, which was experienced at different schools associated to the Observatory on School Life (OBVIE), part of the Educational Research and Intervention Center (CIIE) and the Faculty of Psychology and Sciences of Education of Porto University (FPCEUP). This article focuses on the school's climate dimension in its relation to teachers' work. It presents and discusses results from a questionnaire concerning teachers' perception of their professional school activities, and the educational sense teachers make of them. It highlights the questioning about teachers' professional worries, which are behind the realization of these activities. Results were discussed from a perspective framed by school crisis and teachers' identity. The main findings show that teachers have their professional identity primarily established by both: their pedagogical relation with students and the instrumental action at school


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to elaborate the long tail of topical search queries, including the influence of current events, posed to a large, urban public library discovery system.

Design/methodology/approach

Search queries from the months of June, July, August and September 2014 (1,488,339 total queries) were collected from the Edmonton Public Library's BiblioCommons database using Google Analytics and exported to Excel. The data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency counts and textual analysis to explicate the long tail of search, (including the most popular searches) and to explore the relationship between topical search queries and current events.

Findings

The findings support the long tail theory, as the aggregate tail of topical search queries comprised the vast majority of the total searches and current events exert some influence on the nature and frequency of topical searches.

Research limitations/implications

Data collection was limited to four months of the year; thus, comparisons across the year cannot be made. There are practical implications for public libraries in terms of marketing and collections, as well as for improving catalogue functionality, to support user search behaviour.

Originality/value

Not much research attention has been focused on the nature of topical search queries in public libraries compared to academic libraries and the Web. The findings contribute to developing insight into the divergent interests of intergenerational public library users and the topics of materials they are searching for.


Most chapters begin with "Summary." I.FOUNDATIONS. 1. Introduction. Why This Book Was Written. Two Central Constructs. Why Study Developmental and Individual Differences? Common Themes across Chapters. 2. Theories of Cognitive Development and Learning. Thorndike's Theory. Piaget's Theory. Schema Theory. Information Processing Theory. Vygotsky's Theory. Connectionist Theories. 3. Memory. The Nature of Human Memory. Forgetting. Factors Related to Enhance Memory. The Development of Memory. Instructional Implications. 4. Higher-Order Thinking. Developmental Approaches. Definitional Approaches. The Transfer of Skills. Instructional Implications. 5. Motivation. The Nature of Motivation. The Development of Motivation. Individual Differences in Motivation. Instructional Implications. II.AGE CHANGES IN SPECIFIC SUBJECT AREAS. 6. Beginning Reading. The Nature of Skilled Reading. The Development of Skilled Reading. Individual Differences in Skilled Reading. Instructional Implications. 7. Reading Comprehension. The Nature of Reading Comprehension. Developmental Trends in Reading Comprehension. Individual Differences in Reading Comprehension. Instructional Implications. 8. Writing. The Nature of Writing. The Development of Writing Skills. Individual Differences in Writing Ability. Instructional Implications. 9. Mathematics Learning. The Nature of Mathematical Knowledge and Skills. The Development of Mathematical Skills. Individual Differences in Math Skills. Instructional Implications. 10. Scientific Thinking. The Importance and Nature of High-Order Scientific Thinking. The Development of Scientific Knowledge and Skills. Individual Differences in Scientific Thinking. Implications for Teaching. 11. Social Studies Learning. Expertise in the Social Studies. The Development of Social Studies Knowledge and Skills. Individual Differences in Social Studies Knowledge. Instructional Implications. 12. Explaining Individual Differences. Effect Sizes. Explaining Gender Differences. Explaining Ethnic Differences. Instructional Implications.


We study integrals of the form integral(Omega) f (d omega), where 1 R is continuous and omega is a (k - 1)-form. We introduce the appropriate notions of convexity, namely ext. one convexity, ext. quasiconvexity and ext. polyconvexity. We study their relations, give several examples and counterexamples. We conclude with an application to a minimization problem.


Different methods of data preprocessing were evaluated for the compression of Fourier transform-infrared spectral libraries by principal component analysis (PCA). The effect of noise on compressed library searches was examined. A PCA compression of an infrared library achieved an 81% reduction in size without any loss in search performance.


Objective: To investigate the feasibility of ovarian stimulation initiated in the late follicular phase using human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) alone in ovulatory patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatments by comparison with that of the short gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) protocol in terms of ovarian response, embryological characteristics, and pregnancy outcomes following frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: A university-affiliated tertiary hospital. Patients: 135 infertile women undergoing their first IVF/ICSI treatment with the freeze-all strategy. Interventions: In the study group, ovarian stimulation was initiated in the late follicular phase using hMG alone, with the confirmation of dominant follicular diameter ≥ 14 mm, while a short GnRH-a protocol was adopted in the control group. Oocyte maturation was induced by human chorionic gonadotropin in both groups. All good quality embryos were cryopreserved for later transfer. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was the incidence of premature luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. Secondary outcomes were the number of mature oocytes retrieved, good-quality embryo rate per oocyte retrieved, and clinical pregnancy rate following FET cycles. Results: No premature LH surge was detected during ovarian stimulation in the study group. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of mature oocytes between the two groups (10 ± 5.6 in the study group vs. 8.51 ± 5.03 in the control group, P = 0.11). Good-quality embryo rate per oocyte retrieved did not differ between the two groups: 40.18% (313/779) vs. 36.67% (253/690), P = 0.167. Clinical pregnancy rate per transfer following FET was comparable between the two groups (61.33 vs. 52.5%, P = 0.267). Conclusions: Our study shows that ovarian stimulation initiated in the late follicular phase using hMG alone may be a feasible alternative for normal-ovulatory women undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment with the freeze-all strategy.


This article is concerned with the problem of prediction for the future generalized order statistics from a mixture of two general components based on doubly type II censored sample. We consider the one sample prediction and two sample prediction techniques. Bayesian prediction intervals for the median of future sample of generalized order statistics having odd and even sizes are obtained. Our results are specialized to ordinary order statistics and ordinary upper record values. A mixture of two Gompertz components model is given as an application. Numerical computations are given to illustrate the procedures.


