Amorium is in eastern Phrygia, 170 km. south-west of Ankara, 70 km. north-east of Afyon, 12 km. east of the town of Emirdaǧ, and near the source of the Sakarya (Sangarius) (Fig. 1). It lies on the north-facing lower slopes of the mountains of Emirdaǧ (the Turkish town, previously called Aziziye, has the same name), and the ancient site of Amorium lies within the relatively recent village of Hisarköy. The mountain of Emirdaǧ gives rise to various streams which flow into a tributary of the Sakarya, and at Amorium the view to the north extends over some 50 km., showing, in the middle distance, the tree-lined course of the river, and the mountains of Sivrihisar beyond. The ancient town (which includes a large prehistoric hüyük) was mentioned by Strabo, and indeed the name of Amorium appeared earlier on coins, in the second or first century B.C. The site was rediscovered by W. J. Hamilton in 1836.


A novel method is presented of calculating the liquid junction potential between saturated potassium chloride and dilute electrolytes (10–2 M and less), in which no assumption has to be made about the ion distribution at the liquid junction. Calculations have been made for a number of electrolytes at 25°C, those for potassium hydrogen phthalate and for equimolar mixtures of sodium acetate and acetic acid having been confirmed by experiment. For all these electrolytes, the liquid junction potential obeyed the same linear relationship with the logarithm of the specific conductance, and this may be universally true. This gives rise to a method of correcting the measured pH of dilute solutions for error due to liquid junction potential. A standard dilute solution of known pH is necessary, and 10–3M potassium hydrogen phthalate is proposed, the provisional pH being 4.334 at 25°C. An alternative method using the customary 0.05 M phthalate standard is also given.


Antibiotic treatments often fail to completely eradicate a bacterial infection, leaving behind an antibiotic-tolerant subpopulation of intact bacterial cells called persisters. Persisters are considered a major cause for treatment failure and are thought to greatly contribute to the recalcitrance of chronic infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are commonly associated with elevated levels of drug-tolerant persister cells, posing a serious threat to human health. This study represents the first time a novel large molecule polycationic glycopolymer, poly (acetyl, arginyl) glucosamine (PAAG), has been evaluated against antibiotic and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone induced P. aeruginosa persisters. PAAG eliminated eliminated persisters at concentrations that show no significant cytotoxicity on human lung epithelial cells. PAAG demonstrated rapid bactericidal activity against both forms of induced P. aeruginosa persister cells resulting in complete eradication of the in vitro persister cells within 24 h of treatment. PAAG demonstrated greater efficacy against persisters in vitro than antibiotics currently being used to treat persistent chronic infections such as tobramycin, colistin, azithromycin, aztreonam, and clarithromycin. PAAG caused rapid permeabilization of the cell membrane and caused significant membrane depolarization in persister cells. PAAG efficacy against these bacterial subpopulations suggests it may have substantial therapeutic potential for eliminating recurrent P. aeruginosa infections.


Extended release drugs formulations are intended to continuously release medication over a prolonged period, after a single dose. Drugs which have a narrow therapeutic window and a moderate half life are good candidates for such formulations. One approach to such formulations is to embed the drug in a matrix which 'would act as a release retardant. We describe here our studies on the formulations of an extended release theophylline tablet using polymer matrices. Different acrylate copolymers sold in the market under the "Eudragit" label were subjected to experiment. Microcrystalline cellulose and calcium sulphate dihydrate were used as filler excepients. The theophylline release patterns of the different formulations were studied, at 37aC in phosplate buffers. The theophylline concentration were measured by Ul/ absorption spectroscopy A careful study of the release patterns of different formulations let to a formulation using Eudragit=E RSPO, a trimenthylammonioethyl methacrylate copolymer and calcium sulphate dihydrate, which conformed with the following release pattern in accordance with USP 25. Time (hours) % Drug Released 1 10 - 30 2 30 - 55 4 55 - 80 8 >80 This formulations 'was used to prepare tablets with two dosages, paediatric dose (125 mg) and adult dose (250 mg). The adult dose was subjected to a bioequivalence study against an established commercially available slow release 250 mg formulation (Neulin 250 SR, 3M Pharmaceuticals, Australia) Twenty healthy male volunteers participated in the study. Theophylline concentrations in serum were determined by Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay. There was no significant difference between the two formulations in basic bio availability and pharmacokinetic parameters (AUC CiliaIa'nd Tlllal The new Theophylline ER 125 mgformulation developed is nOH'being manufactured by the State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC). a. State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation, Sri Johne Kothalawala Estate, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka 071-1815117 b. Dean Faculty 0.( Natural Science, University of Sri Jayawrdanapura, Nugegoda c. Pharmacology Division, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sri Jayawrdanapura, Nugegoda.


In this paper, we investigated the effect of oxygen (02) plasma treatment on a synthesized carbon nanowall (CNW). A microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system was facilitated to grow CNWs on a glass, using a mixture of CH4 and H2 gases. First, the CNWs were post-plasma-treated for different treatment durations, and then their optical properties were analyzed. In addition, the cross-sectional and planar images of the CNWs were examined via field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) depending on the different post-plasma-treatment durations. Then the structural characteristics were analyzed via Raman spectroscopy, and the changes in the light transmittance depending on the O2 plasma treatment durations were analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The effects of the post-plasma treatments on the synthesized CNWs were evaluated. The results confirmed that O2 gas is effective for plasma etching of CNWs.


A steady state theory of the positive column of a glow discharge in an electronegative gas is presented. Excitation and ionization are assumed to occur by single-electron collisions with neutral molecules. Both electron attachment and detachment are included in the continuity equations, the latter being due to long-lived excited neutral molecules taken to be uniformly distributed in the gas. Fluid-type momentum equations are used to describe the motion of positive and negative ions and of the electrons. By retaining Poisson's equation throughout the treatment it is possible to impose physically realistic boundary conditions on all three charged species. It is found that the radial distribution of negative ions in the column is substantially different from that of the positive ions and the electrons. This is caused by the inwardly directed drift velocity of the negative ions, which confines them almost completely to the central region of the discharge column. Since the axial concentration of the negative ions relative to that of the electrons depends on the ratio of the coefficients of attachment to detachment, the concentration can reach very high values indeed when the rate of detachment is low.


Sugar mills produce a range of by-products during the sugar extraction process. Bagasse, pressmud (also known as filter cake or mill mud), molasses and alcohol by-products are commonly used for various purposes. Specifically, press-mud, one of the by-products is produced in significant volume. Some of this press-mud is utilized by farmers as fertilizer. However, the supply of press-mud often exceeds the demand leading to stockpiling onsite or spreading it over nearby cane fields as a disposal method. Subsequently, the heavy metal contamination and over-fertilization of cane fields and spillage to nearby waterways due to excess press-mud has raised serious environmental concerns. This study takes a look at a possible method to mitigate air, water and health pollution from sugar manufacturing in India by converting the excess press-mud generated into Biofuel. This operation not only mitigates pollution, but also opens up an income stream for small to large scale sugar mill enterprises in a nascent but promising market in India. Systems thinking methods that we use in this study to examine the Biofuel solution to excess press-mud generation show several benefits to local community, local sugar mill facility owners as well as external constituents. These benefits include higher quality of living through a cleaner environment, enhanced employment opportunities and local access to fuel, which in turn lowers dependence on costly energy imports.


(1)H NMR spectroscopy was applied to the study of the reactions of [M(en)(H(2)O)(2)](2+) complexes (M = Pd(ii) and Pt(ii)) with the N-acetylated methionyl-glycyl-histidyl-glycineamide, MeCOMet-Gly-His-GlyNH(2). All reactions were performed in the pH range 1.5-2.0 with equimolar amounts of the [M(en)(H(2)O)(2)](2+) complex and the tetrapeptide at 60 degrees C. In all these reactions, a metal(ii) complex bound to a methionine residue affects the regioselective cleavage of the amide bond involving the carboxylic group of methionine. The priority in the cleavage of the Met-Gly amide bond in relation to the other amide bonds in this peptide is due to the high affinity of Pt(ii) and Pd(ii) ions for the sulfur donor atom. The mechanism of these hydrolytic reactions is discussed and, for its clarification, the reaction of the [Pd(en)(H(2)O)(2)](2+) complex with MeCOMet-Gly-His-GlyNH(2) was additionally investigated by potentiometric titration. The steric effects of the various palladium(ii) complexes of the type [Pd(L)(H(2)O)(2)](2+), in which L is a chelating diamine (ethylenediamine, en, 2-picolylamine, pic, or 2,2-dipyridylamine, dpa) on the hydrolytic cleavage of the amide bond involving the carboxylic group of histidine in the MeCOMet-Gly-His-GlyNH(2) tetrapeptide were also studied by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. All reactions were performed under the above-mentioned conditions and in the initial stage of these reactions, the MeCOMet-Gly-His-GlyNH(2) was reacted with an equimolar amount of the [Pt(dien)Cl](+) complex (dien is diethylenetriamine) and then the monoplatinated [Pt(dien)(MeCOMet-Gly-His-GlyNH(2)-S)](2+) complex was treated with an equimolar amount of [Pd(L)(H(2)O)(2)](2+). It was found that the rate of hydrolysis of the His-GlyNH(2) amide bond in [Pt(dien)(MeCOMet-Gly-His-GlyNH(2)-S)](2+) decreased from the en to the pic complex, with finally a total inhibition of this reaction with [Pd(dpa)(H(2)O)(2)](2+). These results are an important step in the study of the regioselective cleavage of peptides and proteins and in the development of new palladium(ii) complexes as artificial metallopeptidases.


