Abstract California is the top producer of almonds [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb] worldwide, generating more than $6 billion in revenue in 2020; the European Union (EU) is the primary importer of California almonds. Weed control in almond orchards is an important part of the preharvest process, because weeds can interfere with harvest equipment and host diseases. Glyphosate and glufosinate are broad-spectrum herbicides commonly used for preharvest weed control. Global differences in maximum residue limits (MRLs) and regulated compounds can pose a challenge for growers who rely on broad-spectrum herbicides such as glyphosate and glufosinate for preharvest weed control. The EU MRL for glyphosate and total glufosinate is currently 0.1 mg kg–1. The U.S. MRL for total glyphosate is 1 mg kg–1, and total glufosinate is 0.5 mg kg–1. An 8-wk field experiment, from spray to harvest, was conducted in an 8-ha commercial orchard to evaluate the potential contribution of the preharvest herbicide treatment to low levels of herbicide residue in almonds. Then, the same batch of almonds was followed through a commercial processing facility to evaluate the potential movement of herbicide residues from soil, debris, and hulls to almond kernels during processing. Glyphosate was not detected in any almond kernel samples at the end of processing. A glufosinate metabolite, 3-(methylphosphinico)propionic acid (MPP), was detected in kernels at the end of processing at about 0.1 mg kg–1, which is above the EU MRL for total glufosinate. Almonds sampled directly from the tree, without any contact with soil, were found to have elevated MPP residues. This indicates glufosinate or MPP translocation may be a factor in low-level glufosinate residues detected in almonds in some EU exports.


This paper has two main aims. The first is to show how planning capabilities have been integrated into FrOz, a text adventure game presented in (Koller et al., 2004). Second, we demonstrate that the resulting system offers a natural laboratory for exploring the theory of enlightened update presented in (Thomason et al., 2006). In particular, we shall discuss how this theory applies in a setup with incomplete background knowledge.


This work focused on the development of hybrid composites by impregnating polypropylene (PP) with vegetable sponge fiber (Luffa cylindrica) and palm kernel shell ash. The sponge fiber was chopped to 10 mm and some were treated with alkali solutions to reduce its water affinity and enhance its surface roughness. Palm kernel shell ash of 425 µm particle sizes was used to form the hybrid. Varying weight percentage of both reinforcements were dispersed randomly in polypropylene and the mixture was heated in a compression moulding machine. Thereafter, the composites mechanical and physical properties were tested. The results revealed that hybrid fiber reinforced polymer composites has excellent flexural and tensile strengths as well as water resistance properties. Hence, the developed composites can be considered suitable for ceiling application.


Summary form only given. Conventional robot path planning aims at finding a single best path for a robot to perform a task according to certain optimization criteria. However, as a robot operates in a real environment with uncertainties, it is often desirable and even necessary for the robot to know alternative feasible paths so that it can deal with unknowns or changes in both the environment and the task effectively and efficiently. In this paper, we discuss how to define representative paths based on the concept of topological diversity in a continuous space and describe the search of such topologically diverse paths by an evolutionary planner/navigator (EP/N) based on techniques of evolutionary computation.


Uses of underwater videos to assess diversity and abundance of fish are being rapidly adopted by marine biologists. Manual processing of videos for quantification by human analysts is time and labour intensive. Automatic processing of videos can be employed to achieve the objectives in a cost and time-efficient way. The aim is to build an accurate and reliable fish detection and recognition system, which is important for an autonomous robotic platform. However, there are many challenges involved in this task (e.g. complex background, deformation, low resolution and light propagation). Recent advancement in the deep neural network has led to the development of object detection and recognition in real time scenarios. An end-to-end deep learningbased architecture is introduced which outperformed the state of the art methods and first of its kind on fish assessment task. A Region Proposal Network (RPN) introduced by an object detector termed as Faster R-CNN was combined with three classification networks for detection and recognition of fish species obtained from Remote Underwater Video Stations (RUVS). An accuracy of 82.4% (mAP) obtained from the experiments are much higher than previously proposed methods.


The full derivation of the generalized and extended solution to the equations describing threeconductor Transmission line is given in this paper; the brief results are presented in a previous paper. The Considerations proceed from the c. Paul formulation of lossless transmission lines terminated by linear loads. In contrast to c. Paul, the conjoint interaction between the two lines is considered here and the influence of the Receptor line is not neglected, that is the weak-coupling approximation is not applied. In result, an extended and Generalized mathematical model compared the original model of c. Paul is obtained. In particular, a mixed Problem for the hyperbolic system describing the three-conductor transmission line is formulated. It is shown That the formulated mixed problem is equivalent to an initial value problem for a functional system on the Boundary of hyperbolic system's domain with voltages and currents as the unknown functions in this system Are the lines'. The system of functional equations can be resolved by a fixed-point method that enables us to Find an approximated but explicit solution. The method elaborated in this paper might be applied also for linear As well as nonlinear boundary conditions.


The Oresund Region, comprising areas of Sweden and Denmark, is involved in a process of sustainable urban transformation. The region has high ambitions in terms of carbon emissions reduction and has set itself steep targets to meet over the next 15-20 years. The energy consumption of buildings accounts for a significant proportion of carbon emissions. With the urban areas of the Oresund Region expanding rapidly, energy efficiency in new urban developments has been identified by regional municipalities as a key target area in their climate change mitigation strategies. However, while the Oresund Region is a leader in Europe in terms of energy efficient urban development, developments still struggle to fully realise their technological potential.
The purpose of this thesis is threefold. Firstly, it presents the Oresund Region as a case study of successful municipal governance in the field of energy efficiency in new buildings. The current governance approach is conceptualised through the lens of transition management theory, and the innovative municipal governance tools that have been implemented in the region are analysed in terms of the methods of mobilisation they employ, the area of capacity they aim to generate, and the actors that they target within the local property development sector. Secondly, this thesis identifies through interviews with key actors, the barriers to energy efficiency in new urban developments which continue to persist in the region. These are organised within a framework of three constraining factors; acceptance, motivation and practice. From the interviews it is evident that barriers pertaining to all three areas are perceived by key actors. Finally, this thesis draws on suggestions offered during interviews, and best practice cases from outside the region, to explore options and opportunities to address the constraining factors of acceptance, motivation and practice identified. In conclusion, while presenting an exemplar of successful and innovative municipal governance of energy efficiency in new urban development, in a rapidly progressing sector new challenges and new opportunities will inevitably arise. This requires an iterative process of barrier identification and policy adaption on the part of the region's municipalities in order continue to drive the property development sector towards the regional goal of sustainable urban transformation.


Interactive visual data mining, where the user plays a key role in learning process, has gained high attention in data mining and human-machine communication. However, this approach needs Dimensionality Reduction (DR) techniques to visualize image collections. Although the main focus of DR techniques lays on preserving the structure of the data, the occlusion of images and inefficient usage of display space are their two main drawbacks. In this work, we propose to use Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) to reduce the dimensionality of images for immersive visualization. The proposed method aims to preserve the structure of data and at the same time reduce the occlusion between images by defining regularization terms for NMF. Experimental validations performed on two sets of image collections show the efficiency of the proposed method in respect to controlling the trade-off between structure preserving and less occluded visualization.


"From the ovens we rise with our fists in the air. Now is the time." My grandfather, Dovid Zisman, was a Yiddish playwright and poet, writing and performing while in the Łódz´ Ghetto and Buchenwald concentration camp. Poetry, song, and performance were his way to speak the unspeakable. A messy assemblage of theories, memoirs, verses, images, and recordings reveal what we can inherit through writing as resistance and through the creative mappings of space and time.


This paper proposes a switching angle controller (SAC) and an automatic generation controller (AGC) for the doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) to control the frequency of DFIG-based wind power penetrated power systems. The concept of virtual rotor angle of the DFIG is defined. The virtual rotor angle is controlled by the SAC in a bang-bang manner such that the active power of the DFIG is regulated to provide frequency support to the external power grids. The output of the SAC is also used for the control of pitch angle to offer a short-term regulation of the mechanical power input to the DFIG, and the long-term control of the mechanical power input is achieved with the AGC. Small-signal analysis is undertaken to verify the effectiveness of the SAC and the AGC. Simulation studies are carried out in a two-machine power system and a modified Kundur four-machine two-area power system, respectively. The frequency support performance of DFIGs having different control configurations is investigated. Modal analysis is undertaken to evaluate the effect of the SAC and the AGC in providing additional damping to the rotor oscillation modes of the modified Kundur four-machine two-area power system.


