The Backpack is one type of bag that experienced significant development. Many people buy it for their needs. However, when assessing a backpack directly or on the road, he could not recognize the backpack. The generally people want to buy backpacks must look at the price, color, shape, features, and the main ingredients of manufacture. Therefore, in image processing, there is a feature extraction theory for the process of recognizing an object. The backpack itself has a different texture. So that the introduction of the object is better done texture feature extraction with the gray level Co-occurrence matrix method. After that, then get the uniqueness of the backpack image to the classification with the image of the backpack in the database. The last stage in this study the authors conducted trials in 3 conditions. The first condition is based on a backpack photo-taking background. The second condition is based on the pixel capacity of the camera to retrieve the backpack image. And the third condition is based on the brightness of the backpack image. Of these three conditions, a percentage of matching values was obtained in the first condition with an average percentage of 90%, the second condition with an average percentage of 80% and last on the third condition with an average percentage of 70%.


Steatosis is a defining feature of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, evidence that severity of steatosis can predict adverse outcomes in NAFLD or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is lacking. The aim of this study was to determine whether steatosis assessed by computed tomography (CT) imaging predicts adverse outcomes in diabetic patients at risk for NAFLD/NASH.


Alkaliphilic facultatively methanol-utilizing bacteria were investigated with respect to their phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics. These bacteria were gram-negative, nonsporeforming, nonmotile, coccoid or short rod-shaped organisms, grew at pH 7.0 to 9.5, and did not grow below pH 6.5 and above pH 10.0. The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) base composition was 64 to 66 mol% guanine plus cytosine. These bacteria resemble Paracoccus denitrificans with respect to morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, but are distinguished from P. denitrificans by physiological characteristics and DNA-DNA homology. These methanol-utilizing bacteria are described as a new species, Paracoccus alcaliphilus Urakami, Tamaoka, Suzuki, and Komagata. The type strain of P. alcaliphilus sp. nov. is strain TK 1015 (= JCM 7364).


The results of a highly diastereoselective epoxidation of allylic diols derived from Baylis-Hillman adducts are reported. The formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond seems to be responsible for the high anti diastereoselection obtained in this epoxidation reaction. The results are complementary to those obtained in the direct epoxidation of Baylis-Hillman adducts, in which an elevated syn diastereoselectivity was observed.


The impact of naval sonar on beaked whales is of increasing concern. In recent years the presence of gas and fat embolism consistent with decompression sickness (DCS) has been reported through postmortem analyses on beaked whales that stranded in connection with naval sonar exercises. In the present study, we use basic principles of diving physiology to model nitrogen tension and bubble growth in several tissue compartments during normal diving behavior and for several hypothetical dive profiles to assess the risk of DCS. Assuming that normal diving does not cause nitrogen tensions in excess of those shown to be safe for odontocetes, the modeling indicates that repetitive shallow dives, perhaps as a consequence of an extended avoidance reaction to sonar sound, can indeed pose a risk for DCS and that this risk should increase with the duration of the response. If the model is correct, then limiting the duration of sonar exposure to minimize the duration of any avoidance reaction therefore has the potential to reduce the risk of DCS.


The circulation of hundreds to thousands of cosmetic products in the world causes more considerations to be had in choosing the right cosmetic products. The number of cosmetics products available with various types and criteria requires buyers to be more careful in determining the right cosmetic products. The right solution to overcome these problems is to use the concept of semantic ontologi. The ontologi development method used is Methontologi. This method is one method of building an ontologi model that can be reused for an ontologi that is built for further research. The cosmetic products ontologi development model produces 3 classes, 5 object properties and 62 individuals or instances in each class. The ontologi evaluation process by performing SPARQL queries also gives appropriate results.


Background and Objectives: Breakfast skipping has been associated with obesity among adolescents in some studies but little is known about the relationship between breakfast consumption and obesity among secondary-school adolescents in Nigeria. This study contributes to the empirical literature by analyzing the relationship between breakfast consumption and anthropometrically determined nutritional status of secondary-school adolescents in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study in which multi-stage sampling was used to select 397 secondary-school adolescents (10 to 19 years, mean = 13.8 ± 1.7 years). They were classified into student groups from public or private schools in Lagos. Data were collected using a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using Epi-info version 7. The independent variables were the proportion of adolescents who had a high level of knowledge about breakfast consumption, while the outcome variable was the proportion of adolescents who were overweight or obese. World Health Organization (WHO) AnthroPlus software was used to determine the nutritional status of adolescents. Mean and standard deviations were computed for continuous variables, and frequency tables were generated for categorical variables. Significant associations between variables were obtained using Chi-square with the level of significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Only 17% of the adolescents had good knowledge of breakfast consumption. More than half (57.4%) of the participants ate a daily breakfast. The percentage of adolescents who skipped breakfast was higher among older 16-19 years (52.2%) and middle 13-15 years (43%) than the younger adolescents (34.7%). Girls skipped breakfast more than boys. Most respondents were in the normal Body Mass Index (BMI) ranges for their genders. Prevalence of overweight and obesity were 7.1% and 3.3% among males and 7.1% and 2.8% among females respectively. The mean BMI of those who skipped breakfast (19.33 ± 3.27kg/m2) was significantly higher than the BMI of those who ate breakfast (18.56 ± 3.05 kg/m2) (p=0.019). Most of the adolescents who ate a daily breakfast had mothers who had completed only primary school education although the relationship was not statistically significant (χ2 =5, p=0.172). Conclusion and Global Health Implications: Breakfast knowledge was low, while breakfast consumption was average. Adolescents who skipped breakfast had a significantly higher BMI (19.33 ± 3.27kg/m2) than those who ate breakfast (18.56 ± 3.05 kg/m2) (p=0.019). Nutrition education that emphasizes the importance of breakfast consumption with the purpose of behavioral change should be intensified among adolescents.


This article targets the task of language-based video moment localization. The language-based setting of this task allows for an open set of target activities, resulting in a large variation of the temporal lengths of video moments. Most existing methods prefer to first sample sufficient candidate moments with various temporal lengths, then match them with the given query to determine the target moment. However, candidate moments generated with a fixed temporal granularity may be suboptimal to handle the large variation in moment lengths. To this end, we propose a novel multi-stage Progressive Localization Network (PLN) that progressively localizes the target moment in a coarse-to-fine manner. Specifically, each stage of PLN has a localization branch and focuses on candidate moments that are generated with a specific temporal granularity. The temporal granularities of candidate moments are different across the stages. Moreover, we devise a conditional feature manipulation module and an upsampling connection to bridge the multiple localization branches. In this fashion, the later stages are able to absorb the previously learned information, thus facilitating the more fine-grained localization. Extensive experiments on three public datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed PLN for language-based moment localization, especially for localizing short moments in long videos.


Through the analysis of SCP and combining market structure of sports equipment industry with enterprise behavior and marketplace achievement affect, this paper points out that there are some problems and proposes the resolving suggestions.


Dynamic behavior of solar energy resource entails the need of robust controllers that can converge to the maximum power point (MPP) to maximize energy harvest. This paper explores an improved Perturb and Observe (P&O) technique that combines a fixed step model predictive controller (MPC), to speed up the control loop, applied to a boost converter. The proposed MPC Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technique is of higher efficacy and robustness over conventional MPPT. The improved MPC-MPPT is tested for the first time on an MPC strategy of seven-level subMultilevel Inverter (sMI) using three power arms cascaded with the H-bridge inverter. Such topology brings about many sizable benefits such as reduced number of power switches and their gate drivers when compared to the traditional multilevel inverter. MPC is also used as the control strategy for the sMI to eliminate complexities in the space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) and overcome the weaknesses of the inner control loop performance.


The different biophysical factors that have influenced the floods and subsidence incidence in the delegation of Iztapalapa, Distrito Federal, Central Mexico were considered. The analysis taken into account a procedure based on in cartographic overlaying and evaluation of factor weights. The hazard level was evaluated starting from the consideration of the variables that allow describing the flood characteristics (frequency, maximum height and maximum extend) and on the other hand, the variables that have influence in the presence of them (subsidence magnitude, slope inclination and, hydraulic infrastructure capacity). As well, the analysis was based on the meteorological analysis to determine its influence in the magnitude of floods, as well as in the fieldwork for checking and confirmation of results. Of the seventeen colonies evaluated in field, eight of them have the very dangerous level of floods, corresponding to 6% of the delegation area. These areas are located to the east, coinciding spacely with the places of more subsidence level or and with the hydraulic-collector systems of more spill volume. Most of floods are from rain origin; however, this variable was not decisive in their spatial presence.


We challenge the narrative that climate change transition risk is not being priced into sovereign bond markets. As measured by carbon dioxide emissions, natural resources rents and renewable energy consumption, climate change transition risk is factored into sovereign bond yields (and spreads) by investors. Using a sample of data from 23 advanced and 16 developing markets from 2000-2019, we show that countries with lower carbon emissions incur a lower risk premium on sovereign borrowing costs. Moreover, advanced countries willing to reduce their earnings from natural resources rents and, to some extent, increase renewable energy consumption are associated with lower sovereign borrowing costs. In contrast, developing countries with a strong dependence on natural resources or restricted renewable energy consumption incur lower sovereign borrowing costs. Thus, advanced economies that perform poorly in managing their climate transition may encounter increased sovereign borrowing costs, liquidity constraints, reduced capacity to effectively manage climate transition and the inability to finance economic recovery from severe climate shocks or natural disasters. The necessity to support developing countries to meet climate change targets also emerges. Given the threat climate change poses to the global economy and the fact that transition risk is materialized much faster than physical risk, we advocate an increase in the significance of climate transition risk factors as determinants of sovereign bond markets.


