Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are recognized as one of the leading causes of death in the world. We proposed and successfully tested peptides with a new mechanism of antimicrobial action "protein silencing" based on directed co-aggregation. The amyloidogenic antimicrobial peptide (AAMP) interacts with the target protein of model or pathogenic bacteria and forms aggregates, thereby knocking out the protein from its working condition. In this review, we consider antimicrobial effects of the designed peptides on two model organisms, E. coli and T. thermophilus, and two pathogenic organisms, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. We compare the amino acid composition of proteomes and especially S1 ribosomal proteins. Since this protein is inherent only in bacterial cells, it is a good target for studying the process of co-aggregation. This review presents a bioinformatics analysis of these proteins. We sum up all the peptides predicted as amyloidogenic by several programs and synthesized by us. For the four organisms we studied, we show how amyloidogenicity correlates with antibacterial properties. Let us especially dwell on peptides that have demonstrated themselves as AMPs for two pathogenic organisms that cause dangerous hospital infections, and in which the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) turned out to be comparable to the MIC of gentamicin sulfate. All this makes our study encouraging for the further development of AAMP. The hybrid peptides may thus provide a starting point for the antibacterial application of amyloidogenic peptides.


ABSTRACT The land surface physical parameterization used operationally in the Integrated Forecast System (IFS) at the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) has been fully revised in its soil, vegetation, and snow components. The current scheme has an improved match to soil moisture and snow field-site observations with beneficial impact on the turbulent fluxes and near surface temperature and moisture as verified by conventional synoptic observations. The gain in hydrological consistency is of crucial importance in order to ease the data assimilation of land surface satellite observations in water sensitive channels (e.g. ASCAT-C-Band active microwave, AMSR-E C-band passive microwave, SMOS L-band passive microwave, etc.). Independent offline verification studies show that the land surface hydrological cycle is in a better agreement with large-scale basins runoff and terrestrial water storage exchange on monthly time-scale. The impact of the revised land surface hydrology is estimated in 1-year global integrations with specified Sea Surface Temperatures (hindcast experiments) showing an overall improvement of the model climate particularly evident near the surface and areas/seasons sensitive to the introduced physical parameterization.


Color histogram is widely used in the appearance modeling. However the lack of spatial information makes the features less distinctive. In this paper, we propose to detect local region relationship based on segmentation in the color space. After efficiently computing the region's spatial information, a novel topological color histograms is used to represent the spatial context. Through the experimental observation, we find the region based spatial appearance model make the object's feature more discriminative.


Background: Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a non-progressive neurological condition that results in motor impairment which increases proximally to distally along the lower extremity (i.e., greatest impairment at the ankle). Consequently, motor impairment and reduced voluntary muscle activation results in reduced neuromuscular control of the lower limb in this population. CP rehabilitation traditionally aims to improve movement proficiency for functional activities, such as walking, by using a range of active movement modalities that require volitional effort; however, the underlying neural mechanisms of improved control and function remain unknown. The primary purpose of this study was to systematically determine the efficacy of lower limb active movement interventions to improve neuromuscular control in individuals with CP. Methodology: A search for studies involving an active lower limb intervention and neurophysiological outcome measures in individuals with CP was performed in five electronic databases. Studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Downs and Black assessment tool. Results: Nine of 6,263 articles met the inclusion criteria. Methodological quality of all studies was poor, ranging from 2 to 27 out of a possible score of 32 points on the Downs and Black assessment tool. The study interventions varied extensively in modality and prescription as well as in the outcome measures used. Conclusions: Whether active movement improves neuromuscular control of the lower limb in CP is unclear due to high variability in intervention protocols and selected outcomes measures. Future active intervention studies must carefully consider the selection of neurophysiological outcome measures.


In this study, we designed, measured, and analyzed a rearranged L-shape magnetic resonance coupling wireless power transfer (MRWPT) system for practical applications with laptops. The typical four resonator MR-WPT (Tx part: source loop and Tx coil; Rx part: Rx coil and load loop) is difficult to apply to small-sized stationary and mobile applications, such as laptop computers, tablet-PCs, and smartphones, owing to the large volume of the Rx part and the spatial restrictions of the Tx and Rx coils. Therefore, an L-shape structure, which is the orthogonal arrangement of the Tx and Rx parts, is proposed for indoor environment applications, such as at an Lshaped wall or desk. The relatively large Tx part and Rx coil can be installed in the wall and the desk, respectively, while the load loop is embedded in the small stationary or mobile devices. The transfer efficiency (TE) of the proposed system was measured according to the transfer distance (TD) and the misaligned locations of the load loop. In addition, we measured the TE in the active/non-active state and monitor-open/closed state of the laptop computer. The overall highest TE of the L-shape MR-WPT was 61.43% at 45 cm TD, and the TE decreased to 27.9% in the active and monitor-open state of the laptop computer. The conductive ground plane has a much higher impact on the performance when compared to the impact of the active/non-active states. We verified the characteristics and practical benefits of the proposed L-shape MR-WPT compared to the typical MR-WPT for applications to L-shaped corners.


Introduction: Inferior vena cava also known as posterior vena cava is the large vein that carries de-oxygenated blood from the part of the body below the diaphragm into right atrium of the heart. Formation of the Inferior vena cava is a complex process resulting in numerous but rare anomalies. Knowledge of caval anomalies is very important to radiologists, surgeons and urologists who are dealing with abdominal cavity. During retroperitoneal surgery any inadvertent injury to these anomalous veins leads to significant haemorrhage. Material and method: In present study, 20 human cadavers were dissected during routine dissection during the year of 2011- 2012 in anatomy department at AMC MET Medical College, Ahmedabad. Observation and discussion: Anomalies of inferior vena cava were found in 2 male cadavers with ages range from 40-60 years. In both cadavers double inferior vena cava was present. Conclusion: The occurrence of this variation of inferior vena cava is about 0.2-3% in the population .Anomalies of IVC are rare and are consequences of its complex mode of development. The knowledge of anomalies of inferior vena cava is important in diagnostic and surgical approaches. In our study, in two cadavers out of 20, we found double inferior vena cava during routine dissection.[ Shah M et al NJIRM 2014; 5(1) : 54-56]


Abstract 3102 Poster Board III-39 Despite the advances in the development of antifungal agents, invasive fungal infections (IFI) remain a significant threat to patients with hematologic malignancies. The importance of early intervention for patients at high-risk for IFI has been widely discussed in several publications; however, the question of whether an early intervention such as prophylaxis is better than empiric or pre-emptive treatment still remains unanswered. Antifungal prophylaxis continues to be routinely used at MDACC for AML and HR-MDS patients. An ideal AFP regimen should be effective, safe, and uncomplicated for the patients. In the search of this ideal regimen, we have explored several options, including different type of drugs and various delivery schedules. Hereby, we report our experience since September 1997 to August 2009 with 730 AML and HR-MDS patients who received AFP for intensive chemotherapy. Proven IFI were defined as per the EORTC criteria. The following regimens were studied: Amphotericin B Lipid Complex (ABLC): 2.5 mg/kg IV three times/week; Liposomal Amphotericin B (AMBI 3TIW): 3 mg/kg IV three times/week; Fluconazole 400 mg (tab) /d + Itraconazole:200 mg (caps) /d (F + I); IV Itraconazole (IV ITRA):200 mg BID X 2 d, then 200 mg IV/d; Caspofungin (CASPO):50 mg IV /d; Voriconazole (IV VORI):400 mg IV BID x 2 d, then 300 mg IV BID; Liposomal Amphotericin B (AMBI 9/W): 9 mg/kg IV once per week; and Voriconazole (PO VORI ): 400 mg BID PO x 1 day, followed by 200 mg PO BID. Patients received ABLC, IV ITRA, F+I, AMBI 3TIW and CASPO since day 1 of IC until IC response was assessed. Pt on IV VORI, AMBI 3TIW and PO VORI started AFP within 24 hours after the last dose of IC until IC response was assessed. There were no significant differences among the pts in the 8 regimens with regards to age, gender, diagnosis, cytogenetics, performance status, presence of no fungal infection at start IC and stayed in protected environment. Table 1 shows our results. Although none of the pts receiving Voriconazole (IV or PO) developed proven IFI, all comparisons of efficacy among the AFP regimens were not significant (p= 0.291). None of the patients on AMBI 3TIW and either VORI had mold infections. There was a significant difference in the number of side effects among the 8 groups (p = 0.03). CASPO and PO VORI were the less toxic regimens. In addition, PO VORI was significantly less toxic than IV VORI (p=0.031). We conclude that PO VORI is safe, efficacious and easy to administer to the patients for the prevention of IFI in pts with AML and HR-MDS undergoing IC. CASPO is a safe alternative. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Proteolytic remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM) results in structural changes that facilitate the generation of cryptic regulatory sites that promotes angiogenesis, tumor growth and metastasis. While alterations in the biophysical characteristic of the ECM can help create a tumor permissive microenvironment, little is known concerning whether structural changes in the ECM contributes to the ability of tumors to escape immune control. Molecular insight into the signaling pathways operating in stromal cells has contributed to the development of new cancer therapies. While clear progress has been made, as indicated by the recent approvals of new therapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, the overall survival of patients with metastatic disease remains alarmingly low. Accumulating evidence suggests that stromal components of the tumor microenvironment may contribute to the development of multiple resistance mechanisms including adaptive immune resistance. Thus, there is an urgent need for a more detailed understanding of how immune and inflammatory mechanisms govern tumor progression in order to enhance long-term durable responses with current therapies in a larger percentage of patients. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) have been suggested to play roles in tumor growth and metastasis by multiple mechanisms including structural remodeling of the ECM. TAMs may also contribute to the development of resistance to current anti-cancer therapies. Our studies indicate that distinct subsets of macrophage may facilitate the generation of the RGDKGE containing XL313 cryptic collagen epitope that promotes angiogenesis and inflammation in vivo. Here we provide the first evidence that cellular interactions with the XL313 collagen epitope may regulate immune checkpoint molecules by a αVβ3 integrin-associated mechanism. Cellular interactions with the XL313 epitope and denatured forms of collagen, which are present within the tumor microenvironment, enhanced the levels of the immune checkpoint molecules PD-L1 and LAG-3. Selective targeting of the XL313 collagen epitope with a monoclonal antibody inhibited tumor growth and metastasis and tumors from these mice exhibited reduced levels of immune checkpoint molecules. Importantly, anti-XL313 epitope antibody significantly enhanced the anti-tumor activity of anti-PD-L1 therapy in vivo. These data suggest that the XL313 epitope may play a functional role in promoting immune suppression in tumors and that selective targeting of this cryptic collagen epitope may reduce immune suppression and significantly enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Taken together, our studies are consistent with the possibility that the endogenously generated XL313 epitope may regulate tumor growth in part by facilitating the escape of tumors from immune control. Citation Format: Jennifer M. Caron, Liangru Contois, Jacquelyn Ames, Peter C. Brooks. The XL313 cryptic collagen epitope regulates immune checkpoint molecules by a αVβ3-integrin-associated mechanism. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 5131.


