Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disorder (OMIM 191092) characterised by autism, seizures, mental retardation, benign tumours of the brain, heart, kidney, lung, and skin, and malignant tumours of the kidney.1 TSC has a wide range of phenotypic variability, with some subjects severely affected and others only mildly affected. There are two TSC genes, TSC1 on chromosome 9q342 and TSC2 on chromosome 16p13.3Approximately two thirds of cases of TSC appear to result from de novo germline mutations.

In 1994, an extended four generation family with 19 affected members was reported in which 34 members (17 affected with TSC and 17 unaffected) underwent both physical and psychiatric assessments.4 The majority of the affected subjects had mild physical expression of TSC, but there was significant clustering of neuropsychiatric disorders among affected subjects compared with their unaffected relatives. The disorders that were over-represented included mood disorder, anxiety disorder, and autism. The largest difference was observed in anxiety disorder, which was seen in 10 of the affected subjects and in two of the unaffected subjects (p=0.016). One affected child had pervasive developmental disorder and one had autism. Analysis of this family suggested that TSC could present phenotypically with mild physical signs and symptoms, but with significant neuropsychiatric disease. Linkage to the TSC2 gene locus on chromosome 16p13.3 was shown with a lod score of over 3.4

We report here the identification of a missense mutation in exon 34 of the TSC2 gene in affected members of this family. We also examined a second four generation family5from the same geographical area as the …


Researchers compared appropriate behavior scores of six residents with chronic schizophrenia participating in therapeutic recreation (TR) services and vocational rehabilitation (VR) services within a social-learning program. Paid observers used the Time-Sample Behavioral Checklist (TSBC) developed by Paul (1987a) to record data. Researchers then analyzed recorded data using a paired t-test. Results of the t-test indicated residents participating in TR sessions exhibited significantly (p < .05) higher appropriate behavior scores than when participating in VR sessions. Within the context of the social-learning program, TR was more effective than VR in aiding residents with chronic schizophrenia exhibit appropriate behavior.


We present an emerging research project in our laboratory to extend ambient intelligence (AmI) by what we refer to as "extreme personalization" meaning that an instance of ambient intelligence is focused on one or at most a few individuals over a very long period of time. Over a lifetime of co-activity, it senses and adapts to a person's preferences and experiences, and crucially, his or her (changing) special needs; needs that differ significantly from the normal baseline. We refer to our agent-based cyber-physical system as Ambient Personal Environment eXperiment (APEX). It aims to serve as a Companion , a Coach , and a Caregiver : crucial support for individuals with mental, physical, and age-related disabilities and those other people who help them. We propose that an instance of APEX, interacting socially with each of these people, is both a social actor as well as a cyber-human prosthetic device . APEX is an ambitious integration of multiple technologies from Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other disciplines. Its successful development can be viewed as a grand challenge for AI. We discuss in this paper three research thrusts that lead toward our vision:  robust intelligent agents, semantically rich human-machine interaction, and reasoning from comprehensive multi-modal behavior data.


Voriconazole is a second‐generation triazole antifungal approved for the treatment of invasive fungal infections, particularly with Aspergillus, Candida, Fusarium, and Scedosporium spp. Frequently reported adverse effects of voriconazole include visual disturbance (21 %), elevated liver enzymes (15.6 %) and rashes (7 %), which are largely attributable to drug‐induced photosensitivity. We report a case of serious phototoxicity in a 8 year old boy who underwent chemotherapy for AML. He received voriconazole for the treatment and subsequent re‐infection prophylaxis after pulmonary aspergillosis. One year after the start of therapy he developed blistering eruptions on his face after minimal sunlight exposure. Recent reports about the development of squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, respectively, in children during and after oral therapy with voriconazole seem to warrant systematic follow‐up investigations of all voriconazole‐treated patients.


This paper presents the performance analysis of different scheduling strategies suitable for transmission of real time and nonreal-time services in packetized form in the FDD mode of UMTS. A centralized demand assignment protocol is implemented to transmit over the dedicated physical channel. Given that in CDMA the capacity is not fixed and varies with the interference, the arrangement of transmissions is combined with a distributed power control that allows one to maximize the throughput by adjusting the transmitted power of terminals in order to minimize the interference. The scheduling strategies analyzed are based on the establishment of static priorities between classes of traffic combined with the assignment of dynamic priorities, associated with time stamps, to the individual packets belonging to a connection. Although scheduling based in time stamps offers differentiated quality of service to multimedia users, we have shown that the maintenance of the control channel (DPCCH) associated with data channel (DPDDH), when mobile stations MS are waiting their permit to transmit, is an important factor in the reduction of the capacity of system. So, this paper also considers that DPCCH are only present if mobiles are transmitting on DPDCH. In this case, the impact of imperfections in the power control mechanism is evaluated. Although results improve, simulations show that the mean and variance of the ratio between intercell and intracell interference grows, decreasing the global capacity. A new scheduling mechanism is proposed in order to improve the performance. The main idea is to limit the number of changes in the assignment of permits to transmit maintaining the permits to the same users as long as the delay tolerance of the waiting users allows it. A complementary priority is associated to the packets.


To compare the mechanical effectiveness of a new conical screw design with a conventional cylindrical screw design, the screw insertion time, torque, and pull-out strength of single-pedicle screw and triangulated-pedicle screw constructs of each type of screw were compared in human cadaveric vertebral bodies. The time required to insert the conical screws was less than that required for cylindrical screws. Regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between insertion torque and pull-out strength of single and triangulated constructs of each type of screw. The conical screw had a greater increase than the cylindrical screw in the pull-out strength of triangulated pedicle screw constructs. Application of the new conical screw design was significantly faster, and the new screw had better mechanical fixation to the vertebral body than did the conventional cylindrical screw tested.


A prospective study was conducted to measure anxiety and depression in Iranian breast cancer patients before and after diagnosis using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The HADS was administered at two points in time: before diagnosis and 3 months after. In all, 168 breast cancer patients were interviewed. While 48% of patients had severe symptoms of anxiety at both baseline and follow-up, more than 60% of patients had no symptoms of depressive illness at pre-and post-diagnosis assessments. Comparing anxiety and depression before diagnosis and after 3 months, there were no significant differences between patients' scores on anxiety (P = 0.42) and depression (P = 0.98) subscales. The results showed that patients with advanced disease and a lower performance status were more anxious and experienced more depression. The study findings suggest that severe symptoms of anxiety are the most frequent symptoms in Iranian breast cancer patients. It seems that during the process of diagnosis and 3 months after psychological morbidity persists in patients who suffer from breast cancer.


OBJECTIVES
To develop and validate a risk-adjusted tool with fewer than 10 variables to measure surgical outcomes in resource-limited hospitals.

DESIGN
All National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) preoperative variables were used to develop models to predict inpatient mortality. The models were built by sequential addition of variables selected based on their area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) and externally validated using data based on medical record reviews at 1 hospital outside the data set. SETTING Model development was based on data from the NSQIP from 2005 to 2009. Validation was based on data from 1 nonurban hospital in the United States from 2009 to 2010.

PATIENTS
A total of 631 449 patients in NSQIP and 239 patients from the validation hospital.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
The AUROC value for each model.

RESULTS
The AUROC values reached higher than 90% after only 3 variables (American Society of Anesthesiologists class, functional status at time of surgery, and age). The AUROC values increased to 91% with 4 variables but did not increase significantly with additional variables. On validation, the model with the highest AUROC was the same 3-variable model (0.9398).

CONCLUSIONS
Fewer than 6 variables may be necessary to develop a risk-adjusted tool to predict inpatient mortality, reducing the cost of collecting variables by 95%. These variables should be easily collectable in resource-poor settings, including low- and middle-income countries, thus creating the first standardized tool to measure surgical outcomes globally. Research is needed to determine which of these limited-variable models is most appropriate in a variety of clinical settings.


In this paper, we extend the Maximum Satisfiability (MaxSAT) problem to Łukasiewicz logic. The MaxSAT problem for a set of formulae Φ is the problem of finding an assignment to the variables in Φ that satisfies the maximum number of formulae. Three possible solutions (encodings) are proposed to the new problem: (1) Disjunctive Linear Relations (DLRs), (2)Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) and (3)Weighted Constraint Satisfaction Problem (WCSP). Like its Boolean counterpart, the extended fuzzy MaxSAT will have numerous applications in optimization problems that involve vagueness.


In a paper on 'The Shap Granite and the Associated Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks' the authors, Messrs. Harker and Marr, did me the honour to refer to certain statements made by me in the year 1884 with regard to the microscopic structures of a perlitic felsite, associated with the Coniston Limestone where it crosses the northern end of the Long Sleddale Valley in Westmoreland. The opinion which I then expressed was that "spherules may cause the devitrification of a rock after it has solidified and after perlitic fission has supervened." A list of the structures, present in the section examined, was also given in the following order of sequence:—1. Fluxion-bands. 2. Perlitic structure traversing these bands. 3. Minute spherules constituting the whole rock, so far as spherules can do so, and passing through the perlitic fissures. 4. Subsequent fractures. 5. Formation of quartz-veins along these lines of fracture. In the following year (1885) I again referred to this rock in one of the Memoirs of the Geological Survey, remarking that "Spherulitic devitrification followed the development of the perlitic structure." Messr. Harker and Marr, after alluding to the microscopic drawings of tis rock published in Mr. Teall's 'British Petrography' (1888) pl. xxxviii. and to my own remarks, namely those which have just been cited, made the following observation:—" The latter author has expressed the opinion that the spherulitic structure is here an effect of devitrification sudsequent to the perlitic ranking; but we are unable to see that he has given any


Nowadays a belief that a new era has begun seems to be dominating international societies – the time of globalizing political problems and above all economic challenges is just happening. Observing the phenomenon of globalization taking place virtually in every aspect of life, one may see the overwhelming process of international growth resulting in richness and poverty in different corners of our globe. During the past couple of years, integration processes and co-dependency as well as correlations in world economy have become more and more significant. Also the development of worldwide access to the Internet contributed to accelerate the globalization process. Entrepreneurship seems to be a tool for eliminating disparities between regions in the world, that is why we what to dedicate this issue to international growth and entrepreneurship. This issue includes 10 articles altogether, while the first six articles are dedicated to the theme of this issue, and the last four articles are published within the series 'Student Debuts'.


