PURPOSES:The purposes are to analyze the pedestrian accident severity and to develop the accident models by arterial road function. METHODS : To analyze the accident, count data and ordered logit models are utilized in this study. In pursuing the above, this study uses pedestrian accident data from 2007 to 2011 in Cheongju. RESULTS : The main results are as follows. First, daytime, Tue.Wed.Thu., over-speeding, male pedestrian over 65 old are selected as the independent variables to increase pedestrian accident severity. Second, as the accident models of main and minor arterial roads, the negative binomial models are developed, which are analyzed to be statistically significant. Third, such the main variables related to pedestrian accidents as traffic and pedestrian volume, road width, number of exit/entry are adopted in the models. Finally, Such the policy guidelines as the installation of pedestrian fence, speed hump and crosswalks with pedestrian refuge area, designated pedestrian zone, and others are suggested for accident reduction. CONCLUSIONS : This study analyzed the pedestrian accident severity, and developed the negative binomial accident models. The results of this study expected to give some implications to the pedestrian safety improvement in Cheongju.


Aprocedure that combines feasibility analysis, synthesis and design of reactive distillation columns is introduced. The main interest of this methodology lies on a progressive introduction of the process complexity. From minimal information concerning the physicochemical properties of the system, three steps lead to the design of the unit and the specification of its operating conditions. Most of the methodology exploits and enriches approaches found in the literature. Each step is described and our contribution is underlined. Its application is currently limited to equilibrium reactive systems where degree of freedom is equal to 2 or less than 2. This methodology which provides a reliable initialization point for the optimization of the process has been applied with success to different synthesis. The production of methyl-tert-butyl-ether (MTBE) and methyl acetate are presented as examples.


People readily generalise prior knowledge to novel situations and stimuli. Advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence have begun to approximate and even surpass human performance in specific domains, but machine learning systems struggle to generalise information to untrained situations. We present and model that demonstrates human-like extrapolatory generalisation by learning and explicitly representing an open-ended set of relations characterising regularities within the domains it is exposed to. First, when trained to play one video game (e.g., Breakout). the model generalises to a new game (e.g., Pong) with different rules, dimensions, and characteristics in a single shot. Second, the model can learn representations from a different domain (e.g., 3D shape images) that support learning a video game and generalising to a new game in one shot. By exploiting well-established principles from cognitive psychology and neuroscience, the model learns structured representations without feedback, and without requiring knowledge of the relevant relations to be given a priori. We present additional simulations showing that the representations that the model learns support cross-domain generalisation. The model's ability to generalise between different games demonstrates the flexible generalisation afforded by a capacity to learn not only statistical relations, but also other relations that are useful for characterising the domain to be learned. In turn, this kind of flexible, relational generalisation is only possible because the model is capable of representing relations explicitly, a capacity that is notably absent in extant statistical machine learning algorithms.


This research addresses significant gaps in the application of distributive fairness to sales management. A study of sales professionals from across several industries details how the equitable distribution of rewards affects important job outcomes such as satisfaction, voice (constructive suggestions for improvement of the firm), and exit (quitting the firm). The study also demonstrates that equity judgments are derived, and differently affected, by referent comparisons including other salespeople within the firm, other employees within the firm, and salespeople from outside the firm. Several conditions that describe the sales environment are shown to moderate these effects and, consequently, what is perceived as "fair" and "unfair." Together, these insights reveal the underlying mechanics in judgments of fairness (yielding a richer theory) and contribute to better managerial practice.


The 6th International Symposium on Regenerative Rehabilitation, hosted by the Alliance for Regenerative Rehabilitation Research and Training (AR3T), included a preconference meeting of institutional representatives of the International Consortium of Regenerative Rehabilitation, keynote talks from distinguished scientists, platform and poster presentations from experts and trainees, panel discussions and postconference workshops. The following priorities were identified: increasing rigor in basic, preclinical and clinical studies, especially the use of better controls; developing better outcome measures for preclinical and clinical trials; focusing on developing more tissue-based interventions versus cell-based interventions; including regenerative rehabilitation in curricula of professional programs like occupational and physical therapy; and developing better instruments to quantify rehabilitative interventions.


The spatial structure and physical properties of the cytosol are not well understood. Measurements of the material state of the cytosol are challenging due to its spatial and temporal heterogeneity, the lack of truly passive probes, and the need for probes of many sizes to accurately describe the state across scales. Recent development of genetically encoded multimeric nanoparticles (GEMs) has opened up study of the cytosol at the length scales of multiprotein complexes (20-60 nm). Using these probes to spatially resolve diffusivity of a cytoplasmic volume within a cell requires accurate and automated 3D tracking methods. We developed an image analysis pipeline for whole-cell imaging of GEMs in the context of large, multinucleate fungi where there is evidence of functional compartmentalization of the cytosol for both the nuclear division cycle and branching. We apply a neural network to track particles in 3D, generate surface meshes to project data on representations of the cell, and create dynamic visualizations of local diffusivities. Using this pipeline, we have found that there is remarkable variability in the properties of the cytosol both within a single cell and between cells. By analyzing the spatial diffusivity patterns, we saw an enrichment of low diffusivity zones at hyphal tips and near some nuclei. These results show that the physical state of the cytosol varies spatially within a single cell and exhibits significant cell-to-cell variability. Thus, molecular crowding contributes to heterogeneity within individual cells and across populations.


Packet processing speeds in software today can hardly support the speed available on network interfaces. Consequently, many solutions that try to accelerate the processing by using programmable hardware have appeared recently. TRILL protocol is implemented by devices called RBridges which introduce Layer 3 routing features into link layer and serve for communication within a data center. However connection throughput might be affected due to the fact that on each hop, processing of the TRILL header needs to be done in order to decide what is the next hop MAC address. Therefore, our idea was to offload the TRILL data plane on the programmable card in order to improve the network performance, mainly to increase the throughput and to decrease the delay. For this purpose we use Massively Parallel Processor Array (MPPA) which integrates 256 processing engine (PE) cores distributed across 16 compute clusters and use a programming model based on POSIX (Portable Operating System Interface) threads.


Can today's widely deployed S-FSK/PLAN+ based AMR systems evolve towards a faster and more robust multicarrier technology? This paper demonstrates how multicarrier technology addressses the challenge of achieving the higher levels of performance required by today's Smart Grid. A communication speed of 10kBaud and an "ultra robust mode" feature are proposed using an 'evolution, no revolution' strategy. Capitalizing on the field proven IEC61334-5-2 standard, this solution offers true backward compatibility with smart meters already installed. It eliminates the risks associated with deployment of alternative modulation techniques while reducing both Capex1 and Opex2 for the ultilities.


Since the advent of native XML databases, several native XML database systems have been developed both in industry and in academia. These products can be categorized into two groups: commercial and open source products. The present study compares the performance of four open source native XML database products from the point of view of handling the four basic database operations. In particular, this paper examines Berkeley DB XML, Xindice, eXist, and dbXML. Each product is deployed and evaluated using the relevant benchmark techniques. A number of interesting insights are gained from these experiments and a summary of the strengths and weaknesses of each of these products is presented


Molecular mechanics calculations have been performed to investigate the structure of the active site of a molybdenum disulfide hydrodesulfurisation catalyst and the binding of thiophene. Active sites are created by removing bridging sulfur atoms, thus exposing pairs of molybdenum atoms. Relaxing the MoS2 hexagonal slabs using molecular mechanics shows that the environment of molybdenum and sulfur atoms at the active site is different from that in the bulk.Structures of the thiophene–molybdenum disulfide active site complex have been investigated. Stable structures can be produced with the sulfur atom of thiophene attached to one or both of the coordinatively unsaturated (cus) molybdenum atoms. Our calculations show the stable configuration of thiophene at these sites. Thiophene binds through sulfur to one cus molybdenum atom with the ring either parallel to the surface (more stable) or perpendicular (slightly less stable). When the ring is perpendicular the thiophene sulfur atom can bind to the second adjacent cus molybdenum thus forming a Mo—S(thiophene)—Mo bridge. When the thiophene is parallel to the surface, bound to one molybdenum atom through sulfur, then carbon atoms of the thiophene can bind to the adjacent cus molybdenum atom. The most likely scenario for the formation of the active-site complex is for the thiophene molecule to bind perpendicular to the surface, first to one molybdenum atom and then to a second, to form an Mo—S—Mo bridge.


We present a scalable, single-step, non-thermal plasma synthesis technique for the growth of sub-5 nm, hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) coated 3C-SiC nanoparticles (NPs). In a tubular flow reactor, we first nucleate and grow c-Si NPs upstream in a SiH4/Ar plasma. These c-Si NPs are then transported by gas flow to a downstream C2H2/Ar plasma, and carburized in-flight by carbon-containing radicals and ions to 3C-SiC NPs. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy indicate an NP size of ∼4 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis confirms that the c-Si NPs are completely carburized to 3C-SiC. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy shows that the surface of the 3C-SiC NPs is coated with a-C:H with some alkenyl termination, which can facilitate further solution-based surface functionalization for biomedical applications.