It is a pleasure to introduce this special focus section of the Journal of Knee Surgery presenting topics related to posterolateral instability of the knee. Experts in the field of posterolateral knee instability address interesting and timely topics. A brief summary of these articles is presented in this introductory section. The purpose of this special focus section of the Journal of Knee Surgery is to provide experienced knee surgeons, general orthopedic surgeons, fellows, residents, medical students, and other health care professionals with an interest in posterolateral instability of the knee a useful reference for the management of these complex injuries. Posterolateral corner (PLC) knee injuries are relatively rare, but can lead to significant instability, dysfunction, and chronic knee pathologies. Recent trends in the literature suggest that the best clinical outcomes are obtained through the early identification and timelymanagement of PLC injuries. Appropriate use of physical examination tests and imaging studies are a crucial part of the initial assessment, allowing identification of all associated injuries and accurate preoperative planning. Drs. Martin, Berdusco, and MacDonald present an evidence-based approach for the initial assessment of PLC injuries by focusing on the physical examination and relevant imaging studies. Posterolateral instability of the knee combinedwith varus malalignment of the knee is a complex and challenging clinical condition. Drs. Herman, Litchfield, and Getgood describe high tibial osteotomy (HTO) as a useful and necessary operation in patients with varus malalignment and posterolateral instability, particularly in the chronic setting. The biomechanics, indications, surgical approach, and outcomes of HTO in the setting of PLC injury are reviewed in this article. Drs. J. P. Stannard, J. T. Stannard, and J. L. Cook discuss the complex topic of repair or reconstruction in acute posterolateral instability of the knee. Several studies have found that reconstruction has better outcomes and lower failure rates. Optimally, if the patient has high-quality tissue available for repair, it is best to combine reconstruction with repair. The authors have developed a new posterolateral reconstruction technique which applies the functional anatomy that has been increasingly defined. The surgical technique is described in this article. Dr. Fanelli presents his extensive experience with fibular head–based surgical procedures for the treatment of posterolateral instability of the knee. The surgical techniques presented are the biceps tendon transfer procedures and the fibular head–based figure of eight posterolateral reconstruction using free grafts. Each of these techniques is combined with capsular repair and/or posterolateral capsular shift procedures in all cases. The decision points for surgical technique selection, the surgical technique itself, the postoperative rehabilitation, and the outcomes of these surgical procedures are presented, including a comparison of the biceps tendon procedures with the free graft procedure. Reconstruction of the PLC of the knee using two-tailed techniques involved grafts originating on the femur and inserting on the proximal tibia and fibular head. This method reconstructs the fibular collateral ligament, popliteofibular ligament, and popliteus tendon using anatomically placed grafts. Drs. Prince, Stuart, King, Sousa, and Levy describe the history, anatomy, indications, and authors' preferred technique for a two-tailed PLC reconstruction. Additionally, biomechanical and clinical outcomes of this technique are compared. Drs. Spitzer, Doyle, and Marx assess the outcomes of surgical treatment of posterolateral instability of the knee in an evidence-based manner. The majority of the existing outcomes literature on posterolateral instability consists of small, level IV case series and level III retrospective studies. Outcomes of surgical treatment of posterolateral instability of the knee are difficult to compare due to the heterogeneous presentation of PLC injuries, the variability of their associated injuries, and their relative rarity. As such, three common types of surgical intervention for posterolateral instability are


The accuracy of Tomas Lopez´s historical cartography of the Canary Islands included in the "Atlas Particular" of the Kingdoms of Spain, Portugal and Adjacent Islands" is analyzed. For this purpose, we propose a methodology based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a comparison of digitized historical cartography population centres with current ones. This study shows that the lineal error value is small for the smaller islands: Lanzarote, El Hierro, La Palma and La Gomera. In the large islands of Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria, the error is smaller in central zones but increases towards the coast. This indicates that Tomas Lopez began his cartography starting from central island zones, accumulating errors due to lack of geodetic references as he moved toward the coast.


We suggest that dark matter can be identified with a stable composite fermion X0, that arises within the holographic AdS/CFT models, where the Higgs boson emerges as a composite pseudo‐goldstone boson. The predicted properties of X0 satisfies the cosmological bounds, with mX0∼4πf≃O(TeV). Thus, through a deeper understanding of the mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking, a resolution of the Dark Matter enigma is found. Furthermore, by proposing a discrete structure of the Higgs vacuum, one can get a distinct approach to the cosmological constant problem.


Decellularized whole muscle constructs represent an ideal scaffold for muscle tissue engineering means as they retain the network and proteins of the extracellular matrix of skeletal muscle tissue. The presence of a vascular pedicle enables a more efficient perfusion-based decellularization protocol and allows for subsequent recellularization and transplantation of the muscle construct in vivo. The goal of this study was to create a baseline for transplantation of decellularized whole muscle constructs by establishing an animal model for investigating a complete native muscle isolated on its pedicle in terms of vascularization and functionality. The left medial gastrocnemius muscles of 5 male Lewis rats were prepared and raised from their beds for in situ muscle stimulation. The stimulation protocol included twitches, tetanic stimulation, fatigue testing, and stretching of the muscles. Peak force, maximum rate of contraction and relaxation, time to maximum contraction and relaxation, and maximum contraction and relaxation rate were determined. Afterwards, muscles were explanted and transplanted heterotopically in syngeneic rats in an isolation chamber by microvascular anastomosis. After 2 weeks, transplanted gastrocnemius muscles were exposed and stimulated again followed by intravascular perfusion with a contrast agent for µCT analysis. Muscle constructs were then paraffin embedded for immunohistological staining. Peak twitch and tetanic force values all decreased significantly after muscle transplantation while fatigue index and passive stretch properties did not differ between the two groups. Vascular analysis revealed retained perfused vessels most of which were in a smaller radius range of up to 20 µm and 45 µm. In this study, a novel rat model of heterotopic microvascular muscle transplantation in an isolation chamber was established. With the assessment of in situ muscle contraction properties as well as vessel distribution after 2 weeks of transplantation, this model serves as a base for future studies including the transplantation of perfusion-decellularized muscle constructs.


Floating drug delivery system is a recent advancement in pharmaceutical technology which has also several advantages over the conventional drug delivery systems. Those advantages of floating system can be used in the treatment of world's most affective diseases like cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular diseases are group of diseases which are many of the time fetal for the patients due to problems associated with the oral conventional tablets. These problems can be overcome by this delivery system. With an increasing understanding of polymer behavior and the role of the biological factors, it is suggested that future research work on the way of floating drug delivery system should be aimed to control accurately the drug input rate into the gastrointestinal tract for the optimization of the pharmacokinetic and toxicological profiles of cardiovascular agents. This review gives an overview of cardiovascular disease, floating drug delivery system & role of floating drug delivery system in treatment of heart patient.


The performance of household chores by children in Japanese residential care institutions has been widely accepted as a practice that fosters children's independence and self-sufficiency. However, children coming from neglectful or dysfunctional families often require sensitive, individualized care, which they did not receive from their family of origin. While a shift away from large-scale institutions has begun, with smaller units or group homes now accounting for 40% of all care institutions, it is not clear that family-like, individualized care has been achieved in these smaller group homes. This study involved 61 participants aged 10 to 15 years and their care workers from six residential care institutions in the greater Tokyo area. It explored what aspects of care quality were related to the presence of certain characteristics of traditional management-oriented care: fixed rules for household chores and lack of choice in daily living. Care workers were asked whether children washed their own dishes, did their own laundry, chose their own clothes when shopping, and had mandatory events to attend in the residential care institutions. Care quality was assessed using the Early Adolescent HOME (Home Observation for Measurement of Environment) developed for Japanese residential care institutions (EA-HOME-JP). The findings suggest that care workers should re-examine their intentions in setting and applying household chore rules while exploring which aspects of child care, including regulatory activities and modeling, should be emphasized in order to actualize family-like and individualized care in institutions.


OBJECTIVE
Previous work has linked high levels of belongingness needs to low well-being, suggesting that high desire for social connection causes problems. Against that view, we hypothesized that problems stem especially from unmet belongingness needs. To examine this, discrepancies between belongingness needs and relationship satisfaction were measured.

METHOD
A total of 1,342 adolescents (Mage  = 13.94 years, 48.6% boys) completed questionnaires about belongingness needs, relationship satisfaction, loneliness, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem. A combination of polynomial regression analyses with response surface modeling examined the effects of both fulfilled and unmet belongingness needs on well-being.

RESULTS
Fulfilled belongingness needs did not affect adolescents' well-being. However, larger discrepancies between high belongingness needs and low relationship satisfaction were related to higher loneliness, more depressive symptoms, and lower self-esteem. Thus, well-being was most strongly affected among adolescents reporting an unmet need to belong.

CONCLUSIONS
We add to the current knowledge by emphasizing that especially belongingness needs that exceed relationship satisfaction, regardless of the actual levels of both, contribute to actual health outcomes. Thus, high need to belong is not detrimental per se, but only in combination with low relationship satisfaction. Implications for clinical practice could be to prevent unmet belongingness needs to ultimately alleviate negative affect and self-esteem.


In this work, we recover cobalt from waste 18650-type lithiumion batteries by acid leaching. The cathode material is completely dissolved, after leaching waste batteries by using 10 mol/L industrial sulfuric acid at 70℃ for 1 h. The rate of cobalt leaching is nearly 100%. Removal of sodium carbonate, iron, aluminum and other impurities from the leaching solution was well performed by adjusting the pH to 2-3 with stirring vigorously. Finally, under the conditions of 55℃-60℃ of 240 A/m2 current density, electrodeposition current efficiency was 90.01%, the quality of the electrical output achieved cobalt 1A standard electrolytic cobalt, cobalt until greater than 90% yield. The process is easy and suitable for large-scale lithiumion batteries used in the recovery of valuable metals.


ABSTRACT This paper investigates the impact of wage employment on women's well-being in the Senegalese horticultural export industry. It uses a subjective well-being approach, based on self-reported happiness, to capture income and non-income aspects of employment. The study uses original survey data from 2013 for the Saint-Louis region in Senegal and an instrumental variable approach, supported by information from focus group discussions. It finds that women's employment improves subjective well-being for the poorest women, but not for women whose household income is above the poverty threshold. Women's employment improves women's happiness through an income effect, as it leads to higher income levels and improved living standards, but the non-income effects reduce women's happiness. This negative effect is related to a higher workload and low job satisfaction due to unfulfilled expectations. The positive income effect outweighs these negative non-income effects for poor women but not for relatively wealthier women.