A single-dose vaccine confers cross-protection and long-term efficacy against Lassa virus in cynomolgus monkeys. One Shot for Lassa Virus Up to 180 million people are at risk for infection with Lassa virus (LASV), and the endemic region for LASV is expanding. Thus, there is a critical need to develop a vaccine against LASV, preferably one that protects against multiple lineages of LASV, generates durable immune responses, and can be administered in a single dose. To that end, Mateo et al. investigated the ability of a recombinant measles virus vaccine expressing LASV proteins (MeV-NP) to protect nonhuman primates against multiple strains of LASV and to provide protection over a year after vaccination, showing that the vaccine was effective at both. MeV-NP, which is now in clinical trials, represents an advance in the field of LASV vaccine development. A safe and protective Lassa virus vaccine is crucially needed in Western Africa to stem the recurrent outbreaks of Lassa virus infections in Nigeria and the emergence of Lassa virus in previously unaffected countries, such as Benin and Togo. Major challenges in developing a Lassa virus vaccine include the high diversity of circulating strains and their reemergence from 1 year to another. To address each of these challenges, we immunized cynomolgus monkeys with a measles virus vector expressing the Lassa virus glycoprotein and nucleoprotein of the prototypic Lassa virus strain Josiah (MeV-NP). To evaluate vaccine efficacy against heterologous strains of Lassa virus, we challenged the monkeys a month later with heterologous strains from lineage II or lineage VII, finding that the vaccine was protective against these strains. A second cohort of monkeys was challenged 1 year later with the homologous Josiah strain, finding that a single dose of MeV-NP was sufficient to protect all vaccinated monkeys. These studies demonstrate that MeV-NP can generate both long-lasting immune responses and responses that are able to protect against diverse strains of Lassa virus.


In vitro evidence suggests mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells can have antitumor function. This study shows MAIT cells stimulated in vivo using 5-OP-RU and CpG orchestrate potent antitumor responses, suggesting these cells as potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are MR1-restricted innate-like T cells that recognize non-peptide antigens including riboflavin derivates. Although in vitro–activated MAIT cells show antitumor activity, the in vivo role of MAIT cells in cancer is still unclear. Here, we have shown that MAIT cells have antitumor function in vivo when activated by a combination of the synthetic riboflavin synthesis pathway–derived antigen 5-OP-RU [5-(2-oxopropylideneamino)-6-D-ribitylaminouracil] and the Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist CpG. Coadministration of 5-OP-RU and CpG induced strong systemic in vivo expansion and activation of MAIT cells with high CD69 expression, pronounced effector memory phenotype, and upregulated levels of effector molecules including IFNγ, granzyme B, and perforin. Activated and expanded MAITs induced a potent and broad antitumor immune response in murine models of liver metastasis and hepatocellular carcinoma, lung metastasis, and subcutaneous tumors in two different mouse strains. Such tumor inhibition was absent in MAIT-deficient Mr1−/− mice. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated MR1 knockout in tumor cells did not affect efficacy of this MAIT-directed immunotherapy, pointing toward an indirect mechanism of action. Our findings suggest that MAIT cells are an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy. See related Spotlight by Lantz, p. 996.


Here we provide a checklist of the crustacean species parasitizing both marine and freshwater fishes from Brazil. We list a total of 134 species of parasitic crustaceans associated with 205 species of fishes in Brazil. The data from this study added to the checklist of Copepoda in Brazilian fishes published in 2007 give a total of 251 species of parasitic crustaceans associated with 279 fish species currently known in Brazil. The majority of species of Crustacea listed as parasites of Brazilian fishes are Copepoda with 186 species registered. A total of 741 parasite-host associations were observed. Copepoda was the group with more host-parasite associations, totaling 419 associations. When comparing these data with those recorded for the fishes from other parasite hotspots of Neotropics (Mexico and Caribbean), it is possible to affirm that the fauna of parasitic crustaceans of Brazilian fishes is the richest in the region.


Large computer codes are widely used in engineering to study physical systems. Nevertheless, simulations can sometimes be time-consuming. In this case, an approximation of the code input/output relation is made using a metamodel. Actually, a computer code can often be run at different levels of complexity and a hierarchy of levels of code can hence be obtained. For example, it can be a finite element model with a more or less fine mesh. The aim of our research is to study the use of several levels of a code to predict the output of a costly computer code. The presented multi-stage metamodel is a particular case of co-kriging which is a well-known geostatistical method. We first describe the construction of the co-kriging model and we focus then on a sequential experimental design strategy. Indeed, one of the strengths of co-kriging is that it provides through the predictive co-kriging variance an estimation of the model error at each point of the input space parameter. Therefore, to improve the surrogate model we can sequentially add points in the training set at locations where the predictive variances are the largest ones. Nonetheless, in a multi-fidelity framework, we also have to choose which level of code we have to run. We present here different strategies to choose this level. They are based on an original result which gives the contribution of each code on the co-kriging variance.


To investigate the mechanism of antirheumatic action of mizoribine (MZR), we examined the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and MMP-3 utilizing THP-1 derived macrophage-like cells (THP-1 macrophages) and human synovial fibroblasts (SFs). The cells were respectively stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interleukin-1β in the presence or absence of MZR in vitro. The concentrations of MMP-1 and MMP-3 in the supernatant were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The secretion of MMP-1 from SFs, as well as THP-1 macrophages, was inhibited by MZR in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that MZR decreased the expression of MMP-1 messenger RNA. These findings may be an explanation for the clinical effect of MZR in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.


This thesis presents the design and development of quasi-static 2-dimensional Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB) based micromirror for portable laser marking/ engraving system. It focuses on the modelling and prototyping of the novel 2-dimensional electromagnetic actuated micromirror which can be used in place of two 1-dimensional micromirrors having the benefits of lower footprint in size of the scanner and efficient alignment with the incident laser beam. This 2-dimensional micromirror can be used in portable low power laser marking/ engraving system ideally designed for consumer applications like printing name cards, engraving jewellery etc. The problem of drifting/ creep associated with quasi-static mode of FPCB based micromirror actuators is analyzed and Zero method is proposed to minimize the drifting issue which is proven experimentally in the thesis. From this thesis work, it is evident that the developed 2-dimensional, low-cost, quasi-static FPCB based micromirror would be a suitable candidate for replacement of the expensive conventional MEMS bonded mirrors in the market.


Influenza potentially has a high mortality rate when it affects the elderly. We aimed to examine the differences in clinical manifestations in patients with influenza according to their age. This multicenter prospective study was performed in six medical institutions in Okayama and Kagawa prefectures (Japan). Between December 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020, we collected data on adult patients diagnosed with influenza type A, who were strat-ified into younger (20-49 years), middle-aged (50-64 years), and older groups (≥ 65 years). We compared the presence or absence of fever, respiratory symptoms, and extrapulmonary symptoms according to age group. In total, 203 patients (113, younger; 51, middle-aged; and 39, older) were eligible for the analysis. The maxi-mum body temperature and temperature at first physician visit in the older group were significantly lower than those in the younger group. The incidence of respiratory symptoms was not different among the three groups. Chills, muscle pain, and arthralgia as systemic symptoms were noted significantly more frequently in the younger (80.9%) and middle-aged (75.5%) groups than in the older group (51.3%) (p = 0.002). Fever and sys-temic symptoms were less likely to appear in older patients, possibly resulting in the delaying of hospital visits among older adults.


Understanding the spatial ecology and foraging strategy of invasive animals is essential for success in control or eradication. We studied movements and activity in juvenile Brown Treesnakes on Guam, as this population segment has proven particularly difficult to control. Distance between daytime refugia (from telemetry of 18 juveniles, 423–800 mm snout–vent length) ranged from 0–118 m (n  =  86), with a grand mean of 43 m. There were tendencies for shorter snake movements on nights directly following a full moon and on dry nights, but variation among snakes was of a larger magnitude and would greatly reduce chances to detect moon or rain effects unless corrected for. Snake activity was estimated from audio recordings of signals from "tipping" radio transmitters, analyzed for pulse period and amplitude. Activity was highest in the hours immediately after sunset, and gradually declined throughout the night before dropping abruptly in conjunction with sunrise. Snake activity was higher on rainy nights, and tended to be highest during waning moons and when the moon was below the horizon. We conclude that small Brown Treesnakes forage actively and appear to move far enough to regularly encounter the traps and bait used on Guam for control purposes, suggesting that alternative explanations are required for their low capture rates with these control tools.


The presence of role stress/strain among nurses has been of concern throughout the world. However, to date, no one has conducted, from an international perspective, a literature review of research on the topic. This article assesses research from 17 countries, identifies the major areas of focus in the studies, compares and contrasts the findings, summarizes the state of the science on role stress/strain on nurses and makes recommendations for future research.


