Condensed-phosphate templated resins were prepared by a surface template polymerization method using oleylamine as a functional surfactant, oleyl alcohol as a co-surfactant, divinylbenzene as a matrix-forming monomer, and tripolyphosphate, pyrophosphate, and phosphate as templates. When tripolyphosphate-templated resins were prepared by using oleylamine alone as surfactant, a template effect was not observed. However, we successfully templated tripolyphosphate by using, along with oleylamine and oleyl alcohol or polyethylene glycol monooleyl ether (PGME) as a co-surfactant. The thus-prepared templated resin adsorbed the template molecule more effectively than did a non-templated resin. A resin prepared using oleyl alcohol as a co-surfactant showed a higher adsorptivity than that prepared by using PGME ( n = 2, 10). The amount of oleyl alcohol to be used in resin preparation was studied, and a double molar amount of oleylamine was found optimal. We also investigated the adsorption of other anions, such as phosphate, pyrophosphate, and ferrocyanide, on the tripolyphosphate-templated resin. Pyrophosphate and ferrocyanide ions were adsorbed more effectively on the templated resin than on the non-templated. Conversely, tripolyphosphate showed less adsorptivity on the phosphate- and pyrophosphate-templated resins than on the non-templated resin.


In this paper, we examine pension schemes and life policies in terms of the option features either implicitly or explicitly contained in them. We argue that this greatly simpli®es the process of managing the asset side of pension fund and life company balance sheets. We show that these options need to be either replicated or hedged with an appropriately determined portfolio of cash market and derivative securities. The natural portfolio choice framework for achieving this is asset-liability or surplus risk management. We use this framework to derive a dynamic asset allocation strategy over the lifetime of a pension scheme which involves switching, according to pre-set criteria, between equities, index bonds and conventional bonds. We also use this framework to derive a procedure for hedging the risk faced by life companies from the exercise of the options embodied in their products. We end the paper with an example that applies our dynamic asset allocation strategy to the case of a de®ned bene®t pension scheme. Pension funds and life assurance companies are the principal long-term investing institutions and as such they will have liabilities of the longest duration. These liabilities will also be similar in nature, although there will be qualitative differences, e.g., life policies provide for such features as policy loan and early surrender options in a way that pension funds do not, and de®ned bene®t pension schemes have options on the invested assets in a way that life policies do not. The greatest systematic risk faced by both sets of institutions arises from mismatches of various kinds between assets and liabilities. For example, to minimize the risks associated with maturity mismatching, the two sets of institutions will tend to hold a substantial proportion of long-term assets, such as equities, property and long-term bonds, in their portfolios; although, given the speci®c nature of the options attached to life policies, life companies will hold a relatively larger proportion of more capital-certain assets, such as bonds, in their portfolios than pension funds.


Innovation can be thought of as taking two things that already exist and putting them together in a new way. Organizations that innovate create more efficient work processes and have better productivity and performance; however, healthcare is relatively new to the science of innovation. Innovation in nursing is about encouraging nurses to use their knowledge and skills to change old ways of thinking and practicing and to develop new ways of working that improve nursing practice. It can be a daunting and challenging task to become an innovator within nursing, but innovators have the potential to improve the work environments of nurses and the quality of care and health outcomes of patients. This article provides descriptions of five inspiring nurse-led innovations and guidance regarding the way forward toward becoming an innovator. It is important to explore ways to unlock the potential for innovation to enhance quality of care and nursing interventions, always remembering that a supportive environment must be cultivated. Innovation cannot happen in isolation! Keywords: innovation; nurse; nursing innovations; nursing practice


Automatic and attentional components of semantic priming and the relation of each to episodic memory were evaluated in young and older adults. Category names served as prime words, and the relatedness of the prime to a subsequent lexical decision target was varied orthogonally with whether the target category was expected or unexpected. At a prime-target stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOA) of 410 ms, target words in the same category had faster lexical decision latencies than did different category targets. This effect was not significant at a 1,550-ms SOA and was attributed to automatic processes. Expected category targets had faster latencies than unexpected category targets at the 410-ms SOA, and the magnitude of the effect increased at the 1,550-ms SOA. This effect was attributed to attentional processes. These patterns of priming were obtained for both age groups, but in a surprise memory test older adults had poorer recall of primes and targets. We discuss the implications of these results for the hypothesis that older adults suffer deficits in selective attention and for the related hypothesis that attentional deficits impair semantic processing, which causes memory decrements in old age.


Background: Staphylococcus aureus and Group A beta-hemolytic Streptococci are the etiologic agents most commonly associated with cellulitis, but many other bacteria have also been shown to cause this condition. The positive bacterial culture rate is the most important factor in the treatment of cellulitis. However, the positive bacterial culture rate in the commonly used media, tends to be quite low. Objective: The principal objective of this study was to improve the positive culture rate in cellulitis patients by using a new enriched broth. Methods: Brewer modified thioglycollate medium (BTM) and Columbia broth (CB), both of which are widely utilized in clinical bacteriology for enriched growth, were compared with several novel enriched broths. These new enriched broths were mixtures of BTM-CB broth and added growth supplement factors. They included BTM-CB (BC), Modified BTM-CB (MBC) and supplement VX-BTM-CB (VXBC). MBC media included several growth supplements, such as hemin, vitamin K1, VX supplement, and Campylobacter growth supplement. Strains utilized in this study were common pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, et al.), anaerobes, fastidious pathogens (Bacteroides fragilis, Campylobacter jejuni, Prevotella melaninogenica), uncommon pathogens (Actinobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae). Positive culture rates were evaluated in each medium and measured via spectrophotometry at 660 nm. Results: In vitro, all strains used in this study grew more quickly and densely in MBC media. Conclusion: Our results suggest that MBC media in a new enriched broth may improve bacterial culture rates in cellulitis patients. It will be necessary to study the efficacy of the MBC media in the culturing etiologic agents from tissues of cellulitis patients. (Korean J Dermatol 2008;46(3):310∼318)


Biological weed control through the use of the 'natural herbicide' potential of certain allelopathic crops could be an alternative to conventional herbicidal methods. This work was carried out to investigate the allelopathic potential of a 'Super Graze II' hybrid of forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), used as a cover crop by growers who practice conservation agriculture in Tunisia, to control two endemic weeds, the great-brome (Bromus diandrus) and milk-thistle (Silybum marianum), that infest the fields where winter straw cereals are grown in the semi-arid zone of Tunisia, causing yield losses. A bioassay was used to evaluate the phytotoxicity of sorghum plant components and root exudates. Water extracts of the sorghum expressed an inhibitory effect on the germination and seedlings' growth of the weeds. Radicle growth was more affected than coleoptiles growth. Stem-extract was the most phytotoxic on radicle growth of great-brome and milk-thistle with inhibition of 66% and 86%, respectively. Regardless of the weed species, the effect of root exudates of sorghum was significant (p=0.05). Radicle length was more affected than coleoptiles length which was reduced by 42% and 71%, for great-brome and milk-thistle, respectively. Sorghum was more efficient for milk-thistle control. The results showed a potential use of sorghum as a natural herbicide, either alone or in combination with classical control methods. This practice should consider the choice of a cereal species/variety in succession tolerant to the phytotoxicity expressed by the sorghum hybrid.


Background. Ultrasound evaluation on the median nerve in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) patients by measuring cross-sectional area (CSA) is widely known. However, studies have shown that CSA of the median nerve could vary in different demographical factors. Therefore, the cut-off CSA value for CTS in the Indonesian population could be significantly different. Purpose. To compare mean CSA of the median nerve between normal and CTS populations and establish a cut-off point of CSA to diagnose CTS. Materials and Methods. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted involving 40 people divided equally into CTS and normal groups. Normal and CTS subjects are determined by Electrodiagnostic study (EDx) using EMG and Nerve Conduction Study (NCS). The CSA measurement was performed at the level of the carpal tunnel inlet. Results. The mean CSA value at the level of tunnel inlet of the normal group was 8.3 ± 1.4 mm2 and for the CTS group is 15.4 ± 4.4 mm2. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis showed 10.6 mm2 as the cut-off point with 95% sensitivity and 95% specificity (P<0.001). Conclusion. The median nerve CSA at the tunnel inlet is significantly larger in the CTS population and the cut-off point can be recommended in detecting CTS in the Indonesian population.


The Australian government is still basing policy on the concept that sea level will rise by 1.1 meters along the Australian coastline by 2100. The Department of the Environment has proposed a 10 billion dollar dike to save Melbourne from the hypothetical rising sea. In reality the tide gauges of Victoria are recording average relative rates of rise of less than 1 mm/year, in perfect agreement with the National average. At this rate sea level will rise by only 8.5 cm by 2100 but even this estimate may be too high. The worldwide average sea level rise, based on only tide gauges of sufficient quality and length, is only about 0.25 mm/year, with zero acceleration over the last few decades. Such a rise can be dealt with by local adaption, as in the last 100 years, and there is no need for any engineering structures, let alone the proposed 10'billion dollar scheme with its accompanying environmental and social problems.


The difficulties in implementing adaptive and other advanced control schemes in industrial machining processes have encouraged researchers to combine the utilization of one hierarchical level, a fuzzy control algorithm, and robust sensing systems. The main idea of this paper deals with self-regulating controllers (SRCs). The control signal's scaling factor (output scaling factor) is self-regulated during the control process, and it can assure the optimum gain setting for the hierarchical fuzzy controller. An important role in this strategy is performed by a robust sensing system based on current sensors. For comparison, the CNC-PLC's own control loops, a hierarchical fuzzy controller based on look-up tables, and the hierarchical fuzzy controller with a self-regulating output scaling factor GC are studied. The performances of these controllers are compared. The results indicate that the hierarchical fuzzy controller with a self-regulating output scaling factor yields the best performances among them. The index known as the metal removal rate is increased, and the in-process time is reduced by 50%. Thus, higher production rates are obtained. The hierarchical fuzzy controller is equipped with three basic requirements: flexibility, low cost, and compatibility with any CNC manufacturer.