The article presents the results of a study of the main factors affecting the situation in the Tomsk region youth labor market. The purpose of the study was to reveal and to classify factors that influence the employment situation of the youth. The labor market is understood in terms of unemployment among people aged 18—30. The methodological basis of the study is scientific works devoted to the labor market (including youth labor market) as well as support for young entrepreneurs. Methods such as scientific literature analysis, generalization, comparison and deduction are used by the author. Geographical, political and economic factors are analyzed. Special emphasis is placed on the statistical analysis of socio-demographic situation in the youth labor market and the impact that the scientific and educational complex has on it. Remarkably, the latter plays an essential role in the profile of the youth employment of the Tomsk region. The author concludes that despite susceptibility to some general nationwide trends the youth labor market has its unique characteristics described in the paper. The study findings can be used by the public bodies to create systematic mechanisms to solve youth problems and to implement state employment policies and by the administration of the higher education institutions in their efforts to facilitate the employment of the graduates according to the current regional specifics.


Contractile reserve was followed throughout the hemodynamic response to coronary arteriography by measuring the post-etrasystolic potentiation every tenth beat following the injection of 3 ml of Renografin-76 into the left coronary arteries of anesthetized dogs. During sinus beats, both systolic pressure and +dP/dt exhibited the usual biphasic response of negative inotropy for 5-8 seconds, followed by a rebound increase in contractility. However, the myocardium retained the ability to increase contractility following a precisely timed extrasystole. The pattern of hemodynamic response to ionic contrast agents is similar to the response of other interventions that decrease calcium inflow to the myocardial cell. Based upon differences in the electrophysiologic effects of ionic contrast agents, we speculate that excess sodium and meglumine transiently compete with calcium for external binding sites that supply calcium necessary for excitation-contraction coupling.


'On the day' cancellations carry significant consequences. This article reviews all cases that were cancelled on the day of surgery within the general surgical directorate of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield from 2005 – 2010. 978 cancellations were made on the day of surgery. Most significant reasons were due to patients' fitness (40%) and lack of theatre time (21%). The conclusion is drawn that 80% of cancellations are avoidable or potentially avoidable, and we suggest implementation of further strategies to reduce cancellations.


We construct one triple-threshold GARCH model to analyze the asymmetric response of mean and conditional volatility. In parameter estimation, we apply Griddy-Gibbs sampling method, which require less work in selection of starting values and pre-run. As we apply this model in Chinese stock market, we find that 12-days-average return plays an important role in defining different regimes. While the down regime is characterized by negative 12-days-average return, the up regime has positive 12-days-average return. The conditional mean responds differently between down and up regime. In down regime, the return at date t is affected negatively by lag 2 negative return, while in up regime the return responds significantly to both positive and negative lag 1 past return. Moreover, our model shows that volatility reacts asymmetrically to positive and negative innovations, and this asymmetric reaction varies between down and up regimes. In down regime, volatility becomes more volatile when negative innovation impacts the market than when positive one does, while in up regime positive innovation leads to more volatile market than negative one.


Data distributions in streaming environments are usually not stationary. In order to maintain a high predictive quality at all times, online learning models need to adapt to distributional changes, which are known as concept drift. The timely and robust identification of concept drift can be difficult, as we never have access to the true distribution of streaming data. In this work, we propose a novel framework for the detection of real concept drift, called ERICS. By treating the parameters of a predictive model as random variables, we show that concept drift corresponds to a change in the distribution of optimal parameters. To this end, we adopt common measures from information theory. The proposed framework is completely model-agnostic. By choosing an appropriate base model, ERICS is also capable to detect concept drift at the input level, which is a significant advantage over existing approaches. An evaluation on several synthetic and real-world data sets suggests that the proposed framework identifies concept drift more effectively and precisely than various existing works.


In this thesis the effects of rimonabant, the CB1 endocannabinoid receptor antagonist, and gender on free fatty acid (FFA) and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-triacylglycerol kinetics, insulin sensitivity and circulating adipokines was examined in obese postmenopausal women and age- and body mass index (BMI)- matched men. In the first study, the effect of rimonabant (20 mg/day for 12 weeks, with energy intake matched for energy requirements) was compared with the effect of a hypocaloric diet (to achieve the same weight loss as on the rimonabant treatment, for 12 weeks). Fourteen obese (BMI=33.0±0.5 kg/m2), postmenopausal, aged 57.8±4.7 years Caucasian women were randomised to the 2 treatments and the following was measured at the baseline and after 12 weeks: FFA kinetics, VLDL-triglyceride kinetics; insulin sensitivity; circulating fasting glucose, FFA, glycerol, triglycerides, VLDL1 and VLDL2-triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, leptin, adiponectin and insulin. In the second study, the same variables were compared between 16 obese postmenopausal Caucasian women (57.9±5.4 years, BMI=32.8±1.8 kg/m 2) and 7 age- and BMI- matched men (60.6±6.6 years, BMI=31.5±1.4 kg/m2). Results: Weight loss was not different between 2 treatment groups in the first study (2.6±1.4 kg in the rimonabant group vs. 3.1±2.8 kg in the diet group, p > 0.05). Rimonabant treatment increased palmitate rates of appearance (Ra), metabolic clearance rates (MCR) and oxidation rates, while dietary treatment did not influence these variables. The effect of rimonabant on palmitate oxidation rates was significantly different from the effect of the hypocaloric diet, as well as the effect on VLDL1 and VLDL2-triglyceride absolute production rates (APR), circulating fasting triglycerides, VLDL1- and VLDL2-triglycerides, glucose, insulin and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-estimates of insulin sensitivity. Both treatments similarly increased adiponectin and decreased leptin. Neither treatment significantly changed insulin sensitivity estimated by hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp. In the second study, women had higher palmitate Ra, MCR, non-oxidative disposal and total plasma fatty acid oxidation (TPFAO) rates, VLDL1 and VLDL2-triglyceride fractional clearance rates (FCR), circulating leptin, glycerol and FFA. The other variables were not significantly different. In conclusion, the increase in fatty acid turnover and oxidation may be the mechanism by which the weight loss was achieved by rimonabant treatment, without caloric restriction. The effects of rimonabant on FFA and VLDL-kinetics, insulin sensitivity and metabolic parameters, were the opposite from the effects of the hypocaloric diet, although the weight loss was similar. Postmenopausal obese women, compared with age- and BMI-matched men, have higher rates of fatty acid turnover, accounted by both increased metabolic clearance, non-oxidative disposal and increased fatty acid oxidation. However, their metabolic profile was not different from the men. This suggests that women are intrinsically "primed" for increased lipid turnover, without a significant deterioration of metabolic risk.