The purpose of this paper was to bring understanding on the dynamics of cultural heritage that could bring forth a paradigm shift in farmers' activities in Nandi County to utilizing the heritage aspects in exploiting potential agro-tourism development. The study tested a null hypothesis that cultural heritage donot influence potential agro-tourism development in Nandi County. This study used descriptive survey research design. The target population for the study was 357,461 farmers from three selected sub-counties, specifically Nandi Hills, Tinderet and Aldai in Nandi County, Kenya. 384 farmers formed the sample size. Purposive, proportionate, cluster and simple random sampling methods were used to select the respondents while self administered questionnaires were used to collect data. Validity was tested using 52 farmers from Emgwen sub-county while reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha at 0.7. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis and simple linear regression. Findings from the factor analysis revealed that six components that are unique heritage adequately explain cultural heritage in Nandi County and have great potential to attract and fascinate tourists to catalyze agro-tourism development. Simple linear regression analysis established that cultural heritage explained 36.8 % (R2 =0.368) of the variance on perceived potential of agro-tourism development. The study rejected the null hypothesis that cultural heritage (β=0.535, p<0.05) does not influence the potential of agro-tourism development in Nandi. Based on these results, the study concluded that cultural heritage dimension components such as milk associated features, ceremonies, traditional architecture, narrations, dwellings and festivals have the ability to influence potential agro-tourism development positively.


A physical model based on continuum multiphase flow is described to represent saltating transport of grains in shallow overland flows. The two‐phase continuum flow of water and sediment considers coupled StVenant‐type equations. The interactive cumulative effect of grains is incorporated by a dispersive stress term. The mean fluid thrust on the particle in the saltation layer of grains is expressed in terms of a slip velocity. The continuum model leads to the unexpected, but an interesting result is that particle velocity increases with the solid concentration. This increase predicts monotonic behaviour leading to overestimates of particle velocity at higher sediment concentration. To improve the predictions, grain dynamic equations, which incorporate bed collision, are analysed. The analysis leads to an improved model for predicting saltation height. Incorporation of the results in the continuum model yields a velocity‐concentration relationship that is consistent with experimental observations for increasing concentration. Laboratory flume experiments explore the evaluation of various parameters from the measured particle velocities by photonic probes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


To understand the response of hazelnut to the increased concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) under cadmium (Cd) pollution stress, this paper used an artificial open top chamber to control the CO2 concentration (at 370 and 750 μmol·mol−1) and to study the effects of an elevated CO2 concentration on the growth and photosynthetic capacity of hazelnut leaves under different levels of Cd stress. The results showed that the increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration has a tendency to alleviate the inhibition of plant growth caused by Cd. The net photosynthetic rate rose significantly, although the transpiration rate and stomatal conductance of hazelnut leaves decreased slightly with the rise in CO2 concentration. The rise in CO2 concentration had no significant effect on the activity of the photosystem Ⅱ (PSII) reaction center in hazelnut leaves. Under Cd stress conditions, the rise in CO2 concentration significantly enhanced the PSII hazelnut leaves' photochemical activity, which promotes the PSII receptor's electron transfer capacity side and alleviates the degree of damage to the oxygen-evolving complex and the thylakoid membrane of the PSII donor side. The number of active reaction centers per unit area of hazelnut leaves, and the proportion of energy absorbed by PSII that is used for photosynthetic electron transfer, increased under severe stress conditions, which in turn reduced the energy proportion that was used for heat dissipation, providing CO2's effective fixation energy in the dark reaction. In conclusion, the rise in the CO2 concentration enhances hazelnut's heavy metal resistance by improving the PSII function under Cd stress conditions.


Daylighting has become a fundamental measure not only to decrease the electrical energy demand in buildings, but also to provide good indoor comfort for the occupants. Atria have been implemented in buildings since old times as a space to foster interaction and provide indoor comfort through ventilation and daylight. However, the implementation of this feature can be complex if good natural light levels are to be achieved, especially in tall buildings. Bearing that in mind, this thesis reviewed the studies that were developed in the field of daylighting in atria and proposed an investigation about the atrium parameters that affected the most the daylight conditions in a building project located in Gothenburg. In order to evaluate the current atrium and propose modifications that fit the architectural design, simulations were carried out in different programs. This evaluation concentrated in two main aspects of the building, which were the geometry and the wall reflectance values. Due to the size of the study case, the evaluation grid is located only along the atrium and the results are translated in area, so it is possible to draw a comparison between the different modifications proposed. Results showed that the geometrical volume alterations were the ones to increase the most the daylight quantity in the rooms along the atrium. Nonetheless, some of the modifications on the original project were followed by a floor area addition to compensate the losses brought by the alterations, therefore daylighting and property value were also analyzed. Lastly, a few options were investigated when it comes to the daylight quantity in each floor. Overall, the outcomes demonstrated that shifting the atrium characteristic from an enclosed one to a semi-enclosed can double the daylight quantity in the adjacent rooms. (Less)


Let n be the maximal nilpotent ideal of a Borel subalgebra of a complex semisimple Lie algebra g. Under the adjoint action n, g/n, and n' (the dual space of n) are n modules. Laplace operators for these three modules are computed by techniques which extend those introduced by B. Kostant in [6]. The kernels of these operators are then determined and, in view of the existence of a Hodge decomposition, the detailed structure of the first degree cohomology groups of n with coefficients in n, g/n, and n' is obtained. These cohomology groups (spaces) are described, in fact, as completely reducible modules of a Cartan subalgebra b of g.


The biological removing method is cheap and safe for the environment. The Cadmium is toxic and harmful for the environment; therefore, the biological removing programs were developed for deletion of this metal from waste. Detection of persisting bacteria to toxic metals and using them for removing heavy metal from arouses environments and wastewaters is very important. In this study the ability of Halomonas elongate IBRC-M10433 bacterium was achieved from Urmia Salt Lake was tested to remove of Cadmium in wastewaters. For achievement optimised of different environmental factors such as Cadmium, Glucose and salt for removal of Cadmium from H. elongate IBRC-M10433, we used Taguchi method. Results from this study showed that H. elongate IBRC-M10433 persists to Cadmium metal. The largest Cadmium removal (85%) was seen in the culture that contains 50 ppm Cadmium, Glucose 10 g/L and NaCl 200 g/L.


Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a devastating malignancy originating from hepatocytes. There is an urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches. Currently explored gene therapy systems have not yet achieved significant survival benefits. The aim of this thesis was the development and evaluation of novel genetic approaches to this malignancy.

The results of this thesis show that the only non-conjugated gene delivery system achieving significant intratumoral transgene expression is direct injection. Systemic gene delivery systems based upon Tf-shielded, polyethylenimine (PEI) based polyplexes and stabilized plasmid lipid particles (SPLP) do achieve efficient intratumoral transgene expression levels comparable to direct intratumoral injection, but their use is limited by their low intratumoral biodistribution. Further, this study shows that the use of non-viral replicon vectors based on the autonomously replicating parvoviruses minute virus of mice (pMVM) is feasible. In contrast to its viral equivalent, it allows expansion of its genome size to >106% and avoids immunogenicity. It maintains its tumorselectivity, but loses its cytotoxicity. The results of this thesis show that the Edmonston strain of measles virus (MV-Edm) efficiently infects human HCC cell lines resulting in syncytia formation followed by apoptotic cell death. The use of recombinant MV-Edm expressing marker genes allows non-invasive tracking of MV-Edm infection and kinetics. Treatment of mice bearing subcutaneous human HCC xenografts with recombinant MV-Edm resulted in significant survival benefits and tumor regression in up to one third of animals.


This work first presents a review of the cultural foundations of the development of modern psychology and the conceptual and linguistic limits that define the field, limiting the possibilities for change therein. The latter sections propose an alternative to the field of psychology for effecting positive change, which the author calls psykailogy. Psykailogy translates etymologically as "breathing whole worlds." Unlike psychology, which is rooted in 17th century physics, psykailogy leaves behind mechanistic constructs and relies instead on some of the basic ideas of quantum theory.


Multichannel discrete lossless two-component wave systems describe physical scattering for multiple coupled transmission lines, for elastic media, and for electromagnetic wave propagation in layered media. Such a wave system is transformed into an equivalent discrete matrix Schrodinger equation that includes the effects of transmission losses and transmission scattering. These effects are not included in the continuous Schrodinger equation, so that discretisation of the latter omits significant effects. Applications include fast algorithms for synthesis and inversion of the reflection responses of multichannel scattering media. These algorithms require roughly half as many matrix multiplications as previous algorithms that employ the multichannel two-component wave system.


A mesoporous material based on aluminosilicate mixture was studied to investigate its ability to include drugs and then release them. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as diflunisal, naproxen, ibuprofen and its sodium salt have been used in this study. The preparation of the mesoporous material and its characterization by X-ray, N2 absorption-desorption isotherm, and thermogravimetry analysis have been described. Drug loading was performed by a soaking procedure. Drug-loaded matrices were characterized for entrapped drug amount, water absorption ability, and thermogravimetric behavior. Drug release studies also were performed at pH 1.1 and 6.8 mimicking gastrointestinal fluids. Experimental results showed that this type of matrix is able to trap the bioactive agents by a soaking procedure and, then, to release them in conditions mimicking the biological fluids. Also, the high affinity of these matrices for water makes them potentially biocompatible. Release data suggest that the matrix impregnated with diflunisal offers good potential as a system for the modified drug release.


Edge preserving regularization using partial differential equation (PDE)-based methods although extensively studied and widely used for image restoration, still have limitations in adapting to local structures. We propose a spatially adaptive multiscale variable exponent-based anisotropic variational PDE method that overcomes current shortcomings, such as over smoothing and staircasing artifacts, while still retaining and enhancing edge structures across scale. Our innovative model automatically balances between Tikhonov and total variation (TV) regularization effects using scene content information by incorporating a spatially varying edge coherence exponent map constructed using the eigenvalues of the filtered structure tensor. The multiscale exponent model we develop leads to a novel restoration method that preserves edges better and provides selective denoising without generating artifacts for both additive and multiplicative noise models. Mathematical analysis of our proposed method in variable exponent space establishes the existence of a minimizer and its properties. The discretization method we use satisfies the maximum-minimum principle which guarantees that artificial edge regions are not created. Extensive experimental results using synthetic, and natural images indicate that the proposed multiscale Tikhonov-TV (MTTV) and dynamical MTTV methods perform better than many contemporary denoising algorithms in terms of several metrics, including signal-to-noise ratio improvement and structure preservation. Promising extensions to handle multiplicative noise models and multichannel imagery are also discussed.