Fixed bed gasification is one of the most promising technologies in the area of biomass gasification to be introduced into the market of low and medium power ranges due to the higher electricity output expected compared to combustion. Moreover, downdraft or twostage gasifiers are known to produce low tar content in fuel gas. Objectives In this work, we focused on the step of the char bed gasification in fixed bed or two-stage gasification processes. We propose here a fine characterisation of the char bed during its gasification by H2O and CO2. The global objective is to provide key information to improve both the char conversion in char bed reactor and the control of fixed bed gasifiers, which remain today a brake to industrial development. Approach The characterisation of char bed gasification has been carried out thanks to the Continuous Fixed Bed reactor (CFiB) at Cirad. This reactor replicates the gasification zone apart from the rest of the fixed bed process. It is specifically instrumented to allow the measurement of thermal and chemical profiles all along the bed. Indeed, measurements of temperature, pressure and gas composition each 10 cm in the bed are performed. The non condensable gases are on-line analysed by gas-chromatography analysis. The condensable products (water + residual tar) are collected to be analysed in the lab by Karl Fisher, gas- and liquid- chromatography analyses. At the reactor outlet, ash removed is continuously weighed and gases are quantified to establish a precise mass balance of each experiment. Scientific innovation and relevance This CFiB reactor is an innovative tool to study wood char gasification in continuous fixed beds. The accuracy of the measurements carried out inside the bed is a step forward in the understanding of fixed bed gasification processes. Such profiles of temperature, gas composition, char conversion, and bed morphology provide original and relevant data to localise the zones where char oxidation by O2 and char gasification by H2O and CO2 effectively occur. Results In this paper, full characterisation of the fixed bed is presented, including axial and radial profiles inside the 700 mm height bed. Influence of steam partial pressure (from 0,1 to 0,4 atm) and initial oxygen content (2 to 5 %) on char gasification has also been investigated with the proposed methodology. (Resume d'auteur)


The report evaluates the extent to which representative samples of manu- facturing and service firms drawn from the inner and outer London areas of South Shoreditch and Brimsdown respectively would be affected by proposed bans on 16 ton and 24 ton GVW commercial vehicles within Greater London.

The proportion of commercial vehicle trips to and from South Shoreditch firms affected by the bans would be low and one-quarter of the firms would be affected by a 16 ton GW ban. One in five trips to and from Brimsdown firms is currently made by a vehicle in excess of 16 ton GVW, and two-thirds of the sample of firms would be affected. The majority of affected movements are by suppliers' vehicles rather than firms' own fleets.

Three firms particularly likely to be affected were examined in more detail, and the implications of their changing to lighter vehicles investigated. A weight-specific 16 ton GVW ban would impose annual operating cost increases on all firms if they were to maintain existing levels of service with their own vehicle fleets. Under a 24 ton GVW ban two firms would incur cost increases while, for the operations considered, there would be a saving in annual operating costs for the third. The assumption that regulations governing vehicle dimensions and carrying capacity remain unaltered is crucial to the conclusions.

Night time 16 ton and 24 ton GVW bans would affect a minority of firms, although the duration of the ban would be important. Weekend bans would not significantly affect the firms.


Exploitation and exploration activities will produce sewage sludge and crude oil spills that cause pollution to the environment and upgrading to the environment, biology and soil chemistry. Monitoring of oil pollution conditions on the soil can be done by detection of all hydrocarbon components, or what is called the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH). According to its components, this total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) can be classified into 3 points, aliphatic, alicyclic, and aromatic. One of the biological efforts that can be used to overcome petroleum pollution is by using bioremediation technology. There are several methods in bioremediation, one of which is the biostimulation method, where the growth of the original hydrocarbon decomposers is stimulated by adding nutrients, oxygen, pH optimization and temperature. Hydrocarbonoclastic microorganisms have characteristic not possessed by other microorganisms, namely their ability to excrete hydroxylase enzymes, which are hydrocarbon oxidizing enzymes, so that these bacteria can degrade petroleum hydrocarbons. Biodegradation can be formed if there is a structural transformation so that cahnges in molecular integrity occur. This process is a series of enzymatic or biochemical reaction that require ideal environmental conditions with the growth and proliferation of microorganisms. Something that need to be known before remediation are pollutants (organic or inorganic), degraded/ not, dangerous/ not, how many pollutants pollute the soil, the ratio of carbon (C), Nitrogen (N), and phophorus (P), soil type, soil conditions (wet dry), and how long pollutants have been deposited in these locations


Aim: Iron uptake and metabolism pathways are promising targets in vaccine development as an alternative strategy for antibiotics. Methods & methods: HemTR, a putative heme receptor of Acinetobacter baumannii, was expressed and its protectivity against A. baumannii was determined singly or in combination with the siderophore receptor, BauA, in mice. Results: High level of IgG was elicited. There was a delay in mice mortality with reduced bacterial loads in internal organs in the sublethal challenge. Protection was better in the HemTR-BauA group in both lethal and sublethal challenges. Passive transfer of anti-HemTR and anti-BauA partially protected mice against A. baumannii infection. Conclusion: HemTR in combination with other iron receptors could contribute to the development of protective vaccines against A. baumannii.


Supplementation of multi-carbohydrase enzyme cocktails can increase nutrient digestibility of fibrous diets in grower pigs, particularly acting on dietary non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). Although NSP degrading enzymes are extensively used in sow diets, there is little data characterizing the NSP enzyme effects. Our previous work demonstrated a 10% increase in nutrient digestibility in diets fed to gestating sows. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a carbohydrase mixture (CM) and dietary fiber level on standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of protein and amino acids (AA) and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of NSP in gestation diets fed to pregnant sows. Ileal cannulas were placed in 12 gestating sows (Parity 0 to 2) who were allowed to recover for 1 week, then assigned to either a high (HF; 17.5% NDF) or low fiber (LF; 10% NDF) diet with one of 3 levels of CM supplementation ('0', '0.08', and '0.10'%) or a nitrogen-free diet to determine ileal endogenous AA losses. Diets were corn-soybean meal based with soyhulls and corn DDGS as fiber sources and formulated to reflect industry-relevant diets. Thus, oil was included at 3% in HF to maintain similar formulated metabolizable energy content. Sows were fed once daily at 2.2 kg/d. Ileal digesta samples were collected for 12 h on 2 successive days following a 7-day adaptation period. At the end of digesta collection, sows were assigned a different diet in a new adaptation/digesta collection period. There were 5 collection periods for a total of 8 observations/diet. Digesta was analyzed for crude protein, amino acids, NSP, and titanium as the indigestible marker to determine AID and SID. There was no interaction between diet fiber level and CM supplementation. Carbohydrase mixture supplementation to gestating sow diets did not impact SID of crude protein and AA regardless of dietary fiber level. The SID of His, Ile, Lys, Phe, Thr, Trp, and Val were 3 to 6% lower (P < 0.09) in HF than LF independent of CM. There was no impact of fiber level on the average SID of amino acids in gestating sow diets which was 83.5%. Supplementation of CM did not impact AID of NSP components, but sows fed HF had greater AID of arabinose (LF: 26.5% vs HF: 40.6%), xylose (LF: 3.5% vs HF: 40.9%), and total NSP (LF: 25.9% vs HF: 40.0%) compared with sows fed LF (P < 0.05). Inclusion of CM in high fibrous gestating sow diets did not increase the SID of AA or AID of NSP, but a high fiber gestation diet reduced SID of AA. As such, differences in SID of AA should be considered when formulating high fibrous diets for gestating sows.


TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE Introduction CHAPTER 1 The Era of the Spanish Northern Frontier to 1821 Spanish Institutions and Mixed-Race Society of the Northern Frontier The Founding of New Mexico Resisting Spanish Colonization: The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 Duty to the Crown and Church Fulfilled: The Spanish Reconquest of New Mexico A Buffer Zone Against Expansion: Spanish Colonial Texas The Apache and Comanche Threat in Texas The Condition of the Spanish Texas Colony in the Early Nineteenth Century Guarding the Western Periphery: Spanish Colonial Alta California Mexican Independence Comes to the Northern Frontier Conclusion CHAPTER 2 Life and Society in Mexico's Northern Borderlands, 1821-1846 Indian Relations on the Northern Frontier After Mexican Independence Men of the Plains: New Mexican Ciboleros and Comancheros The Opening of Commercial Markets: The Taos Trade Fair and the Santa Fe Trail Conflict in New Mexico-the 1837 Revolt Tejano Life on the Texas Frontier Under Mexico The Never Ending Indian Menace: Comanche Raids in Texas The Growing Conflict in Texas with Mexico The Drive for Texas Independence Making California Mexican The California Missions: Making Indians Faithful and Industrious Christians The Golden Age of California Ranching The Californio Era Revolts Against Mexican Rule Conclusion CHAPTER 3 Mexican Americans in the Era of War and American Westward Expansion The Southwest on the Eve of the Mexican War The Outbreak of War The American Occupation of New Mexico The 1847 Taos Revolt Against American Occupation of New Mexico The American Occupation of California The Battles at Monterrey and Buena Vista The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: The Enduring Paradox Conclusion CHAPTER 4 Mexican Americans from the 1850s to the End of the Civil War Mexican Americans in the Post-Conquest Southwest The Californio Banditti Joaquin Murieta and Tiburcio Vasquez Juan Cortina: Champion and Hated Villain of the Texas Border Region Mexican Americans in the American Civil War Mexican Americans Fight in the Indian Wars Conclusion CHAPTER 5 Mexican Americans in the Southwest, 1870 to the Early Twentieth Century The Mexican Americans of California The Tejanos and Mexicans of Texas Disenfranchising Tejanos Voters as Political Strategy The Mexicans of Arizona and New Mexico The United States and the New Mexico Land Grants Question Las Gorras Blancas and El Centillo de Diablo (the Devil's Hatband) Statehood for New Mexico and Arizona? The New Southwest Economy and the First Modern Phase of Mexican Immigration to the United States Conclusion CHAPTER 6 Mexican Immigration, Work, Urbanization, and Americanization, 1910-1929 Mexican Labor Strife and Struggle Tejano Freedom Fighters: The Plan de San Diego The Killing Fields of South Texas Immigration from Mexico During the 1910-1920 Years Mexicans, World War I, and the 1920-1921 Depression Mexican Immigration from 1920 to 1929 Mexican Los Angeles Mexicans in the Rocky Mountain and Plains States Mexicans in the Urban Industrial Heartland Mexicans and Social and Cultural Change and Americanization Mexican Mutualism and Fraternalism Conclusion CHAPTER 7 The Mexican American Struggle for Labor Rights in the Era of the Great Depression The Plight of Mexicans in the Early Years of the Great Depression The Repatriation Campaign Unfolds Mexicans in the Era of the National Recovery Act Mexican Women Workers Battle for Equality Mexican Coal Miner's Wage War in Gallup Tejano Struggles for Unionism in South Texas Emma Tenayuca Brings Social Justice to San Antonio's Mexicans The 1938 Strike by San Antonio's Pecan Shellers The UCAPAWA Organizes Colorado's Mexican Farm Workers Mexican American CIO Unionists Organize Los Angeles and Southern California Conclusion CHAPTER 8 The Mexican American People in the World War II Era Mexican Americans on the Eve of the Second World War Justice Delayed: The Sleepy Lagoon Incident Mexican Americans and the Sinarquista Menace America's War at Home: The Los Angeles Zoot Suit Riots Mexican American GIs on the Pacific and European War Fronts Mexican Americans Fight Against Discrimination: The Case of Los Angeles Mexican American Women War Workers Braceros: The Mexican Contract Labor Program Begins American Race Relations and Mexican Americans Conclusion CHAPTER 9 Mexican Americans in the Postwar Years, 1946-1963 Forgotten: The Status of Mexican Americans in Postwar America Mexican Americans in the Early Post-War American Labor Movement The Radicalism of ANMA Mexican Americans and the Community Service Organization Mexican Americans Caught in the Web of the Red Scare Mexican Americans in the Dragnets of Operation Wetback and Operation Terror Civil Rights Litigation by Mexican Americans Don't Bow to the Powers that Be: Shifts in the Mexican American Rights Movement Mexican Americans and the Democratic Party Conclusion CHAPTER 10 Mexican Americans in the Protest Era, 1964-1974 Viva La Huelga!-Gaining Ground for Farm Workers The People's Choice: Reis Lopez Tijerina and the New Mexico Land Grants Movement Cultural Nationalism and Community Control-The Crusade for Justice A Search for Identity: The Chicano Student Movement Righteous Discontent: The Chicana Women's Movement Raza Si! Guerra No!-The National Chicano War Moratorium "-La Raza Unida Party Conclusion CHAPTER 11 Mexican Americans at the End of the 20th Century Mexican Americans and Reagan's " " (Your Vote is Your Voice): Mexican Americans and the Political Process Mexican Americans and the Civil Wars in Central America Unemployment, Drugs, Gang Warfare, and the 1992 Rodney King Riots The 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli Act, the English-Only Movement, and Proposition 187 ": From the Bakke Decision to Proposition 209 Mexican American Workers Organize ": Mexican Americans and the North American Free Trade Agreement Latino-A New National Identity and Continued Immigration Conclusion CHAPTER 12 Epilogue-Mexican Americans in the New Millennium