Networking large numbers of manned flight simulators over wide geographical areas has become feasible because of the great advances in the technologies of microprocessors, and local area and long haul networks. One of the main concerns in developing networked simulators is the effect of intersimulator time delay on the performance of these networks as training devices. Previous studies on the effects of time delays in single simulators provide guidance in analyzing this problem. This paper first introduces the networked simulator problem. Next, it reviews the basic optimal control model (OCM), one of the most useful methods for the mathematical modeling of pilots. Finally, it describes how the OCM concept can be used in the analysis of some networked flight simulator experiments. A simplified formation flight task is carefully analyzed, and a number of interesting phenomena are described. >


[3H]5-Hydroxytryptamine (5HT) platelet uptake was examined in a small group of hospitalised drug-free manic patients and in a larger group of drug-treated manic and schizophrenic patients compared to controls. 5HT platelet uptake was significantly higher in the manic group at the beginning of the illness episode than in either schizophrenics or controls. No difference was found in the uptake rates between the schizophrenics and controls. At discharge, manic patients had 5HT uptake values similar to control subjects. Manic patients with no previous history of either mania or depression had highly significant increases in 5HT platelet uptake compared to either schizophrenics, controls or manic patients with a previous history of manic-depression. No correlation was found between the initial increased 5HT uptake rate in the manic patient and the severity or duration of the illness episode, the length of hospitalisation or the gender of the patient.


Background: Gastrectomy often leads to malnutrition. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze nutritional and digestive effects of gastrectomy for cancer. Patients and methods: Gastrectomized patients were studied by nutritional assessment including a weekly nutritional diary exploring digestive symptoms. Results: Thirty-two patients were analyzed after a mean follow-up of 41.8 months. The mean percentage of weight loss was 12.9% ± 13.5%. After total gastrectomy, mean weight loss was 22% ± 1.2%, against 7.4% ±11.9% for subtotal gastrectomy (p = 0.002). Moreover, advancing age was related to weight loss (p = 0.02), with a peak around 70 years. The most frequent postprandial symptoms were abdominal swelling (62%) and early satiety (59%). Finally, findings of the present study imply that over a long follow-up, there are no specific intolerances related to gastrectomy. Conclusions: Patients who have undergone a total gastrectomy and elderly gastrectomized patients are at risk of malnutrition and need postoperative nutritional support.


In recent research of resistive random access memory (RRAM), solving the degradation phenomenon induced by both a high forming voltage to form the conducting filaments (CFs) and a high reset current is one of the main issues encountered. In this study, to overcome these problems, we propose forming-free bipolar resistive switching (BRS) behaviors by employing an ITO film with abundant oxygen vacancies, instead of conventional CF based RRAM requiring a forming process, and systematically investigate the feasibility of forming free BRS behaviors and a possible switching mechanism. Compared to conventional CF based RRAM devices, it is possible for the proposed devices to achieve stable BRS properties (i.e., narrow variations of operating current and voltage, and retention) without the forming process, under an operating current of sub-nano ampere. In addition, the proposed cell shows a stable hysteresis of current-voltage curves, which is well matched with the Poole-Frenkel emission, and currents at a low voltage are limited due to a formed barrier height like Schottky diode between the active layer and electrodes.


Summary.  Background: Multiple platelet function tests claim to be P2Y12‐pathway specific and capable of capturing the biological activity of clopidogrel. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine which platelet function test provides the best reflection of the in vivo plasma levels of the active metabolite of clopidogrel (AMC). Patients/methods: Clopidogrel‐naive patients scheduled for elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) received a 600 mg loading dose of clopidogrel and 100 mg of aspirin. For pharmacokinetic analysis, blood was drawn at 0, 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240 and 360 min after clopidogrel loading and peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) of the AMC were quantified with liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). Platelet function testing was performed at baseline and 360 min after the clopidogrel loading. Results: The VASP‐assay, the VerifyNow P2Y12‐assay and 20 μmol L−1 adenosine diphosphate (ADP)‐induced light transmittance aggregometry (LTA) showed strong correlations with Cmax of the AMC (VASP: R2 = 0.56, P < 0.001; VerifyNow platelet reactivity units (PRU): R2 = 0.48, P < 0.001; VerifyNow %inhibition: R2 = 0.59, P < 0.001; 20 μmol L−1 ADP‐induced LTA: R2 = 0.47, P < 0.001). Agreement with Cmax of the AMC was less evident for 5 μmol L−1 ADP‐induced LTA or whole blood aggregometry (WBA), whereas the IMPACT‐R ADP test did not show any correlation with plasmalevels of the AMC. Conclusion: The flow cytometric VASP‐assay, the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay and, although to a lesser extent, 20 μmol L−1 ADP‐induced LTA correlate best with the maximal plasma level of the AMC, suggesting these may be the preferred platelet function tests for monitoring the responsiveness to clopidogrel.


Electron tomography (ET) is an increasingly important technique for the study of the three-dimensional morphologies of nanostructures. ET involves the acquisition of a set of two-dimensional projection images, followed by the reconstruction into a volumetric image by solving an inverse problem. However, due to limitations in the acquisition process, this inverse problem is ill-posed (i.e., a unique solution may not exist). Furthermore, reconstruction usually suffers from missing wedge artifacts (e.g., star, fan, blurring, and elongation artifacts). Recently, compressed sensing (CS) has been applied to ET and showed promising results for reducing missing wedge artifacts. This uses image sparsity as a priori knowledge to improve the accuracy of reconstruction, and can require fewer projections than other reconstruction techniques. The performance of CS relies heavily on the degree of sparsity in the selected transform domain and this depends essentially on the choice of sparsifying transform. We propose a new image reconstruction algorithm for ET that learns the sparsifying transform adaptively using a dictionary-based approach. We demonstrate quantitatively using simulations from complex phantoms that this new approach reconstructs the morphology with higher fidelity than either analytically based CS reconstruction algorithms or traditional weighted back projection from the same dataset. SCANNING 38:251-276, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Human Adaptive Mechatronics (HAM), which is a system concept to adapt human characteristics, has been proposed. As the HAM application, this paper addresses an information emphasis scheme to alert some hazards which are undetectable by a human operator. The emphasis scheme employs cognitive psychological approach to human discrimination characteristics because excess or deficient emphasis may disturb the operation. One of advantages of teleoperation system is able to include human valuable abilities as global environment recognition, planning, prediction and so on. To implement these abilities to mechanical system is difficult because of not enough intelligence. Proposed teleoperation system is designed to progress the human abilities, and moreover, to not disturb the abilities. In this paper, we consider that the discrimination characteristics depend on window positions on GUI display and operator's individuality. Finally, the efficiency of the alert scheme is verified by some experiments.


