Although the broad field of ecology and its role in understanding the distribution and diversity of life on earth is a central part of the natural sciences, there is currently no comprehensive ranking of academic institutions for this discipline, which has quadrupled in research volume and visibility over the past three decades. We assessed scholarly productivity in the field of ecology for 316 North American academic institutions between the years 2000 and 2014. We present institutional rankings of productivity in terms of number of publications, number of citations, and Hirsch's h index, a measure that integrates productivity and impact. For the top-ranked institutions, we also calculated hm, an h-based metric used to compare productivity across institutions of different sizes. In addition, we analyzed the effect of institution size on h index, publication rate, and number of citations. We found that scholarship in ecology is not significantly different between public and private universities, and from institutions ranging in size from extremely large to relatively small. Many of the institutions in the "ecology top 20" are widely considered as being among North America's elite schools. However, there are several smaller institutions that have very high research productivity and impact in ecology with an apparently very strong ecology faculty. Administrators, faculty, prospective faculty, and students use institutional rankings, along with other data, to make decisions about programs in which to invest or participate. Relative institutional strength in the field of ecology, however, has not been previously measured, perhaps because faculty with expertise in ecology are often dispersed through multiple academic units of a university. Thus, our findings fill an important gap for ecology as a discipline.


Haplostoma humesi, new species, is described on the basis of females found in a compound ascidian (Aplidium sp.) collected in Madagascar. The female carries a single egg sac on the urosome. This feature has not been reported in any of the 12 named species of the genus Haplostoma; all those whose egg sacs have been described possess 2. In spite of its unique feature, H. humesi is closely related to H. canui, from the French Channel coast, described by Chatton and Harant (1924) and restudied by Ooishi (1994). Like H. canui, legs 1-4 of H. humesi have the endopods reduced (without a distal protrusion) and have the exopods armed only with bifurcate spines (lacking a lateral seta). Nevertheless, H. humesi can be distinguished from H. canui by minute differences in the legs, as well as by differences in the body form, rostrum, antennule, labrum, and caudal ramus. This is the first haplostomatin to be reported from the Indian Ocean.


A hybrid self-hearing motor, which Is a functional combination of general permanent magnet (PM) motor and hybrid active magnetic bearing(AMB), was proposed a few years ago. In this paper the hybrid self-bearing motor is modified to a disk type, in which one of two magnetic hearings was substituted for a thin yoke to make the system more compact. An outer rotors in this self-hearing motor is actively controlled only in two radial directions while the ocher motions are passively salable owing to the disk-type structure. Main advantages of the proposed self-hearing motor are simple control mechanism, low power consumption and smart structure. Mathematical model for the magnetic force Is built wish consideration of the radial displacement of the rotor. The model helps us not only to design a levitation controller but also to expect the system performance. Some experimental results show good capability and feasibility of the Proposed self-bearing motor.


This thesis deals with the concept of a field, in particular magnetic and gravitational ones at two school levels: primary and secondary ones.

From the analysis of previous research and a deep content analysis, we focused this work on some specific hypothesis of research, based on two principal research questions: 1) can field lines representation facilitate a more global vision of the field (as opposed to the local one) and a differentiation of the different types of field by their maps; 2) can the differentiation of polar and dipolar fields allow students to identify the specific properties of the different types of field.

The research hypothesis are presented in two groups, one for each school level, and they are specified in sub-hypotheses, and put to the test. They are mostly related to the distinction between the two effects of magnetic interaction (attraction and orientation), to the conception of magnetic field lines as "lines of orientation" (and not lines of force), to the distinction between unipolar and dipolar field.

In two preliminary studies, at primary school, we identified some potentialities and difficulties of this approach at this school level. In particular: the source of magnetic field is more easily recognised by children than that of the gravitational field, in the magnetic interaction the attraction effect is dominant with respect to the rotation effect, and finally children are able to differentiate the shape of magnetic and gravitational fields, but they have some difficulties to pass from the difference between the shapes of field lines to the difference between the actions of the two sources.

On the basis of these two preliminary studies at primary school, we designed two teaching-learning sequences about magnetic field, at primary (9-10 years old) and secondary (18-19 years old) school levels.

At primary school level, field representation by field lines was accessible at a large part of the children. They where able to identify magnetic field lines with lines of orientation (and not of force) and to differentiate between the maps of the two fields (magnetic and gravitational), but we still observed the difficulty to pass from the difference between the maps to the difference between the actions of the two sources, whereas the obstacle "attraction is dominant", found in the preliminary researches, seemed overcome.
At secondary school level, students used the shape of field lines to differentiate polar and dipolar fields. Field lines were used also to identify the analogies between fields. In this school context, the results of the analysis of the sequence and of the post test show to which extent – in fact: large - the approach proposed helps students consistently progress toward an understanding of the concept of a field. They also suggest guidelines for future research.


A summary of internal migration in Nepal is provided with attention given to its history since the sixteenth century as well as its volume and patterns as recorded in census data for 1952-1954 1961 1971 and 1981. Economic and employment conditions as motivations for migration are considered. (ANNOTATION)


Purpose: In this work, we introduce a method to classify Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients into four clinical profiles using structural connectivity information. For the first time, we try to solve this question in a fully automated way using a computer-based method. The main goal is to show how the combination of graph-derived metrics with machine learning techniques constitutes a powerful tool for a better characterization and classification of MS clinical profiles. Materials and Methods: Sixty-four MS patients [12 Clinical Isolated Syndrome (CIS), 24 Relapsing Remitting (RR), 24 Secondary Progressive (SP), and 17 Primary Progressive (PP)] along with 26 healthy controls (HC) underwent MR examination. T1 and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were used to obtain structural connectivity matrices for each subject. Global graph metrics, such as density and modularity, were estimated and compared between subjects' groups. These metrics were further used to classify patients using tuned Support Vector Machine (SVM) combined with Radial Basic Function (RBF) kernel. Results: When comparing MS patients to HC subjects, a greater assortativity, transitivity, and characteristic path length as well as a lower global efficiency were found. Using all graph metrics, the best F-Measures (91.8, 91.8, 75.6, and 70.6%) were obtained for binary (HC-CIS, CIS-RR, RR-PP) and multi-class (CIS-RR-SP) classification tasks, respectively. When using only one graph metric, the best F-Measures (83.6, 88.9, and 70.7%) were achieved for modularity with previous binary classification tasks. Conclusion: Based on a simple DTI acquisition associated with structural brain connectivity analysis, this automatic method allowed an accurate classification of different MS patients' clinical profiles.


Antarctic terrestrial biodiversity is challenged by rapid climatic changes and expansion of the human footprint. As well as the potential for environmental damage at the local level, these challenges are likely to act synergistically to increase the risk of introduction and establishment of non-native species and diseases and reduce the resilience of native ecosystems. The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty ('the Protocol') entered into force in 1998 and is the main governance mechanism that regulates environmental management in Antarctica. We examine how well the Protocol and associated management tools are currently equipped to protect Antarctic terrestrial biodiversity in a warmer and busier Antarctic, considering likely future challenges, current levels of compliance with the Protocol and implementation of its requirements, and participation in environmental matters by Antarctic Treaty Parties. We argue that a strategic-level response will be needed to boost the ability of the Antarctic Treaty System to deal with the large-scale, pervasive challenges of climate change and increased human activity. A strategic planning approach that can (1) account for trends over long periods, (2) take into consideration cumulative effects, (3) be guided by a set of consciously chosen priorities, and (4) take an integrated approach towards management of human activities and the conservation of the Antarctic environment, will permit the anticipation of upcoming challenges and risks and adoption of proactive and holistic management strategies.


Abstract Not Available – First paragraph follows:
The navel orangeworm, Paramyelois transitella (Walker), is a sporadic pest of almonds in California. Crop damage caused by this pest tends to increase and persist at an economically significant level for a few years in a particular locality, and then to drop to a low, chronic level for an indefinite period. The factors causing these changes in infestation are not known. Since this moth does not attack an almond crop until the nuts begin to ripen, the grower usually does not appreciate the extent of its damage until harvesting begins. A system to detect and assess changes in the pest population would enable growers to adjust harvest operations, if necessary, to minimize damage; for example, to harvest and fumigate susceptible soft-shell varieties as early as possible. These studies were to determine the value of chemical attractants in a detection program.


