Since feed-forward artificial neural networks (FFANNs) are the most widely used models to solve real-life problems, many studies have focused on improving their learning performances by changing the network architecture and learning algorithms. On the other hand, recently, small-world network topology has been shown to meet the characteristics of real-life problems. Therefore, in this study, instead of focusing on the performance of the conventional FFANNs, we investigated how real-life problems can be solved by a FFANN with small-world topology. Therefore, we considered 2 real-life problems: estimating the thermal performance of solar air collectors and predicting the modulus of rupture values of oriented strand boards. We used the FFANN with small-world topology to solve both problems and compared the results with those of a conventional FFANN with zero rewiring. In addition, we investigated whether there was statistically significant difference between the regular FFANN and small-world FFANN model. Our results show that there exists an optimal rewiring number within the small-world topology that warrants the best performance for both problems.


Abstract Leading-edge telescopes such as the Atacama Large Millimeter and sub-millimeter Array (ALMA), and near-future ones, are capable of imaging the same sky area at hundreds-to-thousands of frequencies with both high spectral and spatial resolution. This provides unprecedented opportunities for discovery about the spatial, kinematical and compositional structure of sources such as molecular clouds or protoplanetary disks, and more. However, in addition to enormous volume, the data also exhibit unprecedented complexity, mandating new approaches for extracting and summarizing relevant information. Traditional techniques such as examining images at selected frequencies become intractable while tools that integrate data across frequencies or pixels (like moment maps) can no longer fully exploit and visualize the rich information. We present a neural map-based machine learning approach that can handle all spectral channels simultaneously, utilizing the full depth of these data for discovery and visualization of spectrally homogeneous spatial regions (spectral clusters) that characterize distinct kinematic behaviors. We demonstrate the effectiveness on an ALMA image cube of the protoplanetary disk HD142527. The tools we collectively name "NeuroScope" are efficient for "Big Data" due to intelligent data summarization that results in significant sparsity and noise reduction. We also demonstrate a new approach to automate our clustering for fast distillation of large data cubes.


Delay-tolerant networks often adopt the message replication methodology to increase the opportunity that destinations can receive messages from a source node in a network. Repeatedly replicating messages, however, consumes significant resources such as local buffer space on nodes and internode communication bandwidth. Previous buffer management and scheduling policies mainly contributed to a simple scenario of message unicasting from a source to a singular destination in a network. When message multicasting toward multiple destinations is considered, previous solutions perform inefficiently. This paper proposes a new buffer management and scheduling policy for message multicasting in delay-tolerant networks. The proposed policy is an optimal-based design with a new utility function, which can prioritize messages in a buffer for maximizing the successful delivery rate in a network. Simulation results manifest the efficacy of the proposed scheme under different mobility benchmarks in delay-tolerant networks.


Brings together recent research on undergraduate information behavior, including preliminary findings of a qualitative study testing Kuhlthau's Information Search Process (ISP) model. The main methods include a literature review of undergraduate attitudes and information behavior and a qualitative study of 35 undergraduates. The data were coded into the original ISP model to test how it holds up with a new generation of students. Finds that the Millennial Generation increasingly turns to the web rather than the library as its primary information resource and also that the ISP model holds up for many of the students in the study. The easy access to information, however, suggests some changes to the model. It enables some students to skip steps in the process, especially focus formulation, because many students stop after their preliminary searches, thinking that they have completed the research process. The study is a qualitative study with a small sample, so findings cannot be generalized. The findings are also preliminary. The paper brings together a wide range of literature and can provide instruction librarians with a more coherent and updated view of the Millennial Generation in order to improve instruction for this group of students.


In this work, a method to extract continuous syrnmetries of general second-order linearl ordinary differential equation is presented. The formalism is illustrated by the examples.


Epidemiological studies have been advanced in medicine including kidney diseases. We updated epidemiological evidence in kidney diseases. For acute kidney injury, although Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcome criteria was developed, further studies on the effects of fluid balance adjusted creatinine, minimum versus most recent baseline serum creatinine and the best surrogate baseline serum creatinine are required. For chronic kidney disease, we recently found a significant increased risk of chronic kidney disease in patients consuming sugar-sweetened soda, but not in patients consuming artificially sweetened soda. Interestingly, we found an inverse association between high alcohol consumption and risk for developing CKD in males. There is no significant association between high alcohol consumption and the risk for developing proteinuria or end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Future studies to identify these underlying mechanisms should be conducted. Journal of Nature and Science, 1(1):e 28 , 2015.


Through the investigation and analysis of high stress distribution in surrounding rock during the excavation of rock tunnels ,the key factors to cause rock burst and the mechanism of rock burst generation and development are researched. The result shows that the scale and range of rock burst are related with elastic deformation energy storied in rock mass and the characteristics of unloading stress waves. The measures of preventing from rock burst for high stress rock tunnels are put forward.


Because insulin is an important regulator of protein metabolism, we hypothesized that physiological modulation of insulin secretion, by means of extreme variations in dietary carbohydrate content, affects postabsorptive protein metabolism. Therefore, we studied the effects of three isocaloric diets with identical protein content and low-carbohydrate/high-fat (2% and 83% of total energy, respectively), intermediate-carbohydrate/intermediate-fat (44% and 41% of total energy, respectively), and high-carbohydrate/low-fat (85% and 0% of total energy, respectively) content in six healthy men. Whole body protein metabolism was assessed by 24-h urinary nitrogen excretion, postabsorptive leucine kinetics, and fibrinogen and albumin synthesis by infusion of [1-(13)C]leucine and [1-(13)C]valine. The low-carbohydrate/high-fat diet resulted in lower absorptive and postabsorptive plasma insulin concentrations, and higher rates of nitrogen excretion compared with the other two diets: 15.3 +/- 0.9 vs. 12.1 +/- 1.1 (P = 0.03) and 10.8 +/- 0.5 g/24 h (P = 0.005), respectively. Postabsorptive rates of appearance of leucine and of leucine oxidation were not different among the three diets. In addition, dietary carbohydrate content did not affect the synthesis rates of fibrinogen and albumin. In conclusion, eucaloric carbohydrate deprivation increases 24-h nitrogen loss but does not affect postabsorptive protein metabolism at the hepatic and whole body level. By deduction, dietary carbohydrate is required for an optimal regulation of absorptive, rather than postabsorptive, protein metabolism.


This study is descriptive research, with title: "Influence of Brand Image to Buying Decision to Pre-Paid of XL-Bebas card (Case study to Students of University of Muhammadiyah Malang)". The goal of this study is to know Influence of Brand
Image to Buying Decision to Pre-Paid of XL-Bebas card and to know what brand image variable that have dominant influence to buying decision to pre-paid of XL-Bebas card. This study have two hypothesis, they are first, it is supposed that brand image variable that content of producer image (X1), user image (X2) and product image (X3) give significant influence to buying decision to pre-paid of XL-Bebas card. Second, it is supposed that producer image have dominant influence to buying decision to pre-paid of XL-Bebas card. to achieve goal of this study, reseacher sperad questionnaire to 100 respondents. The questionnaire result are tested statistically by using analysis of logistic regression. Based on the logistic regression analysis which be carried out show that producer image, user image, and product image have significant influence to buying decision to pre-paid of XL-Bebas card simultaneously and partially. And among brand image variable that content to producer image, user image, and product image, the product image give dominant influence. Based on the study result, then suggestion which may be given to producer or XL-Bebas distributor should PT. Excelcomindo Pratama, Tbk carry out a little improing to increase brand image of firm, especially to user image, because based on the study result have smallest contribution to buying decision. It carries out in order XL-Bebas exist in consumer and achieve goal which be planned. Although user image give indirectly to support selling intensity, because when the user image of product which produced by firm is good, then it will support candidates of potential buyers to decide to buy product from the firm. Because the user image is as good as promotion strategy effectively and efficience Key words: Brand Image, buying decision, XL-Bebas


The theoretical relationships are presented for determining the output amplitude and phase of each small signal when commonly amplified with a large signal by a memoryless nonlinear amplifier. Both the amplitude and phase of each output small signal depend on the input amplitude of the large signal and on the AM/AM and AM/PM characteristics of the nonlinear amplifier. If the nonlinear amplifier is a hard limiter without AM/PM conversion, then the well-known result can also be derived from a general formula developed in this paper. A numerical example is given and confirmed by laboratory measurement.


With the increase in technology, the embedded systems are being employed in the daily as well as in the industrial level control systems. With the help of these not only the system becomes more cost effective but also the parameters of the system can be monitored for achieving an optimized and peak performance. One of the means to generate an embedded system apart from computer controlled directives is by using microcontrollers. These microcontrollers can be independently used or can be controlled by other microcontrollers. The data acquired by a single microcontroller unit that is measured by a transducer and is transmitted to the other microcontroller for further instructional cycles. So these communications are carried by the microcontrollers and these data are transmitted in a serial fashion after it is read from a buffer in which the data is held in a parallel order in the buffer. This data sent in a serial fashion and this type of communication is aggregately coined as serial communication. In this research paper, few approaches are simulated to encrypt the data sent in serial communication mode in an embedded system to retain the confidentiality of the transmitted data (as if one manages to sample the data with the help of a logic analyzer or any other means, the security of the system can be compromised) and a cascaded communication approach to solve the problem of pin count deficiency and independent parallel monitoring in an open loop control system to achieve a better level of observability and controllability in a digital control system. Keywords— Embedded System, Control System, Serial Communication.


