A 42-year-old man was admitted to hospital with, previously wrongly diagnosed, fulminant falciparum malaria, 14 days after a two-week trip to Kenya. He had a high fever and was jaundiced, with severe anaemia and thrombocytopenia. He was given quinine intravenously and pyrimethamine/sulfadoxine (Fansidar) by mouth. He developed acute renal failure and increasingly severe cerebral symptoms, at times coma. An exchange transfusion and several plasmaphereses were, therefore, performed. The cerebral symptoms quickly abated during the exchange transfusion, but renal function failed to improve. Because of continuing fever, mefloquin (Lariam) and doxy-cycline (Vibramycin) were also administered. After several dialysis periods the patient improved gradually and was discharged after three weeks in generally good condition with normal renal function.


Abstract Many mountain communities around the world have promoted ecotourism ventures to ameliorate problems of environmental degradation and underdevelopment. Although there is no agreement on what ecotourism is or should be, it is generally believed that this form of tourism in the mountains will foster responsible tourist behavior, conservation of important wildlife habitats and ecosystems, appreciation of local cultures and traditional lifestyles, and provision of sustainable forms of livelihood for people living in remote areas and communities. The present article provides a brief overview of the trends in mountain ecotourism in developed and developing countries, concluding with a proposed framework for designation of mountain ecotourism sites.


Born global firms – a small-scaled firm that operates internationally since their inception or near inception and generally, entrepreneurial in nature – is the most rapidly emerging breed of companies in today's global business world (Covin & Miller, 2013). Thus, both researchers and practitioners are of high interest in understanding how born global firms achieve such a success in most dynamic and competitive international markets (Lampe, et al., 2019). Firms with higher international growth orientation and network orientation are more internationalized than others, have a larger share of sales, a larger foreign customer base compare to less growth-oriented firms with weak network ties and thus, it eventually leads to higher international performance of born global firms (Chun, et al., 2014; Dimitratos, et al., 2012; Jantunen, et al., 2005; Mort & Weerawardena, 2006; Nummela, et al., 2005; Stam & Elfring, 2008). Thus, the main purpose of this study is to investigating the impact of international network orientation and international growth orientation on international performance of born global firms in a developing country context, Sri Lanka. Keywords: Born global firms, International network orientation, international growth orientation, international performance


Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with a continuous systemic inflammatory response. Furthermore, COPD is associated with an excess risk for cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes. Systemic inflammation in other populations is a factor in atherogenesis and has been associated with insulin resistance. We assessed the association between systemic inflammation and insulin resistance in non-hypoxaemic patients with COPD. Fasting plasma glucose, insulin and inflammatory mediators were measured in 56 patients and 29 healthy subjects. Body mass index (BMI) and height squared fat- and fat-free-mass index were similar between subject groups. Using homeostatic modelling techniques, mean (SD) insulin resistance was greater in the patients, 1.68 (2.58) and 1.13 (2.02) in healthy subjects, p = 0.032. Fasting plasma insulin was increased in patients while glucose was similar to that in healthy subjects. Patients had increased circulating inflammatory mediators. Insulin resistance was related to interleukin-6 (IL-6), r = 0.276, p = 0.039, and tumour necrosis factor α soluble receptor I, r = 0.351, p = 0.008. Both IL-6 and BMI were predictive variables of insulin resistance r2 = 0.288, p < 0.05. We demonstrated greater insulin resistance in non-hypoxaemic patients with COPD compared with healthy subjects, which was related to systemic inflammation. This relationship may indicate a contributory factor in the excess risk of cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes in COPD.


In this paper partial discharges (PD) in disc-shaped cavities in polycarbonate are measured at variable frequency (0.01-100 Hz) of the applied voltage. The advantage of PD measurements at variable frequency is that more information about the insulation system may be extracted than from traditional PD measurements at a single frequency (usually 50/60 Hz). The PD activity in the cavity is seen to depend on the applied frequency. Moreover, the PD frequency dependence changes with the applied voltage amplitude, the cavity diameter, and the cavity location (insulated or electrode bounded). It is suggested that the PD frequency dependence is governed by the statistical time lag of PD and the surface charge decay in the cavity. This is the first of two papers addressing the frequency dependence of PD in a cavity. In the second paper a physical model of PD in a cavity at variable applied frequency is presented.


The effect of exercise on depression has long been of interest. Many studies have demonstrated antidepressant effect of exercise intervention. They support the belief that exercise has been proven effective in improving depression. By reviewing the relevant published articles, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the possible causality for the effects of exercise on depression. The mechanisms mediating the beneficial effects of exercise on mental health are unknown, although several hypotheses have been put forward. There are many possible explanations to how exercise works to alleviate depression, with some research done on each possible theory. The hypotheses stated so far by scientists are either biological or psychological. In biological classification, biochemical hypotheses are the regulation of chemicals such as hormones in the body or those associated with changes in the nervous system. On the other side, psychological theories cover the possibility of mental differences caused by exercise. In this review article, as part one, the reader are provided with the possible explanation of biological aspects which have been suggested through the literature on antidepressant effects of physical activities and exercise. Among biological assortment which including the physiological and biochemical hypotheses, the put forward hypotheses of catecholamine, endorphin, brain blood flow, HypothalamusPituitaryAdrenal Axis model (HPA), monoamine, and thermogenic/ Pyrogen hypotheses have been discussed. A model that postulates the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors will be required to explain adequately the mechanisms underlying the effects of physical activity on mental health. Whatever, the reason for the mood enhancing effects of exercise is not necessarily the most important point. The point is that engaging in physical activity has very powerful anti-depressive effects. There may be a combination of these hypotheses that can better explain the causality of the antidepressant effect of exercise.


We exactly calculated the parity-odd term of the effective action induced by the fermions in 2+1 dimensions at finite chemical potential and finite temperature. It shows that gauge invariance is still respected. A more gerneral class of background configurations is considered. The knowledge of the reduced 1+1 determinant is required in order to draw exact conclusions about the gauge invariance of the parity-odd term in this latter case. PACS number(s):11.10.Wx,11.30.Er


Malignant melanoma rarely develops in mucous membranes. Statistical data show that approximately 0.6–9.3% of patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma will develop metastases in the upper aerodigestive tract mucosa, and within these metastatic sites, the least common are the laryngeal and tracheobronchial ones. This exceedingly rare clinical entity has no clear treatment recommendations; radical surgery does not seem to benefit the patient in term of life expectancy. We present the case of a 56-year-old male patient diagnosed with laryngeal and tracheobronchial melanoma metastases. Prior to admission to our clinic the patient had a personal history of malignant melanoma of the nuchal region operated on 7 years ago, malignant melanoma of the gallbladder and metastatic left axillary polyadenopathy for which he underwent surgical treatment 3 months prior. Histopathological and immunohistochemical reports established the diagnosis of laryngeal metastasis of malignant melanoma. Genetic molecular analysis was positive for B-Raf (BRAF) gene and hence Vemurafenib was administered, with a favorable outcome at the one-year follow-up. Nevertheless, there are currently no clear universally accepted guidelines for the treatment of laryngeal melanoma, mainly due to the rarity of this clinical entity. We conducted a review of similar cases reported in the literature. Interestingly, reviewing the cases reported in the literature, it appears that laryngeal metastases of a primary cutaneous melanoma are more common in men, with an average time to metastasis of 4.3 years.