Introduction The 2004 NCEPOD report "Scoping our Practice"1 had been highly critical of certain aspects of ERCP practise in UK, raising specific concerns about case selection and sedation practise. We analysed our own ERCP practise in a medium sized district hospital with a moderate case workload and a growing proportion of elderly population. Methods Retrospective data was collected from 263 ERCPs performed between 2009–2011. Comprehensive information regarding demographics, indications, success and complication rates was recorded from ERCP reports and case notes and our practise was compared to NCEPOD recommendations. Results 263 (n) ERCPs were included in this study. Median age was 72 (range = 16–98), 63% were females. 55% of patients were ASA grade 3–4. 84% of ERCPs were of grade 1 difficulty. All ERCP referrals were reviewed and authorised by a consultant gastroenterologist. Indications for ERCP were choledocholithiasis (63%), pancreatic or biliary malignancy with obstructive jaundice (18%), stent removal/replacement (10%), dilatation of biliary ducts with abnormal liver function tests (10%) and others (4%). > 90% of ERCPs were performed with a therapeutic intent and success was achieved in 86% of ERCPs at first attempt. Our successful cannulation rate was of 92%. Only 9.1% of cases were referred to tertiary centres for further management. Prophylactic oral ciprofloxacin was used in 60% of patients. Patients received a combination of midazolam and pethidine with a mean dose (±SD) of 3.2 mg (± 2.03) and 44.3 mg (±16.05) respectively. Reversal with flumazenil or naloxone was not required in any of the patients included in this study. Biliary sphincterotomy was performed in 60%(156), pre-cut sphincterotomy in 2.6%(7), stricture dilatation in 9.5%(25), biliary stenting 30.4%(80), balloon sphincteroplasty 3%(8), balloon trawl 67%(177) and mechanical lithotripsy 8.7%(23). 78.7% of malignant strictures were successfully stented (37). Overall complication rate was 5.7% - moderate haemorrhage requiring blood transfusion in 1.5%(4), post ERCP pancreatitis in 2%(6), sepsis 1.9%(5), duodenal perforation 0.7%(1) and respiratory arrest in 0.7%(1). 30 day mortality rate was 0.76%(2). Conclusion In contrast to NCEPOD report, our audit demonstrates that ERCP practise is effective, safe and of high quality in a district general hospital setting. Complication and mortality rates are minimal and comparable to national standards, even in the elderly population. Post ERCP very low sepsis rate is most likely due to use of prophylactic antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin). Disclosure of Interest None Declared. Reference NCEPOD. Scoping our practise; the 2004 report of the National Confidential Enquiry into patient Outcome and Death. London. NCEPOD 2004. Available from: URL: http://www. ncepod.org.uk/2004.htm


A plausible explanation for the ancient long jump records from Greek antiquity is sought on the basis of pictorial and written sources, and corroborated with practical tests. Ancient sources report that athletes jumped more than 15 m with weights in their hands, which enabled them to jump further than without these weights. It is proposed that the ancient Greek long jump was a continuous succession of five standing broad jumps, in which the landing phase of one jump was also the countermovement for the next jump. Four trained athletes jumped further with (14.64 ± 0.76 m, range 13.64 – 15.63 m) than without weights (13.88 ± 0.70 m, range 12.60 – 14.75 m; P  =  0.001). These results show that this technique is executable, fits with ancient written and pictorial sources, and allows trained modern athletes to jump distances well over 15 m. The extra distance jumped when using weights may be due to changes in the position of the jumper's centre of mass at take-off and at landing, and an increase in take-off velocity stemming from several biomechanical mechanisms.


In the Czech Republic, tornadoes may reach an intensity of F2 and F3 on the Fujita scale, causing "considerable" to "severe" damage. Documentary evidence is sufficient to allow the creation of a chronology of such events, from the earliest recorded occurrence in 1119 CE (Common Era) to 2019, including a total of 108 proven or probable significant tornadoes on 90 separate days. Since only 11 significant tornadoes were documented before 1800, this basic analysis centers around the 1811–2019 period, during which 97 tornadoes were recorded. Their frequency of occurrence was at its highest in the 1921–1930, 1931–1940, and 2001–2010 decades. In terms of annual variations, they took place most frequently in July, June, and August (in order of frequency), while daily variation favored the afternoon and early evening hours. Conservative estimates of human casualties mention 8 fatalities and over 95 people injured. The most frequent types of damage were related to buildings, individual trees, and forests. Tornadoes of F2–F3 intensity were particularly associated with synoptic types characterized by airflow from the western quadrant together with troughs of low pressure extending or advancing over central Europe. Based on parameters calculated from the ERA-5 re-analysis for the period of 1979–2018, most of these tornadoes occurred over a wide range of Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) values and moderate-to-strong vertical wind shear. The discussion herein also addresses uncertainties in tornado selection from documentary data, the broader context of Czech significant tornadoes, and the environmental conditions surrounding their origins.


This paper firstly analyzes the national standards for the new energy vehicles in China. Then the government regulations to the new energy vehicles are introduced. The incentives for the new energy vehicles in some China cities are analyzed. The international brands hybrid cars and China brands new energy vehicles on China market are listed. The clean vehicles which were and will be used in the public transportation systems of the Beijing Olympic Games 2008 and Shanghai Expo 2010 are also listed. This paper can provide a reference for the auto manufacturers to make plans how to developing the right new energy vehicles for China automotive market.


There is controversy over the age of onset of puberty in normal children and the risk of missing pathology if the recently proposed revised age guidelines for referring patients are followed. However, there is little recently published information on the frequency of different diagnoses in children referred for signs of early puberty. The purposes of this study were 1) to analyze the spectrum of diagnoses made in a consecutive group of children referred to a single clinician for signs of early puberty; 2) to see whether certain patient groups were more likely to be obese; and 3) to estimate the incidence of endocrine pathology in this sample. The charts of all children referred to the author for evaluation of signs of early puberty between October 1999 and October 2002 were reviewed. Criteria were developed to assign patients to one of seven diagnostic categories based on age, growth, and clinical findings, and differences from the population mean for height and percentage of ideal body weight in the different groups were determined. Most of the patients referred (87%) were female, and the two most common diagnoses made were premature adrenarche (46%) and premature thelarche (18%). Only 9% (all girls) were thought to have true precocious puberty. Two conditions not well described in the literature, pubic hair of infancy and premature menses, were found in 8 and 5%, respectively. Patients with premature adrenarche were significantly taller and more overweight than the general population; a subgroup had evidence of accelerated growth and bone maturation but no worrisome endocrine findings. Acanthosis nigricans was found in 13% of the girls in this study, but the incidence of true endocrine pathology was very low. The majority of children being referred for precocious puberty have benign normal variants, with a very low incidence of endocrine pathology. Most girls presenting with minimal breast or pubic hair development and normal growth velocity may be managed with observation and without a full endocrine evaluation.


This paper aims to assess the value of the Egan Skilled Helper model in helping social workers in training to develop their communication skills with service users. The model was taught to first year BSc Social Work students. During their subsequent first assessed practice placement fifteen volunteers participated in focus groups. Here they discussed how useful the Egan model was as a communication and problem management tool for working with service users. A key finding is that students were able to transfer their skills learning into practice. Further findings are that students improved their communication skills and were better able to place service users at the centre of decision making. The implications of these findings for social work training are discussed together with some of the challenges of working with the model.


An efficient simulator of Petri nets, suitable for both loosely and tightly coupled parallel systems and featuring high-execution speed, is proposed. This speed is obtained through an optimized software structure on an original hardware architecture that is based on digital signal processors of the TMS320 family. The Petri net class outlined compactly represents a wide range of processes by restricting the model size and the relevant simulation times. The simulation algorithm and simulator implementation are described.<<ETX>>


The Ventura region is of interest for its great thickness of Tertiary sediments, and for the nearly complete record it affords of events in the Pleistocene. This Pleistocene history may be divided into four major episodes; deposition of 4700 feet of marine sediments, deformation of all the rocks in the region, erosion to a surface of late maturity, designated as the Rincon Surface, and uplift which initiated the present erosion cycle. The late-Pleistocene intermittent uplift is recorded by terraces in the Ventura River valley, and by marine terraces along the coast. Both sets of terraces are warped, and reach their maximum elevation where the most intense deformation of the underlying rocks has occurred. Fossils of birds, plants, vertebrates, and marine invertebrates found on the lowermost of the marine terraces at Carpinteria are believed to have accumulated approximately 30,000 years ago in the waning phase of the last Pleistocene glaciation. The plant fossils may have been introduced by small streams in time of flood; the vertebrates are a tarpit accumulation. Changes in the appearance of the Ventura shoreline during the period of uplift, and at the present time, follow a definite sequence. The recognition of this sequence as part of an erosion cycle applicable to steeply sloping shorelines of emergence is an outgrowth of this study. This new cycle differs materially from the one previously described for gently sloping emergent shorelines. Some evidence is found in the Ventura region favoring a recent eustatic lowering of sea level. The fluctuations of sea level during the last glaciation have also been recorded.The development and preservation of coastal terraces is determined by the nature of the bedrock. The best preserved terraces have been cut in the siliceous shales of the Modelo formation. The marine terraces have a local, rather than regional distribution, and owe their altitude to both vertical uplift and warping. Attempts to correlate marine terraces on this coast with glacial oscillations of sea level are not successful. Deformation, both faulting and warping, has continued in to the present in the Ventura region. The Coast Ranges in this section of Southern California are to be regarded as a growing mountain range.


Systemic lupus erythematosus is generally recognized to be a multisystem autoimmune disease with kidney involvement. However, the occurrence of other non-lupus glomerulopathies has been rarely reported in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. It is well known that lupus nephritis may switch over time to another class according to the World Health Organization classification. It seems likely that IgA nephropathy is a clinical characteristic of a particular subset of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. We report a 22-year-old Japanese man with recurrence of proteinuria. The renal flare occurred when he was without lupus clinical and serological activity, and renal remission was only obtained with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin II receptor blocker therapy. Although the incidence of IgA nephropathy is high in Japan, we believe that this is the first report of a Japanese patient in which lupus nephritis switched over time to IgA nephropathy.


When a scene is photographed many times by different people, the viewpoints often cluster along certain paths. These paths are largely specific to the scene being photographed, and follow interesting regions and viewpoints. We seek to discover a range of such paths and turn them into controls for image-based rendering. Our approach takes as input a large set of community or personal photos, reconstructs camera viewpoints, and automatically computes orbits, panoramas, canonical views, and optimal paths between views. The scene can then be interactively browsed in 3D using these controls or with six degree-of-freedom free-viewpoint control. As the user browses the scene, nearby views are continuously selected and transformed, using control-adaptive reprojection techniques.