The present work includes a comprehensive study on soil & plant parasitic nematodes belonging to the orders Dorylaimida & Tylenchida associated with guava & Litchi plantations in India. Nematodes are considered as one of the major constraints in agriculture & horticulture allover the world & are responsible for yield losses of guava & litchi. The taxonomic part comprises of identification of the available specimens up to species level. It provides information on nematode association of these cash crops which is important globally. The ecological part includes the monthly population fluctuation. As the different edaphic factors, like soil moisture, temperature, pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon & soil electrical conductivity are the determining factors for the shape and quality of the nematode population in soil micro-environment, the effects of these soil factors on nematode population have been investigated. The effectiveness of predatory and omnivorous nematodes as a bio-controlling agent to reduce the population of tylenchids was tested statistically. The present effort may contribute some additional and valuable information on this relatively unattended field.


The purpose of this work is to explore the predictive ability of the biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) biowaiver based on the dissolution methods for two pravastatin test products, where one of them showed bioequivalence (BE) while the other test failed (non-bioequivalence, or NBE), and to explore the reasons for the BE failure. Experimental solubility and permeability data confirmed that pravastatin is a BCS class III compound. The permeability experiments confirmed that the NBE formulation significantly increased pravastatin permeability, and could explain its higher absorption rate and higher Cmax. This finding highlights the relevance of requiring similar excipients for BCS class III drugs. The BCS-based biowaiver dissolution tests at pH 1.2, 4.5, and 6.8, with the paddle apparatus at 50 rpm in 900 mL media, were not able to detect differences in pravastatin products, although the NBE formulation exhibited a more rapid dissolution at earlier sampling times. Dissolution tests conducted in 500 mL did not achieve complete dissolution, and both formulations were dissimilar because the amount dissolved at 15 min was less than 85%. The difference was less than 10% at pH 1.2 and 4.5, while at pH 6.8 f2, results reflected the Cmax rank order.


The article tackles the impact of profit sharing plans (PS) on compensation policies in the French context. Using a sample of 1,143 firms from surveys of the Ministry of Labour, the authors draw up a typology based on a mix of PS plans including cash-based PS, deferred PS and the intensity of deferred plans (additional employer and employee contributions). Our results indicate that profit sharing does not seem to be considered as a way to reduce wages. Cash-based PS-oriented and high-deferred PS policies are not significantly linked to lower wages; but only firms with high-deferred PS policies are related to significantly higher wages.


In 1842, John Goodsir observed a microorganism "of an undescribed form" in the stomach contents of an individual suffering from an affliction of the digestive tract (35). He described the organism as having "the appearance of a wool-pack, or of a soft bundle bound with cord" and, accordingly, proposed the generic term Sarcina (Latin for package, bundle) to designate it. In consideration of its occurrence in the stomach, he named it S. ventriculi (ventriculi, Latin, of the stomach). Goodsir (35), and later Suringar (83), found that the bundles were composed of cells shaped like rounded rectangular parallelepipeds or somewhat flattened spheres. In addition, Suringar (83) established that the organism did not form plates consisting of a single layer of cells, as some authors had come to believe, but that the bundles or packets were approximately cubical. He concluded that the cuboid shape was a result of the organism's characteristic cell division which occurred "alternativement dans les trois directions de 'espace" (83). Neither Goodsir nor Suringar cultivated S. ventriculi, but both conducted their morphological studies on specimens obtained from the stomach. Cultivation of the organism, first from garden soil (11, 12) and then from stomach contents (13), was achieved by Beijerinck. This author used a procedure involving inoculation of these materials in a sugar-containing, strongly acidified medium which he incubated anaerobically. Under such conditions, S. ventriculi grew abundantly, whereas growth of other microorganisms was largely inhibited. Furthermore, Beijerinck established that S. ventriculi is an obligate anaerobe. After the discovery of the first sarcina, numerous other packet-forming cocci, many of them aerobic, were described and cultured. Some of these organisms were isolated from stomach contents and were erroneously thought to be identical with S. ventriculi (see 78). In 1888, Lindner (P. Lindner, Ph.D. Dissertation, Berlin, 1888) observed a large sarcina, morphologically similar to S. ventriculi, in spontaneously souring flour paste. The organism was named S. maxima and was later isolated in pure culture by Smit (78), who found that it was a strict anaerobe and that it fermented carbohydrates mainly to butyrate, acetate, C02, and H2. Its fermentation differed from that of S. ventriculi, which formed no butyrate but accumulated ethyl alcohol as a major product. Smit (78) mentioned another packet former, S. paludosa, similar to S. ventriculi in appearance, and probably anaerobic. S. paludosa was observed in sewage and in the sludge of polluted rivers, but it was not isolated. Thus, its relationship to other anaerobic sarcinae remains uncertain. This review is concerned with the biology of the sugar-fermenting, strictly anaerobic sarcinae, namely S. maxima and S. ventriculi. As will be discussed later, these are the only known species appropriately included in the genus Sarcina and


Summary One critical issue in multihop ad-hoc networks is the medium access control (MAC). The IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol is originally designed for fully connected, one-hop ad-hoc networks but not for multihop ad-hoc networks. In addition to the well known hidden-terminal problem, we found that IEEE 802.11 also suffers from an erroneous reservation problem which occurs when RTS-CTS exchange fails but the channel is incorrectly reserved. In this paper, we propose a jamming-based MAC (JMAC) protocol that is not only free from both the hiddenterminal and the erroneous reservation problems but also allows more concurrent transmission/receipt activities for stations within each other's transmission range. The idea behind the JMAC is to separate source stations' traffic from destination stations' traffic into different channels (i.e. dividing the shared medium into two channels), and explicitly signal the channel status by jamming the channels. Simulation results show that although the channel division incurs some cost, the advantages of being free from the erroneous reservation and the hidden-terminal problems, and the benefits of more concurrent transmissions will compensate the cost and provide higher channel utilization when data frame size is median or large. Copyright # 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The human ether-à-go-go related gene (hERG; officially designated as KCNH2) encodes the structure of protein forming α-subunit of voltage-gated ion channel which conducts the rapid component of delayed rectifier K+ current (IKr). This current plays an important role namely in the cardiac repolarization. Mutations in hERG result in inherited arrhythmogenic syndromes characterized by a lenghtening or shortening of QT interval on the electrocardiogram and by an increased occurrence of life-threatening arrhythmias. This review also introduces hERG channels as a part of regulatory mechanisms of the smooth muscle contractility, neuronal activity, release of several hormones, and of proliferation and apoptosis of cancer cells. There are also mentioned some of the diseases arising from hERG channel dysfunction, and some possibilities of use of hERG gene/channel as a diagnostic marker and potential therapeutic target in various diseases, namely in cancer.Key words: cancer - epilepsy - hERG - KCNH2 - K+ channel - LQTS - membrane potential - muscle contraction - proliferation - schizophrenia.


Turbocharger performance optimization on passenger car engines is particularly challenging, especially in case of severe engine downsizing and downspeeding.On high performance engines (e.g., heavy duty truck applications) turbocharger speed measurement is usually performed with the aim of maximizing engine power and torque, limiting turbocharger over-speed, which is harmful for its durability and reliability. This solution is too expensive for passenger cars, and the turbocharger speed sensor is typically not available.In this work, an innovative and low cost sensing chain for the rotational speed evaluation of the turbocharger is applied. With this information, obtained via an acoustic sensor, a new turbocharger control architecture has been developed to optimize turbocharger performance, in order to improve engine output torque under full load conditions.After a brief description of the new sensing chain and of the electronic components developed to manage this kind of information, the paper shows the new control architecture that takes advantage of the turbocharger speed information.Moreover, experimental results on a small turbocharged Diesel engine for passenger car applications are presented, demonstrating the achieved benefits.Copyright © 2014 by ASME


Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can increase plant fitness under certain environmental conditions. Among the mechanisms that may drive this mutualism, the most studied is provisioning of nutrients by AMF in exchange for carbon from plant hosts. However, AMF may also provide a suite of non-nutritional benefits to plants including improved water uptake, disease resistance, plant chemical defense, soil aggregation, and allelochemical transport and protection. Here, we use a meta-analysis of 93 studies to assess the relative effect of AMF on nutritional and non-nutritional factors that may influence plant fitness. We find that the positive effects of AMF on soil aggregation, water flow and disease resistance are equal to the effect of AMF on plant nitrogen and phosphorus uptake. However, AMF had no effect on the uptake of other nutrients, plant water content, allelopathic transport or production of chemical defense compounds. We suggest future research directions, including experimentally assessing the relative contribution on plant fitness of AMF interactions by untangling the independence of alternative benefits of AMF from an increase in nutrient uptake. This will lead to a more holistic view of the mycorrhizal-plant association and a more accurate picture of the net impact on the plant or plant community in question.

publisher-specific, author manuscript: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions


Although evidence suggests that successive climate disasters are on the rise, few studies have documented the disproportionate impacts on communities of color. Through the unique lens of successive disaster events (Hurricane Harvey and Winter Storm Uri) coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, we assessed disaster exposure in minority communities in Harris County, Texas. A mixed methods approach employing qualitative and quantitative designs was used to examine the relationships between successive disasters (and the role of climate change), population geography, race, and health disparities-related outcomes. This study identified four communities in the greater Houston area with predominantly non-Hispanic African American residents. We used data chronicling the local community and environment to build base maps and conducted spatial analyses using Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping. We complemented these data with focus groups to assess participants' experiences in disaster planning and recovery, as well as community resilience. Thematic analysis was used to identify key patterns. Across all four communities, we observed significant Hurricane Harvey flooding and significantly greater exposure to 10 of the 11 COVID-19 risk factors examined, compared to the rest of the county. Spatial analyses reveal higher disease burden, greater social vulnerability, and significantly higher community-level risk factors for both pandemics and disaster events in the four communities, compared to all other communities in Harris County. Two themes emerged from thematic data analysis: (1) Prior disaster exposure prepared minority populations in Harris County to better handle subsequent disaster suggesting enhanced disaster resilience, and (2) social connectedness was key to disaster resiliency. Long-standing disparities make people of color at greater risk for social vulnerability. Addressing climate change offers the potential to alleviate these health disparities.