We report the case of a 59-year-old military beneficiary that presented to the emergency department after ingesting approximately 90 g of gabapentin immediate-release capsules during a deliberate self-harm attempt. Her serum gabapentin level was 72.8 mcg/mL approximately 3 hours after ingestion. Her renal function panel, complete blood count, and liver function panel were normal. Her urine drug screen, aspirin, ethanol, and acetaminophen level were negative. Her electrocardiogram was normal, including a normal QTc interval. Her only symptoms were nausea and mild sedation. She was admitted for observation with no sequelae noted. She was transferred to a psychiatric facility at that time for further evaluation and treatment. We report a case of gabapentin overdose that presented to the emergency department. Given the large volume ingestion with minimal morbidity, it appears that gabapentin has a wide therapeutic margin and may be safe in overdose.


OBJECTIVE
To detect circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in peripheral blood from the patients with bladder cancer using subtraction enrichment and immunostaining-fluorescence in situ hybridization (SE-iFISH) and to explore the relation between CTCs detection result and the clinicpathological parameters of tumors.

METHODS
Sixteen patients [(66.88±8.97) yr.] with bladder cancerwere included, whlile 10 normal people [(61.90±9.13) yr.] were enrolled as control. Peripheral blood was harvested (6 mL per case) for the detection of CTCs with the method of subtraction enrichment and SE-iFISH, and the correlations of CTCs level to the clinicpathological parameters of tumors were analyzed, including hematuria, size, number, NMIBC or MIBC, stage, grade and pathological type.

RESULTS
Positive rates of CTCs in experimental and control group were 43.75% (7/16) and 0% (0/10), respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P=0.022 7). The number of CTCS was not associated with the clinicpathological parameters of bladder cancer, which probably due to small sample size.

CONCLUSION
It is applicable to detect CTCs of bladder cancer by SE-iFISH.


Amlapitta manifests when a person, in whom pitta has been vitiated-uses food and drink that are incompatible, spoiled, very sour and that are capable of causing vitiation of pitta and increases drava and amlaguna of pitta. Another basic cause of amlapitta according to charakacharya is ajirna (indigestion). The increasing rate of amlapitta presents a constant challenge to the research workers of Ayurveda. In this clinical study, Shunthi (Zingiber Officinale) churna has been used in 33 patients having symptoms of urdhawagamlapitta viz., amlodgar, tiktodgar, utklesh, chhardi, udarshool. According to Ayurvedic text, Shunthi is aampachan and dipan helps in improving ajirna. Madhurvipak and grahiguna of Shunthi reduces amla and dravaguna of vitiated pitta. This study has revealed a highly significant effect of Shunthi churna(P <0.001) in the management of urdhwagamlapitta.


Yellow-light-emitting organic electroluminescent device with multilayer thin-film structure, which shows high brightness and efficiency, is constructed. The hole-transport layer is an N,N'-bis(3-methyphenyl)-N,N'-diphenylbenzidine film. The electron-transport layer is an 8-(quinolinolate)-aluminum(Alq) film. The luminescent layer consists of a host material Alq and an emitting dopant 5,6,11,12-petraphenylnaphthacene. The doped device exhibited the maximum emission 40000 cd/m2 at 19 V, and the maximum efficiency of 3.14 lm/W, which have been improved by about six and three times, respectively, in comparison with that in undoped device. For the unpackaged device, a luminance half-life on the order of about 230 h has been achieved with a constant current density of 15 mA/cm2, starting at 500 cd/m2 at the room temperature under ambient atmosphere.


Commons represent a wide, heterogeneous class of resources but its composition is the subject of growing tensions. The question "What is a commons?" has become even more complex while the answer still remains elusive. Current research focuses on two main attributes of commons—nonexclusivity and rivalry—centered on regulatory and operational aspects, conveying the notion of usability. Instead, this study argues that the definition of commons should be derived from their function. It is proposed that identity, in its individual and collective integrated dimensions, is the ultimate goal of commons. Despite the pivotal function that commons can perform, availability of resources is indeed just one of the conditions for human development. Moreover, commons can deploy their identity-oriented functions only if a sustainability transition is pursued. Based on these considerations, the study analyzes the concept of sustainability, and addresses the question "What is to be sustained?" While the capability approach offers a coherent conceptualization of the diversity of individuals—a crucial issue for sustainability—some limitations arise when it is adopted as evaluative space of well-being. This study argues that the assumed notion of identity delivers a broader concept of sustainability and delineates the ultimate goal of sustainability (sustainable identity).


In this paper, we propose a new method for reconstructing the shape of objects by multiple vision modules. This proposed method uses the stereo vision module and the shape-from-shading module. In stereo vision module, the conjugate pair of edge pixels is determined by structural analysis and the height is calculated by the triangulation. In shape-from-shading module, we use the Phong model (1975) as the reflectivity function and identify the reflectivity function by evolutionary programming. Then, we estimate the normal vector of pixels. An important feature of our shape reconstruction is that these modules complement insufficient information each other. We show the simulated result for reconstructing the shape of simulated objects.


Uncontrolled and unsustainable trade in natural resources is an increasingly important threat to global biodiversity. In recent years, molecular identification methods have been proposed as tools to monitor global supply chains, to support regulation and legislative protection of species in trade, and enhancing consumer protection by establishing whether a traded product contains the species it is supposed to contain. However, development of an effective assay that routinely provides species-level identification and information on geographical origin of plants remains elusive, with standard plant DNA barcodes often providing only 'species group' or genus-level resolution. Here, we demonstrate the efficacy of target-capture genomic DNA barcoding, based on 443 nuclear markers, for establishing the identity and geographic origin of samples traded as the red-listed medicinal plant Anacyclus pyrethrum (L.) Lag. We also use this approach to provide insights into product adulteration and substitution in national and international supply chains. Compared with standard plant DNA barcodes and entire plastid genome sequences, the target capture approach outperforms other methods, and works with DNA from degraded samples. This approach offers the potential to meet the 'holy-grail' of plant DNA barcoding, namely routine species-level DNA-based identification, and also providing insights into geographic origin. This represents a major development for biodiversity conservation and for supporting the regulation and monitoring of trade in natural plant products. Significance Unsustainable exploitation of natural resources is a major driver of biodiversity loss. Up to a third of the world's biodiversity is considered threatened by trade, but a lack of traceability methods for traded products impedes evaluation of international supply chains and the global impacts of trade on biodiversity. In this study, we pioneer the use of target capture-based genomic DNA barcoding. We compare this with standard DNA barcodes and complete plastid genome sequences for the identification of plants species in trade and for tracing their geographic origin. The target-capture barcoding approach described here presents a major advance for tracing the geographic origin of plant-based food and medicines and establishing the identity of illegally traded species. It enables better understanding and targeting of conservation action, and enhances capacity to assess the quality, safety and authenticity of traded products.


Not infrequently, societal engineers are accused of neglecting human values and of proposing impractical solutions to oversimplified problems. Sometimes this criticism is invited, and perhaps justified, by a tendency to go too far, too fast, in the modeling of complex social systems. As an example, these comments consider some possible reactions to Rabow's model of criminal justice.


Dear Editor,

Infectious diseases including HIV and viral hepatitis constitute a major health concern with high prevalences among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Iran (1, 2). IDUs that share needles and syringes and practice sexual behaviors are at risk groups for being infected with blood-borne infectious diseases such as HCV (3). The recent increasing use of opioids in Iran has been strongly associated with health-related harms (4) including transmitting HIV, HCV, and HBV infections (5-9). In 2005, a new illicit opioid, named as Norjizak, was introduced in Iran's illicit drug market and it gained popularity in a short period of time and contributed to transmitting blood-borne infectious diseases. Norjizak which is also written as Norjizac, Norgesic, and Norchizack in Iran is a narcotic drug which is a combination of several opioids with Dexamethason or Benzodiazepines (10). Its main route of administration is injection. Norjizak is also used intramuscularly and/or subcutaneously. Its injection is associated with several medical complications including abscess formation, development of septic emboli and soft tissue infections in IDUs, but a few studies have focused on Norjizak injection and its health-related problems in Iran (11). A recent study on the patterns of pre-treatment drug abuse, drug treatment history, and characteristics of 810 drug dependent-patients at drug use treatment clinics in Tehran, Iran showed that Norjizak injecting was prevalent as a main drug of abuse among 0.5% of the sample before entry to Methadone maintenance treatment (12). In another study on hospitalized drug users in Loghman Hakim and Imam Hussein hospitals in southern Tehran, a total of 221 patients were studied. The study results showed that 5.4% included injecting Norzijak users (INUs) (13). A research study on 18 male Norjizak-dependent patients with a mean age of 29.8 years who volunteered for treatment at a drug use treatment clinic showed various psychological and physical impacts associated with Norjizak injecting such as striae, weakness, high systolic blood pressure, moon face, hirsutism, extensive dermal infection, gynecomastia, backache, insomnia, lack of potency, and 22.2% of the sample was infected with HCV (14). In a study on infectious complications and mortality due to Norjizak injecting in comparison with other injecting opioids, 690 patients whom were admitted to a hospital in Isfahan city were studied. The study findings showed that 14.5% were INUs. Compared with other groups, Norjizak group was younger and the death rate was 37.5% which was higher than other groups (15). In a study, 14 vials of Norjizak were tested for detecting HCV. Two-hundred micro-liters of the solution in each vial were obtained and using a high pure viral nucleic acid kit, RNA extraction was done. Thereafter, C-DNA was produced by the use of Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus reverse transcriptase (Fermentas, Life Science). Using specific primers and a probe for the detection of HCV (Tagman probe), PCR was done (Corrbette Research 6000). The study results showed that 14% of the vials were positive for HCV (16). Norjizak injecting is a crucial health concern and risky behaviors related to norjizak injecting account for a considerable proportion of incident blood-borne infectious diseases such as HCV. Therefore, treatment interventions and harm reduction programs are necessary to prevent or reduce Norjizak injecting among IDUs. With reducting Norjizak injecting and consequently, decreasing the spread of blood-borne infectious diseases, these programs help both INUs and the community. There is evidence that access to Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) could be helpful for reducing illicit drug injection and can be considered as a major intervention for preventing from transmitting blood-borne infectious diseases in Iran (17). In recent years, a harm reduction approach has been rapidly developed for IDUs in Iran. Methadone and Buprenorphine maintenance treatment programs have become widespread (18). A study on MMT outcomes in Iran showed that the prevalence of drug injection in the MMT group was lower compared with the control group (16% vs. 100%). There was also a considerable difference in needle and syringe sharing (40% in the control group vs. 4% in the MMT group) (19). In recent years, needle and syringe programs (NSPs) have been also developed to decrease sharing practices among IDUs in Iran (20, 21), but implementing specific harm reduction strategies that specifically target INUs should be considered by policymakers and health providers. The medical and health impacts of Norjizak injecting in Iran are complex and devastating, therefore, extensive research is still required to investigate the effects of Norjizak injecting on general health and transmitting blood-borne infectious diseases. Drug education on Norjizak injecting and its risks for being infected with viral infections such as HCV is essential. Norjizak injecting is a critical health concern among some Iranian IDUs that requires a collaborative and consistent response among all health providers. Treatment interventions and harm reduction programs should be specifically implemented for the current treatment needs of INUs in Iran.