Active sonar systems have recently been developed using larger arrays and broad-band sources to counter the detrimental effects of reverberation in shallow-water operational areas. Increasing array size and transmit waveform bandwidth improve the signal-to-noise ratio-and-reverberation power ratio (SNR) after matched filtering and beamforming by reducing the size of the range-bearing resolution cell and, thus, decreasing reverberation power levels. This can also have the adverse effect of increasing the tails of the probability density function (pdf) of the reverberation envelope, resulting in an increase in the probability of a false alarm. Using a recently developed model relating the number of scatterers in a resolution cell to a K-distributed reverberation envelope, the effect of increasing bandwidth (i.e., reducing the resolution cell size) on detection performance is examined for additive nonfluctuating and fluctuating target models. The probability of detection for the two target models is seen to be well approximated by that for a shifted gamma variate with matching moments. The approximations are then used to obtain the SNR required to meet a probability of detection and false-alarm performance specification (i.e., the detection threshold). The required SNR is then used to determine that, as long as the target and scatterers are not over-resolved, decreasing the size of the resolution cell always results in an improvement in performance. Thus, the increase in SNR obtained by increasing bandwidth outweighs the accompanying increase in false alarms resulting from heavier reverberation distribution tails for K-distributed reverberation. The amount of improvement is then quantified by the signal excess, which is seen to be as low as one decibel per doubling of bandwidth when the reverberation is severely non-Rayleigh, as opposed to the expected 3-dB gain when the reverberation is Rayleigh distributed.


The plant embryonic cuticle is a hydrophobic barrier deposited de novo by the embryo during seed development. At germination it protects the seedling from water loss and is thus critical for survival. Embryonic cuticle formation is controlled by a signaling pathway involving the protease ALE1 and the receptor-like kinases GSO1 and GSO2. We show that a sulfated peptide, TWISTED SEED1 (TWS1) acts as a GSO1/GSO2 ligand. Cuticle surveillance depends on the action of ALE1 which, unlike TWS1 and GSO1/2, is not produced in the embryo but in the neighboring endosperm. Cleavage of an embryo-derived TWS1 precursor by ALE1 releases the active peptide, triggering GSO1/2-dependent cuticle reinforcement in the embryo. A bidirectional molecular dialogue between embryo and endosperm thus safeguards cuticle integrity prior to germination. One Sentence Summary Subtilase-mediated activation of the TWISTED SEED1 peptide provides spatial cues during embryo cuticle integrity monitoring.


What reaction stops revenge taking? Four experiments (total N = 191) examined this question where the victim of an interpersonal transgression could observe the offender's reaction (anger, sadness, pain, or calm) to a retributive noise punishment. We compared the punishment intensity selected by the participant before and after seeing the offender's reaction. Seeing the opponent in pain reduced subsequent punishment most strongly, while displays of sadness and verbal indications of suffering had no appeasing effect. Expression of anger about a retributive punishment did not increase revenge seeking relative to a calm reaction, even when the anger response was disambiguated as being angry with the punisher. It is concluded that the expression of pain is the most effective emotional display for the reduction of retaliatory aggression. The findings are discussed in light of recent research on reactive aggression and retributive justice.


Research Summary
Critics have argued that asset forfeiture encourages policing for profit, but their arguments have yet to transcend the anecdotal arena. We gathered data on asset forfeiture payments from a multistate sample of 572 law enforcement agencies and tested two hypotheses aimed at answering the question, is policing for profit? Although we found no clear evidence of more forfeiture in states that permit local agencies to receive the most proceeds, we did find that local law-enforcement agencies circumvent restrictive state laws (those placing limits on the proceeds they can receive) by teaming up with federal officials to participate in so-called adoptive forfeitures, which permit them to receive equitable sharing payments. This latter finding was robust to numerous specifications, not altered in models estimated on various subsamples, and not affected by extreme values.

Policy Implications
Our study lends a measure of support to the arguments espoused by forfeiture's critics, namely that forfeiture may be pursued for financial reasons. We cannot, however, assert that policing for profit is necessarily problematic, as it is difficult to fault financially strapped public agencies for seeking needed resources. Nor can we assert that forfeiture supersedes other criminal justice goals, such as enforcement of antidrug laws.


We describe a simple and effective method for generating competitive cDNA fragments for use as an internal standard in semi‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The use of a nested composite primer to a region slightly within the expected amplicon but with heat shock protein 60 kDa (hsp60) primer sequence appended to the 5′ terminus of the primer produces a "mimic" DNA that will model the PCR kinetics of the target template in sequence context, and PCR primer site, and that will be similar in size. This ensures that both competitor and target template are subjected to similar PCR kinetics and so allows more meaningful quantitation.


Policymaking in industrial democracies has been going through a "time of troubles" in the decade since the Oil Shock. Problems such as inflation, recession, fiscal crisis, tax revolt, decline in public confidence, and cutbacks in public services have become the staples of journalism as well as a good bit of the substantive policy studies literature. Policy Dynamics represents one of the first major analytical efforts to go beneath the surface of events, even beneath such trendy topics as "system overload" and "cutback management," to investigate the impact of recent experience on the fundamental concepts and models we use to organize our knowledge of the policy process. It is an important book that adds significantly to our conceptual equipment for understanding how policy change works. Hogwood and Peters begin with the fairly simple insight that because of the "crowding of the policy space" after 30 years of welfare state growth and the newly felt resource constraints on policymaking, most policy change in industrial democracies will be "policy succession"—the replacement of an existing policy, program, or organization by another—rather than the initiation of totally new policies. Other writers might slide by this idea in a page or two. Hogwood and Peters turn it into a major book by subjecting the original notion to a rigorous and methodical examination of all its intellectual and practical implications. Their approach constitutes a veritable tour de force of conceptual explication and development. The book's focus is on change and process rather than on structure and substance. It starts from the model of the policy cycle that is more or less standard in the literature: agenda-setting, policy formulation, legitimation, organization, implementation, evaluation, and termination. Rather than simply tacking another stage labeled succession onto the cycle, Hogwood and Peters completely rework the model. They leave the basic stages nominally intact, but sharpen the conceptual basis of each by using their notion of policy succession to cast new light on each stage. Their strong point is suggesting new categories and new linkages. They develop several typologies of policy change that are useful improvements on the incrementalist literature. And the diagrams they use to illustrate these typologies are likely to find their way onto blackboards in many policy analysis courses as the book receives the wide readership it deserves. The writing is rather dense. Sections, subsections, and even sub-subsections are numbered, headed, and often preceded by epigraphs. Undergraduates and persons who are not policy specialists may find the going somewhat slow. But Hogwood and Peters usually illustrate their points with well-chosen examples from American and British policy experience. These examples not only clarify the argument but also provide fascinating glimpses of contrast and comparison in the policy process of the two great English-speaking democracies. Hogwood and Peters deal with a policy process model that for many of us had become a convenient but static set of pigeonholes for data. They have produced a much-improved set of propositions about how policy change takes place and some provocative suggestions about how to design policies to make it easier to replace them in the future. They believe that it is no longer possible "to boldly go" into the unexplored reaches of completely new policy areas. Policymakers will be more and more concerned with making improvements on the existing system. The book's approach reflects the same belief. Rather than blazing new trails outside the conventional framework, it explores what we previously thought of as known space. It shows us that creative thought can still pay big dividends in improving our underStanding of those regions as well.


Alan M Delamatera, Maartje de Witb, Vincent McDarbyc, Jamil Malikd and Carlo L Acerinie aDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; bDepartment of Medical Psychology, EMGO Institute for Health & Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands; cDepartment of Psychology, National Children's Research Centre and Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Dublin, UK; dNational Institute of Psychology, Center of Excellence, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan; and eDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK


This paper introduces a real-time pitch detection algorithm of speech signal used for real-time pitch detection.This algorithm detects pitch pulse in 2.5ms with selected wavelet transform maxima by combining wavelet with time domain waveform,adopting adaptive methods and multi-characteristic parameters.The results show that the proposed method is suitable for both clean and residual signals.


Motivated by the noncoherent subspace coding approach and the low-complexity sparse coding approach to realize random linear network coding, we consider the problem of characterizing the probability of having a full rank (or nonsingular) square transfer matrix over a finite field, for which the probability of choosing the zero element is different from that of choosing a nonzero element. We found that for a sufficiently large field size, whether the transfer matrix is singular or not is determined with probability one by the zero pattern of the matrix, i.e., where the zeroes are located in the matrix. This result provides insight for optimizing sparse random linear network coding schemes and allows the problem of determining the probability of having a nonsingular transfer matrix over a large field size to be transformed into a combinatorial problem. By using some combinatorial arguments, useful upper and lower bounds on the singularity probability of the random transfer matrix are derived.


This study assessed the effect of needle electrode position on the human cochlear summating potential (SP) obtained by transtympanic electrocochleography (ECochG). Electrocochleography was performed on 10 subjects with large central tympanic membrane perforations with good cochlear function, and in whom a needle electrode could be accurately placed in a series of five pre-determined positions in the middle ear. A comparison of the electrocochleograms revealed a wide scatter of results between different positions in the same patient and between similar positions in different patients. Only when the needle was repositioned at an almost identical recording site in the same subject, was good reproducibility achieved. Such a wide and unpredictable variation in results would suggest great caution is needed when comparing traces obtained using a transtympanic technique which precludes a view of the electrode tip.