Abstract Background: This study aimed to identify the extent to which levels of happiness and self-efficacy could predict preventive health behaviours and BMI. Method: Data was collected from 100 adults (59% female), mean age 24.75 years, measuring happiness, generalised self-efficacy beliefs, BMI, health preventive behaviours, age and gender. Findings: Results indicate that both happiness and generalised self efficacy are salient for health preventive behaviours, explaining 20% and 26% of the variance respectively. Relationships were also noted whereby generalised self efficacy (r = −.16, p =.05) and happiness (r = -.16, p <.05) both negatively correlated with BMI. Finally, post hoc analysis revealed that there is a significant positive relationship between happiness and generalised self-efficacy (r =.57, p <.001). Conclusion: Evidence presented here suggests that happiness and high self-efficacy beliefs can significantly enhance health protective behaviours. Moreover, those who express higher levels of happiness, also exhibit higher levels of self efficacy and have a lower BMI. Suggestions are made to tailor health promotion campaigns towards enhancing mood and personal control beliefs.


We consider a system consisting of a strongly interacting, ultracold unitary Fermi gas under harmonic confinement. Our analysis suggests the possibility of experimentally studying, in this system, an anisotropic shear viscosity tensor driven by the anisotropy in the trapping potential. In particular, we suggest that this experimental setup could mimic some features of anisotropic geometries that have recently been studied for strongly coupled field theories which have a gravitational dual. Results using the AdS/CFT correspondence in these theories show that in systems with a background linear potential, certain viscosity components can be made much smaller than the entropy density, parametrically violating the bound proposed by Kovtun, Son and Starinets (KSS). This intuition, along with results from a Boltzmann analysis that we perform, suggests that a violation of the KSS bound can perhaps occur in the unitary Fermi gas system when it is subjected to a suitable anisotropic trapping potential which may be approximated to be linear in a suitable range of parameters.
We give a concrete proposal for an experimental setup where an anisotropic shear viscosity tensor may arise. In such situations, it may also be possible to observe a reduction in the spin one component of the shear viscosity from its lowest value observed so far in ultracold Fermi gases. In extreme anisotropic situations, the reduction may be enough to reduce the shear viscosity to entropy ratio below the proposed KSS bound, although this regime is difficult to analyze in a theoretically controlled manner.


Software-defined networking is at the root of future 5G transport network design. Among others, it allows for automated network reconfiguration and network slicing support. In this paper we present an OpenFlow-based implementation of a control plane area in the transport network architecture envisioned by the 5G-XHaul project. We analyze the implementation of the slicing mechanism at the network edge. Furthermore, we propose a simple low-overhead fast proactive failover scheme for recovering from single link failures, without the delays and packet drops associated with reaching a remote controller entity.


Will my children's creativity be hindered if I place them within the rigidity of an East Asian school?  Conversely, could my children's math and science skills benefit from the high expectations of an East Asian curriculum and teacher?  The purpose of this study is two-fold: Firstly, it aims to demonstrate that comparison between Eastern and Western educational traditions can be framed in terms of a dialectic concerning students': development, autonomy, learning environment, and curricula. Secondly, it is to analyze the substance and effects of this dialectic in the context of 15 families of mixed educational background situated between Eastern and Western educational traditions. These families in Hong Kong have access to educational opportunities for their children in adherence to educational styles associated with either Eastern or Western culture, or a combination of both. This study seeks to illuminate the possible: dominance, abandonment, and/or synthesis of cultural background when evaluating schooling options for children in families of mixed educational background. The study finds that these families largely inclined towards educational ideals more associated with Eastern characterizations while their children were at the primary level of education. In stark contrast, they unanimously favored Western propensities in education when their children were in secondary school and beyond. This study concludes that there may be wider ramifications of this model of intercultural compromise beyond the level of the intercultural family, particularly as it relates to broader global and comparative educational discourse surrounding notions of how creativity and innovation may be fostered in educational contexts.


Electrified co-jetting of two aqueous polymer solutions followed by a thermal cross-linking step was used to create water-stable biphasic nanocolloids. For this purpose, aqueous solution mixtures of poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) and poly(acrylic acid) were employed as jetting solutions. When the biphasic nanocolloids created by side-by-side electrified co-jetting were thermally treated, a cross-linking reaction occurred between amide groups and carboxylic groups to form stable imide groups. Infrared spectroscopy was employed to monitor the reaction. The quality and the integrity of the resulting biphasic nanocolloids were confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy, flow cytometry analysis, and dynamic light scattering. Selective encapsulation of two biomolecules in each phase of the biphasic colloids was maintained even after thermal reaction and suspension in aqueous environment. Well-dispersed spherical colloids with stable dye loadings in each hemisphere were kept intact without aggregation or dissolution for several weeks. Finally, biphasic nanocolloids were selectively surface-modified with a biotin-dextran resulting in water-stable particles to ensure binding of proteins only to a single hemisphere.


JAK2V617F is a novel oncogene involved in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and closely related to its vascular complications. Recent researches found the vascular endothelial injury in patients with MPN. It is increasingly being recognized that endothelial cells and endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) play an important role in MPN. Here, the pathogenesis of the EPC JAK2V617F mutation and peripheral blood EPC counts in patients with MPN or with vascular complications are reviewed.


We present our vision for a Beyond 5G Wireless Isochronous Real Time (WIRT) system for industrial control networks, designed for supporting fast closed loop control applications. WIRT aims at ultra-reliable short range wireless links with ∼0.1 ms latencies and a wired-like 10−9 reliability. The usage of a large spectrum and frequency/interference diversity are considered fundamental components for WIRT. Ultrawideband (UWB) spectrum access and unlicensed transmission at millimeter-waves (60 GHz band) are identified as possible solutions towards ultra-reliable ultra-low latency communication. The suitability and challenges of both approaches are extensively discussed, along with the way forward for WIRT design.


ABSTRACT Azzellino A., Carpani M., Çevirgen S., Giupponi C., Parati P., Ragusa F., Salvetti R. 2013. Managing the nutrient loads of the Venice Lagoon Watershed: are the loads external to the watershed relevant under the WFD River Basin District framework? Water policy in the EU needs to be increasingly coordinated under the integrated management structure required by Water Framework Directive. In the WFD framework, all river catchments are assigned to administrative River Basin Districts (RBDs) that produce river basin management plans (RBMPs). RBMPs need to define appropriate Program of Measures (PoMs) based on the knowledge of the pressures and impacts affecting the water environments. However, pressures may also be external to the administrative RBDs, and still play a significant role. This study presents the case of the Venice Lagoon Watershed (VLW) and analyses the apportionment of the nutrient loads discharged to the lagoon by apportioning the external and the internal nutrient sources. VLW is included in the River Basin District of the Eastern Alps, although due to the complex framework of legislations and authorities that have managed the watershed to date, it is the object of a separate planning. The source apportionment assessment is assessed at the watershed scale by combining direct measurements and modeling results. The US Soil and Water Assessment Tool is used to simulate the expected improvements due to the application of "within watershed" measures. Model simulations pointed out the significant contribution of the loads external to the watershed, which seriously affect the effectiveness of the "within watershed" PoMs which are revealed largely ineffective if not coordinated with PoMs of boundary RBDs.


Arterial hypertension is a frequent and leading cardiovascular risk factor, and primary aldosteronism is a well-recognized cause of secondary hypertension. Aldosterone is the basic regulator of extracellular fluid volume and electrolyte balance. Alterations in plasma aldosterone levels significantly contribute to the development and the severity of hypertension. Adrenal steroidogenesis is controlled by two major feedback loops: the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which regulates cortisol synthesis, and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which directs aldosterone production. In addition to angiotensin, potassium, and corticotropin-which belong to the classic stimulators of aldosterone-neuropeptides, catecholamines, and prostaglandins are also known to stimulate aldosterone synthesis. Recently, several new mechanisms have been characterized that control the release of aldosterone by adrenocortical cells, among them endothelial cell-derived factors and adipokines. Further identification and characterization of these factors may help in the development of novel therapies for the treatment of arterial hypertension, various metabolic diseases, and other disorders.


It is well established that systemic glucose homeostasis is imparted by an intricate cross-talk among several organs including the central nervous system (CNS) and pancreatic islets. In analogy to islet beta cells, hypothalamic astrocytes are glucose sensors that facilitate the CNS response to changing metabolic environment. Therefore, astrocytes and beta cells may share a common genetic signature implicated in coupling glucose metabolism to cellular output. We recently demonstrated that the diabesity factor HMG20A is essential for beta-cell functional maturity and adaptation to physiological stress (obesity, type 2 diabetes and pregnancy). As this chromatin remodelling factor also dictates CNS development, we sought to determine whether HMG20A is expressed in astrocytes and whether it potentiates astrocyte function in response to environmental cues. We found that HMG20A is expressed in hypothalamic astrocytes and is upregulated in diet-induced obesity and glucose-intolerant mice, correlating with increased transcript levels of GFAP and IL-1β, indicative of reactive astrocytes (astrogliosis). High glucose, but not lipids, transiently decreased HMG20A expression in isolated mouse primary astrocytes. HMG20A silencing in astrocytes resulted in repression of pro-inflammatory as well as lipid and glucose metabolism genes. These pathways are up-regulated in activated astrocytes (astrogliosis) to resolve stress conditions. As such astrocyte depleted of HMG20A were more susceptible to cell death. Furthermore, motor neuron viability in astrocyte conditioned media was significantly hindered after HMG20A depletion in astrocytes. We posit that HMG20A is involved in the astrocyte polarization state. Under physiological pressure such as obesity, HMG20A expression may be transiently decreased by high glucose but long-term it is increased to induce astrogliosis in an attempt to preserve the neuronal network and glucose homeostasis. Disclosure J.M. Mellado-Gil: None. E. Fuente-Martin: None. P.I. Lorenzo: None. N. Cobo-Vuilleumier: None. J.A. Guerrero-Martinez: None. S.Y. Romero-Zerbo: None. J.M. Franco: None. J. Perez-Cabello: None. M. Alvarez-Dolado: None. D. Pozo: None. F.J. Bermudez-Silva: None. J.C. Reyes: None. B.R. Gauthier: None. Funding ISCIII (PI13/00593 to B.R.G.), (PI13/00309 to F.J.B-S.); Ministerio de Economia y Competidividad/Fondos FEDER (PI10/00871, PI13/00593, BFU2017-83588-P to B.R.G.); BFU2017-85420-R (to J.C.R.); (JCI-2012-12491, IJCI-2015-26238 to E.F-M.); Consejeria de Salud Junta de Andalucia (PI-0006-2016 to E.F-M.)