The root of sarpgandha is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae has been traditionally used in Ayurveda for many years to treat the variety of diseases of that at been traditionally apper to bear little similar to one another. Rauwolfia Serpentina is a safe and effective treatment of hypertension. This author reviews the scientific literature with regard to the use of Rauwolfia and the treatment of hypertension. Much smaller dose of reserpine is required to obtain the antihypertensive activity. The present review focuses mainly on chemical composition, pharmacology, mechanism of action, side effect and toxicity and antihypertensive effect of Rauwolfia alkaloids. The plant provide clinician with a safe and effective adjunct to high blood pressure.


Objectives To describe deaths in prison among opioid-dependent people, and examine associations between receipt of opioid substitution therapy (OST) and risk of death in prison. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Adult prisons in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Participants 16 715 opioid-dependent people who were received to prison between 2000 and 2012. Interventions Opioid substitution therapy. Primary outcome measures Natural and unnatural (suicide, drug-induced, violent and other injury) deaths in prison. Results Cohort members were in prison for 30 998 person-years (PY), during which time there were 51 deaths. The all-cause crude mortality rate (CMR) in prison was 1.6/1000 PY (95% CI 1.2 to 2.2/1000 PY), and the unnatural death CMR was 1.1/1000 PY (95% CI 0.8 to 1.6/1000 PY). Compared to time out of OST, the hazard of all-cause death was 74% lower while in OST (adjusted HR (AHR): 0.26; 95% CI 0.13 to 0.50), and the hazard of unnatural death was 87% lower while in OST (AHR: 0.13; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.35). The all-cause and unnatural death CMRs during the first 4 weeks of incarceration were 6.6/1000 PY (95% CI 3.8 to 10.6/1000 PY) and 5.5/1000 PY (95% CI 2.9 to 9.4/1000 PY), respectively. Compared to periods not in OST, the hazard of all-cause death during the first 4 weeks of incarceration was 94% lower while in OST (AHR: 0.06; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.48), and the hazard of unnatural death was 93% lower while in OST (AHR: 0.07; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.53). Conclusions Mortality of opioid-dependent prisoners was significantly lower while in receipt of OST.


Abstract An increasing threat to the marine environment is the presence of debris in the ocean, which is predominantly a result of land-based sources and increasing use of single-use packaging items. To begin reducing the amount of debris entering the ocean, human behavior must be addressed. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how coastal recreationists behave towards the environment and whether their participation in recreation correlates to their reported behavior specific to marine debris control. Path analysis was used to determine how one's attitudes, knowledge, recreational activity, and background characteristics influence behavior. Results showed that type of recreational activity had very little impact on behavior and other predictors. From the model, marine environmental concern, connection to the marine environment, and gender most directly influenced reported behavior. Therefore, to encourage change in recreationists' relevant behavior, the results indicate social groups where behavior change efforts could initially be made. Additionally, the marine environmental concerns of different demographic groups should be considered and used in developing programs directed at increasing environmentally responsible behavior with emphasis on marine debris.


Features extracted from Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) have proven to be very effective in the context of Content Based Image Retrieval (CBIR). Recently, biologically inspired Hebbian learning algorithms have shown promises for DNN training. In this contribution, we study the performance of such algorithms in the development of feature extractors for CBIR tasks. Specifically, we consider a semi-supervised learning strategy in two steps: first, an unsupervised pre-training stage is performed using Hebbian learning on the image dataset; second, the network is fine-tuned using supervised Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) training. For the unsupervised pre-training stage, we explore the nonlinear Hebbian Principal Component Analysis (HPCA) learning rule. For the supervised fine-tuning stage, we assume sample efficiency scenarios, in which the amount of labeled samples is just a small fraction of the whole dataset. Our experimental analysis, conducted on the CIFAR10 and CIFAR100 datasets, shows that, when few labeled samples are available, our Hebbian approach provides relevant improvements compared to various alternative methods.


The economic globalization brought a shift from Keynesian State to the competitive State, which accepts a fierce international competition, enforcing national economic groups. Economic restructuring, together with the opening of markets forced these States to cut off labour costs, in order to attract foreign investment. This article analyses the contracting out system in two of the four biggest telecommunications public enterprises. The research points to the adoption of several kinds of contracting out practices, some of them rather unusual. This situation brought changes in both the management and the labour relations.


Antioxidative status study was made in cotyledons of 7days old as well as in leaf and stem tissues of 30 and 60 days old pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) namely Asha and Maruti subjected to different doses of endosulfan in the range 0.1-1.0%. The results revealed that the activities of the antioxidative enzymes and the antioxidant contents such as the super oxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), reducing power (RP), ascorbic acid (AsA) and total phenols (TP) increased with increase in the concentrations of endosulfan in different parts of the plants in both the varieties. It was interesting to note that the increase in the antioxidative enzymes and the antioxidant contents were higher in leaves than in stem and cotyledons in both the plant varieties. The Asha showed lower activity of SOD and higher activity of POD than the Maruti. The RP and AsA contents were higher whereas the TP content was lower in Asha than Maruti. The observed variations in the activities of the oxidative enzymes and the antioxidant contents of the plants treated with the varying concentration of endosulfan indicated that the antioxidative system in the plants plays a fundamental role in minimizing the deleterious effects of the oxidative stress in the two varieties of Cajanus cajan.


A European project started at the end of 1992, in which current methods as well as a trained panel were used to investigate office buildings all over Europe. The main aim of this EC-Audit was to develop assessment procedures and guidance on ventilaiton and source control, which help to optimize energy use in office buildings while assuring indoor air quality. Participants from 16 institutes in 11 countries joined.


Recently, many illegal refugees mainly from Africa have settled in Israel. The immigrants have community lives that are 'concealed' from the authorities. During the day their young children are sent to "pirate" daycares handled by babysitters from their community, most of them without any formal education. This case study describes, through a Teacher Educator perspective, the decision, dilemmas and manner of intervention within one "Pirate" daycare. These dilemmas include deciding and negotiating priorities (sanitary and educational), walking the fine line between suggesting and forcing an intervention(s).This study emphasizes the problems when cultures meet, and when compassion and professionalism come together.


In three different tasks, people described the location of one of two identical objects in a simple scene. When their addressees had the harder task, they usually adopted their addressee's point of view in order to facilitate communication. When the cognitive burden between subject and addressee was more balanced, subjects often used their own perspectives. Subjects often used landmarks or cardinal directions instead of personal perspectives when these were available. Terms like near indicating close proximity were preferred to far and to terms indicating direction. Describing spatial location reflects the interplay of social and cognitive factors.


Background: Aspiration is a common complication in acute stroke patients and is strongly associated with a poor outcome. Due to an insufficient sensitivity and specificity of clinical bedside tests, further refinements are needed to improve the accuracy of clinical aspiration screening in acute stroke. Objective: To assess the ability of the simple 2-step swallowing provocation test (SPT) to detect aspiration risk in acute stroke patients. Methods: 100 consecutive patients with first-ever stroke were examined by SPT and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) within 72 hours of stroke onset. Using FEES as an objective instrumental technique to evaluate dysphagia, statistical measures representing the ability of SPT to detect aspiration risk were calculated. Results: The incidence of endoscopically proven aspiration risk was 81%. The 1st-step SPT had a sensitivity of 74.1% and a specificity of 100%. Although the 2nd-step SPT showed the same 100% specificity, sensitivity was significantly lower. False-negative results of SPT appeared predominantly in subjects exhibiting leakage of liquids to pyriform sinus without a pronounced delay in swallow onset. Conclusions: In acute stroke patients with an impairment of the pharyngeal phase of swallowing, 1st-step SPT reliably detects aspiration risk. In patients with a sole or predominant impairment of the oral phase of swallowing and a relatively intact pharyngeal phase, SPT fails to detect aspiration risk sufficiently. In the latter group, FEES or additional clinical features more specifically indicating oral-phase pathology should be considered to accurately judge the patient's aspiration risk.


Background Little information on the effects of Vitamin E on inflammation and immune function in humans is available so we decided to investigate the effect of Vitamin E on this autoimmune disease, as our knowledge for the first time. Objectives This study investigated the effects of Vitamin E on the inflammatory mediators and Immunity factors in adults with active RA Methods In a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial 43 RA patients were randomly divided into 2 groups, each group receiving one of the following daily supplement for 3 months; Group E: 400 mg Vitamin E, Group P: placebo. Cytokines, Citrolinated Antibody (CCP-A)were measured by Elisa method, Vitamin E measured by HPLC. Results After study there were no significant differences between groups in cytokines IL2, IL4, TNFα, IL1β, Il2/IL4, CCP-A, WBC and Neutrophils, Lymphocyte, Monocytes, Eeosinophils numbers.TNFα decreased in 2 groups nonsignificantly, but its reduction was more in group E. IL1β increased in both groups P and E (P=0.004, P=0.041 respectively). IL4 decreased in groups E and P (P=0.07, P=0.068 respectively). ESR, CRP, DAS 28 and GPA decreased in group E (P≤0.05). Conclusions Vitamin E probably can be useful in RA patients. References Venkatraman J, Meksawan K(2002) Effects of dietary omega3 and omega6 lipids and vitamin E on chemokine levels in autoimmune-prone MRL/MpJ-lpr/lpr mice. J Nutr Biochem 13(8), 479. Comstock GW, Burke AE, Hoffman SC, Helzlsouer KJ, Bendich A, Masi AT, Norkus EP, Malamet RL, Gershwin ME(1997) Serum Concentration of alpha tocopherol and carotene and retinol perceding the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthitis and systemic lupus erythmatus. Ann Rheum Dis 56, 323- 5. Edmonds SE, Winyard PG, Gue R, et al.(1997) Putative analgesic activity of repeated oral doses of vitamin E in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, Results of a prospective placebo controlled double blind trial. Ann Rheum Dis 56, 649-55. Tidow -Kebritchi S, Mobarhan S (2001). Effects of diets containing fish oil and vitamin E on rheumatoid arthritis. Nutr Rev 59(10), 335-8. Wittenborg A, Petersen G, Lorkowski G, Brabant T(1998) Effectiveness of vitamin E in comparison with diclofenac sodium in treatment of patients with chronic polyarthritis. ZRheumatol 57(4), 215-21. J van Tits L, Demacker P N, Graaf Jde, Lemmers H LH, Anton F (2000)α-Tocopherol supplementation decreases production of superoxide and cytokines by leukocytes ex vivo in both normolipidemic and hypertriglyceridemic individuals. Am J Clin Nutr 71, 458–64. Pallest EG, Schoten EG, Dewaart FG, Fonk HC, Doekes G (1999) Effect 50 and 100 mg vitamin E supplements on Cellular immune function in noninstitutionalized elderly person.American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 69(6),1273-81. Beharka AA, Wu D, Serafini M, Meydani SN(2002) Mechanism of Vitamin E inhibition of Cyclooxygenase activity in macrophages of old mice role of peroxynitrite. Free Radic Biol Med 15, 32(6), 503-11. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