French neurologist Georges Gilles de la Tourette first described the condition that bears his name, a name familiar to the lay public and health professionals alike. Once considered so rare that neurologists might expect to witness the disorder perhaps once in their professional lifetime, Tourette syndrome (TS) is, in fact, common enough that virtually all pediatricians will have several patients with this condition in their practice. Yet, despite its name recognition and the number of people it affects, TS often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Misconceptions about this tic disorder are customary, with the syndrome often perceived as characterized by bizarre, fitful behaviors or comical outbursts of uncontrollable profanity. Colorful descriptions of motor and phonic tics in literary characters (such as "Mr. Pancks" in Charles Dickens's Little Dorrit and "Captain Hardcastle" in Roald Dahl's autobiographical works) and in historical figures (including the Roman Emperor Claudius, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and 18th century English literary scholar Samuel Johnson) testify to the widespread awareness of TS across cultures and time, despite (or perhaps because of) its perceived rarity. So it seems that the medical community trailed the untrained community by centuries in recognizing the syndrome. From the time of its initial medical description in 1885 until the 1960s, medical experts viewed TS as a psychological disorder, and treatment was customarily directed toward psychotherapy. In the 1960s, the observed benefit of psychotropic medications in alleviating tics reformed this perception, proving a clear neurologic basis to the phenomenon. That discovery has prompted a wide range of research-based interest in understanding and classifying this varied disorder. The tics of TS range widely in their severity, form, frequency, and intensity. Moreover, although tics are the hallmark of diagnosis, TS is associated with a range of comorbid conditions. When present, these conditions are usually more serious or disabling than the tics themselves. The pediatrician can be most helpful to a child with TS by recognizing signs and symptoms early in onset.


Scientific families have a peculiar charm, for in them nature and nurture are intriguingly entangled. Such is the case with Augustus Volnay Waller (1816–1870) and his son, Augustus Desire Waller (1856–1922)—medical scientists of great distinction. Alan Sykes' biography enables their similar-but-different lives to bounce off each other, to the benefit of them both.

A V Waller (we will call him Waller I) was the son of a free-thinking Kentish farmer with French connections. He qualified in medicine in Paris, and his md thesis involved examination of the microcirculation in the frog's tongue. He noticed that white blood cells (but not red ones) could squeeze between capillary cells. He thus discovered diapedesis, although his guru, William Sharpey, was sure that someone had seen it earlier. Waller I set up in medical practice in Kensington (in 1842) and, as a hobby, experimented with the nerves supplying his favourite organ, the frog's tongue. Section of these nerves produced 'necklaces of droplets' (degenerating myelin) in the nerves on one side of the cut. He realized that this was an indication of the direction in which the nerve normally conducted. So Wallerian degeneration was born, and few techniques have contributed more to our understanding of the nervous system (Marchi improved it in 1885 by showing that, by the use of osmium, degenerating myelin could be stained a fierce black).

The Royal Society made Waller a Fellow (he was 35) and later awarded him its Gold Medal for the discovery. But he never held down a 'proper' job; he did have a chair in physiology in Birmingham, for less than a year, but retired to St Leonards-on-Sea to study sea urchins. The rest of his life involved medical practice and research in Paris, Bruges, and Geneva (where Waller II was educated); one of his interests was the effect of pressure on the 'vagus' in the neck (the carotid sinus did not yet exist). He wrote how he was 'a complete martyr to see-sickness' [sic]; on a journey to London on the Ostend ferry he 'found nausea already commencing. Pressure on the vagus produced sleep on two occasions, and I was able to escape the enemy'. Waller I must have been one of the most distinguished amateur physiologists ever, as Sykes notes. A century later he would have been a wonderful employee for the Medical Research Council.

Augustus Desire (Waller II) was born in Paris and educated in Geneva, and was 14 when Waller I died. He went to Aberdeen to qualify in medicine (probably on Sharpey's advice) and decided that physiology was to be his life. He became a lecturer at the London School of Medicine for Women, where one of his students was Alice Palmer, biscuit heiress of Huntley and Palmer. They married, bought a large house in Grove End Road, St John's Wood, and Alice's dowry (£70 000) supported Waller II and a large family for the rest of their days. The five children grew up in a house bursting with physiology: once, when they were going on holiday, daughter Mary remembered her mother asking the children what things they wanted to take, adding 'but don't forget, Father has bagged the galvanometer'. The Waller house in St John's Wood was the only private house at which the Physiological Society held a meeting.

Waller II became lecturer in charge of physiology at St Mary's Hospital, and there made his one important contribution to medicine: he recorded the first human electrocardiogram. He lectured on it ad nauseam in Europe and America—usually showing the same tracing—and was clearly a showman. He bred bulldogs at Grove End Road, and his favourite, Jimmie, starred in many of his ECG demonstrations, philosophically standing in pots of saline for hours on end. When Willem Einthoven was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work on the ECG, he said he owed his interest in the subject to hearing Waller lecture on it. Waller II, like his father, was elected to the Royal Society aged 35; but his great failure was not to see the clinical possibilities of the ECG, which Einthoven did.

The achievements of Waller I are certainly greater than those of his son, yet there is no doubt that the latter was a memorable scientific communicator. Sykes' readable account of their lives does not really explain why neither became a professor in a university department (in spite of their early frss). And why did none of Waller II's talented, physiologically-inclined children succeed in the family obsession? Perhaps such questions can only be answered with the fine-grained detail provided by family letters, and these are rarely available. But the Wallers make delightful companions, just the same.


Three dimensional (3D) beamforming (also elevation beamforming) is now gaining interest among researchers in wireless communication. The reason can be attributed to its potential for enabling a variety of strategies such as sector or user specific elevation beamforming and cell-splitting. Since these techniques cannot be directly supported by current LTE releases, the 3GPP is now working on defining the required technical specifications. In particular, a large effort is currently being made to get accurate 3D channel models that support the elevation dimension. This step is necessary as it will evaluate the potential of 3D and full dimensional (FD) beamforming techniques to benefit from the richness of real channels. This work aims at presenting the on-going 3GPP study item "study on 3D-channel model for elevation beamforming and FD-MIMO studies for LTE" and positioning it with respect to previous standardization works.


Schef lera umbellifera (Sond.) Baill. is an evergreen tree widely used as traditional medicine throughout its distributional range in southern Africa. Schef lera umbellifera is indigenous to Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe. This study was aimed at providing a critical review of medicinal uses, phytochemical and pharmacological properties of S. umbellifera. Documented information on medicinal uses, phytochemical and pharmacological properties of S. umbellifera was collected from several online sources such as Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, Francis and Taylor and Science Direct, and pre-electronic sources such as book chapters, books, journal articles and scienti ic publications obtained from the University library. This study revealed that the bark, leaf and root decoction or infusion of S. umbellifera are mainly used as diuretic, laxative, colic and protective charm, and traditional medicine for stomach ulcers, weaning infants, insanity, in lammation, rheumatism and malaria. Phytochemical compounds identi ied from the species include 3-hydroxy-20(29)-lupen-28ol, 7-hydroxy-6-methoxycoumarin, betulin, ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid and oleanolic acid. Pharmacological research revealed that S. umbellifera extracts and compounds isolated from the species have antibacterial, anti-HIV, antiin lammatory, antimalarial, antiprotozoal, larvicidal and cytotoxicity activities. Schef lera umbellifera should be subjected to detailed phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological evaluations aimed at correlating its medicinal uses with its phytochemistry and pharmacological activities.


Using the closed-time-path formalism, we construct perturbative frameworks, in terms of quasiparticle picture, for studying quasiuniform relativistic quantum field systems near equilibrium and non-equilibrium quasistationary systems. We employ the derivative expansion and take in up to the second-order term, i.e., one-order higher than the gradient approximation. After constructing self-energy resummed propagator, we formulated two kinds of mutually equivalent perturbative frameworks: The first one is formulated on the basis of the "bare" number density function, and the second one is formulated on the basis of "physical" number density function. In the course of construction of the second framework, the generalized Boltzmann equations directly come out, which describe the evolution of the system.