In this study, central composite design according to response surface methodology was constructed to determine the effects of combining hydrocolloids and surfactant added to Type A and Type B wheat flours on the baking quality of frozen dough. With this aim in mind, guar gum, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and locust bean gum (LBG) (each with conc., 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2%) with diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono-diglycerides (DATEM ) (0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1%) were added to both types of wheat flours. Then, the effects of these additives on the quality and staling of the bread that were produced from unfrozen (0) and frozen doughs (4, 8 and 12 weeks of frozen storage at -18°C) were determined. According to results, at the end of 12 weeks of frozen storage, the best results among the combinations were generally obtained with 0.5% guar gum+1.5% CMC+1.5% LBG+0.75% DATEM in the hard wheat flour (Type A) while 1.5% guar gam+1.5% CMC+1.5% LBG+0.75% DATEM in the weak wheat flour (Type B). When compared to the control sample without additives, these combinations were observed to positively affect the loaf volume, specific loaf volume, Dallmann's number and bread staling.


Teacher residencies have been an ongoing discussion in the educator preparation world for nearly a decade. This paper describes a promising practice in program design at a university that offers alternative pathways to licensure to meet the demands of school districts, especially in economically disadvantaged communities in one region of the United States. The one-year residency model was developed to address the teacher shortage in a state with growing teacher attrition. Aligned with recent legislation that created a residency license, a traditional educator preparation program examined its strengths and incorporated the most critical needs for novice teacher success to offer a one-year teacher residency as an alternative pathway. The residency model was co-constructed with school district personnel and teacher education faculty to focus on the most critical dimensions of teaching that include planning, instruction, and assessment. After one year, the feedback from school district personnel included high favor for readiness to teach. Residency candidates reported increased self-efficacy. The residency program has implications for future research and potential replication at other institutions of higher education.


Compacts of Fe2O3 doped with either (0.5-5.0%) CaO, 1.0% MgO and/or 1.0% CaO fired at 1473 K for 20 hr, were isothermally reduced with CO gas at 1173-1473 K. Thermogravimetric technique was used to follow up the oxygen weight-loss as a function of time. Partially and completely reduced samples were subjected to chemical and carbon analyses while their internal structure was examined by optical microscope. Pore size analyser was used to characterize pore structure and pore size distribution. The different phases developed during reduction were also identified by X-ray diffraction technique. It was observed that the doping of CaO revealed different effects on the reduction of pure Fe2O3 depending on CaO content, temperature and reduction extents. At lower temperatures (≤1273 K), the doping of ≤2.5% CaO promoted the reduction of Fe2O3 and a maximum effect was observed for compacts doped with 1.0% CaO. At ≥1373 K, the doping of CaO retarded the reduction of Fe2O3 at the latter stages due to the sintering and densification effects which increased with temperature. The influence of MgO on the reduction of Fe2O3 was discussed in another publication. The doping of 1.0% CaO with 1.0% MgO in Fe2O3 compacts greatly promoted the reduction of Fe2O3 at <1273 K and this effect decreased with temperature. Heterogeneous gas-solid raction formulations were examined and correlated with both of the apparent activation energies and the internal structures of partially reduced compacts to elucidate the corresponding reduction mechanisms.


Over time and across different genres, Afghanistan has been presented to the world as potential ally, dangerous enemy, gendered space, and mysterious locale. These powerful, if competing, visions seek to make sense of Afghanistan and to render it legible. In this innovative examination, Nivi Manchanda uncovers and critically explores Anglophone practices of knowledge cultivation and representational strategies, and argues that Afghanistan occupies a distinctive place in the imperial imagination: over-determined and under-theorised, owing largely to the particular history of imperial intervention in the region. Focusing on representations of gender, state and tribes, Manchanda re-historicises and de-mythologises the study of Afghanistan through a sustained critique of colonial forms of knowing and demonstrates how the development of pervasive tropes in Western conceptions of Afghanistan have enabled Western intervention, invasion and bombing in the region from the nineteenth century to the present.


Background According to modern conception "T2T" a patient with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) takes an active part in the disease treatment that determines the importance of his psychological state. Objectives To evaluate interconnection between the psychological state of the patient with AS and the disease course. Methods Within the regional registry which is a part of epidemiological study of clinical diversity of AS in Russian population, 40 patients (32 males and 8 females) at the age of 21 to 56 years (average age 40,3±10,0) were examined. The average disease duration on the day of examination was 12,7±9,9 years, BASDAI - 5,54±1,8, BASFI – 5,34±2,48. Functional status (range of motion) was evaluated by means of BASMI. EQ-5D questionnaire was used for psychological state evaluation. Results A total of 17 (42,5%) patients had anxiety and depression: moderate – 15 (88,2%), severe – 2 (11,8%) responders. With the disease duration of less than 5 years propensity for depression and anxiety was noted by 6 out of 11 (54,5%) patients, 5 to 10 years – 2 out of 12 (16,7%), more than 10 years – 9 out of 17 (52,9%). In patients with mild disease activity anxious and depressive states were not observed, with moderate disease activity they were revealed in 3 out of 7 patients (42,8%), with severe activity – in 9 out of 21 (42,8%), with very severe activity – in 5 out of 10 (50%) responders. Among the patients without limitation of motion (BASFI) anxiety and depression was revealed in 2 out of 11 (18,2%), with moderate limitation –6 out of 18 (33,3%), with severe limitation –9 out of 11 (81,8%) patients. According to BASMI 1 out of 2 patients without limitation of motion had anxiety and depression, 6 out of 19 (31,5%) – with moderate limitation and 10 out of 19 (52,6%) with severe limitation. The direct correlation was revealed between EQ-5D score and BASFI (r=0,996) and between EQ-5D and BASDAI (r=0,855), concurrently such correlation was absent between BASMI and EQ-5D. Among the patients without anxious and depressive states 14 out of 23 (60,8%) patients take NSAIDs regularly while among the patients who noted propensity for anxiety and depression only 7 out of 17 (41,17%) take NSAIDs regularly. Conclusions Patients with short (less than 5 years) and long (more than 10 years) AS duration, severe disease activity and functional limitation are more prone to anxiety and depression. Patients with anxious and depressive states are less compliant with therapy which influences its efficacy. These data should be considered when the programs of AS patients' management are developed. Disclosure of Interest None declared


In this paper, we propose SwarmNet – a neural network architecture that can learn to predict and imitate the behavior of an observed swarm of agents in a centralized manner. Tested on artificially generated swarm motion data, the network achieves high levels of prediction accuracy and imitation authenticity. We compare our model to previous approaches for modelling interaction systems and show how modifying components of other models gradually approaches the performance of ours. Finally, we also discuss an extension of SwarmNet that can deal with nondeterministic, noisy, and uncertain environments, as often found in robotics applications.