We have given a straightforward method to solve the problem of noncentral anharmonic oscillator in three dimensions. The relative propagator is presented by means of path integrals in spherical coordinates. By making an adequate change of time we are able to separate the angular motion from the radial one. The relative propagator is then exactly calculated. The energy spectrum and the corresponding wave functions are obtained.


Majority of poor households in industrial areas work as factory labors. They were at risk to food insecurity due to low income. Quantitatively, food insecurity determining based on energy adequacy level (<70%). One of the qualitative method that developed by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS). This instrument has not been tested in Indonesia as a n alternative method to identify household food insecurity, especially in industrial area. This study aimed to validate the HDDS to identify food insecure households in the industrial area. Cross sectional study was conducted in Wanaherang village, Gunung Putri sub district, Bogor district on May until October 2013. The result showed that 83.5% of total household consumed more than six foods group, but most of them has a low energy adequacy level (±70% RDA). Quantitative validation using energy adequacy level as a gold standard. Sensitivity analysis showed HDDS sensitive 22.03% to identify food insecure households. Specificity analysis showed HDDS specific 90.91% to identify food secure households. HDDS was modified by food categories based on nutritional function, namely source of carbohydrates , fat, animal protein, vegetable protein, vitamin and mineral and others. Sensitivity analysis showed HDDS modification was sensitive 86.44% to identify food insecure households. Specificity analysis showed HDDS modification was specific 50.00% to identify food secure households. High sensitivity implies that HDDS modification was able to identify food insecure households.


The paper introduces the major technical guidelines for three times of forest resource inventory and planning,and requirement and criteria for examination of standing volume table.It also point out 3% systematic error of standing volume table as criteria for examination must be made clear in the major technical guidelines.


The study of the relationships between the verb-form and tense in connection to both the concept of time and the nature of the denoted action or event represents one of the fundamental aspects of any language. Both English and Arab grammarians talk about such a relationship and seriously intend to account for it. The main points the present study raises are (1) the way both teams of grammarians handle the topic, and (2) the Arab grammarians' earlier attempts to identify these notions and the descriptive account they have provided for the relationship between such notions. It is hypothesed that: 1. Arabic and English tend to show, according to their grammarians, an agreement in more than one respect of these notions. 2. The descriptive linguistic efforts of the Arab grammarians concerning the identification and description of time, tense, and verb-form have preceded those of the English grammarians.


Erlotinib is an oral epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and when combined with gemcitabine for pancreatic cancer. Dose reduction of erlotinib in patients with severe hepatic impairment has been established. We present the case of a male patient suffering from an adenocarcinoma of the pancreas with metastases in the liver and lung, whose disease progression led to highly elevated bilirubin levels of >14 mg/dl accompanied by icterus and pruritus. Despite the known contraindication, the patient agreed to be treated with 150 mg erlotinib p.o. per day. We performed therapeutic drug monitoring of erlotinib on day 1 after the first ingestion of erlotinib and then over a period of 19 days. One-compartment pharmacokinetics on day 1 were calculated, and, based on these data, a pharmacokinetic simulation for the following 19 days was run. On day 1 after the first erlotinib ingestion, plasma concentrations were identical to those described in the literature. On the following days, erlotinib plasma concentrations remained at a similar order of magnitude after daily ingestion. Compared with published data, OSI420 plasma concentrations were clearly higher from day 1 to 16. Due to disease progression, the last intake of erlotinib was on day 16, but plasma concentrations of the drug and metabolite increased excessively thereafter. The data give evidence that total bilirubin levels up to 14 mg/dl do not necessarily cause elevated plasma concentrations of erlotinib when given in doses of 150 mg per day.


Numerous epidemiological and preclinical studies suggest that flavonoids may play an important role in the decreased risk of cancer associated with a diet rich in plant-derived foods. In this article, we have reviewed the epidemiological studies assessing the relationship between the consumption of three of the most common flavonoids, i.e. quercetin, luteolin and kaempferol, and the risk of developing cancer. We have also performed a metaanalysis on the consumption of these three flavonoids (alone and combined) and overall risk of cancer. The analysis of data from 18 case-control studies (8585 cases with cancer and 9975 control subjects) revealed that a high consumption of these three flavonoids (combined) was associated with a statistically significant reduction of overall cancer risk (OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.84; p<0.01). A reduction of overall cancer risk was also observed for quercetin (OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.62, 0.86; p<0.01), kaempferol (OR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.73, 1.11; p>0.05) and luteolin (OR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.69, 1.18; p>0.05), which was statistically significant for quercetin. A high intake of these three flavonoids (combined) was also associated with a statistically significant reduction of lung cancer risk (OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.49, 0.91; p<0.05) and colon cancer risk (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.98; p<0.05). The analysis of data from 14 cohort studies (385033 individuals and 10809 cancer cases) showed a statistically significant reduction of overall cancer risk for the three flavonoids combined (RR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.00; p<0.05), for quercetin (RR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.96; p<0.05) and for kaempferol (RR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.78, 0.99; p<0.05), and a non-statistically significant reduction for luteolin (RR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.67, 1.34; p>0.05). These results suggest that consumption of foods rich in the flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol and luteolin may reduce the risk of developing cancer.


This study aimed to determine the collaborative leadership among the commissioned officers in the Philippine National Police in Davao del Norte and to enhance the police-community relation program. There were 310 Non-Commissioned Officers in the Philippine National Police assigned in Davao del Norte who participated in the survey. The study used stratified sampling and employed statistical tools such as Mean, Standard Deviation, T-test and analysis of variance. The findings revealed that the level of collaborative leadership of commissioned officers in the Philippine National Police is very high. Further, it was found that collaborative leadership does not differ significantly when analysed by sex, rank, educational attainment and length of service. A program is proposed to enhance the relationship between police officers and the community.


Abstract This paper analyzes the welfare effect from government sponsored insurance under two policy regimes for reimbursement levels – the first under which policy makers commit to a specific reimbursement schedule, the second which allows discretion in setting reimbursement schedules. We find that prices and quality will differ depending on which policy regimen is followed. We are able to identify a level for the policy maker's elasticity of utility with respect to its policy tool under which government insured patients are unambiguously better off with policy commitment. The ordering of welfare is reversed if the elasticity of utility is reversed. In either case, privately insured patients may be better or worse off.


Following the example of the private sector, the public sector in the United States has been undergoing process-reengineering, most notable in the Federal Government with the National Performance Review (NPR). The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) asked its overseas missions for volunteer participation as Country Experimental Laboratories (CELs) during USAID's NPR efforts. USAID/Senegal, in French West Africa, became a CEL in the spring of 1994. The reengineering, occurring over a two-year period, created multi-disciplinary teams centered around Strategic Objectives (SOs). This article describes the experience and lessons learned from developing and implementing financial management policies and procedures to support the SO Teams, while concurrently ensuring that accountability requirements were met. The article uses the case study format, delineating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced by the Mission Controller, the trade-offs between the decentralization of program management and accountability, and the organizational relationships established to reengineer the financial management processes at USAID/Senegal.


This survey-based study carried out to make assessment and evaluation of major Indian Digital Library Consortia.  The major government.-funded Digital Library Consortia (DLC) are playing decisive role in the National Information Policy.  The role and contribution of government-funded DLC is elaborated in depth to compare them with International counterparts.  All the government Universities, Research agencies; Technical and Academic Institutions are the active units of a huge network of networks.  The shared e-journals and e-content greatly contributing to economical mode of resource sharing and  co-operation. It is an evolutionary record of library co-operation from Library networking to Digital library consortium.  Being a developing country, Indian Library Consortia greatly contributing to the universal goal for  preservation of digital knowledge.  The advent of consortia has enabled cross repositories search by harvesting metadata at national as well as international level.


Through the separation of control and data planes, software defined networking (SDN) allows a network to be effectively controlled via a logically centralized controller with a global network view. Researchers have started to explore the potentials for introducing SDN to mobile tactical edge networks (MTEN), where moving devices communication through wireless channels. However, SDN was originally developed for wired infrastructures. Its efficiency in MTEN is substantially jeopardized due to the unpredictable state of wireless links and frequent topology changes. In this paper, we design a novel hierarchical, self-organizing SDN architecture for mobile tactical edges. In this architecture, a network is dynamically partitioned into multiple temporary domains in a self-organizing manner. In each domain, a certain node is appointed as a local SDN controller for managing all other nodes in the domain. To realize this architecture, we design a self-organizing network protocol, which includes a neighborhood discovery mechanism, a distributed game-theoretic network partition algorithm, and an abstraction of dynamics. It supports the dynamic adjustment of network partitions and the local controller placement for each domain with a low (re)configuration time, hence ensures the efficiency of the hierarchical SDN architecture in MTEN.


A study of 120 patients with obesity allowed to distinguish mild, average and severe obesity grades depending on body fat mass. There was a direct correlation between the body fat mass and systolic, diastolic, pulse and average dynamic arterial pressure, the level of which rose with the increase of obesity. In mild and average obesity grades arterial pressure rose due to increase of cardiac ejection, in severe due to increase the peripheral vascular resistance.