Summary form only given. Minimization of the de-energized consumers load and reduction of the service restoration costs are considered in the proposed heuristic graph-based approach for finding the solution of the service restoration in distributed networks. The approach is based on the logic of the modified Prim's algorithm that finds the minimum spanning trees (i.e., a forest). Operation costs including an actual status ("open" or "close") of the switching equipment in a de-energized area is represented by the switching cost coefficients. The cost coefficients are assigned to all branches in a de-energized area. The switching action is performed by switching equipment with minimal switching costs coefficient in each iteration of the algorithm. The results confirm that the service restoration costs are decreased by the consideration of the actual status of the switching equipment.


In the present study, we present the full sequence of the mitochondrial genome of the African desert locust Schistocerca gregaria gregaria. The size of 15625 bp reported matches very well with mitochondrial genomes of other Orthopteriodea. The mitochondrial genome comprises 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNAs and 22 t-RNAs with two t-RNA (trnD and trnK) rearrangements that are typical for the taxon Caelifera. We compared the sequence with 12 mitochondrial genes of Schistocerca gregaria flaviventris and Schistocerca americana and used some of these data to construct phylogenetic trees, which confirm the close relationship between the two subspecies S. g. flaviventris and S. g. gregaria. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 99, 296–305. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: gene organization – phylogeny – Schistocerca americana – subspecies.


Unlicensed mining is a complicated issue in the Province of Bangka Belitung Islands. Tin which used to be a strategic commodity, in the reformation era, has been stated as a non-strategic commodity; the export activities of tin are no longer supervised. As a result, unlicensed tin minings emerge, causing environmental damages to date. Therefore, it is important to investigate the following research problems: (1) what are the efforts to stop the unlicensed tin minings and their constraints? (2) how a criminal policy which improves the community welfare could be formulated? This qualitative study employs a post-positivism paradigm with socio legal approach. Data of the research consist of primary and secondary data obtained using participative observations, focus group discussions, documentations, and in-depth interviews with selected respondents. Based on the findings of the study, efforts to prevent unlicensed minings have been done through early detections, which are pre-emtive, preventive and repressive; however, the results are not optimal bacause they are affected by some factors. such as juridical factors in regional regulations and legislations, the limited capability of law enforcers, inadequate supporting facilities/infrastructures, low law and enviromental awareness, and negative social behaviors, as well as the pressure of the operations/workings of law in the society. The efforts to formulate criminal policy which improve the community welfare consist of penal and non-penal policies, which are integrated and located in the scope of substantial, structural, and cultural reformation. Keywords— unlicensed mining, law enforecement,


Democracy is consolidated when the three organs of government (especially the legislature), channel their functions towards socio-economic and political advancement. These advancements especially the aspects of employment creation, provision of good road networks, electricity, pipe borne water and other infrastructural developments, would alleviate hardship on the citizenry. Most of these amenities are provided with the assistance of the legislature. The presence of these, suggests a real democratic consolidation. Therefore, this paper examines democratic consolidation and challenges of legislative politics in Nigeria from 1999-2011. Methodologically, data for this paper were generated mainly from secondary sources of recorded human documents. Accordingly, democracy in Nigeria cannot be consolidated amidst high level legislative bickering and hooliganism that characterized the nation's parliament. Hence, it is a game of selfishness versus furtherance of one's economic aggrandizement amongst the legislators, living the innocent citizens to die in cold blood with irrelevant bills passed almost on daily basis. As such, members of the National Assembly are not helping the country in any way due to the fact that 28% of Nigeria's overhead cost is been spent on them, thereby leaving most sectors of the economy to suffer untold setback. Finally, the paper suggests that a true federation, institutional rebuilding and effective distribution of social welfare, should be adopted and practiced as conditions for democratic consolidation in Nigeria today.


We herein describe a simple and metal-free domino methodology to synthesize 2-aminopyrroles from alkynyl vinyl hydrazides. The domino reaction involves a novel propargylic 3,4-diaza-Cope rearrangement and a tandem isomerization/5-exo-dig N-cyclization reaction. By using this approach, a number of 2-aminopyrroles with diverse substituents have been prepared.


New prospects associated with the use of laser radiation of different wavelengths in the ultraviolet (365 nm) and the green emission spectrum (525 nm) have appeared in recent years. The high prevalence of the trophic leg ulcers necessitates the search for more effective methods of conservative treatment.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
Development and scientific justification for the low-intensity laser radiation of different wavelengths combined use in patients with trophic leg ulcers and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).

MATERIAL AND METHODS
102 patients with trophic leg ulcers and CVI were examined. They were divided into 3 equal groups using simple randomization. Patients in the control group received only traditional conservative therapy; comparison group - traditional conservative therapy and an intravenous laser blood irradiation (ILBI) (λ - 635 nm); the main group - traditional conservative therapy and different wavelengths laser therapy (LT) course.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION
A more significant improvement in the clinical condition occurred under the influence of the course application of combined different wavelengths laser therapy in patients with trophic venous leg ulcers. Compared to patients who received traditional conservative therapy and in combination with ILBI 635 nm, the speed of reparative regeneration of trophic ulcers increased, the time for cleansing trophic ulcers from devitalized tissues was reduced. Computer capillaroscopy data showed that the positive effect of laser exposure on all parts of the microcirculation underlies its therapeutic efficacy.


Cytochemical methods have been used to follow the incorporation of enzymes and antigens in the cellulosic intine of the pollen grain of Gladiolus gandavensis . Acid phosphatase, esterase and ribonuclease were first detected in the developing intine during the vacuolate period, and by the end of this phase activity was present throughout the intine, especially in the area of the colpus, where this wall layer is thickened. Enzyme activity was also noted in the peripheral region of the protoplast during the period of intine growth. Succinic and NADH (reduced nicotine adeninedinucleotide) dehydrogenase activity was detected in the outer zone of the protoplast, and, at the end of pollen development, in the interbacular cavities of the exine and the pollen-coat meterials, but at no time were these enzymes found in the intine. The appearance of the antigens was traced during pollen development. Antigens were first detected in the early vacuolate period, soon after the release of the spores from the meiotic tetrads. They were found to be associated with the intine from the first deposition of polysaccharides in this layer. As the intine thickened, so the amounts of associated antigens were found to increase, especially in the neighbourhood of the colpus. In slurries prepared using mature pollen, enzymes and antigens were found to diffuse into the medium even with preparation times as short as 30 S. The leakage was over the whole of the exine, not only in the vicinity of the colpus; this may be related to the thinness of the exine in Gladiolus and the presence of pores in the tectum. Electron micrographs showed the presence of vesiculate and tubular cavities in the intine, containing fibrillar or granular material. These inclusions are presumed to be the sites of the enzymes and antigens, since in a related genus, Crocus , acid phosphatase has been shown to be present in the corresponding cavities. Gel diffusion and immunoelectrophoresis showed the presence of 4 major antigenic fractions in the leachates from mature Gladiolus pollen. Tests with the antiserum against leachates from species of the related genus, Iris , showed 1 cross-reacting fraction.


This paper proposes a process anomaly detection method using Boolean function to discover whether a running process is compromised. This method combines the results of multiple detectors to avoid the single detector's limitation of inadequate training and therefore poor generalization performance. It aims at higher true positive rate and lower false positive rate in the detection. Traditional hidden Markov model is used and improved to describe the process, so that we can tell what normality is and what anomaly is. A simplified Boolean function is utilized to improve the efficiency. Two algorithms are proposed to evaluate and improve the detector's performance. And it turns out to be satisfying with high true positive rate and low false positive rate in the simulation.