Comparisons were made between characteristics of pre-ovulatory follicles recovered from prolific Chinese Meishan gilts (n = 12) and from European Large-White hybrid gilts (n = 13) in the late follicular phase preceding their fifth oestrous cycle, to determine whether there is an ovarian basis for the enhanced prolificacy in the Meishan. A total of 177 follicles per breed was classified as pre-ovulatory, based on follicular fluid oestradiol concentrations. Results obtained demonstrated high variability in all follicular characteristics in both breeds and no decrease in heterogeneity was evident in the Meishan. The Meishan follicles tended to be smaller (P < 0.06) and had less follicular fluid (P < 0.005), but total oestradiol content per follicle was similar (P < 0.1) with the result that the concentration of oestradiol in follicular fluid tended to be higher (P < 0.06) in Meishan than Large-White hybrid pigs. There were no differences between breeds in terms of testosterone concentrations in follicular fluid, hCG binding to granulosa cells or total DNA content of granulosa cells. Concentrations of inhibin in follicular fluid were similar in both breeds (P > 0.1) which resulted in a trend towards less total inhibin content in Meishan than Large-White hybrid follicles (P = 0.065). Corpora lutea were recovered from both breeds (n = 12 per breed) on days 27-31 of pregnancy after mating at first, second and third oestrus:corpora lutea were smaller (P < 0.001) and contained less progesterone per corpus luteum in the Meishan (P < 0.05) than in Large White hybrid pigs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


This paper describes the design and use of a simple method for comparative website evaluation that has been used for the purposes of teaching web design to University students. The method can be learnt within two hours by a novice user or typical customer. The method is not dependant upon the environment being used by the tester and can be adjusted according to the subjective preferences they may have. Results are presented of the use of the method in practice in comparing the sites of a number of airlines. These suggest that the method is both sufficiently rigorous to produce reliable results, and flexible enough for users to customise. It is an effective tool in teaching the principles of web design.


PURPOSE
To determine whether unfamiliar listeners' perceptions of speakers with adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD) differ from control speakers on the parameters of relative age, confidence, tearfulness, and vocal effort and are related to speaker-rated vocal effort or voice-specific quality of life.

METHOD
Twenty speakers with ADSD (including 6 speakers with ADSD plus tremor) and 20 age- and sex-matched controls provided speech recordings, completed a voice-specific quality-of-life instrument (Voice Handicap Index; Jacobson et al., 1997), and rated their own vocal effort. Twenty listeners evaluated speech samples for relative age, confidence, tearfulness, and vocal effort using rating scales.

RESULTS
Listeners judged speakers with ADSD as sounding significantly older, less confident, more tearful, and more effortful than control speakers (p < .01). Increased vocal effort was strongly associated with decreased speaker confidence (rs = .88-.89) and sounding more tearful (rs = .83-.85). Self-rated speaker effort was moderately related (rs = .45-.52) to listener impressions. Listeners' perceptions of confidence and tearfulness were also moderately associated with higher Voice Handicap Index scores (rs = .65-.70).

CONCLUSION
Unfamiliar listeners judge speakers with ADSD more negatively than control speakers, with judgments extending beyond typical clinical measures. The results have implications for counseling and understanding the psychosocial effects of ADSD.


A triple-band, bandpass filter, that is six times smaller than a similar substrate integrated waveguide filter, is designed and implemented in half-mode substrate integrated waveguide technology for the first time. The highly compact structure makes the design very challenging, so an iterative optimization technique based on full-wave simulation is proposed. Using this technique, a triple-band filter is designed with center frequencies of 1.105 GHz, 1.295 GHz, and 1.505 GHz. Simulations show a return loss better than 15 dB, and an insertion loss better than 2 dB over all three bands, in addition to bandstop regions with rejection levels better than 40 dB separating the three bands. A prototype is then designed, fabricated, and measured to validate the design procedure. Reasonably good agreement between measurement and simulation is observed.


Between 1920 and 1970, a small but significant number of white women confronted white supremacy and the segregationist system in the American South, incontrovertibly contributing to its demise. Using the 1954 Brown decision as a pivot, Unlikely Dissenters examines and compares two generations of white women who spoke out against Jim Crow while remaining deeply attached to their native South.
For many white women reformers, the struggle for African American civil rights was linked to their own complex process of personal emancipation from gender norms. As part of the white community, southern white women felt guilt as members of the "oppressor" group. Yet as women in a patriarchal society, they were also "victims." This paradoxical double identity forced them to develop a special brand of activism that combatted white supremacy while emancipating them from white patriarchy. In this book, Anne Stefani shows how their unique grassroots community-oriented activism functioned within—and even used to its advantage—southern standards of respectability.


—The integration of digital equipment and diverse automation platforms in modern nuclear plants, including Nuclear Power Plants is due to the gradually increasing use of digital technologies. This digitalization either comes gradually based on a succession of refurbishment projects of Instrumentation & Control and Electrical Power Systems or as comprehensive architectures with new-built power plants. Therefore, similar to any critical infrastructure facing a growing risk of cyber-attacks, cybersecurity for Nuclear Power Plants has become a subject of rising concern. We envision that the findings in this paper provide a relevant understanding of the threat landscape facing digital systems in nuclear power plants. The knowledge can be used for an improved understanding and a better identification of security risks during the analysis and design of supporting systems. This paper gives an overview of the security issues and vulnerabilities, helping to better understand the big picture of cybersecurity issues and vulnerabilities in Nuclear Power Plants. Identifying these vulnerabilities and issues helps to establish new security countermeasures. A new draft standard IEC 63096 is presented in this paper as well.


ABSTRACT High-level, acquired macrolide resistance in mycobacteria is conferred by mutation within the 23S rRNA gene. However, several mycobacteria are naturally resistant to macrolides, including the Mycobacterium smegmatis group and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize this resistance. Intrinsic macrolide resistance in M. smegmatis was inducible and showed cross-resistance to lincosamides but not to streptogramin B (i.e., ML resistance). A similar phenotype was found with Mycobacterium microti and macrolide-resistant Mycobacterium fortuitum. A search of the DNA sequence data for M. smegmatis strain mc2155 identified a novel erm gene, erm(38), and expression analysis showed that erm(38) RNA levels increased >10-fold after a 2-h incubation with macrolide. Inducible ML resistance was not expressed by an erm(38) knockout mutant, and complementation of this mutant with intact erm(38) in trans resulted in high-level ML resistance (e.g., clarithromycin MIC of >512 μg/ml). Thus, the results indicate that erm(38) confers the intrinsic ML resistance of M. smegmatis. Southern blot analysis with an erm(38)-specific probe indicated that a similar gene may be present in macrolide-resistant M. fortuitum. This finding, with the presence of the erm(37) gene (Rv1988) in the M. tuberculosis complex, suggests that such genes are widespread in mycobacteria with intrinsic macrolide resistance.


We analyze the results of a recent experiment performed at the PALS laboratory and concerning ablation pressure at 0.44 µm laser wavelength measured at irradiance up to 2 × 1014 W/cm2. Using the code "ATLANT," we have performed two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamics simulations. Results show that 2D effects did not affect the experiment and also give evidence of the phenomenon of delocalized absorption of laser light.


The removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) from landfill leachate by electro‐coagulation (EC) using iron sacrificial anode has been investigated. The process performance is analyzed in terms of COD removal efficiency and the important cost‐related parameters such as electrode and energy consumptions, as a function of initial pH, conductivity, current density, and operation time. The optimum COD removal (65.85%) was obtained with typical operating conditions: current density, 30 mA/cm2; operation time, 180 min; conductivity, 16.4 ms/cm; and initial pH, 6.54. At these conditions, the electrode and energy consumptions during the electrolysis were determined as 0.418 kg COD/kg Al and 11.092 kWh/kg COD, respectively. In addition, the EC and Fenton processes are applied together referred to as the electro‐Fenton process in the literature for the removal of COD from landfill leachate and effect of operation time and hydrogen peroxide concentration is examined. The process was very fast in the first 15 min, and then it slowed down till it was complete in 60 min. An optimum COD removal efficiency of 74.21% was obtained at 5000 ppm hydrogen peroxide dosage and 60 min. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2012


The primary objective of this study was to explore selected variables from the Health Promotion Model to determine their impact on the exercise behavior of women ages 40 and older. The secondary objective was to compare variables in women who exercise and those who do not. A convenience sample of 893 female employees from one large university in the mid-Atlantic region and its surrounding community participated. Participants completed a brief demographic questionnaire and the Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale (EBBS). Walking was the preferred form of exercise for 50.1 % of women. Those who preferred walking perceived fewer benefits and barriers to exercising. Significant predictors of engagement in the preferred form of exercise were perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and walking as a


We present a patient with essential tremor who spontaneously improved after a sensorimotor stroke related to a small cortical infarct near by the left precentral region of the brain. This finding supports the presence of cortical or transcortical motor loops that are likely involved in essential tremor and suggests a possible link with the cerebellar–thalamic–cortical pathway. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society


Tubercular splenic abscess is extremely rare, but are reported commonly in HIV-positive and immunocompromised patients along with miliary or disseminated tuberculosis. Isolated tubercular splenic abscess in an immunocompetent individual is rarely reported. Here we present a case of a young, immunocompetent male with isolated splenic cold abscesses, who was diagnosed with splenic tuberculosis and managed successfully with percutaneous drainage and anti-tubercular therapy alone.


This patient with recurrent meningioma grossly involving the frontal bone underwent craniotomy and tumor resection. During the procedure a bone flap was irradiated extracorporeally at a very high dose (120 Gy) sufficient to sterilize residual tumor cells, and the bone was then successfully replaced orthotopically for reconstruction. The use of autologous irradiated bone in this setting offers advantages over cadaveric transplantation and prosthetic implants. Radiation might cause less disruption of the bone's architecture than other techniques of tumor cell eradication.