In this paper, a method for accurate path following for miniature air vehicles is developed. The method is based on the notion of vector fields, which are used to generate desired course inputs to inner-loop attitude control laws. Vector-field path-following control laws are developed for straight-line paths and circular arcs and orbits. Lyapunov stability arguments are used to demonstrate asymptotic decay of path-following errors in the presence of constant wind disturbances. Experimental flight tests have demonstrated mean path-following errors on less than one wingspan for straight-line and orbit paths and less than three wingspans for paths with frequent changes in direction.


This report includes the experience of a surgical team from "Edgardo Rebagliati" Hospital, the Social Security Hospital in Lima, Peru. From 1987 to 1997 we carry out surgical management of epidermoid and glandular esophageal cancer having registered 74 cases. 52.7% of the cases had epidermoid cancer and 42.8% had adenocarcinoma. We had one case of primary melanoma and one case of primary lymphoma which were also subjected to esophagectomy. Almost all patients were in stages III and IV. Only one patient was considered to be in stage I, and one in stage II. These last ones have experienced more than 6 years of postoperatory survival. 67.4% of the patients showed tabaquism, alcoholism or both antecedents. In 50% of the cases the tumor was located in the lower third; in 45.9% it was located in the middle third, and in 4.05% in the upper third. 62.1 % of the patients were subjected to esophagectomy and gastrectomy of the upper third in block plus cervical esophagogastroplasty. 18.9% were subjected to total esophagogastrectomy and esophagocoloplasty, 14.8% were subjected to cervical esophagogastroplasty with gastric tube made with a major curvature and without esophagectomy. One patient was subjected to total pharyngothyroid esophagectomy with anastomosis at orofaringeal level due to pharyngoesophagic epidermoid cancer, including radical cervical dissection. The operative and perioperative mortality was of 4.05%, the morbidity was: 33.7% due to respiratory causes; 20.2% due to cervical fistula with spontaneous closure and 4.05% due to severe mediastinitis. Patients left the hospital at the 15th day average and began their oral feeding between the 10th and 14th day after the surgery. In all cases a progressive recovery of the nutritional level and the improve of life quality were achieved.


A 70-year-old man presented to our hospital because of difficulty with discrete movement of the right upper limb and dysarthria. Computed tomography(CT)of the head revealed a chronic subdural hematoma(CSDH)on the left side. The patient underwent single burr-hole irrigation and drainage on the same day. In addition to the burr hole, a cross-shaped dural incision was made which revealed a thick outer membrane and solidified hematoma. We removed as much of the clotted hematoma as possible using a curved suction tube under neuroendoscopy. The postoperative CT revealed that the hematoma was partially removed and the mass effect was reduced. As a result, the patient's neurological deficits improved. We reached a diagnosis of organizing CSDH following histologic examination of the removed hematoma that showed inflammatory cell infiltration and multiplication of fibroblasts. Neuroendoscopic hematoma evacuation via a burr hole is minimally invasive and may be a useful procedure in the treatment of some cases of organizing CSDH.


Recently, character recognition and deep learning have caught the attention of many researchers. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) usually takes an image of the character as input and generates the identical character as output. The important role that OCR does is to transform printed materials into digital text files. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is an influential model that is generous with bright results in optical character recognition (OCR). The state-of-the-art performance which exists in deep neural networks is usually used to handle frequently recognition and classification problems. Many applications are using it, for instance, robotics, traffic monitoring, articles digitization, etc. CNN is designed to adaptively and automatically learn features by using many kinds of layers (convolution layers, pooling layers, and fully connected layers). In this paper we will go through the advantages and recent usage of CNN in OCR and why it's important to use it in handwritten and printed text recognition and what subjects we can use this technique for. Researchers are progressively using CNN for the machine-printed characters and recognition of handwritten, that is because CNN architectures are suitable for recognition tasks by inputting some images.


Value Driven Management (VDM) is a new approach and becoming more and more present, both among specialists in economics and managers; it is a theory which argues that management decision makers in an organization should take into consider a range of values (local or national values, values of the organization, of the owner and the employees, of the customers, of the partners and of the competition) that may increase the competitive advantage in the market, sustainability and respect from the part of the society, as a whole. VDM involves dedication, commitment and effort from the part of the organization, over a long period of time. If VDM is integrated into decision-making, there is an increase of the organizational performance, but the results are not seen immediately. Therefore, the application of VDM is a long process, and if companies are persistent, the results are reliable. Keywords: Value Driven Management, organizational values, organizational success, long- term survival


We are now witnessing the earliest, experimental stage of electronic marketplace (e-marketplace) development. Most firms are focusing on exchanges with fixed auction rules applied to relatively simple goods and services. Many exchanges will fail due to bad timing or inappropriate choices in business details or technical implementations, but the winners will play a huge role in the worldwide economy as they focus decision-making and improve market efficiencies. How will e-marketplaces evolve? They will almost certainly expand to support ever more complicated scenarios. Even today, multi-round auctions, requests for proposals and negotiations are the norm for expensive procurements; technological advances will permit their use for larger numbers of smaller deals. Processes will be increasingly automated, using sophisticated analysis techniques and large-scale computation. As participants get closer to reaching a deal, they will reveal more information and make further decisions, and new facilities will enable intelligent agents to participate in discovery and transactions. E-marketplaces will also expand to support involvement by skilled specialists who need to share relevant data and to plan and negotiate flexibly. In time, e-marketplaces will include richer collaboration and information management facilities, and will grow to combine the capabilities usually associated with portals and content sites with those of advanced exchanges.


We present an open-source simulation testbed for the development, comparison and analysis of on-demand transport services. The testbed is designed to evaluate the performance of agent-based, on-demand transport vehicle allocation and routing mechanisms; accounting for different vehicle fleets, road network topologies and transport demand structures. A wide range of metrics, including passenger waiting times, vehicle occupancy, or distance travelled, can be used for measuring system performance. In order to encourage the comparison of different allocation and routing mechanisms under standard conditions, the testbed comes with a predefined set of ready-to-use benchmarking scenarios.


We introduce a data-driven anomaly detection framework using a manufacturing dataset collected from a factory assembly line. Given heterogeneous time series data consisting of operation cycle signals and sensor signals, we aim at discovering abnormal events. Motivated by our empirical findings that conventional single-stage benchmark approaches may not exhibit satisfactory performance under our challenging circumstances, we propose a two-stage deep anomaly detection (T-DAD) framework in which two different unsupervised learning models are adopted depending on types of signals. In Stage I, we select anomaly candidates by using a model trained by operation cycle signals; in Stage II, we finally detect abnormal events out of the candidates by using another model, which is suitable for taking advantage of temporal continuity, trained by sensor signals. A distinguishable feature of our framework is that operation cycle signals are exploited first to find likely anomalous points, whereas sensor signals are leveraged to filter out unlikely anomalous points afterward. Our experiments comprehensively demonstrate the superiority over single-stage benchmark approaches, the model-agnostic property, and the robustness to difficult situations.


Abstract. A popular parameterized soil water retention curve (SWRC) has a hydraulic conductivity curve associated with it that can have an infinite slope at saturation. The problem was eliminated before by giving the SWRC a non–zero air–entry value. This improved version still has an asymptote at the dry end, which limits its usefulness for dry conditions and causes its integral to diverge for commonly occurring parameter values. We therefore joined the parameterizations' sigmoid mid–section to a logarithmic dry section ending at zero water content for a finite matric potential, as was done previously for a power–law type SWRC. We selected five SWRC parameterizations that had been proven to produce unproblematic near–saturation conductivities and fitted these and our new curve to data from 21 soils. The logarithmic dry branch gave more realistic extrapolations into the dry end of both the retention and the conductivity curves than an asymptotic dry branch. We tested the original curve, its first improvement, and our second improvement by feeding them into a numerical model that calculated evapotranspiration and deep drainage for nine combinations of soils and climates. The new curve was more robust than the other two. The new curve was better able to produce a conductivity curve with a substantial drop during the early stages of drying than the earlier improvement. It therefore generated smaller amounts of more evenly distributed deep drainage compared to the spiked response to rainfall produced by the earlier improvement.