Elucidating the mechanism underlying the poor proliferative capacity of adult pancreatic β-cells is critical to regenerative therapeutic approaches for diabetes. Here, we show that the microRNA (miR)-7/7ab family member miR-7a is enriched in mouse adult pancreatic islets compared with miR-7b. Remarkably, miR-7a targets five components of the mTOR signaling pathway. Further, inhibition of miR-7a activates mTOR signaling and promotes adult β-cell replication in mouse primary islets, which can be reversed by the treatment with a well-known mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin. These data suggest that miR-7 acts as a brake on adult β-cell proliferation. Most importantly, this miR-7–mTOR proliferation axis is conserved in primary human β-cells, implicating miR-7 as a therapeutic target for diabetes.


Abstract Direct numerical simulations (DNS) are used to systematically investigate the applicability of the minimal-channel approach (Chung et al., J. Fluid Mech., vol. 773, 2015, pp. 418–431) for the characterization of roughness-induced drag on irregular rough surfaces. Roughness is generated mathematically using a random algorithm, in which the power spectrum (PS) and probability density function (p.d.f.) of the surface height can be prescribed. Twelve different combinations of PS and p.d.f. are examined, and both transitionally and fully rough regimes are investigated (roughness height varies in the range $k^+ = 25$–100). It is demonstrated that both the roughness function (${\rm \Delta} U^+$) and the zero-plane displacement can be predicted with ${\pm }5\,\%$ accuracy using DNS in properly sized minimal channels. Notably, when reducing the domain size, the predictions remain accurate as long as 90 % of the roughness height variance is retained. Additionally, examining the results obtained from different random realizations of roughness shows that a fixed combination of p.d.f. and PS leads to a nearly unique ${\rm \Delta} U^+$ for deterministically different surface topographies. In addition to the global flow properties, the distribution of time-averaged surface force exerted by the roughness onto the fluid is calculated. It is shown that patterns of surface force distribution over irregular roughness can be well captured when the sheltering effect is taken into account. This is made possible by applying the sheltering model of Yang et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 789, 2016, pp. 127–165) to each specific roughness topography. Furthermore, an analysis of the coherence function between the roughness height and the surface force distributions reveals that the coherence drops at larger streamwise wavelengths, which can be an indication that very large horizontal scales contribute less to the skin-friction drag.


Abstract The aim of this study was to understand the differences in clinical outcomes in portal vein thrombosis (PVT) patients with cirrhosis, malignancy, and abdominal infections, with or without anticoagulation. This study was approved by ethics committee. Data were collected from 2011 to 2016. Patients were classified into three groups: PVT with cirrhosis, malignancy, and infections. Primary outcomes measures collected were clot resolution, bleeding, recurrence, and death. Frequency, means, and percentages were calculated. In total, 30 patients were analyzed in this study. Mean age was 60.8 years (range of 30–91 years). There were 19 (63.3%) males and 11 (36.7%) females with ethnicity: 21 (70.0%) Chinese, 2 (6.7%) Malay, 2 (6.7%) Indian, and 5 (16.7%) other race. Fifteen patients received anticoagulation and 15 did not receive anticoagulation. Of the 15 patients who received anticoagulation, there was complete resolution of thrombus in 5 (33.3%), partial resolution in 1 (6.7%), and no resolution in 9 (60.0%). Of these 15 patients, there was bleeding in 3 (20.0%), there was no recurrence in 9 (60.0%), and 3 (20.0%) died during the period of follow-up. Of the 15 patients who did not receive anticoagulation, there was complete resolution of thrombus in 2 (13.3%), partial resolution in 0 (0.0%), and no resolution in 13 (86.7%). Of these 15 patients, there was bleeding in 0 (0%), there was recurrence in 2 (13.3%), and 6 (40.0%) died during the period of follow-up. Anticoagulation is effective in PVT. It reduces mortality with lower rate of recurrence. However, it is associated with increased risk of bleeding.


OBJECTIVE:Although transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is effective in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), it is not considered a curative procedure. Among the factors potentially interfering with its effectiveness is a hypothetical neoangiogenic reaction due to ischemia. In our study, we evaluated the changes in the levels of two angiogenic factors (vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] and basic fibroblast growth factor [b-FGF]) and one parameter of invasiveness (urokinase-type plasminogen activator [uPA]) in patients treated with TACE.METHODS:Three blood samples were provided from 71 HCC patients undergoing TACE: before TACE (t0), after 3 days (t1), and after 4 wk, when they had spiral computed tomography (sCT) scanning (t2). The referring radiologists blindly evaluated tumor burden and vascularization at t0 and residual activity at t2. The choice of TACE as treatment was based on the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) guidelines.RESULTS:Complete response at sCT was recorded in 27% of patients; mean survival was 35 months (confidence interval [CI] 31–40) and the 4-yr survival was 57%. VEGF levels were significantly correlated with the number of nodes and were higher in nonresponders at t2 (P = 0.01); below-median VEGF levels predicted a longer survival (P = 0.008). b-FGF correlated with VEGF, tumor size, vascularization, and residual activity, showing a borderline correlation with survival. uPA correlated with tumor size and VEGF. VEGF was singled out in the Cox multivariate analysis as an independent predictor of survival.CONCLUSIONS:When TACE is not totally effective, it may induce a significant neoangiogenetic reaction, as suggested by an increase in VEGF and b-FGF following treatment; this affects patient survival. VEGF emerges as the most reliable prognostic parameter, so it could be measured for judging TACE efficacy. Finally, antiangiogenic drugs may be indicated in TACE-treated HCC.


The study is a part of the series of financial models included in a doctoral dissertation completed at the Karachi University (Mehar: 1994). An Econometric model has been constructed in the study and a Three-Stage Least Square (3SLS) technique was applied for the estimation of the model. The results reveal some interesting observations. It has been found that both the components of equity financing - Paid up capital (OSCAP) and Reserves Funds (SURPLUS) - play a central role in the determination of the liquidity position of a firm. It has also been found that Debt Financing may be a cause of the deterioration in the liquidity position of a firm.


Chylous ascites as a consequence of acute pancreatitis is very rare. We present an unusual case of a 73-year-old man who developed refractory chylous ascites one month after an acute severe episode of gallstone pancreatitis, associated with portal hypertension. He was successfully treated with portal vein stenting, which has remained patent to date.


Before buying into anyone's vision of where public policy should go, we must think seriously about where we are now. This includes our economic and social structure, our government as a prominent feature of that landscape, and the way we currently make political decisions. The authors' views of where we are now lead them to propose a rethinking of our commitments as a society, our public responsibilities, and our processes for making policy choices--a rethinking that can help make government more responsive to changing expectations and changing needs.


Perchlorate and chlorate are naturally occurring in the atmosphere, from here it sediments into groundwater and soil. The pollution is increased by discharges of perchlorate and chlorate from agriculture and paper mills. Bacteria capable of reducing perchlorate and chlorate to chloride and oxygen can be used to get rid of these contaminants. However an anaerobic environment needs to be sustained in order for this reaction to be used. For this reduction to work in an aerobic environment as well, a greater knowledge of the reducing enzymes, regulating factors and their corresponding genes is needed. One of these enzymes is called chlorite dismutase. The upstream region of this gene in Ideonella dechloratans bacteria is likely to contain a promoter sequence. The purpose of this work was to shorten this DNA sequence to get closer to the potential regulatory sequences and binding-site for RNA polymerase. Subsequently control if the sequence was active as an promoter. The potential promoter region was shortened and amplified by PCR. It was then ligated into the plasmid pRU1103which is carrying a reporter gene. Cloning of the construction into Escherichia coli resulted in a production of the reporter gene product. This indicates that the sequence contained a working promoter.


In these tumultuous times in which investors do not know when or where to place their funds for maximum benefit,one investment index should be considered:Global Entrepreneurs. Our research of 33,000 publicly traded global companies, examined over the past 5+ years, demonstrates that entrepreneurial companies consistently outperform peer non-entrepreneur companies by a wide margin. They perform especially well during periods in which the markets are positive. The investment community now has a new index to track this performance. Is this the start of a new money management style?


Introduction: In Bhutan, pubertal and adolescent female students (10-19 years) make up 8.5% of the population. The need for menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is more urgent in post-menarcheal female students and in resource-poor settings. However, until recent time, there were strong socio-cultural barriers to discourses on menarche and MHM. This study was conducted to determine the age of menarche among Bhutanese female students to identify when to offer MHM support, their knowledge on menstruation and practices related to menstrual hygiene.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of female students studying in Grade 10 in Thimphu, Bhutan. A multistage clustered sampling was used. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire developed for the purpose of this study.
Results: A total of 439 post-menarcheal female students were interviewed. The mean age of menarche was 12.8±1.1 years, and fear (38.3%) and confusion (25.1%) were the commonest responses. The mean score on knowledge on menstruation and MHM was 5.9±1.5 out of 9. The proportion of students with good knowledge was 36.7%. The common sources of information were the mother, teacher, and sister. The majority used commercial pads (92.5%) while some used clean cloths (5.7%) and tampons (1.6%). The proportion who stayed absent from school during menstruation in the month prior to data collection was 9.8%. Visiting religious places (67.6%) and participating in sports (4.3%) were common restrictions during menstruation.
Conclusions: Female students experience difficulties in menstrual hygiene management in schools. Menstruation could lead to missing schools and other activities.
 Keywords: Developing country; Health behaviour; Menstrual hygiene product; Standard of living.


Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations is the primary goal of the 2030 Agenda. A critical step towards that objective is identifying if the scientific production is going in this way. Funders must do a manual recognition, impacting accuracy, scalability, and objectiveness. For this reason, we propose in this work an AI-based model for the automatic classification of scientific papers based on their impacts on the SDGs. The training database consists of manually extracted texts from the UN page. After preprocessing these texts, we train three models: NMF, LDA, and Top2Vec. The output of these models is the probability of a paper being associated with each SDG. We then combine their scores by implementing a voting function to take advantage of their inherently different mathematical nature. To validate this methodology, we use the database provided by Vinuesa et al., Nature Communications 11, with more than 150 papers labeled with at least 1 SDG. Using only the abstracts, we correctly identify a of the SDGs presented in a paper, while a better is obtained when fetching the complete paper information. Moreover, we find that the other identified SDGs which were not labeled are also related to the text contents. We recognize that more training files are required for the other cases since they are based on more complex human reasoning. We open-source these databases and trained models to enable future investigation in this field and allow public institutions to use this tool.


Background The Aerobika® oscillating positive expiratory pressure (OPEP) device is a hand-held, drug-free medical device that has been shown to improve lung function and improve health-related quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We estimated the cost-effectiveness of this device among postexacerbation COPD patients in the Canadian healthcare system. Methods We performed a cost-utility analysis using a Markov model to compare both costs and outcome of patients with COPD who had recently experienced an exacerbation between 2 treatment arms: patients who used the Aerobika® device and patients who did not use the Aerobika® device. This cost-utility analysis included costs based on the Alberta healthcare system perspective as these represent Canadian experience. A one-year horizon with 12 monthly cycles was used. Results For a patient after 1 year, the use of the Aerobika® device would save $694 in healthcare costs and produce 0.04 more in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) in comparison with no positive expiratory pressure (PEP)/OPEP therapy. In other words, the economic outcome of the device was dominant (i.e., more effective and less costly). The probability for this device to be the dominant strategy was 72%. With a willingness to pay (WTP) threshold of $50,000 per QALY gained, the probability for the Aerobika® device to be cost-effective was 77%. Conclusions Given one of the major treatment goals in the GOLD guidelines is to minimize the negative impact of exacerbations and prevent re-exacerbations, the Aerobika® OPEP device should be viewed as a potential component of a treatment strategy to improve symptom control and reduce the risk of re-exacerbations in patients with COPD.


VoiceXML or Voice extensible Markup Language, is a special markup language designed to facilitate the creation of speech application, especially interactive voice response (IVR) application. The VoiceXML Forum has submitted VoiceXML 1.0 to the W3C Voice Browser activity. As part of its activities, the W3C Voice Browser working group has identified reusable dialog components as an item worth studying and it published a set of associated requirements. We present two frameworks that satisfy the W3C reusable dialog component requirements while remaining compliant with the VoiceXML 1.0 specifications. One framework is client-centric, the other is server centric.


The increasing popularity of lithium-ion battery systems, particularly in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, has gained broad research interest regarding performance optimization, thermal stability, and fire safety. To enhance the battery thermal management system, a comprehensive investigation of the thermal behaviour and heat exchange process of battery systems is paramount. In this paper, a three-dimensional electro-thermal model coupled with fluid dynamics module was developed to comprehensively analyze the temperature distribution of battery packs and the heat carried away. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation results of the lumped battery model were validated and verified by considering natural ventilation speed and ambient temperature. In the artificial neural networks (ANN) model, the multilayer perceptron was applied to train the numerical outputs and optimal design of the battery setup, achieving a 1.9% decrease in maximum temperature and a 4.5% drop in temperature difference. The simulation results provide a practical compromise in optimizing the battery configuration and cooling efficiency, balancing the layout of the battery system, and safety performance. The present modelling framework demonstrates an innovative approach to utilizing high-fidelity electro-thermal/CFD numerical inputs for ANN optimization, potentially enhancing the state-of-art thermal management and reducing the risks of thermal runaway and fire outbreaks.


This dissertation addresses the applications and challenges of both laboratory experiments and mathematical modeling at different scales, where the main character is biofilm. Thus, the first part of this work shows biological, chemical and physical concepts for the laboratory experiments and mathematical terms for the modeling, upscaling and numerical solutions. The second part contains the research papers. In our research, we are interested in studying the biofilm to improve the oil extraction. Most of the biofilm models are based on simplifying assumptions, e.g. impermeability, a constant biofilm density and accounting for diffusion but neglecting convection for transport of nutrients. In this work, we propose a pore-scale model for a permeable multi-component biofilm including a variable biofilm density, detachment and transport of nutrients due to convection and diffusion. It is through laboratory experiments that we identify the key processes and variables that need to be considered. Accordingly, we use experimental determined parameters and compute some of the parameters through calibration. In addition, we study the sensitivity of the parameters in the mathematical models. Pore-scale models are important because they aim to describe physical phenomena in detail and one can derive core-scale models through upscaling. Then, we can reflect the effects of the pore-scale processes on the core scale. Upscaling of pore-scale models allows us to describe the average behavior of a system in an accurate manner with relatively low computational effort. Then, we upscale this pore-scale model in two different geometries: a thin channel and a thin tube, in order to derive one-dimensional effective equations, by investigating the limit as the ratio of the aperture to the length approaches to zero. In the core-scale laboratory experiments, biofilm is grown in cylindrical cores. Permeability and porosity changes over time at different flow rates and nutrient concentrations are studied. Numerical simulations are performed to compare with the experimental results. We also present how to extend the model to include chemotaxis and interfacial tension reduction due to surface active compounds. Mathematical models for biofilms are based on coupled non-linear partial differential equations and ordinary differential equations, which may be challenging to solve. Therefore, it is necessary to use advanced numerical methods and simulations to predict the behavior on time of the unknowns in these complex systems. We present some of the common space discretizations, time discretizations and numerical solvers for these


Abstract. Since the mid-20th century, nitrogen (N) deposition has shown an increasing trend in the Tibetan Plateau (TP), where alpine ecosystems are sensitive to elevated N deposition. However, the quantitative characterization of N deposition in the TP remains unclear, due in most part to the lack of in situ measurement. Using the Tibetan Observation and Research Platform network, we conducted short-term in situ measurements of major ions (NO3−, Cl−, SO42−, NH4+, Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+) wet deposition at five remote sites in the TP during 2011–2013. At Southeast Tibet Station, Nam Co Station, Qomolangma Station, Ngari Station, and Muztagh Ata Station, the NH4+–N wet deposition was 0.63, 0.68, 0.92, 0.36, and 1.25 kg N ha−1 yr−1, respectively; the NO3−–N wet deposition was 0.28, 0.24, 0.03, 0.08, and 0.30 kg N ha−1 yr−1, respectively; and the inorganic N wet deposition was 0.91, 0.92, 0.94, 0.44, and 1.55 kg N ha−1 yr−1, respectively. The inorganic N wet deposition mainly occurred in the form of NH4+–N during summer at all sites. Results of enrichment factor analysis and principal component analysis demonstrated that both NH4+–N and NO3−–N wet deposition in the TP were mainly influenced by anthropogenic activities. Backward trajectory analysis showed that the inorganic N deposition at Muztagh Ata Station was mainly transported from central Asia and the Middle East through westerlies. At Southeast Tibet Station, Nam Co Station, Qomolangma Station, and Ngari Station, the inorganic N deposition was mainly contributed by anthropogenic sources in south Asia, and was mainly transported by the Indian monsoon. Combining site-scale in situ measurements of inorganic N wet deposition in this and previous studies, the average wet deposition of atmospheric NH4+–N, NO3−–N, and inorganic N in the TP was estimated to be 1.06, 0.51, and 1.58 kg N ha−1 yr−1, respectively. The average NH4+–N : NO3−–N ratio in precipitation in the TP was approximately 2 : 1. Results from the present study suggest that earlier estimations based on chemical transport model simulations and/or limited field measurements likely overestimated substantially the regional inorganic N wet deposition in the TP. To clarify the total N deposition in the TP more clearly, it is essential to conduct long-term monitoring of both wet and dry deposition of atmospheric N in various climate zones in the TP in the future.


Photovoltaic device performance of graphene/n-Si Schottky diodes is largely affected by inhomogeneous oxide formation at the interface that suppresses the tunneling current of injected and photoexcited charges. The accumulated trap charges at low current induce charge recombination at the interface and degrade the ideality factor of the diode and the fill factor (FF) of the solar cell. This consequently gives rise to a nonlinear current-voltage ( I- V) feature in solar cells, commonly known as an S-shaped kink, which can be engineered by optimizing the interface barrier thickness or by increasing the carrier mobility. Here, we present chemical and electrochemical doping methods to increase the conductivity of graphene that transforms nonlinear kink photodiodes with a low FF and solar cell efficiency towards trap-free linear photovoltaic I- V. Space-charge-limited-current manifested Ohmic I- V diode behavior with enhanced conductance in graphene by injecting homogeneous ionic liquid; confirming the significant reduction of trap charge density. This was further congruent with the disappearance of the nonlinear kink in photodiodes with a high FF and nearly ideal diodes. The solar cell efficiency obtained with our strategy is around 13.6% and suggests possibilities to reach the theoretical limit of 19% by tailoring parameters such as conductance of graphene, carrier density of Si, and oxidation of the interfaces.