The switching arc image of low voltage apparatus has been captured with a high frame rate CCD camera system and composed filter technology. In this paper, the discussion is focused on the theory of edge detection. An efficient image edge detection operator, Canny operator, is introduced to the processing of arc image. The performance of Canny operator and the traditional operators in the practical edge detection of arc image is analyzed. Experimental results prove that Canny operator is better than Roberts, Sobel, Prewitt, Log operators by analyzing weak edge region in the switching arc image. And Canny operator is suitable for the edge detection of arc image of low voltage apparatus.


Hantavirus (HV) has a tripartite, single - stranded, negative - sense RNA genome. Two pairs of oligonucleotides flanking S segment were chosen as primers for reverse transcription Polymerase chain reaction(RT - nested PCR). The method of RT - nested PCR was used for detection of virus RNA in HV infected Vero E6 cells and clinical serum specimens from 35 hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS) patients, with HV gene S segment plasmid cDNA as postive control,and virus RNA was extracted by Acid Guanidinium Thiocyanate - Phenol - Chloroform Single- Step Method. The results showed that all the patients' serum samples and HV infected Vero E6 cells were positive, on the other hand, all the twenty normal serum samples and Vero E6 cells were negative. It suggested that RT - nested PCR was sensitive, specific, rapid and simple, and can be applied for study on the pathogenesis of HFRS in molecular level and early clinical diagnosis


We report here a case of paraplegia following coeliac plexus block by anterior approach under direct vision. Laparotomy was performed in a 62-year-old male patient with pancreatic cancer. Coeliac plexus block was undertaken in order to control his back pain, since the tumor was unresectable. The patient complained of numbness and weakness of his legs 14 hours later. The consequence of neurological events was diagnosed as ischemic infarct of the spinal cord by myelo-CT and MRI. He died of pancreatic cancer without recovery of neurological disturbances 4 months after the surgery. As demonstrated in this case, even when coeliac plexus block was performed by open anterior approach under direct vision, paraplegia might be a possible complication due to the anatomical proximity of coeliac plexus to the Adamkiewicz's artery.


Abstract:  We redescribe Atractus punctiventris based on the examination of its holotype, two topotypes, and two additional specimens recently collected. We describe two new species of Atractus with 15 dorsal scale rows, previously confused with Atractus insipidus, from the eastern and western portions of Brazilian Amazonia, respectively. The new species are recognized on the basis of unique combinations of morphological characters. We compare Atractus punctiventris and the two new species with all congeners from most lowland provinces of cis-Andean South America. We discuss potential affinities of the three species, mainly by sharing exclusive hemipenial traits with congeners placed in different phenetic groups, and allocate them to distinct species groups of Atractus.


Kinematically redundant manipulators, by definition, possess an infinite number of generalized inverse control strategies for solving the Jacobian equation. These control strategies are not, in general, repeatable in the sense that closed trajectories for the end-reflector do not result in closed trajectories in the joint space. The Lie bracket condition (LBC) can be used to check for the possibility of integral surfaces, also called stable surfaces, which define regions of repeatable behavior. However, the LBC is only a necessary condition. A necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of stable surfaces is used to illustrate that such surfaces are much rarer than previously thought. A technique for designing a repeatable control that is nearest, in an integral norm sense, to a desired optimal control is presented. The desired optimal control is allowed to take the form of any generalized inverse. An example is presented that illustrates the capability of designing repeatable controls that approximate the behavior of desired optimal inverses in selected regions of the workspace. >


We develop bespoke geospatial routines to typify 88,457 surnames by their likely ancestral geographic origins within Great Britain. Linking this taxonomy to both historic and contemporary population data sets, we characterize regional populations using surnames that indicate whether their bearers are likely to be long-settled. We extend this approach in a case study application, in which we summarize intergenerational change in local populations across Great Britain over a period of 120 years. We also analyze much shorter term demographic dynamics and chart likely recent migratory flows within the country. Our research demonstrates the value of family names in characterizing long-term population change at regional and local scales. We find evidence of selective migratory flows in both time periods alongside increasing demographic diversity and distinctiveness between regions in Great Britain.


ABSTRACT The isophotal wavelengths, flux densities, and AB magnitudes for Vega (α Lyr) are presented for the Mauna Kea Observatories near‐infrared filter set. We show that the near‐infrared absolute calibrations for Vega as determined by Cohen et al. and Megessier are consistent within the uncertainties, so that either absolute calibration can be used.


Most theories on learning to teach focus on active, reflective learning. In this article it is argued that three sources of regulation have to play a role in knowledge construction in learning to teach: external sources to provide new information, active internal sources to deliberately focus on (new) information, and dynamic internal sources to spontaneously reconceptualize prior understandings. It is suggested that the ability or readiness of student-teachers to effectively involve all three of these sources in their learning may depend largely on how emotionally risky it is for them to change their perception of reality. Disappointing outcomes of teacher education are considered from the proposed theory. Implications for teacher education are discussed.


Native fowl populations in South Africa were characterized genetically and phenotypically. Four South African native populations, two dual-purpose breeds, and two populations from Mozambique and Botswana were included for genetic analysis. For phenotypic characterization, two commercial lines were also included as a benchmark. Twenty-three microsatellite markers were selected and tested to obtain genetic data for estimation of genetic variability and distance. Growth (weight gain) and egg production were included for phenotypic characterization. A relatively high (53% 64%) genetic variation was found among the populations, which suggests conservation as a genetic resource for future use. The lowest genetic variation (53%) was found for the Koekoek and Australorp populations, which are the two populations that were subjected to formal selection, while the highest variation was observed in the Naked Neck population (64%). The New Hampshire has often been included in upgrading programs and this is evident from the close relationship with both the Lebowa-Venda and Naked Neck fowls. Phenotypic trials indicated significant differences among the populations included for growth, carcass and egg production traits. The Koekoek and New Hampshire populations had the best performance for egg production and growth (weight gain) in the study. Genetic and phenotypic differences indicate that the populations can be distinguished as different breeds or groups of fowl. The results of this study may contribute to selection for improved performance for household food production, as well as conservation of the populations as a genetic resource.


Solid tumors constantly require a vascular supply for their progression and metastasis. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is known to gain its hypervascularity during the process of dedifferentiation and progression. Various angiogenic growth factors and inhibitors regulate this angiogenic switch of HCC. The known endothelial cell-specific growth factors and their receptors can be classified into the vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin families. Both vascular endothelial growth factors and angiopoietins have been found to work cooperatively, and both are essential for HCC angiogenesis. Because small and ill-vascularized HCCs slowly progress and only rarely metastasize, antiangiogenic therapy could therefore be a promising anticancer strategy for HCC.