The influence of imposing an approximate density scaling condition on a noninteracting kinetic energy functional is investigated. A simple generalized gradient approximation (GGA) is presented, which satisfies both the density scaling condition and the usual coordinate scaling condition; the remaining multiplicative constant is determined from an energy criterion. In post-Kohn-Sham calculations, noninteracting kinetic energies of the closed-shell molecules of the G1 set determined using the GGA are a modest improvement over those determined using the corresponding local functional, which does not satisfy the density scaling condition. Potential energy curves of CO, F2, and P2 exhibit binding with the GGA, compared to purely repulsive curves with the local functional. Adjusting the exponent in the GGA form in order to optimize energy accuracy violates the density scaling condition, and two of the diatomics no longer exhibit binding. Results are compared with those from other local/GGA functionals in the literature.


Davison's method is used to reduce the order of a one machine infinite bus system with excitation control from a tenth to a fourth order System. This is accomplished by first reducing the machine from seventh to third order and the excitation system from third to first order and then combining these models to form the reduced order model of the one machine infinite bus system. It is shown that the eigenvalues which predict the natural and introduced rotor oscillations are accurately preserved by this method. Also, a method of combining reduced order models of machines to form dynamic equivalents of multimachine systems is set forth. Here, Davison's method is used to obtain a reduced order model of each machine whereupon approximations are used to achieve a simple means of combining these reduced order models to form a dynamic equivalent of a two machine system. This technique is shown to be sufficiently accurate for dynamic stability investigations. It appears that the method of reduction presented in this paper may offer advantages in the analysis of power system dynamics.


Unprecedented population growth accompanied by sustained high consumption of goods and services, the pursuit of economic growth and affluence at the expense of environment, high levels of urbanization, as well as the increasing demands for trade and globalization are some of the underlying factors impacting African agricultural production today. As a result, there is degradation of the land, atmosphere, and water resources arising from the increased use of the pesticides, nitrates, livestock waste and antibiotics, fossil fuels, nitrous oxide, ammonia and methane. Overuse of natural resources contribute to depletion of ground water, loss of wild foods and habitats, and the displacement and extinction of traditional varieties and breeds. Furthermore, new health hazards and deteriorating conditions for farmers and farm workers in agro-chemical and food processing industries as well as inhumane conditions for livestock are envisaged. Major culprits are urban consumers with no alternatives to these contaminated farm produce. There is therefore the need for new approaches to agricultural production with minimal environmental impacts, which is referred to as "alternative agriculture" or, "eco-agriculture". This article elaborates on the current agricultural practices, environmental costs of modern-day agriculture, and what can be done to ensure sustainability of the African agricultural systems. The article argues that despite the high population growth rates, sustainable food production could be improved by ensuring that the opportunities presented by urban agriculture are well developed and utilized, using suitable agricultural practices. The article is based on literature review and contributes to policies on environment and agriculture.


The paper outlines current macroeconomic developments in industrial countries and explains how slower growth in these economies is being transmitted to developing economies in Asia. The macroeconomic outlook for industrial countries in 2009 is discussed along with the transmission mechanism that has brought the global downturn to the Asian economies. Monetary and fiscal policy adjustments in Asian economies have been implemented to address the downturn in economic activity and these policies are discussed in some depth. All the major countries in East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia are analysed. The paper concludes with a brief review of the outlook for 2010. Keywords: global recession, monetary and fiscal policy, Asian economies, economic outlook.


Light-induced degradation is an important problem concerning hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells. A-Si:H films of lower Si-H2 bond density exhibit less light-induced degradation. In this study, Raman spectroscopy measurements of a-Si:H films with P-layer/I-layer structure reveal that high-density Si-H2 bonds exist in the I-layer within 60 nm of the P/I interface. These Si-H2 bonds originate from surface reactions of SiH3 radicals, as the alternative origin (i.e., cluster incorporation) is considerably suppressed by a multi-hollow discharge plasma chemical vapor deposition method. For an I-layer thickness of 20 nm, the density ratio of Si-H2 and Si-H bonds in the I-layer decreases from 0.133 to 0.053 as the substrate temperature increases from 170◦C to 250◦C. Fine tuning of the substrate temperature during the initial stage of I-layer deposition is thus effective in suppressing Si-H2 bond formation at the P/I interface.


Following a brief review of the kernel regression approach to estimating surface models of the form z = f(x,y) + e, this article will consider the situation where f is not
a continuous surface function, and in particular where the discontinuities take the form of one-dimensional breaks in the surface, and are not specified a priori. This
form of model is particularly useful when visualizing some social and economic data where very rapid changes in geographical characteristics may occur – such as crime rates or house prices. The article briefly reviews approaches to this problem and proposes a novel approach (Bilateral Kernel Regression) adapting an algorithm from
the field field of image processing (Bilateral Filtering), giving example analyses of synthetic and real-world data. Techniques for enhancing the basic algorithm are also
considered.


Background: Recent developments of theories for teaching decision making in sport offer a large variety of applications for the context of physical education. Purpose: This review of current models of teaching tactical skills concludes that most models incorporate different cognitive learning mechanisms, such as implicit and explicit learning, and are either domain specific or domain general. Yet, most models ignore the structure of the environment when defining in which situation a specific cognitive process will be beneficial and in which situations it will fail. Findings: From an ecological rationality perspective the experimentally validated SMART (Situation Model of Anticipated Response consequences of Tactical training) model is presented; this model identifies in which situation a particular learning mechanism should be beneficial. Conclusions: It is crucial to acknowledge that no one model of teaching decision making is the best but rather that choosing the appropriate model depends on the task and persons involved. The SMART model provides selection criteria for models of teaching decision making used in the domain of sport.


A previously well 30 year old man presented with a short history of intra-articular mechanical locking, swelling, and anteromedial joint line pain. There was localised tenderness, and McMurray's test was positive. Arthroscopy revealed a 3.6 × 2.6 × 1.5 cm firm pedicular localised pigmented villonodular synovitis originating from the insertion of the anterior horn of the medial meniscus. Owing to its size and consistency, mini-arthrotomy was required. This allowed a return to sporting activities. Localised pigmented villonodular synovitis can mimic symptoms of a meniscal tear.


The need to support various digital signal processing (DSP) and classification applications on energy-constrained devices has steadily grown. Such applications often extensively perform matrix multiplications using fixed-point arithmetic while exhibiting tolerance for some computational errors. In this paper, To focus on hardware-level approximation by introducing the partial product perforation technique for designing approximate multiplication circuits. In this is prove in a mathematical rigorous manner that in partial product perforation, the imposed errors are bounded and predictable, depending only on the input distribution. Through extensive experimental evaluation, to apply the partial product perforation method on different multiplier architectures and expose the optimal architecture– perforation configuration pairs for different error constraints. The proposed multiplier can consume 58% less energy/op with average computational error of ~1%. Finally, a small computational error does not ably impact the quality of DSP and the accuracy of classification applications.


We present new and fast procedures for calculating magnetic forces between thin coaxial circular coaxial coils in air. The results are expressed in semianalytical form in terms of the complete elliptical integrals of the first and second kind, Heuman's Lambda function, and a term that must be solved numerically. These expressions are accurate and simple to use for several practical applications. We also describe a comparative method based on the filament technique. We discuss the computational cost and the accuracy of two methods and compare them with already published data. Results obtained by our two approaches are in excellent agreement with each other. They can be used in industrial electromagnetic applications such as electrodynamic levitation systems, linear induction launchers, linear actuators, and coil guns.