The voltage-dependent motor protein, Prestin (SLC26A5) is responsible for the electromotive behavior of outer hair cells (OHCs). Here, we determined the structure of dolphin Prestin in six distinct states using single particle cryo-electron microscopy. Structural and functional data suggest that Prestin adopts a unique and complex set of states, tunable by the identity of bound anions. Complexes with the inhibitor salicylate show that it competes for the anion-binding site of Prestin. These conformations reveal a novel mechanism of area expansion that depends on the helix flexibility and conformational transitions at the membrane protein interface and putatively affects the physical state of the surrounding membrane. These observations illuminate the structural basis of Prestin electromotility, a key component of the mammalian cochlear amplifier.


Study of the toxicity of Sardor, a new cotton defoliant, showed that it is a low toxic compound. Hygienic norms and regulations for its use in agriculture were developed.


Background Quality improvement efforts in sepsis management have increased patients' survival rates. Many sepsis survivors experience sequelae leading to unplanned hospital readmissions and subsequent mortality, especially when survivors delay seeking medical attention because they do not recognize the signs and symptoms of recurrent sepsis. Thus, increasing knowledge of sepsis among patients and caregivers before initial hospital discharge is essential. Objective To evaluate the understandability and actionability of a printable patient education tool on sepsis. Methods Ten sepsis experts were invited to evaluate and score the content of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Sepsis Fact Sheet for understandability and actionability using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for printable material. Data were collected on 24 items via an electronic survey. Descriptive analysis included overall and understandability and actionability scores and measurement of interrater reliability. Items with discrepancies were reviewed. Results Nine experts responded to the survey. Mean understandability (80.74), actionability (90.74), and overall (83.33) scores support the tool's utility for patient education. Interrater reliability found fair‐to‐moderate agreement across survey items. Conclusions The Sepsis Fact Sheet provides useful patient information as evaluated using established recommendations for printed materials and expert content validation. Areas for improvement include providing a summary, modifying images, and simplifying language. Results may be useful for sepsis education and discharge teaching.


This study aims to model lenders' haircut decision specifically for stocks. The mathematical model showed that lenders face a trade-off between profit and risk exposure in a secured loan; consequently, haircuts are determined in the solvency as a stochastic variable. It was assumed coherently to industry practice that lenders use parametric VaR for collateral valuation. In this model, lenders' probability selection in the VaR approach indicates their risk tolerance, which was captured through to asset liquidity and market volatility expectations. The model implementation on NYSE domestic stocks showed that stocks' haircuts have similar classification pattern with asset liquidity. JEL classification numbers: G21


Chiral, configurationally stable lithiated nitriles would be valuable intermediates for asymmetric carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions. To gain insight into the design of such species, Walborsky's attempted enantioselective deprotonation/trapping reactions of a chiral cyclopropylnitrile were studied computationally up to the MP2(fc)/6-31+G* and B3LYP/6-31+G* levels. Investigation of cyclopropylnitrile/LiNH(2) deprotonation transition structures demonstrated a significant (20-23 kcal/mol) kinetic preference for N-lithiation, and a facile (4-6 kcal/mol barrier) "conducted tour" racemization pathway for the N-lithiated nitrile product. Addition of a model directing group (formyl) to the beta-carbon of the cyclopropyl ring is predicted to significantly favor C-lithiation over N-lithiation, both kinetically and thermodynamically. Thus, chiral beta-Lewis base substituted cyclopropylnitriles may serve as precursors to chiral, configurationally stable organolithium reagents.


In 68 pregnant women, blood samples were obtained at 12, 20, 25, 29, 32 and 36 weeks. Plasma renin activity (PRA) was measured in 10 of them, who developed "pregnancy induced hypertension" ("PIH") and in 10 normal pregnant women, matched with the hypertensive patients for age, parity and body weight. Towards the end of pregnancy, PRA showed a tendency to increase in the "PIH" group, and to decrease in the control group. However, these variations were not statistically significant. There was no significant difference between the two groups, except for the last measurement, obtained at the 36th week of gestation. At this time, PRA was more elevated in the PIH group. We conclude that PRA measurements early in pregnancy are of no value in predicting if women are going to develop PIH.


Multi-robotics places a potentially large number of independent robotic agents in a given situation where they may interact cooperatively toward a common task. However, by having each of these robotic agents essentially identical, the overall scope of their mission is limited. By fractionating their capabilities with varying degrees of specialization in a hierarchical fashion, the mission capability can be greatly expanded. Test prototype examples are discussed of a large carrier robotic vehicle containing several smaller specialized robotic vehicles, all teleoperated, which can interact cooperatively, both sequentially and in parallel toward a common task.


Carcinosarcoma of the breast is a rare neoplasm which has been reported less than 20 times. Comprised of both malignant epithelial and malignant connective tissue components, it may radiographically exhibit features of either cellular element. We report the first film-screen mammographic description of such a lesion in a breast. Osteoid matrix calcification demonstrated mammographically should, in retrospect, have suggested osteogenic elements preoperatively.


ABSTRACT This paper briefly describes two educational tutorial programs, and the efforts of this author to evaluate the effectiveness of these computer mediated programs. One interactive program is designed to teach students how to apply crisis concepts to a practice simulation, and the second program is designed to teach students how to assess lethality with a suicidal client. Formal evaluations by students of these two programs and student performance on a follow-up quiz have produced positive results. A comparison study of classes who completed these programs and a class that did not have the training has also produced significant, favorable results.