The skeletal changes which can occur as a result of immunosuppression, and in particular as a result of hypercorticism, are discussed with reference to the findings obtained in 110 patients who received one or more kidney allografts. The hyperparathyroidism which often persists even after renal transplantation, is briefly discussed. In 21 patients, a total of 55 localizations of epiphyseal aseptic necrosis were found. In 3 patients, moreover, four medullary infarcts developed. Three osseous inflammatory processes were observed in addition. The various radiological features and the possible aetiology are discussed.


The challenges to produce with more quality, less cost and less leading time, drove the construction sector to find new process and tools to help them achieve these goals. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a solution for these demands supported by many researchers and companies. Many enterprises had already started the BIM adoption process and many studies have been conducted. Unfortunately, the majority of studies are focused in big companies and developed countries, leaving medium and small companies, especially the ones in developing countries, without data to analyze the feasibility and advantages to enter this process and to guide them through it. In light of this, this paper provides a description of a BIM deployment process in a small construction company in Brazil. The case study presents an implementation process which includes seven steps, some of them still ongoing. Even with an unfinished BIM deployment process that was carried on without any known methodology, benefits derived from using BIM were observed and barriers for its full implementation were identified. Comparing these findings with the literature review, it may be noted that even if the size and country differs, most of the benefits and barriers are similar.


Background: Calcium intake is inversely correlated with hypertensive disorder in pregnancy. The amount of daily calcium intake varies by country. Therefore, the effect of calcium supplementation may be different. Objectives: The primary outcome was to evaluate the effect of calcium supplementation in hypertensive disorder in pregnant Thai women. Secondary outcomes were to evaluate the side effects of calcium supplementation and the effects on delivering small for gestational age infants. Methods: One hundred and sixty-two Thai women who visited the antenatal care (ANC) Clinic, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital were enrolled. Patients were randomly allocated to Group A received ferrous sulfate (200 mg) and calcium carbonate (2 grams) per day. Group B received ferrous sulfate (200 mg) per day. Daily calcium intake from food and side effects of calcium supplementation were recorded. Maternal hypertensive disorders, neonatal morbidity, birth weight, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission were recorded and evaluated. The interim analysis was planned at a two year interval. Results: The baseline characteristics were similar. Hypertension in pregnancy and delivery outcomes were not different between both groups. Approximately half of the subjects received calcium had constipation (45.7%), bloating (19.8%) and nausea (12.4%). Conclusion: At the 2-year interval analysis, no risk reduction effects were observed for either hypertensive disorder in pregnancy or for delivering small for gestational age infants. More than half of all calcium supplementation participants experienced side effects from calcium supplementation treatment such as constipation, bloating and nausea.


The paper addresses stress analysis of a strip with a circular hole under uniform uniaxial tension based on circumferential stress expression σθ. Stresses are analyzed in the infinite-length strips under tension with holes, the ratio of the hole radius a to the strip half-width b is either equal to: λ = a/b = 0.1 or λ = 0.5. Circumferential stresses are determined in selected cross-sections of the strip. The stress diagrams display local stress concentration near the hole. The analytical solutions are compared with the numerical solutions the finite elements method (FEM), the latter using the ABAQUS software due to various λ ratios. The results show the maximum circumferential stress at hole boundary, affected by the ratio of the hole radius to the width of the strip.The work was created as part of B.Sc. engineering thesis at Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering.


Abstract:This study explores current practices of teaching assistant (TA) training in doctoral-granting institutions and expands on previous studies by exploring the views of both faculty and graduate students involved in the process. Our overall goal is to determine whether training practices and goals have changed and, if so, to what extent, in order to reflect the changing objectives of the foreign language (FL) field in the last decades—objectives that involve the development of translingual and transcultural competence and the integration of twenty-first-century skills. We conducted a nationwide survey of Spanish departments that focused on three main areas: language, culture, and technology. Results indicate that TA training is based on immediate teaching needs and lacks long-term goals of professionalization and that there are substantial differences in opinion between TAs and faculty in charge of the training regarding its effectiveness. We argue that our findings have direct implications for the revitalization of TA education since only when TAs are trained to fully integrate culture and language and incorporate technology in meaningful ways in lower-level courses will FL departments be able to strive for the desired integrated curriculum.


Electrostatic, inductive, non-intrusive probes are employed for measuring the electric charge as well as the mass flow rate, volume loading, and mean flow velocity of solid particles especially while travelling through pipes of pneumatic transport or in ambient air when a flux of those particles forms a rather compact column-like jet of a nearly constant cross sectional area. The bandwidth of such measuring devices is a very important factor which should be determined carefully, or even planned in advance, before designing the probe itself intended for the use under well defined conditions. In the paper the bandwidth of the inductive ring probes is discussed. To find the probe bandwidth the derivation of a general formula is presented along with the accepted assumptions and an original way of formulation and consideration of that problem. The general formula obtained is an inductive ring probe frequency response function and permits the bandwidth of any inductive, non-intrusive probe, sensor, transducer, etc, to be easily determined for given mean flow velocities of particles and probe widths.


As the cultural and linguistic diversity continues to increase in Florida's K-12 public school population, the demand for teachers trained to address their unique needs becomes paramount. Previously a responsibility of Florida's school districts, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) training has been delegated to colleges of education per state mandate. This mandate requires that graduates of initial teacher certification programs in the state's universities demonstrate competency in all of the 25 Florida Performance Standards for Teachers of English for Speakers of Other Languages. In order to satisfy this charge, colleges of education in Florida are following a variety of training models: stand-alone courses, curricular infusion, or a combination of the two. A large, metropolitan university in Central Florida has developed an integrated model consisting of two stand-alone courses, field experience integration of the standards, and curricular infusion of ESOL standards via on-lone modules in methods courses. The authors, who teach methods courses in which such infusion has been recently effected, surveyed their students to obtain feedback regarding the modules, the results of which are discussed in this paper.


Introduction: Sickle hemoglobin (HbS), an autosomal recessive hemoglobinopathy cause of Sickle cell disease (SCD), is widely sprayed around the globe affecting millions of people . SCD results from single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) or point mutation causing amino acid substitution from Glutamic acid to Valine leads to sickled shape red blood cells. SNPs can be well studied by using allele-specific amplification (ASA) technique.
Aims & Objective: To develop a simple, rapid, easy and accurate genotyping method for SNP analysis of SCD.
Materials and methods: By performing different tests, a well characterized sample panel of 150 different types of samples was prepared. From this sample panel DNA was extracted and used for SNP-genotyping of SCD. Specific primers were used for performing monoplex PCR amplification of wild type allele (HbAA) and mutant allele (HbSS) were performed individually. By using the same primers multiplex PCR assay was experimented.
Results and conclusion: This is a simple and low cost molecular method for the detection of point mutation and useful tool for the diagnosis of SCD. The entire analysis can be performed in one reaction mixture, which results in higher speed, higher accuracy, and the need for smaller samples. This technique might be of great value for genotyping of homozygous sickle cell patients (SS) and heterozygous sickle cell trait (AS). But we found one discrepancy with double heterozygous (sickle β-thalassaemia) samples. We were not able to differentiate sickle cell carrier state (AS) from the double heterozygous like sickle β-thalassaemia state. So we conclude that for simultaneous detection of thalassaemia along with sickle cell requires addition of more primers specific for thalassaemia mutation. In addition to this when two bands, one for wild type allele and second for mutant allele appears, care must be taken to conclude whether the person is a sickle cell carrier (AS) or having double heterozygous (sickle β-thalassaemia) like condition.


We monitor thin disk laser beam welding processes coaxially through the welding optics with a camera that is sensitive in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum (1200…1700 nm). With this sensor we detect the thermal radiation from the process zone and we can analyze it in real-time during the welding process. From the observed features we monitor the laser weld in respect to various welding faults.In particular, we analyze the thermal trace of the weld seam and its vicinity. For lap joints the analysis of the thermal trace enables us to detect missing fusion immediately and in real-time. This in-situ online heat flow thermography is a unique method to detect "false friends" during the welding process itself.We monitor thin disk laser beam welding processes coaxially through the welding optics with a camera that is sensitive in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum (1200…1700 nm). With this sensor we detect the thermal radiation from the process zone and we can analyze it in real-time during the welding process. From the observed features we monitor the laser weld in respect to various welding faults.In particular, we analyze the thermal trace of the weld seam and its vicinity. For lap joints the analysis of the thermal trace enables us to detect missing fusion immediately and in real-time. This in-situ online heat flow thermography is a unique method to detect "false friends" during the welding process itself.


The records of 284 snake bite cases presenting to the Kangar District Hospital, Perlis, west Malaysia, from January 1999 till December 2000 were carefully reviewed. Data on prevalence and types of snake bites, were recorded. The majority of the cases were among Malays (60.2%), followed by Chinese (16.9%), Indians (13%), and others which include Thai nationals, army personnel from Sabah and Sarawak, and foreign tourists (9.8%). A higher incidence was found in males (60.2%) and most cases were seen in the age group of 10-19 years (33%). Snake bites were more common between 2 PM and 9 PM (47.6%) and from 7 AM to 2 PM (33.4%). The snakes were positively identified in 68 cases, of which 50 were common cobras (Naja naja) (73%), 16 were Malayan pit vipers (Agkistrodon rhodostoma) (24%) and two were sea-snakes (3%).