I would like to comment on a recent paper by Egenhoff and Fishman (2013) that discusses observations made on cores of the Bakken Shale and presents a methodology to examine and describe these cores. In this contribution I would like to discuss some of their observations and conclusions related to perceived bioturbation features. The authors very eloquently came up with an attractive title for their paper "Traces in the Dark," and it is this darkness that I would like to shine some light on. Some of the burrows that are shown, like the burrow tubes with contrasting fill in their figure 4, are rather clear, and there is no disagreement. Others, like those in their figure 5, may just as well be cross sections of pellets, and probably a thin section parallel to bedding would be required to sort out their actual origin (e.g., Macquaker et al. 2010). The aspects that I found the most troubling are shown in their figure 6 (A and B), where a laminated black shale is shown on which the authors drew white lines to highlight what they interpret to be burrows that penetrate this laminated shale.

And there is the rub: without these white lines I would never have been able to "see" these "burrows," and I have seen plenty of subtle bioturbation in shales before (e.g., Schieber 2003). Having worked on Devonian black shales for two decades, I actually have hundreds of thin sections like this one in my collection. The silt laminae in sections from my collection, especially if only a few grains thick, show gaps and discontinuities in the ten to hundred micron range quite commonly, but I personally would not interpret these gaps in terms …


Objectives To elucidate the bidirectional temporal relationship between elevated faecal haemoglobin (f-Hb) concentration and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Design A longitudinal cohort study was conducted by utilising data on community-based periodical screening for colorectal cancer with faecal immunochemical test (FIT) and health check-up for MetS. Setting Population-based organised integrated service screening in Keelung city, Taiwan. Participants We enrolled a total of 62,293 community residents aged 40–79 years. Main outcomes and measures Bidirectional outcomes of FIT-positive and MetS were measured. Results The presence of MetS at baseline led to a statistically significant 31% elevated risk of being incident FIT-positive (adjusted HR, (aHR)=1.31, 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.51) whereas the effect of those with FIT-positive at baseline on incident MetS was not statistically significant (aHR=1.06, 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.25) after adjusting for relevant confounders. Such an effect was particularly noted for three individual components (abnormal waist circumference, higher fasting plasma glucose and lower high-density lipoprotein). Conclusions Our finding on the presence of MetS before FIT-positive based on bidirectional relationship assessment suggests the control of MetS may contribute to reducing the risk of colorectal neoplasia through the early surveillance of f-Hb. However, such a temporal epidemiological finding still needs to be verified by using other external data.


PURPOSE
The in-situ efficacy of an experimental stannous (Sn)-containing sodium fluoride (NaF) dentifrice against erosion and erosive tooth wear was compared with a conventional NaF dentifrice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
This was a randomised, controlled, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trial. Mandibular appliances containing four enamel specimens (2 per side [L/R] of the appliance) were worn by 60 generally healthy adult subjects. Subjects were randomised to treatment based on age and gender. Treatments included a Sn-containing NaF or conventional NaF dentifrice. Conditions of erosion (dentifrice slurry treatment) and erosion/tooth wear (dentifrice slurry plus brushing) were compared. Dentifrices were used twice per day for 30 s of lingual brushing, followed by 90 s of slurry exposure. In addition, the two specimens on the left side of the mouth were brushed for 5 s each, using a power toothbrush. All specimens were exposed to four daily erosive challenges with commercial orange juice (pH 3.6). Tooth wear was measured as enamel loss using non-contact profilometry on day 10.

RESULTS
At the day 10 visit, the adjusted mean (SE) enamel loss for specimens receiving slurry (erosion) treatment was 4.7 µm (0.61) [Sn-containing NaF] and 8.73 µm (1.12) [NaF control], with results demonstrating a statistically significant benefit for the Sn-containing dentifrice (46.2% benefit; p = 0.009). For specimens exposed to erosion/tooth wear conditions, enamel loss = 6.68 µm (1.29) (Sn-containing NaF) and 10.99 µm (1.29) (NaF group), with results statistically significant (p = 0.048; 39.2% better, favouring the Sn-containing dentifrice). When data were combined, enamel loss (SE) for all specimens subjected to erosion + erosion/tooth wear was 5.61 µm (0.77) (Sn-containing NaF]) and 9.9 µm (1.3) (NaF group). The difference again was statistically significant, favouring the Sn-containing group (p = 0.022; 43.4% better).

CONCLUSIONS
The Sn-containing dentifrice demonstrated significantly better protection than did NaF under erosive and erosive/tooth wear conditions.


The medium to low voltage transformer substation is a key element in the distribution system. Therefore, smart transformer substations will play a crucial role in the evolution of distribution towards the smart grid. Smart transformer substations can provide a significant improvement of continuity of supply. However, a large investment is required, so the optimal degree of automation must be determined. The main objective of this paper is to quantify the impact of smart MV/LV transformer substations on continuity of supply, which is essential to determine the optimal automation degree. The analysis has considered different degrees of implementation of smart MV/LV substations for different configuration schemes of urban distribution networks. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses have been performed for the main parameters involved so that conclusions on reliability improvement achieved by MV/LV transformer substation automation can be scaled up.


Abstract—High penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources (RES) such as solar power and wind power into the energy system has caused temporal and spatial imbalance between electric power supply and demand for some countries and regions. This brings about the critical need for coordinating power production and power exchange for different regions. As compared with the poweronly systems, the combined heat and power (CHP) systems can provide additional flexibility of utilizing RES by exploiting the interdependence of power and heat production in the CHP plant. In the CHP system, power production can be influenced by adjusting heat production level and electric power can be used to satisfy heat demand by electric boiler or heat pump in conjunction with heat storage, which is much cheaper than electric storage. This paper addresses multi-site CHP systems without considering RES, which lay foundation for handling penetration of RES. The problem under study is the unit commitment (UC) of the transmission-constrained multi-site CHP systems. We solve the problem by combining linear relaxation of ON/OFF states and sequential dynamic programming (DP) techniques, where relaxed states are used to reduce the dimension of the UC problem and DP for improving the solution quality. Numerical results for daily scheduling with realistic models and data show that DP-based algorithm is from a few to a few hundred times faster than CPLEX (standard commercial optimization software) with good solution accuracy (less than 1% relative gap from the optimal solution on the average).


: The article is the result of practical experience in using demonstration methods of teaching a foreign language where some methods of using computer technologies are shown. The purpose of this article is to review the currently existing innovative technologies and substantiate the feasibility of their practical application in the process of teaching foreign languages in the light of ongoing reforms of the educational system. The article discusses the currently existing innovative teaching technologies (Internet, software, hardware, slide presentations), the possibilities and advantages of their use in the process of teaching foreign languages, which highlights interest from the audience, increases the motivation for studying the subject while this creates a special emotional perception of educational material.


The monozygotic twin member with the larger birth weight later has a slight IQ advantage over the lighter co-twin. The question arises whether this is due to interconnected foetal circulations (which in extreme cases cause the twin transfusion syndrome). An attempt is made to clarify this hypothesis.


Background:
The uptake of smartphones as external compensatory memory aids following an acquired brain injury (ABI) in rehabilitation settings is low. Potential reasons for this include professionals not having evidence-based guidelines regarding the best methods to train smartphone use and prospective users not being familiar with technology and/or having memory and learning difficulties. This paper describes the protocol of a study that aims to compare the efficacy of three training methods (Systematic Instruction, Error-based Learning and Trial-and-Error) for training the use of a smartphone reminder app, in people with ABI presenting with memory complaints.

Methods/Design:
This is a three-armed, assessor-blinded, Phase II randomised controlled trial. The estimated sample size is 51 participants aged >18 years, who are equally randomised to one of the three training groups. They are seen across four sessions: one to conduct baseline measures; one for training the use of an app and two for follow-up assessments (1- and 6-weeks post-training). The main outcome measure is proficiency of performance in tasks with the trained app. Secondary outcomes include generalisation of skills to other apps, number of errors committed while attempting the tasks, frequency of smartphone usage in general and as a memory aid and confidence in smartphone use and memory self-efficacy. Outcome measures are collected by an independent blinded assessor. Proficiency of performance, generalisation of skills and error commission are measured immediately post-training and at the two follow-up sessions. The other secondary measures are taken pre-intervention and at the two follow-up sessions.

Discussion:
This study will provide initial evidence regarding the efficacy of three different methods to train ABI survivors with memory difficulties in how to use smartphone apps as compensatory memory aids. The results could inform a larger Phase III trial and advance knowledge concerning the advantages or disadvantages of using error-reducing and trial-and-error techniques. Further, the findings could determine the potential of error-based learning as an emerging training method for people with memory impairment within rehabilitation.


