The increasing availability and affordability of wireless building and home automation networks has increased interest in residential and commercial building energy management. This interest has been coupled with an increased awareness of the environmental impact of energy generation and usage. Residential appliances and equipment account for 30% of all energy consumption in OECD countries and indirectly contribute to 12% of energy generation related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (International Energy Agency, 2003). The International Energy Association also predicts that electricity usage for residential appliances would grow by 12% between 2000 and 2010, eventually reaching 25% by 2020. These figures highlight the importance of managing energy use in order to improve stewardship of the environment. They also hint at the potential gains that are available through smart consumption strategies targeted at residential and commercial buildings. The challenge is how to achieve this objective without negatively impacting people's standard of living or their productivity. The three primary purposes of building energy management are the reduction/management of building energy use; the reduction of electricity bills while increasing occupant comfort and productivity; and the improvement of environmental stewardship without adversely affecting standards of living. Building energy management systems provide a centralized platform for managing building energy usage. They detect and eliminate waste, and enable the efficient use electricity resources. The use of widely dispersed sensors enables the monitoring of ambient temperature, lighting, room occupancy and other inputs required for efficient management of climate control (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), security and lighting systems. Lighting and HVAC account for 50% of commercial and 40% of residential building electricity expenditure respectively, indicating that efficiency improvements in these two areas can significantly reduce energy expenditure. These savings can be made through two avenues: the first is through the use of energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems; and the second is through the deployment of energy management systems which utilize real time price information to schedule loads to minimize energy bills. The latter scheme requires an intelligent power grid or smart grid which can provide bidirectional data flows between customers and utility companies. The smart grid is characterized by the incorporation of intelligenceand bidirectional flows of information and electricity throughout the power grid. These enhancements promise to revolutionize the grid by enabling customers to not only consume but also supply power.


The paper outlines the design and implementation of an artificial ecology for the investigation of hypotheses relating to real ecologies. An individual based model is used where the differences between individuals provide the basis for selection.


Internet shops like amazon.com or activeshopper.com enable customers to compare a large amount of products (e.g., digital camera) and product properties (e.g., price) in form of a comparison matrix. For choosing the preferred product from a comparison matrix, customers apply decision strategies. Riedl et al. (2008), for example, summarize and define thirteen important decision strategies (Behavior Research Methods, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 795-807). The application of most of these strategies can be facilitated by interactive decision aids like (i) sorting of products, (ii) a conditional drop function, or (iii) performing pairwise comparisons between products (see examples below). This research studies the relationship between decision strategies and the proper interactive decision aid(s). In particular, it addresses the following research question: Which type of interactive decision aid is necessary to support the application of specific decision strategies? The provision of decision aids is important, because they may reduce the effort to apply a particular strategy and/or increase decision accuracy. Based on our conceptual analysis, web designers can tailor systems that offer those decision aids that fit best to their customers' decision strategy, thereby facilitating decision processes.


We present a method for solving implicit (factored) Markov decision processes (MDPs) with very large state spaces. We introduce a property of state space partitions which we call e-homogeneity. Intuitively, an e-homogeneous partition groups together states that behave approximately the same under all or some subset of policies. Borrowing from recent work on model minimization in computer-aided software verification, we present an algorithm that takes a factored representation of an MDP and an 0 ≤ e ≤ 1 and computes a factored e-homogeneous partition of the state space.

This partition defines a family of related MDPs--those MDP's with state space equal to the blocks of the partition, and transition probabilities "approximately" like those of any (original MDP) state in the source block. To formally study such families of MDPs, we introduce the new notion of a "bounded parameter MDP" (BMDP), which is a family of (traditional) MDPs defined by specifying upper and lower bounds on the transition probabilities and rewards. We describe algorithms that operate on BMDPs to find policies that are approximately optimal with respect to the original MDP.

In combination, our method for reducing a large implicit MDP to a possibly much smaller BMDP using an e-homogeneous partition, and our methods for selecting actions in BMDP's constitute a new approach for analyzing large implicit MDP's. Among its advantages, this new approach provides insight into existing algorithms to solving implicit MDPs, provides useful connections to work in automata theory and model minimization, and suggests methods, which involve varying e, to trade time and space (specifically in terms of the size of the corresponding state space) for solution quality.


We have studied the effects of the anthracycline doxorubicin on the release of catecholamines from the perfused bovine adrenal gland. Doxorubicin produced different concentration-dependent effects on adrenomedullary catecholamine secretion. At a 3 x 10(-6) M concentration, doxorubicin facilitated the secretory response induced by acetylcholine and 56 mM K+ but did not affect the spontaneous catecholamine output or that evoked by NaCl deprivation. Conversely, a higher concentration of doxorubicin (10(-4) M) resulted in a significant and irreversible inhibition of the spontaneous secretion of catecholamines, as well as of that caused by acetylcholine or high K+. Doxorubicin at this high concentration did not modify the catecholamine release induced by NaCl deprivation. These results suggest that doxorubicin effects could be mediated at the plasma membrane of the chromaffin cells. The present study is compatible with the idea that increased adrenomedullary catecholamine release is involved in the cardiotoxic action of relatively low doses of doxorubicin.


The paper deals with a theoretical analysis of the problem of non-uniform defining of a group of non-conventional transport technologies. In this some basic approaches have been differentiated of various defining criteria, engineering/ technological and legal. In a comparative analysis of specific systems of air transport the author deals with the assessment of the possibilities for the utilization of vehicles of this transport aspect in nonconventional transport technologies. The author discusses the prerequisites of application and development of non-conventional transport technologies with air routes incorporated into the transport chain.


The paper discovers the worth of a resilient culture in the course of disaster management following 2015's Nepal Earthquake. An empirical investigation into the activities of rescues, rescuers, government authorities, humanitarian agencies, and civil societies indicates that the effectiveness of rescue, relief, recovery, and reconstruction activities are influenced by their cultural resiliency. The discovery process involved field visits, personal observation and experience, interviews, literature review and discourse analysis as well as interpretation. The study concentrated on the issues concerning the areas of rescue operations, logistics, information sharing, supply chains, shelter management, relief packages distribution, actors' coordination, and socio-cultural immunity and elasticity to the crisis conditions. This paper draws a conclusion that resilience in cultural configuration enhances effectiveness in the process of disaster management.


A computerized system for recording the results of structured, numerically coded autopsy reports on various types of mine workers has been in operation at the National Centre for Occupational Health in Johannesburg since 1975. Historical developments, particularly those associated with compensation for occupational disease, have resulted in very high autopsy rates, especially among whites. Since its inception, the pathology automation (PATHAUT) system has accumulated the results of more than 33,000 autopsies. The data set is described in the hope of stimulating interest in the possible uses of the data and encouraging collaborative research. Some characteristics of the database with potential research implications are discussed. These include differing age and work patterns for blacks and whites and geographic factors with potential influence on whether a body or only the cardiorespiratory organs are sent for examination.


Service activity, which is an essential part of modern economy, is constantly changing. The changing economic reality also involves changes in research orientations. Changes in the subject of interest in the literature related to geography of services are a reflection of the changes taking place in services. Economic changes, as well as technological and civilisation progress, result in the emergence of new directions of research, as well as the disappearance of some of the existing ones, which in current circumstances are losing their relevance. The beginnings of geography of services as a distinctive scientific discipline date back to the 1970s. Previously, service research was part of the field of settlement research. The 1970s brought an increased interest in services, which initiated the process of crystallising geography of services, manifested in both theoretical and methodological work. The article discusses current changes in Polish geography of services, in particular its new trends and research directions.


The measurement and assessment of aboveground tree biomass plays a key role in the management of forest resources. Many allometric models exist for tropical and subtropical species, but only a few studies for species of semiarid zones. A total of 144 Prosopis laevigata trees from seven native stands (sites) located in northeast Mexico, were destructively sampled to develop total biomass prediction equations. Sampling covered various ranges of basal diameter (5.2 to 41.8 cm) and height (1.4 to 9.7 m). Here, we contrast nonlinear and linear fitting approaches of the allometric equation y = a·x + ε, for estimating aboveground biomass of Prosopis laevigata. Although nonlinear procedure had the best fits (R = 0.95 and P < 0.001) vs linear (R = 0.84 and P < 0.001), the results highlight that the log-transform and the use of a weighted correction factor in allometry, improves significantly the biomass prediction of this specie. It is concluded that the obtained regression models using basal diameter, can be applied for the estimation of total biomass in Prosopis laevigata trees, but also that the minimum number of observations needed is 40 harvested trees to calculate parameters a y b with the least variance.


Although previously restricted to a limited number of medical conditions, there is a growing appreciation that 'autoimmune' (or immune-mediated) processes are important aspects of a wide array of diverse medical conditions, including cancers, neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. All of these classes of medical conditions are associated with alterations in mitochondrial function across an array of diverse cell types. Accumulating data indicate the presence of the mitochondrial melatonergic pathway in possibly all body cells, with important consequences for pathways crucial in driving CD8+ T cell and B-cell 'autoimmune'-linked processes. Melatonin suppression coupled with the upregulation of oxidative stress suppress PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/parkin-driven mitophagy, raising the levels of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-1, which underpins the chemoattraction of CD8+ T cells and the activation of antibody-producing B-cells. Many factors and processes closely associated with autoimmunity, including gut microbiome/permeability, circadian rhythms, aging, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) all interact with the mitochondrial melatonergic pathway. A number of future research directions and novel treatment implications are indicated for this wide collection of poorly conceptualized and treated medical presentations. It is proposed that the etiology of many 'autoimmune'/'immune-mediated' disorders should be conceptualized as significantly determined by mitochondrial dysregulation, with alterations in the mitochondrial melatonergic pathway being an important aspect of these pathoetiologies.