Theologians like Blumenthal, Brueggemann, and Chastain have recently stressed the abusive and sometimes capricious nature of Yahweh's actions toward his people, at times using studies of present-day child abuse to bolster their case. Predictably, such indictments of Yahweh have met with considerable resistance. This paper assesses the proposed analogy between Yahweh's behavior and that of abusive parents, by making more extensive use of the psychological literature on child abuse and trauma. The discussion also moves in a new direction, by employing recent research on narcissistic parenting to analyze Yahweh's behavior as father (and mother) to his "special" child Israel and his unique son Job. Passages in which Yahweh is said to love or hate his human children are examined in terms of psychological studies of parental ambivalence, narcissism and emotional "splitting." The final section of the paper examines the relationship between Yahweh's own lack of a family history and his narcissism, in part by comparing the unique and parentless divine king Yahweh with the Egyptian god Amun. The paper concludes by contrasting the single parent Yahweh with Assmann's characterization of ancient polytheisms, and asking whether monotheism itself is the most dramatic example of divine royal narcissism.


Platelet aggregation time was significantly (P less than 0.01) decreased in female rabbits treated with oral contraceptive (a preparation containing low dose of estrogen) as also by injection of diethylstilbestrol (10 mg/kg), while in animals that received indomethacin (10 mg/kg) or aspirin (30 mg/kg) (PG synthetase inhibitors) along with oral contraceptives or diethylstilbestrol there was no significant alteration in platelet aggregation time. The increased synthesis of prostaglandins or some of the intermediary product like TXA2 might be responsible for this effect.


Based on the ocean surface microwave scattering property and its Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) ocean surface imaging mechanism the main research of ocean dynamical SAR detection is presented in this paper. Passing the statistical and hydrodynamical analyses of generation mechanisms of ocean internal waves and ocean bottom topographic waves as well as ship wakes their important SAR imaging features and deducing parameters are here discussed. Therefore the SAR application of oceanic observation is promoted.


Defining Pragmatics offers a conceptual survey of the delimitation of pragmatics. We identify the problems that have plagued attempts to define the field. Such endeavors occupied pragmatists quite a lot in the 1970s and 1980s, but when no satisfactory solution was found, researchers simply settled into separate niches and practices of how to do pragmatics. Some, perhaps even most, pragmatists seem content with this state of affairs, where no coherent definition is available for pragmatics. Many researchers don't venture out of the comfort of their pragmatic niches, limiting their interactions to fellow-believers. But these practical arrangements cannot serve as a foundation for a unified field of pragmatics, and the field stands to lose from such fragmentation. Defining Pragmatics offers as an alternative an integrated vision of the field, which provides a framework for communication among all practitioners of pragmatics on the basis of shared concerns with the role of pragmatics in clarifying fundamental questions of language. This chapter provides the background and motivation for the book. We remind the reader how prevalent and how varied the issues currently considered pragmatic are in section 1.1. We then try to explain why and how pragmatics got to its current "big-tent" state (1.2). Section 1.3 outlines where Defining Pragmatics is headed. A taste of big-tent pragmatics This first section has a double function. First, by way of introduction, we remind the reader what kinds of questions researchers who are considered pragmatists address themselves to.


PURPOSE
To assess the value of intraoperative ultrasonography (US) for different types of pancreatic surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
An institutional review board-approved, HIPAA-compliant retrospective review with waiver of informed consent was performed to evaluate all cases of pancreatic surgery with intraoperative US or laparoscopic US that occurred at a single institution during a 10-year period. Surgical notes, radiologic images, and clinical data for each surgical procedure and subsequent clinical course were reviewed by pancreatic surgeons and radiologists. Presumptive diagnosis, type of surgical procedure performed, and final pathologic data were recorded. A relative value score was established by consensus and assigned to each case with a grade of 0-3, which indicated the value of the intraoperative or laparoscopic US. The type of operation and pathologic data were compared in each of the value score groups. Categoric variables were compared by using either χ(2) or Fisher exact test.

RESULTS
One hundred ninety-three intraoperative or laparoscopic US procedures were performed in 189 patients. Of the patients, there were 102 men and 87 women. The mean age was 57.8 years (range, 18-86 years). Intraoperative or laparoscopic US value scores were as follows: value score 0, 3.6%; value score 1, 11.9%; value score 2, 31.1%; and value score 3, 53.4%. The most common contribution that resulted in a high score (value score 3) was facilitation of technical performance of the surgery (n = 60). High value score was significantly associated with performance of pancreatitis-related surgery (P < .001). The surgical indication that most commonly resulted in a low value score of 0 or 1 was staging of pancreatic cancers. All cases that received a score of 0 occurred in the laparoscopic adenocarcinoma surgical setting (staging or pancreatic biopsy).

CONCLUSION
Intraoperative or laparoscopic US can be a valuable procedure in multiple types of surgical procedures that involve the pancreas and shows clear patterns of value in the different types of surgery.


Introduction: The substance P (SP)/neurokinin (NK)-1 receptor system is involved in many pathological processes. NK-1 receptor antagonists have many promising therapeutic indications. However, the only NK-1 receptor antagonist used in clinical practice is the drug aprepitant and its intravenously administered prodrug, fosaprepitant. In general, NK-1 receptor antagonists are safe and well tolerated. Areas covered: A search was carried out in Medline using the following terms: adverse events, aprepitant, casopitant, clinical trials, CP-122,721, ezlopitant, fosaprepitant, NK-1 receptor antagonists, randomized, safety, side effects, tolerability and vofopitant. Expert opinion: Most clinical trials have focused on the antiemetic action of aprepitant in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. However, the efficacy and safety of aprepitant have not been fully tested in other diseases in which the SP/NK-1 receptor system is involved (e.g., cancer, HIV, alcoholism); thus, clinical trials are required. The use of NK-1 receptor antagonists in oncology therapy is quite promising, but to date pharmacological therapy has not exploited the many possible therapies offered by such antagonists.


A description is given of the single-package inertial navigation unit (INU) that will replace the three-package gimbaled inertial avionics system in the Centaur upper-stage launch vehicle. The INU was adapted from an existing high-volume, militarized navigation system, based on a ring laser gyro (RLG), that was selected for its performance and adaptability to the space application. Adaptations were made to accommodate: space launch requirement, including qualification in accordance with MIL-STD-1540B; mission accuracies/performance requirements; and vehicle requirements. These adaptations which involved assessment of effects from different operational scenarios and environments, including vibration, thermal, shock, and space radiation, is discussed. Enhancements that have been implemented to comply with INU requirements are examined.<<ETX>>


An optimal robust state feedback tracking controller is introduced to control a biped robot. In the literature, the parameters of the controller are usually determined by a tedious trial and error process. To eliminate this process and design the parameters of the proposed controller, the multiobjective evolutionary algorithms, that is, the proposed method, modified NSGAII, Sigma method, and MATLAB's Toolbox MOGA, are employed in this study. Among the used evolutionary optimization algorithms to design the controller for biped robots, the proposed method operates better in the aspect of designing the controller since it provides ample opportunities for designers to choose the most appropriate point based upon the design criteria. Three points are chosen from the nondominated solutions of the obtained Pareto front based on two conflicting objective functions, that is, the normalized summation of angle errors and normalized summation of control effort. Obtained results elucidate the efficiency of the proposed controller in order to control a biped robot.


I find that when a reseller with market power serves an airline company and only linear contracts are feasible, the airline prefers that the reseller utilizes the Name-Your-Own-Price (NYOP) (a la Priceline) instead of the Posted Price (PP) (a la Hotwire) model. Essentially, the airline can better extract the surplus of the reseller if power over pricing is in the hands of numerous consumers, each bidding according to her preferences, instead of being concentrated in the hands of the reseller. Introducing two part tariff contracts or competition among resellers eliminates the distinction between the two pricing models. Either form of pricing generates the same outcome as vertical integration of the airline with the downstream market of resellers.


In the northern part of Vendsyssel, Denmark, the deposits made in the late glacial time are formed by the sea. The deposits are named after two mussels: Yoldia clay and Saxicava sand. However, in the southern part of Vendsyssel and in the area of Aalborg the clay and sand deposits from the late glacial time are characterised by the absence of this mussel. These deposits are named Aalborg Clay and Aalborg Sand. In the city of Aalborg, a fill layer superposes Aalborg Clay. This layer is at some places found to be 6m thick. This fill layer does not provide sufficient bearing capacity, which has resulted in many damaged buildings in Aalborg. To provide sufficient bearing capacity it is therefore necessary either to remove the fill or to construct the building on piles. Both methods imply that the strength of Aalborg Clay is important for the construction. This paper evaluates the strength of Aalborg Clay by use of triaxial tests from four different locations. Both the drained strength (c′ and φ ′) and the undrained strength (cu) are assessed through two different methods: one where the strength is assumed to vary with the effective stress and another where the strength is found to be constant.


BiLSTM has been prevalently used as a core module for NER in a sequence-labeling setup. State-of-the-art approaches use BiLSTM with additional resources such as gazetteers, language-modeling, or multi-task supervision to further improve NER. This paper instead takes a step back and focuses on analyzing problems of BiLSTM itself and how exactly self-attention can bring improvements. We formally show the limitation of (CRF-)BiLSTM in modeling cross-context patterns for each word – the XOR limitation. Then, we show that two types of simple cross-structures – self-attention and Cross-BiLSTM – can effectively remedy the problem. We test the practical impacts of the deficiency on real-world NER datasets, OntoNotes 5.0 and WNUT 2017, with clear and consistent improvements over the baseline, up to 8.7% on some of the multi-token entity mentions. We give in-depth analyses of the improvements across several aspects of NER, especially the identification of multi-token mentions. This study should lay a sound foundation for future improvements on sequence-labeling NER1.