The case for chip multiprocessor (CMP) or multicore designs is strong, and increasingly accepted as evidenced by the growing number of commercial multicore designs. However, there is also some evidence that the quest for instruction-level parallelism, like the Monty Python parrot, is not dead but resting. The cases for CMP and ILP are complementary. A multitasking or multithreaded workload will do better on a CMP design; a floating-point application without many decision points will do better on a machine with ILP as its main parallelism. This paper explores a model for achieving both in the same design, by reconfiguring functional units on the fly. The result is a virtual multiprocessor (or vMP) which at the software level looks like either a uniprocessor with n clusters of functional units, or an n-core CMP, depending on how the data path is configured.


Shocks are excited by impulsive forces and cause discomfort in vehicles. Current standards define means of evaluating shocks and predicting their discomfort, but the methods are based on research with a restricted range of shocks. This experimental study was designed to investigate the discomfort of seated subjects exposed to a wide range of vertical shocks. Shocks were produced from the responses of one degree-of-freedom models, with 16 natural frequencies (from 0.5 to 16 Hz) and four damping ratios (0.05 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4), to a hanning-windowed half-sine force inputs. Each type of shock was presented at five vibration dose values in the range 0.35 ms -1.75 to2.89 ms -1.75 . Fifteen subjects used magnitude estimation method to judge the discomfort of all shocks. The exponent in Stevens' power law, indicating the rate of growth in discomfort with shock magnitude, decreased with increasing fundamental frequency of the shocks. At all magnitudes, the equivalent comfort contours showed greatest sensitivity to shocks having fundamental frequencies in the range 4 to 12.5 Hz. At low magnitudes the variations in discomfort with the shock fundamental frequency were similar to the frequency weighting Wb in BS 6841, but low frequency high magnitudes shocks produced greater discomfort than predicted by this weighting. At some frequencies, for the same unweighted vibration dose value, there were small but significant differences in discomfort caused by shocks having different damping ratios. The rate of increase in discomfort with increasing shock magnitude depends on the fundamental frequency of the shock. In consequence, the frequency-dependence of discomfort produced by vertical shocks depends on shock magnitude. For shocks of low and moderate discomfort, the current methods seem reasonable, but the response to higher magnitude shocks needs further investigation.


ABSTRACT This study aims to classify service quality elements in candy industry in order to determine their instrumentality to customer satisfaction. To address this purpose, a Fuzzy Kano questionnaire was distributed to 512 major retailers of candy products of four predominant candy companies in Iran. Subsequently, we calculated satisfaction increment index (SII) and dissatisfaction decrement index (DDI) for each of the quality elements. Brand name and quality are considered as must-be elements, while availability of credit purchases is considered as indifferent element by the majority of retailers. Eight out of 24 studied elements are found to be considered as attractive elements by majority of customers. Regular visits element ranks first in terms of satisfaction increment index (SII). This paper provides helpful insight for marketers to prioritize improvement of different quality elements. Therefore, this paper helps organizations to perceive their customers needs more thoroughly and improve their customer satisfaction policy.


We study the scattering properties of a bi-inductive electrical lattice consisting of a onedimensional array of coupled LC units. For an initially localized electrical excitation, and in the absence of any impurity, we compute in closed form the mean square displacement of an initially localized electrical excitation for the cases of an infinite and semi-infinite lattice, obtaining a ballistic propagation under very general conditions. For the transport of extended excitations, we compute in closed form the transmission coefficient of plane waves across an impurity region, containing a number of side-coupled units, or a single internal impurity with coupling to first-and second nearest neighbors, looking for the presence of Fano resonances (FRs). For all cases examined, we obtain a closed-form expression for the position of the FR in terms of the relative strengths of the inductive couplings involved. For the case of two, identical side-coupled impurities, the position of the single FR turns out to be independent of the relative distance between the two impurities. A possible experimental setup to detect these FRs is suggested.


The car has become the dominant mode of transportation in many cities, giving drivers the sense of freedom and convenience to travel at any time between specific locations. However, this increase in car use has created numerous negative outcomes for society including pollution and congestion. Changing individual travel behaviour away from car use is a challenge that many cities now face in an effort to combat car induced issues. Transport pricing policies are often viewed as an effective method in decreasing levels of car use. However, these policies are often not implemented due to a lack of public support. This research uses a quantitative approach to explore potential factors that may be influencing parking policy acceptability among levels of residents in the Greater Wellington Region. Using an online survey, findings indicate that parking policy acceptability levels to the public are influenced by policy differences in fee level and revenue allocation, as well as individuals' level of personal environmental understanding and concern. The Greed-Efficiency-Fairness (GEF) hypothesis is presented as a theory to explain the changes seen in acceptability levels between different policies and personal characteristics of individuals. It is concluded that, for the study sample, parking policy acceptability levels would most increase when revenue was allocated to improving the quality of active transportation and public transportation. Acceptability levels would further be enhanced by highlighting the beneficial outcomes that the policy would have at both an individual and societal level.


Whereas humans and certain birds experience an abrupt change in locomotor dynamics when shifting from walks to runs, a smooth walk‐run transition characterizes many grounddwelling birds. This study defines the biomechanical distinction between walks and runs in the Elegant-crested Tinamou Eudromia elegans using ground reaction forces. Three birds were filmed at 250 Hz from a lateral view as they moved over a force plate built into a trackway. Centre of mass mechanics and kinematic variables were analysed in 81 steady-speed trials that represented a speed range from 0.66 to 2.78 m/s. E. elegans undergoes two speedrelated changes in locomotor mechanics. The first is a shift from walking strides that utilize vaulting mechanics to low-speed runs that exhibit bouncing mechanics; this transition occurs at Froude numbers between 0.4 and 0.6. Such low-speed runs exhibit duty factors exceeding 0.5 and, hence, lack an aerial phase between steps. The second transition, from grounded running to aerial running, occurs when duty factors decrease below 0.5. Grounded running in birds may enhance vision by stabilizing visual stimuli over the retina. The eventual incorporation of an aerial phase during running enables increased locomotor speeds primarily through longer stride lengths.


In this paper, a feature extraction method based on two-dimensional (2D) mel-cepstrum is introduced. Feature matrices resulting from the 2D mel-cepstrum, Fourier LDA approach and original image matrices are individually applied to the Common Matrix Approach (CMA) based face recognition system. For each of these feature extraction methods, recognition rates are obtained in the AR face database, ORL database and Yale database. Experimental results indicate that recognition rates obtained by the 2D mel-cepstrum method is superior to the recognition rates obtained using Fourier LDA approach and raw image matrices. This indicates that 2D mel-cepstral analysis can be used in image feature extraction problems.


Personalized recommendation is ubiquitous, playing an important role in many online services. Substantial research has been dedicated to learning vector representations of users and items with the goal of predicting a user's preference for an item based on the similarity of the representations. Techniques range from classic matrix factorization to more recent deep learning based methods. However, we argue that existing methods do not make full use of the information that is available from user-item interaction data and the similarities between user pairs and item pairs. In this work, we develop a graph convolution-based recommendation framework, named Multi-Graph Convolution Collaborative Filtering (Multi-GCCF), which explicitly incorporates multiple graphs in the embedding learning process. Multi-GCCF not only expressively models the high-order information via a bipartite user-item interaction graph, but integrates the proximal information by building and processing user-user and item-item graphs. Furthermore, we consider the intrinsic difference between user nodes and item nodes when performing graph convolution on the bipartite graph. We conduct extensive experiments on four publicly accessible benchmarks, showing significant improvements relative to several state-of-the-art collaborative filtering and graph neural network-based recommendation models. Further experiments quantitatively verify the effectiveness of each component of our proposed model and demonstrate that the learned embeddings capture the important relationship structure.


Granulocyte transfusion therapy has become relatively routine in centers treating patients with hematologic malignancies. The yield of granulocytes has been improved with newer leukapheresis techniques, premedication with corticosteroids, and the use of sedimenting agents, usually hydroxyethyl starch. Despite the relative safety of these techniques, there are risks to participating donors. A case of a donor reaction related to hydroxyethyl starch is presented. This report is a reminder that leukapheresis must be performed with careful consideration of therapeutic benefit‐to‐risk ratios.


Using the linear theory of perturbations in General Relativity, we express a set of consistency relations that can be observationally tested with current and future large scale structure surveys. We then outline a stringent model-independent program to test gravity on cosmological scales. We illustrate the feasibility of such a program by jointly using several observables like peculiar velocities, galaxy clustering and weak gravitational lensing. After addressing possible observational or astrophysical caveats like galaxy bias and redshift uncertainties, we forecast in particular how well one can predict the lensing signal from a cosmic shear survey using an over-lapping galaxy survey. We finally discuss the specific physics probed this way and illustrate how f(R) gravity models would fail such a test.