In this work the surface-enhanced Raman total half band widths of seven genomic DNAs from leaves of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora Ramat.), common sundew (Drosera rotundifolia L.), edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum Cass), Epilobium hirsutum L., Hypericum richeri ssp. transsilvanicum (Čelak) Ciocârlan, rose (Rosa x hybrida L.) and redwood (Sequoia sempervirens D. Don. Endl.) have been measured. We have shown that surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) can be used to study the fast subpicosecond dynamics of DNA in the proximity of a metallic surface. The dependencies of the total half band widths and the global relaxation times, on the DNA molecular subgroup structure and on the type of genomic DNA, are reported. In our study, the full widths at half-maximum (FWHMs) for the SERS bands of genomic DNAs from different leaf tissues are typically in the wavenumber range from 15 to 55 cm(-1). Besides, it can be observed that molecular relaxation processes studied in this work have a global relaxation time smaller than 0.71 ps and larger than 0.19 ps. A comparison between different ranges of FT-Raman and SERS band parameters, respectively, corresponding to DNA extracted from leaf tissues is given. It is shown that the interaction between DNA and a metallic surface has the potential to lead to a shortening of the global relaxation times, as compared with molecular dynamics in solution. We have found that the surface dynamics of molecular subgroups in plant DNA is, in some cases, about two times faster than the solution dynamics of nucleic acids. This can be rationalized in a qualitative manner by invoking the complex landscape of the interaction energy between the molecule and the silver surface.


This paper reveals the importance of a local entrepreneurial university in interfacing competitive advantages, by assuming the condition of most influent and dynamic engine of regional development. The strategic diagnosis provides the identification of a dominant quadrant in the TOWS matrix application to the Beira Interior region, which is dominated by Mini-Maxi strategies. For improving the competitive positioning of that region, the transition from the dominant quadrant (Mini-Maxi) to the most desirable quadrant (Maxi-Maxi) is also proposed. In this sense, the University assumes a fundamental role in the design and in the promotion of the proposed set of strategic actions, which should be implemented in two critical areas: traditional activities and tourism; and entrepreneurship and innovation. In terms of future research, the same analytical tool could be applied to other regions with a similar competitive profile, in order to obtain comparative analyses and to better calibrate the TOWS Matrix.


Many children have struggled to cope with the traumatic experiences brought about by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This article recounts how the authors intervened in the lives of children and families after the storms.


Schwannoma is a benign tumor originating from Schwann cells, which envelop peripheral nerves. Typically solitary, this tumor develops slowly over time. Schwannoma symptoms vary based on tumor size and location but may encompass pain, tingling, muscle weakness, or sensory loss. Diagnosis is typically confirmed through medical imaging, such as MRI or CT scans. Treatment often involves surgical intervention for tumor removal, although periodic monitoring may be recommended in some instances. We present a case of a 26-year-old patient diagnosed with a breast schwannoma during an evaluation for a breast nodule.


Adler's physiology text states, "In man, the appearance of the capillaries and arterioles in the conjunctiva vary so... that caution must be observed in connecting any changes with a particular disease or even of interpreting them as indicating a diseased state." In this monograph, the authors have observed this caution and present 108 enlarged close up photographs of the conjunctival vessels in addition to photographs of the vessels of the nail bed and tongue. They have documented the normal appearance of the conjunctiva and its variations as well as the appearance of petechiae, micropools, sacculations, intravascular red cell aggregation, and vessel caliber changes in systemic vascular disease. They have found the symptom complex of acrocyanosis to be accompanied by a typical color change in the conjunctival vessels. Their conclusion, that capillary microscopy gives insight into the dynamic state of the small vessels of the body seems justified by their photographs.


This chapter examines the introduction and implementation of the pilot project Twitcident in an emergency response room setting. Twitcident is a web-based system for filtering, searching and analyzing data on real-world incidents or crises. Social media data is seen as important for emergency response operations: it can be used as an 'early warning monitoring system' to detect social unrest, and for improving common operational pictures (COPs). This chapter shows that the expectations on the functioning of the tool were not fully met: first it was hard for the response room professionals to make sense of the data and second, the management did not develop a proper project planning. The recommendations are twofold. On the one hand, the professionals who work with Twitcident must invest in developing new information management routines. On the other hand, the response room management needs to create a much more inclusive project learning strategy.


Hereby the method of formation of bone-soft tissue complex with its future application in reconstructive surgery is presented. Treatment of spacious defects of human body with soft tissue lost as well as with bone injury is considered as critical problem in contemporary surgery. Even today, there is no final reference regarding the particular sort of flat to be applied in each specific case. Method of formation and flap taking is one of the most complicated and crucial stages of the operation. Operation of free transplantation of compound composite flaps of soft tissues, muscles and bones, including microvascular anastomosis, was done for 66 patients; in total 68 transplantations were carried out. the patients were provided with clinic-laboratory analysis; identification of deficient tissues, X-ray, dopplerography, determination of various sorts of sensitivity, biomechanical examinations and tests, and bacteriological tests. 66 patients with grave injuries of bones and soft tissues were operated. In 86,8% of total good functional and esthetical effect was reached, and in 11,8%--the outcomes were estimated as satisfactory. While observance of all technical rules for flap formation precision during formation of vascular pedicle, accurate selections of form and flap dimension are of significant importance. During solution of this very problem, auto-transplantation of tissue flaps is deemed to be highly effective method of treatment. It is worthy to note, that value of micro-surgical transplantation, such as lack of lingering immobilization of extremities, is of crucial importance for children and adolescent as far as it prevents development of hard mobility of joints and saves from obligatory lingering confinement to bed during treatment with traditional methods (Italian plastics, Phylatov's stalk, etc.) The offered method of formation of bone-soft tissue complex facilitates technical sides of transplantation and monitoring. In case of serious bone-soft tissue defects, transplantation of rib-thoracodorsial complex is considered as method of choice.


Like the haiku, in which the empty space invites a reader into open and honest communication with the poet, the authors believe that the empty space of curriculum can promote genuine conversations between the learner and the teacher. Relying on Dewey's concepts of interest, continuity, and interaction in education, the authors develop three aspects of a curriculum that may engender sustained conversations: (a) aspirations of both the teacher and the learner; (b) continuous interaction; and (c) trust and respect between the teacher and learner. Mentoring in teacher education programs is proposed to develop such conversations, in which both mentor and teachers-to-be feel secure and open enough to claim their aspirations.


Our society is built upon stories. It is through them that we communicate and make sense of our environment. In today's multi-screen world, storytelling has become increasingly complex, with storytellers having at their disposal a multitude of channels to engage with a more active, connected and multitasker audience. Transmedia storytelling is blossoming in entertainment and marketing, however its role in tourism remains to be studied. This research aims to understand the impact of the use of location based transmedia storytelling techniques in tourism, particularly the advantages, disadvantages and to identify the best practices. It uses a mixed methods collection where several case studies are comprehensively examined and a pilot experience TravelPlot Porto is designed and implemented. This exploratory investigation contributes to an emerging theoretical understanding of location based transmedia storytelling. The findings reveal location based transmedia storytelling can solve, at some degree, the specific tourists needs. It can be used in the future of tourism communication and marketing strategies since it directly increases the engagement and visibility of destinations.


The study of the Disposal of Unused/Unwanted Medicines Project examines ways in which medicines are disposed of in Ghana and assesses how disposal methods can impact water resources. The study showed a number of challenges: gaps in the legislative framework for the disposal of medicines; environmentally-unfriendly methods of disposal of medicines; and large quantities of medicines potentially disposed of indiscriminately with major impact on the environment. It recommends a review of the legal framework to ensure the proper disposal of all unused medicines; policies to mop up excess medicines with members of the public; review of prescribing and dispensing practices to reduce excess medicines; and further research into the types of pharmaceuticals that are present and persist in the environment, their effects and how they affect quality of life.


Despite the availability of computer-aided simulators and recorded videos of surgical procedures, junior residents still heavily rely on experts to answer their queries. However, expert surgeons are often overloaded with clinical and academic workloads and limit their time in answering. For this purpose, we develop a surgical question-answering system to facilitate robot-assisted surgical scene and activity understanding from recorded videos. Most of the existing visual question answering (VQA) methods require an object detector and regions based feature extractor to extract visual features and fuse them with the embedded text of the question for answer generation. However, (i) surgical object detection model is scarce due to smaller datasets and lack of bounding box annotation; (ii) current fusion strategy of heterogeneous modalities like text and image is naive; (iii) the localized answering is missing, which is crucial in complex surgical scenarios. In this paper, we propose Visual Question Localized-Answering in Robotic Surgery (Surgical-VQLA) to localize the specific surgical area during the answer prediction. To deal with the fusion of the heterogeneous modalities, we design gated vision-language embedding (GVLE) to build input patches for the Language Vision Transformer (LViT) to predict the answer. To get localization, we add the detection head in parallel with the prediction head of the LViT. We also integrate generalized intersection over union (GIoU) loss to boost localization performance by preserving the accuracy of the question-answering model. We annotate two datasets of VQLA by utilizing publicly available surgical videos from EndoVis-17 and 18 of the MICCAI challenges. Our validation results suggest that Surgical-VQLA can better understand the surgical scene and localized the specific area related to the question-answering. GVLE presents an efficient language-vision embedding technique by showing superior performance over the existing benchmarks.


During the last decades, the increasing ecology in the reduction of environmental impact caused by traditional plastics is contributing to the growth of more sustainable plastics with the aim to reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources for their production [...].


An x-ray spectroscopy study was performed for YbCu 5- x Al x ( x = 0.0–2.0) using high-resolution partial-fluorescence yield (PFY) and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the Yb L 3 absorption edge. From a careful analysis of the PFY and RIXS spectra, the mean-valence of Yb was estimated and is found to increase quite rapidly for compositions between 0 ≤ x ≤1.0, indicating strong intermediate-valence behavior. The mean valence continues to increase gradually with x and becomes nearly trivalent for x = 2.0. Our results, however, reveal that valence fluctuation occurs even at x =1.5, for which non-Fermi liquid quantum critical behavior is known. The valence evolution cannot be explained solely in terms of chemical pressure effects. The study suggests the role of valence-coupled spin fluctuations for the quantum critical behavior.