—We introduce an explorative active learning (AL) algorithm based on Gaussian process regression and marginalized graph kernel (GPR-MGK) to explore chemical space with minimum cost. Using high-throughput molecular dynamics simulation to generate data and graph neural network (GNN) to predict, we constructed an active learning molecular simulation framework for thermodynamic property prediction. In specific, targeting 251,728 alkane molecules consisting of 4 to 19 carbon atoms and their liquid physical properties: densities, heat capacities, and vaporization enthalpies, we use the AL algorithm to select the most informative molecules to represent the chemical space. Validation of computational and experimental test sets shows that only 313 (0.124% of the total) molecules were sufficient to train an accurate GNN model with R 2 ą 0 . 99 for computational test sets and R 2 ą 0 . 94 for experimental test sets. We highlight two advantages of the presented AL algorithm: compatibility with high-throughput data generation and reliable uncertainty quantification.


This paper reviews animal-based welfare indicators to develop a valid, reliable, and feasible on-farm welfare assessment protocol for dairy goats. The indicators were considered in the light of the 4 accepted principles (good feeding, good housing, good health, appropriate behavior) subdivided into 12 criteria developed by the European Welfare Quality program. We will only examine the practical indicators to be used on-farm, excluding those requiring the use of specific instruments or laboratory analysis and those that are recorded at the slaughterhouse. Body condition score, hair coat condition, and queuing at the feed barrier or at the drinker seem the most promising indicators for the assessment of the "good feeding" principle. As to "good housing," some indicators were considered promising for assessing "comfort around resting" (e.g., resting in contact with a wall) or "thermal comfort" (e.g., panting score for the detection of heat stress and shivering score for the detection of cold stress). Several indicators related to "good health," such as lameness, claw overgrowth, presence of external abscesses, and hair coat condition, were identified. As to the "appropriate behavior" principle, different criteria have been identified: agonistic behavior is largely used as the "expression of social behavior" criterion, but it is often not feasible for on-farm assessment. Latency to first contact and the avoidance distance test can be used as criteria for assessing the quality of the human-animal relationship. Qualitative behavior assessment seems to be a promising indicator for addressing the "positive emotional state" criterion. Promising indicators were identified for most of the considered criteria; however, no valid indicator has been identified for "expression of other behaviors." Interobserver reliability has rarely been assessed and warrants further attention; in contrast, short-term intraobserver reliability is frequently assessed and some studies consider mid- and long-term reliability. The feasibility of most of the reviewed indicators in commercial farms still needs to be carefully evaluated, as several studies were performed under experimental conditions. Our review highlights some aspects of goat welfare that have been widely studied, but some indicators need to be investigated further and drafted before being included in a valid, reliable, and feasible welfare assessment protocol. The indicators selected and examined may be an invaluable starting point for the development of an on-farm welfare assessment protocol for dairy goats.


Solid Rocket Motor(SRM) has advantages such as - high specific impulse, operational safety and simplicity in design and manufacturing process but thrust magnitude can"t be controlled. For studying of pintle nozzle that can control the thrust magnitude of SRM, cold flow test and numerical analysis about needle type pintle shape were performed and results were presented in this paper. As the results of this study, pintle tip"s shape and nozzle contour were important design parameters because thrust performance and variable thrust range of pintle nozzle depend on them. Especially, the thrust of needle typed pintle nozzle adopted in this test was predicted 13% higher than normal nozzle without pintle.


After thyroidectomy, the anesthesiologist usually performs a laryngoscopy to detect laryngeal edema and nerve palsies. The goal of this study was to compare three different methods of laryngeal examination after tracheal extubation of the patients. For that purpose, between 1990 and 1995, a prospective series of 1608 patients operated for thyroidectomy has been studied. The series was divided into 4 groups. In group I (n = 200), four anesthesiologists have evaluated the efficiency of the immediate postextubation direct laryngoscopy. In group II (n = 100), one anesthesiologist has compared the direct, indirect, and flexible laryngoscopies in every patient in a fixed and timed fashion. In group III (n = 100), the four examiners have evaluated the flexible laryngoscopy at a different timing so as to eliminate the possible temporal relationship of the ease of visualization in group II. In group IV (n = 1208), the four examiners have evaluated flexible laryngoscopy, on a large scale, at any time during the 1-h stay in the recovery room. Special attention was directed to the patients with known cardiovascular diseases. Direct and indirect laryngoscopies were only effective in 76 and 73%, respectively, of the patients, whereas flexible laryngoscopy was effective in 99.6% of them. Flexible laryngoscopy was easy to perform in 96.5% of the patients versus 65 and 55% with direct and indirect laryngoscopies. Finally, variations in monitored cardiovascular parameters were significantly lower with flexible and indirect laryngoscopies than with direct laryngoscopy. These mild variations induced by flexible laryngoscopy were well tolerated by patients with known cardiovascular diseases. Flexible laryngoscopy is the best method for an immediate laryngoscopic examination after thyroidectomy.


This article presents the results of a number of operations research studies (OR) of family planning services provided by a new cadre of female village-based family planning workers in Punjab Province, Pakistan. This cadre of workers, recruited nationwide, have been trained to visit women in their villages to provide information and family planning services. The studies were conducted as part of a broad program of technical assistance to the Government of Pakistan. Surveys investigated the quality of their training as well as attitudes among clients to the new program. They found that the program is developing well but there is room for improvement, particularly in counseling and training. Additional field studies are ongoing and recommendations for change have been incorporated in training and supervision. The program is expanding on a national scale.


In this paper, we consider explicit constructions of perfect hash families using combinatorial methods. We provide several direct constructions from combinatorial structures related to orthogonal arrays. We also simplify and generalize a recursive construction due to Atici, Magliversas, Stinson and Wei [3]. Using similar methods, we also obtain efficient constructions for separating hash families which result in improved existence results for structures such as separating systems, key distribution patterns, group testing algorithms, cover-free families and secure frameproof codes. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 8:189–200, 2000


A micromachined deformable mirror (?-DM) for optical wavefront correction is described. Design and manufacturing approaches for ?-DMs are detailed. The ?-DM employs a flexible silicon membrane supported by mechanical attachments to an array of electrostatic parallel plate actuators. Devices are fabricated through surface micromachining using polycrystalline silicon thin films. ?-DM membranes measuring 2 mmx2 mmx2 ?m, supported by 100 actuators are described. Figures of merit include stroke of 2 ?m, resolution of 10 nm, and frequency bandwidth dc to 7 kHz in air. The devices are compact, inexpensive to fabricate, exhibit no hysteresis, and use only a small fraction of the power required for conventional DMs. Performance of an adaptive optics system using a ?-DM is characterized in a closed-loop control experiment. Significant reduction in quasistatic wavefront phase error is achieved. Advantages and limitations of ?-DMs are described in relation to conventional adaptive optics systems and to emerging applications of adaptive optics such as high-resolution correction, small-aperture systems, and optical communication.


Quality measurement initiatives promote quality improvement in healthcare but can be challenging to implement effectively. This paper presents a Rapid Realist Review (RRR) of published literature on Quality Care-Process Metrics (QCP-M) implementation in nursing and midwifery practice. An RRR informed by RAMESES II standards was conducted as an efficient means to synthesize evidence using an expert panel. The review involved research question development, quality appraisal, data extraction, and evidence synthesis. Six program theories summarised below identify the key characteristics that promote positive outcomes in QCP-M implementation. Program Theory 1: Focuses on the evidence base and accessibility of the QCP-M and their ease of use by nurses and midwives working in busy and complex care environments. Program Theory 2: Examines the influence of external factors on QCP-M implementation. Program Theory 3: Relates to existing cultures and systems within clinical sites. Program Theory 4: Relates to nurses' and midwives' knowledge and beliefs. Program Theory 5: Builds on the staff theme of Programme Theory four, extending the culture of organizational learning, and highlights the meaningful engagement of nurses and midwives in the implementation process as a key characteristic of success. Program Theory 6: Relates to patient needs. The results provide nursing and midwifery policymakers and professionals with evidence-based program theory that can be translated into action-orientated strategies to help guide successful QCP-M implementation.


The day surgery system was established in order to satisfy the demand of healthy patients, and we have performed more than 40 types of operation under this system so far. The critical path is an indispensable tool for ensuring safety and efficiency, and the care coordinator is the key person to manage the system for that purpose. In addition, the cost management technique focusing on DRG/PPS and risk management to increase patient satisfaction are particularly important because we must manage numerous surgical cases. The day surgery system is evaluated in relation to the primary education program for surgeons. Such education not only impacts medical and surgical skills, but also is a good opportunity for training in the basic bedside manner to offer the best service to patients.


Background: Some studies highlighted that there was increase in the incidence of urinary tract problems related to frequent Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and crystalluria. This induces us to understand the prevalence of crystals in urine samples and its association with bacterial urinary tract infections. For determining the different types of urinary crystals, the role of microscopic examination for identification are routine and identical. Methods: The main objective of this study is to find out the predominant types of crystals in urine, age and sex incidence value, urine pH correlated with crystals and bacteriological examination of urine samples associated with UTIs.  Results: Among 88 urine samples included, 49 (55.6%) were males and 39 (44.3%) were females of different age groups. By urine sediment analysis, among the normal crystals, calcium oxalate and amorphous urates were found predominant followed by cholesterol found among abnormal crystals. The results highlighted the presence of different types of crystals in the urine samples and strongly supported the pH ranges. The variations in the pH range from 3 to 7. The correlation of the results of crystal formation with bacterial culture showed predominance of Escherichia coli (19.3%) and further it gets proved with the theory and reference interpretation. Conclusion: By this study, the authors have a mystery whether the crystal formation leads to the bacterial infection or the infection leads to crystal formation. In the case of positive urine crystal analysis, the clinicians may consider the microbiological investigations to find out the real picture.