Damage to bridges can result in partial or complete structural failures, with fatal consequences. Cracks develop in concrete infrastructure from fatigue loading, vibrations, corrosion, or unforeseen structural displacement. Effective long-term monitoring of civil infrastructure can reduce the risk of structural failures and potentially reduce the cost and frequency of inspections. However, deploying structural health monitoring technologies for crack detection on bridges is expensive, especially long-term, due to the density of sensors required to detect, localize, and quantify cracks. Previous research on soft elastomeric capacitors (SECs) has shown their viability for low-cost monitoring of cracks in transportation infrastructure. However, when deployed on concrete for strain monitoring, a structure/sensor capacitive coupling exists that may cause a significant amplification in the signal collected from the SEC sensor. This work provides a detailed experimental study of electrically isolating capacitive sensing skins for concrete structures to reduce the structure/sensor capacitive coupling of an electrically grounded sensor. The study illustrates that the use of rubber isolators effectively decreases the capacitive coupling between concrete, which inherently has capacitive properties, and sensors such as the SEC that utilize capacitance measurements. In addition, the required thickness of isolation for accurate strain monitoring using the SEC with geometry described in the paper is investigated and better strain correlation is observed between the rubber of isolation thickness 0.30 mm and 0.64 mm with rubber of isolation of approximately 0.40 mm having the best response. Tests were conducted on small-scale concrete beams, and results were validated on full-scale reinforced concrete bridge decks recently taken out of service. This study demonstrates that with proper isolation material, the SEC can accurately transduce strain from concrete within a 10 με error for strain levels beyond 25 με .


Purpose The 4D-CT data used for comparing a patient's ventilation distributions before and after lung radiotherapy are acquired at different times. As a result, an additional variable – the tidal volume (TV) – can alter the results. Therefore, in this paper we propose to normalize the ventilation to the same TV to eliminate that uncertainty. Methods Absolute ventilation (AV) data were generated for 6 stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) cases before and after treatment, using the direct geometric algorithm and diffeomorphic morphons deformable image registration (DIR). Each pair of AV distributions was converted to TV-normalized, percentile ventilation (PV) and low-dose well-ventilated-normalized ventilation (LDWV) distributions. The ventilation change was calculated in various dose regions based on the treatment plans using the DIR-registered before and after treatment data sets. The ventilation change based on TV-normalized ventilation was compared with the AV as well as the data normalized by PV and LDWV. Results AV change may be misleading when the TV differs before and after treatment, which was found to be up to 6.7%. All three normalization methods produced a similar trend in ventilation change: the higher the dose to a region of lung, the greater the degradation in ventilation. In low dose regions (<5 Gy), ventilation appears relatively improved after treatment due to the relative nature of the normalized ventilation. However, the LDWV may not be reliable when the ventilation in the low-dose regions varies. PV exhibited a similar ventilation change trend compared to the TV-normalized in all cases. However, by definition, the ventilation distribution in the PV is significantly different from the original distribution. Conclusion Normalizing ventilation distributions by the TV is a simple and reliable method for evaluation of ventilation changes.


The analytical time-domain vector representation of the transient electromagnetic radiation of a monopole antenna is computed using the Maple software package. This simulation originates directly from the rigorous formulation of the problem via Maxwell's equations. A ramp-function approximation of the antenna excitation current (of arbitrary waveform) is employed. Using the capabilities of Maple, the problem is easily transformed into a compact Maple code. Maple computing enables analytical time-domain three-dimensional vector expressions for the transient radiation field. The fundamental properties of transient radiation are thus characterized qualitatively and quantitatively, assisting with physical interpretation of the results.


The objectives of this study were to morphologically characterize fruits of the babassu palm tree (Attalea vitrivir) and to estimate their productivity in the north of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Twenty mature fruits were collected from 10 plants in three different areas in Januaria, Minas Gerais. Eighteen biometric parameters of the fruits were measured, the oil contents of the seeds was determined, the adherence to normal distribution was evaluated, distribution frequencies were evaluated and the effects of individuals and areas on the variables and the correlations between them were analyzed. The production of fruit bunches per plant and the number of fruits per bunch from 10 plants were quantified in three areas and the potential production under both natural harvesting and cultivation conditions were estimated. Significant differences were found among all of the biometric parameters examined between the different individuals and the different areas, which shows wide morphological variability in the fruits. The average oil content was 45.7%, but with significant differences among individuals. The observed variability favors the selection of productive individuals in genetic improvement programs. The potential productivity of endocarps and oil based on a density of 400/plants per hectare would be respectively 6.4 and 1.2 tons/ha, which indicates the possibility of using A. vitrivir for producing charcoal, bio fuels, and for carbon fixation.


Home automation takes everyday electrical items and "automates" them, either allowing the item to be controlled electronically or by giving it instructions to operate automatically. Typically it provides a centralised control of electrical appliances in the home. Home automation has been around for a several decades now, but the evolution of Smartphones has allowed the use of Smartphones to be used as controllers. Previously electrical items could only be controlled by a desktop application or remote controls.

This project explores the development process of a conceptual Android home automated application for a client, which will control Marmitek X10 lighting modules. The project will cover research of home automation history and also the hardware and software currently on the market, which will lead onto determining project requirements. The development of the application is documented, starting with requirement analysis and ending with the testing of the application. The entire project is then evaluated and concluded, discussing possibilities of future developments.


Objective:To investigate white matter microstructure compromise in Veterans with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its possible contribution to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology and neuropsychological functioning via diffusion tensor imaging. Participants and Methods:Thirty-eight Veterans with mild (n = 33) and moderate (n = 5) TBI and 17 military control participants without TBI completed neuropsychological testing and psychiatric screening and underwent magnetic resonance imaging an average of 4 years following their TBI event(s). Fractional anisotropy (FA) and diffusivity measures were extracted from 9 white matter tracts. Results:Compared with military control participants, TBI participants reported higher levels of PTSD symptoms and performed worse on measures of memory and psychomotor-processing speed. Traumatic brain injury was associated with lower FA in the genu of the corpus callosum and left cingulum bundle. Fractional anisotropy negatively correlated with processing speed and/or executive functions in 7 of the 8 tracts. Regional FA did not correlate with memory or PTSD symptom ratings. Conclusion:Results suggest that current PTSD symptoms are independent of TBI-related white matter alterations, as measured by diffusion tensor imaging. In addition, white matter microstructural compromise may contribute to reduced processing speed in our sample of participants with history of neurotrauma. Findings of the current study add insight into the factors associated with complicated recovery from mild to moderate TBI.


Textured BiMnO3 [111] thin films on SrTiO3 (100) and Pt/TiO2/SiO2 substrates were grown via r.f. magnetron sputtering (13.56 MHz). The XRD spectra confirmed a monoclinic structure and high-quality textured films for the BiMnO3 films. The films grown on SrTiO3 (100) showed higher crystalline quality than those developed on Pt/TiO2/SiO2. Through optimized oxygen pressure of 5×10-2 mbar during the r.f. sputtering deposition, the crystalline orientation of the BiMnO3 film was improved with respect to the previously reported value of 2×10-1 mbar. The values of spontaneous polarization (Ps), remnant polarization (Pr), and coercive field (Fc) from ferroelectric hysteresis loops (P–E) at different temperatures were also obtained. Samples with higher crystalline order revealed better dielectric properties (high Ps and Pr values and a low Fc). For films on both types of substrates, the ferroelectric behavior was found to persist up to 400K. Measurements at higher temperatures were difficult to obtain given the increased conductivity of the films. Magnetic hysteresis loops from 5K to 120K were obtained for BiMnO3 films grown on SrTiO3 and Pt/TiO2/SiO2 substrates. The results suggested that the coexistence of the magnetic and electric phases persists up to 120K.


AbstractHemoglobin is a protein of outstanding biological importance whose function in the transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide is well understood.1 The functional cycle in the erythrocyte is known in some detail. Allosteric effectors such as organic phosphates, hydrogen ions, and carbon dioxide are recognized, and their adjustments under varying conditions have been described.1,2 Numerous abnormal forms are known and have been studied in great detail.1-4


Massification of Higher Education (HE) has made it difficult for teachers to design instructional strategies that are responsive to the diverse student needs. We here argue that student profiling is a handy tool that the HE teacher can use for inclusive instructional design by thoughtfully selecting learning and teaching strategies, and materials and supports that will maximise student achievement. We designed a student-profiling instrument focusing on capturing students' biographical information, learning preferences, anticipated learning outcomes, personality traits, and learning related skills-set and administered to students in a 3rd Year Biotechnology class at the University of Namibia. The data on learning style preferences was analysed using the VARK Questionnaire (version 8.01) while a Chi-square (?2) test of association (SPSS software version 24) was used to determine whether there was a relationship between students' preferred learning styles and the other variables. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the students had multimodal learning preferences while 25% were unimodal for kinesthetic learning style. No students preferred visual or auditory learning alone. The ?2 test revealed no significant relationship between students' preferred learning styles and any of the other variables including age, place of origin, home language, home setting, residence during school semester, pre-course anticipation, skills set, and personality traits (P > 0.05). We conclude that profiling students' learning preferences prior to teaching and learning helps HE teachers to tailor their instructional strategies to students' learning style preferences, maximises epistemological access, as well as enhance inclusivity, equality and equity.