Twelve of 304 patients (4%) treated with surgery and adjuvant irradiation for endometrial carcinoma experienced a serious complication. The complication rate for patients whose irradiation consisted of an implant alone was only 1% (two of 199), if the implant was preoperative, but was 12% (three of 26) if the implant was postoperative. For patients who received external pelvic irradiation as part of their adjuvant therapy, the incidence of complications was 8.8% (seven of 79) and the timing (preoperative versus postoperative) had no effect. There was, however, a significant correlation of the complication rate with an increasing dose of external irradiation to the whole pelvis: For doses of 3000 rad or less, it was 2% (five of 264) but was 18% (seven of 40) for doses in excess of 3000 rad. These data suggest that the safest form of adjuvant irradiation for adenocarcinoma of the endometrium is a preoperative implant, and that adding external pelvic irradiation to the preoperative implant will significantly increase the complication rate if the external dose to the central pelvis exceeds 3000 rad.


Classical image analysis techniques have proven to be powerful tools in various remote-sensing image interpretation problems. However, applied to large images their usefulness is limited as the spatial complexity of classes used in land-cover databases often exceeds the identification capability of the methods. Moreover, atmospheric and soil conditions introduce a substantial within-class variability. Land-cover/land-use databases can contain 40 or more different categories which cannot all be derived directly from the image data. The robust integration of GIS and remote sensing image interpretation techniques is important, but is feasible only when both possibilities and limitations are considered. In this paper, the design and implementation is described of a tool for the updating of land-cover polygons by remote-sensing imagery. After a preliminary analysis of the neighbouring polygons (i.e., background) around a polygon to update (i.e., object), the best feature is selected out of a set of more than 30 features based on its ability to separate object from background. This best feature is used in a successive image-labelling step. The labelling step adopted in this paper is based on a fuzzy intensity connectedness measure.


The paper addresses comprehensible proof presentation for teaching and learning that can be provided by an automated proof planner that is a component of the proof development environment mega. Starting from empirically discovered requirements for the comprehen-sibility of proofs we show that, given a proof plan representation of a proof, the problem of automatically presenting a mathematical proof in a comprehensible manner becomes feasible in a way that was impossible before. We show how, based on a proof plan, a structured presentation at the level of proof methods can be automatically constructed


Film Review: Nostalgia for the Light A Documentary Film by Patricio Guzman Introduction In the summer of 2011, the daring rescue of a group of trapped Chilean miners brought the Atacama Desert region to the world's attention. However, the region has long been known to Chileans for its mineral riches and its crystal-dear skies perfect for stargazing, and it is indelibly and painfully linked to Chilean history. In "Nostalgia for the Light," Patricio Guzman documents the effort of Chilean citizens to come to grips with their shared history some 20 years after the end of the Pinochet dictatorship. Guzman weaves together the words and experiences of nine Chileans, all linked by their shared love of astronomy and their ties to the Atacama Desert. All were also directly or indirectly affected by the regime. Their stories recount the pain and loss Chileans endured following the 1973 coup d'etat, and the society's struggle to heal from its trauma. However, the film remains hopeful throughout. It is a powerful example of ethical behavior in action. Film Description "Nostalgia for the Light" is a 90-minute Spanish-language film with English subtitles. Produced by Renate Sachse for Atacama Productions (France) and released by Icarus Films, its theatrical release was March 17, 2011, and its DVD release was September 1,2011. It is the fifth documentary by Patricio Guzman, a former television news reporter turned filmmaker. Like Guzman's prior films, "the Battle of Chile" (1978), "Chile, Obstinate Memory" (1997), "The Pinochet Case" (2001), and "Allende" (2004), "Nostalgia for the Light" is concerned with the events of September 11, 1973, when the Chilean military under the command of General Augusto Pinochet overthrew the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende. While the earlier films focus on events surrounding the coup, "Nostalgia for the Light" is set in present-day Chile. It uses the Atacama, with its various links to pre-Colombian settlement, 19th-Century mining, post-coup concentration camps, and modern-day observatories, as the backdrop for the story. "Nostalgia for the Light" is a documentary. It uses the personal histories of nine Chileans to describe the larger society's response to the individual and collective trauma of the coup and the subsequent dictatorship. It incorporates interviews with the primary subjects and intersperses archival film, photographs and telescope images. The camerawork features intimate interior interview scenes, sweeping panoramic shots of the desolately beautiful Atacama landscape, and stunning celestial images. The interviews present the subjects speaking in their own voices, conversing with Guzman. Most other scenes feature ambient sounds (whistling wind or footsteps treading sand) or Guzman's narration. Only the gorgeous images of the moon and stars are accompanied by music, which serves to heighten their grandeur and other-worldliness. The Story The film evolves as a series of thematic chapters, each with a mix of vignette interviews and narrated scenes. Although not explicitly noted in the theatrical release, the themes serve as chapter titles for the DVD. The first, "Childhood," opens with the sights and sounds of a large mechanical device stirring to life. We hear the echoing whir of motors and meshing gears, and we see shiny brass components flashing by in some predetermined choreography. The camera pans back to reveal a large 19th-century German telescope that seems at once state-of-the-art and quaint. When the telescope locks into position, the film cuts to a series of finely detailed lunar images, backed by a soaring musical score. Next, the scene cuts to Guzman's boyhood home in Chile. It is a time capsule in dappled sunlight. Guzman recounts his happy childhood, and the image fades to dust. It is a symbolic end of innocence in Chile. In "The Origin," as the dust settles, Guzman poetically states, "Astronomers fell in love with Atacama and built telescopes enveloped by stardust. …


The in vitro formation of stable G-quadruplexes (G4s) in human rRNA was recently reported. However, their formation in cells and their cellular roles were not resolved. Here, by taking a chemical biology approach that integrates results from immunofluorescence, G4 ligands, heme-affinity reagents, and a genetically encoded fluorescent heme sensor, we report that human ribosomes can form G4s in vivo that regulate heme bioavailability. Immunofluorescence experiments indicate that the vast majority of extra-nuclear G4s are associated with rRNA. Moreover, titrating human cells with a G4 ligand alters the ability of ribosomes to bind heme and disrupts cellular heme bioavailability as measured by a genetically encoded fluorescent heme sensor. Overall, these results suggest that ribosomes play a role in regulating heme homeostasis.


The Slavonic version of the homily dedicated to The (Cursed) Fig-Tree and the Parable of the Vineyard by John Damascene has not been so far object of an archeographic-textological study. The present study gives the initial observations on the reception of that Byzantine work in Mediaeval Slavonic Literature. The work centred mainly on the South Slavonic manuscript tradition, while the East Slavonic manuscript tradition represented by the text from the well-known Uspensky Miscellany was used as a starting point and as a basis for comparison during the analysis. The study showed that in Mediaeval Slavonic Literature the homily dedicated to The (Cursed) Fig-Tree and the Parable of the Vineyard by John Damascene has been disseminated through three different Slavonic translations, one redaction, and one contaminated version.


Product lifecycle management (PLM) focuses on the efficient utilization of existing know-how and resources. The challenges faced by car manufacturers are by no means new: They need to introduce innovative and attractive cars onto the marketplace at ever shorter intervals. The conditions under which they do this have, however, changed and new IT-based responses to these challenges need to be found. Generating product data as efficiently as possible with the help of computer programs is no longer enough. What is needed now is a more efficient utilization of existing information throughout the entire product lifecycle.


Abstract The complete mitochondrial genome of the Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla (Gruiformes: Rallidae) are sequenced and annotated, which contained 37 typical genes. The length of the complete mitochondrial genome is 16,966 bp (GenBank No. MW043485), with As, Ts, Cs, Gs, and AT content of the mitochondrial genome is 32.1, 23.2, 30.9, 13.8, and 55.3%, respectively. All protein-coding genes started with ATN except COX1 and ND5, which start with GTG, and all protein-coding genes end with a complete triplet codon (TAA, AGG, AGA, and TAG), except COX3, which ends with an incomplete T. The ND3 gene of P. pusilla with an extra C nucleotide in 174 site. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the new sequenced species of P. pusilla was closer to the clade of Porzana fusca and Porzana paykullii, and all three Porzana are clustered into one branch.


This article fragments and processes Debris, a project developed to formalise the creative recycling of digital audio byproducts. Debris began as an open call for electronic compositions that take as their point of departure gigabytes of audio material generated through training and calibrating Demiurge, an audio synthesis platform driven by machine learning. The Debris project led us down rabbitholes of structural analysis: what does it mean to work with digital waste, how is it qualified, and what new relationships and methodologies do this foment? To chart the fluid boundaries of Debris and pin down its underlying conceptualisation of sound, this article introduces a framework ranging from archaeomusicology to intertextuality, from actor-network theory to Deleuzian assemblage, from Adornian constellation to swarm intelligence to platform and network topology. This diversity of approaches traces connective frictions that may allow us to understand, from the perspective of Debris, what working with sound means under the regime of machine intelligence. How has machine intelligence fundamentally altered the already shaky diagram connecting humans, creativity and history? We advise the reader to approach the text as a multisensory experience, listening to Debris while navigating the circuitous theoretical alleys below.


In this study we have tested fumigant toxicity of ten aromatic plant essential oils on red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, and bean weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus, under laboratory conditions. The plant samples were collected from different sites of Turkey, air dried at room temperature and the essential oils were obtained by steam distillation, using a Clevenger-type apparatus. Laurel and myrtle essential oils showed strong fumigant activity against A. obtectus and T. castaneum adults at different concentrations. Estimated LC50 and LC99 values for A. obtectus adults were 45.31 and 70.75 µl/l air for myrtle, 27.36 and 43.05 µl/l air for laurel or tansy oils, respectively. The T. casteneum were more resistant to myrtle and laurel than A. obtectus and lethality values were estimated as 92.80 (LC50) and 159.03 (LC99) µl/l air for myrtle 56.98 and 89.73 µl/l air for laurel oils, respectively. The mean longevity of A. obtectus adults was significantly decreased depending on the increasing doses of savory, myrtle, marjoram, laurel, lemon, tansy and sage essential oils. While savory, myrtle, marjoram and laurel essential oils decreased the mean longevity of T. castaneum adults the other essential oils did not change the longevity of these insects.