The study of the behaviour of concrete in relation to carbonation is undertaken mainly through accelerated tests that demand rigid control o the variables that intervene in the process, but that have low execution costs and short data collection duration. In Brazil, like in other countries, there has been a large number of research studies that have aimed to improve those tests. However, there is not yet a widely accepted procedure that offers guidelines for its execution. This article presents the state of art of the research that has been developed in Brazil, considering the need to gather efforts on the development of future studies and to establish standardized test procedures. It suggests that there is a need for in-depth studies on carbonation concerned with CO2 concentrations, time and type of curing, and seasoning procedures adopted. For modelling and predicting service life it is also important to investigate the sample size and the exposure time to CO2, as well as to identify correlations between natural and accelerated tests in order to establish acceleration factors. This relationship between the two types of test is very important for understanding the phenomenon and produce guidelines for future definitions of standards.


Abstract No Abstract Available. This study was supported by the Minnesota Dental Foundation and the Graduate School of the University of Minnesota (Grant No. 417-0303-4909-2). From the Division of ...


Developing a reliable and research grade tracking and communication link for high-altitude balloons and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites can be a daunting experience. Based on a decade of experience launching over 300 balloons a small but powerful all-in-one data and tracking product (EyePod and EyeStar) has been developed by NearSpace Launch Inc (NSL) to greatly simplify many balloon and satellite development programs. The goal of the EyePod-3 product is to streamline balloon platform launching and reduce costs while providing higher reliability for entry education and research group experiments and for developing more advance flight systems. The EyeStar for LEO satellites has recently been flight proven with the successful operation of the TSAT satellite (Spring 2014). The EyePod-3 implements the commercial Globalstar network of LEO satellites to communicate with balloons and also includes GPS, SD-card storage, experiment digital and analog inputs, wireless pod-to-pod communication, internal sensors, battery, tether line attachments, and a wireless cut-down mechanism. No ground station with tracking antenna is required. Another advantage of the EyePod-3 is the standardized Structured Query Language (SQL) database with GPS and sensors data (temperatures, pressure, turbulence accelerometers, light intensity, winds, ascent rates, and other derived quantities). The EyePod size is 7cm long band 10cm in diameter cylinder ("hockey puck") and is now available from NSL with commercial FCC license, Value Added Reseller (VAR) protection, and data plans. As many institutions begin to use the EyePod a unique global data set will be available for study, for STEM learning, and for research data mining.


Heterostructure core-shell semiconductor nanowires (NWs) have attracted tremendous interest recently due to their remarkable properties and potential applications as building blocks for nanodevices. Among their unique traits, thermal properties would play a significant role in thermal management of future heterostructure NW-based nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, and energy conversion devices, yet have been explored much less than others. Similar to their electronic counterparts, phonon spectrum and thermal transport properties could be modified by confinement effects and the acoustic mismatch at the core-shell interface in small diameter NWs (<20 nm). However, fundamental thermal measurement on thin core shell NWs has been challenging due to their small size and their expected low thermal conductivity (κ). Herein, we have developed an experimental technique with drastically improved sensitivity capable of measuring thermal conductance values down to ∼10 pW/K. Thermal conductivities of Ge and Ge-Si core-shell NWs with diameters less than 20 nm have been measured. Comparing the experimental data with Boltzmann transport models reveals that thermal conductivities of the sub-20 nm diameter NWs are further suppressed by the phonon confinement effect beyond the diffusive boundary scattering limit. Interestingly, core-shell NWs exhibit different temperature dependence in κ and show a lower κ from 300 to 388 K compared to Ge NWs, indicating the important effect of the core-shell interface on phonon transport, consistent with recent molecular dynamics studies. Our results could open up applications of Ge-Si core shell NWs for nanostructured thermoelectrics, as well as a new realm of tuning thermal conductivity by "phononic engineering".


Purpose: This study examined the direction of culinary education that can be satisfied by both industry and academia by surveying the importance and performance of culinary education items from career-interrupted women and employers of Korean food restaurants. Methods: This study Conducted a survey of 150 career-interrupted women who received culinary education in vocational training organizations and had experience with re-employment at Korean food restaurants. Also gathered opinions from 150 employers of Korean food restaurants who had employment authority and experience of hiring career-interrupted women. Both of the groups were surveyed about the degree of importance and performance related to culinary education. The survey was conducted from November 7, 2015 to November 12, 2015. Results: In relation to basic education training among items of culinary education, the employers assigned greater importance to Basic personality education and Interpersonal education in the workplace compared to the women. Regarding the relation to the training on facility and equipment maintenance, the employers considered that degree of performance was higher than the women did. As for culinary theory education, the employers considered that the degree of performance was lower than the degree of importance in connection with cost control education, Inventory management education. Regarding culinary practice education, the employers considered that degree of importance and degree of performance were high in connection with education on sales preparation such as preparation of food materials. The two groups also differed in hygiene and safety education. Conclusion: Improving the courses of ''Basic Personality Education, Interpersonal Education in the Workplace, Inventory management training, Cost management training, Primary training for business'' which shows the low performance compared to their importance, could be an advantage to the career interrupted women and the employers of Korean food restaurants.


All the Governments in world-wide increasingly see energy efficiency as an important aspect of sustainability. It is difficult to imagine spending an entire day without using energy. Because of the limited amount of non-renewable energy sources on earth, it is important to conserve our current supply or to use renewable sources so that our natural resources will be available for future generations. Energy Audit attempts to balance the total energy inputs with its use. Energy audit is an effective tool in defining and pursuing comprehensive energy management program. The Strategy of adjusting and optimizing energy, using systems and procedures so as to reduce energy use, In any facility, the three top operating expenses are often found to be energy (both electrical and thermal), labour and materials. Energy management function constitutes a strategic area for cost reduction. The Diesel Engine Manufacturing industry is energy intensive. This study aimed to investigate and apply a proper Energy Management System (EMS) for the industry and identify potential savings by applying novel approaches. A number of improvement actions were identified, related cost savings were calculated and an action plan was developed for the implementation of those improvements. This paper describes energy management in Kirloskar Oil Engines, Pune with "energy-efficiency improvements" case studies. The implemented projects like, Use of Solar Water Heating System instead of electric heaters, Waste Heat Recovery from Compressors and waste heat recovery from exhaust of furnace which had highest cost savings.