Abstract The city administrative law-enforcing personnel (shorted to 'chengguan' in China) burnout is serious. How to timely detect, accurately measure and alleviate the burnout is an important issue for the new urban development areas in China. To construct the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, surveys in new urban areas of China were carried out. Results showed that burnout of chengguan was significantly different in terms of demographic characteristics. Job burnout of chengguan can be predicted by job demands and job resources. These findings can provide implications and guidance for the government sectors to reduce the intangible loss of human resources and to improve their health.


Achieving personal growth often requires experiencing discomfort. What if instead of tolerating discomfort (e.g., feeling awkward or uncomfortable), people actively sought it out? Because discomfort is usually experienced immediately and is easy to detect, we suggest that seeking discomfort as a signal of growth can increase motivation. Five experiments (total N = 2,163 adults) tested this prediction across various areas of personal growth: taking improvisation classes to increase self-confidence, engaging in expressive writing to process difficult emotions, becoming informed about the COVID-19 health crisis, opening oneself to opposing political viewpoints, and learning about gun violence. Across these areas of personal development, seeking discomfort as a signal of self-growth motivated engagement and increased perceived goal achievement relative to standard instructions. Consistent with our theorizing, results showed that these effects occurred only in areas of personal growth that cause immediate discomfort.


Immunologic status was studied in patients with freshly diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus before treatment with insulin and after achieving compensation of diabetes mellitus, since disturbances in certain links of the immune system may well be one of the constituents of a general pathological process giving rise to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.


Background We examined the role of menopause on cardiac dimensions and function and assessed the efficacy of exercise training before and after menopause. Methods and Results Two groups of healthy premenopausal (n=36, 49.4±0.3 years) and postmenopausal (n=37, 53.5±0.5 years) women with no history of cardiovascular disease and with a mean age difference between groups of only 4 years were studied. Cardiac dimensions and systolic and diastolic function were determined by transthoracic echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging and 2‐dimensional speckle tracking. Measurements were performed at baseline and after a 12‐week period of high‐intensity aerobic cycle training. LV internal diastolic diameter and LV mass were similar in the 2 groups at baseline and increased by ≈2% to 8% (P=0.04–0.0007) with training in both groups. Left atrial end‐diastolic and end‐systolic volumes were similar for both groups and increased by 23% to 36% (P=0.0006–0.0001) with training. Systolic function assessed by mean global strain was similar in both groups at baseline and increased by ≈8% (P=0.0004) with training in the postmenopausal group. LV displacement increased by ≈3% (P=0.04) in the premenopausal women only. Diastolic function assessed by E/A ratio was similar at baseline and increased by ≈7% (P=0.01) in the premenopausal group and 11% (P=0.0001) in the postmenopausal group with training. Conclusions These results suggest that training‐induced cardiac adaptations are preserved in the early postmenopausal phase. Furthermore, the hormonal changes associated with the menopausal transition do not appear to affect cardiac dimensions and function. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02135575.


As happens in any President's life, you are invited and go to functions. You meet new people, experience new situations and generally benefit from the exposure, while at the same time trying to let the host gain an advantage from your attendance as well, which is why you were invited in the first place. For example, you might try to provide them with fresh news or programmes that might be of interest to them.


Low noise mixers are developed for a dual channel heterodyne receiver for astronomical applications which will operate alternatingly in two of three the frequency bands 460-490 GHz, 660-690 GHz, and 800-850 GHz. As mixing elements Nb-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-Nb (SIS) tunnel junctions are used, fabricated at the University of Cologne with integrated RF and IF circuitry, also made of niobium. The frequency dependent RF-properties of the circuitry are calculated for all bands using Mattis-Bardeen theory in the extreme anomalous limit. The circuits are optimized for a large instantaneous receiver bandwidth to facilitate the use of waveguide type mixer mounts without mechanical tuners. Results on receiver noise, stability and design accuracy will be presented.<<ETX>>


This paper aims at presenting selected high pressure hydraulic tools and machines and describing the ways of receiving high pressure in hydrostatic drive systems.


The concern about air pollution has led government agencies to design and implement mandates to replace some commercial fleets' gasoline vehicles with Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs). In Part One of this dissertation, I investigate the diffusion of AFV's in the commercial sector. Commercial fleets are frequently the first target of government regulation because policy agencies can target a large number of vehicles while regulating fewer establishments relative to the household sector. Using stated preference survey data from over 2000 commercial and local government fleets in California, I estimate multinomial logit and nested logit models of fuel choice that predict the probability of choosing each type of AFV. Given certain assumptions about vehicle technology, these models predict that starting in year 2010, almost 17% of new vehicle purchases by the commercial and local government fleets will be electric, about 20% will be compressed natural gas, and almost 21% will be methanol vehicles. I find that fuel choice probabilities differ depending on the market structure. Public agencies seem to be more AFV friendly than private firms. Important factors in fleet vehicle choice are the degree of familiarity of the firm's staff with the AFV operation, the size of the establishment, government regulations, and the availability of the refueling infrastructure. In Part Two, I review hypotheses about the determinants of local government agencies' efficiency and use the stated preference survey data to test these hypotheses. Public choice models predict systematic differences among government agencies regarding their cost considerations and sensitivity to environmental issues. The empirical evidence identifies two factors that affect government agencies' performance. The first factor is jurisdiction: an agency that has a more rigid boundary, such as a city or a county, seems to operate more efficiently than an agency that has more flexible geographic boundaries, as is the case with the special districts. The second factor is direct citizen voting: an agency director who is subject to re-election seems to coordinate a more efficient agency operation than one that is appointed to the job as a career position.


This case study described twelve narrative essays of Miko within aspects of  language, cognitive, and affective. Miko is Gifted child With Disynchronous Development. The results indicated that the narrative essays in aspects of language, cognitive, and affective, as follows: 1) organizing content according to the narrative structure that consists of five components, namely opening , inciting moment , development stage , denouement and ending ; 2) choice of words (diction) that appear in the narrative essays are  general and specific words, abstract, slang, foreign, and a figure of speech metaphor; 3) the sentences that appear in the narrative essays are simple sentence, compound sentence, and complex sentence; 4) tools of cohesion grammatical in the narrative essays are reference, substitution, ellipsis, and conjunction; and 5) specific style of spelling was found consistently in the narrative essays; 6) cognitive skill of Miko in the narrative essays is inference; and 7) affective skill of Miko are openness, sympathetic, gracious, and emphathetic in the narrative essays.


We present a computational analysis of Mass Spectrometry (MS) data based on a proteomic study of mice cardiac tissue samples whose measured changes in peptide and protein abundance were obtained under normal (control or CTRL) and simulated microgravity conditions (hind-limb unloading or HLU). A pipeline consisting of experimental and computational steps has been designed to achieve, respectively, pre-fractionation to simplify mouse heart protein extracts and data synthesis by feature consensus maps. Both acid and neutral protein fractions obtained from differential solubility have been digested, and peptide mixtures have been resolved by LC-MALDI. The computational tools employed to analyze the MS data and reduce their complex dimensionality have included spectra alignment, denoising and normalization to obtain good-quality peak detection performance. In turn, features could be identified and further refined by searching patterns across repeated measurements obtained under differential conditions (HLU-CTRL, acid-neutral protein extracts). The assessment of reproducibility aspects for evaluating the efficacy of label-free comparative proteomic analysis, combined with the goal of identifying from HLU-CTRL consensus maps candidate proteins with differential expression, led to a computationally efficient approach delivering proteins related to the basic heart functions, cardiac stress and energy supply.


Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis was used to compare soluble protein fractions from 36 strains of Rothia dentocariosa and related bacteria. The resulting protein patterns were examined to identify the bands of major and minor frequency within the genus. A cluster analysis revealed three major Rothia groups and a fourth group representing the genus Actinomyces. Our data demonstrated good correlations (>70%) with existing biotyping and serotyping schemes of these isolates. We suggest that electrophoretic group 2 represents a new Rothia species.


Introduction: Frontoethmoidal encephalocele (FEE) is a type of neural tube formation disorder. Hydrocephalus and intracranial cysts are the most common accompanying abnormalities in FEE. A high rate of shunt complications led to the development of the shunt algorithm for frontoethmoidal encephalocele (SAFE) to assess whether the shunt is needed. Method: This was a cross-sectional study with 10 cases assessed using the SAFE algorithm. Each case was assessed by two assessors in three experience groups (neurosurgical residents who have passed the neuropediatric division, chief of neurological resident, and neurosurgeon) with a double-blind sampling method. Results: The median age was ten months with 60% of the samples were female and 50% of the samples were not having shunt insertion, while 90% of the samples had FEE reconstruction. The agreement value with Fleiss Kappa showed low interrater agreement (κ = 0.037; 95% CI 0.035 to 0.039; p = 0.254) with moderate κ values of the six SAFE components where statistically significant for the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) accumulation (κ = 0.460; 95 % CI 0.456 to 0.463; p = 0.001) and the FEE volume (κ = 0.450; 95% CI 0.447 to 0.454; p = 0.001). Agreement value in shunt insertion was adequate, with a value of κ = 0.250 (95% CI 0.245 to 0.255), p = 0.002. The agreement value in patients who had shunts was moderate with a value of κ = 0.411 (95% CI 0.403 to 0.418 p = 0.000. The agreement value in patients who were not shunted was low with a value of κ = 0.089 (95% CI 0.082 to 0.97 p = 0.439. Conclusion: The assessors' agreement using SAFE in FEE patients with circulatory CSF abnormality was low and not statistically significant. All components did not have an optimal agreement value. The components that were closest to the moderate agreement value were the CSF accumulation and FEE volume. Both of them were statistically significant.