In this paper we will analyze how the Sakha classical writer N. E. Mordinov–Amma Aççıgıya uses idioms in his works. We will consider cases of synonymous idioms and types of idiomatic variation. Also touched upon will be issues related to idiomatic polysemy, new idiom coining, frequency of idiomatic occurrence, the use of idioms in indirect (author's) versus direct (character's) speech. We will also discuss for which stylistic functions the author employs idioms.


The design of reliable spacecrafts is a challenging task because of the harsh constraints imposed by the outer space environment. One major cause of failure of part or totality of the system lies in the space radiations which affect the embedded electronic components, such as the introduction of bit-flips in the memory devices. The work accomplished in this thesis attempts to improve the reliability of NUTS (NTNU - Test Satellite). The focus has been set on the research of software techniques leveraging the hardware architecture available in order to achieve tolerance against radiation-induced bit-flips. A study of the effect of bit-flips in both data and program memory has led to the establishment of a stack of techniques aiming at increasing the reliability of the system in a radiated environment. These techniques consist of the use of watchdogs, the corruption detection and correction of the program memory, the recourse of a JTAG channel to reprogram a deficient processing unit, and the takeover of the whole system by one processing unit in the event of a permanent failure of the second one. Each technique has been thoroughly tested individually in the presence of bit-flip injection. Additionally, a test of the whole protective stack showed very positive results since the system has been able to run successfully for more than 8 hours sustaining a bit-flip density 250 times higher than the expected on-orbit rate.


As the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) turns 15 on 9 March 2018, this milestone provides an ideal opportunity to acknowledge recent progress. The APRM Secretariat's new 'Three Rs strategy' has begun to restore, reinvigorate and renew the mechanism. Reviews have been re-started, there is greater innovation and energy around the APRM, and confidence is being rebuilt. Yet challenges remain: increasing political commitment, fostering civil society involvement, garnering sustainable funding, implementing action plans, and demonstrating value addition.


Teaching/ learning phonetics and phonology at university became indispensable because of the complexity of the French linguistic system. The majority of non native FFL learners make some writing mistakes as orally, where the most frequent those relating to homophones not verb and grammatical homophones which often reveal mark of inaptitude and incapacity observed at the level of the linguistic repertoire of the university audience. Our professional profile fosters future teachers intended for teaching at the primary level. We have decided to take a form of a dictation text. We based on homophones noun verb to know the cognitive skills of students. This work is intended as a reflection on the problems linked to the lexicon of FFL classroom and reuse of the teaching strategies to be followed to reinforce the learning of homophones for these students. The emphasis of the errors produced in the expression written, the most common grammatical homophones in dictation practice as well as we present the difficulties faced by these learners and the educational tools by the teacher to unite them in FFL class.


New measurements for the thermal diffusion factor and for the diffusion coefficient derived from it are reported for the Ar-CO2 gaseous mixture at different temperatures and for various concentrations of the CO2 molecule. Several of the interaction potentials between the partners which have been suggested in the literature are examined, and quantum dynamics calculations are carried out to compare their performances using the infinite order sudden dynamic decoupling scheme. The present results are compared with other experiments and show clearly that, although one of the empirical potentials turns out to be the most realistic for describing such properties, a unique form of a multiproperty-tested potential energy surface for this system is still lacking.


Deeply rooted in the soil and culture of his native Greece, in its history, and in its contemporary political upheavals, Theo Angelopoulos (b. 1935) has chosen to make all his films, without exception, at home. Like Ingmar Bergman before him, he proved once again that the truer a film artist is to himself and his background, the more relevant he is to the rest of the world. During the past thirty years as he has developed his own very personal thematic language, he has become one of the most distinctively original filmmakers in the world today. This collection of interviews follows his career from his innovative debut with Reconstruction in 1971 to his triumph at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998, when his film Eternity and a Day was awarded the Golden Palm. As he discusses the personal, historical, political, and artistic framework that gave birth to each of his films, Angelopoulos tracks his gradual evolution away from outright anger. His early film The Travelling Players shows him as a fiery militant on the political barricades fighting for a better world and inventing elliptical metaphors to evade threats of censorship. As he grows older, he becomes more introspective in such films as Voyage to Cythera and Landscape in the Mist. In these later films he is much closer to his individual characters and allows history and politics to recede to the background. His interviews disclose an approach that is ever more existential and, with Ulysses' Gaze, ever more concerned with the politics of borders, exile, and the quest for a moral and ethical core to replace the failed ideals of the twentieth century. Angelopoulos claims that, like his famous countryman Nikos Kazantzakis, he no longer believes in anything and no longer expects anything. "Therefore," he says, "I am a free man." Yet he adds that he cares very much for poetry and human love. These conversations with him afford a glimpse into the heart and soul of a remarkably unique artist who has produced some of the most unforgettable moments of beauty and inspiration in contemporary cinema.


The two dominant lasing lines in the Ne-like yttrium laser exhibit an apparently anomalous behaviour. The line at 157.14 AA demonstrates a marginally higher gain than that at 154.97 AA despite the fact that the latter is observed to be up to 100 times brighter. We describe a convincing explanation for this behaviour in terms of the 155 AA line being composed of two partially overlapping transitions-the existence of such an overlap (between a J=0-1 and a J=2-1 transition) has long been the suspected cause. We demonstrate that the intrinsic line shapes (in contrast to the gain narrowing of the spectral line shape) narrow along the path of the beam due to variations in electron density and ion temperature which arise as the beam refracts through the expanding medium. These variations are shown to be sufficient to partially decouple the lines at long plasma lengths. The resulting effect is that the beam undergoes large amplification initially, producing the observed intensity ratio between the 155 AA and 157 AA emission, but that the gain at 155 AA is reduced at the longer lengths examined experimentally.


The HPC field is witnessing a widespread adoption of GPUs as accelerators for traditional homogeneous HPC systems. One of the prevalent parallel programming models is the SPMD paradigm, which has been adapted for GPU-based parallel processing. Since each process executes the same program under SPMD, every process mapped to a CPU core also needs the GPU availability. Therefore SPMD demands a symmetric CPU/GPU distribution. However, since modern HPC systems feature a large number of CPU cores that outnumber the number of GPUs, computing resources are generally underutilized with SPMD. Our previous efforts have focused on GPU virtualization that enables efficient sharing of GPU among multiple CPU processes. Nevertheless, a formal method to evaluate and choose the appropriate GPU sharing approach is still lacking. In this paper, based on SPMD GPU kernel profiles, we propose different multi-process GPU sharing scenarios under virtualization. We introduce an analytical model that captures these sharing scenarios and provides a theoretical performance gain estimation. Benchmarks validate our analyses and achievable performance gains. While our analytical study provides a suitable theoretical foundation for GPU sharing, the experimental results demonstrate that GPU virtualization affords significant performance improvements over the non-virtualized solutions for all proposed sharing scenarios.


It is conceivable that the "whether to buy" and "how much to buy" decisions in the purchasing process of households are influenced by the inventory process. In this paper we therefore put forward a model for consumption, where we rely on established economic theory. We incorporate this model in a model for purchase behavior. Our consumption specification, which is derived from utility maximization principles, is more flexible than an ad hoc approach, which has recently been proposed in the literature. We illustrate our model for yogurt purchases, and show that our model yields important additional and useful insights. One such insight is that promotion anticipation behavior turns out not only to occur in the purchasing process, but also in the consumption process.


The purpose of this study was to correlate the population size of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) with nitrification performance under various operational conditions (chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration, dissolved oxygen (DO), and hydraulic retention time (HRT)) and influent allythiourea (ATU) shock. The AOB (genera Nitrosomonas and Nitrosospira) and NOB (genera Nitrobecter and Nitrspira) communities were analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). AOB and NOB accounted for 6.2±0.9% and 2.5±0.3% in total biomass, respectively. The population sizes of AOB and NOB varied with different levels of COD, DO and HRT. Nitrosomonas and Nitrospira were dominant nitrifying bacteria under conditions favorable for nitrification, while Nitrosospira outcompeted Nitrosomonas under adverse conditions (low [NH4], low DO, short HRT, and ATU shock), and Nitrobecter outcompeted Nitrospira at high substrate concentrations (COD and [NH4]). Under ATU shock that inhibited the oxidation of NH4 to NO2, the AOB population was substantially reduced with the stepwise increase of ATU dosage, and led to a corresponding decrease of NOB population. There was a discrepancy between nitrifying bacterial populations and their functions. Although AOB outnumbered NOB in all tests and became more dominant at low DO and short HRT, NH4 oxidation, instead of NO2 oxidation, was the rate-limiting reaction for nitrification and susceptible to the adverse conditions. The study demonstrated the importance of elucidating the shifts of nitrifying bacterial population in order to optimize process design and operation at different influent characteristics, aeration intensity, retention time, and potential influent toxic shock.


Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) in femoropatella often causes pain and disabilities in the lower extremities. In 2011 found a significance association between knee pain with osteophytes in femoropatella joints compared with osteophytes in femorotibia joints. Niu J et al. found knee joint with lateral patellar malalignment and lateral patellar tilt had increased prevalence of femoropatella OA, similar study in Caucasian and African Americans patients found an association between patellar malalignment with severe knee pain and diseaseprogressivity. In this study, researchers correlate grading OA genu with pain and disability using WOMAC scores and malalignment correlate with pain and disability with WOMAC scores without assessing the progression of the disease. In this study, using cross-sectional at one time whereas previous studies using multi-center cohort were evaluated 3 to 5 years later to assess the progression of the disease. Objective of this study is to establish a correlation between OA grading in femoropatella joint and patellar malalignmentwith pain and disability using WOMAC Score.Method: Observational analytic study with crosssectional and consecutive sampling was performed in this study. In the WOMAC correlation with KellgrenLawrence grading on the WOMAC OA genu and grading narrowing between joints using the Rank Spearmanwhile the different test WOMAC with malalignment using T test Results: WOMAC OA genu of the grading (AP/LAT/Skyline) r = 0.488; p = 0.003, WOMAC OA genu of the grading (AP/LAT) r = 0.452 ; p = 0.006, WOMAC OA genu of the grading (AP/Skyline) r = 0.362 ; p = 0.033, WOMAC towards narrowing between joints gradingfemoropatella r = 0.370 ; p = 0.026, no differences between patellar malalignment with WOMAC score, with malalignment (p = 0.711) without malalignment(p = 0.751).Conclusion: In AP/LAT/Skyline, AP/LAT, AP/Skyline position and grading narrowing femoropatella joint space was found a significant positive correlation between OA knee's grading and WOMAC score. No differences in T test between patella malalignment with pain and disability using WOMAC score.Keywords: femoropatella osteoarthritis, patellar malalignment, WOMAC score.


The process of extracting knowledge from natural language text poses a complex problem that requires both a combination of machine learning techniques and proper feature selection. Recent advances in Automatic Machine Learning (AutoML) provide effective tools to explore large sets of algorithms, hyper-parameters and features to find out the most suitable combination of them. This paper proposes a novel AutoML strategy based on probabilistic grammatical evolution, which is evaluated on the health domain by facing the knowledge discovery challenge in Spanish text documents. Our approach achieves state-of-the-art results and provides interesting insights into the best combination of parameters and algorithms to use when dealing with this challenge. Source code is provided for the research community.


Neonatal calf diarrhea outbreaks in beef herds are a common clinical entity that involves a complex association of factors. Calf treatments, diagnostic investigations, and prevention are frequent outcomes of involvement of veterinary practitioners. Preventive interventions to address immediate and future outbreaks are often management related and more difficult to implement. Evidence-based recommendations can be accomplished by addressing research derived risk factors that are known to impact likelihood for outbreaks. The Sandhills Calving System is 1 intervention option. Implementation of preventive strategies requires knowledge that includes, but is not limited to, client priorities, decision making, and risk tolerance. Client communication and understanding are keys to implementation. Thorough understanding of the system, including potential impacts of any interventions, is very important to insure successful implementation of preventive strategies.


The problem of steady, laminar, double-diffusive natural convection boundary-layer flow of a micropolar fluid over a vertical permeable semi-infinite plate embedded in a uniform porous medium in the presence of non-Darcian and thermal dispersion effects is investigated. Also, the model problem allows for possible heat generation or absorption and first-order chemical reaction effects. Both the wall temperature and wall concentration are assumed to have linear variations with the distance along the plate. Appropriate transformations are employed to transform the governing differential equations into a non-similar form that can be solved as an initial-value problem. The resulting equations are solved numerically by an efficient implicit, iterative, finite-difference scheme. The obtained results are checked against previously published work on special cases of the problem and are found to be in good agreement. A parametric study illustrating the influence of the microrotation material parameter, concentration to thermal buoyancy ratio, chemical reaction parameter, Schmidt number, heat generation or absorption and the surface suction or injection effects on the fluid velocity, microrotation, temperature and solute concentration as well as the local skin-friction coefficient, local wall microrotation coefficient and the local wall heat and mass transfer coefficients is conducted. The results of this parametric study are shown graphically and the physical aspects of the problem are highlighted and discussed. * * * Nomenclature


Abstract: Reproductive Tract Infections (RTIs) is defined as an infection of the reproductive or genital tract which causes health problem affecting adolescent females of reproductive age. Aim: The study aimed to assess health practices among female university students regarding the prevention of RTIs in Hafr Al Batin University. Methods: A mixedmethods study was conducted with 500 female students recruited at Hafr Albatien University using a purposive sample. A semi-structured interview sheet was used followed by fifty students were used for face-to-face interviews. Results: Mixed methods study proven the importance of in-depth data discovered by qualitative approaches, which revealed that there is a highly statistically significant relation among studied students' marital status, maternal education & profession, and their total echo levels regarding prevention of RTI, (P<0.001). Around 68% of them reported having symptoms of RTIs. Conclusion: The majority of female students had unsatisfactory knowledge about RTIs, their prevention, and unhealthy hygienic practices Recommendations: Further researches are needed to investigate the incidence if there are cultural contributory factors leading to RTIs and the adequate preventive interventions. Lastly, there is a needs to develop strategies towards improving adolescent students' health awareness and provision of appropriate reproductive health services.


Accurate software size measurement is an important factor to assure the success of software projects. COSMIC method is a widely used functional size measurement method. Improving the accuracy of COSMIC measurement concerns three factors: measurers, measurement process and software artifacts. In this paper, we proposed some combined control methods to improve the accuracy of COSMIC measurement. Experiments showed that these combined control methods can effectively improve the accuracy of COSMIC measurement.


Distributed integrated architectures in the automotive and avionic domain result in hardware cost reduction, dependability improvements, and improved coordination between application subsystems compared to federated systems. In order to support safety-critical application subsystems, a distributed integrated architecture needs to support fault-tolerance strategies that enable the continued operation of the system in the presence of failures. The basis for the implementation and validation of faulttolerance strategies are realistic fault assumptions, which are captured in a fault hypothesis. This paper describes a fault hypothesis for distributed integrated architectures, which takes into account the sharing of the communication and computational resources of a single distributed computer system among multiple application subsystems. Each node computer serves for the execution of multiple jobs. In analogy, the communication network interconnecting the node computers has to support message exchanges of more than one application subsystem. Using a generic system model of a distributed integrated architecture, we argue in favor of a differentiation of fault containment regions for hardware and software faults. Based on these fault containment regions, we discuss the failure modes, the failure rates, the maximum number of failures, and the recovery intervals. In particular, the fault hypothesis describes the assumptions concerning the respective frequencies of transient and permanent failures in consideration of recent semiconductor trends.


This study is aimed at interpreting into changes and characters of function applied into quantative analysis in ubiquitous house. Digital technology being introduced into architectural fields, It applied expansively from design and construction to user's convenience. The application of digital technology is presented to various change like effectiveness and exactness in design and function of space, which is overlayed digital space to physical space beyond the extent of receiving human needs in physical space. In ubiquitous house, digital technologies are supplied to function coordinated with life, appreciating into positional informations of human and materials, spatial informations. Ubiquitous house is comparably effective into funtional expansion, user's convenience, safty, which, for the future, is going to using on housing of high performance encouraging the application of advanced technology. Therefore this study is classified into human behaviors, functions, performances and characters of digital system in ubiquitous house, which being established into the relation of elements, is interpreted numerically into functional changes and charats being applied to ARM.


The lower Colorado River (LCR) near Austin, Texas is heavily regulated for hydropower generation. Daily water releases from a dam located 23 km upstream of our study site in the LCR caused the stage to fluctuate by more than 1.5 m about a mean depth of 1.3 m. As a result, the river switches from gaining to losing over a dam storage‐release cycle, driving exchange between river water and groundwater. We assessed the hydrologic impacts of this by simultaneous temperature and head monitoring across a bed‐to‐bank transect. River‐groundwater exchange flux is largest close to the bank and decreases away from the bank. Correspondingly, both the depth of the hyporheic zone and the exchange time are largest close to the bank. Adjacent to the bank, the streambed head response is hysteretic, with the hysteresis disappearing with distance from the bank, indicating that transient bank storage affects the magnitude and direction of vertical exchange close to the bank. Pronounced changes in streambed temperature are observed down to a meter. When the river stage is high, which coincides with when the river is coldest, downward advection of heat from a previous cycles' warm‐water pulse warms the streambed. When the river is at its lowest stage but warmest temperature, upwelling groundwater cools the streambed. Future research should consider and focus on a more thorough understanding of the impacts of dam regulation on the hydrologic, thermal, biogeochemical, and ecologic dynamics of rivers and their hyporheic and riparian zones.


Employer brand is defined as a package of psychological, functional, and economic benefits provided by employers to distinguish them from other firms. While employer brand is considered vital to the effectiveness of organizations, it has not been clearly operationalized, particularly in the entrepreneurial literature. This article employs institutional theory as the theoretical lens to study the EB concept in the entrepreneurial enterprise. The implications of institutional theory have demonstrated significant contributions to several issues concerning the entrepreneurship studies. Based on analyzing 40 semi-structured interviews with expert personnel from 13 entrepreneurial enterprises in Jordan finds that the three pillars of this theory (cultural-cognitive, normative-professional, and regulative) are crucial in institutionalizing an attractive employer brand. We contributed to the entrepreneurial literature by discussing the concept of entrepreneurial employer branding. This study offers practical implications to the entrepreneurial enterprise in respect of how they can become very attractive workplaces to their current qualified employees and to the qualified job seekers as well.


Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are the most common cancers in the United States. The histologic appearance distinguishes several subtypes, each of which can have a different biologic behavior. In this study, global miRNA expression was quantified by high-throughput sequencing in nodular BCCs, a subtype that is slow growing, and infiltrative BCCs, aggressive tumors that extend through the dermis and invade structures such as cutaneous nerves. Principal components analysis correctly classified seven of eight infiltrative tumors on the basis of miRNA expression. The remaining tumor, on pathology review, contained a mixture of nodular and infiltrative elements. Nodular tumors did not cluster tightly, likely reflecting broader histopathologic diversity in this class, but trended toward forming a group separate from infiltrative BCCs. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays were developed for six of the miRNAs that showed significant differences between the BCC subtypes, and five of these six were validated in a replication set of four infiltrative and three nodular tumors. The expression level of miR-183, a miRNA that inhibits invasion and metastasis in several types of malignancies, was consistently lower in infiltrative than nodular tumors and could be one element underlying the difference in invasiveness. These results represent the first miRNA profiling study in BCCs and demonstrate that miRNA gene expression may be involved in tumor pathogenesis and particularly in determining the aggressiveness of these malignancies.


The application of machine learning-based state-of-health (SOH) prediction is hindered by the large demand for training data. To conquer this defect, a flexible and easily transferred SOH prediction scheme for lithium-ion battery packs is developed. First, the charging duration for a predefined voltage range is hired as the health feature to quantify capacity degradation. Then, the long short-term memory (LSTM) network and transfer learning (TL) with fine-tuning strategy are incorporated to constitute the cell mean model (CMM) for SOH prediction with partial training data. Next, to evaluate the SOH inconsistencies among cells, the LSTM model is employed as the cell difference model (CDM), and the minimum estimation value of CDM is identified to determine pack SOH. The experimental results reveal that, even when the first 360 cycle data, occupying only 40% in the whole 904 cycle data, are chosen and constituted to the data set for model training, the obtained estimation algorithm can still predict SOH precisely with the error of less than 3%, thus remarkably reducing the training data amount and mitigating the computation burden during model training. In addition, the preferable validation results on different types of lithium-ion batteries further manifest the extendibility of the proposed strategy.


Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine match performance indicators that discriminated between winning, drawing and losing teams in the 2017 Total Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) soccer championship. Data were collected from 32 matches during the AFCON soccer tournament using the InStat® system. The studied variables included the number of goals scored, the time period in which a goal was scored and the impact of the first goal on the match outcome, as well as total shots, shots on goal, total passes, accurate passes, corners, ball possession, fouls, offsides as well as yellow and red cards. The results showed that goals scored (1.80 ± 0.83), total shots (11.05 ± 4.83), shots on target (4.70 ± 2.62), fouls (18.60 ± 5.19), offsides (2.35 ± 1.76), yellow cards (1.55 ± 1.10), and red cards (0.05 ± 0.22) were discriminative performance indicators of winning teams. In contrast, losing teams yielded higher mean values in total passes (260.30 ± 49.10), accurate passes (69.28 ± 5.74), corners (5.10 ± 2.95), and ball possession (51.20 ± 5.52). In conclusion, these results have practical implications for coaches in planning and implementing team tactics for successful performance.


AbstractEndoscopic resection (ER) has been widely accepted to treat early gastric cancer (EGC) in place of surgical resection (SR). The aim of this meta-analysis was to conduct a comprehensive comparison between the two methods.Four literature databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE, were searched for studies that compared ER with SR to treat EGC. In this meta-analysis, primary and secondary endpoints were compared between the two groups. Primary endpoints included overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free survival (DFS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Secondary endpoints included operation-related death, local recurrence, metachronous lesions, procedure-related complication, bleeding, hospital stay, operation time, and cost.Nineteen studies consisting of a total of 6118 patients were identified and selected for evaluation. Meta-analysis showed that long-term outcomes of ER versus SR for EGC were comparable in terms of 5-year OS (risk ratio [RR] 1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98–1.02), DSS (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.89–1.08), DFS (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.86–1.05), and RFS (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.94–1.01). However, ER had shorter operation time (standardized mean difference [SMD] −3.39, 95% CI −3.58 to 3.20), hospital stay (SMD −2.86, 95% CI −4.02 to −1.69), lower costs (SMD −5.30, 95% CI −10.37 to −0.22), and fewer procedure-related complications (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.28–0.65) compared to SR. Nevertheless, ER had higher incidences of local recurrence (risk difference 0.01, 95% CI 0.00–0.02) and metachronous lesions (RR 6.81, 95% CI 3.80–12.19).Endoscopic resection was associated with similar long-term outcomes and considerable advantages concerning operation time, hospital stay, costs, and complications, compared with SR, and was also associated with disadvantages such as higher incidence of local recurrence and metachronous lesions. Further high-quality studies from more countries are required to confirm these results.


Abstract An optimal control problem is formulated for a class of nonlinear systems which can be presented by system with linear structure and state-dependent coefficients (SDC). The system being under the influence of uncontrollable disturbance is supposed. The linearity of the transformed system structure and the quadratic functional make it possible to pass over from the Hamilton-Jacoby-Bellman equation (HJB) to the state dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) upon the control synthesis. In thus paper the optimal control problem by nonlinear system in a task of Keeping Tabs on Reference Trajectory we decide in a key of differential game. The presented example illustrates the application of the proposed control method.


Objectives To evaluate the performance of the predictors in estimating the probability of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) when all versus only significant variables are combined into a decision model (1) among all clinical suspects and (2) among smear-negative cases based on the results of culture tests. Design A cross-sectional study. Setting Two public referral hospitals in Tigray, Ethiopia. Participants A total of 426 consecutive adult patients admitted to the hospitals with clinical suspicion of PTB were screened by sputum smear microscopy and chest radiograph (chest X-ray (CXR)) in accordance with the Ethiopian guidelines of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Program. Discontinuation of antituberculosis therapy in the past 3 months, unproductive cough, HIV positivity and unwillingness to give written informed consent were the basis of exclusion from the study. Primary and secondary outcome measures A total of 354 patients were included in the final analysis, while 72 patients were excluded because culture tests were not done. Results The strongest predictive variables of culture-positive PTB among patients with clinical suspicion were a positive smear test (OR 172; 95% CI 23.23 to 1273.54) and having CXR lesions compatible with PTB (OR 10.401; 95% CI 5.862 to 18.454). The regression model had a good predictive performance for identifying culture-positive PTB among patients with clinical suspicion (area under the curve (AUC) 0.84), but it was rather poor in patients with a negative smear result (AUC 0.64). Combining all the predictors in the model compared with only the independent significant variables did not really improve its performance to identify culture-positive (AUC 0.84–0.87) and culture-negative (AUC 0.64–0.69) PTB. Conclusions Our finding suggests that predictive models based on clinical variables will not be useful to discriminate patients with culture-negative PTB from patients with culture-positive PTB among patients with smear-negative cases.


BACKGROUND
Gender differences in functioning among older adults have been well documented. Differential reporting of functional problems by men and women may contribute to this observed difference. The purpose of this study was to examine the gender differences in functional ability by comparing self-reported function to observed performance of physical tasks.

METHODS
In 1988, 1,458 men and women ages 71 and older from the New Haven site of the Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (EPESE) self-reported activities of daily living (ADL) disability and functional limitations. Subjects' ability to perform 7 tasks was observed. Gender differentials in "accurate" and "inaccurate" reporting were determined by examining comparable self-reports and performance measures. Logistic regression determined how much of the gender differential in self-reported function was explained by performance ability.

RESULTS
More women than men reported disability and functional limitation, and women had poorer performance scores for every task. Compared to similar performance items, self-reports of function were accurate for the majority of men and women. However, among those who inaccurately reported function, more men than women underreported disability and more women than men overreported disability. Overall performance explains all of the gender difference in ADL disability and most of the difference in functional limitation.

CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that both men and women generally report their disability accurately, and women's higher prevalence of reported functional problems is probably a reflection of true disability for most disability measures.


Pandemic events are surpassingly rare in human history. Yet the period we call late antiquity could be considered the age of pandemic disease. It began and ended with the Antonine plague that erupted in the mid-160s A.D. and the Justinianic plague of the mid-6th c. Modern interest in these pandemics has waxed and waned. It was long taken for granted that these events played a major rôle in the fate of the Roman empire. In the mid-20th c., however, attention subsided. Historical demography struggled to make inroads into the discipline of ancient history. In the case of the Antonine plague, a critical article of J. F. Gilliam turned focus away from the disease for a generation. Only in the last 20 years, with the rise of historical demography in ancient studies, and a broader interest in environmental history, have the Antonine and Justinianic plagues received their proper due. Attention has focused on the epidemiology and impact of these events. The Antonine plague is most plausibly identified as smallpox, based on the presentation of the disease described by the contemporary physician Galen, and should qualify as the first pandemic in all of human history. It struck the empire at the apex of its power and prosperity. Its severe demographic effects now seem widely accepted, although there is lively debate about its long-term geopolitical and social consequences. For the Justinianic plague neither its demographic scope nor the long-range consequences are in doubt. Securely identified by both clinical description and paleomolecular evidence, Yersinia pestis arrived in 541 and struck recurrently for over two centuries; like the Black Death in the 14th c., the first bubonic plague fundamentally reshaped the trajectory of European populations.