Abstract. In recent papers (Alfonso et al., 2013; Alfonso and Raga, 2017) the sol-gel transition was proposed as a mechanism for the formation of large droplets required to trigger warm rain development in cumulus clouds. In the context of cloud physics, gelation can be interpreted as the formation of the lucky droplet that grows by accretion of smaller droplets at a much faster rate than the rest of the population and becomes the embryo for raindrops. However, all the results in this area have been theoretical or simulation studies. The aim of this paper is to find some observational evidence of gel formation in clouds by analyzing the distribution of the largest droplet at an early stage of cloud formation, and to show that the mass of the gel (largest drop) is a mixture of a Gaussian and a Gumbel distributions, in accordance with the pseudo-critical clustering scenario described in Gruyer et al. (2013) for nuclear multi-fragmentation.


Purpose: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is a risk factor for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease, highlighting the need for identifying and ranking effective cognitivecommunication interventions.Methods: Databases were searched since 2005 to identify randomized controlled trials evaluating interventions for SCD. I reviewed systematically twenty researches and proposed the evidence based data, including their effect sizes using a meta-analysis method. Outcome measures included the domains of 12 cognitions and three communications.Results: The main findings were as follows. Firstly, intervention programs were designed diversely in a session or mode. Their main domains were general cognition, memory, language, etc. Secondly, the average effect size of cognitive-communication interventions was significant. Thirdly, most cognitive domains like processing speed, memory, working memory, and executive function were very effective and significant in the results of treatment. Lastly, naming and comprehension in communication had the significant effect sizes.Conclusion: These results provide evidence-based information to support cognitive-communication intervention for individuals with SCD. Given this, it is possible to facilitate the preventive interventions for SCD in clinical settings, warranting further research into effective elements of their approaches.


Cognitive Dynamics Underlying Rule Induction in Children and Adults Steve Croker Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA Corinne Zimmerman Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA Bradley Morris Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA Abstract: We examined the cognitive dynamics on an inductive reasoning task in which children and adults made predictions about which of two cars would go faster. Participants attempted to induce an underlying rule that was either plausible or implausible, and where one perceptually salient feature (e.g., color) and one less salient feature (e.g., tailfin) were causal factors. On each trial, accuracy, response time, and mouse trajectory data were recorded. Mouse trajectories revealed that participants deviated more from an idealized path to the correct response when there was less perceptual difference between two cars and the underlying rule was implausible relative to trials with perceptually salient differences and a plausible rule. Adults were more accurate and faster than children, but the motor dynamics were remarkably similar. Our data suggest that both global (rule) and local (stimulus features) constraints affected the relative activations of competing representations over single trials and across the experiment.


In the last few decades, the use of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is continuously increasing such as HDPE pipes. These pipes are frequently used in the construction of long-buried infrastructures including water mains, sewers, and gas pipelines. These pipes are available in standards lengths and can be customized as per desired lengths using the fusion welding technique. In this article, the effect of changing the welding parameters such as temperature, heat, and soaking time on the performance of the fusion welding joint in HDPE is presented. The structural performance is measured by comparing the tensile strength of the unwelded and welded structure. Furthermore, the structural performance of extruded HDPE pipes and injection-molded HDPE fittings, such as elbows, tee-joints, and close end cap connections, are also discussed. The findings of this research are very useful in understanding and improving the structural performance of HDPE fusion welds with the help of comparative studies based on tensile strength on the welded joint in HDPE.


The WFPC2 camera on HST has been used to obtain photometry of the low-metallicity ([Fe/H] = −2.14), outer-halo globular cluster NGC 2419. Our color-magnitude diagram in (V, V − I) reaches V lim ≃ 27.8, clearly delineating the subgiant and turnoff region and about three magnitudes of the unevolved main sequence. A differential fit of the NGC 2419 CMD to that of the similarly metal-poor 'standard' cluster M92 shows that they have virtually identical principal sequences and thus the same age to within 1 Gyr. Previously published studies of many other low-metallicity globular clusters throughout the Milky Way halo show that they possess this same age to within the ∼ 1 Gyr precision of measurement. The addition of the remote-halo object NGC 2419 to this list leads us to conclude that the earliest star (or globular cluster) formation began at essentially the same time everywhere in the Galactic halo throughout a region now almost 200 kpc in diameter. Thus for the metal-poorest clusters in the halo there is no detectable age gradient with Galactocentric distance. To estimate the absolute age of NGC 2419 and M92, we fit newly computed isochrones transformed through model-atmosphere calculations to the (M V , V − I) plane, with assumed distance scales that represent the range currently debated in the literature. Unconstrained isochrone fits give M V (RR) ≃ 0.55 ± 0.06 for both clusters, and a resulting age of 14 to 15 Gyr. Incorporating the full effects of helium diffusion would further reduce this estimate by ∼ 1 Gyr. The first reports of Hipparcos parallax measurements for the lowest-metallicity subdwarfs suggest that the distance scale could be as bright as M V (RR) = 0.15 for [Fe/H] ≃ −2, which would require the cluster ages to be less than 10 Gyr; however, the isochrone fits for a distance scale this extreme leave several serious problems which have no obvious solution in the context of current stellar models.


The channel H2O in beryl constitutes a large reservoir of molecular water; concentrations attain 2.4wt.o/0. Stepwise heating experiments, carried ovt in vacuo, permitted the differential extraction of both the channel H2O and water from other minor sources (e.g., fluid inclusions) for quantification and hydrogen isotope analysis. Beryl is a ubiquitous primary mineral in the two groups of Late Archean granitic pegmatites that occur in the Dryden area, in Ontario, and the hydrogen isotope composition of its channel H2O has a range of ca. 25o/or. Igneous fractionation trends in the rare-element granitic pegmatites of the Mavis Lake group, the focus of this study, are described by: (l) systematic changes in the mineral assemblage of the pegmatites with increasing distance from the parent granire (beryl to spodumene - beryl - tantalite), (2) decreasing K,/Rb ratio in blocky K-feldspar that coexists with beryl (K/RbKrs = 59 to 16), (3) increasing concentrations of channel H2O in beryl (1.16 to 2.25 wt.t/o), and (4) increasing 6D values in beryl (-78 to -53%o). As there is no compelling field or petrographic evidence for vapor saturation during the bulk of pegmatite crystallization, these trends are interpreted to have resulted from crystallization at vapor-undersaturated conditions, with the composition of the channel H2O in the beryl approximating that of dissolved magmatic H2O. Hydrogen isotope fractionations between muscovite and the channel H2O in coexisting beryl from the Taylor Beryl No. 2 (A1,4r-1-1,o : -2lo/oi and Fairservice Property No. 1 (Ayr_g 190loo) pegmatites are analytically indistinguishable, and yield temperatures of crystallization in the range 5J0-430oC, which agree well with those based on phase-equilibrium studies. As such, the existence of molecular H2O, trapped in channels in beryl during the late stages of pegmatite crystallization, may facilitate the detailed study of volatile evolution in a wide range of Archean and younger granitic pegmatite systems.


In this work, the authors demonstrate the potential of epitaxially grown highly doped InSb as an engineered, wavelength-flexible mid-IR plasmonic material. The authors achieve doping concentrations over an order of magnitude larger than previously published results and show that such materials have plasma frequencies corresponding to energies larger than the material's band-gap. These semiconductor-based plasmonic metals open the door to homoepitaxial integration of plasmonic or epsilon-near-zero materials with optoelectronic devices at mid-infrared wavelengths. The materials are characterized by Hall measurements, mid-infrared transmission and reflection spectroscopy, and near-infrared transmission spectroscopy. The opportunities offered and the limitations presented by this material system are discussed and analyzed.


reflection Starlight reserves are a relatively new concept whose definition and management protocols have come about in an era when understandings of human relationships with nature are dynamic and infused with cultural meaning. Rather than assuming that pristine nature can be sealed off from human influences, World Heritage guidelines now accept that our experience of nature may be enriched by attention to the multifunctional landscape, in which a blend of aesthetic, historical, cultural, scientific and environmental elements are carefully presented to tourists. Observatories and clear night skies are ideal sites for such an interface, and the loss of dark skies has led to new systems of audit aimed at their preservation. This study of the potential for a World Heritage Site in the Mackenzie Basin, in the South Island of New Zealand, grounds the interaction between World Heritage goals and management of land use in a place where exceptional sky quality and competing land uses challenge multiple stakeholders to rethink their concepts of landscape.


E-commerce's explosive growth has seen corporate Web sites mature from electronic versions of glossy brochures to full-service storefronts. To support this new environment, companies are providing real-time customer service to their Web customers. Despite this tremendous e-commerce growth, many people remain reluctant to complete a Web transaction without first talking to a live agent. Corporations are linking their Web sites to call centers where pools of trained agents can assist Web shoppers that need help in real time. To provide Web visitors with instant customer service, retailers are adding a talk-to-agent button on Web pages. When a visitor presses the button, the Web site will present the caller with several options for actuary talking to an agent. These options include e-mail, text chat, agent callback, and Internet telephony. There are two main technology alternatives that a call center can implement for Web integration. The first technology enables a traditional call center that has circuit-switched-based systems to support talk-to-agent alternatives. The second technology is the implementation of an all-IP call center infrastructure. Mitretek's Call Center Lab has assessed several products.