ABSTRACT The aim of study was to determine the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) in women aged 18 and over and the factors affecting it. The sample of the study consisted of the 1220 women. The results of the study showed that the rate of UI was 26.3%. Prevalence rose as age and body mass index increased. UI rates were also high in women who had long-term constipation and UTI, those who were in menopause, those with a high number of pregnancies, and in those who had undergone a vaginal birth. It is important that measures be taken to prevent UI.


As the fourth largest cocoa producer in the world, Indonesia has the opportunity to be the center of processing industry and production of chocolate. An effort to increase the competitiveness on the whole chocolate business chain, from upstream to downstream industry, is not yet optimal as seen from the low productivity of agricultural product of national cocoa plantation in addition to intermediate industry and the end product which are still dominated by the foreign company. The development of consumer preference-based product is necessary to ensure the new product developed will meet customer satisfaction. This study was aimed to increase the competitiveness of innovation-based small medium enterprises (SMEs) chocolate downstream industry. Innovation consists of four typologies, namely product innovation, process innovation, market innovation, and organizational innovation. Product innovation and process innovation are characterized as technical innovation, while market innovation and organizational innovation are included in non-technical innovation. Analysis result through analytical hierarchy process (AHP) shows that the priority for the development of chocolate industry is the market with the weight of 0.477. Market innovation consists of six alternatives, those are: marketing, distribution, branding, promotion, e-marketing potential, customer relationship management-CRM, and single origin. This value indicates that the development of downstream industry that produces end product in the form of chocolate is no longer focused on product innovation with its different kinds and varieties produced all the time, yet the aspect of the market is strategically responded by the producer.


Higher requirements of efficiency on railroad systems have set off (among other measures) higher axle load on rails. The increase in axle loads can contribute to a series of defects on perhaps the most unappreciated component of a railroad system. Higher axle loads can lead to excessive wear, fatigue and ultimately fracture of the steel rails. Therefore to answer the challenge demanded by the increase in axle loads the development of high performance steels for rail applications is of primary importance. A research program to study the microstructural aspects of near-eutectoid steels with improved mechanical properties and wear resistance was recently completed. The new high performance rail steels were developed through a combination of advanced alloy design-thermomechanical processing-and-controlled cooling. The mechanical properties exhibited by the new steels have exceeded the AREMA requirements for this type of rail steel application. The wear resistance of the newly developed steels was evaluated and the results obtained compared to commercial rails were superior under the testing conditions used in this study. The alloy design philosophy, thermomechanical processing and properties of the new steels will be presented and discussed in this paper.Copyright © 2010 by ASME


Objectives: To evaluate the value of neutrophil left shift parameters and neutrophil morphologic changes in diagnosing acute bacterial infections. Materials and Methods: Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 105 patients who had a positive culture for bacteria. Automated complete white blood cell count was performed as well as peripheral blood smear preparation. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) and neutrophil band count were determined and the neutrophils were evaluated for morphologic changes, namely toxic granulation, vacuolation and Döhle bodies. Results: Band count was less sensitive than ANC and white blood cell count in predicting bacterial infections except in the elderly and infant population. Toxic granulation in neutrophils appeared to be as sensitive as ANC in predicting bacterial infection. Conclusion: ANC and toxic granulation appear to be more sensitive than band count in predicting bacterial infections. However, band count has a greater sensitivity in infants and elderly patients.


Discrete-time stochastic systems are an essential modeling tool for many engineering systems. The direct synthesis of controllers for guaranteeing temporal properties encoded as finite automata has gain significant attention. Still, for many physical systems, computational issues make the synthesis problematic due to the inherent continuity and complexity of the state space. This extended abstract summarises achievements made in correct-by-design robust controller synthesis of stochastic systems using approximate simulation relations.


Context-dependent Text-to-SQL aims to translate multi-turn natural language questions into SQL queries. Despite various methods have exploited context-dependence information implicitly for contextual SQL parsing, there are few attempts to explicitly address the dependencies between current question and question context. This paper presents QURG, a novel Question Rewriting Guided approach to help the models achieve adequate contextual understanding. Specifically, we first train a question rewriting model to complete the current question based on question context, and convert them into a rewriting edit matrix. We further design a two-stream matrix encoder to jointly model the rewriting relations between question and context, and the schema linking relations between natural language and structured schema. Experimental results show that QURG significantly improves the performances on two large-scale context-dependent datasets SParC and CoSQL, especially for hard and long-turn questions.


Human state recognition is a critical topic with pervasive and important applications in human-machine systems. Multi-modal fusion, the combination of metrics from multiple data sources, has been shown as a sound method for improving the recognition performance. However, while promising results have been reported by recent multi-modal-based models, they generally fail to leverage the sophisticated fusion strategies that would model sufficient cross-modal interactions when producing the fusion representation; instead, current methods rely on lengthy and inconsistent data preprocessing and feature crafting. To address this limitation, we propose an end-to-end multi-modal transformer framework for multi-modal human state recognition called Husformer. Specifically, we propose to use cross-modal transformers, which inspire one modality to reinforce itself through directly attending to latent relevance revealed in other modalities, to fuse different modalities while ensuring sufficient awareness of the cross-modal interactions introduced. Subsequently, we utilize a self-attention transformer to further prioritize contextual information in the fusion representation. Using two such attention mechanisms enables effective and adaptive adjustments to noise and interruptions in multi-modal signals during the fusion process and in relation to high-level features. Extensive experiments on two human emotion corpora (DEAP and WESAD) and two cognitive workload datasets (MOCAS and CogLoad) demonstrate that in the recognition of human state, our Husformer outperforms both state-of-the-art multi-modal baselines and the use of a single modality by a large margin, especially when dealing with raw multi-modal signals. We also conducted an ablation study to show the benefits of each component in Husformer.


The popular skip-gram model induces word embeddings by exploiting the signal from word-context coocurrence. We offer a new interpretation of skip-gram based on exponential family PCA-a form of matrix factorization to generalize the skip-gram model to tensor factorization. In turn, this lets us train embeddings through richer higher-order coocurrences, e.g., triples that include positional information (to incorporate syntax) or morphological information (to share parameters across related words). We experiment on 40 languages and show our model improves upon skip-gram.