Objective The risk of colorectal cancer after a previous negative colonoscopy is very low. Nevertheless, interval cancers occur. We aimed to assess the characteristics and predictors of interval cancers after negative colonoscopy. Methods A population-based case-control study was conducted in Southern Germany in 2003–7. Sociodemographic and tumour characteristics were compared among 78 patients with interval cancers occurring 1–10 years after a negative colonoscopy and 433 colorectal cancers detected at screening. In addition, the indication for the preceding negative colonoscopy and its completeness were compared between patients with interval cancers and 515 controls with a preceding negative colonoscopy. Results 56.4% of interval cancers occurred among women compared with 33.7% of cases detected by screening (p=0.0001). After adjustment for covariates, female sex (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.35 to 3.83) and location in the caecum or ascending colon (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.17 to 3.35) were independently associated with occurrence of interval cancers. The preceding negative colonoscopy was more commonly conducted because of a positive faecal occult blood test (26.0% vs 12.9%, p=0.009) and was more often incomplete (caecum not reached: 18.1% vs 6.7%, p=0.001) among interval cancer cases than among controls. Characteristics of the preceding negative colonoscopy strongly and independently associated with occurrence of interval cancers were follow-up of a positive faecal occult blood test among men (OR 5.49, 95% CI 2.10 to 14.35) and incompleteness among women (OR 4.38, 95% CI 1.69 to 11.30). Conclusions The observed patterns suggest that a substantial proportion of interval cancers are due to neoplasms missed at colonoscopy and are potentially preventable by enhanced performance of colonoscopy.


Cancer Immunology
Type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are known to help initiate and coordinate allergic and anthelmintic immunity. Recent studies have also pointed to the role that ILC2s play in the promotion and inhibition of various cancers. Jacquelot et al. show that in melanoma, ILC2s infiltrate tumors and control antitumor immunity. Tumor-infiltrating ILC2s produce the proinflammatory cytokine GM-CSF, which in turn enhances the recruitment, activation, and survival of anti-melanoma eosinophils. Notably, these ILC2s also express programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), which dampens their antitumor activity. When the authors combined anti–PD-1 immunotherapy with administration of the ILC2-activating cytokine interleukin-33 in a mouse model of melanoma, they saw better antitumor responses. ILC2 and eosinophil accumulation in tumors correlated with improved melanoma patient survival, suggesting that these cell populations have potential as cancer immunotherapy targets.

Nat. Immunol. 22 , 851 (2021).


A novel cement matrix smart piezoelectric composite and its application as sensing element are presented.A cement matrix smart piezoelectric composite piece encapsulated in a cement mortar formed a practical sensor, and it was tested on material test system with cyclic loading.According to the theoretical analysis, the function of the cement matrix piezoelectric sensor output voltage was expressed in terms of the magnitude of the input cyclic loading amplitude and frequency.The curve fitting of gain function that is defined as sensor′s gain factor under different frequencies of input loading was carried out. From the results of curve fitting, it is found that the cement matrix smart piezoelectric composite has a simple relationship between input loading and output voltage.Therefore the cement matrix piezoelectric composite sensor is suitable to be applied in structural health monitoring.


To the Editor: Jon G. Udell's discussion of the Thurstone attitude measurement technique in the October, 1965, issue ("Can Attitude Measurement Predict Consumer Behavior?" pp. 46-50) contains some points that need clarification. The meaning of the final "scores" is open to question, since they were derived for groups only and not for individuals. The Thurstone technique is most valid if individual respondents agree only with statements which are reasonably contiguous in scale value (expressed as "weight" in the Udell article). However, when group scoring is undertaken, the degree of dispersion of individual respondents' scale values is masked. The use of the "Best-Statement" technique described by the author does not compensate for this difficulty, since the mean or median ("Best Statement") can be the same in a distribution with great dispersion as it is in a distribution with little dispersion.


Material representing the nine currently recognized species of Pogonomys and its subgenus Chiruromys was subjected to a programme of canonical correlation analysis. Results indicated that six of these species were distinct while two other groups merited subspecific rank. The holotype of another species, P. mollipilosus, appeared to bear little relation to the widespread montane rats with which it has customarily been associated and is now included in the synonomy of a lowland species, P. macrourus. Computer analysis did not suggest any close relationship between Chiruromys and Pogonomys and Chiruromys is now regarded as a separate genus. Examination of the chromosomes confirms that the division into two genera is valid and, while the karyotype of one could be derived from the other it could just as easily be derived from an independent ancestor. Therefore we postulate an independent origin for Chiruromys and Pogonomys.


Background The adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) is a melanocortin (MC) peptide approved for the treatment of inflammatory conditions including gout and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but undesired effects associated with continued elevated glucocorticoid production limit its clinical use1. Research in the last few years has focused on new strategies to develop melanocortin drugs without those side effects. The anti-inflammatory and protective effects of melanocortins on immune and joint cells - such as chondrocytes and osteoclasts – are well characterized. However melanocortin role and therapeutic potential on synovial fibroblasts (SF) are unknown. SF are key effector cells in RA, involved in leukocyte recruitment, cartilage destruction and RA progression and hence proposed as therapeutic targets for RA. Objectives To characterize expression and function of the MC system in SF and explore its potential therapeutic application in synovial inflammation. Methods Expression of the MC system in SF from RA patients was studied by PCR (receptors expression MC1-MC5) and ELISA (endogenous peptides α-,γ-MSH and ACTH). MC-induced signalling was assessed by measuring cAMP production, Ca2+ flux and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Cytokine release was measured in supernatants by ELISA. The MC compounds studied include α-MSH (endogenous peptide, non-selective), DTrp (synthetic peptide, non-selective) and BMS-470539 (synthetic small molecule, MC1 selective). Results SF expressed the receptors MC1,3,4,5 and produced endogenous ACTH. MC targeting in these cells did not induce Gαs mediated cAMP production – of interest, as cAMP is the canonical MC pathway- but evoked increases in intracellular Ca2+ and ERK1/2 phosphorylation suggesting a cell-specific differential signalling, not previously observed in other cell type. The consequences and molecular mechanism of this unusual signalling bias are not known. Treatment of SF with these drugs reduced cytokine release (IL-6, CXCL-5, CCL-2) as well as cell proliferation. Interestingly, the BMS-470539 compound induced cell senescence associated with p16INK4a expression, measured by SA-β-galactosidase staining and immunofluorescence. This effect was only observed with BMS-470539 – and not by the peptide agonists – suggesting a prominent role of MC1 in MC-induced senescence in SF. On-going studies include the characterization of the BMS-470539-induced senescence associated secretory phenotype. Conclusions We show herein that the MC system is functional in SF from RA patients and may be targeted pharmacologically for innovative anti-inflammatory approaches. SF are aberrantly activated in the inflamed synovium and MC treatment can reduce activation state (reduced cytokines) and proliferation. Detailed analyses of senescence-associated secretory phenotype induced by the BMS-470539 drug will help to understand the benefits of this approach on SF-associated synovial inflammation. References Montero-Melendez T. ACTH: The forgotten therapy. Semin Immunol 2015;27(3):216–226. Disclosure of Interest None declared


Channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT) is of utmost importance to manage interference in multi-user wireless networks, in which transmission rates at a high signal-to-noise ratio are characterized by (sum) degrees of freedom (DoF). Ingenious techniques have been proposed to deal with delayed CSIT, notably a scheme by Maddah-Ali and Tse, providing significant DoF with outdated CSIT. However, with most techniques, any delay in the CSIT feedback still results in a DoF loss. A notable exception is the work by Lee and Heath, allowing one to preserve the optimal DoF in the underdetermined MISO BC and IC, but for feedback delays Tfb decreasing with the number of users K, up to a fraction 1/K of the channel coherence time Tc. In this work, an ergodic interference alignment scheme that preserves the K/2 sum DoF of the K-user IC is proposed for Tfb ≤ Tc/2. It is also proven that Tfb = Tc/2 is the longest for which the optimal K/2 DoF can still be obtained for all K.


HipMCL is a high-performance distributed memory implementation of the popular Markov Cluster Algorithm (MCL) and can cluster large-scale networks within hours using a few thousand CPU-equipped nodes. It relies on sparse matrix computations and heavily makes use of the sparse matrix-sparse matrix multiplication kernel (SpGEMM). The existing parallel algorithms in HipMCL are not scalable to Exascale architectures, both due to their communication costs dominating the runtime at large concurrencies and also due to their inability to take advantage of accelerators that are increasingly popular.In this work, we systematically remove scalability and performance bottlenecks of HipMCL. We enable GPUs by performing the expensive expansion phase of the MCL algorithm on GPU. We propose a CPU-GPU joint distributed SpGEMM algorithm called pipelined Sparse SUMMA and integrate a probabilistic memory requirement estimator that is fast and accurate. We develop a new merging algorithm for the incremental processing of partial results produced by the GPUs, which improves the overlap efficiency and the peak memory usage. We also integrate a recent and faster algorithm for performing SpGEMM on CPUs. We validate our new algorithms and optimizations with extensive evaluations. With the enabling of the GPUs and integration of new algorithms, HipMCL is up to 12.4x faster, being able to cluster a network with 70 million proteins and 68 billion connections just under 15 minutes using 1024 nodes of ORNL's Summit supercomputer.


The predictive validity of rational-emotive understandings of religiosity, values, and irrational beliefs was found to be limited. Two rational-emotive irrationalities, both of which were consistent with an adaptive intrinsic religious motivation, correlated negatively with a number of other irrationalities. Subjects from a religious college and those with a more intrinsic commitment were not uniformly more irrational than those from a state university and those who were indiscriminately antireligious. Indices of individualism and a relativistic hedonism, both of which are value systems recommended by rational-emotive theory, were not identified as clearly positive in their psychological influences. Overall, these data support previous suggestions that the personality effects of particular beliefs must be examined within the ideological surround in which they operate (Watson, Morris, & Hood, 1990).


Qualitative data offer rich insights into the social world, whether alone or in tandem with statistical analysis. However, qualitative data are costly to collect and analyse. Moreover, it is a commonplace that only a portion of the data so labouriously collected is the subject of final analysis and publication. Secondary analysis is a well-established method in quantitative research and is raising its profile in application to qualitative data. It has a particular part to play when research is on sensitive topics and/or hard-to-reach populations, as in the example considered here. This article contributes to discussion of the potential and constraints of secondary analysis of qualitative data by reporting the outcome of the secondary analysis of a key study in the sociology of prison life, Cohen and Taylor's research on the long-term imprisonment of men in maximum security. The article re-visits Cohen and Taylor's original analysis and demonstrates support for an alternative, if complementary, conceptualisation, using archived data from the original study. Among the methodological issues discussed are the recovery of the context of the original fieldwork and the role of secondary analysis in an incremental approach to knowledge production.