This study investigates the glutathione-immunity interaction upon infection of both larval and adult stages of Aedes caspius with Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk ). The anti-oxidative stress, in terms of glutathione (GSH) titer, and melanization immune response, in terms of phenoloxidase (PO) titer, was investigated. Data from Btk -infected larvae showed no or significant lower GSH titer at 12 or 24 h posttreatment respectively compared to control larvae. On the other hand, no PO activity was detected at both time points post-Btk infection. This may indicate that oxidative stress in larvae was increased while antibacterial response was blocked upon Btk infection. Bacteria-inoculated adult mosquitoes showed higher GSH activity at 12 and 24 h post-inoculation with Btk and E. coli compared to control ones, and was more pronounced in E. coli -inoculated mosquitoes. On the other hand, PO titer showed significant higher PO activity at 12 and 24 h post-inoculation with each kind of bacteria, but was more pronounced against E. coli. These results may indicate that antibacterial and antioxidtive responses are more pronounced against Btk in adult stage compared to larval stage, which may be attributed to the difference in the mode of infection and/or mosquito stage. Moreover, inhibition of both antibacterial and antioxidtive responses upon Btk infection in larval stage may explain its high larvicidal activity. More markers of oxidative stress in Btk -infected mosquitoes still to be investigated.


This study explores the internal dynamics and networks of terrorist groups in cyberspace—in particular, Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Using a "Global Cyberterrorism Dataset" that features data on cyberterror attacks between 2011 and 2016, this research analyzes these two terrorist groups through the lens of a cyber-conflict theory that integrates conflict theory with Jaishankar's space transition theory. Through a network analysis methodology, we examine the invisible relationships and connections between the national origins and target countries of cyberterror attacks. The analysis focuses on the networks of national origins of terrorists and victims, network structures of Al-Qaeda and ISIS actors, and clustering networks of Al-Qaeda and ISIS cyberterrorists. Results indicate that terror in cyberspace is ubiquitous, more flexible than traditional terrorism, and that cyberattacks mostly occurred within the countries of origin. We conclude by discussing the complex features of cyberterror networks and identify some of the geostrategic implications of the divergent cyber strategies adopted by Al-Qaeda and ISIS.


The LLRF (low-level radio-frequency) control system which regulates the amplitude and the phase of the accelerating voltage inside a RF cavity is essential to ensure the stable operation of charged particle accelerators. Recent advances in digital signal processors and data acquisition systems have allowed the LLRF control system to be implemented in digitally and have made it possible to meet the higher demands associated with the performance of LLRF control systems, such as stability, accuracy, etc. For this reason, many accelerator laboratories have completed or are completing the developments of digital LLRF control systems. The digital LLRF control system has advantages related with flexibility and fast reconfiguration. This paper describes the design of the FPGA (field programmable gate array) based LLRF control system and the status of development for this system. The proposed LLRF control system includes an analog front-end, a digital board (ADC (analog to digital converter), DAC (digital to analog converter), FPGA, etc.) and a RF & clock generation system. The control algorithms will be implemented by using the VHDL (VHSIC (very high speed integrated circuits) hardware description language), and the EPICS (experiment physics and industrial control system) will be ported to the host computer for the communication. In addition, the purpose of this system is to control a 500 MHz RF cavity, so the system will be applied to the superconducting cavity to be installed in the PLS storage ring, and its performance will be tested.


Objective: Design a clinical practice guideline to orient the diagnosis and establishing the classification and pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment in adult patients with chronic functional constipation in Colombia. Materials and Methods: This guide was developed by a multidisciplinary team with the support of the Colombian Association of Gastroenterology, Cochrane STI Group and Clinical Research Institute of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Relevant clinical questions were developed and the search for national and international guidelines in databases was performed. Existing guidelines were evaluated for quality and applicability. None of the guidelines met the criteria for adaptation, so the group decided to develop a de novo guideline. Systematic literature searches were conducted by the Cochrane Group. The tables of evidence and recommendations were made based on the GRADE methodology. Results: A clinical practice based on evidence was developed for the diagnosis, classification and phar macological and non-pharmacological treatment of patients with chronic functional constipation in Colombia. Conclusions: The clinical criteria and warning signs, diagnostic tests and therapeutic regimens that are recommended in the care of patients with chronic functional constipation were established in Colombia.


Threonine synthase (ThrS) catalyzes the final chemical reaction of l-threonine biosynthesis from its precursor, O-phospho-l-homoserine. As the phosphate ion generated in its former half reaction assists its latter reaction, ThrS is recognized as one of the best examples of product-assisted catalysis. In our previous QM/MM study, the chemical reactions for the latter half reactions, which are critical for the product-assisted catalysis, were revealed. However, accurate free energy changes caused by the conformational ensembles and entrance of water molecules into the active site are unknown. In the present study, by performing long-time scale MD simulations, the free energy changes by the divalent anions (phosphate or sulfate ions) and conformational states of the intermediate states were theoretically investigated. We found that the calculated free energy double differences are in good agreement with the experimental results. We also revealed that the phosphate ion contributes to forming hydrogen bonds that are suitable for the main reaction progress. This means that the conformation of the active site amino acid residues and the substrate, and hence, the tunable catalysis, are controlled by the product phosphate ion, and this clearly demonstrates a molecular mechanism of the product-assisted catalysis in ThrS.


Our paper focuses on the computational analysis of "readout poetry" (german: Hördichtung) – recordings of poets reading their own work – with regards to the most important type of this genre, the modern "sound poetry" (german: Lautdichtung). Whereas "readout poetry" often uses normal words and sentences, the "sound poetry", developed by dadaistic poets like Hugo Ball and Kurt Schwitters or concrete poets like Ernst Jandl, Oskar Pastior, or Bob Cobbing, combines the "microparticles of the human voice" like the segments in Ernst Jandls sound poem "schtzngrmm" ("schtzngrmm / schtzngrmm / tttt / tttt / grrrmmmmm / tttt / sch / tzngrmm"). Within the genre of sound poetry, there are two main forms: The lettristic and the syllabic decomposition. A short anecdote will explain this difference: The dadaist Raoul Hausmann developed the lettristic sound poetry in his early dadaistic poem "fmsbw" from 1918. This is said to have inspired his successor Schwitters, whose famous "Ursonate" [The Sonata in Primal Speech] begins with the words "Fümms bö wö tää zää Uu". With the "Ursonate", Schwitters developed a syllabic variation of the lettristic poems of Hausmann. The paper shows how to train a bidirectional LSTM network in order to differ between these "dadaistic" sound poems and the "normal" read out poems. In a further step, we will also show how to distinguish between the lettristic and the syllabic decomposition. Based on a bidirectional LSTM network that reads encodings of the character sequence in the poem and uses the output of each directional layer, we identify poems of the sound poetry genre and differentiate between its two types of decompositions. The classification results of sound poetry vs. other poetry as well as lettristic vs. syllabic decomposition are with a high performance, yielding a f-scores of 0.86 and 0.84, respectively.


In this last decade, worldwide attention has been focused on the hazards derived from the interaction between extreme natural phenomena and critical infrastructures and/or chemical and process industry (natural–technological hazards or Na-Tech). Due to the recent occurrence of significant events, great attention has also been given to Na-Tech hazards triggered by volcanic eruptions; in particular, the eruption of the Icelandic volcano alarmed the European community due to the ash fallout over the continent, which caused significant problems for the population, road, rail and air traffic and production activities. This study aims at defining a procedure for the representation of the vulnerability of industrial facilities to potential volcanic ash fallouts. Its implementation on a Geographical Information System has also been executed and a semi-automatic procedure for the vulnerability mapping has been constructed.