This study seeks to find an answer to whether the damage caused by the focal demyelinated focus in hemifacial spasm (HFS) causes a deviation from normal in MUP's. The study evaluated MUP parameters of orbicularis oculi (o.oc) and orbicularis oris (o.or) muscles in the total of 76 cases, 41 of whom had a history of peripheral facial paralysis (PFP) and postparalytic facial hyperactivity (PPFHA) and 35 of whom had HFS. Control data was obtained from healthy sides 22 of 76 cases. "t test" and multiple comparisons were used for statistical evaluations. For o.oc muscle; when compared with the normal group, PPFHA group had significantly increased motor unit durations (p < 0.001), phase (p < 0.05), area (p < 0.05), turn (p < 0.05) and polyphasic potential numbers (p < 0.05) and HFS group had significantly increased amplitudes (p < 0.05), area (p < 0.05) and polyphasic potential numbers (p < 0.05). When patients groups were compared for the same muscle, PPFHA group had significantly increased MUP durations (p < 0.001) and number of turns (p < 0.05) as compared to HFS group. When o.or muscle values were compared with the normal group, PPFHA group had significantly increased durations (p < 0.001), phase (p < 0.05), area (p < 0.05) and turn numbers (p < 0.001) and polyphasic potential rates (p < 0.05) and area/amplitude values (p < 0.05), HFS group had significantly increased durations (p < 0.05), phase (p < 0.05), area (p < 0.05) and turn numbers (p < 0.05). When patient groups were compared for the same muscle, MUP duration was significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the PPFHA group as compared to HFS group. In conclusion, with the quantitative method, there is neurogenic involvement in the facial muscles of upper and lower halves in cases of HFS although lesser than PFP cases. This suggests that focal demyelination causes secondary axonal loss at least in some of the cases.


Abstract : We study one of the basic multicore and GPU programming models, namely, SPMD (Single-Program Multiple-Data) programs. We define a formal model of SPMD programs based on interleaving threads that manipulate global and local arrays, and synchronize via barriers. SPMD programs are written with the intention to be deterministic, although programming errors may result in this not being true. SPMD programs are also frequently modified toward optimal performance. These facts motivate us to develop methods to check determinism and equivalence. A key property in achieving this is noninterference formulated as validity of logical formulas automatically derived from the program, that imply determinism. Automatically derived post-conditions can be used to check equivalence of noninterfering programs. We report on a prototype that can prove non-interference of NVIDIA CUDA programs.


This study has been made in order to pursue practices in Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD), where stormwater management becomes a mainstream in Malaysia. The main focus of this study is to develop a stormwater conveyance model incorporating porous pavement and on-site detention system at Heights Drive (Stutong), Kuching City, and to investigate its effectiveness. Conventional pavements are impervious and create contaminated runoff. In contrast, combination of porous pavement with storage as WSUD approach allows stormwater to percolate to an underlying detention system where stormwater is both infiltrated to underlying clay soil and discharged with a lower rate to drain beside the road. Nine roads with total surface area of 12,660 m are selected and a total of 6 scenarios are modelled and simulated using EPA's SWMM 5.0. It is found that the peak discharge at outfall from the study area is decreased by 23%, in which 2% of the stormwater is infiltrated to the ground for groundwater recharge.


NAMD (nanoscale molecular dynamics) is a production molecular dynamics (MD) application for biomolecular simulations that include assemblages of proteins, cell membranes, and water molecules. In a biomolecular simulation, the problem size is fixed and a large number of iterations must be executed in order to understand interesting biological phenomena. Hence, we need MD applications to scale to thousands of processors, even though the individual timestep on one processor is quite small. NAMD has demonstrated its performance on several parallel computer architectures. In this paper, we present various compiler optimization techniques that use single-instruction, multiple-data (SIMD) instructions to obtain good sequential performance with NAMD on the embedded IBM PowerPCt 440 processor core. We also present several techniques to scale the NAMD application to 20,480 nodes of the IBM Blue Gene/Le (BG/L) system. These techniques include topology-specific optimizations to localize communication, new messaging protocols that are optimized for the BG/L torus, topology-aware load balancing, and overlap of computation and communication. We also present performance results of various molecular systems with sizes ranging from 5,570 to 327,506 atoms.


Three-dimensional (3D) surface renderings were obtained from routine axial computed tomographic (CT) images in 15 patients with a variety of complex temporal bone abnormalities. The 3D CT reformations served as an adjunct to conventional sectional CT examination. While no diagnosis was substantially changed because of the 3D CT images, they did provide a more global perspective in cases of large tumors and fractures and at the postmastoidectomy site. Three-dimensional CT surface reformations are now practical and may be potentially useful for visualizing temporal bone lesions characterized by complex destructive change.


This book is the first to focus on the paradox of anatomical images from the Renaissance to the 18th century: the representation of skeletons and flayed figures in a state of animation, i. e. apparently endowed with life despite the logical impossibility of this being so. Scientific and aesthetic teleology went hand in hand, and both were involved in the conception of anatomical images, in which they merged with a symbolic teleology of a moral, eschatological, and erotic nature. During the Renaissance, anatomical theory, practice, and imagery followed the Aristotelian model for the study of the living - that of final causes. By achieving the model of anatomical illustration proposed in the treatises of Berengario da Carpi, the myological and osteological plates in Vesalius' Fabrica provide a remarkable representation of what can be described as teleological anatomy. The animation of flayed figures presented anatomy as a reflexive practice in which the subject was both a knowing subject and a subject of knowledge. Teleological anatomy became a moral practice - 'Know Thyself' - and established itself as a means of subjectivation. These animated discursive figures speak not only of anatomy and self-knowledge, but also of Eros and Thanatos; Renaissance teleological anatomy was steeped in symbolism. The revelation of a teleological anatomy makes it possible to identify and distinguish the emergence in the late seventeenth century of Cartesian anatomy, characterized chiefly by a disregard for life which gradually banished all symbolic connotations from the image, leading to the notion of the body as a disenchanted object of knowledge. With Cartesianism, the study of the living no longer involved that of life: the body became an organic machine to be investigated by philosophers and anatomists. Cartesian anatomy provided a means of objectivation, and Cartesianism had an identifiable impact on anatomical plates - beginning with Gerard de Lairesse's illustrations for Bidloo's "Anatomia humani corporis" (1685, Amsterdam). With these plates, scientific objectivity as we conceive of it today found a real place in the anatomical image. As de Lairesse despised the faithful imitation of nature, there is a perceptible gulf between his art and his anatomical illustrations: the body for the anatomist was no longer the body for the artist, and the illustrations required by the former were no longer useful to the latter.


In my PhD thesis, I present the results of the analysis of three point-like gamma-ray emitters observed at very high energies with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.): the two well known blazars 1ES 0229+200 and Mrk 501, and HESS J1745-290. The nature of the latter source is unclear, although it is likely linked to Sgr A∗, the black hole at the center of the Galaxy. I make use of multiwavelength observations in order to assess the physical properties of the three sources and of the ambient medium, both via spectral and variability studies and by comparison with models and predictions found in the literature. I also present systematic comparisons of the gamma-ray energies as reconstructed for different sub-arrays of the H.E.S.S. system.

I search for correlated variability in simultaneous x-ray and very high energy observations of Sgr A∗ in order to understand whether or not the gamma-ray emission of HESS J1745-290 originates from the black hole, making it an active galactic nucleus. The correlation of the flux variability in different energy bands for 1ES 0229+200 supports the interpretation of a synchrotron self Compton emission model for this source. The refined spectrum of the inverse Compton peak helps constraining the strength of the
intergalactic magnetic field. The hard intrinsic spectrum of Mrk 501 shows a dependency on the flux state. The spectrum can be used to constrain the extragalactic background light intensity in the mid-infrared for
the redshift of the source. Multiwavelength observations suggest the presence of at least two emission zones or mechanisms in order to explain the broadband emission.


Abstract In neutron chain systems with material symmetries, various k-eigenvalues of the neutron balance equation beyond the dominant one may be degenerate. Eigenfunctions can be partitioned into several classes according to their invariance properties with respect to the symmetry operations (mirror symmetries and rotations) keeping the material distribution in the system unchanged. Their calculation can be limited to a fraction of the system (sector) provided that innovative boundary conditions matching the symmetry classes are used, and whole-system eigenfunctions can then be unfolded from the solutions obtained over the sector. With power iteration as the method for searching k-eigenvalues, this use of the material symmetries to split the global problem into a variety of smaller-sized problems has several computational advantages: lower computation times and memory requirements, increased dominance ratios, lowered possible degeneracies in each subproblem, and possible parallel (separated) treatment of the subproblems. The implementation is discussed in a companion paper using diffusion and transport theories.


Patient: Male, 47-year-old Final Diagnosis: Acute Charcot foot Symptoms: Red foot • right foot pain Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Endocrinology and Metabolic Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: Acute Charcot foot can be difficult to diagnose, especially because of other alternate diagnoses that can mimic this condition, particularly stress fracture and acute bone and joint infections, which are 2 conditions that require immediate management. Here, we present the case of a patient who received kidney-pancreas-transplantation for type 1 diabetes mellitus, who consulted for right foot pain after walking. Case Report: Our patient was a 47-year-old man who had benefited from a kidney-pancreas transplantation in 2014 for type 1 diabetes and terminal kidney failure and was recently followed for a right foot plantar ulcer that was fully healed. He later presented for right foot pain after walking. Clinical examination showed a red, swollen, and warm foot. Blood test results were unremarkable. Imaging (X-ray/MRI) revealed features compatible with acute Charcot foot. The management consisted of prompt right-foot offloading followed by physiotherapy and adapted orthopedic insoles. Conclusions: This case shows the successful treatment of an active phase of Charcot foot, which avoided the classic transition to chronic Charcot foot with severe osteoarticular destruction. Arguments were developed to rule out other possible diagnoses. The underlying mechanisms of Charcot foot in diabetic patients are related to the neurological and micro-vascular complications induced by poor glycemic control, but the mechanisms are unclear. This case report may help clinicians to better understand and consider another less known and less frequent diagnosis when faced with these clinical features.