The purpose of this study was to compare mean oral pressure (Po) and Po variability: (1) between tracheoesophageal (TE) and laryngeal speakers, and (2) between TE speakers' voiced and voiceless phonemes. Sixteen TE and 10 laryngeal speakers produced stops and fricatives in a phrase while Po was recorded. The TE group produced greater mean Po and Po variability than the control group. TE speakers did maintain a Po difference between cognate members with greater pressure on voiceless consonants. A number of possible explanations for the findings are reviewed, although clearer delineation of the issue will require further study.


Background Preoperative (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy is typically used for larger operable breast cancer cases, and the degree of pathological response correlates with long term outcome. Therapeutic response also depends on biological and molecular subtype and is increasingly studied in the research setting to identify prognostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. Little is known about the interactions of neoadjuvant response with biomarker subtypes and genetic predisposition in underserved and minority populations. Methods: IRB approval was obtained to capture demographic, clinicopathological and genetic testing data on patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and treated with preoperative chemotherapy and definitive surgery between 2005 and 2010 at Los Angeles County Medical Center, which serves a primarily Hispanic and indigent population. Treatment followed NCCN guidelines with the exception that not all patients with HER2+ disease received trastuzumab. Genetic counseling and testing has been available at this center since 2007. Pathological complete response (pCR) was defined as no residual invasive disease in breast or nodes. Chi-square or Fisher9s Exact test was used to examine associations between pCR and clinical factors, and logistic regression analyses were applied to assess each variable9s contribution to pCR. Results: Among 104 patients, of whom 79% were Hispanic, the overall pCR rate was 27%. Significantly higher pCR rates were seen in age ≥50, clinical N0, HER2+, triple negative, and lumpectomy cases. No differences in pCR rate was seen in Hispanics vs. others, Grade III vs. I and II or in the 9 BRCA mutations carriers among 45 tested compared to no mutation or those not tested. Of the 43 patients with HER2+ disease, the pCR rate was higher in the 32 patients who received trastuzumab (pCR 50.0 vs. 27.3%). Subset pCR rates and odds ratios (OR) of achieving pCR are shown below: Conclusions: In this underserved cohort, with 43% undergoing genetic testing, significantly higher pCR rates were seen in HER2+ and triple negative and lumpectomy cases, with a trend seen in older patients and smaller tumors. There was an unexpected trend of lower pCR rate seen in BRCA mutation carriers (pCR OR 0.33), albeit with small numbers. No differences were seen in Hispanic cases compared to other ethnicities. Further tissue analyses are planned to examine established and novel markers and to define exploratory markers that could be used for decision-making and target discovery in larger datasets within this population. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-14-21.


Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional relationship between arterial blood pressure and cognitive impairment in a group of elderly subjects, controlling for such confounding variables as age, education, depression, drug use and antihypertensive treatment. Design and setting A cross-sectional survey in Campania, a region in southern Italy. Subjects and methods A random sample of 1339 elderly subjects aged 65–95 years (mean 73.9 ± 6.2 years) selected from the electoral rolls was interviewed by trained physicians. Sociodemographic characteristics, results of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), blood pressure and whether antihypertensive treatment was being administered were recorded. When subjects with neurological diseases and those under psychotropic therapy were excluded from the analyses, the population numbered 1106. Results The MMSE score was less than 24 for 27.9% of the subjects and the mean GDS score was 10.8 ± 6.3. The mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 145.3 ± 19.0 mmHg and the mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 82.0 ± 9.2 mmHg. Logistic regression analysis showed that female sex, age, GDS score and DBP but not SBP were predictive of cognitive impairment. Educational level and antihypertensive treatment, on the contrary, play a protective role. DBP was associated with cognitive impairment in subjects aged 75 years (odds ratio 1.62, 95% confidence interval 1.16–2.25) and over (odds ratio 5.16, 95% confidence interval 1.50–17.71) but not in those aged 65–74 years. Conclusion DBP but not SBP is predictive of cognitive impairment in subjects aged 75 years and over without neurological disorders independently from sex, age, education, GDS and antihypertensive treatment.


Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA

The cellular consequences of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a first-line therapy for locally advanced and metastatic prostate cancer (PCa), are induction of apoptosis or G1 cell cycle arrest. Inability of PCa cells to induce apoptosis is the starting point of development of castration resistance. Hence, an improved therapy should target the cell cycle-arrested cells in a combinatorial approach together with currently applied ADT. Here we set out to analyze whether MCL1, a pro-survival member of the BCL2 family and known mediator of chemotherapy resistance regulates the cellular response to androgen withdrawal. Analysis of MCL1 protein and mRNA expression in PCa tissue and primary cell culture specimens of luminal and basal origin, respectively, reveals higher expression in cancerous tissue compared to benign origin. Using PCa cellular models in vitro and in vivo we show that MCL1 expression is regulated through the action of androgens and upregulated in androgen-sensitive PCa cells when grown under steroid-deprived conditions. Analysis of the underlying mechanism suggests that regulation of MCL1 through the AR signaling axis is indirectly mediated via a cell cycle-dependent mechanism. Using constructs downregulating or overexpressing MCL1 we demonstrate that expression of MCL1 prevents induction of apoptosis when androgen-sensitive PCa cells are grown under steroid-deprived conditions. The BH3-mimetic Obatoclax induces apoptosis and decreases MCL1 expression in androgen-sensitive PCa cells, while castration-resistant PCa cells are less sensitive and react with an upregulation of MCL1 expression. Synergistic effects of Obatoclax with androgen receptor inactivation can be observed in androgen-sensitive cells. In addition, Obatoclax efficiently inhibits clonogenicity of primary basal PCa cells. Altogether, our results suggest that MCL1 is a key molecule deciding over the fate of PCa cells upon inactivation of androgen receptor signaling and provide a mechanistic rationale for a clinical assessment of a MCL1-targeting therapy adjuvant to ADT.

Citation Format: Frederic R. Santer, Holger H.H. Erb, Su Jung Oh, Florian Handle, Gertrud E. Feiersinger, Birgit Luef, Huajie Bu, Georg Schafer, Christian Ploner, Martina Egger, Jayant K. Rane, Norman J. Maitland, Helmut Klocker, Iris E. Eder, Zoran Culig. Mechanistic rationale for MCL1 inhibition during androgen deprivation therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3


As a basis for nursing support for survivors and partners following CRC treatment, the overall aim of the present thesis was to explore the first year of subjective recovery following such treatment. First, the focus was on illness perceptions and self-reorientation in cancer care settings from the survivors' perspective as well as on cancer care settings and illness perceptions from the partners' perspective. Second, the focus was on investigating relations between fatigue, mental health, gastrointestinal health, illness perceptions and self-efficacy in relation to maintaining everyday activities, where health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was the outcome measure. Persons treated for CRC at a county hospital in western Sweden and their partners were the participants. In Study I (n=17), III (n=46) and IV (n=39) the participants were survivors, and in Study II (n =18) the participants were survivors and partners. In Study I and II, data were collected through interviews and analyzed using Grounded Theory methodology. In Study III and IV, data were collected through questionnaires and statistically analyzed. The following questionnaires were used: European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer's (EORTC) cancer-specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30); the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised (IPQ-R); and the Maintain Function Scale. In Study I, the theoretical model explained self-reorientation as the individual trying to achieve congruence in self-perception. The core of self-reorientation was questions that did not have clear answers. Not knowing the cause of cancer, or not being able to understand bodily reactions, meant losing one's former sense of self. In Study II, the theoretical model illustrated illness perceptions of survivors and partners in relation to the experienced contemporary cancer care environment. Information and non-continuity was experienced as troublesome if there was no specific healthcare professional to contact if needed, and the time after discharge was characterized by loneliness. Survivors' and partners' illness perceptions were incompatible: Survivors tended to minimize the seriousness, while partners were more focused on seeing cancer as a life-changing event. In Study III, fatigue and diarrhea were identified as negative predictors of HRQoL, while self-efficacy in relation to maintaining everyday activities was identified as a positive predictor. The Maintain Function Scale was suitable for assessing self-efficacy in relation to maintaining everyday activities. Study IV showed a significant decrease in level of self-efficacy at 12 months. Emotional representations and fatigue, respectively, functioned as mediators between self-efficacy and HRQoL. In conclusion, nurse-led follow up consultations after discharge need to be prioritized after treatment for CRC. Because illness perceptions not only influence self-reorientation but also function as a mediator between self-efficacy in relation to maintaining everyday activities and HRQoL, illness perceptions and self-efficacy need to be in focus when addressing symptoms. In addition to prioritizing nursing care after discharge, the informational burden, lack of continuity and strain on partners found in the results should be addressed during treatment.


The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II gene on resistance to Newcastle disease virus and body weight of the Thai indigenous chicken, Leung Hang Khao (Gallus gallus domesticus). Blood samples were collected for single nucleotide polymorphism analysis from 485 chickens. Polymerase chain reaction sequencing was used to classify single nucleotide polymorphisms of class II MHC. Body weights were measured at the ages of 3, 4, 5, and 7 months. Titres of Newcastle disease virus at 2 weeks to 7 months were determined and the correlation between body weight and titre was analysed. The association between single nucleotide polymorphisms and body weight and titre were analysed by a generalized linear model. Seven single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified: C125T, A126T, C209G, C242T, A243T, C244T, and A254T. Significant correlations between log titre and body weight were found at 2 and 4 weeks. Associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms and titre were found for C209G and A254T, and between all single nucleotide polymorphisms (except A243T) and body weight. The results showed that class II MHC is associated with both titre of Newcastle disease virus and body weight in Leung Hang Khao chickens. This is of concern because improved growth traits are the main goal of breeding selection. Moreover, the results suggested that MHC has a pleiotropic effect on the titre and growth performance. This mechanism should be investigated in a future study.