A recent short review in this journal on the global spread of the rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Angiostrongylidae), the cause of neuroangiostrongyliasis (NAS), noted that it had been reported recently in the Canary Islands and Mallorca. Both of these are Spanish territories, the former in the Atlantic Ocean off northwest Africa and the latter in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Spain. In light of these reports, continental Europe was considered threatened by this important zoonotic parasite. Confirming this concern, the parasite has now been detected in the city of Valencia on the Spanish mainland. Among 27 rats trapped, 29 adult A. cantonensis were found in four, from locations both near the port and several kilometers inland. This is the first report of A. cantonensis in continental Europe. Globally, A. cantonensis is the primary etiological agent causing eosinophilic meningitis. It was first discovered in 1933 in southern China and has now spread widely, primarily across the tropics and subtropics, as reflected in the distribution of human cases of NAS, which can be life threatening. The only known autochthonous case of NAS in Europe was diagnosed in Paris in 2016; however, the source of this infection was never identified, as the patient had not traveled outside of France since the 1980s other than to Morocco more than 2 years previously, and reported no consumption of possible hosts. Otherwise, all cases diagnosed in Europe have been in travelers returning from endemic areas. This report of A. cantonensis in Valencia indicates that the parasite is probably established in the city; accordingly, additional surveys to determine how far it has spread should be undertaken in the surrounding region, both in rats (definitive hosts) and snails (intermediate hosts) as well as in various paratenic and accidental hosts such as the hedgehogs in which A. cantonensis was found in Mallorca. Despite the parasite's lack of tolerance of cold temperatures, which explains why it has largely been confined to tropical and subtropical regions in the past, with a foothold in Europe it could spread farther across the continent, potentially to more temperate regions, as has already occurred in Australia and the United States. Furthermore, as the climate warms, even more northern parts of Europe may become accessible to A. cantonensis, as seen in China. It is therefore imperative that medical practitioners in Europe become more aware of this parasite and the diagnosis and treatment of the uncommon but potentially fatal disease it causes. Educating the general public on how to avoid contracting NAS—namely, by not eating raw snails or slugs; keeping a close eye on toddlers and children playing in gardens, who may put snails or slugs in their mouths; thoroughly inspecting and washing fresh produce, especially leafy green vegetables; and controlling populations of rats and snails/slugs—is equally important. And, finally, as this new report suggests, epidemiological and parasitological surveys and screening efforts in Europe should now pay special heed to detecting A. cantonensis.


Survival of the production target in successive experiments (with a repetition rate of 1 Hz) over an extended period of time is one of the key problems encountered in designing the Super-FRS (Superconducting Fragment Separator) at the future Facility forAntiprotons and Ion Research (FAIR). Because of the difficulties involved in construction of a liquid jet metal target, it is highly desirable to employ a solid production target at the Super-FRS. However, with the high beam intensities that will be available at the FAIR, the production target may be destroyed in a single experiment due to high specific energy deposition by the beam in the target material. The level of specific energy deposition can be reduced to an acceptable value by increasing the beam focal spot area. However, the spot size is limited by requirements of achieving good isotope resolution and sufficient transmission of the secondary beam through the system. The resolving power of the fragment separator is inversely proportional to the X-dimension of the focal spot whereas the transmission depends on Y-dimension only. It has been previously shown [Tahir et al., 2005c] that an elliptic focal spot with appropriate dimensions, will fulfill the above two conditions simultaneously and will also have a large enough area to reduce the specific energy deposition to an acceptable level for certain beam intensities of interest. In this paper we present numerical simulations of thermodynamic and hydrodynamic behavior of a solid graphite target that is irradiated by 1 GeV/u uranium beam in the intensity range of 1010 –1011 ions per bunch with a bunch length = 50 ns. These simulations have been carried out using a three-dimensional computer code, PIC3D, that includes elastic-plastic effects. This theoretical work has shown that up to a beam intensity of 1011 ions/bunch, one can employ a solid target while for higher intensities the target will be destroyed due to thermal stresses induced by the beam. It has also been found that a circular focal spot leads to minimum thermal stresses as it generates minimum pressure gradients compared to an elliptic focal spot, for the same specific energy deposition. Moreover, the stress level increases with an increase in the ellipticity of the focal spot. It is therefore recommended that one should use a circular focal spot for lower intensities provided that the criteria for isotope resolution and transmission are fulfilled.


Today the technology linked to the 4.0 industry and the IoT concepts has become an integral part of the production facilities and devices placed on the market. The development of the energy platform was made necessary to make digital and intelligent distribution systems, which in most cases, are seen by designers and owners as passive and non-upgradable systems.It is easy to understand that the supervision of electrical panels, the power systems, and technological systems allows an integrated management of industrial complexes, useful for identifying waste and optimizing resources.The remote inspection activity, thanks to IoT devices, allows measuring the energy performance of the various company buildings, contributing to the sustainability and development of commercial and industrial activities. The platform illustrated in this paper is a useful tool for designers, planners and prosumers.


Objective: To determine the incidence and characteristics of extravascular masses (EVM) giving rise to symptoms and signs of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Design and technique: Routine ultrasound colour duplex scanning during a 6-month period. Patients: Three hundred and two inpatients and outpatients investigated on suspicion of DVT. Setting: Department of Clinical Physiology, which is the central non-invasive diagnostic unit of the county. Results: A diagnostis of DVT was made in 33%. EVM were detected in 14 patients (5%). In most cases the characteristic appearance on scanning was spindle-shaped (like a 'mouse') and mostly confined to the upper calf. These EVM were regarded as intramuscular haematoma or ruptured popliteal cysts. Conclusion: EVM of the leg are (1) a frequent cause of 'pseudothrombosis' and can positively be identified by duplex ultrasound scanning: (2) most frequently found in the medial aspect of the right calf; and (3) often detected in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or patients on anticoagulant therapy and may give rise to signs and symptoms identical to DVT.


Male psychiatric patients are frequently portrayed as violent or even homicidal in movies and contemporary media. For example, a recent study (Owen, 2012) has shown that a majority of movie characters with schizophrenia displayed violent behavior toward themselves or others, and nearly one-third of these violent characters engaged in homicidal behavior. A majority of these patients (73%) were males. Male psychiatric patients are indeed sometimes violent. However, most male psychiatric patients, including psychotic and dual diagnosis patients, are not violent (Fazel et al., 2009). Regrettably, the portrayals of these movies encourage and promote a stigmatization of psychiatric illness which is harmful for psychiatric patients, their families, their friends and society in general. However, the association of violence with mental illness in media serves a reinforcing function for the viewer. The violence and homicidal acts depicted in these films satisfy in fantasy wishes and urges which many people experience, to some degree and at some point in their lives, of violent rage at the all-too-real individuals and scenarios in their personal lives. By characterizing these violent wishes as alien products of a distant other in the form of the schizophrenic or psychotic individual, stigmatizing films permit a safe distance between the viewer and the violent act on the screen. The producers of these films, consciously aware of this function or not, capitalize on this function. Unfortunately, the consequence of stigmatization to individuals with mental illness, and in particular to males, is the untoward byproduct. Mental health professionals need to address the consequences of stigma toward individuals, and especially men, with mental illness. Dimensional approaches to psychopathology, including the recent Research Domain Criteria Project (RDoC; Insel, 2014), promote a perspective that emphasizes a spectrum from normality to pathology. Psychiatrists should emphasize in their work that the transition to materialist brain-based dimensional models may help to reunite the suffering male's experience with the human purview and thus reduce stigma. A greater recognition of violent films' function to contemporary culture may assist suffering men bear their burden by helping to normalize and provide an empathic validation of all the ranges of human emotional experience. Mental health professionals should also move beyond psychoeducation provision in isolation at the clinic to full participation in programs of public education for the betterment of health and welfare to both those stigmatized and the public at large.


River floodplains such as the Barotse Flood Plain (BFP) in Western Zambia, provide a large number of ecosystem services and economic value for the inhabitants. Yet, in spite of its importance, the flood plain has been vulnerable to drivers of land use change suggestive of potential wetland degradation. This study aimed at determining the extent of land use change in the wetland of BFP in the selected years between 1980 to 2020 and identifying, and assessing drivers of land use change in the wetlands of BFP using satellite data. The study utilized both secondary and primary data sources. Primary data was collected using interview schedule, key informants' interviews, Participatory Rural Appraisal and field observations. The Raosoft random sample calculator was used to determine the sample size of heads of households from 9 districts that are found within the Barotse Flood Plain. Then, proportional sample size per district out of 270 was calculated. It was found that there is land use change in the wetlands of BFP caused by many driving factors such as biophysical, economic, infrastructure development, technological, demographic, agriculture and others. The study recommended strategies such as the Government of Zambia, traditional leaders and other stakeholder should embark on protection and conservation of BFP. In addition, new policies on land use and water resources management in the wetlands such regularly monitoring of all activities taking place in and around the wetland of BFP by Water Resources Management Authority should be explored.


Today, viral hepatitis has become a silent epidemic worldwide. It is the major cause of liver cirrhosis and liver carcinoma. In a dental office, infections can be expedited through several routes, including direct or indirect contact with blood, oral fluids, droplet splatter, aerosols, etc. The aim of the present review is to increase the awareness among dental practitioners, so as to reduce the burden of hepatitis in their community. Electronic databases like PubMed, Medline, ProQuest, etc. were searched using the keywords hepatitis, dentist, liver disease, and infection control. Manual search of various journals and books was also carried out. Only highly relevant articles from English literature were considered for the present review. The results revealed that the dentists were among the high-risk groups for hepatitis, and they have little information on the factors associated with adherence to hepatitis B vaccination. A dentist can play a major role in the prevention of hepatitis by considering each and every patient as a potential carrier of hepatitis. Proper infection control, sterilization, and prophylactic vaccination protocols should be followed in order to reduce the risk of hepatitis.