I am honored to give this lecture dedicated to the memory of Dr. Fred Soper, whose pioneering efforts against the insect vectors of malaria and yellow fever are legendary. Soper and his colleagues also played key roles in restoring the concept of eradication to respectability after the collapse of earlier campaigns to eradicate hookworm and yellow fever. When Soper was himself invited to give the first of five Fred Soper Lectures to mark his retirement as regional director of the Pan American Health Organization in 1959, he entitled his lecture Rehabilitation of the Eradication Concept in Prevention of Communicable Diseases. Ten years later, The World Health Organization (WHO)'s abandonment of the declared goal of malaria eradication marked another nadir in the acceptability of the concept of eradication, from which we are only now reemerging.
One measure of the change is that the Director-General of WHO in 1980 wrote that "Important lessons can be learned from smallpox eradication, but the idea that we should single out other diseases for worldwide eradication is not among them."


In this article we study holomorphic integrals on tropical plane curves in view of ultradiscretization. We prove that the lattice integrals over tropical curves can be obtained as a certain limit of complex integrals over Riemannian surfaces.


The sensitivity of the resonance-fluorescence method for the measurement of very-low sodium-vapor densities (<1010 atoms/cm3) has been studied. Light from a sodium spectral lamp is sent through a sodium-containing vessel, whose temperature can be varied. The vapor density has been measured in the region of 47–146 °C. At 47 °C, the vapor density is about 107 atoms/cm3. The measurements were performed with both a photon-counting device and a lock-in amplifier. The experimental results have been normalized to absolute density data given in the literature. Fitting our points to the equation logN = a + b/T yields the values a = 23.715 and b = −5257.7 K.


1. Antisera to hemoglobin solutions obtained from normal adult, cord blood and sickle cell anemia erythrocytes have been prepared by immunizing rabbits with adjuvant mixtures. Furthermore, anti F hemoglobin sera have been similarly prepared by using purified fetal hemoglobin. A species specific anti guinea pig hemoglobin serum was also developed. 2. Although anti F hemoglobin sera appear to be specific for fetal hemoglobin, no such immunologic specificity could be detected between anti A and anti SCA sera obtained from rabbits. 3. It is suggested that sera prepared by using hemoglobin solutions obtained from normal and sickle cell anemia erythrocytes may contain anti F antibodies in addition to anti A and anti S precipitins and that fetal hemoglobin may be present in many human adult blood specimens.


The deep sea represents the largest biome on earth, and for most of it, no maps of resolutions comparable to terrestrial environments are available. As new species continue to be discovered, it is clear that our knowledge of species spatial patterns is insufficient to properly inform marine spatial planning, and for complex habitats, high-resolution surveys are crucial for understanding species-environment relationships. This thesis examined two deep-sea areas of the NE Atlantic, Rockall Bank and Whittard Canyon. By linking acoustic maps to benthic imagery datasets, environmental variables describing the spatial arrangement of different substratum types and topographic variability were found to be good predictors of species composition and biodiversity. Employing an ensemble of statistical techniques provided a more robust approach for the creation of biological full-coverage predictive maps and allowed for the identification of areas with high biodiversity. With these maps, it was possible to demonstrate that biological spatial patterns in Whittard Canyon required mapping resolutions of 20-50m while the more heterogeneous Rockall Bank area needed to be mapped at <5m. The continued sparse availability of biological datasets in the deep-sea remains a significant limiting factor in informing conservation needs, but the work carried out shows improvements over previous approaches, and can be applied to identify biodiversity hotpots and assess habitat suitability for vulnerable marine ecosystems, such as cold-water corals. Through such hierarchical multi-disciplinary studies, the currently available biological information can be employed to increase our understanding of the relationships between habitat heterogeneity and biodiversity as well as help establish the baseline state of these ecosystems in order to effectively monitor potential impacts.


Background: Currently approved therapies for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are limited to cytoreductive agents such as hydroxyurea and the Jak1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib. While these agents alleviate constitutional symptoms, they are unable to provide significant histopathologic, cytogenetic, or molecular remissions. Furthermore, adverse events and drug resistance are associated with these frontline therapies. This therefore warrants the design of novel therapies that can provide efficacy, either alone or as adjuvants, while minimizing adverse events and resistance. To address this, we developed predictive simulation software to create patient simulation avatars based on signaling networks impacted by hyper-kinetic JAK2 signaling. The avatars can then be simulated with FDA approved drugs from across indications, individually or in combinations, with the intent of identifying novel therapies for MPN. Methods: A bone marrow aspirate from a PV patient was analyzed for chromosomal alterations using array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH) and peripheral blood from the same patient was analyzed for cytokine expression levels. The bone marrow cells were positive for the JAK2-V617F mutation in 44.7% of cells. aCGH analysis of bone marrow and peripheral blood cells did not identify other genomic aberrations. Cytokine profiling indicated an increase in MMP9, RANTES (CCL5) and VEGF, and a decrease in MCP1, relative to a non-diseased control sample. Using this information, a predictive simulation patient avatar was created. A library of over 75 FDA approved agents with unique mechanism of actions was then simulated against the patient avatar. A list of predicted drugs was then generated and subsequently validated using i) BaF3/Jak2-V617F cells, ii) bone marrow mononuclear cells derived from the patient, and iii) an animal model of Jak2-mediated MPN. Results: The predictive simulation indicated synergistic efficacy of two drugs: roflumilast and chloroquine. The combination of inhibiting PDE4 and autophagy using roflumilast and choloroquine, respectively, was predicted to reduce proliferation and viability of JAK2-V617F cells which have hyper-activated JAK2, STAT3, and STAT5. Roflumilast was predicted to reduce the dominance of ERK, NF-kB, SHH pathways, and induce CDKN1A and CDKN1B, cell cycle inhibitors. Choloroquine was predicted to induce ROS, ER Stress, TP53, ceramide biosynthesis, and cell cycle inhibition. The combination of the two, through different mechanisms, was predicted to reduce proliferation and viability of mutant JAK2 cells. Furthermore, they were predicted to synergize with the action of low dose ruxolitinib. To validate the simulation predictions, we first treated BaF3/Jak2-V617F cells with increasing concentrations of roflumilast (0 – 30 μM) and chloroquine (0 – 30 μM). We found that both agents significantly reduced the viability of the cells in a dose-dependent manner, both alone and in combination. When the patient's bone marrow cells were similarly treated with roflumilast (0 – 20 μM) and chloroquine (0 – 20 μM), the numbers of BFU-E were reduced dose-dependently. Furthermore, when roflumilast (10 – 20 μM) and chloroquine (10 - 20 μM) were used in combination with low dose ruxolitinib (100 nM), there was a synergistic effect leading to the near elimination of mutant clonogenic growth potentials of the patient's cells (44±4.24 BFU-E for vehicle vs. 3±2.83 BFU-E for 20 μM Rof/20 μM Chloro/100 nM Rux). Lastly, when BaF3/Jak2-V617F cells were xenografted into nude mice, roflumilast (8 mg/kg/day) and chloroquine (50 mg/kg/day) were highly effective when used in combination as measured by an improved red blood cell count, reduced splenomegaly, and a decreased tumor burden within the liver. Conclusions: This study demonstrates how predictive simulation technology can be used to identify novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of MPN. Specifically, genomic and cytokine profiling were used to map dysregulated signaling pathways and then accurately predict novel therapeutic agents that can act either alone, in combination, or as an adjuvant to an existing therapy. The results from this study are significant as they i) serve as the basis for an early phase clinical trial using roflumilast and chloroquine for the treatment of PV and ii) have validated a novel means to rapidly re-purpose existing FDA approved drugs for the treatment of MPN. Disclosures Sayeski:CellWorks: Research Funding. Off Label Use: Roflumilast and choloroquine were used for the treatment of MPN. . Vali:CellWorks: Employment. Kumar:CellWorks: Employment. Singh:CellWorks: Employment. Tyagi:CellWorks: Employment. Abbasi:CellWorks: Employment, Equity Ownership.


Abstract Although most protective behaviors related to the COVID‐19 pandemic come with personal costs, they will produce the largest benefit if everybody cooperates. This study explores two interacting factors that drive cooperation in this tension between private and collective interests. A preregistered experiment (N = 299) examined (a) how the quality of the relation among interacting partners (social proximity), and (b) how focusing on the risk of self‐infection versus onward transmission affected intentions to engage in protective behaviors. The results suggested that risk focus was an important moderator of the relation between social proximity and protection intentions. Specifically, participants were more willing to accept the risk of self‐infection from close others than from strangers, resulting in less caution toward a friend than toward a distant other. However, when onward transmission was the primary concern, participants were more reluctant to effect transmission to close others, resulting in more caution toward friends than strangers. These findings inform the debate about effective nonclinical measures against the pandemic. Practical implications for risk communication are discussed.


Current changes in the socioeconomic variables in which both public and private universities interact require them to manage their image to attract and satisfy their students. Added to this, new technologies are affecting education, increasing the supply and relevance of distance learning in the university structure. Given that, this research aimed to understand which individual factors cause significant differences in perceived university image. This study is a descriptive field research. We collected the data with a survey and analysed the results using factor analyses, t-tests, and linear regression. We found that gender, age, income, and length of interaction between the students and the organization do not influence the overall image. However, the exact sciences students presented a different perception of the researched institutions. Given the results, we concluded that perceived image can be seen as a momentary picture. The study indicates the image as a multidimensional construct. This construct is most expressively associated with intangible aspects.