The attempt to transition from a fossil-based to a bio-based economy is putting increased pressure on the limited amount of available biomass. Concentrating on biogenic waste matter that is currently not put to use, such as green waste, may be one way of tapping potential additional raw materials. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) processes are particularly well suited for converting this green waste into valuable energy sources. The results show that HTC coal can currently only compete economically with fossil energy sources in an ideal context. However, there is potential for cost reduction. Additionally, there is a clear potential for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared with fossil fuels and the GHG mitigation costs are within the standard range of other biogenic means of supplying heat.


The right policies in the construction sector can have huge economic, social, and environmental impact for developing countries during the 40 to 70-year life of buildings going into construction. The buildings sector is one of the main consumers of energy and resources, using about 35% of global energy (and 60%of electricity), 25% of global water, 40% of materials extracted globally, (UNEP SBCI), and emitting approximately one fifth of greenhouse gases (UNFCCC AR5). Yet it remains one of the most difficult sectors to improve because of the complex and soiled value chain. Building growth is faster in Africa than any other region. Cities swelling by 18 million inhabitants per year are increasingly stretched to deliver water and electricity to new developments, most of which comprise low income households often paying about 20% oftheir disposable income on utility bills. Due to the long life cycle of the built environment, its vital that we don't lock in inefficiencies that cannot be addressed for many years to come at the end of the buildings lifecycle.Parallel to the construction boom, many countries in Africa are experiencing power and water shortages, further amplifying the need to alleviate the burden placed on scarce natural resources. Efficiency in the built environment is critical to manage future demand on cities for energy and water.The paper assesses the impacts and benefits of the IFC's EDGE Green Building Program. It reveals that split incentives exist between the builder/developer who wants to minimize construction costs and the owner who has an interest in the all-in life-cycle cost of operations and maintenance of a building. Traditional valuation techniques do not account for these green features, creating a need for green measures to be defined and verified so these benefits can be valued and on-sold. The EDGE Green Buildings Program hopes to provide a solution through the use of a mixture of regulatory and voluntary approaches (depending on the country), to shift the building and construction sector towards a more resource-efficient development path. Introducing either method to a market requires a whole value chain approach and focused capacity building, monitoring, and support to ensure that implementation occurs. In Africa, greater market fragmentation, weaker public sector resources, and higher sensitivity to increases in up-front costs exacerbate all these barriers.


An essential challenge of the Internet of Things is how to share data between embedded systems. One way of doing this is with the protocol MQTT. MQTT is a message distribution protocol which uses a publish and subscribe method to share data. The company Fältcom uses an implementation of MQTT called Mosquitto to distribute data between their units. Fältcom has developed an embedded unit called MIIPS C which uses the Mosquitto implementation to function as a message broker. The broker is the center of communication and all other units send their messages through the broker. The questions of this thesis regards how well Mosquitto works in an embedded environment with hardware limitations and an unstable internet connection. To answer these questions tests were run on a MIPPS while observing key metrics such as CPU usage and latency. The results are summarized to compare performance between different cases. The results show how Mosquitto works well in an embedded environment if configured correctly. The configuration has to limit message size and how many messages the broker can store, in order to ensure that the broker does not run out of memory.


Approach to regions occupied by perikarya of the snail 5-HT-ergic neurons produced excitation. The strongest action was recorded on the PedA cluster surface, and it was further enhanced by adding the 5-HT precursor. The findings suggest that the mechanisms underlying 5-HT-dependent behaviour include a mutual excitatory co-operation between somata of neighbouring 5-HT-ergic neurons.


Iron is a trace element that is important for many vital processes, including oxygen transport, oxidative metabolism, cellular proliferation, and catalytic reactions. Iron supports these functions mainly as part of the heme molecule. Heme synthesis is an eight-step process which, when defective at the level of one of the eight enzymes involved, can cause the development of a group of diseases, either inherited or acquired, called porphyrias. Despite the strict link between iron and heme, the role of iron in the different types of porphyrias, particularly as a risk factor for disease development/progression or as a potential therapeutic target or molecule, is still being debated, since contrasting results have emerged from clinical observations, in vitro studies and animal models. In this review we aim to deepen such aspects by drawing attention to the current evidence on the role of iron in porphyrias and its potential implication. Testing for iron status and its metabolic pathways through blood tests, imaging techniques or genetic studies on patients affected by porphyrias can provide additional diagnostic and prognostic value to the clinical care, leading to a more tailored and effective management.


This research aims to evaluate the learning of mathematics at the college level conducted through distance learning programs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Jakarta. This research is a type of evaluation research using the Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) model that is (1) context consists of program background and program planning (2) Inputs include of students readiness, teaching materials, facilities and infrastructures (3) process consisting of teaching methods and constraints in learning, and (4) the product consists of understanding and learning outcomes. Respondents in this study amounted to 155 students spread across five colleges in Jakarta. The instruments used for data collection are unstructured questionnaires and interviews. The validity of the device used is expert judgment. Furthermore, data is analyzed in a descriptive and interpretation to obtain an accurate picture of factual conditions in the field. The results showed that the mathematical learning conducted through distance learning at higher education in Jakarta needs improvement and improvement in quality from various aspects such as preparation, facilities and infrastructure, material materials, and learning methods used in the effort to achieve the objectives of the established differentiation. It based on the evaluation result on the context component; Score value 3.325 with outstanding category, input component; Score 2.86 by good category, process components; Score 2.80 by good grade, and product component; Score 2.26 with the less good group.


Despite the ongoing interest of blade makers to identify and to implement new manufacturing concepts with high probability of good ROI, there is a lack of sophisticated models for the evaluation of the ROI for these concepts. As a result, the manufacturing process for wind blades has not changed significantly since the early 1990s with the implementation of vacuum infusion processes. Thus, there is a need for an alternative to the invest-and-test approach to enable the implementation of new manufacturing concepts. In the current research, a factory-scale simulation of the operations of a wind blade manufacturing facility is developed using DELMIA, a graphical process flow simulation software that provides a virtual means to investigate the performance of a manufacturing process with analysis capabilities well-suited to highlighting inefficiencies. The simulation of the blade manufacturing facility is developed with the flexibility to be easily customized for a given manufacturing scenario and to enable the introduction and evaluation of the impact of changes to the overall wind blade manufacturing process, i.e. the insertion of automation or other process alternatives. The DELMIA factory simulation is being developed alongside a complementary Excel/VBA-based Techno-Economic model (TEM). The TEM uses detailed blade design data with baseline economic factors, manufacturing parameters and process models to generate cost estimates for a given manufacturing scenario. The TEM is formulated to include multi-year cost-predictive capabilities that account for the evolution of costs over a product lifecycle and factory changeover. The integration of the DELMIA factory flow simulation and the TEM provides a comprehensive modeling tool for the analysis of the economic feasibility of new composite manufacturing concepts for wind blade manufacturing.


OBJECTIVE
To assess whether the hop-derived polyphenol isoxanthohumol suppresses insulin resistance by changing the intestinal microbiota.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Male C57BL/6J mice (7 weeks of age) were divided into five groups (n = 9-10): Normal Diet (ND), High Fat Diet (HFD), HFD + low dose isoxanthohumol (0.01%IX), HFD + medium dose isoxanthohumol (0.03% IX), and HFD + high dose isoxanthohumol (0.1% IX). Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) were performed at 4 and 8 weeks, and insulin tolerance tests (ITTs) were performed at 13 weeks. 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses revealed the fecal microbiota profiles, and the relative abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila and Clostridium cluster XI was calculated by qRT-PCR. Plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels were measured by ELISA, and mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-1β in epididymal adipose tissues were measured by qRT-PCR.

RESULTS
Isoxanthohumol showed antibacterial activity towards several bacterial species and mitigated impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance induced by the HFD in a dose-dependent manner, as shown by OGTTs and ITTs. The concentration of phylum Verrucomicrobia bacteria dramatically increased in the 0.1% IX group, the relative abundance of A. muciniphila increased, and that of Clostridium cluster XI decreased. Moreover, the intake of isoxanthohumol decreased the levels of plasma LPS and mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-1β in epididymal adipose tissues.

CONCLUSIONS
We found that isoxanthohumol can suppress HFD-induced insulin resistance by changing the intestinal microbiota and reducing the expression of inflammation factors.


Based on the idea that the planned networks in the Soviet Union were characterised by anonymity the paper discusses how Russian firms as a consequence of the abolishment of the plan-governance develop an identity. A longitudinal study from the Russian printing industry covering the 1980s and 1990s indicates that this development is tied to the fact that firms are forced to perform mutual and interactive planning in the relationship. Prior the institutional changes, the plan authorities were assumed to have the knowledge needed to co-ordinate the activities in the networks, but the transition to market-governed networks resulted in a deeper mutuality and a more intensive interaction, which, in turn, meant that firms gained relationship-specific experience


Three-and-a-half years into the Children (NI) Order 1995, government reports have confirmed that there are serious concerns about the sufficiency of placement within both residential and foster care services. Colette McAuley argues that the ensuing issue of placement choice and its impact upon care planning and child safety needs to be urgently addressed. She calls for regional strategic leadership coupled with resource management and investment to bring about significant changes for looked after children in Northern Ireland.


This article looks at the relationship of the supervision of professionals in the psycho-social sector in the realm of the courts. Two paradigms are used for the analysis of the issues of psycho-social action: that of dispute and conflict, based on which the relationship between theory and practice is analyzed in the process of supervision as a self-education and exchange of knowledge from the perspective of the co-relation of forces. With this reference, supervision of the psycho-social sector in the Judicial Center for the Elderly was analyzed, revealing contradictions in the defense of rights, legal resolutions of social conflict and the inadequacy of public policies related to the elderly, as well as the symbolic weight of the omnipotence and impotence of social work in the Judiciary system.


Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) are seen as an important enabling technology for improving both traffic safety and efficiency. Virtual Traffic Lights (VTLs) are a promising proposal for reducing travel time by efficiently controlling road intersections. VTLs use vehicle-to-vehicle communication to dynamically optimize traffic flow and they display traffic light information on the windshield. However, research so far has assumed that all vehicles are equipped with VTL support and it has ignored the incremental deployment phase, which could last decades. In this paper we present a solution for a VTL partial deployment scenario that is based on the idea of having VTL equipped cars display traffic light information on the outside of the vehicle. This allows drivers in non-equipped vehicles, or even pedestrians, to see the light color and respond accordingly. We show that the benefits of VTLs in terms of intersection throughput and average delay reduction grow as a function of the penetration rate of equipped vehicles.


Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep‑related disorder characterized by chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). Previous studies have found that intermittent hypoxia promotes drug resistance, cell proliferation, migration and invasion in non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Endothelial cell‑specific molecule‑1 (ESM1) is a molecule shown to be overexpressed in several types of tumors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between CIH and ESM1 and their potential roles in the progression of NSCLC. Tumorspheres, cell viability and colony formation assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation. The expression levels of cancer stem cell (CSC) markers CD44, CD133, OCT4 and SOX2 were measured with western blotting and/or RT‑qPCR. Transwell assays were applied to assess cell migration and invasion. Changes in the expression levels of epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT)‑associated proteins were also detected by western blotting. The results indicated that CIH enhanced lung cancer stem cell (LCSC) NSCLC progression by promoting stemness, drug resistance, cell proliferation, migration and invasion via the ESM1/HIF‑1α pathway. Unexpectedly, inhibition of ESM1 reversed the CIH‑involved negative effects on LCSCs and in a mouse model. ESM1 therefore appears to be crucial mediator of CIH‑mediated lung cancer progression.


Designers at the Vaal University of Technology were set the task of designing a means of integrating a Samsung 10" Tablet with a biometric scanner. Other Tablets models also had to fit into the design as the final end user could not be forced to use only Samsung Tablets. There was a requirement for a rapid turn-around and so a combination of technologies was used to create "Hybrid Prototypes". The Additive Manufacturing (AM) process known as Laser Sintering (LS) was used to produce components to be used as patterns, since it facilitated a good surface finish and good release angles for tooling. High quality Polyurethane (PU) composite tooling was then produced to curb component costs whilst maintaining the ability to cope with the stresses and temperatures seen during manufacturing. The Hybrid Prototypes consisted of several LS parts, PU composite castings, "off-the-shelf" components such as brass inserts (used as fasteners) and the feature that allowed these prototypes to become versatile, the laser cut holding struts. These holding struts fitted perfectly into predetermined grooves in the prototype base. The struts could be cut according to the contour and height of the different Tablet models. Post-process finishes, wet spray painted after sanding, made the products appear as if they had been injection moulded, as this would be the preferred route to mass production. This paper covers the strategical planning of the project, critical design criteria addressed and the pros and cons of process followed to complete twenty units for market sampling by means of field tests in several locations. The paper also discusses how the design was influenced by the rapid turnover of new tablets in the market place and how the parameters shifted over time. Finally, conclusions are drawn as to how the combination of AM with other technologies can increase the flexibility of the prototyping process.


A linearized form of Zoeppritz equations combined with the convolution model is widely used in inversion of amplitude variation with offset (AVO) seismic data. This is shown to introduce a "modeling error," compared with using the full Zoeppritz equations, whose magnitude depends on the degree of subsurface heterogeneity. Then, we evaluate a methodology for quantifying this modeling error through a probability distribution. First, a sample of the unknown probability density describing the modeling error is generated. Then, we determine how this sample can be described by a correlated Gaussian probability distribution. Finally, we develop how such modeling errors affect the linearized AVO inversion results. If not accounted for (which is most often the case), the modeling errors can introduce significant artifacts in the inversion results, if the signal-to-noise ratio is less than 2, as is the case for most AVO data obtained today. However, if accounted for, such artifacts can be avoided. The methodology can easily be adapted and applied to most linear AVO inversion methods, by allowing the use of the inferred modeling error as a correlated Gaussian noise model.


We examine companies known to have engaged in fraudulent conduct and measure their financial and market characteristics before and after they entered the spotlight of public awareness due to SEC investigations. We find significant differences in firm characteristics of fraud companies both before and after an SEC investigation, compared to a sample of matched control firms. Before an investigation begins, fraud companies show distinct signs of poor operating performance, including low sales and large special charges. Not unexpectedly, it is when the investigation begins and the fraud stops that the signs of poor market performance are more easily observed. Of particular interest, we find that SEC investigations have distinctly different effects depending on the nature of the fraud (financial statement fraud or transactional fraud). Specifically, the commencement of an SEC fraud investigation causes firms engaged in financial statement fraud to experience more severe deteriorating financial performance, while it causes firms engaged in transactional fraud to experience more severe deteriorating market performance.


Current published research at the secondary level has emphasized (a) aptitude and achievement testing, (b) the measurement of vocational interests and occupational preferences, and (c) the measurement of adolescent personality. Some research has been devoted to the affective domain of adolescents' behavior, and relatively little to the press of the school or nonschool environment, objective measurement of socioeconomic status, and inventorying of adolescent problems by the use of self-report instruments.


Spatial Statistical Analysis (SSA) and Geographical Information Systems
(GIS) are instrumental in many areas of geographical study. However, their use
tends to be separate one from another. This has prevented their potential in many
application areas from being realised. This research is an attempt to bring the two
technologies together for a specific application area - health research. There are
two research objectives. The first and main objective is to construct a software
package - SAGE - by integrating necessary SSA techniques with ARC/INFO, a
GIS, to enable the user to undertake a coherent study of area-based health-related
data. The second objective is to evaluate and demonstrate SAGE through a case
study.
A range of SSA techniques was identified to be useful for addressing
typical health questions. A three-tier client-server model was suggested and
argued to be the most appropriate for integration as it takes advantages of both the
loose-coupling and close-coupling approaches. Under this model, a SSA
component forms the client, while ARCH/INFO functions as the server. They are
linked through the middle tier - the linking agent. The development of SAGE
provided experiences useful for developing a generic SSA module in the future
for any GIS that confonns to a set of well-defined standard application interfaces.
An empirical study of colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence for the city of
Sheffield using SAGE is presented. It shows the usefulness of the SAGE
regionalisation tool in constructing an appropriate regional framework for
subsequent data analyses and of both exploratory and confirmatory spatial data
analysis in exploring the characteristics of CRC incidence. Some weaknesses of
SAGE are identified, while remedies for them are suggested. Future work is
recommended.
The SAGE User Guide, related publications and the SAGE source and
executable code as well as the data used in the case study are enclosed for
reference.


The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of Cr3+ impurity in the ferroic (CH3)2NH2A1(SO4)2·6H2O monocrystals have been studied in the 80-400 K temperature range with an X-band spectrometer. The spin-Hamiltonian parameters determined at RT are: D=0.0923 cm-1, E=-0.0070cm-1, gx=1.9736, gy=1.9749 and gz=1.9715. Temperature dependence measurements of these parameters give useful information about the water molecule behaviour. The ferroelectric phase transition (PT) at Tc=152 K is most probably evoked indirectly by slowing down of rotation and reorientation of the H2O units. A model of the PT is proposed.


A semiconductor disk laser with a transparent chemical vapor deposited diamond heatspreader is presented. The gain region of the semiconductor disk includes 16 non-compensated compressively strained InGaAs quantum wells. 710mW continuous-wave output power at 1043nm is produced using a 3% output coupler and 6100mW incident pump power. The slope-efficiency is 14.2% and the optical-to-optical conversion efficiency is 11.6%. The effect of the diamond heatspreader on the laser is also analyzed.


The present study was conducted to derive pediatric mianserin pharmacokinetic parameters, which were compared to those from healthy young adults, and to obtain preliminary information regarding the utility of mianserin for the management of hyperkinesis in children. The sample consisted of six prepubescent children with hyperkinetic behavior disorders who had not responded, or had developed tolerance to, stimulant medication. Mianserin pharmacokinetics were derived from plasma samples obtained over a 36- to 50-hour period following a single oral dose which ranged from 0.28 to 0.72 mg/kg. Children evidenced a significantly faster elimination half-life and a significantly smaller apparent kinetic volume of distribution than did adults, whereas maximum plasma concentration, time to maximum concentration, and apparent oral plasma clearance were similar. Ratings of behavioral deviance were obtained from teachers and parents during placebo and mianserin titration to a maximum dose of 40 mg/day. Although half the children showed some decrease in hyperactivity ratings, the small sample size and high variability of response preclude conclusions regarding the efficacy of mianserin for childhood hyperkinesis. Possible side effects in our sample included akathisia, excitability, insomnia, and migraine-like headache, as well as cardiovascular effects of tachycardia and two instances of minor electrocardiographic change. Our pharmacokinetic findings will be of import should mianserin prove useful for such childhood disorders as depression and/or enuresis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Bordetella holmesii is a recently recognized Gram-negative bacterium causing both pertussis-like respiratory symptoms and invasive infections, such as bacteremia, pneumonia, meningitis, arthritis, pericarditis and endocarditis. Few data are available on its epidemiological characteristics, mostly related to respiratory infections. However, these are frequently misdiagnosed as a Bordetella pertussis infection as most diagnostic tests routinely used are not species-specific, thus biasing the epidemiological studies of both strains, as well as the efficacy studies on pertussis vaccination. There is no accepted agreement on treatment and it remains unknown if antimicrobial prophylaxis is indicated in certain clinical settings. We review here the current knowledge on B. holmesii and the need for further research.