This article describes CLEAN, an approach to the detection of low-energy solar neutrinos and neutrinos released from supernovae. The CLEAN concept is based on the detection of elastic scattering events (neutrino-electron scattering and neutrinonuclear scattering) in liquified noble gases such as liquid helium, liquid neon, and liquid xenon, all of which scintillate brightly in the ultraviolet. Key to the CLEAN technique is the use of a thin film of wavelength-shifting fluor to convert the ultraviolet scintillation light to the visible. This allows the same liquid to be used as both a passive shielding medium and an active self-shielding detector, allowing lower intrinsic radioactive backgrounds at low energies. Liquid neon is a particularly promising medium for CLEAN. Because liquid neon has a high scintillation yield, has no long-lived radioactive isotopes, and can be easily purified by use of cold traps, it is an ideal medium for the detection of rare nuclear events. In addition, neon is inexpensive, dense, and transparent to its own scintillation light, making it practical for use in a large self-shielding apparatus. If liquid neon is used in CLEAN, the center of the full-sized detector would be a stainless steel tank holding approximately 135 metric tons of liquid neon. Inside the tank and suspended in the liquid neon would be several thousand photomultipliers. Monte Carlo simulations of gamma ray backgrounds have been performed assumPreprint submitted to Elsevier Science 9 February 2004 ing liquid neon as both shielding and detection medium. Gamma ray events occur with high probability in the outer parts of the detector. In contrast, neutrino scattering events occur uniformly throughout the detector. We discriminate background gamma ray events from events of interest based on a spatial Maximum Likelihood method estimate of event location. Background estimates for CLEAN are presented, as well as an evaluation of the sensitivity of the detector for p− p neutrinos. Given these simulations, the physics potential of the CLEAN approach is evaluated. PACS: 14.60.Pq, 26.65.+t, 29.40.Mc, 95.35.+d


Infrared (IR) optic holds a key element over a broad range of advanced optical systems such as thermal imaging, night visions or laser-based sensing. Most infrared optical materials like chalcogenide glasses, however, suffer great transmission losses due to their high refractive index. Therefore, antireflective (AR) surfaces are necessary to enhance the optical performance of the IR optics by suppressing undesirable reflection at the optical surfaces and thus increasing the transmission. The AR-coatings commonly used for IR lenses in the contemporary optic market are expensive and environmentally critical. Instead, Precision Glass Molding (PGM), a replicative manufacturing method for the production of highly precise glass optics, becomes a promising solution to fabricate the AR-nanostructures on the chalcogenide glasses in a cost-efficient manner. The PGM process development starts out a multiscale modeling of the molding process, by which the form accuracy of the molded glass lenses is predicted at macroscale while the replication of the AR-structure is visualized at nanoscale simulation. This simulation necessitates a newly developed thermal-mechanical constitutive model to represent thermo-viscoelastic behaviors of the chalcogenide glass. Experimental validations of the form accuracy and the replicated AR-structure of the molded lenses demonstrate essential benefits of the simulation model. This paper focuses on the process simulation as well as the subsequent steps of mold manufacturing and glass molding itself. The success of molding AR-structures by precision glass molding promisingly satisfies the increasing demands for the high volume production of inexpensive IR optical elements in today's optics and photonics markets.


The objective of this study was to further explore previously identified effects of supplemental ribonucleotides on infant immune status as measured by antibody responses to routine infant immunizations. Infants were randomized to a milk-based formula with (FN, n = 138) or without (F, n = 147) 72 mg ribonucleotides/L. A cohort of human milk–fed (HMF, n = 192) infants was also followed. Subjects were given Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), diphtheria tetanus acellular pertussis, and oral poliovirus vaccinations at 2, 4, and 6 mo of age, and specific antibody responses were assessed at 2, 6, 7, and 12 mo. Growth and safety data were also monitored. Using a two-group repeated measures analysis (RMA), FN-fed infants had significantly higher poliovirus type 1 neutralizing antibody (PV-VN1) responses than F-fed infants (p = 0.045). Using three-group RMA, PV-VN1 responses in HMF infants were not different from FN-fed infants, while HMF-fed infant PV-VN1 responses were significantly higher than F-fed infants at 6 (p = 0.0004) and 12 mo (p = 0.0001). FN-fed infants had responses to Hib Farr, diphtheria, tetanus toxoid, oral poliovirus–specific IgA, and PV-VN3 not significantly different from those of F and HMF infants. Growth, gastrointestinal tolerance, and adverse events were equivalent among the three groups. The FN-associated increase in PV-VN1 response and nonstatistically significant trends toward increased Hib and diphtheria antibody responses were consistent with observations from earlier studies, indicating immune benefits of nucleotide supplementation of infant formula.


Abstract Introduction: Numerous mutations in the bovine tumour necrosis factor receptor type two (TNF-RII) gene have been identified, but their biological consequences remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to determine whether polymorphism in the analysed loci of the bovine TNF-RII gene is linked with the size of cell subpopulations naturally infected with bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) which serve important immune functions in the host. Material and Methods: Samples originated from 78 cows. Polymorphisms in the studied gene were determined by PCR-RFLP and DNA sequencing by capillary electrophoresis. BLV infection was diagnosed by the immunofluorescence (IMF) technique and nested PCR. Cell subpopulations were immunophenotyped with IMF. Results: Similar and non-significant differences in the average percentages of TNFα+, IgM+TNFα+, and CD11b+TNFα+ cells infected with BLV were noted in individuals with various genotypes in the polymorphic sites g.-1646T > G and g.16534T > C of the TNF-RII gene, and significant differences in the percentages of these subpopulations were observed between selected microsatellite genotypes (g.16512CA(n)). Conclusion: STR polymorphism and the number of CA dinucleotide repeats in intron 1 of the TNF-RII gene influence the frequency of TNF+, CD11b+TNF+, and IgM+TNF+ subpopulations naturally infected with BLV. Polymorphism in the gene's other two sites do not affect the size of these cell subpopulations.


ABSTRACT Effective conservation of sympatric avian populations depends on unbiased estimates of population size, distribution, and habitat use. For populations of Yellow-billed Loons (Gavia adamsii) and Pacific Loons (G. pacifica) co-occurring in Arctic wetland communities in Alaska, USA, such data are limited and difficult to obtain, hindering population assessments and decision making. The Yellow-billed Loon is also under consideration for additional protections under the Endangered Species Act due to small global population size, specific habitat requirements, and low fecundity, further increasing the need for information at the landscape scale. To help evaluate the population status and habitat use of both species, we used repeated aerial surveys and a dynamic multistate occupancy modeling approach to jointly estimate 1) probability of lake use and 2) probability of use for nesting for Yellow-billed and Pacific loon populations at the landscape scale on the Seward Peninsula and Cape Krusenstern, Alaska, in 2011 and 2013. We also estimated state-specific transition probabilities and degree of interspecific competition to assess population stability and degree of species interactions. We found that probability of site reuse (φYellow-billed = 0.73 [0.44–0.94]; φPacific = 0.86 [0.72–0.98]) or reuse for nesting (φYellow-billed = 0.72 [0.46–0.97]; φPacific = 0.59 [0.38–0.85]) in 2013 was high, as was overall use of lakes >7 ha by loons (>80%). These results suggested that lake habitats may have been saturated, and that populations of both species were stable over the two-year interval between surveys. Our estimates indicated that nesting populations in western Alaska were much larger than previously thought for both Yellow-billed (∼2.5 times larger) and Pacific loons (∼1.5–2.0 times larger). Together our results indicate that Arctic wetlands in western Alaska are important for both species and that loon populations in this area warrant additional consideration for conservation.


We propose a novel classification model for weak signal data, building upon a recent model for Bayesian multi-view learning, Group Factor Analysis (GFA). Instead of assuming all data to come from a single GFA model, we allow latent clusters, each having a different GFA model and producing a different class distribution. We show that sharing information across the clusters, by sharing factors, increases the classification accuracy considerably; the shared factors essentially form a flexible noise model that explains away the part of data not related to classification. Motivation for the setting comes from single-trial functional brain imaging data, having a very low signal-to-noise ratio and a natural multi-view setting, with the different sensors, measurement modalities (EEG, MEG, fMRI) and possible auxiliary information as views. We demonstrate our model on a MEG dataset.


Abstract : A Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV) was used to perform a propeller wake survey for DTNSRDC propellers 4381 and 4383. Three components of the velocity were measured and from this, the velocity field and the vorticity field were constructed. Through a coordinate transformation, the vorticity field was separated into two parts i.e., trailing vorticity and boundary layer type vorticity in the viscous wake. The data was used for the prediction of propeller blade profile drag (viscous sectional drag). The idea of hypothetical flow by Betz was extended to propeller flow and a formula for the profile drag was derived in terms of velocities, which is suitable for LDV application. The radial distribution of profile drag was computed using the velocity data. It was shown that the value of Cd is close to that of 2-dimensional section at mid-radius range, but becomes substantially lower at inner and outer radii and that it goes up again near the tip and the hub. This trend is consistent with the behavior of profile drag of a finite span wing. (Author)


Jindal Stainless Ltd (JSL), the largest maker of stainless steel, is branching out to new export markets in Korea and South America as domestic demand is unlikely to see any uptick before Q3. As Covid-19 bites demand, Abhyuday Jindal, MD of JSL tells Jayajit Dash how the company is keeping a flexible production schedule to align with customer demand and will touch full capacity utilization level by September 2020. Also, JSL's fresh Capex will be guided by market dynamics and impact on Ebitda growth. Edited excerpts of the interview:


ABSTRACT Raposeiro, P.D., Fortes, C.J.E.M., Capitão, R., Reis, M.T., Ferreira, J.C., Pereira, M.T.S., Guerreiro, J., 2013. Preliminary phases of the HIDRALERTA system: Assessment of the flood levels at S. João da Caparica beach, Portugal. The length of the Portuguese coast, the severity of the sea conditions and the concentration of population and economic activities on its coastal zone justify the importance of studying wave-induced risks and, in particular, flooding due to wave action. Indeed, emergency situations caused by adverse sea conditions are frequent and put in danger the safety of people and goods, with negative impacts for society, economy and natural heritage. So, assessing the risk of flooding of coastal and port areas is essential for the proper planning and management of these areas. In this framework, a methodology for the flood risk assessment in coastal and port areas is under development. The methodology is embedded into the HIDRALERTA system, a novel integrated system for port and coastal management, designed to prevent emergency situations, to support their management and to forecast incidental long-term interventions. The present paper describes the methodology, the HIDRALERTA system and a case study, the São João da Caparica beach, on the Lisbon's area, where the referred methodology was recently applied. Sea wave characterization and flood level calculations are presented for the study.