This article summarizes the findings of a systematic review of 15 group and two single-subject experimental design studies that evaluated the effectiveness of phonological awareness interventions for dual language learners (DLL) in preschool through second grade. Studies were evaluated using a Consumer Reports-like rating system. Each study was rated on quality indicators for design characteristics, measurement and reliability, evaluation of treatment effects, and external validity. The effects of phonological awareness interventions for Latino children who are DLL in the early and primary grades are promising, although the studies' results are tempered by conceptual limitations. Most studies demonstrated acceptable design characteristics and implementation fidelity. Few studies included measures of social validity and consumer satisfaction. Although the review did not identify a single treatment approach to be superior, preliminary evidence suggests that children can benefit from phonological awareness instruction that is explicit and allows for multiple response opportunities. The results of this review also indicate that children who are DLL benefit from bilingual phonological awareness instruction without detracting them from acquiring English phonological awareness skills.


Profit decline is a frightening problem for service companies. The solution to prevent this is by analyzing data transactions using data mining and forecasting. K-Means used to cluster the level of car damage based on the number of panels repaired and the duration of repaired. The results of K-Means used as material for analysis the best time-series method for transaction data. The methods analyzed include the moving average, single exponential smoothing, double exponential smoothing, and winter's method. Single exponential smoothing is the most suitable forecasting method with transaction data. Based on the MAPE value obtained for minor damage of 12.58%, forecasting for moderate damage of 16.83%, forecasting for major damage of 17.31%, and forecasting for overall data of 8.0975%. It concluded that single exponential smoothing can apply with K-Means clustering and the company can use it to make strategies to prepare the number of workers and production materials required.


In controlled contexts, young children find it more difficult to learn novel words for actions than words for objects: Imai et al. found that English-speaking three-year-olds mistakenly choose a novel object as a referent for a novel verb about 42% of the time despite hearing the verb in a transitive sentence. The current two studies investigated whether English three- and five-year-old children would find resultative actions easier (since they are prototypically causative) than the non-resultative, durative event types used in Imai et al.'s studies. The reverse was true. Furthermore, if the novel verbs were taught on completion of the action, this did not improve performance, which contrasts with previous findings. The resultative actions in the two studies reported here were punctual, change-of-location events which may be less visually salient than the non-resulative, durative actions. Visual salience may play a greater role than does degree of action causality in the relative ease of verb learning even at three years.


This study explores the interplay between early reading, identity and bilingualism. Reading identities, or understandings about what reading is and whom one is as a reader, have been linked to reading achievement and the development of reading skills. Only a small portion of the overall research on reading identities has included dual language learners. This exploratory study provides a description of the reading identities of three dual language learners in prekindergarten. Data include child-centered interviews, child and classroom observations, teacher interviews and a family questionnaire. Methods centered on the use of child-oriented data collection protocols, and the inclusion of children in the interpretation of their own work and language. Through the exploration of three cases, this study documents the ways that reading identities were constructed, taken up and expressed by the participants. This study provides evidence that dual language learners are actively constructing ideas about reading, bilingualism/biliteracy, and whom they are as readers as they learn to read. These findings show that framing early reading in an identity perspective presents opportunities to look more holistically at the language and reading practices of dual language learners as they learn to read and navigate two or more languages at home and school.


Handling data transmission for radio signals became one of the most important concerns, giving birth to Light as a significant alternative. Visible Light Communication (VLC) arose as an effective option for data communication. Light Fidelity (Li- Fi) is one of VLC technologies and represents a new technique operating with light signals in order to transmit data a source to a destination. It guarantees several benefits and can overcome different limitations of Wi-Fi technologies including security issues, media obstacles, and radio interference. Li-Fi technologies are adopted for experimental usage and does not extensively arise in industry. The adoption of Li-Fi technology in industry, it is necessary to measure the performance of data transmission several data types requiring to be supported. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the performance of data communication using VLC. This research is based on an implementation for different types of data transmission through Li-Fi. The methodology that has been adopted for this study consists on a simulation topology by NS-3 which has been built to study the performance TCP and UDP protocols in Li-Fi environment for VLC communication. Various types of data have been transmitted through an appropriate designed model. The simulation results show the differences between the two common algorithms. The implementation explained the needs for Li-Fi data transmission. Indeed, this work show a successful audio, text, and images transfer through VLC technology.


This study employs interviews, document review, and a national survey of local government officials to investigate the factors that influence the success of efforts to convert underutilized contaminated properties into greenspace. We find that the presence of contamination continues to be a concern despite federal and state efforts to ease liability fears but also that site and project features can overcome this hurdle. In particular, jurisdictions appear more likely to convert distressed properties into greenspace if recreational parks, rather than open space, are planned, sites are already owned rather than available only through tax foreclosure, and the state is perceived as being supportive of the conversion. In addition, mixed public-private funding and site locations in residential areas are more likely to attract community support for conversion projects. The redevelopment of brownfields — properties that contain abandoned or underused facilities in which expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived contamination — presents both a problem and an opportunity to the active-living community. Left unattended, brown-fields have accumulated and dragged down the quality of life in numerous American neighborhoods, burdening local residents with shuttered businesses, empty lots, and polluted soil and groundwater. At the same time, many of these neighborhoods suffer from a shortage of greenspace We gratefully acknowledge funding for this study from Active Living Research, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. We also would like to extend special thanks to Marla Hollander for her active-living expertise, to Francie Streich for outstanding research assistance during survey design and administration, and to interviewees in Minnesota and Wis-consin for their input in shaping this research. for parks, playgrounds, gardening, natural open-space areas, and walking (Harnik 2001). Converting brownfield properties into greenspaces offers a potential solution to both problems, improving the natural environment by addressing contamination, as well as helping transform distressed neighborhoods into healthier human environments that provide more venues for walking, recreation, and other physical activities. To realize such gains, however, potential brownfield-to-greenspace conversion projects must confront the financial realities of brownfields revitalization. Such revitalization typically is powered by the promise of housing opportunities or the economic gains — jobs, increased incomes, heightened tax revenues, for example — associated with commercial or industrial reuse. The benefits of greenspace, in contrast, frequently appear more invisible, qualitative, and longer term. As a consequence, conversions have frequently lacked the political champion necessary for implementation. Much of the federal and state …


In this paper, a chaotic duplex H.264-codec-based secure video communication scheme is designed and its smartphone implementation is also carried out. First, an improved self-synchronous chaotic stream cipher algorithm equipped with a sinusoidal modulation, a multiplication, a modulo operation and a round down operation (SCSCA-SMMR) is developed. Using the sinusoidal modulation and multiplication, the improved algorithm can resist the divide-and-conquer attack by traversing multiple nonzero component initial conditions (DCA-TMNCIC). Meanwhile, also by means of the round down operation and modulo operation, on the premise that the DCA-TMNCIC does not work, the original keys cannot be further deciphered only by the known-plaintext attack, the chosen-plaintext attack and the chosen-ciphertext attack, respectively. Then, the Android low-level multimedia support infrastructure MediaCodec class is used to access low-level media encoder/decoder components and the H.264 hardware encoding/decoding is performed on real-time videos, so the chaotic video encryption and decryption can be realized in real-time by smartphones. Security analysis and smartphone experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.


This paper studies the effect of different color fringe projection sequences for 3D shape measurement of general objects. A novel color correction method is also presented for reducing the image color errors induced from color coupling effect and color imbalance effect. First, three sequences of projected fringe patterns, including basic projection sequence, disordered projection sequence and ordered projection sequence, are proposeded for 3D shape measurement by the digital fringe projection method. Effects of these three projection sequences on the quality of measured 3D object shapes are compared. It is found that the ordered projection sequence can reduce the phase errors effectively and improve the quality of the shape reconstruction results. Then, the image color intensity ranges for the red, green and blue color channels are adjusted respectively such that the color coupling effect and color imbalance effect can be reduced. The adjusted color intensities will also result in a breakthrough for measuring non-white object surfaces. Finally, an integrated program is developed in Visual .NET C++ by combining phase-shifting, phase-wrapping, and phase-unwrapping algorithms. 3D shapes of test objects are measured by this integrated program. From the research results, it shows that the reconstruction quality of the 3D shapes is improved by using the proposed ordered projection sequence and the adjusted color intensities.


Resolution of the fundamental frequency of speech sound required for the design of a speech processor of a cochlear implant device is investigated, with special regard to transmitting voice pitch information in Asian languages. Clinical application of the cochlear implant has spread rapidly in recent years to Asian countries where a variety of languages having different voice pitch information from English and other European languages are spoken. The perceptually acceptable area and required resolution of duration and fundamental frequency is estimated on a two-dimensional chart consisting of logarithmic time and frequency scales, based on the typical voice pitch contours of Japanese word accent and Chinese syllabic tone. As a result, it is shown that much finer quantizing and time sampling for the change in fundamental frequency is required compared with sentence intonation and emphasis common to other languages. It is also shown that the amount of information conveyed by combined use of lipreading with a cochlear implant is not sufficient for supplementing the voice pitch information. A possible way of transmitting such voice pitch information by transmission of the waveform of speech sound directly to the auditory area of cortex, where the waveform is reconstructed and voice pitch is extracted, is discussed.