Baseline wander compensation allows the effective use of low-frequency signal components in a perpendicular recording channel. In this paper, simple baseline wander models are presented, the associated compensation algorithms are developed, and their performances are formulated. The effect of loop delay on the compensation algorithms is also addressed. Simulation results quantify the performances of the proposed compensation algorithms.


Interdisciplinary collaboration between physicians and engineers is now widespread in fundamental and clinical studies, due to the increasing complexity of the physiological problems tackled, and the development of novel measurement devices and data analysis techniques. The present work is a clear illustration of this fact. In the study that triggered it, elaborate experiments on an animal model yielded large amounts of data perturbed by unavoidable interferences, and the phenomenon of interest had an elusive nature. This thesis describes the physiological motivation for this study, introduces the signal processing techniques developed to remove interferences and extract the parameters of interest, and proposes an interpretation of the results obtained. The present thesis is aimed at providing new insights into the mechanisms promoting atrial fibrillation during rapid pacing. Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in the developed world, affecting millions of individuals. Atrial fibrillation initiates when triggers such as pulmonary vein tachycardias interact with substrates. However, the exact nature of the electrophysiological substrates that favor transition from runs of pulmonary veins tachycardia to persistent atrial fibrillation remains unclear. Interestingly, repolarization alternans, a beat-to-beat alternation in action potential duration or amplitude, has been mechanistically implicated in transitions from rapid pacing to atrial fibrillation by facilitating dispersion of atrial refractory periods. During rapid pacing, however, transitions from 1:1 to 2:1 atrial capture may supposedly antagonized the dispersion of repolarization driven by repolarization alternans. The ability of atrial unipolar depolarization and repolarization parameters (i.e. activation time and repolarization alternans) to predict the imminence of atrial fibrillation initiation by rapid pacing was evaluated at baseline (i.e. before any burst-pacing induced remodeling occurred). A chronic free-behaving ovine pacing model was developed to study the interplay between atrial repolarization alternans that may facilitate atrial fibrillation initiation during rapid pacing, and the onset of reduced excitability that may cause atrial capture failure and prevent atrial fibrillation initiation. We observed in human atria using monophasic action potential recordings transient decrease in excitability (as exemplified by activation time prolongation) and capture failure that appeared to quench repolarization alternans driven by rapid pacing. Using our ovine model of rapid pacing, human observations were successfully reproduced, which allowed us to analyze repolarization alternans and activation time kinetics until the first beat of capture failure. Prolongation of activation time suggestive of decreased excitability and repolarization alternans preceded 90% of the transitions from 1:1 to 2:1 atrial capture during rapid pacing. Notably, 2:1 atrial capture was imminent at pacing cycle lengths <40 ms above effective refractory period. In the rare cases where capture failure did not occur, repolarization alternans preceded most episodes of non sustained atrial fibrillation, suggesting that intermittent capture plays a protective role against repolarization alternans-induced reentrant arrhythmias. Moreover, the dynamics of atrial repolarization alternans as a function of pacing rate were studied in details. Repolarization alternans amplitude increased as a function of pacing rates, but appeared intermittently without periodicity. This latter finding was suggestive of the presence of nodes (i.e. sites separating islands in opposite phase) spanning the atrial surface. In summary, since rapid atrial tachycardias may also slow propagation velocity, known to be proarrhythmic, transitions to 2:1 atrial capture may protect against dispersion of repolarization and atrial fibrillation. A better understanding of the mechanisms causing intermittent atrial capture may allow treatments to be tailored for preventing atrial fibrillation induction at lower rates.


The appropriate correction factors have been determined to enable plane-parallel ionization chambers to be calibrated using a 60Co photon beam with a known air kerma rate. These factors refer to different calibration conditions and to different types of plane-parallel chambers. The main purpose of these correction factors is to allow calibration procedures more widely practicable than those based on the use of an electron beam of sufficiently high energy. The condition required to apply the correction factors is that the characteristics of the chambers to be calibrated are the same as those reported for the chambers considered in the investigation. To this end the types of chambers investigated were among the most widely used plane-parallel chambers commercially available.


OBJECTIVE
To identify potential sources of human Mycobacterium bovis infection in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

METHODS
A tuberculin survey among 174 cattle was performed. Mycobacteriologic identification in 64 samples of pooled milk, and in 199 tissue samples collected from the slaughterhouse of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, was also done. We retrospectively analyzed the distribution of tuberculosis (TB) cases on 1140 clinical records according to professional occupation and to ethnic group. The frequency of pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB was related to potential exposure and route of transmission of M. bovis from animals.

RESULTS
Out of six herds (total 170 bovines), only one was free of any positive tuberculin test. Among 199 bovines which had been slaughtered over four consecutive nights, 38 (19%) had morphologic lesions suggestive of TB; 17 (45%) of those were positive for acid-fast bacilli by microscopic examination on one of their lesions, and 20 samples (53%) presented a positive culture for a pathogenic mycobacterium, including M. bovis and M. tuberculosis. In the retrospective analysis, Peuls more frequently had a pulmonary form of disease. This may be related to the route of transmission.

CONCLUSIONS
Attention has to be paid to human TB of bovine origin in Burkina Faso. The identification of M. tuberculosis in milk and in tissue samples raises the question of the transmission of TB from humans to cattle.


A self-constructing fuzzy neural network decision feedback equalizer (SCFNN DFE), which does not have to estimate the channel order first, is proposed in this paper. An online learning, where the structure and the parameter learning phases are performed concurrently, is used in SCFNN. Specifically, structure and parameter learning phases respectively based on the partition of input space and the gradient method are also described. The performance of SCFNN DFE is compared with the traditional nonlinear equalizers. The reduced complexity and high performance of the SCFNN DFE makes it suitable for high-speed channel equalization.


The local, linear, least squares derivative (LLSD) approach to radar analysis is a method of quantifying gradients in radar data by fitting a least squares plane to a neighborhood of range bins and finding its slope. When applied to radial velocity fields, for example, LLSD yields part of the azimuthal (rotational) and radial (divergent) components of horizontal shear, which, under certain geometric assumptions, estimate one-half of the two-dimensional vertical vorticity and horizontal divergence equations, respectively. Recent advances in computational capacity as well as increased usage of LLSD products by the meteorological community have motivated an overhaul of the LLSD methodology's application to radar data. This paper documents the mathematical foundation of the updated LLSD approach, including a complete derivation of its equation set, discussion of its limitations, and considerations for other types of implementation. In addition, updated azimuthal shear calculations are validated against theoretical vorticity using simulated circulations. Applications to nontraditional radar data and new applications to nonvelocity radar data including reflectivity at horizontal polarization, spectrum width, and polarimetric moments are also explored. These LLSD gradient calculations may be leveraged to identify and interrogate a wide variety of severe weather phenomena, either directly by operational forecasters or indirectly as part of future automated algorithms.


We investigate the femtosecond kinetics of an optically excited 2D magneto-plasma at intermediate and high densities under a strong magnetic field perpendicular to the quantum well (QW). We assume an additional weak lateral confinement which lifts the degeneracy of the Landau levels partially. We calculate the femtosecond dephasing and relaxation kinetics of the laser pulse excited magneto-plasma due to bare Coulomb potential scattering, because screening is under these conditions of minor importance. In particular the time-resolved and time-integrated four-wave mixing (FWM) signals are calculated by taking into account three Landau subbands in both the valance and the conduction band assuming an electron-hole symmetry. The FWM signals exhibit quantum beats mainly with twice the cyclotron frequency. Contrary to general expectations, we find no pronounced slowing down of the dephasing with increasing magnetic field. On the contrary, one obtains a decreasing dephasing time because of the increase of the Coulomb matrix elements and the number of states in a given Landau subband. In the situation when the loss of scattering channels exceeds these increasing effects, one gets a slight increase at the dephasing time. However, details of the strongly modulated scattering kinetics depend sensitively on the detuning, the plasma density, and the spectral pulse width relative to the cyclotron frequency.


The paper examines the effect of exchange rate changes on consumer prices in Ghana using vector autoregression (VAR) models. Using a data set covering the period 1990M01-2009M02, we find that the exchange rate pass-through to inflation is 'incomplete' and decreasing in Ghana. Our empirical results indicate a low but significant pass-through in the short run. We argue that the findings reflect the impact of increased openness and tighter monetary policy pursue by the central bank over the period.


Hassi Messaoud (HMD) is a mature oil field with approximately 1100 production wells. About half of the wells are natural flow and the other half are continuously gas lifted (CGL) with concentric (CCE) strings. CCE gas lift is different from conventional gas lift as the lift gas is injected in the well through the CCE string while production is from the annulus between the CCE string and the tubing. The typical production tubing size is 4 ½". The sizes of the CCE strings include 1.315", 1.66", and 1.9". The 1.66" CCE is most commonly used in gas lift wells. The typical gas lift injection line on the surface is 2" from the gas network to the wellhead. A choke is used on the gas lift line to control the lift gas injected into each well. As the injection gas pressure is high from the source of available lift gas, large pressure drops across the lift gas injection chokes exist in some wells. Due to the Joule-Thompson effects, a big temperature drop is associated with the large pressure drop across the lift gas injection choke. This temperature drop can result in hydrate formation in the lift gas line downstream of the gas lift choke. Hydrate formation in the gas injection lines, especially in winter has seriously disrupted production due to plugging of lift gas lines.
 Salt deposition is a big challenge in Hassi Messaoud field operation. The reservoir interstitial water contains high salt concentration in excess of 300 g/l. During well production, salt deposits in the wellbore and across the production choke. Periodically, water is required to be injected into the well to dissolve the salt and restore well productivity. A CCE string allows water to be injected into the wellbore either concurrently with injection lift gas or separately by itself for a specific period of time.
 High volumes of lift gas are injected in many wells due to the lack of effective control in the lift gas injection rates. The excessive gas from lift gas injection and production in the system can lead to the need to flare occasionally when the facility gas capacity limit is exceeded.
 In order to reduce the usage of the high volume of lift gas, Intermittent Gas Lift (IGL) was selected in a pilot project to evaluate its applicability in the Hassi Messaoud field.
 Three CGL wells were selected for this pilot project. The selected wells are characterized by high GOR, low PI and without continuous concurrent water injection (with lift gas) to dissolve salt deposited down-hole.
 IGL operation parameters were designed by using modified empirical correlations to those presented in the API Recommended Practice for Intermittent Gas Lift. The modifications were suited for the operating conditions in Hassi Messaoud Field. Static and dynamic well and network models were created to simulate the field test results and guide new designs and future applications.
 This paper presents the pilot test programs and the results from this project in mitigating both the excessive lift gas injection problem and injection line blockage due to hydrate by converting certain CGL wells to IGL. It also highlights the application conditions for the future. Finally, the plan for the expanded application of IGL in Hassi Messaoud is discussed.


Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common dermatological problem, Does the onset of the AGA matters in the general health? YKL 40 may have role in the pathogenesis of early AGA and associated metabolic syndrome (MS). YKL 40, released by many inflammatory cells and its biological role is not well known. Aim of the Work: The estimation of serum level of YKL-40 in patients with AGA to detect its role in AGA and MS pathogenesis, onset and severity. Materials and Methods: This case–control study, 100 individuals were enrolled in our study; 70 AGA patients and 30 healthy controls. We obtained an informed written consent from each individual prior the participation. AGA was diagnosed clinically, and onset was evaluated as early onset alopecia (by the age of 30 years or earlier), YKL-40 level was measured by ELISA technique. Results: Patients showed highly significant higher serum YKL-40 level more than that of the healthy subjects (P < 0.001). There was highly significant increase in YKL-40 level among early onset male and female cases compared to late onset cases (P < 0.001 each). There was significant increase in MS elements in AGA cases than controls (P < 0.05), and highly significant increase in MS associations and severity among early onset male and female cases compared to late onset cases (P < 0.001 each). AGA patients with MS showed highly significant higher serum YKL-40 level more than that without (P < 0.001). There was highly significant increase in YKL-40 level among early onset AGA with MS compared to late onset cases with MS (P < 0.001 each).Conclusions: High serum YKL-40 considered not only a biomarker of early onset AGA but also considered a potential sensitive predictor for early onset MS development and severity in patients with early onset AGA.


My bachelor thesis was to analyze how the Estonian daily newspaper Postimees
builds up a political scandal.
Lull & Hinerman (1997) pointed out that media puts the scandal into a narrative form.
They concluded that a scandal cannot develop before it is served to the audience as a
story. Brian McNair (1999) also said that journalists communicate the meaning of
politics and they may insert the events of political life into narrative frameworks
(McNair 1999:73). Kennet L. Hacker (1996) discussed the relationship of power and
language and stated that the political discourse analysis gives us the opportunity to
examine carefully how reporters label political events and media use language to
communicate politics.
Thompson`s theory of political scandal introduces a variety of criteria a scandal
usually meets. Among them were that the occurrence of scandal involves the
transgression of certain values and moral codes; they occurrence involves an element
of secrecy or concealment; some non-participants disapprove the actions, some
express their disapproval; and the disclosure of the actions may damage the reputation
of the individuals responsible for them (Thompson 2000: 13-14). Thompson also
divided the scandal info phases. I structured my work in the discourse analysis after
these phases.
To find out how Postimees constructs a scandal I used quantitative analysis to
determine the speakers and the ones that were spoken about; discourse analysis to find
out the sub-themes, expand the category of speakers and the ones spoken about, to
determine the journalistic focus and transgression of moral conventions. Finally I
carried out two interviews with news-reporters from Postimees to find out if the
journalistic routines have an effect on the texts that journalists produce, as have
appointed out Shoemaker & Reese (1991).
Besides Postimees I also examined in quantitative and discourse analysis Eesti
Paevaleht – another Estonian daily newspaper. My aim was to give a degree of
comparison for the results about Postimees to be as authentic as possible.
I have to say that for the whole work to be more authentic I should have included
incorporated into the methodology an entographic research for media studies. In other
words conduct an observation of journalistic routines in Postimees. But due to the limitations of the materials of this work I excluded it. Still I am convinced that this
analyze gives splendid opportunities for further researches about political scandals.
From my research I concluded that the person that most often spoke in news was
Andrus Ansip. The reason appeared from interviews – Ansip was an easy source for
journalists because he usually answered the phone and was eager to speak. Other
persons as well as reporters themselves most often spoke about Juhan Parts and
Kristiina Ojuland as the main characters of the scandal.
Discourse analysis concluded that the main sub-theme in the texts was the conflict
between Reformierakond and Res Publica – two of the three parties in the coalition
government. There were still other themes in the articles that were at times like a
maze above the main theme, covering it all up so that the audience did not understand
what was being told.
Interviews concluded that journalists did not analyze critically the motives why some
sources that wanted to stay publicly unidentified gave them the inside information.
Though Toomas Sildam, the news editor assured me that in case of this scandal
Postimees did not depend on its informers, the discourse analyze concluded the
opposite. Namely the journalists used a lot of information without proper reference to
its source in their texts, in addition there occurred cases in witch the journalist
referred to anonymous sources or to media itself. The latter is characteristic to a
political scandal as media tries to legitimate comments into facts.


PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this article is to examine the use of public mental health services among Chinese, Filipino, Southeast Asians, Japanese, and other Asian Americans. SEARCH METHODS USED: This article used two data sources from San Francisco City and County and Santa Clara County. By combining data from these two counties, the study had access to information on 3,095 adult Asian users of services. SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT FINDINGS: The study found differences among various Asian ethnic groups in their likelihood of using individual service modalities, but fewer statistically significant differences in the amount of use once services started. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: Differences in the use of public mental health services were related to differences in the two counties' implementing services. KEY WORDS: Asian Americans, Public Mental Health Services, Utilization, Ethnic Differences


We developed a control scheme of homodyne detection. To operate the homodyne detector as easy as possible, a simple Michelson interferometer is used. Here a motivation that the control scheme of the homodyne detection is developed is for our future experiment of extracting the ponderomotively squeezed vacuum fluctuations. To obtain the best signalto- noise ratio using the homodyne detection, the homodyne phase should be optimized. The optimization of the homodyne phase is performed by changing a phase of a local oscillator for the homodyne detection from a point at which a signal is maximized. In fact, in this experiment, using the developed control scheme, we locked the Michelson interferometer with the homodyne detector and changed the phase of the local oscillator for the homodyne detection. Then, we measured signals quantity changed by changing the phase of the local oscillator for the homodyne detection. Here we used the output from the homodyne detection as the signal.


The purpose of this study was to explore and assess the feasibility of counselling based on life-design principles in enhancing the career resilience of children who are exposed to family violence. The research project involved a QUALITATIVE–quantitative mode of inquiry with 6 participants chosen based on certain characteristics. Life-design-related intervention strategies, together with various (postmodern) qualitative and quantitative techniques, were used to gather data, while data analysis was done using thematic content analysis. Quantitative data were collected from parents as well as the participants before and after the intervention. Certain themes, sub-themes and sub-sub-themes that all contributed to participants' career resilience were identified. Following the intervention, findings obtained from a qualitative perspective indicated that the outcomes of the life-design-related counselling intervention were substantial. The findings showed that various narrative techniques could be used to enhance the career resilience of children exposed to family violence. Future research could assess the value of life-design counselling in enhancing the career resilience of survivors of family violence in diverse group contexts. A greater focus could be placed on the (unforeseen) external trauma that had an impact on participants' ability to (re-)construct their career-life narratives to enhance their future selves and careers.


This exploratory study investigates the value of constructivist theory for the field of interaction design. In this paper we explore how designer intentions and outcomes can be expressed in constructivist terms, and how constructivism can describe the relationship of design intentions to outcomes. This study's findings point to the potential of an emerging constructivist framework. The authors present the findings of two case studies of designer intentions and outcomes from two museum design projects. The paper presents themes drawn from the analysis that include designing for personal experience, play, and social interaction. Author


Recent metagenomic surveys of microbial community suggested that species associated with the class Acidimicrobiia are abundant in diverse aquatic environments such as acidic mine water, waste water sludge, freshwater, or marine habitats, but very few species have been cultivated and characterized. The current taxonomic framework of Acidimicrobiia is solely based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis of few cultivable representatives, and no molecular, biochemical, or physiological characteristics are known that can distinguish species of this class from the other bacteria. This study reports the phylogenomic analysis for 20 sequenced members of this class and reveals another three major lineages in addition to the two recognized families. Comparative analysis of the sequenced Acidimicrobiia species identified 15 conserved signature indels (CSIs) in widely distributed proteins and 26 conserved signature proteins (CSPs) that are either specific to this class as a whole or to its major lineages. This study represents the most comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the class Acidimicrobiia and the identified CSIs and CSPs provide useful molecular markers for the identification and delineation of species belonging to this class or its subgroups.