NATIVE AND SPANISH NEW WORLDS: SIXTEENTH-CENTURY ENTRADAS IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST, Clay Mathers, Jeffrey M. Mitchem and Charles M. Haecker. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press, 2013, 382 pp., app., notes. $50.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-8165-3020-5; $35.00 (paper), ISBN 978-0-8165-3122-6In the "Editors' Preface," Clay Mathers and Jeffrey Mitchem explain that this volume owes its genesis to a variety of venues, including the Albuquerque meetings of the Society for Historical Archaeology in 2009; the Atlanta meetings of the Society for American Archaeology, in 2009; and a weeklong seminar at the Amerind Foundation, also in 2009. The editors organized the volume to cut across the artificial geographical barriers established by our discipline, but not by the indigenous people of North America. As a result, this book provides meaningful insight into the peoples of two culture areas within the southern United States.The first chapter, "Entradas in Context," is an overview by Mathers and Mitchem. This is followed by eight sections in this volume and (with the exception of the first and fifth sections) all have paired chapters. The six sections include: Native Perspectives, Historiography, Climate, Disease, Conflict, and the concluding Discussion.The first section, entitled "Native Perspectives," provides only one view that of being Zuni in western New Mexico. This southwestern perception starts off a little slow, but less than half-way through the chapter, I was thoroughly engaged by the writing of Kurt Dongoske and Cindy Dongoske, who note that Vasquez de Coronado arrived at Zuni during an important religious ceremony. The "Knight of Spain" was insulted by the lack of attention he felt he was owed, and the Spaniards did not attempt to understand the concerns of the Zuni people. As a result, conflict erupted in which a number of Indigenous warriors died. This section was well worth reading but unfortunately, there is no Southeastern perspective on first encounters.Section II provides a "Historiography" using two chapters. The first is on the Vasquez de Coronado expedition in "Catch as Catch Can" (Richard Flint and Shirley Flint). The chapter provides valuable information for understanding the background of an entrada, including its composition, needed skills, multiplicity of cultures, as well as the men and women who composed such an impetuous band. Such information establishes a baseline for understanding the interactions between the entradas and their reluctant hosts. The second chapter, entitled "Contact Era Studies and the Southeastern Indian" by Robbie Ethridge, discusses the development of ethnohistory, the relation between history and anthropology, and the need for a synthesis of Indigenous culture and historySection ID deals with "Climatic Influences and Impacts" by examining our current knowledge of the environment in the Southwest and its impact on Hispanic and Indigenous interactions in the Middle Rio Grande basin (Carla Van West, Thomas Windes, Frances Levine, Henri GrissinoMayer, and Matthew Salzer). This approach offers a fresh perspective on the religious conflict between two cultures during a major drought culminating in the "hanging of Pueblo leaders in 1675" C. E. (p. 98). Dennis Blanton examines La Florida in the sixteenth century. He notes cultural responses to drought differ between societies based upon their cultural complexity and knowledge of the environment. In other words, Indigenous societies experienced less drastic stress than members of the colonial European occupation-a finding supported by archaeological disaster studies in general.Section IV examines the impact of introduced diseases. Both the Southwest chapter (Ann Ramenofsky and Jeremy Kulisheck) and the Southeast chapter (Dale Hutchinson) conclude that the impact of infectious microbes is less than once believed by scholars. Ramenofsky and Kulisheck state "warfare, exploitation, and disease were the common variables that shaped the colonial encounter, understanding how these variables operated singly or in combination must be investigated on a case-by-case basis" (p. …


We propose a variational Bayesian inference procedure for online nonlinear system identification. For each output observation, a set of parameter posterior distributions is updated, which is then used to form a posterior predictive distribution for future outputs. We focus on the class of polynomial NARMAX models, which we cast into probabilistic form and represent in terms of a Forney-style factor graph. Inference in this graph is efficiently performed by a variational message passing algorithm. We show empirically that our variational Bayesian estimator outperforms an online recursive least-squares estimator, most notably in small sample size settings and low noise regimes, and performs on par with an iterative least-squares estimator trained offline.


The study aims to determine the influence of chicken manure dose on growth and yield on three kinds of lettuce (Lactuca sativa, L.) planted in a polybag. This research was conducted from November 2019 until January 2020, in Gerdu Village, Karangpandan District, Karanganyar Regency, between 450 - 650 m above sea level. The research used a factorial method with a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consist of two treatment factors. The first factor is dose of chicken manure consisting of 3 levels (D1 = 62.5 g/ polybag, D2 = 125 g / polybag, D3 = 187.5 g/ polybag). The second factor was varieties of lettuce (V) consist of 3 types (V1 = Grand Rapids Variety, V2 = Kriebo Variety, V3 = Bisi SL 02 Variety). Analysis of variance was used to analyzed the data, with the F test at 5% and 1% levels and then followed by Duncan's multiple range test at 5% level. The results showed that chicken manure dosage significantly affects fresh weight and consumption weight per plant. The best dose of chicken manure for the treatment is 125 g / polybag. The varieties significantly affected plant height, fresh weight, and consumption weight and significantly affected leaf width per plant. The interaction between the dose of chicken manure and varieties of lettuce (DxV) showed the best results on the combination 125 g / polybag chicken manure dose with the Kriebo variety (D2V2). This treatment combination gives the highest consumption weight, which is 76.52 g. While the treatment combination of 62.5 g / polybag chicken manure dose and Bisi SL 02 variety (D1V3) had the lowest consumption weight (39.68 g).


Radial growth of trees is highly determined by environmental conditions. Wood can preserve environmental effects at different levels of its structure, regardless if tree-ring level, seasonal wood, subseasonal or cell structures are considered. We decided to employ vessel cell parameters of earlywood to investigate how hydroclimatic parameters   affect the development of earlywood structures of European ash growing on active terrace of medium size European river  under the influence of river regime. The main conclusions of our research are : vessel cell parameters of earlywood of European ash, particularly average area of cell, seams to bear relatively strong hydroclimatic signal for trees growing in floodplain forests; the strongest relation between hydroclimatic parameters and vessel cell traits of European ash can be observed for the vessels of earlywood except the first row of vessel cells or the entire extent of earlywood rather than for the zone of the first row of vessel cells; the positive relation between precipitation or streamflow and all the investigated vessels parameters  of earlywood was identified,  the negative relation between temperature and all the investigated  vessels  parameters   of  earlywood  was  identified;  the  hydroclimatic  parameters  of  the  previous  year  seem  to  have predominant effect on development of traits of vessel cells in earlywood rather than parameters of current year; streamflow could be considered as the parameter that substitutes well, or even is more important than precipitation, as far as water availability for development of vessel cells of ash trees growing on active terrace of river valley is concerned. The results presented in this paper should rather be considered as preliminary. These results will be verified and challenged, in the course of currently continued studies, while farther empirical material is available. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of  Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


Abstract Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important viral pathogen causing lower respiratory tract infection (LRI) in infants. This study describes the clinical and genetic epidemiology of RSV infection among Tunisian neonates. Nasopharyngeal aspirates collected from 268 newborns with LRI were screened for RSV by immunofluorescence assay. Positive samples were analysed by RT-PCR-hybridisation assay for subgroup classification of RSV genomes. RSV infection was present in 23.1% of neonates, with a predominance in males. Peak incidence occurred in winter. Subgroup classification showed a higher prevalence of group B than group A strains. Nosocomially acquired RSV infection was present in 37% of neonates, 54.3% had an underlying condition predisposing to severe disease and 13% died. The average duration of hospital stay was 10 days and 87% of newborns required supplemental oxygen. As no currently effective treatment is available, preventive measures are a priority in high-risk infants.


X-ray diffraction computed tomography (XRD-CT) was employed to study a commercial 18650 cylindrical LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) battery under operating conditions and during seven cycles. Multiple chemical heterogeneities related to the lithium distribution were observed in both the cathode and the anode from the analysis of the spatially-resolved diffraction signals. It is shown that during the battery charging, the anode exhibits different degrees of activity regarding the lithiation process. Explicitly, the following three regions were identified: uniform/homogenous lithiation, delayed lithiation and inactive-to-lithiation regions. The delayed lithiation region, observed for the first time, was seen to have a direct impact on the properties of NCA in its close proximity during the battery discharging, preventing its full lithiation by trapping the lithium in the form of LiC30-30+ phase. Further to this, the aluminum tab negatively affected the NCA in direct contact with it, leading to different lattice parameter a and c evolution compared to the rest of the cathode.


From January 1972 to June 1990, 112 patients (39 to 83 years old), 67 males and 45 females were submitted to surgery for sever calcified aortic stenosis. 68 patients were in NYHA III (60.72%) and 44 in NYHA IV. Early mortality included 8 patients (7.14%), 6 died for cardiac reasons. Late mortality was 27.67%. Actuarial survival rate (including postoperative mortality) was 88.39%, 77.67%, 67.85% and 65.17% at one year, five, ten and fifteen years, respectively. Results were significantly correlated to left branch block on preoperative EKG, episodes of complete heart failure, significant coronary stenosis, the cardioplegia technique and the association with coronary bypass.


Abstract Maintaining independence while aging in place at home requires support, especially for older adults aging with long-term mobility disabilities. As age-related changes progress, individuals with long-term mobility disabilities experience more challenges engaging with daily living activities (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). To understand the activity challenges of these older adults, we analyzed the interview data from the Aging Concerns, Challenges, and Everyday Solution Strategies (ACCESS) study, a comprehensive user needs assessment of 60 older adults who have had mobility disabilities for at least ten years (Koon et al. 2019). We selected interview data that focused on the conduct of ten activities at home: bathing, dressing, moving around, toileting, transferring, doing hobbies, housekeeping, home maintenance, managing diet and nutrition, and caring for others. This archival study used the coding schemes from the ACCESS study that were developed using both conceptual- and data-driven approaches (Koon et al., 2019). The ecological theory of adaptation and aging (Nahemow and Lawton, 1973) was the underlying framework to identify the challenges related to older adults' functional capacity (personal) and physical environmental barriers (environmental). We identified five main challenges: physical strength, general health limitations, mobility limitations, physical access, and transferring. Older adults' responses to overcoming the challenges involved personal, environmental, and person-environment interaction strategies. This study provides insights into the relationship between the source of environmental barriers and personal coping strategies to guide the design of appropriate aging in place supports for older adults with mobility disabilities.