Forest fragmentation and local disturbance are prevailing threats to tropical forest ecosystems and affect frugivore communities and animal seed dispersal in different ways. However, very little is known about the effects of anthropogenic forest edges and of local disturbance on the structure and robustness of plant–frugivore networks. We carried out focal tree observations to record the frugivore species feeding on eight canopy tree species in the forest interior and at forest–farmland edges in a little and a highly disturbed part of a Kenyan rain forest. For each frugivore species, we recorded its body mass and its forest dependence. We examined how forest edge and local disturbance affected the abundance, the richness and the composition of the frugivore community and tested whether forest edge and local disturbance affected plant–frugivore networks. Abundance and species richness of frugivores were higher at edges than in the forest interior. Forest visitors and small-bodied frugivores increased, while forest specialists decreased in abundance at forest edges. The changes in frugivore community composition resulted in plant–frugivore networks that were more connected, more nested and more robust against species extinctions at forest–farmland edges than in the forest interior. Network specialization was lower at forest edges than in the forest interior because at the edges plant specialization on frugivores was very low in small-fruited species. In contrast, small-fruited plants were more specialized than large-fruited plants in the forest interior. Our findings suggest that forest-visiting birds may stabilize seed-dispersal services for small-fruited plant species at rain forest margins, while seed-dispersal services for large-fruited plant species may be disrupted at forest edges due to the decrease of large-bodied frugviores. To assess the ultimate consequences of bird movements from farmland to forest edges for ecosystem functioning, future studies are required to investigate the seed-dispersal qualities provided by forest-visiting bird species in the tropics.


As a crucial government strategy for spatial management and resource allocation, administrative division adjustment (ADA) provides interesting insights in the investigation of the polycentric urban structure (POLY). Using high-resolution geographic grid population data, this study aims to interpret complex linkages between ADA and POLY. Specifically, this research explores the dynamic evolution of POLY and ADA, investigates the spatiotemporal impact of ADA on POLY based on geographically and temporally weighted regression models and analyzes the differences in socioeconomic driving forces for POLY in cities with and without ADA. The results demonstrate that the value of POLY had a rising trend during the study periods. In terms of spatial pattern, POLY has a higher value in the Eastern region and a lower value in the Western region. The influences of ADA on POLY are also characterized by spatiotemporal heterogeneity. The impact of ADA on POLY has a higher value in Eastern and Western China and a lower value in Central and Northeastern China. In addition, the impacts of socioeconomic factors on POLY between cities with and without ADA differed significantly in Central and Western China while differing insignificantly in Eastern and Northeastern China. To promote the balanced development of administrative institutional structures and urban spatial transformation, ADA should be selectively implemented to facilitate POLY following the level of population, economic and productive development in each region.


Purpose of the study The main purpose of carrying out this study was to explore the concept of Business Continuity Management (BCM). Research even determines ways for Business Continuity Management (BCM). The study identifies alternative for BCM in UAE Construction industry. At the end, research recommends Frame work for the effective implementation of BCM in UAE that can be used by UAE's construction industry to ensure BCM. Research methodology The researcher has emphasized on implementing deductive method which aids to study and examine the theories regarding construction and business continuity management. Study has undergone mixed method because of its intuitive and logical appeal. It helps the investigator to fill the gap between qualitative and quantitative research. The exploratory design is most convenient which gives better help to deal quantitative study. Mainly, it has been implemented to achieve better and valid outcomes. For collection of primary data survey and interviews are considered from among different methods for this study. The different ways for collection of secondary data has been selected such as books, journals as well as online articles. Convenience sampling is explained as sampling in which sample is taken on the basic ease of researcher. For saving time and cost to complete research, information has been taken from 50 officials who were working with Construction industry of UAE. The primary data collected using questionnaire has been analyzed using SPSS software tool was used for proper validation of data analysis and information. Different kind of techniques such as frequency distribution, cross tabulation, One Way ANOVA, descriptive and pie charts as well as bar graphs Conclusion and recommendation Study concludes that labor work permit and Rain & flooding have highest mean. Larger spread value of sand storms and labor work permit factors explore that more spread out the observations are. In addition, change in the policies & regulations and governmental approval are other major parameters which highly influence working of organisations and performance of an individual one. Study even identified that employee's performance was decreased and new challenges come in workplace. For that various factors were responsible such that enforce new technology, insufficient labour training, inadequate early construction planning, high complexity in construction and inadequate early construction planning etc.


In this paper, inertial neural networks are under investigation, that is, the second order differential equations. The recently introduced new type of motions, unpredictable oscillations, are considered for the models. The motions continue a line of periodic and almost periodic oscillations. The research is of very strong importance for neuroscience, since the existence of unpredictable solutions proves Poincaré chaos. Sufficient conditions have been determined for the existence, uniqueness, and exponential stability of unpredictable solutions. The results can significantly extend the role of oscillations for artificial neural networks exploitation, since they provide strong new theoretical and practical opportunities for implementation of methods of chaos extension, synchronization, stabilization, and control of periodic motions in various types of neural networks. Numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the validity of the theoretical results.


In late December of 1962, a Physics Professor from Brown University, Peter J. Westervelt, submitted a paper called Parametric Acoustic Array [1] considered primary waves interacting within a given volume and calculated the scattered pressure field due to the non-linearities within a small portion of this common volume in the medium [2]. Since then, many outputs of this technology were developed and applied in contexts such as military, tomography, sonar technology, artistic installations and others. Such technology allows perfect sound directionally and therefore peculiar expressive techniques in electroacoustic music, allowing a very particular music dimension of space. For such reason, it's here treated as a idiosyncrasy worth to discuss on its on terms. In 2010-2011 I composed the piece "A Anamnese das Constantes Ocultas", commissioned by Grupo de Música Contemporânea de Lisboa, that used a parametric loudspeakers array developed by engineer Joel Paulo. The same technology was used in the 2015 acousmatic piece "Jeux de l'Espace" for eight loudspeakers and one parametric loudspeaker array. This paper is organized as follows. A theoretical framework of the parametric loudspeaker array is first introduced, followed by a brief description of the main theoretical aspects of such loudspeakers. Secondly, there is a description of practices that use such technology and their applications. The final section describes how I have used it in my music compositions.


A point-of-sale (POS) terminal, besides serving as an ordinary isolated cash register, is also part of a retail data collection system. The system emphasis is on data collection, although minimal computational capability is also required. The rate of data input to this system is largely limited by the speed of the operator. These aspects influence terminal design. This article describes the capabilities of an existing terminal processor and compares them to a commercially available microprocessor chip.


An elastic homogeneous isotropic material with a right line inhomogeneity embedded in the material under Anti-shear is analyzed; the mathematical model of the problem is a boundary value problem formulated using the mellin transform and solved by the Wiener-Hoph Techniques. A closed form solution for displacement is obtained from which the stress intensity factor is calculated. The stress field were found to have square-root singularity at the inner tip. As a result of this, micro-cracking can initiate at the inner tip of the line inhomogeneity in the matrix depending on the applied loads. The outer tip showed no singularly.


Dough ability to produce leavening gas and its impact on bread crumb characteristics was evaluated on wheat, buckwheat and rice dough. The ability to produce leavening gas was recorded as thermally-dependent changes of dough volume; curve gradient, area under curve and the temperature range of leavening gas production were evaluated. Wheat dough reached the highest curve gradient α (28·10-3 mm·s-1), contributing to the large area under curve (7,169 mm·s). Significantly lower curve increase (10·10-3 mm·s-1; 5·10-3 mm·s-1) as well as area under curve (6,291 mm·s; 53 mm·s) were obtained in buckwheat and rice doughs. The rising values of curve characteristics increased crumb quality. Even if gas retention ability was not evaluated, gas production ability signifi cantly impacted crumb quality.


[1] The coupled Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with the Noah land surface model (Noah LSM) is an attempt of the modeling community to embody the complex interrelationship between land surface and atmosphere into numerical weather or climate prediction. This study describes coupled WRF/Noah model tests to evaluate the model sensitivity and improvement through vegetation fraction (Fg) parameterizations and soil moisture initialization. We utilized the 500 m 8-day Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer reflectance data to derive the model Fg parameter using two different methods: the linear and quadric methods. In addition, combining the Fg quadric method, we initialized soil moisture simulated by High-Resolution Land Data Assimilation System, which has been developed for providing better soil moisture data in high spatial resolution by National Center for Atmospheric Research. We performed temporal comparisons of the simulated land surface variables: surface temperature (TS), sensible heat flux (SH), ground heat flux (GH), and latent heat flux (LH) to observed data during 2002 International H2O Project. Then these results were statistically validated with correlation coefficients and root mean square errors. The results indicate high sensitivity of the coupled model to vegetation fluctuations, showing overestimation of vegetation transpiration and very low variability of GH in highly vegetated area.


Bank supervisors spend a great deal of resources collecting information on banks, information that would be useful to investors and other market participants. Given that duplicating these efforts is expensive, why not require bank supervisors to disclose this information? In this article, the author argues that this type of disclosure makes it more expensive for supervisors to collect the information in the first place. Furthermore, existing regulatory rules forbid banks from releasing the results of their supervisory exam. The author shows that there are good reasons for these rules because allowing banks to voluntarily disclose their examination reports is effectively the same as requiring supervisors to disclose this information.


The goal of this paper is to analyze the premiere effects of the New Brazilian Bankruptcy Law, measuring its impact over the amount of bankruptcies and judicial reorganizations, and the firms' access to credit. Making use of econometric models we find that the amount of bankruptcies (requested and decreed) suffered a strong and immediate impact, reducing it in a significant way as well as the requirement of judicial reorganizations. Finally, using sectorial aggregated credit data, we find an expansion of the credit market, mainly to commercial, rural and services sectors. Additionally we did not evidence changes at the average interest rate charged to firms.