Program disturbs in NOR-type Flash arrays significantly degrade the tunnel oxide by hot-hole injection (HHI) induced by band-to-band tunneling at the drain overlap. This paper provides a comprehensive experimental and modeling analysis of HHI in Flash memories under program-disturb conditions. Carrier-separation measurements on arrays of Flash memories with contacted floating-gate (FG) allows for a direct investigation of hole-initiated impact ionization and HHI. A Monte Carlo (MC) model is used to simulate carrier multiplication and injection into the FG. After validating the MC model against experimental data for both secondary electron generation and HHI, the model is used to provide further insight into the hole-injection mechanism.


The nature of knowledge as an economic good is determined by the rivalry and the excludability of the good, but also by the bundle of rights regulating the reuse and access to the resource. Although the digitalization has transformed the knowledge into a non-rival good, it is the transition from a public to a private ordering system that can result in the establishment of the knowledge as a commons. We apply the Institutional Analysis Development framework to the scientific publishing market to understand the impact of the digitalization of information over the different stakeholders' interests and the scientific knowledge value chain. JEL Codes: O32, L22


Geographic information may be used in audit tasks, such as identifying high-risk cases involving suspicious entities usually located close to each other. However, the existing approach of text string analysis on addresses may only be able to match companies located in the same city or street. Following a design science approach, we propose using the geographic proximity of two locations to address how utilizing different levels of geographic information could improve the effectiveness and efficiency in auditing and other business tasks. As a proof of concept, we used Python and Google API to build Geographic Information in Audit Analytics (GIAA), a tool for automatically collecting, generating, and outputting spherical distance information indicating geographic proximity. We used a bid-rigging case to demonstrate GIAA and perform qualitative and quantitative evaluations. This study addresses how auditors and others can benefit from more advanced levels of geographic information, supporting better judgment and decision making.


Phytochemicals in our diet may play a vital role in maintaining the brain's chemical balance by influencing the function of receptors for the major inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. The flavonoids apigenin and epigallocatechin gallate, found in chamomile and green tea respectively, influence the way in which GABA receptors are modulated by drugs such as diazepam. Resveratrol, a flavonoid-like polyphenol found in red wine, acts on a subtype of GABA receptors consistent with its action as a cognitive enhancer. Bilobalide from Ginkgo biloba, a herb used in cognitive therapy, also influences GABA receptors. α-Thujone, a terpenoid in the alcoholic beverage Absinthe, acts in a similar manner to bilobalide on GABA receptors. ( )-Borneol and other terpenoids from Valerian, a herb used to promote sleep, enhance the effects of GABA. The effects of these phytochemicals on GABA receptors are consistent with the overall actions of the beverages and herbal preparations that contain them, thus providing a rational basis for the use of these beverages and herbal preparations. These studies provide evidence that chemicals in our diet may influence brain function in a positive way. The chemical nature of these substances may lead to the development of new therapeutic agents for the treatment of anxiety, epilepsy, memory disorders and insomnia.


Abstract: During development, neural crest‐derived sensory neurons require nerve growth factor (NGF) for survival, but lose this dependency postnatally. Similarly, dissociated embryonic sensory neurons lose their NGF dependence during the first 3 weeks in cell culture. It has been hypothesized that, in sympathetic neurons, intracellular levels of calcium are related to trophic factor dependence. In vitro during the period in which embryonic‐day‐15 sensory neurons become independent of NGF, intracellular calcium concentrations progressively increased in parallel to the decline in NGF dependence. This elevation of intracellular calcium was directly related to the absolute age of the neurons, not to the length of time in culture. Without NGF, immature sensory, i.e., dependent, neurons survived in the presence of high extracellular potassium, a condition that produces elevated intracellular calcium. In another paradigm, measurements of intracellular calcium were determined in NGF‐dependent neurons "committed to die'' after NGF withdrawal. These measurements were determined prior to the time that extensive morphological changes, consistent with cell death, were noted by phase‐contrast microscopy. No elevation in intracellular calcium was found in these dying neurons, but rather, a small decrease was observed prior to the disintegration of the neurons. These findings support the hypothesis that trophic factor dependence of neurons may be inversely related to levels of intracellular calcium.


Second language teaching methods have undergone constant innovation since the mid-twentieth century. However, this has not brought the desired results, suggesting the need to address other crucial factors as yet unexplored and particularly to understand how the brain learns and how language functions in the learning brain. This article examines several schools of thought from brain science and the science of the mind from the perspective of their potential relevance to language learning. The task is not without difficulty, given the enormous volume of available knowledge, requiring not only a thorough analysis of the scientific production but also, above all, a precise selection of material that can be integrated into the field of linguistics applied to the teaching of language, both in terms of research and methodological approaches. We will analyze concepts, theories and paradigms related to the fundamental capacities of the brain, such as perception, emotion, memory and language, in order to better understand how they function in the second language learning processes of as well as raising a series of questions that could be usefully addressed by future researchers in the field of applied linguistics. Our interest is to reflect on how this knowledge can offer new theoretical frameworks on which to build more effective second language teaching approaches and strategies.


Credible expertise is no longer a given in our contemporary democracy: for knowledge to be authoritative, experts
 must take into account a wider audience than just scientific colleagues. This study uses conversation analysis and discursive
 psychology to investigate how experts deal with this role in practice. We show that experts in a Dutch public hearing on GM food
 orient to 'speaking on behalf of the public' without undermining their status as experts. They do this by (1) animating but not
 overlapping the voices of the public (2) speaking on behalf of 'the consumer' and (3) presenting hypothetical public opinions. In
 this way, experts reconcile what they treat as the dual requirement of distance to support an expert opinion and the proximity to
 the public required for good democracy. We further discuss what implications this research has for the role of experts in a modern
 democracy.


We report the observation of gravity-capillary waves on a torus of fluid. By means of an original technique, a stable torus is achieved by depositing water on a superhydrophobic groove with a shallow wedge-shaped channel running along its perimeter. Using a spatiotemporal optical measurement, we report the full dispersion relation of azimuthal waves propagating along the inner and outer torus borders, highlighting several branches modeled as varicose, sinuous, and sloshing modes. Standing azimuthal waves are also studied leading to polygonlike patterns arising on the two torus borders with a number of sides different when a tunable decoupling of the two interfaces occurs. The quantized nature of the dispersion relation is also evidenced.


Two studies examined the relationship between objective, social, and temporal performance indices and fan support of major league baseball teams. In the first study, per game attendance figures for 22 major league teams were regressed on the performance indices. Attendance was found to be positively related to objective and social performance and negatively related to temporal performance. These results were replicated in the second study when season ticket sales for five major league teams was the dependent variable. Although the objective and social results were consistent with expectations, the negative relationship between temporal performance and fan support was unexpected. Primacy effects and regression toward the mean are offered as explanations for this latter finding. The results of both studies are considered in terms of the optimum marketing strategy for professional team sports.


Abstract Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, especially extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli, in samples from healthy adults, foods, food animals, and the environment in selected areas of Thailand. Methods: Samples were collected from stool specimens from adult food factory and food animal farm workers, fresh and cooked foods sold at markets, rectal swabs of healthy pigs and chickens, fresh pork meat from slaughterhouses, water samples from canals as well as fish and shrimp farm ponds, and stagnant water sources on pig farms. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined using the disk diffusion or agar dilution methods. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase production was assayed using a double disk diffusion method. Results: Among 544 healthy adult food factory workers, 75·5% were positive for ESBL producing E. coli, while 77·3% of E. coli isolated from 30 healthy animal farm workers were positive. Amongst healthy food animals, ESBL producing status among E. coli isolates were more commonly detected in pigs (76·7%) than broilers (40%). Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing E. coli seemed to be more prevalent in fresh meat samples than in fresh vegetables, in fresh foods than in cooked foods, and in water samples collected from the animal farms than those from canals and fish and shrimp ponds. Conclusions: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing E. coli isolates are prevalent amongst healthy individuals, foods along the food production chain from farms to consumers, and in the environment in selected areas in Thailand.