This paper argues that a significant adjustment process has taken place in Polish industry after the 1990 market oriented reforms. We analyze comprehensive data on two-digit and three-digit manufacturing industries, disaggregated by firm ownership and size. By focusing on a decomposition of labor productivity growth, we obtain results which suggest that structural determinants of the recovery have outweighed cyclical ones. With regard to firm ownership and economic performance, we find that the productive response of state enterprises has been markedly different from that of private firms, with the latter outperforming the former. Finally, our results indicate that size matters, at least among private firms, and provide mild evidence of increasing returns.


Persons who have close relatives with certain diseases (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis) are more likely to develop those diseases themselves. Family health history is an important risk factor that reflects inherited genetic susceptibility, shared environment, and common behaviors. Although clinicians are trained to collect family histories, substantial barriers exist to obtaining this information in primary care practice (e.g., lack of time or lack of reimbursement). To promote the use of family history as a screening tool for disease prevention and health promotion, several initiatives have called for new self-administered family history collection tools and educational programs to help clinicians interpret and apply family history information to patient care. To assess attitudes, knowledge, and practices of U.S. residents regarding their family health histories, CDC analyzed data from the 2004 HealthStyles Survey. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that although 96.3% of survey respondents believe their family history is important for their own health, few have actively collected health information from their relatives to develop a family history. Targeted public health efforts are needed to 1) help persons collect family history information to share with their health-care providers and 2) educate and assist providers to interpret and apply this information effectively.


To the Editor.— The recent report of mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome (Kawasaki disease) in adults by E. Dale Everett, MD (242:542, 1979), prompted the retrospective identification of a recent, previously undiagnosed case in a 22-year-old woman. Report of a Case.— Previously healthy, the patient woke with a fever and vomited. Malaise, chills, and a temperature of from 38 to 40 °C continued for 36 hours, when a sore throat and a generalized nonitching rash developed on the limbs and trunk. On examination the woman appeared ill; she was slightly drowsy, with a temperature of 40 °C and large submandibular lymph nodes, diffuse edema of the uvula, and erythema of the pharynx without exudate. The lips were red and chapped. There was an extensive scarlatiniform rash on the abdomen and limbs without marked accentuation in the flexures. The spleen was not enlarged; no other lymph nodes were felt, and the neck


We explore the use of the Media Independent Information Service (MIIS) in the IEEE 802.21 Media Independent Handover (MIH) framework to improve handover performance for Fast Mobile IPv6 by providing Authentication information. We explore the tradeoffs of Pre-Authentication before joining a new network versus authentication after connecting to a new network during a Fast Mobile IPv6 handover. We discuss our implementations of services available from the MIIS in simulation using the ns-2 simulation system and evaluate their performance.


The phenomenon of debris and mudflow is of much interest nowadays for the major economical and social development of mountain regions. The purpose of this paper is the formulation of a criterion for designing mudflow breakers, structures that are usually located inside a deposition basin or upstream of a slit check dam in order to reduce the destructive power of mudflow and debris flow and to localize dissipative and scouring phenomena in limited areas. In particular we focalise the analysis to the specific case of deposition basins, where the insertion of mudflow breakers permits to minimize the part of the bottom of the basin to be protected, reducing negative environmental impacts and building costs. The investigation was carried out both theoretically and experimentally, taking into account the effect of fluid viscosity and concentration in the realization of a reduced scale model. Results provide for the positioning of mudflow breakers in two rows being sufficient to dissipate most of the kinetic energy of the incoming debris flow.


ABSTRACT In recent years, the rapid growth of Gulf cities has led to a transformation of local settlement structures. The key objective of this paper is to deliver an overview of new housing patterns and how they impact spatial fragmentation. To identify the spatial distribution of new housing typologies and to explore the recent transformation of urban fabrics, GIS analyses were carried out and Space Syntax models were developed in the case of Qatar's capital, Doha. This is coupled with an analysis of the travel routes of 130 residents which were assessed to investigate key aspects related to fragmentation. The outcomes include both new insights into the understanding of urban development tendencies in Gulf cities and the introduction of a methodological approach to establish responsive strategies in fast-growing and car-dependent cities.


Alexander Gordon, one of twin boys, was born in 1752 in the parish of Strachan, 20 miles south west of Aberdeen. Little is known of his early life, but he obtained an MA at Marischal College, and after further study at the Aberdeen Infirmary and in Edinburgh, graduated in medicine at the University of Aberdeen. In 1780, at the age of 28, with testimonial letters from the Corporation of Surgeons of London, he entered the Royal Navy as a surgeon's mate. Two years later he was advanced to the rank of surgeon. Put on half pay in 1783, he went to London where for the next two years he studied at the Lying-In Hospital in Shore Street. While there he also attended the lectures of Drs Thomas Denman and William Osborn at the Middlesex Lying-In Dispensary and practised surgery and dissection at the Westminster Hospital. During this period, he married Elizabeth Harvey. They had two daughters, one of whom died in childhood.

In 1785 Gordon returned to Aberdeen, gained an MD from Marischal College and entered general practice. Shortly after he was appointed physician to the Aberdeen Dispensary that had opened in 1781. During the next nine years there were 12 925 admissions for treatment at this institution. Gordon's main interest was midwifery and obstetrics and, in addition to a considerable private practice, he regularly gave lectures on this subject to the University students.1 2

In 1789 and 1792 Aberdeen experienced serious epidemics of puerperal fever. Gordon himself cared for 77 such patients, 25 of whom died, usually around the 5th day. Following this experience he published his Treatise on the Epidemic Puerperal Fever of Aberdeen in 1795.(fig 1)3 It was dedicated to his mentor, Thomas Denman, who had himself already made important contributions to …


It is a well-known fact that compressive residual stresses are developed during the quenching process of carburized parts. The main purpose of this work is related to the tempering effects on as-quenched compressive residual stresses of commercial carburized samples. The work was carried out by using SAE 4120 RH steel samples with different diameters (15 and 38 mm), which led to different cooling rates with a direct effect on the nucleus microstructure. The carburized surface microstructure was considered similar. The 15 mm bars nucleus microstructures were predominantly martensitic but bainitic in the larger samples. The as-quenched surface compressive residual stress was lower in the smaller diameter samples. The compressive residual stress reduction due to increasing tempering temperature was continuous for the larger diameter work piece. The smaller diameter samples had different behaviors in two regions; the compressive stress for lower tempering temperatures was reduced, while values were enhanced over higher temperatures.


Abstract. A network of three radon stations has been established in the Langadas Basin, northern Greece for radon monitoring by various techniques in earthquake prediction studies. Specially made devices with plastic tubes including Alpha Tracketch Detectors (ATD) were installed for registering alpha particles from radon and radon decay products exhaled from the ground, every 2 weeks, by using LR-115, type II, non-strippable Kodak films, starting from December 1996. Simultaneous measurements started using Lucas cells alpha spectrometer for instantaneous radon measurements in soil gas, before and after setting ATDs at the radon stations. Continuous monitoring of radon gas exhaling from the ground started from the middle of August 1999 by using silicon diode detectors, which simultaneously register meteorological parameters, such as rainfall, temperature and barometric pressure. The obtained data were studied together with the data of seismic events, such as the magnitude, ML, of earthquakes that occurred at the Langadas Basin during the period of measurements, as registered by the Laboratory of Geophysics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in order to find out any association between them.


While the quest for youth continues, the public has turned away from traditional surgical procedures and toward less invasive ones. Fillers and nonablative resurfacing have become more desirable than face lifting and laser resurfacing. The hype for nonablative technologies promises tighter, smoother, and firmer skin without surgery or recovery time. But can they deliver? The verdict is still out.


Objective—Angiogenesis requires tightly coordinated crosstalk between endothelial cells (ECs) and stromal cells, such as fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells. The specific molecular mechanisms moderating this process are still poorly understood. Methods and Results—Stromal cell–derived factors are essential for EC sprouting and lumen formation. We therefore compared the abilities of 2 primary fibroblast isolates and a primary smooth muscle cell isolate to promote in vitro angiogenesis, and analyzed their secretomes using a combination of nano liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry, quantitative PCR, and ELISA. Each isolate exhibited a different level of angiogenic ability. Using quantitative MS, we then compared the secretomes of a fibroblast isolate exhibiting low angiogenic activity, a fibroblast isolate exhibiting high angiogenic activity, and human umbilical vein ECs. High angiogenic fibroblast supernatants exhibited an overabundance of proteins associated with extracellular matrix constituents compared with low angiogenic fibroblasts or ECs. Finally, small interfering RNA technology and purified protein were used to confirm a role for stromal cell–derived hepatocyte growth factor and fibronectin in inducing EC sprouting. Conclusion—Differences in stromal cell ability to induce angiogenesis are a result of differences in the secreted proteomes of both extracellular matrix proteins and proangiogenic growth factors.