DR51, a protein encoded by the DRB5 gene, was shown to be present in almost all DR2-positive haplotypes. Exceptions were reported, some DR2-negative samples were shown to be DR51 positive and in a number of DR2-positive samples no DR51 antigen could be demonstrated. In some of them lack of the DRB5 gene was the cause of the absence of DR51 but in others the DRB5 gene was present without resulting in a detectable gene product. Many of these variants were studied in detail in previous international workshops. One of them was DR2ES from our laboratory. She is a DR15-positive DR51-negative individual of oriental origin with a clearly demonstrable DRB5*01 allele when typed by molecular techniques. To unravel the molecular mechanism responsible for the defect in expression, cDNA and DNA encoding the defective DRB5 allele were analyzed. Nucleotide sequence analysis of exon 2 showed no differences from the sequence of DRB5*0102. However, when exon 3 was examined a difference in length was noticed due to a deletion of 19 nucleotides between codon 161 and 168. The deletion caused a frameshift and a premature stopcodon resulting in a null allele. The same allele could be demonstrated in 6 other unrelated individuals of oriental origin as well as in 5 individuals from South Africa. The absence of the DR51 protein was explained by the presence of an alteration in the DRB5 allele resulting in a null allele. The allele has been officially named DRB5*0108N. This is the first description of a null allele of the DRB5 gene.


This two-part special issue on Understanding Localism indicates that this has become an increasingly important issue in a number of disciplines, although, as the introduction to the first issue highlighted, the focus on the 'local' is not new. It is perhaps unsurprising that Gentry, a Historian, and Clarke, a Geographer, particularly emphasise this point, although their concern is with locality and 'the local', rather than localism, which is a term that is much more recent and most closely associated with Public Policy research, and indeed practice. Here, we explore the disciplinary differences in approaches to the broad issues discussed here in a little more detail before turning to look specifically at developments in the public policy field in more detail. However, we begin by raising a question which is obvious on any reading of the articles in the two issues: the extent to which localism is a normative as well as an empirical issue.


This four-year study (from April 2013 to May 2017) focuses on the inventory and updating of the geographical distribution of some endangered wild mammals in various biotopes in western Algeria. Our work has been started over the years (2013-2017) ie four years of investigation based on direct and indirect observation as well as information collected from a questionnaire and surveys conducted with indigenous populations, hunters and foresters. Our investigations carried out on this mammalian fauna, allowed us to count 14 species of carnivorous mammals, the order of Carnivores contains: the Canids where a wide distribution has been reported on the whole territory to study. The latter are represented by Canis aureus or North African wolf Canis lupus, Vulpes rupellii and Vulpes vulpes. Felids; are poorly represented in the study area. Indeed, the 03 identified species in this group are all taxa listed by subsequent studies as threatened in the region. These species are Felis libyca, Felis margarita and Felis caracal. The Hyaenidae; very low and almost nonexistent in the desert areas. This group is represented by Hyaena hyaena. Mustelids; the 05 species Mustelanivalis, Ictonyx libyca, Mellivora capensis, Lutra lutra and Mustela putorius furo showed a very small geographical distribution. The viverrids represented by Genetta genetta are present throughout the area but in small numbers. Finally, the Herpestidae; represented by Herpestes ichneumon are present with numbers that place the species in danger and risk of extinction.


ultimately air supremacy) over much of the European theater in 1943 and maintained it afterward, preventing the Luftwaffe from acquiring photography or visual sightings that might have contradicted the established legend. The author deserves credit for outlining the beneats derived from such operations while candidly assessing their failings and limitations. For readers of the Journal of Cold War Studies, a drawback of Gudgin's book is its scope. The author's theme dovetails with the Cold War but does not coincide with it. Additionally, his chapter on "The Cold War: 1946–88" is sketchy, although two other chapters, "Sources of Military Intelligence" and "Counterintelligence and Counter-Espionage," complement it with abundant information relevant to the period. Finally, the author also makes certain overstatements and occasionally uses erroneous or out-of-date terminology (e.g., present-day references to Czechoslovakia and the KGB). Nonetheless, he succeeds in his self-appointed task of providing the public with the background needed to understand his topic. This is no self-congratulatory tract, and Gudgin wields an acerbic pen in his descriptions of unprofessional performance. However, his most telling observation comes in the form of a warning to "operators" and academics alike: "Poor intelligence can lose battles, but good intelligence cannot, on its own, win them" (p. 29).


Introduction: Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC) is a safe and effective procedure for relief of severe mitral stenosis. PTMC is being done widely and many transseptal procedures requiring large diameter catheters, sheaths are becoming popular. The knowledge of iatrogenic atrial septal defect (iASD) is vital. This study assessed the use of real-time 3D echocardiography (RT3DE) and incidence of iASD in a cohort of patients undergoing transseptal catheterization during PTMC. Methods: One hundred ten patients underwent PTMC. The reliability and accuracy of RT3DE for iASD detection was determined, RT3DE was compared with 2D echocardiography (2DE) for iASD occurrence, influencing variables analyzed and followed up for 1 year. Results: RT3DE is more reliable and accurate for the study of iASD than 2DE. Color RT3DE detected iASD in 94 (85.5%), with 2DE iASD was detected in 74 (67.3%) (P < .0001).On follow up 85% had iASD post procedure, 56% at 6 months, 19% at 1 year follow up. The mean iASD diameter was 5.41 ± 3.12 mm and area 6.57 ± 3.81 mm2. iASD correlated with patient height, Wilkins score, pre-PTMC LA 'v', and post-PTMC LVEDP. Conclusion: RT3DE imaging is superior in accuracy to traditional 2DE techniques. All the modes of RT3DE are useful in the assessment of iASD. iASD measured by RT3DE correlates with several patient, procedural and echocardiographic variables.


Using a genetic design of 234 six-year-old twins, this study examined (a) the contribution of genes and environment to social versus physical aggression, and (b) whether the correlation between social and physical aggression can be explained by similar genetic or environmental factors or by a directional link between the phenotypes. For social aggression, substantial (shared and unique) environmental effects but only weak genetic effects were found. For physical aggression, significant effects of genes and unique environment were found. Bivariate modeling suggests that social and physical aggression share most of their underlying genes but only very few overlapping environmental factors. The correlation between the two phenotypes can also be explained by a directional effect from physical to social aggression.


Phosphor-conversion light-emitting diode (LED) lamps were fabricated by precoating blue/green/red phosphors onto near-ultraviolet (n-UV) LED chips prior to packaging them into LED lamps. With a 20 mA injection current, it was found that the color temperature, Tc, was approximately 5900 K, the color rendering index, Ra, was approximately 75, and the CIE color coordinates were x=0.33 and y=0.35 for the "n-UV+blue/green/red" white LED lamps. No obvious changes in color temperature, Tc, or color-rendering index, Ra, could be observed when we increased the injection from 20 mA to 60 mA. These results indicate that such "n-UV+blue/green/red" white LED lamps are much more optically stable than the conventional "blue+yellow" LED lamps.


Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) have the ability to differentiate into chondrocytes, the only cellular components of cartilage and are therefore ideal candidates for cartilage and tissue repair technologies. Chondrocytes are surrounded by cartilage-like extracellular matrix (ECM), a complex network rich in glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans, and collagen, which, together with a multitude of intracellular signalling molecules, trigger the chondrogenesis and allow the chondroprogenitor to acquire the spherical morphology of the chondrocytes. However, although the mechanisms of the differentiation of MSCs have been extensively explored, it has been difficult to provide a holistic picture of the process, in situ. Raman Micro Spectroscopy (RMS) has been demonstrated to be a powerful analytical tool, which provides detailed label free biochemical fingerprint information in a non-invasive way, for analysis of cells, tissues and body fluids. In this work, RMS is explored to monitor the process of Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) differentiation into chondrocytes in vitro, providing a holistic molecular picture of cellular events governing the differentiation. Spectral signatures of the subcellular compartments, nucleolus, nucleus and cytoplasm were initially probed and characteristic molecular changes between differentiated and undifferentiated were identified. Moreover, high density cell micromasses were cultured over a period of three weeks, and a systematic monitoring of cellular molecular components and the progress of the ECM formation, associated with the chondrogenic differentiation, was performed. This study shows the potential applicability of RMS as a powerful tool to monitor and better understand the differentiation pathways and process.


In order to enhance the hydrogen storage properties of Mg, flowerlike NiS particles have been successfully prepared by solvothermal reaction method, and are subsequently ball milled with Mg nanoparticles (NPs) to fabricate Mg-5 wt % NiS nanocomposite. The nanocomposite displays Mg/NiS core/shell structure. The NiS shell decomposes into Ni, MgS and Mg2Ni multiple-phases, decorating on the surface of the Mg NPs after the first hydrogen absorption and desorption cycle at 673 K. The Mg-MgS-Mg2Ni-Ni nanocomposite shows enhanced hydrogenation and dehydrogenation rates: it can quickly uptake 3.5 wt % H2 within 10 min at 423 K and release 3.1 wt % H2 within 10 min at 573 K. The apparent hydrogen absorption and desorption activation energies are decreased to 45.45 and 64.71 kJ mol-1. The enhanced sorption kinetics of the nanocomposite is attributed to the synergistic catalytic effects of the in situ formed MgS, Ni and Mg2Ni multiple-phase catalysts during the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation process, the porthole effects for the volume expansion and microstrain of the phase transformation of Mg2Ni and Mg2NiH4 and the reduced hydrogen diffusion distance caused by nanosized Mg. This novel method of in situ producing multiple-phase catalysts gives a new horizon for designing high performance hydrogen storage material.