This paper proposes an active vibration control technique, which is based on linear matrix inequalities, that is applied to a piezoelectric actuator bonded to a composite structure, forming a so-called smart composite structure. Serendipity-type finite element, based on first-order shear deformation theory with rectangular shape, eight nodes, five mechanical degrees of freedom (DOF) per node and eight electrical DOF per piezoelectric layer, is established for the composite structural model. Additionally, a mixed theory that uses a single equivalent layer for the discretization of the mechanical displacement field and a layerwise representation of the electrical field is adopted. Temperature effects are neglected. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed vibration control methodology for composite structures.


The rapid and perpetual growth of knowledge on the Web has given rise to many grand challenges (such as scalability, inconsistency, uncertainty, distribution and dynamics) for traditional knowledge processing methods and systems. Knowledge representation, retrieval and reasoning methods need to evolve and adapt to the Web to face these challenges and make this vast, heterogenous knowledge useful and accessible. In this light, the International Workshop on Web-scale Knowledge Representation, Retrieval, and Reasoning (Web-KR) is initiated. This workshop serves as the third one in this workshop series. This summary discusses the scope of Web-KR and introduces the advances in this field through the accepted papers in the Web-KR 2012 workshop, co-located with CIKM 2012.


From the late 1880s to the early 1900s, Jewish socialists in the United States shipped thousands of Yiddish newspapers, journals, and pamphlets to the Russian Empire. The literature was used to spread revolutionary ideas and secular knowledge among a relatively small but growing number of Russian Jews drawn into the nascent Jewish workers' movement. This article examines which publications were sent, how they were smuggled into and circulated within Russia, and their influence on the Jewish workers' movement. In doing so, the article argues in favor of a transnational framework for understanding relations between Jews in the United States and Russia, one that recognizes the influence of America on developments in Russia as well as the reverse.


Background: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is highly concentrated in the mammalian nervous and visual system. The fatty acid, which is required by the fetus and the newborn, is supplied by the mother from their tissue reservoirs. It has been suggested that mother's supplementation with DHA during pregnancy and even before pregnancy. Different sources of DHA are available for supplementation such as: single-cell algae triglycerides (TG), egg's yolk phospholipids (PL), DHA ethyl esther (EE), and sn-2 DHA monoacylglyceride (MG). We evaluated comparatively the effectiveness of these different DHA sources to produce tissue DHA accretion and to increase milk DHA content. Methods: Female Wistar rats fed a diet which provided no DHA, were daily supplemented by 40 days before mating (BM) and during the pregnancy with either TG, PL, EE, or MG to an amount which provided 8 mg/kg b.w. of DHA. Samples of blood plasma, erythrocytes, hepatic and adipose tissue were obtained from rats at the BM condition and after the delivery (AD), and milk samples were also obtained from the gastric content of the pups nursed by the rats at day 3, 11 and 20 of suckling. Samples were processed to assess DHA and arachidonic acid (AA) content by gas-chromatography. Results: TG, PL, EE, and MG supplementation produced a similar intestinal absorption of DHA as estimated from the plasma DHA at the BM condition. However, PL and MG supplementation produced a higher accretion of DHA into erythrocytes, hepatic, and adipose tissue than TG and EE supplementation at the BM condition. AA content was not modified by the different supplementing oils. A reduction of the DHA content of plasma, erythrocytes, hepatic and adipose tissue at the AD condition was observed, and a reduction of AA for the hepatic and adipose tissues was also observed, suggesting the importance of these tissues as DHA and AA reservoirs. Milk secretion from PL and MG supplemented rats showed a higher DHA content than secretion from TG- and EE-supplemented rats. Conclusions: We conclude that PL and MG supplementation provides higher tissue DHA accretion and higher milk DHA content than TG and EE supplementation. However, we were not able to visualize the comparative advantages derived from PL vs. MG supplementation.


Chick embryos received partial eye lesions. Examination of the embryos early in development showed the partial retina projecting across the entire tectum. At later stages the partial retina projected only to the appropriate portion of the tectum. The results suggest that the retina initially projects diffusely to the tectum and that the topographically aberrant projections are eliminated during subsequent development.


Contact description plays an important role in modeling of applications involving flexible multibody dynamics. Example of such applications include contact between a belt and pulley, crash-worthiness analysis in aerospace and automotive engineering. Approaches such as the linear complementarity problem (LCP), nonlinear complementarity problem (NCP) and penalty method have been proposed for contact detection and imposition of contact constraints. Contact description within multibody dynamics, however, continues to be a challenging topic, particularly in the case of flexible bodies. This paper describes and compares the use of two contact descriptions in the framework of flexible multibody dynamics; (1) the use of nonlinear cone complementarity approach (CCP) and (2) the penalty method. Both contact models are presented together with a master-slave detection algorithm. The modified form of node-to-node approach presented facilitates creation of pseudo-nodes where gap function can be calculated. This reduces the cumbersome effort of contact search. Since large deformations can be an important phenomenon in flexible multibody applications, beam elements based on the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) are implemented in this study. To make a comparison of two approaches, the damping component is included in the penalty method by using the continuous contact model introduced by Hunt and Crossley. Numerical results are based on the simulation of ANCF beam contact with rigid ground, rigid body with an arbitrary shape and pendulum contact. Although kinematic results show a good agreement between both approaches when the coefficient of restitution is zero, the unphysical interpenetration appears in the penalty method. Nonlinear minimization problem solved by CCP approach helps to prevent the penetration during contact event. Furthermore, the proposed contact detection algorithm is proved to be capable of being used for multiple contact between beam and arbitrary shape rigid body; different contact types, such as side-by-side and corner-by-side, can be performed without prediction.


Aim: This study was conducted for the purpose of adapting the Public Attitudes Toward Epilepsy Scale (PATE) for the Turkish context and determining its validity and reliability. Material and Methods: This is a methodological research and conducted in a family health centre located in the eastern Turkey between February 2018 and September 2018. In this study, 268 individuals, who were older than 18 years and registered in a Family Health Centre, were reached. Results: The result of the KMO test was determined to be 0.783 and that of Bartlett's test 1002.772, and both were observed to be significant at a level of p , 0.001. Conclusion: Our study determined that the Turkish version of the PATE has validity and reliability and can be used in Turkish society.


A fundamental result of Biane (1998) states that a process with freely independent increments has the Markov property, but that there are two kinds of free Lévy processes: the first kind has stationary increments, while the second kind has stationary transition operators. We show that a process of the first kind (with mean zero and finite variance) has the same transition operators as the free Brownian motion with appropriate initial conditions, while a process of the second kind has the same transition operators as a monotone Lévy process. We compute an explicit formula for the generators of these families of transition operators, in terms of singular integral operators, and prove that this formula holds on a fairly large domain. We also compute the generators for the q-Brownian motion, and for the two-state free Brownian motions.


Analog vector modulators used in eigenbeamforming receivers usually include radio-frequency (RF) variable-gain amplifiers (VGAs) to modulate both the magnitude and the phase of receiving signals. The strenuous linearity requirement of RF VGAs makes it unsuitable to be realized in CMOS. This paper applies the mathematical concept of overcomplete expansion and coarse quantization to replace the VGAs with simple switches. The operation of these switches are controlled by an algorithm running in the digital domain. The proposed mixed-signal architecture thus shifts most of the system complexity from the analog domain to the digital domain. It will be shown that this architecture scales well with CMOS technology.


Abstract This paper discusses the adaptation of Rzeszow Castle in Rzeszow, Poland (also called the Castle of the House of Lubomirski in Rzeszow), which is a key building on the Subcarpathia's map of monuments. The objective of the project was to identify the latest trends in conservation art, and, subsequently, to create a proposal for a contemporary interior arrangement for the castle and its site development. The aforementioned design work focused on creating new, innovative concepts for the revalorization of historical buildings, oriented towards development and modernity. The work presents bold, novel – and most importantly – workable solutions for a new functional programme for Rzeszow Castle. The main premise of the future modification of the monument was a complete change of use of the building: from administrative and office space (the current court) to a cultural facility with complementary functions. The proposals presented in the paper are aligned with new principles of cultural environment preservation, and primarily emphasize ideas that facilitate the development of culture and art, social engagement, and support new initiatives. The aforementioned new functional programme complements cultural facilities and events offered by the city of Rzeszow - the capital of the Subcarpathia Voivodeship (one of Poland's sixteen provinces). The article is based on thorough scientific and historical research. The characteristics of the building are presented, with focus on its architectural value, and the current state of preservation of the monument is described. The analysis of the functional-utility program became the basis for creating a contemporary and modern interior design. The final version of the interior plan was developed based on field studies and source research.


Cloud computing technology is a new concept of providing dramatically scalable and virtualised resources, bandwidth, software and hardware on demand to consumers. Consumers can typically requests cloud services via a web browser or web service. Using cloud computing, consumers can safe cost of hardware deployment, software licenses and system maintenance. On the other hand, it also has a few security issues. This paper introduces four cloud security problems, which are XML Signature Element Wrapping, Browser Security, Cloud Malware Injection Attack and Flooding Attacks, and also gives the possible countermeasures.


ABSTRACT Introduction The starting months of 2020 witnessed a global pandemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The first case of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was reported in December, 2019 in Wuhan, China and millions of cases and thousands of deaths were reported within five months. Currently, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and computed tomography (CT) scanning are clinically prescribed for COVID-19 detection across the globe. Areas covered This systematic review is focused on currently used diagnostic methods for COVID-19 detection and their future prospects. Online searches on Google Scholar, PubMed and online resources were conducted on the period of year 2017 to mid-2020. Studies investigating laboratory examinations, radiographical analysis, and potential sensors for COVID-19 detection were included. Along with this, the current status of commercially available kits for SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus detection is discussed. Expert opinion The search has identified the potential applications of nucleic acid technology, diagnostics radiology examinations, and in-vitro diagnostic kits in detection of COVID-19 infections. Despite having their own limitations of each technology, the emerging diagnostic technologies for COVID-19 detection along with undergoing clinical trials are summarized suggesting more collaborations and funding are required for fast track clinical trials.