Epithelial morphogenesis is supported by diffusible growth factors and by nondiffusible cell substrata, such as laminin and fibronectin. When embedded in a laminin‐rich basement‐membrane substratum, embryonic mouse submandibular epithelium undergoes cell proliferation and branching morphogenesis in response to epidermal growth factor (EGF) in mesenchyme‐free culture but not in serum‐free medium. In this study, we sought to identify the biologically active factor in serum. As this factor was heat‐stable and trypsin‐resistant, the lipid fraction was analyzed. Horse serum was fractionated by ethanol extraction, Folch partition with chloroform–methanol–water, and high‐performance liquid chromatography, and we tested the branch‐inducing activity of each fraction. We also analyzed the partially purified fraction with a mass spectrometer, indicating that the active fraction largely consisted of lysophosphatidyl‐hexose. Finally we identified the molecule as lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), because, whereas lysophosphatidyl‐inositol had only a slight branch‐inducing activity, its relevant LPA fully substituted for serum and induced branching morphogenesis in cooperation with EGF. LPA receptor genes were expressed in submandibular epithelial cells. DNA‐synthesizing cells were abundant only when cultured in the presence of both EGF and LPA, but not either singly. Developmental Dynamics 235:403–410, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


With effective antiviral therapies, rates of hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and decompensated liver disease requiring liver transplantation (LT) are expected to decrease. We aim to evaluate overall trends in LT waitlist registrations, waitlist survival and likelihood of receiving LT among chronic HBV patients in the United States. Using the United Network for Organ Sharing database, we retrospectively evaluated adults (age≥18) with chronic HBV (with and without HCC) listed for LT from 1992 to 1996 (Era 1) vs 1997 to 2004 (Era 2) vs 2005‐2015 (Era 3). Multivariate Cox‐regression models evaluated probability of waitlist survival and receiving LT. Overall, 6797 chronic HBV adults were listed for LT. While the total number of HBV patients listed for LT remained stable, the proportion of HBV patients with HCC increased from 5.4% in Era 1 to 39.0% in Era 3. Compared to Era 1, waitlist mortality was higher in Era 2 (HR: 4.55, P<.001) and Era 3 (HR: 3.63, P<.001). However, in the most recent era, waitlist mortality significantly improved (compared to 2005‐2007: 2008‐2011: HR: 0.74, P=.05, 95% CI: 0.55‐0.99; 2012‐2015: HR: 0.53, P<.001, 95% CI: 0.38‐0.75). Probability of receiving LT was also lower with latter time periods (compared to 2005‐2007: 2008‐2011: HR: 0.77, P<.001 95% CI: 0.68‐0.86; 2012‐2015: HR: 0.61, P<.001, 95% CI: 0.54‐0.69). Although the number of HBV patients requiring LT remained stable, the proportion of HBV patients with HCC continues to rise. The decrease in waitlist mortality and lower likelihood of LT among HBV patients may reflect the effectiveness of antiviral therapies in delaying disease progression in the current era.


The objective was to estimate the probability of sporadic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission to a patient from an infected surgeon due to percutaneous injury during an invasive procedure. Risk was estimated based on a model involving three probabilities: A, the probability that the surgeon will sustain a percutaneous injury during an invasive procedure; B, the probability that the sharp object causing the injury and now contaminated with the surgeon's blood will contact the patient's wound; and C, the probability that infection would be transmitted to the patient after such an exposure. The probability of transmission during one procedure is p = A x B x C. The probability of transmission to at least one patient during N procedures is 1-(1-p)N. Values for A, B, and C were estimated from prospective studies. The estimated probability of transmission from an infected surgeon to a patient during a single procedure is 0.00024-0.0024% for HIV and 0.024-0.24% for HBV if the surgeon is positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). The estimated probability of transmission to at least one patient during 3,500 procedures (estimated to be performed during an HIV-infected surgeon's remaining working life) is 0.81-8.1% for HIV; 57-100% for HBV if the surgeon is an HBeAg carrier. These estimates represent population averages and may not necessarily apply to a particular procedure performed by a particular surgeon, for which the risk may be considerably lower or higher than the estimated average. This risk assessment, which is based on limited data and does not take clusters of transmission into account, predicts that the risk of sporadic HBV transmission from infected surgeons to patients due to percutaneous injury during an invasive procedure is small and that the risk of HIV transmission is less than that for HBV. More data are needed to understand both sporadic and epidemic transmission in order to further reduce patient risk.


Some examples of Measurements with the BOS technique are shown. Results of investigations regarding the accuracy, sensitivity and resolution of the BOS-System are illustrated. The development of the BOS technique towards a quantitative measurement method is briefly described and some Results of thomographic BOS-measurements at an underexpanded, free jet of air are shown.


Free-carrier absorption is theoretically studied for semiconductor lasers where the photon energy is as large as the energy gap. A quantum-mechanical investigation shows that intraband absorption is very weak and interband absorption totally negligible, in contrast to the usual classical estimations. Therefore free-carrier absorption in semiconductor lasers is insignificant. It follows that free-carrier absorption is not the reason for the impossibility of laser action in indirect-bandgap semiconductors. Obviously the scattering and mirror losses are responsible for this effect.


The first quantum correction to a time correlation function is obtained by expanding the quantum‐mechanical correlation function in powers of Planck's constant. Quantum corrections to time correlation functions are of interest because they may be used to obtain quantum corrections to transport properties. An application of the formalism to nuclear spin‐lattice relaxation is included. A formal expression is obtained for the first quantum correction to the lattice time correlation functions. The effect of this correction on the relaxation time is indicated. The possibility of using the first quantum correction to calculate isotope effects on transport properties is discussed.


Breast self-examination is a non-invasive, simple early-screening method for the detection of breast cancer. In Germany clinical breast examination and training for breast self-examination are part of a public early cancer detection program for women 30 years and older. Generally women have accepted breast self-examination as a means for early detection of breast cancer, but only 8–40% of women conduct it once a month. Recently, the Canadian Task Force on Periodic Health Examination excluded breast self-examination instruction from periodic health examinations, because the results of two large randomised controlled trials in Shanghai/China and in St. Petersburg/Russia, a quasi-randomised trial in Great Britain and a large cohort study in the United States have failed to showa reduction of mortality from breast cancer. A Canadian case-control study was unique in its prospective, ob-jective assessment of self-examination practice. Specific aspects of technique were found to be associated with a reduced risk of death from breast cancer. This trial suggests that proper education in a standardized and evaluated breast self-examination technique might be an important factor in breast cancer prevention. Several studies examined the impact of psychological factors on breast self examination practice. They describe that worry and anxiety can motivate and inhibit self-protective behaviour. Few studies have examined the psychological effects of breast self-examination, that might be of particular interest for further research.


Background: Attendance management is one of the most important issues in the educational institutions. The traditional method for attendance recording is manually recording by professors in the school or university which is associated with several problems. We proposed the design and utilization of an electronic application for students' attendance recording via smartphones and PCs. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional and Quasi-experimental study, which held in the department of clinical pharmacy in the school of pharmacy in Ahvaz Jundishapur University of medical sciences. Group I was assigned to the manually recording of student attendance. Group II was assigned to the design and utilization of an electronic application for registration of attendance. Each of the professors records the students' attendance in the class by smartphones. Finally, the satisfaction of the professors about the application was assessed with the 6-item questionnaire. Also, the efficacy of the application was evaluated through the comparison of the number of recorded attendance and the number of absent recorded in group I and II. Results: The results of satisfaction survey illustrated that all of the professors found the electronic recording of the attendance was the more useful than the traditional method and lead to the reducing the possibility of errors, the time spent, and the pleasure of students. Also, the comparison between the numbers of students' recorded attendance and numbers of absence recorded were higher by utilization of the application more than by the traditional method. Conclusion: The students' attendance recording application can improve performance compared to the manually attendance management system via decreasing the possibility errors and continuous assessing during a semester.


On the basis of examination of 12,253 patients receiving stomatological health services in six provinces it was found that the health of the stomatognathic system has not improved in this population as compared with the 1970s, and it is much worse than in certain countries.


The aim is to investigate the growth inhibiting effect to lung cancer NCI-H460 cell line by combined utilization ZD55-IL-24 with chemotherapeutic agent 5-FU in vitro.The methods of RT-PCR and Western blot are performed to test the expression of IL-24 at the level of transcription and translation,respectively,and the results showed that IL-24 can express in NCI-H460 cells infected ZD55-IL-24,but not in NCI-H460 cells not infected.Crystal Violet staining qualitative assay demonstrated that the growth inhibition of NCI-H460 cells treated with the combination ZD55-IL-24 and 5-Fu is more obvious than that in ZD55-IL-24 group and 5-Fu group alone.MTT quantitive analysis also indicated that the combination of ZD55-IL-24 and 5-Fu induces growth suppression and cell apoptosis of NCI-H460 cells more significantly than either single treatment(P0.05).Then,Hoechst33258 staining method also confirms that the apoptosis of NCI-H460 cells treated with ZD55-IL-24 and 5-Fu is stronger than that of ZD55-IL-24 group and 5-Fu group.In conclusion,the study primarily confirms that ZD55-IL-24 sensitized NCI-H460 cells to chemotherapy significantly and the anti-tumor effects of combinational therapy are stronger than either single therapy.


We report collection of precise photoluminescence maps (emission intensity versus energy and magnetic field) of superior-quality two-dimensional hole gases. The maps reveal field evolution of both direct and cyclotron-assisted recombination lines attributed to various excitonic complexes, either moving nearly freely in the plane or bound to the acceptors placed inside or outside the quantum well. Under two-beam illumination (with photon energies below and above the band-gap in the barrier) we were able to control hole concentration (in the same well), and in particular to decrease it beyond the point of p- to n-type conversion. Our results demonstrate contrast between charge conversion of free and acceptor-bound positive trions resulting from the breaking of charge reflection symmetry by a fixed impurity.


Designing and implementing a lesson plan is a complex process, so that according to several studies, the pre-service EFL teachers still had difficulties during designing and implementing a lesson plan. As novice designers, pre-service EFL teachers still lack of knowledge and expertise. Therefore, this study aims to find out the voices of the pre-service EFL teachers about their own experiences in designing and implementing their lesson plans. Five pre-service EFL teachers who had experienced to design and implement a lesson plan in the teaching practicum program during the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak at Senior High Schools in Karawang were recruited as the research participants. This study uses a qualitative approach and uses collective case studies research design. Online written interviews and virtual observation were conducted to collect data as information to answer the research question, and the interview data were then analyzed using thematic analysis. This research found out that designing and implementing lesson plans practiced by the pre-service EFL teachers during the teaching programs were perceived as decision-making process, non-negotiable process, and challenging process.


IntroductionTuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of avoidable deaths from an infectious disease globally and a large of number of people who develop TB each year remain undiagnosed. Active case-finding has been recommended by the World Health Organization to bridge the case-detection gap for TB in high burden countries. However, concerns remain regarding their yield and cost-effectiveness. MethodsData from mobile chest X-ray (CXR) supported active case-finding community camps conducted in Karachi, Pakistan from July 2017- March 2020 was retrospectively analyzed. After a CXR screening supported by computer-aided detection, those with presumptive TB were counselled to submit a sputum sample for Xpert MTB/RIF testing. Frequency analysis was carried out at the camp-level and outcomes of interest for the spatial analyses were mycobacterium TB positivity (MTB+) and X-ray abnormality ratios. The Moran's I statistic was used to test for spatial autocorrelation for MTB+ and abnormal X-rays within Union Councils (UCs) in Karachi. Local Indicators of Spatial Autocorrelation analyses were performed for UCs within Karachi. Point-pattern analyses were carried out utilizing GPS coordinates recorded at the camp sites and were analyzed for spatial autocorrelation using Getis Ord Star tests.ResultsA total of 1,161 (78.1%) camps yielded no MTB+ cases, 246 (16.5%) camps yielded 1 MTB+, 52 (3.5%) camps yielded 2 MTB+ and 27 (1.8%) yielded 3 or more MTB+. A total of 79 (5.3%) camps accounted for 193 (44.0%) of MTB+ cases detected. Statistically significant clustering for MTB positivity (Moran's I: 0.09) and abnormal chest X-rays (Moran's I: 0.36) ratios was identified within UCs in Karachi. Clustering of UCs with high MTB positivity were identified in Karachi West district. Clusters of camp locations with high MTB+ ratios were identified in Karachi South and Karachi West districts and in several locations in the north and eastern peripheries of the city. ConclusionStatistically significant spatial variation was identified in yield of bacteriologically positive TB cases and in abnormal CXR through active case-finding in Karachi. Cost-effectiveness of active case-finding programs can be improved by identifying and focusing interventions in hotspots and avoiding locations with no known TB cases reported through routine surveillance.


With the emergence of new color-mixing LED systems based on LED devices of different color temperatures, the need for a new modeling technique for LED systems with nonidentical LED devices becomes imminent. This paper presents a modeling technique for LED systems with LED arrays comprising nonidentical LED devices that have nonidentical optical-thermal-electrical properties. Based on a general 3-D photo-electro-thermal LED node model, LED devices of different kinds can be arranged in various array forms according to their system construction and design. By linking the system matrix to the correlated-color-temperature prediction, the proposed modeling technique provides an accurate prediction of the temperature distribution, luminous flux, and correlated color temperature of the LED systems. The temperature distribution and light output of the LED systems have been measured using an infrared imaging system and a spectrophoto-colorimeter with an integrating sphere. The modeling technique has been successfully demonstrated and experimentally verified on several LED systems comprising nonidentical LED devices. It is particularly useful as a modeling tool to study new color-mixing LED systems based on different types of LED devices.


Stagnation is one of the complicated issues in Grid computing systems, which is caused by random arrival of tasks and heterogeneous resources. Stagnation occurs when a large number of submitted tasks are assigned to a specific resource and make it overflow. To prevent this scenario, a load balancing algorithm based on Ant Colony algorithm and Max-min technique is proposed in this paper. In the proposed algorithm, the resource manager of the system finds the best resource for a submitted task according to a matrix that indicates the characteristics of all resources as pheromone values. By choosing the best resource for the submitted task, a local pheromone update is applied to the selected one to reduce the tendency of being selected by onward new tasks. After this assigned task is executed properly, a global pheromone update is performed to renew the status of all resources for the next submitted tasks. To avoid stagnation, a comparison between a predefined threshold and the pheromone value of each resource is performed to keep the number of assigned tasks below this threshold. Due to harmonizing the resources' characteristics and tasks, the proposed algorithm is able to reduce the response time of the submitted tasks while it is simple to be implemented.


Abstract The basin contains more than six million cubic miles of predominantly Mesozoic and Cenozoic sediments. It is underlain by a normal oceanic crust (and a normal upper mantle) which is buried in its axial depression by 45,000 feet of sediments, most of which were deposited in deep waters. It is a fragment of the "old" Pacific Ocean and not a part of the "new" Atlantic. Late Paleozoic orogenies influenced the basin shape: the "buried" Llanoria (Ouachita) structural belt along the northern margin, the Chiapas-Guatemalan structural belt along the southern margin, and a "connecting" structural belt (now "buried") along the western margin. This latter margin was more strongly established by Nevadan (Jurassic) and Laramide (early Tertiary) orogenies. A complex system of transform faulting, created as the Gulf Basin (and Mexico) drifted westward, leaving the Caribbean "Pacific Tongue" behind, marks the southeastern margin. Great thicknesses of Jurassic salt occur in major depressions within the basin. Much of this salt was apparently deposited "abruptly" in deep waters. During salt deposition, the African continent probably marked the eastern margin of the Gulf Basin. The Nevavda orogeny restricted normal Gulf circulation from the Pacific, creating conditions favorable for salt sedimentation. Post-salt sediments came from two major provenances: Mesozoic from the Appalachians and Cenozoic from the Rocky Mountains. History of the Gulf Basin supports modern concepts of continental drift. The rising Mid-Atlantic ridge and westward drift dominated the sedimentary and structural history during Late Paleozoic and Mesozoic times, while the East Pacific rise controlled the Cenozoic history. The data indicate that the effect of the rising Mid-Atlantic ridge ended the Paleozoic era, and that intermittent drift of the continents away from the ridge carrying them "deeper" into the Pacific sea level, controlled the beginning and ending of the different periods and epochs of the Mesozoic. Furthermore, the influence of the East Pacific rise on western North America ended the Mesozoic era and controlled the periods and epochs of the Cenozoic era. The Gulf "salt basin" appears genetically related to a series of "salt basins" which formed from north to south as continents began to drift apart along the Mid-Atlantic "swell," Progressive decrease in age from Late Paleozoic at the north to Lower Cretaceous at the south suggests the supercontinent (or continents) began rifting apart first at the northern end. The sedimentary and structural records indicate drift was spasmodic rather than continuous.


More advanced visual prosthetics can be divided into three major groups. First, there are the devices that use either ultrasound or a camera to sample the environment ahead of an individual and render the results into either a series of sounds or a tactile display. This process is known as sensory substitution because the sense of hearing or touch is substituted for that of sight. From this substitution users are supposed to be able to discern the shape and proximity of objects in their path. The second major form is retinal enhancement. These sensors supplement functions of the retina by stimulating it with electrical signals, which are then converted to nerve impulses and transferred through the optic nerve to the brain. The third major category of visual prosthetic is a digital camera that samples an image and stimulates the brain directly with electrical signals, either by penetrating into or placing electrodes on the surface of the optic nerve or the visual cortex.


Control over cell viability is a fundamental property underlying numerous physiological processes. Cell spreading on a substrate was previously demonstrated to be a major factor in determining the viability of individual cells. In multicellular organisms, cell-cell contact is likely to play a significant role in regulating cell vitality, but its function is easily masked by cell-substrate interactions, thus remains incompletely characterized. In this study, we show that suspended immortalized human keratinocyte sheets with persisting intercellular contacts exhibited significant contraction, junctional actin localization, and reinforcement of cell-cell adhesion strength. Further, cells within these sheets remain viable, in contrast to trypsinized cells suspended without either cell-cell or cell-substrate contact, which underwent apoptosis at high rates. Suppression of plakoglobin weakened cell-cell adhesion in cell sheets and suppressed apoptosis in suspended, trypsinized cells. These results demonstrate that cell-cell contact may be a fundamental control mechanism governing cell viability and that the junctional protein plakoglobin is a key regulator of this process. Given the near-ubiquity of plakoglobin in multicellular organisms, these findings could have significant implications for understanding cell adhesion, modeling disease progression, developing therapeutics and improving the viability of tissue engineering protocols.


In this work, we aimed to identify potential SARS-COV2 virus Mpro protease inhibitors using molecular docking. As a validation step of our docking approach, we used 7 known Mpro inhibitors and predicted their binding energies. We found a very good correlation (R = -0.86) between the binding energies and the pIC50 (-LogIC50) values. We then undertook virtual screening of 50753 heterocyclic molecules from the PubChem Database. The screened molecules were first filtered out using Lipinski, Veber and Ghose rules resulting in 21 142 which was submitted to the docking phase. The docked compounds were ranked according to their predicted binding energy to the protease and a threshold of -9.0 Kcal/mol was applied resulting in a set of 2711 hits. These hits were split into different groups according to their chemical class using a rule-based classification approach. The best compound from each of the most populated classes were subjected to binding mode analysis which led to ligand-receptor interaction maps and suggested some medicinal chemistry-oriented modifications to further optimize the potency of the obtained hits. Predicted IC50 of the hit molecules ranged from 0.85 to 0.43 µM against SARS-COV2 virus Mpro protease.


This research is a research-based on library research (Library Research). The progress and sophistication of the times and technology have resulted in many children falling into the abyss of error resulting in moral decadence such as brawls between students, promiscuity, consuming drugs, free sex, and so on. Based on this problem, it is certainly a responsibility for all elements, especially parents and educators to provide the right solution for the next generation of this nation. On that basis, the focus and purpose of this study are to explain the method of moral education according to Imam Al-Ghazali and Abdullah Nashih Ulwan.  The relevance of moral education between the two figures' thoughts and the national education system is clearly seen in the definition of education itself, the aims of education, and the educational methods used.


: In this paper we introduce intuitionistic fuzzy completely regular weakly continuous mappings and some of their properties are studied.