A case is reported of a 3 year old boy with an acute history of cerebellar impairment and x ray evidence of apparent chest infection. At postmortem examination, his lungs but not the nervous system were found to be massively infiltrated by Langherans histiocytes. In retrospect, the acute ataxia was diagnosed as a paraneoplastic phenomenon secondary to Langherans cell histiocytosis (LCH). This represents a unique occurrence complicating LCH in childhood.


Miniaturization, or the evolution of a dramatically reduced body size compared to related lineages, is an extraordinarily widespread phenomenon among metazoans. Evolutionary biologists have been fascinated by miniaturization because this transition has occurred numerous times, often among close relatives, providing a model system for studying convergent evolution and its underlying mechanisms. Much of the developmental work describing the ontogeny of miniature species suggests that paedomorphosis is the predominant avenue of miniaturization. Nevertheless, specific alterations to ontogeny appear highly variable, so that even related lineages with similar miniaturized traits produce those similarities via distinct ontogenetic paths. One major vertebrate group that has been overlooked in research on miniaturization is turtles. In the present study, we examined patterns of shape change in the plastron (the ventral part of the shell) over the course of ontogeny in a small clade of turtles (Emydinae) aiming to investigate whether two independently evolved diminutive members of the clade (Glyptemys muhlenbergii and Clemmys guttata) should be considered as miniaturized. We employ geometric morphometric methods to quantify the patterns of shape change these potentially miniaturized species and their relatives undergo during ontogeny, and use molecular phylogenetic trees to reconstruct ancestral conditions and provide information on the polarity of shape changes. We find that differing changes in ontogenetic parameters relative to ancestral conditions accompany the evolution of small size in emydines: G. muhlenbergii changes the duration of ontogeny and rate of shape change, whereas C. guttata changes growth rate. The observed ontogenetic repatterning of these species is reminiscent of changes in ontogeny and life history often found in miniaturized taxa. However, we conclude that C. guttata and G. muhlenbergii are not truly miniaturized because they still produce typical adult shell morphologies, and larger emydines display comparable ontogenetic flexibility. Because no emydines carry juvenile shell features forward into adulthood, we speculate that few, if any turtles, will show paedomorphic shell traits without corresponding changes in defensive strategy because such shells may offer insufficient protection. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London


This review examines the current status of research on indicators of anxiety in the Draw-A-Person Test (DAP). Experimental studies have used stress induction while correlational studies have typically employed the Manifest Anxiety Scale as criterion. Three scoring systems (Engle-Suppes, Handler, Royal) have included most of the available anxiety indices. Methodological problems with this research include failure to control for drawing quality and intelligence, confounding anxiety measurement with defensive response style, and inadequate validation of the scoring systems. Results of the review are summarized in eight specific conclusions.


The toxic phenomena observed in experimental animals following the administration of certain organic pentavalent arsenical compounds, such as atoxyl, arsacetin and tryparsamide, are largely centered in the central nervous system. 1 After large doses, animals develop tremors, incoordination of movements and, in some cases, clonic spasms. When atoxyl and arsacetin were first employed for the treatment of syphilis and trypanosomiasis in man, similar neurotoxic effects, especially characterized by damage to the optic nerve, were observed. A number of patients developed amblyopia and subsequent atrophy of the optic nerves following their use. Because the potential therapeutic value of these drugs was not commensurate with the gravity of this toxic manifestation, they were abandoned as syphilotherapeutic agents. Tryparsamide, applied to the treatment of trypanosomiasis in man by Pearce, 2 also showed a tendency to produce visual disturbances. In her series of seventy-seven patients with trypanosomiasis, nine developed visual impairment. In three of


This book collects many of H.D. Bui's works mostly in French, and mostly unknown to the English scientific community, in the fields of Duality, Symmetry in Conservation Laws, Complementarity and Symmetry Lost. The concepts are seldom fully recognized in the literature and, in this sense, this book is unique. To quote Bui: "Duality is synonym of parallelism, or complementary things, sometimes opposite things, tied together in an integral whole". The concept of Duality is closely linked to the concept of "virtual power" in the Mechanics of continuous media; it originates from the concept of spaces and dual spaces of functions in mathematics culminating in the Theory of Distributions by Laurent Schwarz. H.D. Bui exploited the richness of duality to solve elegantly some important and deep inverse engineering problems presented in this book. It contains a total of 31 papers, including one on the application of complementarity to explain the construction of Kheops's pyramid. For his fundamental contributions to Mechanics H.D. Bui was elected to the French Academy of Sciences in 1995 and the European Academy of Sciences in 2001. The presentation of the printed edition of this book coincides with an Internation Colloquium in his honor in Paris on July 4-5, 2011, with the participation of a large number of distinguished scientists representing the US Academy of Sciences, the US Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of London, ax well as the Russian Academy of Sciences and the French Academy of Sciences.


Initial-rate kinetic measurements with the affinity purified 2-deoxyguanosine (dGuo) kinase from beef liver mitochondria yielded reciprocal plots which converged on the abscissa, with either dGuo or ATP as the varied substrate. The limiting Km for dGuo was 4.7 microM, and that for ATP was 780 microM. One product, dGMP, was competitive with both substrates, while the other, ADP, was competitive with ATP and non-competitive with dGuo. Qualitatively identical results were obtained with an alternative substrate, dTTP, and with alternative product inhibitors, dIMP and dTDP. These results are consistent with a random Bi Bi kinetic mechanism, judging from the formation of a dead-end complex of the enzyme, dGuo and ADP. dGTP competes very strongly with ATP (Ki = 0.03 microM), but is non-competitive towards dGuo. The more weakly-bound dGDP is competitive with both substrates.


This thesis assesses the reliability of methods for slender concrete column design, including Non-Linear Finite Element Analysis (NLFEA). The applicability of the Eurocode in slender column design is investigated, and the current safety format is assessed. The Partial Safety Factor (PSF) method is a semi-probabilistic method where partial safety factors have been calibrated based on a linear Limit State Function (LSF). In slender structures, significant second-order effects cause geometric non-linearity. The combination of geometric non-linearity and the non-linear behavior of concrete, assessed in an NLFEA software, violate the assumption of a linear limit state. Nevertheless, the Eurocode suggests applying the PSF method to problems solved with NLFEA. The PSF method is compared with two alternative safety formats, namely the Global Resistance Factor Method (GRFM) and the method of Estimate of Coefficient Of Variation (ECOV). Since the PSF method currently is embedded in the Eurocode, a new approach for applying PSFs to slender column design is sought. A new set of PSFs is inquired through reliability analyses combined with both hand-calculation methods and NLFEA. Five stochastic variables are used in the analyses, including: The concrete compressive strength, the reinforcement yield strength, the concrete stiffness, the eccentricity and the load. Inverse reliability analyses are conducted to find the optimal combination of PSFs for the different slenderness ratios. The minimum eccentricity in the Eurocode is considered too conservative and a new approach to treat eccentricity is suggested. GRFM is a more conservative alternative to the PSF method, while ECOV might be non-conservative if the material parameters are included by the values given in Eurocode 2-1-1. It is, therefore, proposed to apply the in-situ adjusted concrete strength with the ECOV method. The results from the inverse analyses indicate that a new slenderness limit should be developed to distinguish between compression and yield failure. Two separate sets of PSFs are proposed, for columns below and above the slenderness limit.


The BCR-ABL translocation is found in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and in Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. Although imatinib and its analogues have been used as front-line therapy to target this mutation and control the disease for over a decade, resistance to the therapy is still observed and most patients are not cured but need to continue the therapy indefinitely. It is therefore of great importance to find new therapies, possibly as drug combinations, which can overcome drug resistance. In this study, we identified eleven candidate anti-leukemic drugs that might be combined with imatinib, using three approaches: a kinase inhibitor library screen, a gene expression correlation analysis, and literature analysis. We then used an experimental search algorithm to efficiently explore the large space of possible drug and dose combinations and identified drug combinations that selectively kill a BCR-ABL+ leukemic cell line (K562) over a normal fibroblast cell line (IMR-90). Only six iterations of the algorithm were needed to identify very selective drug combinations. The efficacy of the top forty-nine combinations was further confirmed using Ph+ and Ph- ALL patient cells, including imatinib-resistant cells. Collectively, the drug combinations and methods we describe might be a first step towards more effective interventions for leukemia patients, especially those with the BCR-ABL translocation.


The purpose of this study was to assess the selectivity and potency of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), flurbiprofen, and its enantiomers in their inhibition of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). An assay was used with freshly drawn, heparinized human whole blood, incubated with 25 microM calcium ionophore A23187 during 60 min to produce thromboxane B2 (TXB2) by activity of COX-1 in platelets. Incubation with E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during 24 hr produced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by induction of COX-2 in monocytes, suppressing any possible contribution of COX-1 activity by the addition of acetylsalicylic acid. Concentration inhibition curves were determined with racemic, S(+), and R(-) flurbiprofen in final concentrations ranging from 10(-3) to 10(-10) M. The stereoselectivity of S(+) flurbiprofen vs. R(-) flurbiprofen, expressed as the reciprocal of the ratio of the concentrations giving 50% inhibition (IC50), is 340 for COX-1 and 56 for COX-2. The selectivity for COX-1 vs. COX-2, expressed as the reciprocal ratio of the IC50, was 32 for racemic, 16 for S(+), and 5.3 for R(-) flurbiprofen. Meloxicam in the same assay showed COX-2 selectivity with a ratio of 0.19.