When pictures are masked, people can discriminate among them even though they may claim that they are not consciously aware of the pictures. In deciding whether people are actually aware of the pictures, it is debated whether measures based on discrimination ability (objective measures) are preferable to measures of self-reported subjective experience (subjective measures). The present paper discusses commonly used indexes and relates them to contemporary concepts of phenomenal, access, and reflexive consciousness. Because objective and subjective measures capture different aspects of consciousness, their comprehensive use is recommended.


Having inactivated the sodium conductance by K-rich media, propagated slow responses were triggered by local electrical stimulation after addition of catecholamines. We determined the smallest noradrenaline concentration eliciting slow responses (noradrenaline threshold) and it was found to be 1.04 X 10(-6) mol . litre-1 +/- 0.25. The rate of rise and the amplitude of cardiac slow responses increase with the external concentration in calcium, however their development is also influenced by altering potassium conductances. Substances inhibiting gK: tetraetylammonium, 4-aminopyridine and cesium increased the maximal rate of rise and the duration of slow responses and except for the latter compound, decreased the noradrenaline threshold. On the other hand Mg ions exerted an inhibitory effect on slow responses since they markedly decreased the maximal rate of depolarisation and increased the noradrenaline threshold in spite of a very small increase in the duration of slow responses. The effect of Mg ions can be explained by an inhibition of the slow inward current.


SiC with fiber-reinforced composites, which are presently considered as the primary structural materials in some fusion reactor conceptual designs, are more attractive and competitive for structural materials in a fusion energy system because of its excellent chemical and mechanical properties such as high fracture toughness, induced-low activation, afterheat under 14MeV neutron irradiation environment at elevated temperature, and good compatibility with coolant and breeder materials. Thus it is important to investigate the research progress of advanced SiC composite, including transmuted helium gas, radiation swelling, radiation effects on mechanical properties, irradiation-enhanced creep, fatigue, physical properties associated with fusion design and their critical issues. This report summarized these results and addressed the major critical issues under irradiation conditions.


Solid-state lighting technology, where light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are used for energy conversion from electricity to light, is considered a next-generation lighting technology. One of the significant challenges in the field is the synthesis of high-efficiency phosphors for designing phosphor-converted white LEDs under high flux operating currents. Here, we reported the synthesis, structure, and photophysical properties of a tetranuclear Cu(I)–halide cluster phosphor, [bppmCu2I2]2 (bppm = bisdiphenylphosphinemethane), for the fabrication of high-performance white LEDs. The PL investigations demonstrated that the red emission exhibits a near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield at room temperature and unusual spectral broadening with increasing temperature in the crystalline state. Considering the excellent photophysical properties, the crystalline sample of [bppmCu2I2]2 was successfully applied for the fabrication of phosphor-converted white LEDs. The prototype white LED device exhibited a continuous rise in brightness in the range of a high bias current (100–1000 mA) with CRI as high as 84 and CCT of 5828 K, implying great potential for high-quality white LEDs.


Poly(benzyl methacrylate) (PBzMA) and its copolymers exhibit lower critical solution temperature (LCST)-type phase separation in common hydrophobic ionic liquids (ILs) such as 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfone)imide ([C(2)mim][NTf2]). The turbidity measurements for PBzMA/IL mixed systems reveal that the LCST-type phase separation temperatures change significantly with the changes in the chemical structures of polymers and ILs. Moreover, cross-linked PBzMA gels show reversible and discontinuous volume phase transition in [C(2)mim][NTf2] with the changes in temperature.


OBJECTIVES
Faculty mentorship can be one solution to addressing the participation and persistence gaps between underrepresented groups (URGs) and overrepresented group members in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying effective STEM faculty mentorship. The present study (a) investigates if faculty mentorship impacts STEM identity, attitudes, belonging, and self-efficacy; (b) compares students' perceptions of women versus men faculty mentorship support functions; and (c) uncovers the mentorship support mechanisms underlying impactful faculty mentorship.

METHOD
The present research sampled ethnic-racial minority URG undergraduate students pursuing STEM majors across eight institutions (N = 362; age = 24.85; 36.6% Latinx, 30.6% Black, and 4.6% multiracial; 60.1% women). The study's overall quasi-experimental design adopted a one-factor two-level (faculty mentorship status: yes, no) between-subjects design. Among the participants who reported having a faculty mentor, we also examined faculty mentor gender (women vs. men) as a between-subjects variable.

RESULTS
Faculty mentorship had a positive impact on URG students' STEM identity, attitudes, belonging, and self-efficacy. Furthermore, mentorship support functions indirectly predicted identity, attitudes, belonging, and self-efficacy among URG mentees who had women compared to men faculty mentors.

CONCLUSIONS
Implications for how STEM faculty, regardless of their gender identity, can be effective mentors to URG students are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).


BACKGROUND
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common condition characterised by breathlessness, cough and sputum production. However these are nonspecific, common symptoms which may be misattributed; resulting in a possible underdiagnosis of COPD.

OBJECTIVE
To outline the current views on COPD diagnosis and management with a focus on the role of the general practitioner.

DISCUSSION
An initial important step is to consider and confirm the diagnosis of COPD. Management of COPD focuses on optimising function, preventing deterioration, developing support networks and self management, and managing exacerbations.


We have reviewed the main contributions to the development of NMR-based metabonomic and metabolic profiling approaches for toxicological assessment, biomarker discovery, and studies on toxic mechanisms. The metabonomic approach, (defined as the quantitative measurement of the multiparametric metabolic response of living systems to pathophysiological stimuli or genetic modification) was originally developed to assist interpretation in NMR-based toxicological studies. However, in recent years there has been extensive fusion with metabolomic and other metabolic profiling approaches developed in plant biology, and there is much wider coverage of the biomedical and environmental fields. Specifically, metabonomics involves the use of spectroscopic techniques with statistical and mathematical tools to elucidate dominant patterns and trends directly correlated with time-related metabolic fluctuations within spectral data sets usually derived from biofluids or tissue samples. Temporal multivariate metabolic signatures can be used to discover biomarkers of toxic effect, as general toxicity screening aids, or to provide novel mechanistic information. This approach is complementary to proteomics and genomics and is applicable to a wide range of problems, including disease diagnosis, evaluation of xenobiotic toxicity, functional genomics, and nutritional studies. The use of biological fluids as a source of whole organism metabolic information enhances the use of this approach in minimally invasive longitudinal studies.


During the past decades, linkages between the atmosphere, biosphere, anthrosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere and cosmogenic input have been revealed. These linkages are characterized by complex integration and feedback. While the existence of this complex global system is now recognized, how it functions is poorly understood. The recent increase in CO2 and other greenhouse gases as a result of human activity and, in turn, concern over the climate change which may result, require that we gain a detailed knowledge of the total global system. Signals generated by interactions within the global system can be seen in the atmosphere, "captured" within glaciers and available for our viewing in ice cores.


This paper addresses two issues: 1. Empirically, we report novel experimental data on agreement with exclusively disjoined subjects in Slovenian; 2. Theoretically, we look into the nature of attested agreement strategies with coordinated NPs. In particular, we investigate how these strategies behave under coordinators with different semantics, i.e. exclusive disjunction and conjunction. Based on the elicitation results, we argue that closest conjunct agreement, resolved agreement, and highest conjunct agreement are all present under exclusive disjunction to different extents, which suggests a uniform set of agreement strategies under disjunction and conjunction despite the semantic difference. Further, we argue against the presence of default agreement under both disjunction and conjunction in Slovenian, and argue for a particular set of gender resolution rules.


In optical interferometers illuminated by laser sources the shift of the phase and changes in the curvature of the wave fronts lead to systematic errors, to which there must be added the error caused by misalignments. In the study described in the present article, the interference pattern was obtained from the actual amplitude and phase of the interfering wave fronts at the exit aperture of the interferometer. With reference to plane-wave illumination, the excess of the period of the output signal was obtained in a closed form in the case of small misalignment and negligible difference between the optical paths.


ABSTRACT Domestication of biennial Lepidium campestre L. offers possibilities for more varied crop rotations in cold regions, with increased crop cover during winter. In the first winter after sowing, L. campestre can reduce nitrogen (N) leaching before harvesting in the second year. In this system no soil tillage is needed during the first year, unlike in systems with annual crops. A three-year leaching study on loam soil in southern Sweden revealed significantly (p < 0.05) lower flow-weighted mean total nitrogen (TN) concentration in drainage water under L. campestre (5.8 mg TN L−1) compared with a control treatment (no catch crop and autumn mouldboard ploughing) (9.6 mg TN L−1). In two years of observations, Lepidium campestre had lower flow-weighted mean TN concentration (6.2 mg L−1) than a mixed Vicia villosa L. (hairy vetch)/Secale cereale (winter rye) catch crop (10.2 mg L−1) and rather similar concentration to a Raphanus sativus (oilseed radish) catch crop (5.7 mg TN L−1), both sown after harvest of the main crop. However, L. campestre appeared to have a negative effect on total phosphorus (TP) leaching, with TP concentration in drainage of 0.05 mg L−1 compared with 0.01–0.02 mg L−1 for the other catch crops and the control.