Animal studies are necessary to precede clinical studies. Recently the rat tail model has been proposed by us as a model for studying bone regeneration with easily surgical approach, effective control of post-operative pain and a decrease of animal number. The present study aimed to widen the rat tail model indication to implant osseointegration. Special titanium implants were inserted through tail vertebrae. A good primary stability was observed three month after implant placement. X-ray microtomography (Micro-CT) and histology were used to visualize bone formation and to calculate bone implant contact. Micro-CT showed osseointegrated implants in caudal vertebra. This illustrates the possibility to obtain bone implant-contact by micro-CT measurements. The results suggest that the rat caudal vertebrae may serve as a good preclinical model for studying implant osseointegration with the possibility of multiple testing within the same experimental animal and the potential to decrease number of experimental animals.


We have studied 70 carrier cystic fibrosis (CF) families with delta F508 mutation using the polymerase chain reaction (P.C.R.). We found that frequency of the mutation in CF chromosomes was 53%. 39% of carrier cystic fibrosis families were informative for the mutation.


With the increasing application of the power cables to the power supply in developed city, it is necessary to constantly improve the accuracy ranging of power cable fault location. It is presented that the relevant technology of the wavelet transformation and autocorrelation analytical method using in distribution network cable faults location. It was applied to filtering signal and detect singularity, that the autocorrelation analysis as the constraint condition of wavelet transform. In the end, the automatic and accurate ranging of cable fault location was carried out. The results of simulation show that this method can obtain high precision of fault location.


In this work, Subaerial Landslide Generated Waves (SLGW) generation and propagation are studied numerically for a real case. The Shafa-Roud Dam reservoir, in the north of Iran, is considered as the case study. Empirical equations are applied to estimate the near field characteristics of generated waves due to three possible slide scenarios. Empirical-based equations can provide the initial condition for Boussinesq-type wave propagation models. Wave propagation velocity, dam overtopping volume and maximum wave height above dam crest have been evaluated using the FUNWAVE numerical model. Considering the previous experimental data, and observed data from Norwegian fords landslide events, and also the results of the numerical simulations in this work, amplitude attenuation of SLGW is studied. Based on the results, the necessity for a more conservative criterion for freeboard determination, for the cases of landslide events, is emphasized.


Credit rating agencies (CRA) are qualified as "auxiliaries of the financial information" by all the investors. Ratings are the results of a methodology used by CRA. Within the framework of a demystification of the method of work of agencies, the objective of this paper is to identify the importance of the accounting and financial information adjustments in the decisions of rating agencies. This allows estimating the explanation proportion of this type of information that contributes in the development of the assigned rating. We suggest a statistical and econometrical study that aims at determining the ratings from the accounting and financial variables adjusted by the credit rating agencies to better understand the relation between the adjustments of the ratings and the level of the ascribed score.


We reported a case of type II cryoglobulinemia involving glomerulopathy associated with HCV-induced liver cirrhosis. The patient was a 57-year-old woman. Her past history included chronic hepatitis at 51 years and rheumatoid arthritis at 53 years of age. At 46 years, an erythematous lesion appeared on her legs, which was diagnosed as allergic vasculitis by skin biopsy. At 50 years, proteinuria, hematuria and hypertension were recognized. The next year, the first renal biopsy was performed and showed membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN). Recently, the edema of her legs has progressed, and the laboratory data showed proteinuria, hematuria, hypocomplementemia, rheumatoid factor positivity, and increase of monoclonal IgG kappa chain. The second renal biopsy revealed an endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis-like lesion with marked infiltration of monocytes and macrophages. The subendothelial deposit showed a fine fibril-like pattern. She was treated with steroids and double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) therapy, but the treatment was not very effective. She died of liver cirrhosis, which was probably induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV), and sepsis. Generally, the patients of type II cryoglobulinemia often showed HCV antibody positivity, pointing to HCV as an etiological factor. In this case, renal biopsy was performed twice in the same patient, and the histologic findings suggest the clinicopathological course of cryoglobulinemia.


In situ underground pyrolysis of tar-rich coal is significant for alleviating the scarcity of oil and gas resources and realizing the green and efficient development and utilization of coal in China. Tar-rich coal is often subjected to high axial pressure, surrounding pressure, and pore pressure in the in situ underground pyrolysis environment. Consequently, laboratory simulation conditions are difficult to meet the actual needs. This paper conducts a thermodynamic study of the pyrolysis characteristics of tar-rich coal under an in situ environment. Typical thermodynamic functions of tar-rich coal, including the standard enthalpy of formation, standard formation Gibbs free energy, and standard entropy, were determined. Ten representative primary reactions were constructed with typical tar-rich coal pyrolysis oil components as a guide. The Gibbs free energy and equilibrium constant change laws of the above reactions were analyzed for pyrolysis temperatures from 200 to 800 °C and pyrolysis pressures from atmospheric pressure to 10 MPa. The results showed that the standard enthalpy of formation of tar-rich coal was −72.27 kJ·mol–1, the standard entropy was −37.79 J·mol–1·K–1, and the standard formation Gibbs free energy was −60.01 kJ·mol–1. When the reaction pressure increased from atmospheric pressure to 10 MPa, the thermodynamically feasible initial temperature fractions of the primary reaction of tar-rich coal pyrolysis all showed different degrees of increase. In the underground environment, the initial temperature of the primary reaction of in situ underground pyrolysis of tar-rich coal moves to a higher-temperature gradient to some extent, so the adjustment of the reaction temperature and pressure could guide the directional regulation of the in situ underground pyrolysis products of tar-rich coal.


Summary Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is an immunosuppressive disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The urgent need for searching novel anti-HIV/AIDS medicines is a global concern. So far, a lot of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have been analyzed to select those that could assist in the prevention and/or amelioration of the disease. Among biologically active compounds present in these plants, one of the most promising group are phenolics. The purpose of this article was to report anti-HIV activity of selected phenolic compounds of plant origin.


Each year thousands of people get displaced and are forced to live in refugee camps or relief camps because of man-made or natural disasters. These people often lack basic needs such as clean water, lighting, cooling, etc. and many times these camps exist for more than 7–8 years. This paper aims at conceptualizing an Emergency Energy Module (EEM) which provides electrical energy to satisfy the basic needs and that can be deployed as an emergency response in a self-sufficient, self-contained, and highly mobile fashion, to support the energy demand of a refugee or a relief camp and the aid workers for long term. As a case study, a refugee camp near Chad-Sudan border has been investigated. As a preliminary study, electrical demand was determined for the camp. Further, locally available energy resources were studied and assessed based on key design criteria and the technologies were selected to meet the demand. Polycrystalline Solar PV panels, micro wind turbine and biogas polyethylene digester and diesel generator were chosen as the technology to harness selected energy resources. HOMER Software has been used for optimization and techno-economic analysis of the energy system. The selected solution has been, then, analyzed from an operational point of view.


This article studies characteristics of recent immigrants from China (PRC) in the United States, especially their socioeconomic status and networking with their native land. The unprecedented, large-scale, and highly diversified immigration from China to the U.S. since the late 1970s has not only turned the Chinese into the second largest immigrant group in American society, but has also created new opportunities for interpretation of the Chinese diasporic experience. By examining the socioeconomic diversity among PRC immigrants in their American life and the extensive networks they have established across the Pacific, the article shows how class, ethnicity, and transnationality work at cross purposes in the Chinese American experience and sheds light on the new dynamics in overseas Chinese communities in this rapidly changing era.