Introduction: Steven Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is life-threatening skin reaction, it is a mucocutaneous disorder induced by immune complex-mediated hypersensitivity reaction. Most frequent offending agents are antibiotic, antiretroviral and aromatic anticonvulsants. Problems arise when these drugs are required for long-term use and necessary for several health conditions. These case series aim to describe SJS and provide replacement therapy especially inpatient with epilepsy.Case report: A 37 years old female was consulted from neurology department with chief complaints an erythematous rash on her chest, back upper and lower extremities accompanied with fever, the patient also complaint erosions on her lips. She had history of seizure and was prescribe Carbamazepine. Carbamazepine was replaced and patient treated with dexamethasone intravenously. After 1 week of admitted there is an improvement.Conclusion: Steven Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is a life-threatening disease, the replacement of the suspected drugs and appropriate therapy can improve the prognosis of patient.


Background: Several lines of evidence suggest the role of leukocyte in platelet activation. Since pro-inflammatory mediator CD40 ligand (CD40L) has been considered as a marker of platelet activation that reflecting platelet storage lesion (PSL), we evaluated the effect of leukoreduction processes on thereby the levels of expressed CD40L in Platelet Concentrates (PCs). Methods: In present study PRP-PCs were subdivided into two groups of usual platelets (nonfiltered) and leuko-reduced platelets following pre-storage filtration. Using flow-cytometry method, the levels of platelet CD40L expression were analyzed for each group in day 1, 3 and 5 post-storage. Results: In non-filtered products, CD40L expression on days 1, 3 and 5 after storage were 35±5.06, 62±5.84 and 82±6.1, respectively. CD40L expression showed significant increases in day 3 and 5 after storage compared to day 1 (p<0.05). In leuko-reduced platelets, CD40L expression on days 1, 3 and 5 after storage were 24±4, 41±4 and 51±6, respectively. While the same increase pattern of CD40L expression was also observed here, the significant difference was just reported between day 1 and 5 (p<0.05). Furthermore the leukoreduced platelets showed significantly less CD40L expression in day 3 and 5 compared to non-filtered platelets. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that pre-storage leukoreduction of PCs can reduce CD40L expression during platelet storage, the finding that suggests the effect of leukocytes in the promotion of PSL. In addition, considering the importance of CD40L in inflammatory function, it seems leuko-reduced platelet products decrease the adverse effects of platelet transfusion especially in susceptible recipients.


A series of thermal plasma jet images taken by a charge coupled device (CCD) camera were used for the diagnostics of dynamic patterns generated in turbulent flow conditions. These patterns generated in turbulent thermal plasma jets manifest themselves by inhomogeneities of plasma density, temperature, and different dynamical behavior that make these structures visible. The resulting considerable modulation of light emission is analyzed either directly by comparing the successive images or by means of the correlation analysis.


Synthetic biology does not create any ethical dilemmas that have not already been raised in the development of practices such as genetic screening, genetic engineering, and other interventions in the evolutionary processes. The issue is, nevertheless, ethically serious. Two different angles are examined: the philosophical legitimacy of human intervention in the shaping of human nature, and the more pragmatic (though by no means less important) question of the risks involved in such a novel line of research. As for the first, the claim made here is that in principle there is no constraint in human intervention in the world, since ultimately the source of any value lies in human interests, welfare, and values. This is an approach that is opposite to Habermas's. As for the practical problem of risk, research in synthetic biology calls for particular caution, since in at least the first stages of a new research or program, there is no social regulation, and society is wholly dependent on the scientist's ethical integrity.


ABSTRACT Due to the strong non-linear relationship between the array factor and the array elements, concentric circular antenna array (CCAA) synthesis problem is challenging. Nature-inspired optimisation techniques have been playing an important role in solving array synthesis problems. Dragonfly algorithm (DA) is a novel nature-inspired optimisation technique which is based on the static and dynamic swarming behaviours of dragonflies in nature. This paper presents the design of CCAAs to get low sidelobes using DA. The effectiveness of the proposed DA is investigated in two different (with and without centre element) cases of two three-ring (having 4-, 6-, 8-element or 8-, 10-, 12-element) CCAA design. The radiation pattern of each design cases is obtained by finding optimal excitation weights of the array elements using DA. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the other state-of-the-art techniques (symbiotic organisms search, biogeography-based optimisation, sequential quadratic programming, opposition-based gravitational search algorithm, cat swarm optimisation, firefly algorithm, evolutionary programming) for all design cases. DA can be a promising technique for electromagnetic problems.


In the present chapter, the capabilities of Raman spectroscopy for the advanced characterisation of thin films for solar cells are reviewed. Raman spectroscopy is an optical, nondestructive technique based on the inelastic scattering of photons with elemental vibrational excitations in the material. The line shape and position of the Raman bands are determined by the crystalline structure and chemical composition of the measured samples, being sensitive to the presence of crystalline defects, impurities and strain. Presence of peaks characteristic of different phases also allows for the identification of secondary phases that are strongly related to the growth and process conditions of the films. All these aspects account for a strong interest in the analysis of the Raman spectra, providing a powerful nondestructive analytical tool for the structural and chemical assessment of the films. In addition, the combination of a Raman spectrometer with an optical microscope also allows for achieving a high spatial resolutions (of below 1 µm) when mapping surfaces and analyzing depth-resolved phase distributions in thin films.
The present chapter is divided into four main sections: The two first ones are devoted to a revision of the Fundamentals of Raman spectroscopy (Section 17.2) and Vibrational modes in crystalline materials (Section 17.3). Section 17.4 deals with the main experimental considerations involved in the design and implementation of a Raman scattering setup. This is followed by a detailed description of the application of Raman scattering for the structural and chemico-physical analysis of thin film photovoltaic materials (Section 17.5), with the identification of crystalline structure and secondary phases, evaluation of film crystallinity, analysis of chemical composition of semiconductor alloys, characterisation of nanocrystalline and amorphous layers, stress effects and crystal orientations. This includes the description of corresponding state of the art and recent case examples that illustrate the capabilities of the Raman technique for the advanced characterisation of layers and process monitoring in thin-film photovoltaic technologies.


Conflicts are inescapable aspects of our social lives. It is of no huge debate that a good percentage of human conflicts stem from misconceptions of ideas and intentions. Flaming of conflicts and managing them are all dependent on language use, as language is used to build and reconcile, so can it also be used to destroy. It is however imperative to examine the functions of language in conflict and how different communicative acts relate to speaker's motivational goals and conflict outcome. Therefore, the paper seeks to situate the concept of "abusive statement" within the pragmatic environment. It explores the role of language in shaping the way conflicts unfold and resolve. It ventures into exploitations of what qualifies a statement as abusive and the criteria for such judgements, as well as how a statement may be positive at one stance and negative in another. It makes use of the Sperber and Wilson's relevance theory to x-ray how language, psychology, and context come to play when a statement is made and how this affects human relationships. (Word count: 177) Keywords : Language, conflict, meaning, context.


Introduction The endovascular treatment of intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis has become a common intervention. However, few reports are available regarding stenting performed for hypoplastic vertebral artery (HVA) with multiple atherosclerotic lesions. Combining multiple neuroendovascular devices provides more possibilities for technical success. We describe a stenting technique using a distal intracranial catheter (Navien) for providing an approach to an HVA with multiple existing atherosclerotic lesions. The technique involves a coaxial system comprising a 6F 70-cm long sheath and 5F 115-cm Navien catheter, which provides a stable support and a shorter distance for the navigation of a balloon-mounted stent. Thus, a stent can be easily delivered avoiding any obstacles such as curves or tortuosity in the VA without distal advancement of the microwire. Conclusion The procedure was completed successfully with neither arterial perforation nor injury of the vessel wall. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that has reported the use of a Navien catheter in an HVA as an adjunctive technique for the delivery of an Apollo intracranial stent. The combination of the Apollo stent and Navien catheter is an alternative technique that may improve the safety of intracranial stenting procedure.


Hypocalcemia, although a relatively uncommon sequela of operations for carcinoma of the larynx and pharynx, often presents as an acute medical emergency. In its chronic form, hypocalcemia may be a difficult disorder to control. Understanding the etiologic basis of hypocalcemia secondary to operations for carcinoma of the head and neck requires knowledge of the pathophysiology of the preoperative and postoperative factors affecting calcium homeostasis. These factors include thyroidectomy, hypoparathyroidism, hypomagnesemia, anticonvulsant therapy, estrogen replacement therapy, oral contraceptives, blood transfusions, hyperventilation alkalosis, hypoalbuminemia, corticosteroid therapy, depression, emotional stress and diet. Often the onset of symptoms and signs of hypocalcemia occurs within 24 to 48 hours after the operation. The symptoms may include mental depression, headache, tingling of the hands and perioral region and abdominal pain. Unrecognized chronic hypocalcemia may lead to the development of cataracts, convulsions and psychosis.


The definition of robustness in econometrics, the error term in a linear equation, was not only broadened, but, in addition, moved to the meaning of common language: from a cardinal to a qualitative one: the most robust one, more robust than…, as robust as……, robust, weak robust, less robust than…, not robust, etc. Both interpretations are tested by an application on the Robustness in Regional Development, namely of the Lithuanian Regions. The computation of Regional Income, being an exponent of the welfare economy, is not sufficient for the measurement of the well‐being of the regional population. The well‐being economy goes farther. In the well‐being economy, each individual would have to feel good concerning material wealth, health, education, all kind of security and concerning the environment. In other words, multiple objectives have to be fulfilled. Moreover, these different multiple objectives are expressed in different units. Weights are most of the time used to equalize these different units. However, introduction of weights means also introduction of subjectivity. In order to avoid this dilemma, the internal mechanical solution of a ratio system, producing dimensionless numbers, is preferred. In addition, this outcome creates the opportunity to use also a non‐subjective reference point theory. The choice of the objectives is also non‐subjective if all stakeholders are involved, or if all possible objectives are represented. This theory, which is called MOORA (Multi‐Objective Optimization by Ratio Analysis), is applied to the different regions of Lithuania. A redistribution of income has to take place from the well‐being Lithuanian regions to the poorer regions, but under limiting conditions and for well defined and eventually controlled projects.