Obsessive-compulsive manifestations have been recognized in anorexia, since the disorder's earliest descriptions. Persistent thoughts about thinness can be considered 'obsessions' and excessive exercise and calorie counting have similarities to 'compulsions'. It is estimated that up to 69% of anorexic patients manifest some degree of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Although anorexia nervosa is one of the most severe chronic mental illnesses and it has been hypothesized that its relationship with obsessive-compulsive symptomatology has a negative effect on the anorexic individuals, there is little data about the outcome of this association, especially in Spain
Aim. Determine whether the outcome of the association of anorexia nervosa and obsessive-compulsive symptomatology is worse than the outcome of anorexia nervosa without said comorbidity, using the Morgan & Russell Outcome Assessment Schedule to categorize the prognosis in "good" or "poor"
Methods. This study will be a longitudinal, prospective cohort study, which will include sixty-seven patients with anorexia nervosa, from those incorporated in "Programa Especific de Trastorns de Conducta Alimentaria de Girona", using a consecutive sequential sampling. These patients will be followed for 2 years, after being assigned two separate groups, according to their scores in the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (≥16 o <16) (independent variable). Anorexia Nervosa's prognosis will be the dependent variable, measured with the Morgan and Russell Assessment Outcome Schedule, at the 6, 12, 18 and 24 months mark. Frequencies, percentages, Fisher's exact test and logistic regression analysis will be performed to analyze and describe the results of the study


The introduction of flow diverters induced a major paradigm shift in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Not just large and giant aneurysms, but also some of the aneurysms that are amenable to conventional coil embolization could be better treated with flow diverters because of the high efficacy and treatment durability. As such, there are two ongoing studies, the Flow Diversion in Aneurysms Trial study (FIAT) and Prospective Study on Embolization of Intracranial Aneurysms With Pipeline™ Embolization Device (PREMIER) study, which aim to clarify the true indication of flow diverter treatment. Simultaneously, the next generation of flow diverters is being developed by the industry. After multiple iterations of the design and improvements in the mechanical performance, industry leaders are developing a new coating technology that modifies the biocompatibility of flow diverters. Continuous improvements in the devices and compiling good quality clinical data will increase the role of the flow diverter in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms.


Background The most violent area in Lima City was La Victoria,to control it, the local government restrict the hours of expenditure of alcoholic beverage. Objective To compare one district with the law, against other without the law. Material and methods To analysed results clinical histories of one Hospital (2006 vs 2007–2008) and necropsies (2005–2006 vs 2007–2008) from La Victoria and Cercado de Lima were used. Results In La Victoria, occurs a reduction of aggressions of 40.7% and 36.4% in 2007 and 2008, in relation to 2006 (p≤0.014). This negative tendency in aggressions, is related with the ban Y=−11.25+27.32X (p≤0.02). This occurs mainly in young males victims by quarter and weekends. The homicides diminish 44% (p≤0.0186) and 35% of the suicides. The reduction of homicides happens in three quarters, Sundays and weekends, and with suicides at the second semester. The ratio female/man in homicides changes from 1 in 7.3 to 1 in 4.6. There was a significant increase of alcohol in death bodies from 20.3 to 41.5%, RR=2.03 (95% CI 1.09 to 3.8) and a X2=5.24 (p≤0.022). In El Cercado there were no changes. Homicides occurs mainly in single men, of low level of education. Conclusions The ban has a probably impact reducing violence. The relative increase of homicides with alcohol could be linked to the reduction of just the impremeditated violence.


This study aims to investigate the geology learning performance of preservice teachers.  A total of 31 sophomores (including 11 preservice teachers) from an educational university in Taiwan participated in this study.  The course arrangements include class teaching and hands-on science inquiry activities.  The study searches both quantitative and qualitative data as the sources for the analyses.  The quantitative data are taken from the results of four specimen identification tests; the respondents are required to take a pre-test before teaching and then practice the explorative hands-on science activities.  Afterwards, the scores of test results are used as the foundation of the analyses.  The qualitative data are the feedback from the preservice teachers in the study.  The research results show the results of the four post-tests are significantly better than those of the four pre-test scores, indicating the preservice teachers' concepts of minerals and rocks significantly improved.  The analysis of the qualitative data also found the preservice teachers demonstrate a good understanding on geology content during geological inquiries.  According to the research results, this study believes the cultivation of and training in hands-on geology inquiries can actually enhance preservice teachers' learning performances in geology.


Introduction Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer. Epidemiological research have shown that physical activity can reduce the mortality of prostate cancer, and we have previously shown that endurance training can increase PSA doubling time, as a surrogate of reduced cancer progression, in prostate cancer patients in active surveillance. The molecular basis of prostate cancer is not fully understood, but dysregulation of the androgen receptor (AR) is a key factor. Upstream of AR are traditional cancer-related factors including b-catenin, which is a core component of the Wnt pathway, and YAP, one of the main downstream effectors of the Hippo pathway. Recent research has shown that YAP/ TAZ is a central component of the b-catenin destruction complex thereby demonstrating a crosslink between the two pathways. Moreover, we have recently demonstrated that exerciseconditioned serum can activate Hippo signalling in breast cancer, thereby suppressing cancer cell viability. Material and methods We utilise the human prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP and PC3) for the exercise-conditioned serum incubation experiments, using exercise-conditioned serum obtained from young healthy men who have completed 2 hours of biking. In these incubations, we have observed that post-exercise serum can reduce the viability of both LNCaP and PC3 cells with up to 10%. Results and discussions For this project we hypothesise that physical activity, due to exercise-induced catecholamines, activate the Hippo pathway, thereby restricting YAP/TAZ to the cytoplasm and keeping YAP/TAZ in the b-catenin destruction complex preventing gene transcription. This crosstalk between the Hippoand Wnt pathway provide us with a mechanistic explanation for the inhibitory effect of physical activity on prostate cancer cell growth. Conclusion Physical activity may constitute a potential option for controlling and inhibiting prostate cancer cell growth, and the aim of this study is thus to get a more thoroughly understanding of how physical activity inhibits prostate cancer cell growth.


This paper describes a study which investigated 14 and 15 year old students' understanding of combustion in both England and Spain, and explores the effect of practical laboratory experience on students' understanding. The teaching and learning styles used with the students in the study were explored using questionnaires and interviews. The students' understanding of combustion was explored using a questionnaire. The responses of English and Spanish students are significantly different. The quality of the responses is explored in terms of the awareness of students of the involvement of gases in combustion, and it appears, however, that the more extensive use of practical work in English schools has had only a marginal effect on their understanding of combustion.


Mcm10 (Dna43) is an essential protein for chromosomal DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Recently, we identified a human Mcm10 homolog that interacts with the mammalian Orc2 and Mcm2–7 complex. We additionally demonstrated that human Mcm10 binds nuclease-resistant nuclear structures during S phase and dissociates from them in G2 phase. In this study, we have further characterized the subcellular localization, modification, and expression levels of human Mcm10 protein throughout the cell cycle. Human Mcm10 protein decreased in late M phase, remained low during G1 phase, started to accumulate, and bound chromatin at the onset of S phase. Proteasome inhibitors stabilized Mcm10 levels, suggesting that proteolysis is involved in the down-regulation of the protein in late M/G1 phase. Dissociation of Mcm10 from chromatin in G2/M phase was concomitant with alterations in the electrophoretic mobility of the protein. Treatment with λ phosphatase revealed that mobility shifts were due to hyperphosphorylation. These results indicate that human Mcm10 is regulated by proteolysis and phosphorylation in a cell cycle-dependent manner. It is further suggested that mammalian Mcm10 is involved in S phase progression, and not the formation of a prereplicative complex, as previously proposed from data on the S. cerevisiae protein.


The widespread existence of smoking as a form of social behaviour despite growing worldwide disapproval has placed cigarette smoking at the heart of a crowing controversy. The World Health Organization (WHO) now periodically reports on the effect of tobacco consumption on the health of smokers. In South Africa, new legal steps are being taken towards the control of tobacco smoking. This is in line with world-wide trends towards tougher tobacco legislation. Research on the topic of tobacco and smoking are numerous and represents "World-wide attempts to understand and eradicate what is Generally considered a deadly epidemic. However, the role of gender in cigarette consumption and tobacco-control is surprisingly an under-researched aspect of smoking. While few attempts have been made to study the underlying circumstances of smoking by differentiating between the genders, the possible response to tobacco-control measures by men and women seem to have not commanded much attention. The present study was a response to the need to gain a better understanding of the differences in the smoking profiles of women and men and whether these differences are reflected in the way the two sexes respond, first, to health warnings on smoking and, secondly, to legislation prohibiting advertising of tobacco products. 50 women and 50 men drawn from tertiary institutions and retail businesses participated in the study by completing a questionnaire. The results show some similarities and differences between female and mate smokers. In the light of this, it seems appropriate to suggest that more gender sensitive approaches to dealing with smoking problems might achieve better outcomes. African Journal of Finance and Management Vol.9(2) 2001:65-77


Terrestrial point-to-point microwave communication link in tropical region faces excess path attenuation due to rainfall. The rain attenuation causes the receiving signal to fall below threshold level required for specific bit-error-rate (BER) performance. Adaptive power control is design to solve this problem. It increases the transmitting power level according to the signal level arriving in the receiver. This paper describes the design of adaptive power control system and illustrates the operation of the system.