The objectives of this research were: 1 ) to find the effectiveness of the blended learning management activity package 2) to compare the learning achievement 3) to study memory retention and 4) to study the satisfaction with the blended learning activities. The research sample consisted of 3 0 1 st year students enrolled in the Innovation and Information Technology for Communication and Learning course in the 2 nd semester of the academic year 2 0 2 0 in the Major of General Science, Faculty of Education, Rajabhat Nakhon Si Thammarat University. The research tools were: 1) a blended learning management activity package, and 2 ) an online questionnaire on the satisfaction of the learners with the blended learning activities. The statistics used in the data analysis were mean, S. D. and hypothesis testing using t-test Dependent. 1) The developed efficiency was 8 0 .5 8 /8 7 .6 7 , which was the efficiency according to the specified criteria 8 0 /8 0 . 2 ) The statistically significant comparison of the learning achievement after receiving the learning management was higher than before the learning management at the .05 level. 3) The study of memory retention after 2 weeks of learning management was not significantly different at the .05 level and 4) The overall of the satisfaction blended learning activities were at the highest level.


A new industrial production method of 2, 3-butanediol is discussed in this paper.C2-4 bio-polyol is prepared by combining biological fermentation and chemical cleavage, with corn starch as raw material. In this industrial method, high purity 2,3-butanediol can be obtained after distillation and purification. Low production cost of this method provides an effective support for 2, 3-butanediol large-scaled application


Abstract The average maturity of newly issued corporate bonds has declined substantially over the past 40 years, and the traditional determinants of debt maturity fail to explain this decline fully. We show that the changing composition of investors in the corporate bond market influences bond maturities. The results of a Granger causality test, an instrumental variable approach, and a natural experiment suggest that a decline in the insurance companies' – which prefer long-term bonds – ownership share in the corporate bond market explains a significant part of the unexplained maturity decline. These findings illustrate how investor preferences can have real effects on corporations.


Synthetic aperture (SA) is a technique that enhances the image resolution by synthesizing information from multiple subapertures. The application of this technique for medical ultrasound imaging has been an active research area, but the resolution improvement is limited by the physical size of the ultrasound array transducer. With a large F number (depth to aperture-size ratio), it is hard to achieve high resolution at deep regions without extending the effective aperture size. In this paper, we investigate experimentally an approach to extend the available aperture size for SA by sweeping the ultrasound transducer using a precise robotic arm. Pose information from the robot's kinematic for the calibrated probe is used to synthesize the signals received at different positions; therefore the available aperture is wider than the size of transducer. To experimentally validate this approach, a robot arm (UR5, Universal Robot) was used to hold a 64 elements phased array transducer (0.32 mm pitch, 2MHz central frequency), and in-plane lateral translational motion was applied. A line phantom as a point source and an ultrasound phantom with wire targets and anechoic region were used for evaluation. The full width at half maximum of a reconstructed point source improved a factor of 2.76 by moving five poses with 10.24 mm step size. For the ultrasound phantom, the contrast-to-noise ratio of anechoic region enhanced 12% by moving three poses with the same step. Results indicate that the technique to robotically extend aperture has potential to improve the image quality for SA ultrasound imaging. © (2015) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.


We develop an analytical model for the relationship between the strain measured by a fiber Bragg grating sensor and the actual structural strain. The values of the average strain transfer rates calculated from the analytical model agree well with available experiment data. Based on the analytical model, the critical adherence length of an optical fiber sensor can be calculated and is determined by a strain lag parameter, which contains both the effects of the geometry and the relative stiffness of the structural components. The analysis shows that the critical adherence length of a fiber sensing segment is the minimum length with which the fiber must be tightly bonded to a structure for adequate sensing. The strain transfer rate of an optical fiber sensor embedded in a multilayered structure is developed in a similar way, and the factors that influence the efficiency of optical fiber sensor strain transferring are discussed. It is concluded that the strain sensed by a fiber Bragg grating must be magnified by a factor (strain transfer rate) to be equal to the actual structural strain. This is of interest for the application of fiber Bragg grating sensors.


The paper assesses the development of profits in the selected legal entities of agricultural primary production in the Slovak Republic as well as the progress in taxation of profit distribution in the form of dividends including mutual correlations in 2009-2014. Mean values of profit or loss are noted for the diverse development of examined variables. The development of mean values of dividends from the net profit is achieved a slight increase in the selected years. The dividends generated in the analysed periods were not taxable because according to the Slovak tax law dividends were not subject to tax. The results of testing of differences significance in profit or loss values in the reviewed commercial companies and cooperatives determined that the statistically significant differences existed in the particular years. In case of dividends no statistically significant differences were found. The statistically significant correlations between profit and dividends were reported by means of nonparametric correlation analysis except for the profit generated in the year 2009 and dividends in the year 2010.


There are many methods (for example, expert reviews, cognitive interviews, and experiments) to test questionnaires and other data collection instruments. In practice, all surveys cannot be tested with all methods; there has to be a balance with regard to survey importance, consequences of data errors, available resources, and costs. Statistics Sweden has developed a strategy how to test questionnaires in different surveys, taking the abovementioned factors into account. This strategy is based on a small set of survey characteristics which mainly are taken from a database with classifications for many surveys. Based on how a survey is classified in the chosen characteristics, the strategy proposes different levels of testing. These levels vary in both ambition and the methods included. The strategy has, since implemented, increased the amount of testing but in a differentiated way, based on risk and resources.


In a clinical trial investigating the effectiveness of social work intervention with depressed women patients in general practice, 80 women were randomly allocated to an experimental group for referral to attached social workers or to a control group for routine treatment by their GPs. They were reassessed at 6 and 12 months. The results indicated that women who had major marital problems were more likely to be depressed at follow-up than those with good relationships. However, patients with marital difficulties in the experimental group made more improvement than the controls. Women initially assessed as suffering from 'acute on chronic' depression and having major marital difficulties were found to benefit most from social work intervention.


We investigated dynamic force propagation between focal adhesions of fibroblast cells cultured on polydimethylsiloxane micropost substrates, by atomic force microscopy. Live cells were mechanically modulated by the atomic force microscopy probe bound to cell apical surfaces at 0.01–0.5 Hz, while microposts served as a force sensor at basal surfaces. We observed that cells exhibited rheological behavior at the apical surface but had no apparent out-of-phase response at the basal surface, indicating that the dynamic force propagating through cytoskeletal filaments behaves in an elastic manner. Moreover, the direction of the propagated force was observed to be intimately associated with the prestress.


Intermodulation distortion in field-effect transistors (FETs) at RF frequencies is analyzed using the Volterra-series analysis. The degrading effect of the circuit reactances on the maximum IIP3 in the conventional derivative-superposition (DS) method is explained. The noise performance of this method is also analyzed and the effect of the subthreshold biasing of one of the FETs on the noise figure (NF) is shown. A modified DS method is proposed to increase the maximum IIP3 at RF. It was used in a 0.25-mum Si CMOS low-noise amplifier (LNA) designed for cellular code-division multiple-access receivers. The LNA achieved +22-dBm IIP3 with 15.5-dB gain, 1.65-dB NF, and 9.3 email@example.com power consumption


An 80 Gbit/s (8/spl times/10 Gbit/s) OTDM system, constructed entirely with electroabsorption modulators (EAM) as the active components, is presented. A tandem EAM pulse source with a simple dual frequency drive generates transform limited 4.5 ps pulses. At the receiver, the 10 Gbit/s channels are demultiplexed from 80 Gbit/s in a single step using a low polarisation sensitivity EAM. Error free operation with a sensitivity of -21.5 dBm is achieved.


BACKGROUND AND AIM
Severe bleeding from gastrointestinal ulcers is a life-threatening event that is difficult to manage when endoscopic treatment fails. Transcatheter embolization has been suggested as an alternative treatment in this situation. The present study reports on the efficacy and long-term outcomes of transcatheter embolization after failed endoscopic treatments were assessed in high operative- risk patients.

METHODS
A retrospective review of 60 consecutive emergency embolization procedures in hemodynamically unstable patients (41 men, 19 women; mean [+/-SD] age 69.4+/-15 years) was conducted. Patients were referred for selective angiography between 1999 and 2008 after failed endoscopic treatment of massive bleeding from gastrointestinal ulcers. Mean follow-up was 22 months.

RESULTS
Embolization was feasible and successful in 57 patients. Sandwich coiling of the gastroduodenal artery was used in 34 patients, and superselective occlusion of the terminal feeding artery (with glue, coils or gelatin particles) was used in 23 patients. Early rebleeding occurred in 16 patients and was managed with endoscopy (n=8), reembolization (n=3) or surgery (n=5). No major embolization-related complications occurred. Sixteen patients died within 30 days after embolization (including three who died from rebleeding) and 11 died thereafter. No late bleeding recurrences were reported.

CONCLUSIONS
Selective angiographic embolization is safe and effective for controlling life-threatening bleeding from gastroduodenal ulcers. The procedure usually obviates the need for emergency surgery in these high-risk patients. Survival depends chiefly on underlying conditions.


The 87Sr/86Sr compositions of formation waters that were collected from 71 wells producing from a Pennsylvanian carbonate reservoir in New Mexico display a well-defined distribution, with radiogenic waters (up to 0.710129) at the updip western part of the reservoir, grading downdip to less radiogenic waters (as low as 0.708903) to the east. Salinity (2800–50,000 mg/L) displays a parallel trend; saline waters to the west pass downdip to brackish waters.

Elemental and isotopic data indicate that the waters originated as meteoric precipitation and acquired their salinity and radiogenic 87Sr through dissolution of Upper Permian evaporites. These meteoric-derived waters descended, perhaps along deeply penetrating faults, driven by gravity and density, to depths of more than 7000 ft (2100 m). The 87Sr/86Sr and salinity trends record influx of these waters along the western field margin and downdip flow across the field, consistent with the strong water drive, potentiometric gradient, and tilted gas-oil-water contacts.