The purpose of this study was to investigate driver performance at selected sites under two types of left-turn markings and to determine which type produced better driver performance. Type A marking is the typical left-turn channelization with the recommended design of letter markings and arrows applicable to lane-use control. Type B marking consists of two solid yellow lines in the form of parallel reverse curves. Type B identifies the part a left-turning vehicle should follow and type A shows only an open entry space for access to the left-turn lane. In general, the results of field observation show that type B marking produces better driver performance and is therefore recommended for use over type A. Type B is felt to convey an immediate understanding of the situation that will provide for more uniform traffic flow, reduce the potential accident rate, and add to roadway safety in the long run.


Glioblastoma multiforme is immunogenic and several glioblastoma multiforme-related antigens have now been identified. In addition, the immunologic characteristics of the tumor microenvironment that may affect tumor growth are becoming increasingly understood. The type of immune-based approach selected to treat glioblastoma multiforme will depend on the tumor burden. For minimal disease states, active vaccination may be useful for generating adequate protection from relapse. However, for more advanced stage disease states, more rigorous strategies may need to be applied, such as adoptive T-cell therapy, antibody therapy or a combination of different techniques. The immunosuppressive environment observed during advanced malignancy may need to be reversed for improved efficacy of immune-based therapies.


Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to highlight how the new transdiscipline of ecological economics (EE) provides a very useful supporting scientific base for Buddhist traditions and their provision of practical wisdom for economics and management.

Design/methodology/approach

– The key relevant theoretical and methodological features of EE are explained and related to the Buddhist world view. The strong consistencies between the two perspectives are highlighted. The complementary nature of the practical philosophy of Buddhism and the guiding paradigm of EE can contribute to change in contemporary management approaches aligned with sustainable and welfare-enhancing economic systems.

Findings

– EE provides a very appropriate scientific base to complement and broaden the positive contribution of Buddhist traditions to sustainable economic systems and consistent management practices.

Originality/value

– Despite some very clear parallels and complementarities, the mutual benefits of integrating and strengthening the cross-over between Buddhism and the influential new "sustainability science" of EE are yet to be realised. This paper is focused on this goal. The potential interplay promises significant benefits for both perspectives – EE needs more development of its sustainability ethical basis, and Buddhist perspectives would be enhanced by support from a highly consistent and influential scientific paradigm in a world where secular market economics continues to prevail.


Randomized Fast Subspace Descent (RFASD) Methods are developed and analyzed for smooth and non-constraint convex optimization problems. The efficiency of the method relies on a space decomposition which is stable in $A$-norm, and meanwhile, the condition number $\kappa_A$ measured in $A$-norm is small. At each iteration, the subspace is chosen randomly either uniformly or by a probability proportional to the local Lipschitz constants. Then in each chosen subspace, a preconditioned gradient descent method is applied. RFASD converges sublinearly for convex functions and linearly for strongly convex functions. Comparing with the randomized block coordinate descent methods, the convergence of RFASD is faster provided $\kappa_A$ is small and the subspace decomposition is $A$-stable. This improvement is supported by considering a multilevel space decomposition for Nesterov's `worst' problem.


There are many process controller techniques are in use or being developed to control the changes in industrial parameters. At present the temperature of the liquid sodium (which is a coolant) in the reactor is being maintained using the local heaters on the sodium pipeline. So this project is proposed to change the control function for distributed heater in the sodium pipeline using the PID and Fuzzy logic controller. The performance of both controllers is studied and results are compared.


Metalaxyl was used to control Pythium diseases of carrots in experiments on farms with a history of cavity spot. The first experiment compared the method of application (sprayed, banded or broadcast) and rate (0, 1.5, 3 or 6 kg a.i. ha−1) one week after sowing. Three additional experiments compared the rate (0, 0.75, 1.5 or 3 kg a.i. ha−1) and time (sowing, 1- to 2- or 4- to 5-true-leaf stage) of application. In expt 1, the application of metalaxyl, but not the method by which it was applied, increased yield by 20% and significantly reduced the incidence of cavity spot, forking and misshapen carrots. In expts 2, 3 and 4, neither the rate nor time of application affected yield or reduced the incidence of Pythium diseases. Comparison of the sites showed that they differed in past metalaxyl usage. Metalaxyl had not been used on the site of expt 1, but had been used previously at sites 2, 3 and 4. Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine whether these differences in efficacy resulted from reduced sensitivity of Pythium isolates to metalaxyl, or reduced persistence of metalaxyl in soil. ED50 values showed that there was no reduction in metalaxyl sensitivity. The half-life of metalaxyl was 82 days in soil from expt 1, but was 10 days or fewer in soils from expts 2, 3 and 4. Thus the failure of metalaxyl to control Pythium diseases was associated with reduced persistence in soil, not reduced sensitivity of the target fungi.


The smectite-to-illite diagenetic transformation has been documented in 5 different sedimentary basins using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Intermediate reaction products coexisting because of the effect of kinetics on this reaction have been characterized using decomposition of XRD patterns and comparison with calculated patterns. The nature and relative abundances of the various subpopulations of particles are shown to vary as a function of the geothermal gradient and of the age of the sediment. In all sedimentary basins that experienced a low steady geothermal gradient the physico-chemical characteristics (coherent scattering domain size [CSDS], junction probabilities) of intermediate mixed-layered illite-smectites (I-S) are similar. However, both the relative abundance and the crystallinity of the end-member illite increase as a function of the age of the sediment.In basins that have experienced a higher geothermal gradient, the CSDS of the I-S subpopulation is higher for a given illite content, indicating a slightly different reaction pathway. This difference in the characteristics (peak position and width) of elementary peaks may be used to infer the presence of such a high geothermal gradient when no other data are conclusive. In this case the growth of the illite end-member is favored over the growth of intermediate I-S phases even in young basins. Illitic phases formed from the alteration of kaolin minerals exhibit characteristics similar to the reaction products of the smectite-to-illite diagenetic transformation in the case of a high geothermal gradient. In contrast with what is observed in shale diagenesis, the characteristics of the illitic subpopulations describe a continuum with absolutely no gap in between subpopulations. In sandstone reservoirs, the various subpopulations crystallize simultaneously from a kaolin precursor. As a consequence, no kinship is expected between the various subpopulations.


AMFR, autocrine motility factor receptor, also called gp78, is a cell surface cytokine receptor which has a dual role as an E3 ubiquitin ligase in endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation. AMFR expression is associated with tumor malignancy. We here investigated the clinical significance of AMFR and its role in metastasis and prognosis in gastric cancer. Expression of AMFR, E-cadherin and N-cadherin in cancer tissues and matched adjacent normal tissues from 122 gastric cancer (GC) patients undergoing surgical resection was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Levels of these molecules in 17 cases selected randomly were also analysed by Western blotting. AMFR expression was significantly increased in gastric cancer tissues, and associated with invasion depth and lymph node metastasis. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed AMFR expression correlated with poor overall survival and an increased risk of recurrence in the GC cases. Cox regression analysis suggested AMFR to be an independent predictor for overall and recurrence-free survival. E-cadherin expression was decreased in gastric cancer tissues; conversely, N-cadherin was increased. Expression of AMFR negatively correlated with E-cadherin expression, whereas N-cadherin expression showed a significant positive correlation with AMFR expression. AMFR might be involved in the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, with aberrant expression correlating with a poor prognosis and promoting invasion and metastasis in GCs.


Iron-deficiency anemia induced in the maternal organism markedly enhances embryotoxic and teratogenic effects of the studied pollutants: gasoline and formaldehyde. The prenatal effects of these drugs against the background of iron-deficiency state in pregnant females leads to development of the main feature of the tissue hypoxia, decompensated metabolic acidosis, in both the maternal organism and 20-day embryos.


Information on Neurospora Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License. This bibliographic note is available in Fungal Genetics Reports: http://newprairiepress.org/fgr/vol1/iss1/19 Srr.ith, a. R. Mating type tests using Thz following method of using plates for detera plating technique. mining the mating types of isolates has been employed successfully for some tine. It enables large nvnbers of cultures to be tested rapidly with a great reduction in the quantity of glassware, time and medium required. Thick suspensions of conidia of each mating type of the morphological mutant m&' (B132) are made in sterile water. A 9 cm. Petri dish containing Westergaard's crossing mediwr (Wsstergaard, M. and Mitchell, H.K., 1947, Amer. J. Bot. 34, 573) is spread evaly with 0.2 ml. of conidial suspension of spray mating type 2 and a similar plate spread with sprav A. Inoculated plates are incubated for five to six days at 25OC until a mat of mycelius is formed and protoperithecia are produced. Should the mycelium tend to spread overthe sides of the plate, it may be checked by wiping with sterile cotton wool dipped in alcohol. Incubated plates are marked on the back with wax pencil or ink into a convenient grid (of 24 01' 25 parts) with suitable orientation marks. Conidia from the cultures to be tested are inoculated with a loop in the centre of corresponding portions of plates of each mating type. In this way two plates are sufficient to test 24 or 25 cultures. The plates are then sealed with transparent adhesive tape and incubated at 25% until perithecia are formed. Sometimes plates may be scored after only 48 hours incubation but more usually three to six days are needed.