Recent on-ground observations have revealed that winter thunderstorm along the Japan sea radiates gamma-rays with energy extending up to 10 MeV (Torii et al., 2002, Tsuchiya & Enoto et al., 2007). Inside the thunderstorm, electrons are thought to be accelerated to relativistic energy by strong electric field, and to radiate bremsstrahlung gamma-rays. Currently, since the number of observation sites is limited, it has been difficult to trace timeand space-dependent changes of gamma-ray spectra. In order to resolve the electron acceleration mechanism inside thunderstorms (e.g., generation, growth, and disappearance of the relativistic electron acceleration region), we started to construct a new multi-point mapping system of the gamma-ray radiation, which can trace a path of the radiation and can detect a change of gamma-ray intensity and spectral change. In 2016-FY, we have developed a small, inexpensive FPGA/ADC board and a front-end electronics board to be coupled with BGO scintillators and PMT photo-diodes (see also Wada et al., JpGU session at the M-IS 18). We installed these new small radiation detectors on roofs of several high school and universities in Kanazawa prefecture, which area is famous for energetic winder thunderstorms. Our acquisition system has been collecting energy and arrival time (with GPS time tag) of individual photons, with environmental information (e.g., temperature, pressure). On 2016 December 8 and 9, we detected the gamma-ray radiation from winter thunderstorms at Kanazawa and Komatsu cities. We will report current status of our project and future prospects on understanding of the micro physics in the thunderstorms.


Titanium (Ti) is considered a beneficial element for plant growth. Ti applied via roots or leaves at low concentrations has been documented to improve crop performance through stimulating the activity of certain enzymes, enhancing chlorophyll content and photosynthesis, promoting nutrient uptake, strengthening stress tolerance, and improving crop yield and quality. Commercial fertilizers containing Ti, such as Tytanit and Mg-Titanit, have been used as biostimulants for improving crop production; however, mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects still remain unclear. In this article, we propose that the beneficial roles Ti plays in plants lie in its interaction with other nutrient elements primarily iron (Fe). Fe and Ti have synergistic and antagonistic relationships. When plants experience Fe deficiency, Ti helps induce the expression of genes related to Fe acquisition, thereby enhancing Fe uptake and utilization and subsequently improving plant growth. Plants may have proteins that either specifically or nonspecifically bind with Ti. When Ti concentration is high in plants, Ti competes with Fe for ligands or proteins. The competition could be severe, resulting in Ti phytotoxicity. As a result, the beneficial effects of Ti become more pronounced during the time when plants experience low or deficient Fe supply.


We use the technique of SVM anchoring to demonstrate that lexical features extracted from a training corpus are not necessary to obtain state of the art results on tasks such as Named Entity Recognition and Chunking. While standard models require as many as 100K distinct features, we derive models with as little as 1K features that perform as well or better on different domains. These robust reduced models indicate that the way rare lexical features contribute to classification in NLP is not fully understood. Contrastive error analysis (with and without lexical features) indicates that lexical features do contribute to resolving some semantic and complex syntactic ambiguities -- but we find this contribution does not generalize outside the training corpus. As a general strategy, we believe lexical features should not be directly derived from a training corpus but instead, carefully inferred and selected from other sources.


In this paper I outline and discuss the theories and concepts that can potentially be related to Malaysia Inc and Malaysian Corporatism. Malaysia Incorporated can be described to be a product of an authoritarian form of corporatism. This concept started out as a seemingly innocent policy to encourage cooperation between the private sector and government; but it can also be a manifestation of a form of corporatism. And so, I will outline the key concepts and theories that may be used as foundations to build a theory of Malaysian Corporatism.


[1] Subsurface ice accumulations in temperate karst environments are assumed to be highly sensitive to external climate forcing and therefore represent a favorable setting for studying processes controlling heat exchanges in the heterothermic zone of a karst system. Air, rock, water, and ice temperatures were measured and complemented by airflow, water discharge, and cave air humidity data during a case study carried out between 2001 and 2006 at Monlesi ice cave in the Swiss Jura Mountains. The energy balance of the system could be quantified for an annual cycle, and results demonstrate that forced convection, which is controlled by the temperature difference between the cave air and the external atmosphere, is a driving force for the heat exchange between the cave and the surrounding environment. Therefore compared to the external mean annual conditions, major thermal anomalies are to be expected in the entrance zone of a cave system. Since this heterothermic zone may extend over several hundreds of meters, a better understanding of the mechanisms controlling the subsurface deposition environment represents a major prerequisite for high-resolution paleoenvironmental reconstructions from cave deposits.


OBJECTIVE
To study the epidemiology of urolithiasis in Southern Thailand.

DESIGN
Descriptive study.

MATERIAL AND METHOD
An overview of urolithiasis in the South of Thailand was derived from 10,344 urolithiasis patients seeking treatment in 14 hospitals in southern Thailand, from January to December 2000. An epidemiological study focused on 1,452 urolithiasis patients treated at Songklanagarind Hospital during the same period. Composition of calculi was analysed with infrared spectroscopy.

RESULTS
The ratio of male to female was 1.6 : 1 and the most common age group was 41 - 50 years. Ureteric calculi were more frequently found than renal calculi. ESWL was the most common treatment for upper urinary tract (UUT) calculi, while surgery was the most common treatment for lower urinary tract (LUT) calculi. The body mass index (BMI) of 48.1% was between 18.5 - 24.9. The study of the calculi composition showed that oxalate was found in most UUT, and uric acid was found in most LUT CONCLUSION: Ureteric calculi were most common in the South of Thailand. The BMI of urolithiasis patients was higher than the population average.


THE ALLERGIC dermal-respiratory syndrome may be defined as a symptom complex in which both dermal (urticaria, eczema) and respiratory (perennial rhinitis, hay fever, asthma) manifestations of allergy occur in the same patient, either synchronously or at different periods. It is the purpose of this paper to analyze a series of cases in children, first, to point out the importance of the dermalrespiratory syndrome by showing the frequency of its occurrence and, second, to indicate how the development of the respiratory aspects of the syndrome may be predicted and prevented or minimized by appropriate early treatment. The data to be analyzed are from 750 cases seen in clinic and private practice over a number of years. The records were taken consecutively from the files, the only criteria being that the patient was allergic and had been completely studied. Complete studies include skin tests for foods as well as inhalant substances. Of


In this research, unconfined compressive strength and stiffness of modified subgrade soil by cement or fly ash were evaluated. Gyratory compactor, which could simulate the field compaction, was adopted to make the test specimen. The testing soil from Cheonan area was used and its classification was SP. The optimum moisture content and maximum dry unit weight of soil were determined, and cement or fly ash was added, 4%, 8% and 12%. Curing times, such as 7, 14 and 28 day were adopted. An unconfined compressive test, an impact resonant test and an LFWD(Lightweight Falling Weight Deflectometer) were carried out to evaluate the strength or stiffness of modified soil. The strength of modified soil increased as the amount of cement and its curing time were increased. However, the strength or stiffness of fly ash modified soil was not significant. The correlation of unconfined compressive test and impact resonant test was relatively good.


The joint forest management programme in place for the last 10 years was a response to a crisis situation - evident in the rapid deforestation and the state's inability to police the forests on its own. The need now is for a pro-active stance that would lead to a genuine devolution. This calls for an enhanced focus on skill development and capacity building for all the stakeholders involved - forest officials, NGOs and the local community that would facilitate a forward-looking and anticipatory approach, to forest management.


Background and objective:Social marketing has been utilized in recent years to influence health behaviors. This paper reviews available experiences in applying social marketing in health research and aims to explore the extent of its application, methods of application and the reported success rate of these studies in changing health behaviors. Hence, it provides guidelines for researchers who plan to utilize this framework in health promotion and education interventions in the future. Methods:This review study applies specific key words in search engines including Google Scholar, PubMed, Science direct, SID, and also health research databases, related papers and reports available in English and Farsi were identified. Data was extracted from the content and were qualitatively analyzed. Results::Although the main focus of the papers was nutrition, but social marketing have been applied in researches related toheart health, helmet, safety belts and sun protection. In these studies, not only the behavior of consumption of a specific product has been studied, but knowledge, attitude, and health status have also been examined. The reported success rate in changing behavior varies from 10% in saturated oils consumption to 30% in the consumption of Soy sauce. Conclusion: It seems that health promotion interventions utilizing social marketing in changing health behaviors that require the consumption of a healthy product and are significantly influenced by attitudes and individual decisions can achieve significant success. Studies have reported different degrees of success, but it is not clear why the success rates are so different. More studies are needed to answer this question. Paper Type: Review Article.


Random lasers are promising, easy-to-fabricate light sources that rely on scattering instead of well-defined optical cavities. We demonstrate random lasing in GaAs nanowires using both randomly oriented and vertically aligned arrays. These configurations are shown to lase in both resonant and nonresonant modes, where aligned nanowires support predominantly resonant lasing and randomly oriented favors nonresonant lasing. On the basis of numerical simulations, aligning the nanowires increases the system's scattering efficiency leading to higher quality factor modes and thus favoring the resonant modes. We further demonstrate two methods to optically suppress resonant mode lasing by increasing the number of excited modes. The light output-light input curves show a pronounced kink for the resonant lasing mode while the nonresonant mode is kink-free. The resonant lasing modes may be used as tunable lasers, and the nonresonant modes exhibit near-thresholdless amplification. Switching between lasing modes opens up new opportunities to use lasers in broader applications.