The experiment was conducted to study the effect of temperature and host size on the growth and development of Trichogramma sp., a species of parasitoid which attacks Cricula trfenestrata s eggs. The experiment was carried oul in the Pesl laboratory, Dalillro, Bogor. with relative humidity ranged between 60-80%. temperature ranged.between 23-25°C, 26-28°C, and 29-3 l"C. with two kinds of different egg size (big and small). This research was conducted from March lo Sepeniber 2000, to optimize the production (generation) of Trichogramma sp. in the Laboratory. The resuts showed that some of Ihe biological index of Trichogramma sp., changed when it was cultivated in different temperature and host size. Temperature influenced longivity of parasitoid while host size influenced almost all of Ihe biological index. Although it was hardly measured, however the temperature and host size seemed to have mutual support in Influencing 7}"fcAogrximnta biological index. In low temperature, the development of parasitoid was longer than that in high temperature, while parasitoid behaviour in ovipositing was influenced by egg size. On Ihe big size host, parasitoid tended ovipositing all al once, while thai on small host ovipositing was done one by one. Ihe average of Trichogramma generation on big host was 42.1 ± 17.1 with sex ratio 1 8.8 I , while thai on small host was 73.3 ± 1 3.2 with sex ratio 6.71 I , where female was plcnticr than male. By using Birch methods, it was showed that intrinsic growth rate (r") and net reproductive rale (Ro) on big size host were lower compared with small size host while generation lime (T) on big host was longer than small host. Ro values were significantly different belween the two hosts. The result of this experiment also showed that on both host sizes, optimum value of T, Ro and rm was achieved on 26-28°C. These results arc expected to guide parasiloid breeders lo decide the temperature and host size in mass cultivating Trichogramma sp. in laboratory. While for ield application, tempeature and hosl range arc Ihe factors should be considered.


The biosyntheses of the essential polyamines spermidine and spermine are dependent on the activity of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC; EC 184.108.40.206). AdoMetDC catalyzes the conversion of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) to S-adenosyl5′-(3-methylthiopropylamine), otherwise known as decarboxylated AdoMet (dcAdoMet), which in turn donates its aminopropyl group to either putrescine for the synthesis of spermidine, or spermidine for the synthesis of spermine. The latter two reactions are catalyzed by the transferase enzymes, spermidine synthase and spermine synthase, respectively. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a null mutation in the SPE2 gene, encoding AdoMetDC, conveys an absolute requirement for spermidine or spermine for growth (1), and mouse blastocysts lacking a functional copy of the AdoMetDC gene die at the early stage of gastrulation unless supplied with spermidine (2). As well as being the substrate for AdoMetDC, AdoMet is involved in many other essential biochemical processes in cells and is regarded as the major methyl donor in reactions catalyzed by methyltransferases. However, dcAdoMet is unable to fulfil these other functions, so AdoMetDC activity commits AdoMet to a role in polyamine biosynthesis. AdoMetDC is synthesized as an inactive proenzyme (~38 kDa in humans) that undergoes an autocatalytic cleavage reaction to form the α and β subunits (~31 and ~7 kDa, respectively in humans) and the covalently bound pyruvoyl cofactor of the mature enzyme. In the decarboxylation reaction, the pyruvoyl group forms a Schiff base with AdoMet, providing an electron sink that facilitates removal of the α-carboxylate group. The negatively charged α-carbon of the substrate is then reprotonated, and Schiff base hydrolysis results in release of the product, dcAdoMet (Fig. 1). The most likely candidate for the role of proton donor in this reaction is the Cys-82 residue, because a C82A mutant protein has much reduced enzyme activity and exhibits a high incidence of incorrect protonation of the pyruvoyl group (3). Recent elucidations of the crystal structures of the human wild-type and mutated AdoMetDCs have provided profound insight into the evolution, activity, and regulation


Two new classes of anticoagulants in development at the present time [anti-factor Xa and anti-factor IIa (direct antithrombin) agents] should change our future strategies for prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolic events. Among the anti-factor Xa, the pentasaccharides are initiating their clinical use. Fondaparinux, the synthetic form of the natural pentasaccharide is active in prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolic and coronary thrombotic events. A modified form (idraparinux) whose pharmacokinetics allows one administration only once a week should have the same type of efficacy. Among direct antithrombin agents, hirudin and derivatives have been developed in the past decade burt are not routinely used. Synthetic direct antithrombins allowing oral route are currently developed: Exanta with the most advanced development, is active in prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolic and coronary thrombotic events. It could allow (if confirmed by clinical trials) a complete oral treatment of deep vein thrombosis without any biological monitoring. Exanta is also active in the prevention of arterial thromboembolic events on atrial fibrillation. Other molecular forms of synthetic per os direct antithrombin are also in development. But molecules aimed at other targets are also tested: the most advanced are those antagonizing the initial phase of tissue factor activation of factor VII but other strategies are being tested such as stimulation of fibrinolysis.


Gesture recognition remains a very challenging task in the field of computer vision and human computer interaction (HCI). A decade ago the task seemed to be almost unsolvable with the data provided by a single RGB camera. Due to recent advances in sensing technologies, such as time-of-flight and structured light cameras, there are new data sources available, which make hand gesture recognition more feasible. In this work, we propose a highly precise method to recognize static gestures from a depth data, provided from one of the above mentioned devices. The depth images are used to derive rotation-, translation- and scale-invariant features. A multi-layered random forest (MLRF) is then trained to classify the feature vectors, which yields to the recognition of the hand signs. The training time and memory required by MLRF are much smaller, compared to a simple random forest with equivalent precision. This allows to repeat the training procedure of MLRF without significant effort. To show the advantages of our technique, we evaluate our algorithm on synthetic data, on publicly available dataset, containing 24 signs from American Sign Language(ASL) and on a new dataset, collected using recently appeared Intel Creative Gesture Camera.


Practical model validation techniques are needed for model driven development (MDD) techniques to succeed. This paper presents an approach to generating inputs to test UML design models that are produced in the detailed design phase of an MDD project. A symbolic execution based approach is used to derive test input constraints from the paths of a variable assignment graph, which integrates information from UML class and sequence diagrams. The constraints are solved using Alloy, a configuration constraint solver, to obtain the test inputs. The results of a pilot study carried out to explore the fault detection capability of the test inputs are reported


Judging from the comment in Congress and the press, the political oratory of the day, and the general bewilderment among the rest of us, no one is older than yesterday and the American system of government was created last week. In The Conservative Affirmation , Prof Wilmoore Kendall moves deeply into the background of the American constitutional system. His vade mecum is The Federalist , for he believes that in the recommendations of Hamilton, Jay, and Madison are the proof of that wisdom which the conservative honors above all earthly achievements. If there is in American a drift toward helplessness in the face of great problems, or resignation of the American spirit in the face of what is declared to be inevitable, both attitudes are vaporized by truth. It is truth that at Runnymede in 1215 the monarch agreed to rule in accordance with the desires of his people; that government is


A novel design of miniature embedded antenna for mobile handset based on hierarchical genetic algorithms (HGA) with method of moments (MoM) is presented in this letter. The proposed antenna consists of a patterned patch and ground with shorting pins, the number, and locations of which are optimized by GA, with a total volume within 18 $,times,$ 43 $,times,$8 $ mm^3$ . It can provide wide bandwidth to cover operating bands for modern mobile communications, including global system for mobile communication (GSM), digital communication system (DCS), personal communication system (PCS), and universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) bands. The details of the design are discussed and the simulation results are compared with experiments.


ABSTRACT Relationships between bending solutions (deflections and stress resultants) of the Levinson third-order plate theory are presented in terms of the solutions of the classical plate theory for sectorial plates. These relationships are algebraic in nature, and can be readily used to determine the shear deformation theory (based on the Levinson plate theory) solutions of sectorial plates without going through the process of solving the governing equations. The sectorial plates considered have simply supported radial edges while the circular curved edges may be either simply supported, clamped, or free. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the usefulness of the developed relationships. *Communicated by F. Ziegler.


Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have left a legacy of environmental contamination. Even though they were banned from production and active use in the 1970s, they persist in the environment and still have the potential to impact aquatic life. Our objective was to identify data from controlled laboratory studies of PCB‐related adverse effects in fish and to conduct a meta‐analysis on mortality, growth, and reproductive (MGR) threshold responses. For each endpoint type, we compiled data on the lowest‐observed‐adverse effect concentration (LOAEC) and the degree of effect at the LOAEC as a percentage of control. The LOAECs were expressed as tissue concentrations, so the term lowest‐observed‐adverse‐effect residue concentration (LOAER) was used to represent PCB exposures. The lower limit of applicability was set at 0.1 μg/g total PCB tissue concentration, below which adverse MGR effects in fish were not supported by the data. Sensitivity distributions identifying the probability of adverse effects in fish populations or communities predicted that 25% of fish species would be impacted between 0.1 and 7.5 μg/g. Concentration–response threshold regressions were developed from the MGR datasets. For example, a 1 μg/g total PCB tissue concentration would predict effects of 17% mortality, 15% growth, and 39% reproductive. The analysis determined the degree of adverse response, with uncertainty estimates, expected across a broad range of PCB tissue exposure concentrations in fish. Data generated from MGR endpoints were combined to determine an approach for overall effect thresholds for PCB‐related injury in fish. The MGR datasets included only laboratory data; however, responses were compared with field‐observed effects. The present review provides a comprehensive assessment of PCB‐induced injury in fish utilizing a data‐inclusive approach. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:712–736. Published 2018 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.


Efficacies of the three randomness validity scales for the Jesness Inventory were investigated: the Jesness Variable Response Inconsistency scale (J-VRIN), the Variable Response scale (VR), and the Randomness scale (RD). Effectiveness was assessed by comparing the protocols of 93 male and 45 female delinquents ages 14 to 18 years screened for probable randomness, with a matched-pair MMPI-Adolescent with 500 computer-generated all- and half-random protocols. With the all-random set, for specificities of .90 or higher, scales showed sensitivities as high as .95 (VR), .90 (J-VRIN), and .14 (RD). With the half-random protocol, set sensitivities were .74 (VR), .70 (J-VRIN), and .07 (RD). Predictive power and overall effectiveness are reported for base rates of .20, .10, .067, and .05.