The petroleum industry has relied in the past mainly on conventional vessel-type separators, which are bulky, heavy and expensive, to process wellhead production of oil-water-gas flow. Economic and operational pressures continue to force the petroleum industry to seek less expensive and more efficient separation alternatives in the form of compact separators. The compact dimensions, smaller footprint and lower weight of compact separators have a potential for cost savings to the industry, especially in offshore and subsea applications. Also, compact separators reduce the inventory of hydrocarbons significantly, which is critical for environmental and safety considerations. This report presents a brief overview of the activities and tasks accomplished during the part July 09, 2003--October 08, 2004, related to the Budget Period I (July 09, 2003--October 08, 2004) of the DOE project titled ''Design and Development of Integrated Compact Multiphase Separation System (CMSS{copyright})''. An executive summary is presented initially followed by the tasks of the current budget period. Then, detailed description of the experimental and modeling investigations are presented. Subsequently, the technical and scientific results of the activities of this project period are presented with discussions. The findings of this investigation are summarized in the ''Conclusions'' section followed by relevant references. The initial phase of the project (Budget Period I--07/09/2003 to 10/08/2004) focuses on the development of additional individual compact separation components, such as the horizontal pipe separator (HPS{copyright}), for obtaining clean oil stream from oil-water mixture, flow conditioning components, such as the helical pipe (HP) and slug damper (SD{copyright}), for dissipating slugs upstream of the compact separators. The project will also design and test an upstream slug generator (SG).


With this project, a few dynamic file clustering algorithms, namely: Term consistency based Greatest Resemblance Doc Clustering (TMARDC), Correlated Concept primarily based MAximum Resemblance Document Clustering (CCMARDC) and Correlated Notion based Quickly Incremental Clustering Criteria (CCFICA) usually are proposed. From the aforementioned three suggested algorithms this TMARDC algorithm will be based upon term consistency, whereas, the CCMARDC and CCFICA are based on Correlated conditions (Terms and their Associated terms) notion extraction protocol..


L-sorbose/L-sorbosone dehydrogenase from Ketogulonigenium vulgare S2 can transform L-sorbose to 2-KLG, which is widely used in production of Vitamin C. In order to obtain the engineering strain producing L-sorbose/L-sorbosone dehydrogenase and simplify the fermentation technology, firstly, this enzyme was purified by the methods of ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow and Q Sepharose High Performance. Then, the purified L-sorbose/L-sorbosone dehydrogenase was injected to rabbit to obtain antibody. Next, the genomic library of Ketogulonigenium vulgare S2 was constructed by inserting the restriction fragments of chromatosomal DNA digested with Sau3A I into cosmid pKC505 vector digested by Hpa I and Pst I, which were packed with lamda phage package protein and transferred into E. coli DH5alpha in vitro. Finally, the positive strain K719# was selected from more than 12,000 clones via Dot-ELISA. Through the test of SDS-PAGE and thin layer chromatography, the results showed that the engineering strain K719# had the same biological activity as Ketogulonigenium vulgare S2 after adding coenzyme PQQ.


SIR,-Dr P A Nee's response' to Professor D Trunkey's report on trauma care in Britain2 illustrates an attitude that is prevalent in accident and emergency departments and, sadly, has done much to hinder progress towards rapid, efficient trauma care in Britain. Statements describing practitioners of any specialty as lacking in "experience, expertise, and motivation" to deal with a condition that they have been treating for many years are insensitive if not insulting and create an atmosphere of antagonism in which care of the patients inevitably suffers. The American approach to trauma is based on the concept that patients require a coordinated, multidisciplinary treatment programme beginning as soon as possible after injury and ending only when the patient is completely rehabilitated. Patients with trauma present a complex problem, and their needs extend far beyond the time spent in the resuscitation room of the emergency department. They may spend seconds being injured, minutes being resuscitated, hours in the operating theatre, days in intensive care, weeks in the ward, and months attending as outpatients. Care must be coordinated throughout this period, preferably by a discipline that is, or can be, involved at all stages of management. Though the initial moments of resuscitation are usually the most dramatic, once the ABCs (airway, breathing, circulation) are stabilised (and often to achieve stabilisation) the patient requires rapid, accurate assessment of injuries and intervention. Since none can claim to be "master of all trades" this usually requires several specialists to be present. This is the team approach described by Professor Trunkey and acknowledged by Dr Nee. When patients are subsequently moved from the emergency department to the radiology department, intensive care unit, theatre, or ward several of the team members will still be involved in their care. There is thus a continuing need for a "team leader" or coordinator who can ensure that no injuries are overlooked and can arbitrate in disputes over priorities in the days or weeks to come. The selection of the surgeon as the most appropriate leader of the trauma team is based on the reasoning that someone from this specialty is needed early to assess thoracic or abdominal injurv and haemorrhage, is likely to perform the most urgent operations, has access to intensive care, and will participate in both inpatient and outpatient follow up. Surgeons are not born trauma specialists but are perhaps in the best position to develop this expertise. Most patients with trauma are met by a team of junior staff from several disciplines as consultants (in any specialty) are rarely present on a 24 hour basis. A good trauma team will incorporate the skills of members from all of these specialties, preferably simultaneously. A good trauma team leader will have some experience in critical care and may possess technical skills in resuscitation, but these are less important than the ability to recognise needs, delegate responsibility, and seek assistance from those more experienced in special aspects throughout the period from injury to full recovery. Accident and emergency specialists are a welcome addition to the trauma team in Britain and have a major practical role in initial management in the United States. They must appreciate, however, that trauma care extends beyond the emergency department. Power struggles in the resuscitation room are unlikely to be a positive contribution to the welfare of the patient.


A cavity ionization chamber, made of PVC coated with graphite, was developed and tested to verify its applicability as a reference dosimeter for 60Co beams. In order to characterize this new ionization chamber, several tests were made, following international recommendations, as saturation, ion collection efficiency, polarity effect, short- and medium-term stabilities, linearity of response, angular dependence and leakage current. All results obtained were within those recommended internationally, showing that this prototype may be used as a dosimetric standard system at the Calibration Laboratory of IPEN.


Problems concerning occupational dermatology usually arise before the actual expert opinion is given. Preventive measures should be taken into consideration very carefully in order to reduce the risk of an occupational dermatosis to a minimum. Further problems are accurate methods of patch testing, the formal wording of the expert opinion, and the assessment of the degree of disablement.


Rose and her stepmother Flo live in Hanratty - across the bridge from the "good" part of town. Rose, alternately fascinated and appalled by the rude energy of the people around her, grows up nursing her hope of outgrowing her humble beginnings and plotting to escape to university.


From DATAR to the new DIACT :
the place of economic issues in land-planning policy
As of January 1st 2006, DIACT (Interministerial Delegation for Land Planning and
Competitiveness of the Territories) replaced DATAR, with much stronger competencies
in economic matters, due on one hand to the promotion of competitive strategies
(competition poles in particular) and on the other, to new methods of accompanying the
economic mutations affecting certain industrial basins. This evolution however is not
indicative of rupture, since from the outset DATAR carried out actions relevant to
economic matters : the localisation of industrial sites in the 1960s, conversion contracts
in the steel and coal basins, and more recently, site contracts and the promotion of local
productive systems. DIACT, placing the territory at the heart of local development and
combining aims of cohesion and rationales of competition, is rooted in a solid precedent.


Diagnosis and clinical staging of lung cancer are fundamental to planning therapy. The techniques for clinical staging, i.e. anatomic and metabolic imaging, endoscopies and minimally invasive surgical procedures, should be performed sequentially and with an increasing degree of invasiveness. Intraoperative staging, assessing the magnitude of the primary tumour, the involved structures, and the loco-regional lymphatic spread by means of systematic nodal dissection, is essential in order to achieve a complete resection. In resected tumours, pathological staging, with the systematic study of the resected specimens, is the strongest prognostic indicator and is essential to make further decisions on therapy. In the present decade, the guidelines on lung cancer staging of the American College of Chest Physicians and the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons are based on the best available evidence and are widely followed. Recent advances in the classification of the adenocarcinoma of the lung, with the definition of adenocarcinoma in situ, minimally invasive adenocarcinoma and lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma, and the publication of the eighth edition of the tumour, node and metastasis classification of lung cancer, have to be integrated into the staging process. The present review complements the latest guidelines on lung cancer staging by providing an update of all these issues. Lung cancer staging is a multidisciplinary activity that involves specialists in imaging, endoscopists, surgeons and pathologists at clinical and pathological staging http://ow.ly/z3M030jzmhN


The lack of haptic feedback in teleoperation is a potential barrier to safe handling of soft materials, yet in Robot-assisted Minimally Invasive Surgery (RMIS), haptic feedback is often unavailable. Due to its availability in open and laparoscopic surgery, surgeons with such experience potentially possess learned models of tissue stiffness that might promote good force estimation abilities during RMIS. To test if prior haptic experience leads to improved force estimation ability in teleoperation, 33 naive participants were assigned to one of three training conditions: manual manipulation, teleoperation with force feedback, or teleoperation without force feedback, and learned to tension a silicone sample to a set of forces. They were then asked to perform the tension task, and a previously unencountered palpation task, to a different set of forces under teleoperation without force feedback. Compared to the teleoperation groups, the manual group had higher force error in the tension task outside the range of forces they had trained on, but showed better speed-accuracy functions in the palpation task at low force levels. This suggests that the dynamics of the training modality affect force estimation ability during teleoperation, with the prior haptic experience accessible if formed under the same dynamics as the task.