The impact of social capital in immigrant communities is well acknowledged. However, research has heavily relied on quantitative studies and has tended to emphasize its positive impact. There has been a paucity of qualitative research that examines the complex dynamics of accessing support from social networks, especially when it entails family reunification and trauma. Twenty-eight Latina immigrant women participated in an interview focused on traumatic and stressful experiences that included questions about accessing support from informal networks. Women used the expression "me mando a traer" (I was brought in) when describing others' involvement in their immigration decision and initial settlement. This expression captured the ambivalence of receiving assistance from relatives or friends and also their challenges accessing support in a context of family reunification, scarce resources, and trauma exposure. This study contributes to the literature on immigrants' individual social capital further expanding a nuanced understanding of family reunification experiences.


Positronium annihilation amplitudes that are computed by assuming a factorization approximation with on-shell intermediate leptons, do not exhibit good analytical behavior. We propose an ansatz which allows to include binding energy corrections and obtain the correct analytical and gauge invariance behavior of these QED amplitudes. As a consequence of these non-perturbative corrections, the parapositronium and orthopositronium decay rates receive corrections of order alpha^4 and alpha^2, respectively. These new corrections for orthopositronium are relevant in view of a precise comparison between recent theoretical and experimental developments. Implications are pointed out for analogous decays of quarkonia . Comment: 11 pages, 1 .ps figure, submitted for publication


BACKGROUND
Patients who receive percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) are often haunted by restenosis of the target vessel within 6 months. Intracoronary irradiation has been shown to alter the luminal narrowing response after balloon angioplasty.

METHODS
The Taiwan Radiation in Prevention of Post-Pure Balloon Angioplasty Restenosis-I (TRIPPER-I) study evaluated the feasibility, safety, and 6-month angiographic restenosis with intracoronary irradiation after pure balloon angioplasty (POBA) of de novo and post-POBA restenotic lesions in native coronary arteries using a self-centering beta-emitter rhenium-188 (Re-188)-filled balloon.

RESULTS
Forty patients received 14 Gy at a 0.5-mm tissue depth with a Re-188 solution-filled perfusion balloon catheter, and 25 control patients received 5-min inflation with a perfusion balloon catheter. There were no procedural complications or in-hospital or 30-day major adverse cardiac events. Six-month angiographic follow-up was performed on 39 Re-188 (97.5%) and 25 control patients (100%). The restenosis rate was 49% in the Re-188 and 56% in the control groups (p=0.62). The composite end-points of death, myocardial infarction, and target-vessel revascularization were 40% in the Re-188 group and 36% in the control group (p=0.80).

CONCLUSIONS
Catheter-based radiotherapy after POBA of de novo and post-POBA restenotic lesions with a Re-188-filled balloon is feasible but was ineffective in reducing target lesion restenosis with a dose of 14 Gy delivered at a 0.5-mm tissue depth in this study.


Measuring the impact of anthropogenic factors on marine mammals is critical to the conservation of these species. Recently, the effect of personal watercraft on marine mammal behaviour and well-being has become a topic of increasing concern. The purpose of this study was to examine the immediate effects of high-speed personal watercraft on Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) behaviour. Opportunistic surveys were conducted from a research vessel in the Mississippi Sound (30º13′22.6″N 89º01′36.5″W) from September 2003 through to August 2005. The passing of a high-speed personal watercraft significantly increased dolphin dive duration, dolphin group cohesion and dolphin breathing synchrony. Additionally, in 47% of the encounters a dolphin group's behaviour changed within one minute of the presence of a high-speed personal watercraft. The most notable changes were an increase in dolphin travelling behaviour and a decrease in feeding behaviour following the boat's presence. The results demonstrated an immediate, short-term change in dolphin behaviour, suggesting that an increase in the frequency of high-speed personal watercraft in this area could produce long-term detrimental effects. Research on the long-term effects of boat traffic on marine mammals is clearly needed to assess and hopefully mediate any potential long-term effects.


Purpose: Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is an extracellular matrix-modifying enzyme that could play a critical role in vascular remodelling. We have developed a transgenic mouse model that over-expresses LOX in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) to clarify whether LOX could regulate VSMC phenotype and vascular remodelling.

Methods: We designed a construct in which the full-length cDNA of human LOX was under the control of the SM22α proximal promoter and generated a transgenic mouse model (TgLOX) by conventional methods. LOX expression was assessed by real-time PCR, western-blot and immunohistochemistry and LOX activity by a fluorimetric assay. Collagen content and assembly were also analyzed. [3H]-thymidine incorporation into DNA, was used as an index of mitogenic activity and the carotid artery ligation model allowed to evaluate neointimal formation in TgLOX mice.

Results: The SM22α proximal promoter drove the expression of a transgene containing the human LOX cDNA. Two stable transgenic lines, phenotypically indistinguishable, were generated. Transgene expression followed the expected SMC-specific pattern. In TgLOX mice, real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry evidenced a strong expression of LOX in the media from aorta and carotid arteries, coincident with a higher proportion of mature collagen. VSMC isolated from TgLOX mice expressed high levels of LOX pro-enzyme, which was properly secreted and processed into mature and bioactive LOX. [3H]-thymidine incorporation into DNA was significantly reduced in cells from TgLOX mice. Transgenic VSMC also exhibited low levels of both SMemb (marker of SMC phenotypic switching) and PCNA (marker of cell proliferation), and a weak activation of Akt and ERK1/2 in response to mitogenic stimuli. Accordingly, neointimal thickening induced by carotid artery ligation was attenuated in TgLOX mice that also displayed a reduction in PCNA-immunopositive VSMC.

Conclusions: Our results evidence that LOX plays a critical role in vascular remodelling. We have developed a new animal model to study the role of LOX in vascular biology.


Abstract The paper presents the impact of the reliable ICT systems on efficient and safe functioning of a state. Moreover risks which faced communication and information systems have been presented. Furthermore authors proposed their own solutions that may improve the level of security of transmitted information. Then they indicated ICT systems that can be used for providing continuous and flawless exchange of information, with particular emphasis on the need of protection of information from unauthorized access, modification or destruction. Also some suggestions have been proposed for the modernization of IT systems, which could improve the secure dataflow and ensure continuous exchange of information between the components responsible for the security of the state.


Objective:To determine whether adding orally disintegrating selegiline (ODS) while decreasing dopamine agonist (DA) dosages would reduce DA-related adverse effects (AEs) of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), pedal edema, hallucinations, and impulse control disorders (ICDs) without compromising efficacy in Parkinson disease (PD) patients. Methods:This was a 12-week open-label study of 60 PD patients with motor fluctuations and DA-related AEs of EDS, pedal edema, hallucinations, and ICDs. Orally disintegrating selegiline was initiated at 1.25 mg once daily, and down titration of the DA was started with a goal of a 50% reduction by 1 week. At week 6, ODS was increased to 2.5 mg, and further reductions of the DA were allowed if the AEs were not resolved. Results:The addition of ODS allowed a reduction in the mean daily dose of pramipexole from 2.3 to 0.5 mg and immediate-release ropinirole from 11.2 to 2.9 mg. Most subjects reported a reduction or resolution of DA-related AEs; 94% with EDS (n = 50), 73% with pedal edema (n = 26), 86% with hallucinations (n = 15), and 84% with ICDs (n = 25). Mean activities of daily living and motor scores from the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale as well as quality-of-life scores were significantly improved without an increase in daily "off" time. The most common AEs, most of which resolved after titration, were worsening of PD, nausea/vomiting, dyskinesia, increased off time, body aches, insomnia, orthostatic hypotension, and increased anxiety and depression. Conclusions:In most subjects, the addition of ODS with decreasing dosages of DAs substantially reduced EDS, pedal edema, hallucinations, and ICDs without compromising efficacy.