Currently, there is increasing interest on natural hydrocolloids such as gums. In the present work, the solubility, zeta potential and rheological properties of gums from chickpea hull and corn bran were studied. Chickpea hull and corn bran gums were extracted from chickpea hulls and nejayote, respectively. The chickpea hull gum had 2.98% of protein (w/w) and corn bran gum 2.28% (w/w), an ash content of 2.25% (w/w) and 6.21% (w/w), respectively. Chickpea hull gum (CHG) had its highest solubility (above 50%) at 50 °C and 12 hours. Corn bran gum showed a solubility over 90% at 12 hours at 25 °C. The Zeta potential values for both gums were negative (from -0.33 mV to -20.0 mV) through the pH range studied (from 2.0 to 7.0). The dispersions of both gums showed a rheological behavior in which viscosity decreases when increasing the shear rate from 10-2 s-1 to 103 s-1 for chickpea hull gum and corn bran gum at 2%; the rheological viscosity values of the dispersions was adjusted to the Carreau-Yasuda model.Keywords: Gums; Solubility; Zeta Potential; Viscosity; Shear-thinning


Azelnidipine a calcium channel blocker belongs to BCS class II and S (-) Metoprolol Succinate belongs to BCS class I. The ever-increasing number of drugs and their combinations in the market leads to the need for the development of analytical methods for their quality control.

For the concurrent detection of Azelnidipine (AZEL)and S (-) Metoprolol Succinate (MTS) in bulk and pharmaceutical combination dosage form, a simple, selective, and accurate high-performance thin layer chromatographic technique was developed and validated. To determine the stability of formulation in various conditions force degradation studies were carried out as per ICH Q1 guidelines.

The stationary phase for the method was silica gel 60F 254 (10X10) precoated aluminium plates for HPTLC. Toluene: Ethyl acetate: Methanol: GAA were the solvents of the solvent system (6:2:2:0.1 v/v/v/v).

A compact spot for both azelnidipine and metoprolol succinate was detected in the system (Rf = 0.66 and 0.22, respectively). Utilizing the absorbance mode at 236 nm, densitometric measurement of Azelnidipine and S (-) Metoprolol Succinate was performed. Linear regression analysis results for the calibration plots showed good linear relationships with R2 values of 0.9997 and 0.9992 for peak areas in the concentration range 200-1000 ng per spot for Azelnidipine and with respect to peak areas in the concentration range 200-1000 ng per spot for S (-) Metoprolol Succinate. Precision, recovery, and robustness of the method were validated as per ICH guidelines. In alkaline conditions, major degradation of S (-) Metoprolol succinate was observed. Azelnidipine showed major degradation in acidic conditions.

A statistical study demonstrated that the method is accurate, precise, and selective for the estimation of metoprolol and azelnidipine. From the results of forced degradation studies, it is concluded that formulation has sufficient stability in various stress conditions.


We propose Joint-DetNAS, a unified NAS framework for object detection, which integrates 3 key components: Neural Architecture Search, pruning, and Knowledge Distillation. Instead of naively pipelining these techniques, our Joint-DetNAS optimizes them jointly. The algorithm consists of two core processes: student morphism optimizes the student's architecture and removes the redundant parameters, while dynamic distillation aims to find the optimal matching teacher. For student morphism, weight inheritance strategy is adopted, allowing the student to flexibly update its architecture while fully utilize the predecessor's weights, which considerably accelerates the search; To facilitate dynamic distillation, an elastic teacher pool is trained via integrated progressive shrinking strategy, from which teacher detectors can be sampled without additional cost in subsequent searches. Given a base detector as the input, our algorithm directly outputs the derived student detector with high performance without additional training. Experiments demonstrate that our Joint-DetNAS outperforms the naive pipelining approach by a great margin. Given a classic R101-FPN as the base detector, Joint-DetNAS is able to boost its mAP from 41.4 to 43.9 on MS COCO and reduce the latency by 47%, which is on par with the SOTA EfficientDet while requiring less search cost. We hope our proposed method can provide the community with a new way of jointly optimizing NAS, KD and pruning.


Homogenates of cultured hamster fibroblasts (BHK 21 cells) were fractionated by differential centrifugation into six main fractions: nuclear, mitochondrial, light mitochondrial, microsomal, soluble, and floating. The contents of several lipids and some marker enzymes were measured. According to the enzyme distributions, lysosomes were enriched both in the floating fraction and in the light mitochondrial fraction. Lysobisphosphatidic acid was enriched in the floating fraction more than tenfold relative to phospholipid. Cholesteryl esters and triglycerides were the main constituents of the fraction (70% of total lipids). Lysobisphosphatidic acid, triglycerides, and cholesteryl esters were enriched also in the light mitochondrial fraction. Their distribution patterns were different from those of the other lipids. Electron microscopy showed that the floating fraction contained numerous lipofuscin-like particles with darkly stained peripheries and with core regions staining like droplets of neutral lipids. Similar particles, frequently containing prominent multilamellar formations, were also common in intact cells. They contained cytochemically identified acid phosphatase. We conclude that lysobisphosphatidic acid was enriched in the lysosomes of the BHK cells and that the lysosomes also contained variable amounts of neutral lipids in the form of intralysosomal droplets.


INTRODUCTION: Due to the spread of the health benefits of physical activity, many subjects began to exercise in public parks. This behavior promoted the creation of projects which stimulate and guide on physical activity practice. Nevertheless, for being considered effective, these projects need to evaluate the subjects' physical aptitude by applying easy tests, whose results are compared to classification tables. However, these tables are not adequate to the target population. OBJECTIVE: To design fitness classification tables based on simple fitness tests applied to adults and elderly subjects. METHODS: Data from 713 evaluations conducted with subjects of both genders older than 20 years were analyzed. Cardiorespiratory fitness (stationary gait and Cooper tests), muscle fitness (elbow flexion, vertical jump and abdominal resistance), and flexibility (sit and reach and shoulder flexibility) were evaluated. RESULTS: The 50 percentile for the tests were stationary gait = 105 steps; Cooper = 1200m; elbow flexion = 20 repetitions; abdominal resistance = 18 repetitions; legs strength =18 cm; shoulder flexibility = 1 cm; and lumbar flexibility = 23 cm. These results were higher than the original ones described for each test, which confirmed the need for specific classifications tables. CONCLUSION: Seven tables were designed with the results separated by gender and age group (20 to 80 year-olds divided in 10-year stages). Results were classified as: weak = than 80 percentile.


Two bromomethylated azobenzene derivatives were characterized by X-ray crystallography at 100 K after fast cooling, and showed disorder of the central N-atoms. The structures were re-determined over a range of temperatures, providing evidence for dynamic disorder due to pedal motion of the central NN bond. Using van't Hoff plots, thermodynamic parameters for the pedal motion were determined. Computationally very cheap Atom–Atom-Force Field (AA-CLP) calculations were employed, which showed that the differences in dynamic disorder enthalpy between the two compounds are predominantly due to intermolecular interactions. AA-CLP calculations and gas phase electronic structure calculations were employed to show the link between intermolecular interactions and activation energy for pedal motion.


Societies across the globe need a new kind of leadership education characterised with a disposition for radical truth-telling. This ideal should go beyond generalised and familiarised ethical leadership formation. Contemporary leaders should become truth tellers and truth seekers for justice. Attaining such a disposition calls us towards an imaginative ethical-educative praxis for justice. Scaffolding leadership-ethical-presences towards being human may proof indispensable. The rediscovery of a vocation for an ethically re-envisioned educational revolution is called for.


The Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale (CTSPC) is one of the most widely used instruments in the world for investigating domestic violence against children, but targeted use has proven inadequate given the phenomenon's complexity. This study focused on the factor structure of CTSPC scales in an urban population in Northeast Brazil. We conducted a cross-sectional study in a cohort of 1,370 children in Salvador, Bahia State. Factor analysis with promax oblique rotation was performed, and the Kuder-Richardson coefficient was calculated. Factor analysis showed a different distribution of items in the factors as compared to the original instrument. Violence showed a gradual profile in each factor. The Kuder-Richardson coefficient was 0.63 for factor 1, 0.59 for factor 2, and 0.42 for factor 3. The items behaved differently from the original instrument, corroborating international studies. These findings support proposing a resizing of the CTSPC.


There is concern about the human health effects of inhalation of acid compounds found in urban air pollution. It was the purpose of this study to investigate three of these acid compounds, sulfur dioxide (SO2), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and nitric acid (HNO3) in a group of allergic adolescent subjects. Subjects were exposed during rest and moderate exercise to 0.7 mumole/m3 (68 micrograms/m3) H2SO4, 4.0 mumole/m3 (0.1 ppm) SO2, or 2.0 mumole/m3 (0.05 ppm) HNO3. Pulmonary functions (FEV1, total respiratory resistance, and maximal flow) were measured before and after exposure. Preliminary analysis based on nine subjects indicates that exposure to 0.7 mumole/m3 H2SO4 alone and in combination with SO2 caused significant changes in pulmonary function, whereas exposure to air or SO2 alone did not. FEV1 decreased an average of 6% after exposure to H2SO4 alone and 4% when the aerosol was combined with SO2. The FEV1 decrease was 2% after both air and SO2 exposures. Total respiratory resistance (RT) increased 15% after the combined H2SO4 exposures, 12% after H2SO4 alone, and 7% after exposure to air. After exposures to HNO3 alone, FEV1 decreased by 4%, and RT increased by 23%. These results are preliminary; final conclusions must wait for completion of the study.