Background and purpose — The Lubinus SP II stem is well documented in both orthopedic registries and clinical studies. Worldwide, the most commonly used stem lengths are 150 mm and 170 mm. In 1995, the 130-mm stem was introduced, but no outcome data have been published. We assessed the long-term survival of the Lubinus SP II 130-mm stem in primary total hip arthroplasty. Patients and methods — In a retrospective cohort study, we evaluated 829 patients with a Lubinus SP II primary total hip arthroplasty (932 hips). The hips were implanted between 1996 and 2001. The primary endpoint was revision for any reason. The mean follow-up period was 10 (5–15) years. Results — Survival analysis showed an all-cause 10-year survival rate of the stem of 98.7% (95% CI: 99.7–97.7), and all-cause 10-year survival of the total hip arthroplasty was 98.3% (95% CI: 99.3–97.3). Interpretation — Excellent long-term results can be achieved with the cemented Lubinus SP II with the relatively short 130-mm stem. This stem has potential advantages over its 150-mm and 170-mm siblings such as bone preservation distal to the stem, better proximal filling around the prosthesis, and easier removal.


The purpose of this article is to show the sacrificial character of the Eucharist ba-sed on the encyclical of Pope John Paul II Ecclesia de Eucharistia. At the beginning of the new century and millennium, this document focuses on the most precious treasure of the Church which has been entrusted to it, and this is the one and ultimate redeeming sacrifice of Christ, perpetuated just so by the Eucharist. Each Eucharist is not only a recol-lection of this event, or some separate sacrifice, but perpetuates the sacramental sacrifice of the Cross, and in no way does it increase it, nothing is added to it, nor is it multiplied. A full understanding of the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist also signifies that in which this sacrifice finds its fulfilment, namely the mystery of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the Eucharist ought to be relived in its integrity, therefore too, apart from the sacrifice, its essential dimensions are a presence and a feast. The sacrificial nature of the Eucharist demands a sacrificial attitude of the faithful.


Two approaches to top-surface nitridation of tunnel oxide, i.e., rapid thermal nitridation using NH3 anneal and decoupled plasma nitridation, are compared. Floating-gate MOS capacitors with source/drain were used to evaluate Flash memory performance and reliability. Tunnel-oxide NH3 anneal degrades postcycling retention performance compared to plasma nitridation for the same equivalent oxide thickness reduction. The poorer performance of NH3 anneal is related to higher N incorporation into SiO2 bulk rather than top surface. Postcycling memory erase-level shift and memory window (MW) closure is lower for plasma nitridation compared to NH3 anneal. A new integration scheme using plasma nitridation followed by NO anneal produces the lowest MW closure with cycling.


The present study reports nonlinear optical properties such as first and second hyper polarizabilities (β and γ) of Y-shaped polymer (P1) and substituted polymers. The basic Y-shaped polymer (R=R1=H) named as P1. Upon substitution of one OCH3 group in ortho position of Oxygen becomes polymer P2 (R1=H, R=OCH3) and two OCH3 group as P3 (R1=R=OCH3). We have also reported structural parameters, vibrational and electronic absorption spectra of polymer and substituted using quantum chemical methods. The geometrical parameters such as dipole moment, bond length and angles are reported at B3LYP/6-311++g** level of theory. In addition, the vibrational, electronic absorption spectra and NLO properties are also reported at the same level of theory. There is significant change in dipole moment and energy observed whereas symmetry, bond length and angles are resembling in Y-shaped and substituted polymer. The vibrational spectra of Y-shaped polymer (P1) having the intense peak is C-H stretching mode observed at 1258 cm-1. These Theoretical vibrational modes are well matching with available experimental determinations. The method dependent and the along the X, Y and Z-direction hyperpolarizabilites also reported. This study confirms the polymer P1 and P2 showing first and second hyperpolarizability response whereas P3 do not show. The electronic absorption spectra for polymer and substituted polymers are also reported at the same level of theory using (TDDFT) approach. The wavelength of electronic transition, oscillator strength and HOMO-LUMO gap also reported.


[1] Several dozen distinct alluvial fans, 10 to ∼40 km long downslope, have been observed in highlands craters. Within a search region between 0° and 30°S, alluvial fan-containing craters were found only between 18° and 29°S, and they all occur at around ±1 km of the MOLA-defined Martian datum. Within the study area they are not randomly distributed but instead form three distinct clusters. Fans typically descend >1 km from where they disgorge from their alcoves. Longitudinal profiles show that their surfaces are very slightly concave with a mean slope of 2°. Many fans exhibit very long, narrow, low-relief ridges radially oriented downslope, often branching at their distal ends, suggestive of distributaries. Morphometric data for 31 fans were derived from MOLA data and compared with terrestrial fans with high-relief source areas, terrestrial low-gradient alluvial ramps in inactive tectonic settings, and older Martian alluvial ramps along crater floors. The Martian alluvial fans generally fall on the same trends as the terrestrial alluvial fans, whereas the gentler Martian crater floor ramps are similar in gradient to the low-relief terrestrial alluvial surfaces. For a given fan gradient, Martian alluvial fans generally have greater source basin relief than terrestrial fans in active tectonic settings. This suggests that the terrestrial source basins either yield coarser debris or have higher sediment concentrations than their Martian counterpoints. Martian fans (and terrestrial Basin and Range fans) have steeper gradients than the older Martian alluvial ramps (and terrestrial low-relief alluvial surfaces), which is consistent with the construction of Martian fans from dominantly gravel-sized sediment (rather than sand and silt). Martian fans are relatively large and of low gradient, similar to terrestrial fluvial fans rather than debris flow fans (although gravity-scaling uncertainties make the flow regime forming Martian fans uncertain). However, evidence of bedforms accentuated by differential erosion, such as scroll bars, supports the contention that these are fluvially formed fans. Martian fans, at least those in Holden crater, apparently formed around the time of the Noachian-Hesperian boundary. We infer that these fans formed during an episode of enhanced precipitation (probably snow) and runoff, which exhibited both sudden onset and termination.


Alternative approaches to linkage and association mapping using inbred panels may allow further insights into loci involved in resistance to Fusarium ear rot and lead to the discovery of suitable markers for breeding programs. Here, the suitability of a maize multiparent advanced-generation intercross population for detecting quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with Fusarium ear rot resistance was evaluated and found to be valuable in uncovering genomic regions containing resistance-associated loci in temperate materials. In total, 13 putative minor QTLs were located over all of the chromosomes, except chromosome 5, and frequencies of favorable alleles for resistance to Fusarium ear rot were, in general, high. These findings corroborated the quantitative characteristic of resistance to Fusarium ear rot in which many loci have small additive effects. Present and previous results indicate that crucial regions such as 210 to 220 Mb in chromosome 3 and 166 to 173 Mb in chromosome 7 (B73-RefGen-v2) contain QTLs for Fusarium ear rot resistance and fumonisin content.


Recent advances in magnetic resonance (MR) molecular and functional imaging are providing novel insights into several diseases including cancer. The development of contrast agents (CAs) that generate receptor- or molecular-targeted contrast has greatly increased the scope of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications. Because of its high sensitivity, radiopharmaceutical-based nuclear imaging has been the predominant method of choice for receptor imaging. Several receptor-based SPECT tracers for tumour detection are already clinically available and include [111In]OctreoScan® for the detection of somatostatin receptor-expressing tumours [2], [111In] Zevalin for the detection of CD20-positive lymphomas [3], and [111In]ProstaScint for detecting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-expressing prostate cancer [4]. Antibody-based probes provide high target receptor affinity, although their biodistribution can include substantial non-targeted uptake in both the liver and spleen. Vascular receptors are more accessible to monoclonal antibodies than receptors on cancer cells in the tumour. Targeting monoclonal antibodies to cancer cell receptors can take 24–48 hrs to generate maximum contrast.

The exquisite spatial resolution of MRI has led to studies exploring its use in imaging receptor expression in pre-clinical studies. In this issue of The Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Towner and colleagues [1] report on the in vivo detection of c-Met receptor expression by molecular MRI. The c-Met receptor is a tyrosine kinase receptor, which is located in the plasma membrane of cancer cells and contains an extracellular domain. The natural substrate of c-Met is the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Both the c-Met receptor itself and HGF are associated with poor prognosis in glioblastomas. As demonstrated by Towner and colleagues [1], novel MRI-detectable receptor probes can exploit the advantage of this inherently high resolution of MRI. Contrast enhancement using MRI is typically induced by altering the relaxation rate constants of the abundant water signal in tissue. This is done by employing either chelated Gd3+ to create T1 (spin-lattice relaxation time) positive contrast or superparamagnetic Fe2O3 particles to create T2 (spin-spin relaxation time) negative contrast. Probes that are amenable to labelling with radiometals for SPECT or PET can also be labelled with Gd3+-chelates for use in MRI. Because the sensitivity of detection for MRI is considerably lower than that of either SPECT or PET, MRI probes must either contain many chelated Gd3+ ions or the density of receptor targets must be high, usually in the range of 106 receptors per cell. An example of successful receptor imaging in preclinical studies using T1 contrast MRI was reported using a biotinylated Herceptin antibody to target Her2/neu expressing breast cancer tumours [5]. In this approach, once the antibody has had sufficient time to bind and clear from non-specific tissues, a Gd3+-chelated avidin probe is injected and binds specifically to the biotin present on the Herceptin antibody [5]. This generates positive contrast, enabling imaging of Her2/neu receptor expression [5].

In addition to radiopharmaceutical and MRI-based receptor imaging, optical and ultrasound receptor imaging are also being explored. Both antibody and small molecule probes have been conjugated to fluorophores emitting from the green through near-infrared (NIR) wavelength range. NIR light passes through tissue with less attenuation than shorter wavelengths and is making these dyes an attractive choice for fluorescence imaging. Attenuation is the critical limitation of this technique and optical receptor imaging is only just emerging as a pre-clinical modality to study cancer and cancer therapy [6]. To generate contrast for receptor imaging in ultrasound applications, microbubbles, which are typically per-fluorohydrocarbon gas in hydrophobic vesicles have recently been used [7, 8]. Microbubbles enhance the ultrasound echo by creating backscatter, because they expand and contract when being exposed to ultrasound beams of any frequency [8, 9].