Abstract This essay reviews the potential of Thomas Piketty's Capital in the Twenty-First Century (2014. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press) to inform social accounting research into economic inequality. Economic inequality is conceptually central to social accounting agendas, yet there has been surprisingly little accounting research in this area. Piketty's text can help build this research agenda by providing a systematic account of the growth and structure of economic inequality, especially since his analysis follows a similar underlying approach to influential texts in social and environmental accounting research. At the same time, the essay argues that social accountants can address limitations of Piketty's analysis, particularly by offering a more nuanced analysis of how economic inequality is embedded in corporate structures and practices. Thus, Piketty's text is not only a timely reminder of why the social distribution of economic resources matters, but also an invitation for social accountants to engage more fully in unfolding public debates about the future of resource distribution.


Two stock solutions are composed as follows: A) aluminum sulfate, sodium iodate and acetic acid in aqueous propylene glycol and B) hematoxylin in pure propylene glycol. When combined in specified proportions the stock solutions yield aluminum-hematein dissolved in nontoxic propylene glycol. The ready-to-use stain, prepared in small volumes as needed, performs well in paraffin sections of plant tissues.


India is yet to achieve the goal of universalisation of elementary education or 100 per cent enrolment and retention of children with schooling facilities in all habitations. Despite the government's attempt to achieve this goal through the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, which has a special focus on girl children, students belonging to disadvantaged families still do not attend classes regularly. This paper examines various reasons for poor attendance behaviour of students in formal schools. On the basis of a study in the eastern slums of Kolkata, it finds that retaining the students in a formal school is far more difficult than enrolling them, particularly if the students are from very poor economic backgrounds.


The study took place between July and September 2008 with the main objective to develop a first local environmental assessment suitable to obtain a general description of the agro-system environment of five villages in the Southern Region of Malawi. The research has been carried out in an administrative sub-division of the peri-urban area of the city of Blantyre, called Ntonda EPA (Extension Planning Area), where target villages had been previously identified for the overexploitation of their natural resource base and the mismanagement of their soils. This study attempts to illustrate the agro-ecosystem of the five villages in the area, their main features and the main anthropic factors, viewed as causes that could lead to desertification. As the matter of fact, the overexploitation of soils, which can be fairly considered as the one and only resource base endowment available in the area. The current farming system, heavily reliant on mere subsistence, is strictly interlinked with unsustainable fertilisation methods and a prevalent lack of socio-economic activities. Poorly planned and managed cropping systems yield low and erratic productions, despite government subsidised chemical fertilisation programmes; post-harvest management and storage are nearly inexistent and so are agricultural commodity exchanges with otherwise fairly accessible urban areas. As a result, agricultural investment (including on soil conservation) is minimal and local areas remain vulnerable to land degradation and ultimately to desertification. The baseline data collected with this research provide information on the main issues that determine the process of land degradation and desertification in the area. The study is based on the analysis of climate and soil parameters. This paper attempts to provide: – a first assessment of vulnerability to desertification at local level, specifically at village level in the Southern Region of Malawi; – an identification of the major causes and trends of agro-system degradation; – a set of recommendations as to how to avoid further degradation of the agro-system before the desertification process becomes irreversible and untreatable.


Purpose: to evaluate the expression of estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors in smears of peritoneal fluid sediment from patients with and without endometriosis. Methods: immunocytochemical study of ER and PR in smears of peritoneal fluid sediment in 19 cases with endometriosis and 7 without (control group), observing their expression. The data were submitted to Student's t-test to evaluate statistical significance. Results: in 84.6% of the cases with endometriosis, endometrial-like cells expressed ER (mean = 4.1%). In cases without endometriosis there was ER expression in 42.9%, with a mean of 4.5% (p = 0.1706). PR was expressed in only one case of endometriosis, with an endometrioma rupture history. Conclusions: there was no difference of ER expression between cases with endometriosis and the control group, in contrast to tissue behavior. Further cases must be studied for a better evaluation of this enigmatic mechanism of hormonal receptors in exfoliated cells.


The novel of Jules Verne named Keraban the inflexible published in 1883 tells about insistant negative point of view against the revolution of an Ottoman living during the time of II. Mahmut. This article will discuss the above mentioned event of the novel and the approach.


The induced magnetic ordering effect of polycrystalline dhcp Pr at low temperature was applied to discriminate the minute Pr phase in Pr-Fe-B alloys with high sensitivity. The conclusion that the composition range of HM phase of Pr-Fe-B is very narrow has been deduced from experiments.


The privatization of the apartments for the benefit of legal occupants has turned the once-Soviet residential buildings into multi-owner properties. This article explores the appropriation of a new legal and economic model of building management by ordinary people living in Moscow. Similar to literature that focuses on the historical and social forces driving economic exchanges, some individuals are more likely to seize upon the new model. The article shows an in-depth, comparative case study of two women from different social backgrounds who became involved in their homeowners' association. These two women illustrate extreme cases functioning as a microcosm of ordinary situations and help us shed light on intermediate cases as well. They underline how social and residential trajectories shape ordinary interpretation and uses of the law. This approach is an original way to study social construction of condominiums in post-Communist Russia.


ABSTRACT In Australia, recent climate change has resulted in prolonged droughts, massive devastating bushfires, extreme flooding, and more frequent and intense cyclones, all of which affect archaeological and historic heritage. In this paper, we report on new research on rock art at a site called Djarrng in western Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. Djarrng was heavily impacted by Tropical Cyclone Monica in 2006. We have visited the site sporadically since 1992, most recently in September 2019. We also have photographs taken in 1979 and accessed others taken in 1965 and so are in a position to document change to rock art panels over a 54 year period. We discuss not only change at the site as a result of the cyclone but also more general changes to rock art imagery at Arnhem Land sites in the past two hundred years, as well as lessons learnt from natural disasters that could be important for future rock art conservation.


The article presents an attempt to describe the final stage of classical psychodrama – sharing, during which group members share theirs feelings, as well as the similarity of their experiences and life situations that they noticed with the experiences and life situations of the protagonist. This stage is important for the protagonist and the group as a whole, because it promotes group cohesion and their mutual acceptance; because it creates a feeling of relief from understanding some the causes and sources of problems. This happens in both parts of sharing – in role feedback (sharing from role) and identification feedback (sharing from oneself). Sharing from a role gives the protagonist an invaluable understanding of the situation being played, and sharing from oneself expresses feeling to the protagonist or one of the roles. In this way, the protagonist, by receiving feedback, is able to see his or her problem in a bigger and deeper way, relating it to other people`s experiences. The article also discusses the difficulties in the case of intense and uncomfortable sharing; about the need to take into account the time limits of the session so that the protagonist and the group have time to complete, cool down, and separate themselves from the therapists, as well as to restore protection for contact with the outside world.