Antigen stimulated B-cells transiently express Activation Induced Cytidine Deaminase (AID) which initiates point mutations and DNA double strand breaks (DSB) in immunoglobulin genes to promote B-cell maturation. However, AID is capable of broadly damaging the B-cell genome. We have shown that AID-induced DSBs require the homologous recombination factor RAD51 for their repair. Using genetic approaches, we discovered that reduced HR function is cytotoxic to AID-expressing B-cells. We subsequently demonstrated the feasibility of small molecule inhibition of RAD51 to sensitize AID-overexpressing tumor cells. Here we build on those observations, finding that AID-RAD51 synthetic lethality occurs via mitotic catastrophe, involving the mTOR pathway. We have now developed potent and selective RAD51 modulatory small molecules that preferentially kill AID-expressing tumor cells. Using mouse models of lymphoma and leukemia we provide in vivo efficacy data demonstrating the potential therapeutic feasibility of RAD51 modulation. These studies provide evidence for a novel "synthetic lethal" approach for treating AID-expressing malignancies, via the induction of mitotic catastrophe. Citation Format: Kevin D. Mills, Marly I. Roche, Amber Cyr, Tyler Maclay, Muneer G. Hasham, Kristin Lamont, Jane Branca, Francesca Cavallo, Francesca Cavallo, Maria Jasin, Alvin Stern, Youngho Kwon, Weixing Zhao, Patrick Sung. RAD51 and AICDA define a new synthetic lethal interaction that is targetable in multiple tumor types [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2481. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2481


Abstract. Understanding the interface between spatial and thermal ecology is integral to understanding energy acquisition and the life histories of ectotherms. Snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) occupy a wide range of habitats that vary greatly in their thermal properties. We studied activity, movements, and thermoregulation of C. serpentina in a small, land-locked lake in central Michigan, USA, using radiotelemetry. Consistent with our a priori predictions, turtles were active within core areas along the lake's edge, showed both diurnal and nocturnal activity, and did not make extensive interwetland movements. Turtles left the lake only for nesting or to hibernate in Sphagnum peat or in the banks of a nearby stream. Home range and core area size estimates of C. serpentina were small compared with other previously studied populations, perhaps in part because of the small dimensions of our lake. Contrary to our prediction of a broad Tset (thermoregulatory set-point) range for a large-bodied, habitat generalist turtle, we found a comparatively low and narrow laboratory-determined Tset range (22°C–26°C). Turtle body temperatures (Tb) cycled between May and August and attained maximal values during the evening hours, a pattern that likely results from thermal inertia, the selection of aquatic thermal patches, or both, as Te (operative temperatures) declined. Turtles most effectively maintained Tb within Tset during July and August when thermal conditions were most favorable. Throughout most of the active season the highly aquatic habits of C. serpentina apparently negated the effects of variations in daily weather conditions and their effects on incoming levels of solar radiation on variation in Tb. However, turtles maintained higher average Tb on sunny days compared with overcast days in April and May, the coolest months of the study. Diel Tb cycling ceased during September and October and average Tb declined despite favorable thermal conditions, at least during September, a pattern that could reflect a downward shift in the Tset range. Comparatively, C. serpentina is less effective at thermoregulating than is a small-bodied species at a similar latitude (Chrysemys picta marginata). Apparently, thermal inertia and lack of atmospheric basking proclivities influenced the thermoregulatory precision in our turtles.


Cytochrome enzymes (CYP) have a vital role in the metabolism of all nutrition and have been a subject of study for many decades. Currently it is important to elucidate their reactivity using modern techniques to be able to understand its function in the drug metabolism completely and thus to be able to develop new drugs which are able to act faster with less side effects. This dissertation provides combinatorial technique to investigate the catalytic role of CYP enzymes and it takes CYP1A2 as example. The results shown here explain clearly the role of the amino acids surrounding the active site in the activity of the enzyme. Even though, all the CYP consist of the same active site (Heme moiety) however they show different catalytic functions depend on the surrounding amino acids. Such characteristics cannot be followed using normal methods and it requires novel techniques such as the explained in this book


We cannot talk about the realistic pedagogy of a person without con- sidering its appropriate spirituality and religious education, being its simple con- sequence. The suggested article presents the issue of a person's spirituality based on the analysis of the realistic philosophy of existence, enriched with critically accepted philosophy of consciousness. The article discusses the issue of spirituality of a person, indicates also its numerous threats as well as pedagogical implications.


Several salt forms of 4-aminopyridine and 3,4-diaminopyridine with nitric, sulfuric, and phosphoric acids, comprising anhydrates and some hydrates, have been prepared and structurally characterized, and the role of water assessed in the latter cases. Our study has confirmed that anhydrates can be obtained even when water is present in the crystallizing solution. Protonation of the aminopyridines is consistent with ΔpKa differences. 4-Aminopyridine uniquely forms a mono cation only, with protonation at the pyridine nitrogen, whilst 3,4-diaminopyridine forms both a mono cation, again with protonation at the pyridine nitrogen, and a dication, with the second protonation at the 3-amino position. Thus, 4-aminopyridine forms a 1 : 1 nitrate anhydrate, a 1 : 1 bisulphate anhydrate, a 2 : 1 sulfate hydrate and a 1 : 1 dihydrogen phosphate hydrate. 3,4-Diaminopyridine forms a 1 : 1 nitrate anhydrate and 1 : 2 nitrate anhydrate and hydrate, 2 : 1 and 1 : 1 sulfate hydrates and a 1 : 1 dihydrogen phosphate anhydrate. Analysis of the structures found suggests that the H-bonding capability of the water O–H donors and O acceptor components have similar tendencies to N–H donors and other O acceptors. At the same time, we recognise that, whilst water molecules may occasionally be structure forming, they also act as spacers or fillers in the development of the primary H-bonded assemblies. These will mainly be controlled by the stoichiometries and H-bonding possibilities of the anion/cation components. It is also possible that, in some circumstances, the inclusion or otherwise of water in structures may be competitive with supplementary weak interactions such as C–H⋯O hydrogen bonding.


– Location-tracking, ubicomp functionalities and MANET transmission strategies are subject to quite promising research [36-72]. It still remains a fact that the area of modelling in ubicomp to assess predictability features is at its beginning stages. The sub-field of energy management is especially important since in present technology level, battery power is still considered constrained. Previously, a research was carried out to quantify and model the maximum ratio of energy consumption (Max_R) recordable for a CBR gauged against the energy consumed by the sender, for node densities of 7 until 56. The corresponding model was observed to be linear previous to the peak value and decreasing exponential as from the peak value onwards. In this paper, the next milestone of probing is put forward as: "What are the trends of variation observable within each parameter of the equations of curves obtained for metric Max_R [20] over varying node densities?" Studying the behaviour of components of applicable models for metric Max_R and accordingly model the behaviour of each component mathematically is of paramount importance since it will involve tremendous efforts and discord resolution among various researchers. The outcome put forward will assist designers towards better understanding of ubicomp and provision hardware and algorithmic tactics into ubicomp architecture for enhanced energy management. This paper is a follow-up of previous research [1-35].


Rijndael-The AES is 128-bit block cipher based on an elegant algebraic structure over F28. This cipher employs a simple approach to its substitution, permutation (SP) operations. We take a close look on the Key Expansion Mechanism of Rijndael - The AES. This study highlights on the presence of the cascading effect in its key expansion mechanism. Thus, lowering the brute-force key guess attack by a factor of 231. Hence, for the key size of 128 bits the key diversity is 297 instead of 2128.


In a provenance-aware environment, as data objects are created and used, the transaction information is captured as provenance data. Provenance-based access control utilizes the captured provenance information to control access to the underlying data. In a group-centric collaboration environment, data objects are shared and modified by multiple organizations/systems while the relevant provenance data are captured and stored in the local systems. While captured provenance data are readily available for access control within the local system, provenance-based access control in a group-centric collaboration environment requires integrated use of provenance data from other collaborating systems for effective access control. However, some provenance information maintained by a system may be too sensitive to be directly viewed or used by other systems. In this paper, we demonstrate and discuss the issue relating the incorporation of an access control model in the context of group-centric secure collaboration environment. We also discuss two potential solution approaches and their significance in building the foundation for further research.


Leverage Kubernetes and container architecture to successfully run production-ready workloads
Key Features
Implement Kubernetes to orchestrate and scale applications proficiently

Leverage the latest features of Kubernetes to resolve common as well as complex problems in a cloud-native environment

Gain hands-on experience in securing, monitoring, and troubleshooting your application
Book Description
Kubernetes is a popular open source orchestration platform for managing containers in a cluster environment. With this Kubernetes cookbook, you'll learn how to implement Kubernetes using a recipe-based approach. The book will prepare you to create highly available Kubernetes clusters on multiple clouds such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Azure, Alibaba, and on-premises data centers.

Starting with recipes for installing and configuring Kubernetes instances, you'll discover how to work with Kubernetes clients, services, and key metadata. You'll then learn how to build continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines for your applications, and understand various methods to manage containers. As you advance, you'll delve into Kubernetes' integration with Docker and Jenkins, and even perform a batch process and configure data volumes. You'll get to grips with methods for scaling, security, monitoring, logging, and troubleshooting. Additionally, this book will take you through the latest updates in Kubernetes, including volume snapshots, creating high availability clusters with kops, running workload operators, new inclusions around kubectl and more.

By the end of this book, you'll have developed the skills required to implement Kubernetes in production and manage containers proficiently.
What you will learn
Deploy cloud-native applications on Kubernetes

Automate testing in the DevOps workflow

Discover and troubleshoot common storage issues

Dynamically scale containerized services to manage fluctuating traffic needs

Understand how to monitor your containerized DevOps environment

Build DevSecOps into CI/CD pipelines
Who this book is for
This Kubernetes book is for developers, IT professionals, and DevOps engineers and teams who want to use Kubernetes to manage, scale, and orchestrate applications in their organization. Basic understanding of Kubernetes and containerization is necessary.