Background Single-anastomosis duodenal-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy (SADI-S) is one of the most effective bariatric procedures in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the mechanisms by which SADI-S improves T2DM are not well-known. Objective To explore the effects of SADI-S on metabolites in the stool of rats with T2DM. Methods Twenty rats were fed on high-fat diet and administered with a low-dose (30mg/kg) of streptozotocin to establish T2DM models. The rats were then randomly assigned to the SADI-S group (n=10) and sham operation group (n=9). Stool samples were collected from all rats at 8 weeks after surgery and stored at -80 °C. Metabolomics analysis was performed to identify differential metabolites through ultra- performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results At 8-week after surgery, rats of the SADI-S group showed significantly decreased fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance test 2-hour, glycated haemoglobin, and body weight compared with those of the sham group. A total of 245 differential metabolites were identified between the two groups. Among them, 16 metabolites such as branched-chain amino acids (valine), aromatic amino acid (phenylalanine), bile acid (cholic acid, lithocholic acid, and β-muricholic acid), short-chain fatty acid (isobutyric acid), and phospholipid [lysoPE(17:0), lysoPE(20:3) and lysoPS(16:0)] were associated to the T2DM remission after SADI-S. Conclusion SADI-S improves T2DM in rats by regulating phenylalanine biosynthesis, valine, phenylalanine, alanine, glutamate, proline, bile acid, and phospholipid metabolism pathways.


Fibrotic atrial cardiomyopathy is characterized by a replacement of healthy atrial tissue with diffuse patches exhibiting slow electrical conduction properties and altered myocardial tissue structure, which provides a substrate for the maintenance of reentrant activity during atrial fibrillation (AF). Therefore, an early detection of atrial fibrosis could be a valuable risk marker for new-onset AF episodes to select asymptomatic subjects for screening, allowing for timely intervention and optimizing therapy planning. We examined the potential of estimating the fibrotic tissue volume fraction in the atria based on P waves of the 12-lead ECG recorded in sinus rhythm in a quantitative and non-invasive way. Our dataset comprised 68,282 P waves from healthy subjects and 42,227 P waves from AF patients with low voltage areas in the atria, as well as 642,400 simulated P waves of a virtual cohort derived from statistical shape models with different extents of the left atrial myocardium replaced by fibrosis. The root mean squared error for estimating the left atrial fibrotic volume fraction on a clinical test set with a neural network trained on features extracted from simulated and clinical P waves was 16.57 %. Our study shows that the 12-lead ECG contains valuable information on atrial tissue structure. As such it could potentially be employed as an inexpensive and widely available tool to support AF risk stratification in clinical practice.


Work on nonequilibrium flicker-noise (1/f γ noise or NEFN) in conducting films of various materials and in thin-film contacts is reviewed. Experimental methods for studying nonequilibrium flicker fluctuations by separating NEFN from the total noise are suggested. Published results on NEFN in metal and alloy films, Ni/Cr-film and TaxNy-film resistors, and contacts are systematized. It is shown that various kinds of NEFN occur in conducting films. Depending on test conditions, external influences, and the film microstructure, both stationary and non-stationary NEFNs are observed. The use of 1/f γ noise measurements for nondestructively controlling the quality of thin-film conductors is substantiated. For most of the passive IC components (thin-film conductors, resistive layers, contacts), NEFN makes a much more informative quality indicator than equilibrium flicker-noise.


The performance of automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems can be significantly compromised by previously unseen conditions, which is typically due to a mismatch between training and testing distributions. In this paper, we address robustness by studying domain invariant features, such that domain information becomes transparent to ASR systems, resolving the mismatch problem. Specifically, we investigate a recent model, called the Factorized Hierarchical Variational Autoencoder (FHVAE). FHVAEs learn to factorize sequence-level and segment-level attributes into different latent variables without supervision. We argue that the set of latent variables that contain segment -level information is our desired domain invariant feature for ASR. Experiments are conducted on Aurora-4 and CHiME-4, which demonstrate 41 % and 27% absolute word error rate reductions respectively on mismatched domains.


Insect heritable symbionts have proven to be ubiquitous, based on molecular screening of various insect lineages. Recently, molecular and experimental approaches have yielded an immensely richer understanding of their diverse biological roles, resulting in a burgeoning research literature. Increasingly, commonalities and intermediates are being discovered between categories of symbionts once considered distinct: obligate mutualists that provision nutrients, facultative mutualists that provide protection against enemies or stress, and symbionts such as Wolbachia that manipulate reproductive systems. Among the most far-reaching impacts of widespread heritable symbiosis is that it may promote speciation by increasing reproductive and ecological isolation of host populations, and it effectively provides a means for transfer of genetic information among host lineages. In addition, insect symbionts provide some of the extremes of cellular genomes, including the smallest and the fastest evolving, raising new questions about the limits of evolution of life.


Monitoring therapeutic efficacy is essential in oncological practice. We have investigated the feasibility of using proton (1)H MR spectroscopy (MRS), localized to malignant lymphoma and germ cell lesions outside the cranial cavity, to monitor tumour metabolism in vivo during chemotherapy treatment. (1)H single voxel MRS, (stimulated echo acquisition mode, repetition time/echo time=2000/20 ms) was performed prior to treatment in patients with lymphoma or germ cell tumours, and during the first cycle of chemotherapy. Patient response was assessed by independent clinical follow-up at a median of 57 days (range 44-93 days) post-treatment. All 12 non-cystic lesions scanned showed a signal assigned to choline-containing metabolites (tCho); 9 were scanned both pre- and post-treatment. Changes in the tCho:water ratio following treatment were found to predict subsequent patient response. In seven of these nine patients, the tCho:water ratio decreased in the first post-treatment scan, and all subsequently achieved a partial response to treatment. In the remaining two patients, both of whom progressed on treatment, the tCho:water ratio did not change significantly. Normalized to pre-treatment values, the non-responder group values (1.07 and 0.97) were clearly distinct from the responder group, whose values ranged from 0.43 to below detection level. To our knowledge, this is the first report of (1)H MR spectra from these tumour types and sites. These preliminary results indicate that metabolite signals can be detected using (1)H MRS in these tumour types and locations, as has already been established in the brain, breast and prostate. Moreover, the differential changes observed in the tCho region of the spectrum suggest that (1)H MRS could provide an early and sensitive indicator of metabolic response to chemotherapy.


Product/Service System (PSS) has been provided in industry and researched in academia for almost two decades, and a lot of insights are available in literature. Virtually all the practices and theories have been, however, discussed and developed on the context of the matured economy thus far. Specifically on the context of emerging markets, theoretical elaboration of PSS is limited. This paper is a first attempt to discuss theoretical aspects of PSS in the emerging markets. This is a highly promising research area because of the enormous opportunities on the markets and the need to shift towards sustainable and equitable societies. This paper compares relevant motivations, conditions, and characteristics for designing and implementing PSS in the matured economy versus in the emerging markets. This paper adopts literature review and case studies. It is expected to provide insights for further developing the body of scientific knowledge of PSS as well as interesting future research avenues on PSS.


In an era that in which  the economy is in the core of knowledge aspect, knowledge is considered as a vital factor in maintaining the sustained competitive advantage of organizations. Today, the art and skill of management in organizations is moving towards changing into the art of "knowledge management"; and, leadership means providing suitable conditions and grounds in producing valuable knowledge via human force thought, and performing this task in a way that would encourage individuals in undertaking personal responsibility. The leadership factor plays a key role in successful implementation of knowledge management in enterprises and organizations; thus, in the present research, the authors have studied the relationship between knowledge management and leadership style as well as defining empowerment leadership style in knowledge management. The statistical population considered in this research consists of employees of Iran Export Credit Insurance Institute. The present research is applied in term of goal and description and correlation in terms of nature and methodology adoption. To study the relationship between variables, the regression analysis based on SPSS software, factorial analysis, modeling structural equations based on variance by using PLS software has been used.  In line with research hypotheses, the correlation coefficients showed the positive and significant relationship between transformational and transactional leadership with knowledge management; and on Laissez-Faire leadership style, no significant relationship was confirmed between this variable and knowledge management variable. Ultimately, transactional leadership style was recognized as empowerment leadership style in knowledge management at this institute.


The promise of pharmacogenetics is to elucidate the inherited basis of differences between individual responses to drugs, in order to identify the right drug and dose for each patient. Genetic polymorphisms are implicated in the interindividual variability of the pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic characteristics of immunosuppressive drugs. The first pharmacogenetic trait identified was monogenic, and concerned the prototypic example of thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) implicated in azathioprine metabolism. Individuals with low TPMT activity, inherited in an autosomal codominant fashion, are at risk of drug-induced myelosuppression. TPMT activity determination and DNA-based tests are now used in clinical practice. It has been also demonstrated that there is a link between the polymorphisms of the cytochrome P450 3A5, 3A4 and the multidrug resistance-1 (MDR1) genes, and the daily dose necessary to achieve adequate blood tacrolimus levels. Analysis of MDR1 haplotypes or using the association of the different genes might further improve predictions. Since genotyping methods improve rapidly, it will soon be easy to test for thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms in one assay. Present challenges are to determine the genes of interest and to validate such determination prospectively in clinical practice.


In this paper we initialize the study of independent domination in directed graphs. We show that an independent dominating set of an orientation of a graph is also an independent dominating set of the underlying graph, but that the converse is not true in general. We then prove existence and uniqueness theorems for several classes of digraphs including orientations of complete graphs, paths, trees, DAGs, cycles, and bipartite graphs. We also provide the idomatic number for special cases of some of these families of digraphs.