REPLY: We thank Dr. MA1⁄4ller-Suur for his interest in our article. We reported the intraand interobserver agreement between experienced nuclearmedicinephysicianswho evaluatedrenograms.The agreementwas foundto be reasonablygood,butthesensitivityandpost-testprobabilityof their renographicdiagnosis in relation to the angiographicdiagnosis was rather poor (1). Numerousreportshave documenteda sensitivityand specificityranging from 41% to 100% (2). However, almost all of these studies were performed retrospectively and all of them excluded patients with a "negative― renogram from undergoing renal angiography. Consequently, we have never been informed about the true false-negative rate of renography. Moreover, several investigatorsdid not define the degree of stenosis that was consideredto be significant.For these reasons, we think that most of these studies do show better results than ours, even though some also report a low sensitivity (2). We also agree that renalangiographyonly determinesthe degreeof stenosis and does not foretell whether a stenosis is hemodynamically responsible for the development of hypertension. A diagnosis of a hemodynamicallyimportantstenosis(causinghypertension),however,can only be made retrospectively,i.e., after correctionofthe stenosis.Sincethe renographic criteria of a hemodynamically important stenosis have not been formulatedunequivocallyand sinceno clinicianwill refrainfrom ordering a renal angiogram in a patient with a positive renogram, the concept of a hemodynamicallyimportant stenosis has no practical conse quences for the screening of patients suspected of having renal artery stenosis. Furthermore, when an intervention fails to lower the blood pressure, this does not confirm renovascular hypertension, but does not exclude this diagnosis either. All three readers who participated in our study are skilled nuclear medicinephysicianswith many years ofacademic practiceexperience,and they are familiar with the pitfalls of renogram interpretation. All the patients in the study had renograms performed in the morning after an overnight fast. Voiding of at least 1 cc/mm during the investigationswas also ensured. Antihypertensive drugs were discontinued at least 3 wk before the tests (which, incidentally,was not alwaysdone in other studies). Our experiences with the plasma renin response to captopril in 49 patients have been published elsewhere (3). The baseline and captopril renogramsofthe first 28 patients in that series were used in our study.The receiver-operatorcharacteristic curves of both baseline and postcaptopril peripheral renin levels indicated that renin levels did not discriminate betweenpatients with essentialhypertensionand patients with renal artery stenosis. In conclusion, we still feel that the use of (captopril) renography in patientswith a strongclinicalsuspicionofrenal artery stenosisis of limited screening value, based on many reports of studies that have not been performed prospectively or that excluded patients with a "negative― renogram from undergoing renal angiography.Therefore, we recommend further research in this area. This research should concentrate on new radiopharmaceuticaltracers and on better criteria to define the hemody namic significanceof renal artery stenosis. with blood pressure and peripheral renin as response variables in hypertensive patients with suspected renal artery stenosis. J Hum Hypertens 1995;6:741—746.


Dislike of political opponents has increased over the past years in the US. This paper presents a preregistered study investigating the effect of kama muta (being moved by sudden closeness) on increasing warmth, social closeness, and trust toward political opponents through including them in a common American identity. Eight hundred forty-one U.S. Americans watched either a moving or a neutral video about the US or a different theme in a full-factorial design. We found main effects of emotion and theme on the increase of warmth, social closeness, and trust toward political opponents through viewing them as fellow Americans. Accordingly, the linear combination of moving U.S. videos showed the largest increase in warmth, social closeness, and trust. Exploratory analyses showed that moving U.S.-themed videos evoked the most kama muta from suddenly increasing one's identification with the US. This suggests that kama muta is an important, and heretofore largely overlooked, emotional process promoting common in-group identification.


Purpose: Suppliers stand in the wake of a new diversified strategic momentum in the global production network, where innovation is growing in importance. We coin the term "supplier-driven innovation" in contrast to the current hype on user-driven innovation and aim to discuss the wicked problems for suppliers to actively engage in customers' innovations. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative case study of eight Danish suppliers. Findings: The wicked problem of supplier-driven innovation is generated by two intertwined constraints: the ability to engage customers in the co-creation of attractive offers and the ability to include technological knowledge and capabilities residing in the upstream network of suppliers. Research Limitations/implications: This research combines an industrial network approach with perspectives generated through design management literature aiming to develop a platform for cocreation across diverse organizational, technological, and managerial domains in the global production system. Practical implications: To participate in supplier-driven innovation, partners need to co-create an innovative space for joint development. Originality/value: Co-creation enriches our understanding of the diversity of forms of interaction, ranging from information and knowledge exchange and mutual adaptation processes to experimentation with processes co-creation. Through a complementary view on how suppliers co-create innovative spaces of action in the upstream spaces of technical knowledge as well as the downstream spaces of preferential needs, the research contributes insights about the characteristics of the wicked problems that suppliers need to handle in bridging and expanding these spaces for innovative actions.


This thesis sits at the junction of asylum history and Anglo-Jewish history, specifically Scottish Jewish history, and contributes new perspectives to scholarship on histories of both psychiatry and Anglo-Jewry. It explores the lived experiences of Jewish patients admitted to the royal asylums of Edinburgh and Glasgow between 1870 and 1939 using a range of both quantitative and qualitative archival sources. A discussion of the relevant literature that has focused on 'Anglo' asylums and Anglo-Jewry, particularly on Scottish asylums and Scottish Jewry, provides the historical context for the research questions being asked about how Jewish patients admitted to the royal asylums were understood, diagnosed and treated. The quantitative Jewish patient population is presented, discussing: demographic variables such as gender distribution, age at admission and the patient's marital status at admission; social variables such as 'class' as regards a patient's accommodation within the asylum and their occupation; diagnostic variables such as the mental disorders identified; and finally institutional variables such as a patient's discharge status and the length of a patient's stay within the asylum. This Jewish patient profile is compared to control samples of non-Jewish patients to detect similarities and differences between the two groups, providing scope for the qualitative accounts that follow. Qualitative sources are then used, pulling out a number of individual case histories as detailed exemplars of broader claims, spread across three substantial chapters. The first qualitative chapter draws on several of the themes presented in the discussion of relevant literature, such as matters of Jewish demography, migration, family dynamics, social standing, cultural experiences and the like, as these intersect with the 'asylum lifecycle', meaning periods spent in and outside of the asylum by these patients. This material opens a door to the Jewish patient experience through the discussion and analysis of several themes, such as: family, community, immigration status, social class, migration histories, big and small and the asylum lifecycle with respect to patients who experienced multiple admissions to asylums. The next chapter's overarching theme is the Jewish body – all aspects of Jewish embodiment; of embodying Jewishness – in the asylum. This theme is further broken down into specific areas for discussion, such as: the male Jewish body; poisoning, because historically Jews have been associated with the act of poisoning; the diagnostic criteria as it was applied to Jews during the period under investigation; the role of language within the clinical encounter; and troublesome patients. The goal here is to illustrate how the Jewish body was often seen as inherently different from other (British) asylum patients and therefore pathologised because of those differences, such that in certain situations merely being Jewish suggested a likelihood of being mentally unstable and possessing a mental illness due to the Jewishness association. The final qualitative chapter concentrates on Jewish women and their experiences within Scottish asylums, highlighting some of the gendered differences within that experience when compared to the male Jewish experience of madness that was primarily tackled in the previous chapter. This chapter discuses Jewish women and their place within the Jewish community and wider Anglo-Scottish society, and further it addresses the perceived close relationship between Jewish women and mental illness, itself complicated by the extent to which the woman concerned sought to live up to a vision of the perfect Jewish mother while also being judged through an idealized version of domestically content British (middle-class) womanly reserve. Final conclusions are added which summarise the contributions made by the thesis, and speculate about further inquires that might be conducted in this field.