While MRI-based CAs for oncologic receptor imaging, such as those developed by Towner and colleagues for c-Met imaging of malignant gliomas [1] are finding useful applications in pre-clinical studies, limitations imposed by the sensitivity of detection may restrict their clinical translation. Unlike radio-pharmaceuticals, MR CAs are not used in tracer quantities and will be subject to stricter evaluation by regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. The critical challenges for the future are to increase sensitivity of detection by designing signal amplification strategies or novel CAs. Such advances will realize the tremendous clinical potential of MRI in molecular and functional imaging applications.

We thank Dr. Dmitri Artemov for helpful discussions while preparing this commentary.


Background Involvement of small intestine is demonstrable up to 72% of patients, using non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs (NSAIDs). Quite little is known about influence of principal diagnosis on incidence and severity of enteropathy. Objectives Aim of our study was to compare small bowel enteropathy in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis patients. Methods Capsule endoscopy is currently the leading method for non-invasive diagnostics of small bowel lesions. This method is safe, reproducible, with high diagnostic yield, discriminating extend localization, severity and character of lesions. We examined 37 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 14 patients, using NSAIDs on a regular basis for osteoarthritis (OA). Group of 13 healthy persons not using NSAIDs served as a control group. We excluded people with comorbidities potentially involving the bowel or leading to a blood loss. We evaluated extend, severity and localizations of lesions. Qualitative data were evaluated by Fisher's exact test, Armitage test or chi2 test, quantitative data were evaluated by Student's T-test or Mann Whitney test in case of nonparametric distribution Results We demonstrated enteropathy in 67.5% of rheumatoid arthritis patients, moderate or severe lesions in 20% of RA patients. In osteoarthritis group there was 42.9% patients with enteropathy, severe in 7% of them. In control group there was demonstrated only mild changes in 15% people. Moderate or severe lesions were not demonstrating in NSAIDs non-users. Lesions were equally frequent in ileum and jejunum, duodenum was involved rarely. The same distribution was demonstrated also in moderate and severe lesions. Conclusions Rheumatoid arthritis patients, using non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs have significantly more frequent and more severe lesions of small bowel then osteoarthritis NSAIDs users. Jejunum and ileum were involved with equal frequency and severity, duodenal involvement was rare. Next studies must reply, if differences are caused by genetic predisposition, co medication, or they are caused by direct impact of rheumatoid arthritis. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


The effect of electromagnetic shock waves on the ureter and periureteric soft tissue was investigated in 10 patients who underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) for lower ureteric stones. Seven patients were males and 3 females, their ages ranged between 15 and 52. The number of shock waves applied varied between 3000 and 6000, at a mean of 19 kV. The patients were examined after their first ESWL. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed within 6 hours of treatment by a Magnetom 1 Tesla Unit. No haematoma, fluid collection or abnormality was detected in the periureteric space, muscle or surrounding structures by MRI. Although subcapsular, intra- or perirenal haematomas can be observed in patients with kidney stones treated with ESWL, it appears to be safe for lower ureteric stones.


This paper analyses Gen Y pre-service primary school teachers' conceptualisations of lifelong learning. It is situated within a context of improving the provision and delivery of pre-service teacher education. This paper argues that Gen Y's understanding of lifelong learning has been influenced by their engagements with digital technologies and that while they may have appropriated the Discourse of change in this context, it does not necessarily indicate an overall capacity for change agency. This is a concern for programs of teacher education whose mission, arguably, is to prepare future activist teaching professionals. This paper argues that higher education and teacher education programs of study need to consider the relationship between Gen Y, lifelong learning and change agency when aligning pedagogy and curriculum with the new generation of students.


According to classical theories precipitate interfaces are described by their degree of coherency with the matrix, which affects their strengthening contribution. Investigations of nitride precipitate interfaces in 12% Cr steels with transmission electron microscopy have shown the nitrides to be enveloped in an amorphous shell a few nm thick, thus leaving them without any coherency with the matrix. The amorphous nature of the shells could be ascertained with high resolution microscopy and dark field techniques. When extracted from the ferrite matrix the amorphous shells were observed to crystallize during electron beam exposure. The amorphous shells were observed around Ta- and Nb-based nitrides, which are considered to have a high interfacial energy with the ferrite matrix. They were not observed around V-based nitrides which have a Baker–Nutting relationship with low-misfit to the matrix.


AbstractThe amount of water vapor in the atmosphere, total precipitable water (TPW), is an important part of the global water cycle, and a clearer understanding of ocean-area TPW is critical for understanding climate variations. This study uses satellite-period statistics and historical data to analyze monthly oceanic TPW beginning in the nineteenth century. Input data for analyzing the historical TPW includes outputs from an extended dynamic reanalysis and estimates of TPW based on historical sea surface temperature (SST). Methods are developed to optimally use the various inputs to produce an improved analysis. Cross-validation testing is used to guide analysis development. Some evaluation of the resulting analysis indicates several strong climate modes. A global mode indicates multidecadal increases in TPW since the nineteenth century, with strongest increases in the tropics and adjacent to land monsoon regions. Strongest multidecadal changes in the global mode are 1910–40 and since 1980. An ENSO mode ...


A procedure for the separation of fresh and cryopreserved human spermatozoa is presented, compared with the Ficoll method according to Harrison [7] and clinically tested. The principle includes a filtration through glass wool and a gradient centrifugation. The gradient medium consists of Ca2(+)-free buffer, Dextran "70" and Visotrast, a radio-opaque medium. The sperm concentration, the sperm-migration-index and the sperm morphology checked by FACS 440 corresponds to the results of the Ficoll-method described by Harrison [7]. Furthermore, our method is usable for semen samples after adding of a cryoprotective medium with egg yolk and glycerol. An improvement of the chance of conception after artificial insemination by husband (AIH) by our method could not be found up to now.


In this work our aim is to increase the performance of fuzzy rule based classifications systems in the framework of imbalanced data-sets by means of the application of a genetic tuning step. We focus on the imbalanced data-set problem since it appears in many real application areas and, for this reason, it has become a relevant topic in the area of machine learning. This problem occurs when the number of examples that represents one of the concepts of interest (usually the most important) is much lower than that of the remaining ones. We want to adapt the 2-tuples based genetic tuning approach to classification problems and to study the positive synergy between this method and the Chi et al.'s fuzzy learning method, which is a basic approach in order to build the initial knowledge base. The experimental results show the improvement achieved by the 2-tuples based genetic tuning over the fuzzy rule based classification system in all types of imbalanced data, obtaining a better behaviour than the basic approach.


Developments in the specialty of general surgery have never been more important, nor have the opportunities for general surgeons been more exciting, than at the present. Technologic advances and the expansion of basic knowledge of surgical diseases have contributed to this renaissance of the field. It is of utmost importance that general surgeons seize the opportunity to participate in the education of medical students at all levels in the undergraduate years, seek to improve the surgical clerkships, and strive for the optimal learning environment for surgical residents. Through these means, the best and the brightest students will be attracted to general surgery as a career and will be retained in the practice of general surgery upon completion of residency training. Education of the student preparing for a nonsurgical career in the fundamental concepts underlying surgical therapy must be kept at the forefront of an undergraduate surgical curriculum. Integration and coordination of graduate surgical education in all of the general surgery-based specialties is an important obligation for the future, as knowledge expands in each specialty and the need for more specialty-specific education becomes apparent.


Diversified firms differ considerably in the efficiency of their internal capital markets (ICMs), through which scarce capital is allocated across alternative growth opportunities. This study highlights the role of firm age in generating this heterogeneity. Consistent with the hypothesis that organizational aging increases the rigidity of capital allocation, our analysis of Japanese firms identifies a strong inverse association between ICM efficiency and firm age. This correlation is robust to controlling for covariates suggested by alternative explanations such as agency problems and the individual aging of managers. Moreover, the correlation is substantially weakened when a firm is drastically reorganized. These results suggest that the liability of aging (age-based organizational rigidity) significantly affects intrafirm resource mobility, which is crucial for a firm's ability to respond to external changes.


In this paper, we provide a novel strategy for solving Traveling Salesman Problem, which is a famous combinatorial optimization problem studied intensely in the TCS community. In particular, we consider the imitation learning framework, which helps a deterministic algorithm making good choices whenever it needs to, resulting in a speed up while maintaining the exactness of the solution without suffering from the unpredictability and a potential large deviation. Furthermore, we demonstrate a strong generalization ability of a graph neural network trained under the imitation learning framework. Specifically, the model is capable of solving a large instance of TSP faster than the baseline while has only seen small TSP instances when training.


A communication model of distributed embedded system was presented though introducing a multiple buses example. The paper analyzes the communication delay under interaction of computation and communication, allocating inter-processor communication links, and schedule communication. The complex system can be divided into several parts and then the algorithm is applied to all the parts respectively. Some numerical results are also presented for illustration.


This paper describes HarmonyMixer, a method that enables a user without musical expertise to personalize the mood of existing polyphonic musical recordings by modifying their chord sequences. Our method lets the user choose a reference song with a character that the user wants reflected in chords of a target song. It is, however, difficult to modify chords in existing complex sound mixtures since technologies of sound source separation and multipitch analysis are not yet accurate enough for those mixtures. To overcome this difficulty, HarmonyMixer does not rely on those technologies and instead modifies chords by leveraging chromagrams. It first analyzes a chromagram feature matrix by using Bayesian non-parametric Non-negative Matrix Factorization, and then interpolates basis matrices obtained from reference and target songs to convert the chromagram of the target song. It finally modifies the spectrogram of the target song by reflecting the difference between the original and converted chromagrams while considering relations between frequency bins and chroma bins. Listening to the output from our method confirmed that modification of chords had been derived.