Abstract The main objective of this work is to perform a detailed comparison of the lattice Boltzmann equation (LBE) and the recently developed discrete unified gas-kinetic scheme (DUGKS) methods for direct numerical simulation (DNS) of the decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence (DHIT) in a periodic box. The flow fields and key statistical quantities computed by both methods are compared with those from pseudo-spectral (PS) method. The results show that the LBE and DUGKS have almost the same accuracy when the flow field is well-resolved, and that the LBE is less dissipative and is slightly more efficient than the DUGKS, but the latter has a superior numerical stability, particularly for high Reynolds number flows. Therefore, the DUGKS method can be viewed as a viable tool for DNS of turbulent flows. It should be emphasized that the main advantage of the DUGKS when compared with the LBE method is its feasibility in adopting nonuniform meshes, which is critical for wall-bounded turbulent flows. The present work provides a basis for further applications of DUGKS in studying the physics of the turbulent flows.


As the requirement for precision motion is increasingly demanding in manufacturing and automation industry, it becomes more and more challenging to design motion controllers for higher tracking accuracy and better robustness with respect to uncertainties and disturbance. Since the performance and robustness specifications are usually expressed in terms of time and frequency domain characteristics of the system, it is useful to integrate both time and frequency-domain properties for controller design. In this article, we propose a frequency constrained time-domain optimization (FreCTO) controller design method for single-input, single-output, linear time-invariant systems. The controller is parameterized by a finite impulse response filter whose coefficients are determined from a constrained optimization problem that minimizes time-domain errors subject to upper or lower bounds on the magnitude of the loop transfer function at a set of selected frequencies. This constrained optimization problem is turned into a quadratically constrained quadratic programing problem, allowing efficient solvers to find the solution. Then, the FreCTO controller is applied to the biaxial motion stage of a computer-numerical-control lathe. We demonstrate a systematic and insightful design procedure for the FreCTO controller and experimentally verify its performance in accurate trajectory tracking and simultaneous vibration suppression.


Three pedons representing soils on the summit to shoulder (Pedon 1), backslope to footslope (Pedon 2) and toeslope (Pedon 3) positions along a typical hillslope in Afikpo area of Ebonyi State of Nigeria were studied regarding their morphological, physico-chemical and mineralogical properties. The soils were also classified according to the criteria of the USDA Soil Taxonomy and the FAO World Reference Base for Soil Resources. Soils of Pedons 1 & 2 occur on very strongly sloping, severely eroded uplands and are derived from ferruginous, feldspathic sandstone with shale intercalations. The soils in the toeslope position, occur on extensive, nearly level plains which are seasonally waterlogged with colluvio-alluvial sediments constituting the parent material. Irrespective of slope position, all the soils are very strongly acidic with a narrow pH range of 4.6 – 5. 1 and an average exch. Al3+ content of 3.77cmol kg-1 in all the horizons studied. Levels of organic C, total N, avail. P, exch. Ca, Mg, and K, range from being very low in Pedon 1, low to moderate in Pedon 2 but moderate to high in Pedon 3 indicating a gradual improvement in soil fertility from the summit to the toeslope of the hillslope . Kaolinite, mica, quartz, microcline, plagioclase, goethite and gibbsite were detected in the silt fraction of all the soils while kaolinite and poorly ordered illite as well as Fe-rich chlorite dominated the clay mineralogy. According to the criteria of the USDA Soil Taxonomy, the upland soils are Typic Udorthents while the valley bottom soils are Mollic Fluvaquents. In the FAO-WRB system, they qualify as Hper-Dystric Regosols and Mollic Gleysols respectively. Recommendations regarding soil management options have been included. Key words : acid soils, characterization, classification, Entisols, hillslope


Resilience deals explicitly with change and provides a middle ground between the social and the environmental sciences. However, a growing critique by social scientists questions the ability of resilience thinking to adequately examine the social dimensions of change. The question that emerges is how social scientists should engage with resilience. We addressed this question by comparing resilience with agrarian change and transitions theory, through the backdrop of the fastest growing global food sector, aquaculture. Our analysis showed that each theoretical perspective provides fundamentally different insights into social and environmental transition inherent in the aquaculture sector. Although resilience thinking is best suited to assessing the ecological aspects of production, its systems ontology limits the inclusion of dynamic social relations or innovation. In contrast, agrarian transition enables a more meaningful understanding of how social relations are reconfigured as agrarian society shifts toward more capitalist modes of production, and transitions theory provides insights into social process of innovation. Given the epistemological differences between these theoretical approaches, we argue against attempts that reify systemic thinking by naturalizing social theories and concepts into resilience thinking. Instead, we argue that social theories such as agrarian change and transition theory should be seen as complimentary and that integration should focus on bridging results and insights. Doing so enables a more robust assessment of the social aspects of social-ecological transitions in the aquaculture sector and beyond.


Previous epidemiological studies allowed us to accurately define endemic areas of canine babesiosis and tick distribution in southeastern France (Martinod, 1983). Using a micro-ELISA test 100 dogs sera were tested with 3 antigens: Babesia canis, Dermacentor reticulatus and Ixodes ricinus. Antibodies against B. canis and its vector D. reticulatus were detected in an endemic area, sometimes with high levels (optical density 1.38 and 0.80 respectively). A correlation factor and regression lines were found between ELISA activity of B. canis and vector tick antigens, even for dogs which never showed any babesiosis symptoms. These results were compared with those of an area without any babesiosis. Furthermore I. ricinus antigens detected ELISA activity in sera of dogs; some cross reactions were observed between I. ricinus and D. reticulatus antigen.


OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to examine the association between novelty seeking (NS) and antisocial behaviours (age 18-35).

METHOD
A New Zealand general population birth cohort was studied from 1977 to 2012. Sample sizes ranged from n = 962 (age 35) to n = 1025 (age 18). NS was measured at age 16 using the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire. Perpetration of antisocial behaviours was ascertained by self-report at ages 18, 21, 25, 30 and 35. Generalized estimating equation models investigated the association between NS and antisocial behaviours net of individual factors and correlates of NS before age 16 and alcohol and substance use disorders at age 18-35.