ABSTRACT Child and adolescent psychology and psychiatry healthcare guidelines recommend a structured clinical assessment of conscience of juveniles displaying antisocial behaviour to substantiate the allocation of treatment or penal sanctions. The scientific literature on conscience development is accumulating, yet no widely accepted, integrative clinical instrument for assessment of conscience is available. Consequently, clinicians assess conscience, utilising their acquired knowledge and experience. Resulting in a largely intuitive process that varies vastly among professionals. This study aimed to gather and explicate the implicit knowledge of experienced clinicians on the assessment of adolescent conscience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven clinical experts working in various Dutch (forensic) mental health organisations. Using a five-phase systematic and structured content analysis, the framework method was applied to explore the techniques and concepts used by clinical experts. The concepts they used grossly matched the concepts found in the literature. We identified three pivotal domains: empathic capacity, self-conscious emotions, and moral reasoning. Moreover, the data suggested to consider these domains expressing the overarching concept of self-image or identity. These results will enable the design of a clinically based, comprehensive instrument to improve the quality of the assessment of conscience in the context of child and adolescent forensic psychiatric healthcare.


Xiaoyan6 (XY6) is a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar possessing non-race-specific high-temperature seedling plant (HTSP) resistance against stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). Previously, we identified one particular gene, TaRPS2, for its involvement in the HTSP resistance. To elucidate the role of TaRPS2 in the HTSP resistance, we cloned the full length of TaRPS2 from XY6. The transcriptional expression of TaRPS2 was rapidly up-regulated (19.11-fold) under the normal-high-normal temperature treatment that induces the HTSP resistance. The expression level of TaRPS2 in leaves was higher than that in the stems and roots. Quantification of the endogenous hormones in wheat leaves after Pst-inoculation showed that 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), salicylic acid (SA), and jasmonic acid (JA) were involved in the HTSP resistance. In addition, detection of the H2O2 accumulation indicated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst was also associated with the HTSP resistance. Two hours after exogenous H2O2 treatment or 0.5 h after SA treatment, the expression level of TaRPS2 was increased by 2.66 times and 2.35 times, respectively. The subcellular localization of eGFP-TaRPS2 fusion protein was in the nucleus and plasma membranes. Virus-induced gene silencing of TaRPS2 reduced the level of HTSP resistance in XY6. Compared with the non-silenced leaves, the TaRPS2-silenced leaves had the reduction of necrotic cells but a greater number of uredinia. These results indicated that TaRPS2 positively regulates the HTSP resistance of XY6 against Pst and is related to the SA and H2O2 signaling pathways.


Home visits have a large influence on the academic achievement of students and the relationship between teachers and students. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of home visits on students' academic success and behavior in the classroom. This study investigated the parent involvement of the students who were visited by teachers compared to students who were not visited by teachers. An explanatory mixed research method was used to determine the influence of the home visits on the academic achievement and classroom behavior of students compared to students whose homes were not visited. The first phase of the study was a survey instrument to measure the perspectives of teachers regarding the academic success and behavior of students. The second phase of the study included interviews with teachers to investigate their perceptions of the home visits. The total sample size of the study was 128 for the survey, and 10 of the 128 later participated in interviews. The results of the study indicate that home visits and family engagement have positive impacts on students' academic achievements and attitudes in school. The results of the study are applicable broadly in education and can assist teachers in improving the academic performance of their students


Objective: Neurofi bromatosis type 1(NF1) is one of the most common autosomal dominant multisystem diseases. Many endocrine problems especially related to puberty and growth may accompany NF1. We evaluated growth, pubertal development and endocrine problems in patients with NF1. Material and Methods: We obtained the anthropometric variables, and clinical and laboratory data of 38 patients (18 girls and 20 boys) with sporadic (55.3%) or familial NF-1 (44.7%). Six patients had affected mothers and 11 had affected fathers). The mean age at referral was 10.8±4.4 years (range 2.10 to 19 years) and 24 patients were pubertal (63.2%). The average age at diagnosis was 6.6 years and the mean follow-up period was 4.2 years. Results: Short stature was recognized in 11 of the 38 children (28.9%). One of them had an endocrine disorder (hypothyroidism). Obesity was diagnosed in 5 cases (13.2 %) and another 5 cases were overweight (13.2%). Puberty was abnormal in 7/38 of the children (18.4%). Two cases of delayed puberty, 1 central precocious puberty (1 male with optic glioma), 1 premature telarche, 2 premature pubarche and 1 pubertal gynecomastia cases were found. Lisch nodules were seen in 9 cases (23.7%). Scoliosis was diagnosed in 5 cases (13.2%). Hypothyroidism was detected in 3/38 (7.9%) children. Two of them had autoimmune thyroiditis and one had congenital hypothyroidism (dyshormonogenesis). The frequencies of vitamin D defi ciency and insuffi ciency in the winter were 44.7% and 10.5% respectively. There vitamin D levels were not adequate in our NF1 patients. Conclusion: Vitamin D defi ciency, obesity, short stature and pubertal disorders were the most common endocrine problems in our study group. We believe that patients with NF1 should see an endocrinologist routinely.


THE PRESENT PAPER PROPOSED TO IMPLEMENT A NEURAL HIERARCHICAL MULTI-MODEL (MNJ) BASED ON THE SIMILARITY WITH THE FUZZY MODEL OF TAKAGI-SUGENO. THE MNJ HAS THREE PARTS: 1) FUZZYFICATION; 2) INFERENCE ENGINE IN THE LOWER HIERARCHICAL LEVEL, USING RECURRENT NEURAL NETWORKS, RNR; 3) DEFUZZYFICATION IN THE UPPER HIERARCHICAL LEVEL, USING ONE RNR DOING A FILTERED WEIGHTED SUMMATION OF THE OUTPUTS OF THE LOWER LEVEL RNRS. THE LEARNING AND FUNCTIONING OF BOTH HIERARCHICAL LEVELS IS INDEPENDENT. THE MNJ IS IMPLEMENTED IN TWO SCHEMES OF DIRECT ADAPTIVE CONTROL AS AN IDENTIFIER AND AS A FEED-FORWARD/FEEDBACK CONTROLLER, AS WELL. BOTH CONTROL SCHEMES ARE APPLIED FOR CONTROL OF A MECHANICAL PLANT WITH FRICTION AND COMPARED WITH OTHER NEURAL AND FUZZY CONTR


To prevent the deterioration of jujube wine quality due to commercial heating process for sterilization, hydrostatic pressure (500 ㎫, 5 min) or freezing (frozen at -20℃ for 3 days, followed by thawing at room temperature for 4 hr) treatment was applied. Their microbial count, physicochemical property and sensory quality were investigated in comparison to heat-treated jujube wine (63℃, 10 min) and commercial wine. Pressure-treated and commercial jujube wine were completely sterilized and heat-treated wine was decreased to <10 CFU/㎖ while freezing-treated jujube wine was partially sterilized (30~60%). Hydrostatic pressure and freezing, and heat treatment had no influence on chemical compositions such as pH, acidity, amino acidity, reducing sugar and ethanol content, but significantly induced the changes of instrumental color. While sensory quality of heat-treated jujube wine was significantly deteriorated, reducing sour and burning taste, that of pressure and freezing?treated jujube wine was maintained fresh without decrease in sour and burning taste.


This paper introduces a conceptual framework for modeling outsourcing into business games. A review of the Simulation and Games and ABSEL literature reveals that virtually no work has been done in the area of modeling outsourcing concepts into business games. The paper, while being preliminary, (i) briefly reviews the trends in outsourcing, (ii) summarizes a theoretical back for outsourcing, (iii) presents some possible outsourcing options, (iv) develops a framework for linking outsourcing possibilities to a team's general business strategy. The paper concludes with a brief simulated illustration. The primary purpose of the paper is start a discussion on outsourcing and its role in business games.


This paper studies optimal Ramsey taxation when risk sharing in private insurance markets is imperfect due to limited enforcement. In a limited commitment economy, there are externalities associated with capital and labor because individuals do not take into account that their labor and saving decisions affect aggregate supply, wages and thus the value of autarky. Due to these externalities, the Ramsey government has an additional goal, which is to internalize the externalities of labor and capital to improve risk sharing, in addition to its usual goal minimizing distortions when financing government expenditures. These two goals drive capital and labor taxes in opposite directions. By balancing these conflicting goals, the steady-state optimal capital income taxes are levied only to remove the negative externality of the capital, and optimal labor income taxes are set to meet the budgetary needs of the government in the long run, despite positive externalities of labor.


Temporally resolved evolution of parameters in atmospheric plasma jet is studied by means of microwave scattering, fast photographing, and measuring of jet currents. It is observed that streamer ("plasma bullet") propagating along with gas flow is generated immediately after the breakdown. It is demonstrated that an afterglow plasma column remains on the way of streamer passing. Lifetime of the afterglow plasma column is 3–5 μs, which is longer than that of the streamer.


The phytohemagglutinin effect in vivo on monooxygenase activity depends on the type of the cells under study (thymocytes, splenocytes, macrophages, hepatocytes) and on the period after lectin injection. Variations of monooxygenase activities associated with different forms of cytochrome P-450 are established to have a number of peculiarities in isolated hepatocytes as compared to those in the liver microsome fraction. These differences are supposed to be due to the effect of nonmicrosomal cytochrome P-450. The results obtained are discussed with regard for phytohemagglutinin effect on systems regulating activity of cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenases.


The aim of this study is to find out the service quality to passenger the train of Prambanan Ekspres (Prameks), passengers perception about the train, and the reason for choosing the train. Data of passenger characteristic and service quality to passengers  were collected by using questionnaire distributed to 379 passenger. To analyze the results questioner used Excel. Quality of services provided by PT . KAI  is quite satisfactory for the passengers. Prambanan Express The Train is the most desirable public transport for traveling Yogyakarta - Solo, because travel costs are cheaper , practical , safer and more comfortable than any other transport.


Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has been one of the important managerial issues. The benefits of Relationship Marketing has been well recognized and new information technologies offer amazing possibilities for CRM practice. The processes of implementing CRM, however, are expensive, and yet the failure rate of the CRM projects is also high. Of the failures, 20% end up even damaging to long-standing customer relationships. This study focuses on explaining theoretically why huge IT investment on CRM practice does not always generate the successful outcomes to the organizations, what are the critical factors of CRM, and how the factors influence the CRM performance. Based on the review of the previous frameworks and definitions of CRM, the study proposes an integrated CRM framework. In addition, among others, CRM Fit and Customer Orientation are addressed as critical factors of successful CRM. Although technology has been identified as a main enabler of successful CRM, many CRM experts have claimed that it is not technology in isolation that brings the success to the CRM practice. Adopting Task-Technology Fit (TTF) model, CRM Fit, not Technology, is included in the research model. Therefore, this study proposes that CRM Fit has a positive relationship with CRM performance and Customer orientation moderates the effect of CRM Fit on CRM performance.


This design note describes an optoelectronic technique able to obtain the surface topography. The sensor is based on a new fringe projection system, which uses a phase diffraction grating. The proposed system is simple, compact, robust and easy to use.


A multiple midlatitude 6300-A auroral arc occurred during the recovery phase of a geomagnetic storm on March 8/9, 1970. Variations of the arcs were characterized by a southward shift in position and by a diminution in intensity with time before midnight. During the recovery phase of the storm, well-defined magnetic baylike disturbances occurred. The vairations in both position and brightness of the concurrent arc were strongly correlated with changes in the H and D components of these geomagnetic field deviations. An equivalent current system is determined from these baylike disturbance fields observed at twenty-six magnetic observatories for periods when the correlation was strongest. The current system found is similar to that of the DP 1 field, with a superimposed DP 2 field. The changes in these fields that are associated with the bayklie disturbances are presented to account for the transient variations observed in the intensity and position of the midlatitude auroral arc.


This article explores relations between theatre, science, and the popular, which have largely been overlooked by Nordic theatre studies. The aim here is to introduce and understand the variety of ways theatre may communicate science to the public, the point of departure informed by the historical development of the relations between the three concepts and Edmund Husserl's phenomenological critique of modern science. The two analytical examples are Swedish Charlotte Engelkes' and Peder Bjurman's Svarta hal – en kvantfysisk vaudeville (2014) and Danish Hotel Pro Forma's adult performance for children Kosmos+ En Big Bang forestilling om universets vidundre (2014).History of science reveals complex combinations of science and the popular in theatrical events that raises the question if the audience's understanding of the scientific subject matter itself always was – or has to be – the purpose of the popular science performance, or if it rather was – and is – about spurring interest by inspiring sentiments of wonder and reflection on science's impact on life and outlooks. Newer conceptual developments also suggest that it is not always the case that theatre is a tool for science popularisation, as a specific genre science theatre, but that scientific information and concepts are artistically interpreted by theatre, and not always in ways affirmative of the science. This later variant is called science-in-theatre. The two genres are demonstrated through the analyses of Svarta hal and Kosmos+, the claim being that the first was an ambiguous exposition of science, i.e. science-in-theatre, whereas the second established an artistically visionary affirmation, as regular science theatre.


Transmission electron microscope observation of mouse lymph nodes demonstrated that reticular fibers in the paracortex were invested not only by reticular cells, but occasionally also by migratory cells such as interdigitating cells, macrophages, and lymphocytes. Quantitative analysis of electron micrographs covering wide areas revealed that about 90% of the surface area of the reticular fiber was enclosed in the sheath of reticular cells in both nude and hetero mice, whereas the rest of the surface area was associated with migratory cells. In nude mice, whose lymph nodes contain more numerous interdigitating cells than hetero animals, about 9% of the surface area was occupied by interdigitating cells including Langerhans cells; in hetero mice only about 3% was associated with the interdigitating cells. Actively phagocytizing macrophages occupied about 3% of the surface area in both nude and hetero mice. Contact between lymphocytes and reticular fibers was observed in hetero mice, whereas this relation could not be demonstrated in nude mice whose lymph nodes contain very few lymphocytes. These results suggest that the association between reticular cells and reticular fibers in the paracortex of lymph node is flexible, allowing for the interposing of migratory cells.


The fourth-order nonlinear boundary-value problem for the evolution of a single symmetric grain-boundary groove by surface diffusion is modelled analytically. A solution is achieved by partitioning the surface into subintervals delimited by lines of constant slope. Within each subinterval, the advance of the surface is described by an integrable nonlinear evolution equation. The model is capable of incorporating the actual nonlinearity arbitrarily closely. The surface profile is determined for various values of the central groove slope including the limiting case of a groove which has a root that is vertical. Such a solution exists only because of the nonlinearity.


This article addresses a split that has occurred in group analytical metatheory. It also addresses diversity and its resulting consequences on the practical level, in relation to the psychoanalytical concept of acting out. Differences in metatheory can be resolved pragmatically by examining different levels and figure ground perspectives within a group. This article then makes a theoretical suggestion, based on the metatheoretical framework model developed by Preben Bertelsen. In that model, the different ontological and epistemological levels among different theories can be seen as parts of a coherent narrative.


We introduce the concept of information compressibility, KI, which measures the relative change of number of available microstates of an open system in response to an energy variation. We then prove that at the time in which the system reaches a steady state, the second and third time derivatives of the information entropy are proportional to the corresponding time derivatives of the energy, the proportionality constant being KI. We argue that if two steady states with different but same-sign KI are dynamically connected in a non-adiabatic way it takes a longer time to reach the state with compressibility closer to zero than the reverse. We also show analytically that for a two-level system in contact with external baths, the information compressibility is inversely proportional to the temperature measured at any given time by a probe that is coupled to the system, and whose temperature is adjusted so that the system dynamics is minimally perturbed. This concept, that applies to both classical and quantum open systems, thus provides insight into the properties of non-equilibrium steady states.


This paper provides a joint analysis of business and credit cycles with a focus on unobservable factors affecting both cycles, at the cross-country level. Using quarterly data for 19 developed countries and Russia for the period from 1994 to 2018, we build a system of two dynamic probit models, which includes a cross-correlation between the errors of the equations governing the probability of a recession and the probability of credit crisis. The results show that, first, our system allows us to correctly predict 91% of episodes of joint realization of macroeconomic and credit crises and 89% of non-crisis periods in the training sample, and 92% and 95% respectively in the testing sample. Second, switching from two independent regression models to a system of correlated equations significantly (by 16 percent- age points) increases the share of correctly predicted crisis episodes while only slightly (by 7 percentage points) reducing the proportion of correctly predicted non-crisis episodes. Third, our system can predict an approaching crisis earlier, by 1–4 quarters, in comparison with similar single models. Our results complement the literature on forecasting recessions and credit crises. Fourth, it is revealed that the models which have been constructed on developed countries allow one to predict crisis events for Russia. The model we have constructed correctly predicts 100% of joint crisis episodes and 92% of joint non-crisis episodes in the training sample as well as 86% of joint crisis and 90% of joint non-crisis episodes in the testing sample for Russia.


Correspondence: Karina Marcovitch Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry, 3200 South University Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33322, USA email email@example.com Background: Optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) is a congenital optic disc anomaly, often manifesting with visual deficits. Case: A 51-year-old woman with a history of bilateral amblyopia was referred for glaucoma evaluation due to elevated intraocular pressure. The patient demonstrated the classic nerve head appearance of bilateral ONH with "double ring sign" and indistinguishable cupping. Despite demonstrating functional and structural measurements consistent with glaucomatous optic neuropathy, it was felt that these deficits were more likely longstanding and secondary to ONH. Additionally, in the absence of any amblyogenic factors, it was also concluded that the patient's bilateral "amblyopia" was the result of ONH. In that the patient presented with a significant and modifiable risk factor for glaucomatous development and pre-existing retinal nerve fiber layer and visual field defects, the patient was treated with topical glaucoma medications. Conclusion: Diagnosing glaucoma in patients with concurrent anomalies is a clinical conundrum. This report provides a review of ONH with emphasis on the common misdiagnosis of amblyopia in these patients as well as presenting a strategy for diagnosing and managing glaucoma in patients with preexisting, confounding conditions.


Abstract Background and study aims Image-enhanced magnifying endoscopy allows optimization of the detection and diagnosis of lesions found in the gastrointestinal tract. Current organ-specific classifications are well-accepted by specialized endoscopists but may pose confusion for general gastroenterologists. To address this, our group proposed the Unified Magnifying Endoscopic Classification (UMEC) which can be applied either in esophagus, stomach, or colon. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance and clinical applicability of UMEC. Patients and methods A single-center, feasibility pilot study was conducted. Two endoscopists with experience in magnifying narrow band imaging (NBI), blinded to white-light and non-magnifying NBI findings as well as histopathological diagnosis, independently reviewed and diagnosed all images based on UMEC. In brief, UMEC is divided into three categories: non-neoplasia, intramucosal neoplasia, and deep submucosal invasive cancer. The diagnostic performance of UMEC was assessed while using the gold standard histopathology as a reference. Results A total of 303 gastrointestinal lesions (88 esophageal squamous lesions, 90 gastric lesions, 125 colonic lesions) were assessed. The overall accuracy for both endoscopists in the diagnosis of esophageal squamous cell cancer, gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer were 84.7 %, 89.5 %, and 83.2 %, respectively. The interobserver agreement for each organ, Kappa statistics of 0.51, 0.73, and 0.63, was good. Conclusions UMEC appears to be a simple and practically acceptable classification, particularly to general gastroenterologists, due to its good diagnostic accuracy, and deserves further evaluation in future studies.