We report the discovery of low frequency quasi- periodic oscillations centered at 0.11 Hz in the newly discovered 221 s X-ray pulsar XTE J1858+034. Among about 30 known transient X-ray pulsars this is the sixth source in which QPOs have been observed. If the QPOs are produced because of inho- mogeneities in the accretion disk at the magnetospheric bound- ary, the low frequency of the QPOs indicate a large magne- tosphere for this pulsar. Both the Keplerian frequency model and the beat frequency model are applicable for production of QPOs in this source. The QPOs and regular pulsations are found to be stronger at higher energy which favours the beat frequency model. The magnetic field of the pulsar is calculated as a func- tion of its distance. The energy spectrum is found to be very hard, consisting of two components, a cut-off power law and an iron fluorescence line.


Left atrial aneurysm is an extremely rare anomaly, which can be associated with supraventricular arrhythmia, compression of coronary arteries, intracardiac thrombus, life-threatening systemic embolization, pulmonary venous obstruction, mitral valve insufficiency, and congestive heart failure. Herein, we report a four-year-old boy who had a giant aneurysm of the left atrium and severe mitral regurgitation. The aneurysm and mitral valve cleft causing severe mitral regurgitation were successfully repaired.


Abstract The impact of invasive weed management on plant community composition is highly dependent on location-specific factors. Therefore, treatment means from experiments conducted at a given set of locations will not reliably predict community response to weed management elsewhere. We developed a model that rescales treatment means to better match local conditions. The goal of this paper was to determine if this rescaling improves predictions. We used our model to predict leafy spurge stem length density and grass biomass data from field experiments. The experiments consisted of herbicide-treated plots, untreated controls, and, in some cases, grass seeding treatments. When herbicides suppressed leafy spurge, the model explained 21 to 48% more variation in grass response than did mean grass response to the same or similar herbicide treatments applied at other sites. When herbicides killed grass, the model explained 53% more variation in leafy spurge response than did mean leafy spurge response to the same herbicide treatment applied at other sites. We regressed model predictions against observed data and tested the null hypothesis that resulting slope terms were equal to 1.0. Because the null hypothesis was rejected in two of four tests, the model may systematically over- or underpredict in some situations. However, measurement error in the observed data, unintended herbicide injury, or an inaccurate allometric relationship may account for a major proportion of the systematic deviations, and these factors would not cause prediction error in some management applications. Because the model tends to be better than the means from experiments at predicting plant community composition, we conclude that the model could advance managers' ability to predict plant community responses to invasive weed management. Nomenclature: Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula L. EPHES.


Active pixel sensor (APS) circuits are an alternate to passive pixel sensor (PPS) circuits, which, while common in CMOS technology, have yet to be incorporated into commercial amorphous silicon (a-Si) large-area imagers. A proof-of-concept 64 × 64 APS array for low-exposure medical X-ray imaging is fabricated in a-Si technology and mated with an amorphous selenium photoconductor. Modulation transfer function (MTF) response and transient response for the APS imager indicate significant charge trapping at the top insulator/a-Se interface. MTF response indicates an effective fill factor of 94.5 % for a geometric fill factor of 57% at an electric field strength of 10 V/μm. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance from the prototype imager is comparable to a state-of-the-art commercially available a-Si PPS X-ray imager for X-ray exposures down to 1.5 μR using an RQA5 standard fluoroscopic characterization beam. Pixel design and fabrication process improvements are suggested to improve the SNR performance of the APS imager below 1.5 μR.


In this study, mechanisms that cause the occurrence of a swirling vortex without an intake are explained. There are more than one different reasons which may cause the occurrence of an air-core vortex or a swirling-vortex flow filament within an ambient fluid. An air-core vortex or a swirling vortex flow filament can also occur in an ambient fluid media without an intake provided that the coaxial subsurface depressions and thereby the imaginary subsurface spherical sink surface sectors are hydraulically developed by any means (such as rotation of the fluid mass of spherical sector-form, impinging or penetrating jet flow, continuously entering solid body or string etc.). Although studies related to occurrence of a swirling vortex in case of an intake can be found in available literature, there are currently no studies which explains the occurrence mechanisms of a swirling vortex without an intake in detail. In this study, it is showed that the causes for the occurrence of the air-core vortex or the swirling vortex filament can be different but the main mechanism of development of the air-core vortex or the swirling vortex filament is identical for all cases.


ABSTRACT Morphological asymmetry is widely used to measure developmental instability and higher levels of asymmetry often correlate with decreased mating success, increased inbreeding, increased stress and decreased habitat quality. We studied asymmetry and relationships between asymmetry and host identity in two flea species, host generalist Xenopsylla ramesis and host specialist Parapulex chephrenis, and asked: (1) what the level of asymmetry was in their femurs and tibiae; (2) which type of asymmetry predominates; and (3) whether fleas that fed on host species distantly related to their principal host species produced offspring that exhibited greater asymmetry compared with offspring of fleas that fed on their principal host species. We found fluctuating asymmetry in femurs and tibiae of X. ramesis and in the tibiae of P. chephrenis as well as significantly left-handed directional asymmetry in the femurs of P. chephrenis. Host species identity significantly impacted asymmetry in leg segments of P. chephrenis but not in those of X. ramesis. Offspring asymmetry increased when mother fleas fed on a host that was distantly related to the principal host. Fleas parasitizing multiple host species might compensate for developmental instability when utilizing a novel host species; therefore, host-switching events in host-specific parasites could be constrained by the relatedness between a novel and a principal host species. Summary: Host species identity significantly impacts leg segment asymmetry in a host-specialist flea, but not a host-opportunistic flea; thus, generalist fleas may better compensate for developmental instability when exploiting novel hosts.


The aim of this study was to make CORINE 2000 classification better in Northern Finland by making the classes of natural areas more separable using optical remote sensing images and decision based data fusion methods. Phenological time-series derived from MODIS images and ETM-image mosaic were classified using Maximum Likelihood classifier. Classification results were merged using different data fusion methods and their result compared. The used methods were not particularly successful, because the overall accuracy of CORINE 2000- classification, 52%, was better than the overall accuracies of spectral classifications and data fusion methods. The best data fusion methods were maximum joint a posteriori probability- classification and classification where a priori probabilities have been acquired from lower resolution classification.


This research investigates some aspects of a sociocultural situation in Kazan in the first years of the Soviet power. The research is conducted in the context of development of musical culture and education. The main method is biographic, and the institutional biography with the emphasis on the identity of orientalists, especially Nikolay Katanov is considered (1862-1922). The major conclusion is that all major actions of the Soviet power in the field of music education were prepared by processes in orientalist community, since the end of the 19th century. It is shown that representatives of suburbs of the Russian Empire gave help to capital scientists in carrying out researches and began to have significant effect on representations of the teachers. This influence readily admitted, as well as full equality. An example is the scientific and cultural environment of Kazan in which interest of the authorities, served musical and scientific community to culture of the people of the East as an incentive to creation in Kazan of the first special musical facility - East conservatory in 1921. Materials of the research are of interest as to researchers of the sociocultural environment in Russia in the 1920th years, and to historians of culture and music education.


The prominent cause of cancer-related mortality throughout the globe is "Lung Cancer". Hence beforehand detection, prediction and diagnosis of lung cancer has become essential as it expedites and simplifies the consequent clinical board. To erect the progress and medication of cancerous conditions machine learning techniques have been utilized because of its accurate outcomes. Various types of machine learning algorithms(ML) like Naive Bayes, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Logistic regression, Artificial Neural Network (ANN), have been applied in the healthcare sector for analysis and prognosis of lung cancer. In this review, factors that cause lung cancer and application of ML algorithms are discussed up to date and also draws special attention to their relative strengths and weaknesses. This paper will help the researchers to quickly go through the related literature instead of referring to the many papers.□


Over the last decade, a certain computationally efficient, rapidly converging adaptive filtering algorithm has been independently discovered many times. The algorithm can be viewed as a generalization of the normalized LMS (NLMS) algorithm that updates on the basis of multiple input signal vectors. This article compares and discusses the different approaches to and embellishments of the basic algorithm, and contrasts the various interpretations from different perspectives.


QuickSilver is a distributed operating system that is intended for large, geographically dispersed systems. The authors describe how clients and data servers interact in the QuickSilver system to access distributed data in the context of large, geographically dispersed systems in which there are many different kinds of data servers. An interface is defined that provides a uniform way for clients and servers to exchange information about each other and to access data objects. The interface attempts to minimize the number of messages needed for this. It supports efficient interaction with higher-level client and server semantics by appropriate use of high-level abstractions and operations, and by selectively exposing the parameters governing communication connections to higher layers of the software.<<ETX>>


Quantum private comparison (QPC), whose security is based on the laws of quantum mechanics, allows at least two participants who do not trust each other to compare whether their secret data are the same while maintaining data privacy. Here, by introducing a semi-honest third party, we propose a novel QPC protocol using (n+1)-qubit (n\ge2) Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states as information carriers. The parameter n not only determines the number of qubits contained in a GHZ state, but also determines the probability that the third party can successfully steal participants' data and the qubit efficiency. Our protocol uses the keys generated by quantum key distribution and bit-flipping for privacy protection, making both outsider and insider attacks invalid. In addition, our protocol does not employ any other quantum technologies (e.g., entanglement swapping and unitary operations) except necessary technologies such as quantum measurements, which can reduce the need for quantum devices. Furthermore, the GHZ states are prepared by participants rather than by the third party, which can reduce potential security risks.


A total of ten previously castrated men with stage D carcinoma received 1000 mg aminoglutethimide and 50 mg/die cortisoneacetate. The patients were evaluated using the criteria of the National Prostate Cancer Project. No patients showed objective response, three patients had reduction of bone pain and subjective improvement. Pretreatment testosterone, prolactine and estradiol levels were measured. Three patients had a statistically significant elevation of testosterone levels.