In the following three essays I use quantitative evidence to address the effectiveness of horizontal merger policy in the United States in protecting the competitive balance of markets. Since the enactment of the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890, the Federal Government has attempted to protect the public from increased prices, reduced innovation, and other adverse effects that may occur when firms are able to exercise market power. Horizontal mergers, in which firms that were previously direct competitors combine to operate as a single entity, are of particular concern to the Antitrust Authorities (mainly the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission) as these mergers necessarily remove a competitor from the market. Surprisingly, there are relatively few empirical studies that investigate whether the Antitrust Authorities are able to accurately identify the potentially anticompetitive mergers, or whether once identified, the proposed remedies are appropriate to alleviate concerns over gains in market power. I provide empirical work on these two issues.In the first essay, I consider the question of how the antitrust agencies identify potentially troublesome mergers based on pre-merger information. I use pre-merger data from the commercial banking industry to implement a model proposed in the literature to be an improvement over the current merger application screening tool. I find that relative to the current screen the proposed model reduced the number of mergers flagged as being competitively troublesome. This result is important given the time and resource constraints that antitrust agencies face when evaluating merger applications. To test whether the proposed model was not to lax, I combine pre- and post-merger data and implement a difference-in-differences method to estimate the actual merger affects. I then check to see whether mergers estimated to have resulted in price effects were identified by the proposed model and find that all of the mergers estimated to have resulted in statistically significant price increases were flagged by the proposed model.In my second essay, I turn to the question of whether branch divestitures are sufficient market power remedies in bank mergers. In particular, I combine data on pre- and post-merger market conditions with data on the Federal Reserve Board's (FRB) stated post-merger expectations to investigate how well divestiture remedies alleviate market power concerns. I identify mergers that involved the divestitures of bank branches in at least one of the banking markets in which the merging banks competed prior to the merger. I then divide the sample of merger markets into two subsamples, one in which divestitures occurred and one in which no divestitures occurred and compare the interest rates banks paid depositors in divestiture markets to the rates paid to depositors in non-divestiture markets. I find that in the second year after the merger the interest rate spread between divestiture and non-divestiture markets was over 135 percent larger on deposit accounts than the pre-merger spread and remained almost 40% higher in the third year following the merger. As a result, depositors in divestiture markets were relatively worse off than depositors in non-divestiture markets following the merger. This evidence suggests that the divestitures may not have been sufficient market power remedies. In the final chapter I address a troubling aspect of antitrust policy. Namely, despite its long history and recognized importance, a deficiency of the empirical evidence required to accurately assess the effectiveness of antitrust policy has persisted. I identify publicly available data sets on pre- and post-merger market data, as well as publicly available data on specific post-merger market predictions made by the Federal Reserve Board at the time of the merger application review that can be collected to address this deficiency. I then check to see how the FRB's pro forma estimates of the post-merger market shares underlying their review process compare to the post-merger market shares observed in the data. I find that pro forma market shares consistently overestimate the post-merger market share of the surviving bank, a finding that is troublesome to the extent that it reflects a restriction in output by the merged bank. I conclude that the findings reaffirm the warnings from a number of economists that assumptions underlying merger policy need to be analyzed and argue that the availability of data useful for such analyses should be viewed by the profession and policy makers as rendering the deficiency of empirical evidence on antitrust policy as irresponsible and unacceptable.


A brain tumor is one of the deadly diseases that attack the central and nervous system. The treatment of brain tumor, need high accuracy and precision. Brain tumor detection through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has two-dimensional output with three perspectives, namely sagittal, coronal, and axial. These different perspectives need to be seen one by one to determine the location and size of the tumor. To solve the problem, this study constructs the three-dimensional visualization perspective of MRI images. The tumor area in MRI image is segmented as a region of interest (ROI) by employing the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) with Expectation-Maximization as the optimization technique. These couple segmentation methods have revealed significant gain as a clear boundary of the tumor area to separate from the healthy part of the brain and an estimated tumor volume from sagittal, coronal, and axial perspectives. Furthermore, these findings have been successfully visualized in 3D construction of the tumor position on the left side of the patient's head with an estimated volume of 749mm 3 .


Despite the controversies surrounding the artistic concept known to Edvard Munch conservators as the `kill-or-cure' remedy (leaving paintings outdoors to become weathered), this paper argues that this practice is an integral part of his artistic identity and must therefore be considered in conservation strategies and treatment choices. Starting with a brief overview of Munch's experimental painting techniques and use of materials, this paper introduces several challenges confronting conservators tasked with conserving Munch's works. To date, conservators' treatment of Munch's `kill-or-cure' remedy as an artistic concept has dominated and shaped the way conservators mediate and preserve his art. This paper shows how changes in conservation philosophies, as well as aesthetic and art historical theories, influence conservation treatments; ultimately affects the public's perception and appreciation of Munch's art. This paper argues that surface irregularities caused by Munch's `kill-or-cure' remedy are not only a central theme in Munch's work, but are especially relevant as marks of authenticity.


We describe how a single technological innovation, the introduction of image processing of checks, led to distinctly different changes in the structure of jobs in two departments of a large bank overseen by one group of managers. In the downstairs deposit processing department, image processing led to the substitution of computers for high school educated labor in accomplishing core tasks and in greater specialization in the jobs that remained. In the upstairs exceptions processing department, image processing led to the integration of tasks, with an associated increase in the demand for particular skills. The case illustrates the interdependence of technological change and organizational change. It suggests that seeing the whole picture' and associated conceptual and problem-solving skills are made more valuable by information technologies. Finally, it underscores that the short-term consequences of technological changes may depend importantly on regulatory forces.


The lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) has gained attention for its pro-inflammatory potential in atherogenesis. This study evaluates LOX-1 receptor modulation in the presence of an atheroprotective cytokine, interleukin-10 (IL-10). Both oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and IL-10 stimulated LOX-1 cell surface expression on THP-1 macrophages. However, our study demonstrates differential roles of oxLDL and IL-10 on LOX-1 functionality. Seemingly, oxLDL-induced LOX-1 promoted pro-inflammatory signalling by increasing intracellular NO, a substrate for pro-inflammatory peroxynitrite. In contrast, IL-10-induced LOX-1 facilitated scavenging of extracellular oxLDL without any effect on pro-inflammatory signalling. The atheroprotective effects of IL-10 were demonstrated by both facilitation of cellular oxLDL uptake and expression of LOXIN, an atheroprotective haplotype of the LOX-1 gene. Thus, increased expression of IL-10 may help to attenuate the risk of atherosclerosis developed by pro-inflammatory signal(s) generated through the interaction of oxLDL with its cognate receptor LOX-1 on macrophages.


Information technology and its applications change not only the way students learn but also how they are taught. M-learning provides many advantages to our education system. Cloud computing is the new technology that has started to be widely adopted for use with several applications by many education providers. A number of issues that have delayed the complete adoption of M-learning applications through cloud computing services still need to be solved. This paper defines an appropriate set of requirements, i.e. availability, quick response, flexibility and ease of use, long-term storage, elasticity and scalability, integrity, privacy and confidentiality and the control of information flow. The dimensions of these requirements are tailored to criteria developed from the literature study, standards for software quality and their guidelines. The paper then highlights the level of importance of each defined requirement for higher educational institutions, training centres, research laboratories, infant and junior schools.


PURPOSE
AUY922 is an HSP90 inhibitor that causes degradation of HSP chaperones and their client proteins, including epidermal growth factor receptor. We conducted a phase I/II trial to evaluate AUY922 and erlotinib for patients with EGFR-mutant lung cancer and disease progression during erlotinib treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
All patients had developed acquired resistance after treatment with erlotinib and underwent repeat tumor biopsies before study entry to assess for EGFR T790M. In phase I, 18 patients were treated with AUY922 intravenously once per week and erlotinib once per day in 28-day cycles using a 3 + 3 dose-escalation design. In phase II, 19 additional patients were treated at the maximum-tolerated dose. The primary end point of the phase II trial was complete plus partial response rate.

RESULTS
In phase I (n = 18), three patients were treated in each cohort, except the highest-dose cohort (AUY922 70 mg and erlotinib 150 mg), which expanded to six patients because of a dose-limiting toxicity (ie, junctional cardiac rhythm). Common drug-related adverse events were diarrhea, skin rash, hyperglycemia, and night blindness. All patients treated at maximum-tolerated dose (n = 25) were evaluable for response. The partial response rate was 16% (four of 25 patients; 95% CI, 5% to 36%) and was independent of tumor T790M status.

CONCLUSION
Partial responses were observed, but the duration of treatment with AUY922 and erlotinib was limited by toxicities, especially night blindness. This phase II study of AUY922 and erlotinib did not meet its primary end point.


Barry Stroud begins his investigation into the metaphysics of colour with a discussion of the elusiveness of the genuinely philosophical quest for reality. He insists upon a distinction between two ways in which the idea of a correspondence between perceptions or beliefs and the facts may be understood: first, as equivalent to the plain truth of the perceptions/beliefs in question; second, as conveying the metaphysical reality of the corresponding features of the world. I begin by voicing some suspicion about this distinction. Then I go on to consider various aspects of his central argument against the likelihood of any successful unmasking explanation in connection with colour. The final moves of this argument seem to me to be unstable. Either his conclusion that the unmasker's overall strategy is self-defeating is stronger than is warranted, or his insistence that no conclusive result is established in connection with the fundamental quest for reality is unduly cautious, depending on how precisely the dependence, which he rightly insists upon, of the identification of perceptions of colour upon some identification of colour properties themselves, is to be taken. There is an everyday sense in which beliefs and perceptions may critically be assessed. I measure my desk to check whether it is really 80 cm wide as I believe; and I take a shirt out of artificial lighting to confirm whether it is really the shade of blue which it appears. Certainly the metaphysical issue concerning the reality of colours is not to be decided in the same way; but Stroud's claim is stronger. He thinks that that issue concerns a quite different notion of correspondence, not to be equated with the plain truth of beliefs and perceptions as this is involved in such everyday cases. As he says,


River bifurcations are critical but poorly understood elements of many geomorphological systems. They are integral elements of alluvial fans, braided rivers, fluvial lowland plains, and deltas and control the partitioning of water and sediment through these systems. Bifurcations are commonly unstable but their lifespan varies greatly. In braided rivers bars and channels migrate, split and merge at annual or shorter timescales, thereby creating and abandoning bifurcations. This behaviour has been studied mainly by geomorphologists and fluid dynamicists. Bifurcations also exist during avulsion, the process of a river changing course on a floodplain or in a delta, which may take 102–103 years and has been studied mainly by sedimentologists. This review synthesizes our current understanding of bifurcations and brings together insights from different research communities and different environmental settings. We consider the causes and initiation of bifurcations and avulsion, the physical mechanisms controlling bifurcation and avulsion evolution, mathematical and numerical modelling of these processes, and the possibility of stable bifurcations. We end the review with some open questions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.