The formation water 87Sr/86Sr composition can be useful to evaluate subsurface flow and reservoir behavior, especially in immature fields with scarce pressure and production data. In mature reservoirs, Sr isotopes can be used to differentiate original formation water from injected water for waterflood surveillance. Strontium isotopes thus provide a valuable tool for both static and dynamic reservoir characterization in conjunction with conventional studies using seismic, log, core, engineering, and production data.

Roger Barnaby has conducted stratigraphic studies of carbonates and siliciclastics in outcrop and subsurface for 15 years. He holds a Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and a B.S. degree from East Carolina University. Barnaby has worked on sedimentary successions of the Gulf Coast, Permian basin, Alaska North Slope, Middle East, and Caspian region. He maintains interests in carbonate diagenesis and geochemistry.Gregg Oetting received an M.A. degree in geology in 1995 from the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of six publications concerning geochemical and strontium isotopic variations in Edwards aquifer groundwaters. For the past seven years, Oetting has traded energy futures for leading merchant energy concerns. He works for an independent consulting business in Houston, Texas. Guoqiu Gao received his B.S and M.S. degrees in geology from Central-South University, Hunan, China, and his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Texas at Austin. He works for a major oil company in Houston, Texas. His current interests lie in the field of geoscience computing.


Many studies have been carried out to investigate the impact of recent European financial crises on the performance of financial instruments in other regions. Nevertheless, there have been insufficient studies explaining such impact on Islamic financial instrument. In particular, whether Greece Financial crises have affected performance of Sukuk traded in Gulf Markets needs to be answered. This study is aimed at empirically investigating the causality of credit and liquidity risk on Sukuk Markets in Gulf economies in the period of Greece Financial Crises. We analyzed the Sukuk data by employing Granger casuality test, with all the associated vector autoregression model procedures. Our findings show that Bahrain sukuk market is cointegrated with those of Qatar and UAE in the full period observation. Meanwhile, during the crisis, Qatar Sukuk market is cointegrated with those of UAE Bahrain. We also find that Bahrain Sukuk triggers market shock in both Qatar and UAE Sukuk markets. Bahrain consistently causes changes in price and spread of UAE Sukuk, both in the context of the full period and the during-crisis period. DOI: 10.15408/aiq.v9i1.3733


The study of military coercion is a central topic in international relations, and in recent years research on coercive threats has yielded a long list of important theoretical innovations. In 1960, Thomas Schelling drew a distinction between threats meant to deter and those designed to compel, but empirical research about coercion has paid much more attention to deterrence than compellence. This is problematic because deterrence and compellence are thought to operate according to different dynamics. This article introduces the Militarized Compellent Threats dataset, which is designed specifically to help test hypotheses about the use and effectiveness of compellent threats in international politics. I describe the rationale behind the dataset, present coding procedures and basic descriptive statistics, and offer comparisons to several related datasets.


H andwriting is a concatenation of graphical symbols drawn by a pen or other writing instruments, using a hand in order to represent linguistic constructs for communication and knowledge storage. These graphical marks/writing symbols have deep orthographic relation to the phonology of a spoken language. However, to a machine, handwriting is nothing but a pattern. Therefore, recognition of this pattern is performed in order to read a manuscript by a computer. Such a process of automatic character pattern recognition from an optically scanned document image is called OCR (Optical Character Recognition). Nowadays, the computer vision method is not limited to simply recognizing patterns/objects. It tries to endow the machine a human-like intelligent ability. The main goal of this research is using computer vision to bridge the gap between pattern recognition and human perception of handwriting. In this thesis, we focus on understanding the handwriting, which is beyond simply recognizing the characters by OCR. Towards this aim, we peek into the implicit information of handwriting to understand some inherent characteristics. In this thesis, we concentrate on three aspects. First, understanding the generation of handwritten information by the writing body; second, understanding the writing strokes in regards to the quality of handwriting; third, understanding the content revealing handwritten word entities. Thus, the thesis contains three parts. Regardless of past researches on writer inspection, it is hard to find an empirical study performed on intravariable handwriting, although such variation should be an important concern. The first part of this thesis addresses this concern. Besides, this part inspects the writer on some unconventional aspects, e.g., writing variability over struck-out texts, multiple scripts, etc. The second part makes a pioneering contribution to understanding writing stroke information in multiple facets, such as legibility, aesthetics, difficulty, and idiosyncrasy of strokes. The third part of the thesis approaches to comprehend the content of the handwritten document using computer vision, without the aid of a transcription engine or the natural language processing which, according to our knowledge, is the earliest attempt of its kind. This research has adapted the traditional machine learning approaches as well as state-of-the-art deep learning approaches and has proposed new techniques to automate the process of handwriting understanding. The performed experiments have produced encouraging results, which ensure the applicability of the proposed research. This study has an impact on general image processing, pattern recognition, machine learning, and deep


Inspired by the problem that the current spatial registration methods are unsuitable for three-dimensional (3-D) sensor on high-dynamic platform, this paper focuses on the estimation for the registration errors of cooperative missiles and motion states of maneuvering target. There are two types of errors being discussed: sensor measurement biases and attitude biases. Firstly, an improved Kalman Filter on Earth-Centered Earth-Fixed (ECEF-KF) coordinate algorithm is proposed to estimate the deviations mentioned above, from which the outcomes are furtherly compensated to the error terms. Secondly, the Pseudo Linear Kalman Filter (PLKF) and the nonlinear scheme the Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) with modified inputs are employed for target tracking. The convergence of filtering results are monitored by a position-judgement logic, and a low-pass first order filter is selectively introduced before compensation to inhibit the jitter of estimations. In the simulation, the ECEF-KF enhancement is proven to improve the accuracy and robustness of the space alignment, while the conditional-compensation-based PLKF method is demonstrated to be the optimal performance in target tracking.


Classification of possible errors in formal contexts is given and the possibilities of exploring them are discussed. An approach for finding errors of some classes in formal contexts is introduced. This approach may be used in attempt to find errors in an object that is to be added to the context. The idea is based on finding those implications from an implication basis of the context, which are not respected by the object. It is noted that addressing such a problem directly may lead to an intractable solution. Alternative approach based on closing subsets of the intent of an object is considered in order to be able to find solution in polynomial time and deal with inconsistent combination of attributes. Examples are provided.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the clinical efficacy of retrograde puncture subintimal angioplasty (SIA) for treatment of occlusive diseases in the long segment of the infrapopliteal artery.

METHODS
The clinical data of 50 patients with occlusive diseases in the long segment of the infrapopliteal artery were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into control group (n=25) and study group (n=25) and received antegrade SIA and retrograde puncture SIA with long balloon after the failed antegrade SIA, respectively. The ankle brachial index (ABI) and the temperature of the infrapopliteal skin before and after the operation were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS
The technical success rate was 100% in the 50 patients, who showed obviously improved ischemic symptoms without serious complications. The ABI of the study group increased from 0.31 ± 0.12 before the treatment to 0.47 ± 0.09 at 24 h, 0.56 ± 0.06 at 1 week, 0.63 ± 0.07 at 3 months, 0.58 ± 0.06 at 6 months, and 0.49 ± 0.03 at 12 months after the treatment, and the skin temperature increased from 28.13 ± 2.45 before the operation to 33.87 ± 1.24, 34.16 ± 0.44, 34.19 ± 0.25, 32.45 ± 0.25, and 31.05 ± 0.21 at the corresponding time points after the treatment, respectively, showing significant improvements after the operation (P<0.05). ABI, skin temperature and the patency rate were similar between the two groups at each of the postoperative time points (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION
Retrograde puncture SIA is safe and effective for treatment of arteriosclerosis obliterans in the infrapopliteal arteries with a high clinical success rate and a low complication rate after the failure of antegrade SIA.


In Faces of Internationalism, Eugene R. Wittkopf examines the changing nature of public attitudes toward American foreign policy in the post-Vietnam era and the role that public opinion plays in the American foreign policymaking process. Drawing on new data-four mass and four elite opinion surveys undertaken by the Chicago Council of Foreign Relations from 1974 to 1986-combined with sophisticated analysis techniques, Wittkopf offers a pathbreaking study that addresses the central question of the relationship of a democracy to its foreign policy. The breakdown of the "consensus" approach to American foreign policy after the Cold War years has become the subject of much analysis. This study contributes to revisionist scholarship by describing the beliefs and preferences that have emerged in the wake of this breakdown. Wittkopf counters traditional views by demonstrating the persistence of U.S. public opinion defined by two dominant and distinct attitudes in the post-Vietnam war years-cooperative and militant internationalism. The author explores the nature of these two "faces" of internationalism, focusing on the extent to which elites and masses share similar opinions and the political and sociodemographic correlates of belief systems. Wittkopf also offers an original examination of the relationship between beliefs and preferences.


An attempt was made to formulate and evaluate the curcumin transdermal drug delivery system.
Preformulation studies on the drug curcumin were done which included description, solubility
and compatibility studies. The transdermal patches were made which were of matrix diffusion
control system. Solvent casting technique was used to prepare the transdermal patches. Three
formulations were made with 20mg of curcumin and by using polymers namely hydoxy propyl
methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose at various ratios and the yield was noted. Curcumin was
physically examined for color and odour. Solubility was determined in water, phosphate buffer
pH -7.4, Ethanol, DMSO and Tetra hydro furan. Interaction of drug and polymer was confirmed
by UV – Visible interaction and FTIR studies. Based on this further evaluation was carried
out.Invitro drug diffusion stuy was also carried out using modified Franz diffusion cell.
Transdermal patches were evaluated for the weight, thickness, percentage moisture uptake,
percentage flatness, folding endurance, water vapor transmission rate, and in-vitro release
studies. This was done for three formulations F1, F2, F3. It was found that formulation F1
showed the best compatibility on the basis of all tests performed.