RESULTS
Higher NS scores were associated with a higher unadjusted incidence of all forms of antisocial behaviour. Assault, theft, property damage and dishonesty offending remained associated with NS after adjustment for individual factors and correlates of NS before age 16. After further adjustment for alcohol and substance use disorders, NS was not associated with any antisocial behaviour outcomes, suggesting those disorders mediate the association between NS and antisocial behaviours.

CONCLUSION
Alcohol and substance use disorders mediate the association between NS and antisocial behaviours in early adulthood. NS may be a useful endophenotype for investigating the causation of externalizing behaviours. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Hysteresis in the Seebeck coefficient has been studied for type K and type N thermocouples. The temperature range was 0 to 1200 degrees C, heating periods were up to 530 h and the alloys were supplied from a number of different sources (five for type K and two for type N). In both types, changes of about 1% in Seebeck coefficient were found but the hysteresis extended over a larger temperature range for the type N thermocouple. Thermoelectric hysteresis is a major cause of instability in Ni-based thermocouples, especially in the more stable, Nicrosil-sheathed mineral-insulated configuration. It is shown that it is possible to produce type K thermocouples with a performance comparable with that previously reported for type N.


LUTI (Linum usitatissimum trypsin inhibitor), a member of the potato inhibitor I family, has been isolated from seeds of flax by ethanol fractionation, ion exchange chromatography on CM-Sephadex C-25, affinity purification on immobilized methylchymotrypsin (alpha-chymotrypsin in which His57 has been converted to 3-methylhistidine) in the presence of 5M NaCl, and finally by reversed-phase HPLC. The 7655 Da inhibitor consists of a single polypeptide chain of 69 residues with one disulfide bridge. The molecule is acetylated at the N terminus. Its primary structure has been determined after limited proteolysis of the native molecule with trypsin at the reactive site, cleavage with cyanogen bromide or arginyl endopeptidase (Arg-gingipain), and alcoholytic deacetylation of the N-terminally blocked serine. The association constants (K(a)) of LUTI with bovine beta-trypsin and alpha-chymotrypsin are 3.58x10(10) M(-1) and 5.02x10(5) M(-1), respectively. High NaCl concentration (3M) increased the association constant of LUTI with alpha-chymotrypsin to 6.64x10(7) M(-1). To our knowledge, LUTI is the first serine-proteinase-type inhibitor isolated from a plant of the Linaceae family.


Radial nerve injuries are often associated with humeral shaft fractures. The results of treatment of these injuries, by contemporary surgical approaches, remain diverse. In this paper we presented the outcomes and analyzed the patient, clinical, and surgical procedure related characteristics and factors that may influence the outcome overall, in 77 patients treated at Clinic for Neurosurgery, Clinical Center of Serbia during a 20 years period. The nerve injuries were verified by US and EMNG. The majority of patients were treated by neurolysis or sural nerve grafting, while only few were treated by direct suture. The final recovery was evaluated by muscle strength assessment and classified using MRC. We analyzed extension of the wrist, extension of the fingers including the thumb, and abduction of the thumb. There was a significant statistical difference in MRC grade following the treatment. The total rate of useful functional recovery was achieved in 69 (89.61%) out of all studied patients, out of whom 20 (28.99%) achieved excellent recovery, 26 (37.68%) achieved good recovery and 23 (33.33%) achieved fair recovery. Only 8 (10.39%) out of all studied patients achieved poor recovery. The injured nerves, that were preserved in continuity, acquired by a low-energy trauma, and treated earlier than the 6 months were associated with better functional outcome following the surgery. In addition, there was a trend of better functional improvement with aging, keeping in mind that the old were subjected to lower energy trauma. The expectant management followed by surgery of radial nerve injury associated with humeral shaft fracture should be around 3 months, and the surgical nerve repair should not be performed later than the 6 months after injury. The energy of trauma may be a factor predicting patient's final recovery following the treatment.


Abstract:
Intelligent control and automation is associated with expert systems; especially, when it needs to human expertise. Earlier we introduced a framework for implementation of adaptive autonomy (AA) in human-automation interaction systems, followed by a data-fusion-equipped expert system to realize that. This paper uses fuzzy sets concept to realize the AA expert system, in a real automation application. The presented adaptive autonomy fuzzy expert system (AAFES) determines the Level of Automation (LOA), adapting it to the changing Performance Shaping Factors (PSF) of automation system. The paper includes design methodology and implementation results for AAFES, and discussion on results. Results show that AAFES yields proper LOAs, even in the new contingency situations. This is caused by AAFES's higher intelligence than the crisp (binary) one. Moreover, since AAFES deals with fuzzy linguistic PSFs, it more realistically represents the experts' opinion.


Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common causes of sexually transmitted infection and it's now known to be a risk factors for the development of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women and it's one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality amongst the gynecological cancers worldwide, especially in developing countries. Objectives: This study sough to evaluate knowledge and awareness about Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer among women. Subjects and methods: The present study are cross sectional study was conducted in Diyala, Iraq during the period from 1/ November / 2012 to 30 / September / 2013, this study included 198 women, the mean age was (27.29±9.63) years, the age range was (17-60) years, the participants were divided into two groups, group I, (students group) includes (99) female college students who studies in Diyala university, group II, (health care workers group), includes (99) female physicians and nurses who worked in AL-Batol Maternity and Children Teaching Hospital. Data was collected using questionnaire that was adopted from previous studies. All data were statistically analysis. Results: The present results show that the women demonstrated poor levels of knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer, 106(53.54%) of them had heard about HPV, while, only 73(36.87%), 60(30.30%) knew that the cervical cancer and genital warts caused by HPV respectively. This study showed that the participants had very limited knowledge about pap smear, only 57(28.79%) knew that pap smear is the test to detect abnormal cervical cells, the results show highest level of knowledge and awareness about HPV, cervical cancer was among health care workers group, participants who live in urban and married with statistically significant difference (P<0.05), (P<0.01). Conclusion: This study highlights the need for educational programs regarding HPV infection and it's complications such as cervical cancer. In conclusion, the present study shows inadequate levels of knowledge and awareness about HPV and it's relation to cervical cancer, genital warts as well as transmission of infection and Pap smear test among study groups especially the university students.