African cultivated rice (Oryza glaberrima Steud.) was domesticated from its wild progenitor species (Oryza barthii) about 3,000 years ago. Seed shattering is one of the main constraints on grain production in African cultivated rice, which causes severe grain losses during harvest. By contrast, Asian cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) displays greater resistance to seed shattering, allowing higher grain production. A better understanding in regulation of seed shattering would help to improve harvesting efficiency in African cultivated rice. Here, we report the map-based cloning and characterization of OgSH11, a MYB transcription factor controlling seed shattering in O. glaberrima. OgSH11 represses the expression of lignin biosynthesis genes and lignin deposition by binding to the promoter of GH2. We successfully developed a new O. glaberrima material showing significantly reduced seed shattering by knockout of SH11 in O. glaberrima using CRISPR-Cas9 mediated approach. Identification of SH11 not only supplies a new target for seed shattering improvement in African cultivated rice, but also provides new insights into the molecular mechanism of abscission layer development.


The lightning outage rate is one of the most important factors to design transmission lines. It is very complicated to calculate the lightning outage rate because there are many parameters to be considered such as a tower-footing resistance, a peak value and a waveform of lightning current, a striking angle and so on. The double-circuit outage is the most urgent problem in electric power systems. However, it is difficult to analyze a multiphase flashover of the transmission lines because the flashover on each phase occurs sequentially and the arcing-horn voltage is affected by the other phase flashovers. An analysis using the EMTP shows a sufficient accuracy, but requires a large computation time. Thus, a more convenient and simplified method is desired to estimate the fl ashover for the parameters. This paper proposes a calculation method to evaluate a back-flashover outage due to a direct-lightning hit to a tower. The method is based on an integration method and a lumped-parameter circuit theory. The method not only treats an arcing-horn voltage and a flashover time, but also is able to handle nonlinear characteristics uch as a nonlinear grounding resistance and the multiphase flashover. Thus, the proposed method is very convenient o investigate a lightning performance.


In this paper, we revisit the optimization based control problem of wireless ad-hoc networks. Even though much work has been done so far, they are limited either in their practicality or in their efficiency. We develop another framework based on independent set and propose an implementable heuristic algorithm. Our heuristic is based on the longest queue first (LQF) policy and the neighborhood price.


This dissertation engages with the fields of translation studies and 20th-Century Latin American literature in order to explore sites of encounter and hybridization both represented and enacted by literary texts. I argue for a theory of reading, which is also a theory of translation, that situates subjects and texts as spaces of contact and intermingling between languages and cultures. By investigating the travels and travails of readers, authors, and texts, this dissertation develops a multilingual, transnational approach to the study of literature; by using literature to make the case for a more nuanced, non-homogenizing understanding of language and culture, it also argues for the potential of difficult, "thick" translations. Such translations provide the specificity necessary for such nuance, and, through their estrangement of readers from their domestic habitat, activate the transformative capacity of poetic language.This project centers on the texts of four Chilean authors whose work has been significantly transnational. The first chapter takes an intertextual approach in reading the literary relationship between Roberto Bolano (1953-2003) and Pablo Neruda (1904-1973). In doing so, this chapter begins to formulate my project's theory of reading and translation by drawing a connection between reading and travel, substantiated by an exploration of the central tropes of detective fiction, a genre with which Bolano enters into an extended dialogue. The second chapter continues to build upon this theory by proposing that reading be understood as language learning, supported by further reading of Neruda (specifically, his Canto General) as well as his predecessor, Gabriel Mistral (1889-1957), examining source texts as well as various translations into English. Translations of poetry are further examined, and further complicated, in the third and final chapter, which examines the treatment of historical and political context(s) in and around Purgatorio (1979) and Anteparaiso (1982) by Raul Zurita, works written under conditions of military dictatorship in Chile.


According to Social Cognitive Theory, the anticipated consequences of a behaviour (outcome expectancies), influence the likelihood of engaging in a behaviour. Results from self-report studies suggest that people who have self-injured expect self-injury will regulate emotions while people who have never self-injured expect self-injury to result in pain. In this study we trialled three experimental tasks measuring implicit self-injury related outcome expectancies. 150 Australian university students aged 18–45 (M = 21.45, SD = 3.84) completed the experimental tasks (Sentence Completion Task, Implicit Association Tests, Covariation Bias Task) within a laboratory setting. Results revealed that implicit associations with affect regulation, pain, and communication differentiated people according to self-injury history in the sentence completion task. The strength of implicit associations with affect regulation also predicted the recency of self-injury. People who had self-injured, but not in the past 12 months appeared to have a bias towards associating images of self-injury and neutral words when compared to people who had recently self-injured. Implicit associations, as measured by the Implicit Association Tests did not significantly differentiate participants by self-injury history. Results suggest that the sentence completion task could further research and theoretical understanding of the role of implicit outcome expectancies in facilitating self-injury.


Delineating the relative influence of genotype and the environment on DNA methylation is critical for characterizing the spectrum of organism fitness as driven by adaptation and phenotypic plasticity. In this study, we integrated genomic and DNA methylation data for two distinct Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) populations while controlling for within-generation environmental influences. In addition to providing the first characterization of genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in the oyster genus Ostrea, we identified 3,963 differentially methylated loci between populations. Our results show a clear coupling between genetic and epigenetic patterns of variation, with 27% of variation in inter-individual methylation differences explained by genotype. Underlying this association are both direct genetic changes in CpGs (CpG-SNPs) and genetic variation with indirect influence on methylation (mQTLs). The association between genetic and epigenetic patterns breaks down when comparing measures of population divergence at specific genomic regions, which has implications for the methods used to study epigenetic and genetic coupling in marine invertebrates. Significance statement We know that genotype and epigenetic patterns are primarily responsible for phenotype, yet there is a lack of understanding to what degree the two are linked. Here we characterized the mechanisms and the degree by which genetic variation and DNA methylation variation are coupled in a marine invertebrate, with almost a third of the methylation variation attributable to genotype. This study provides a framework for future studies in environmental epigenetics to take genetic variation into account when teasing apart the drivers of phenotypic variation. By identifying methylation variation that cannot be attributed to genotype or environmental changes during development, our results also highlight the need for future research to characterize molecular mechanisms adjacent to genetic adaptation for producing long-term shifts in phenotype.


A novel biosynthetic pathway for the production of natural 2-phenylethanol from cinnamaldehyde is reported. An ene-reductase (OYE)-mediated selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde to hydrocinnamaldehyde is followed by a regioselective Baeyer-Villiger oxidation (BVMO) to produce the corresponding formate ester that either spontaneously hydrolyzes to 2-phenylethanol in water or is assisted by a formate dehydrogenase (FDH). This cascade reaction is performed in a one-pot fashion at ambient temperature and pressure. High selectivity and complete conversion were achieved.


Fibroblast-like stromal cells modulate the growth of cancer cells, both positively and negatively. Growth modulation is achieved through the secretion of regulatory factors as well as by proteins within the extracellular matrix. Those cellular interactions present attractive targets for cancer chemotherapy. It was demonsrated a novel natural compound, intervenolin (ITV), inhibited the in vitro growth of human gastric cancer cells when co-cultured with stromal cells. Importantly, the inhibition was enhanced by the presence of stromal cells. The present study reported a mechanism of ITV action. Human gastric fibroblast-like stromal cells (Hs738) were treated with ITV. The resultant conditioned medium (ITV CM) inhibited the growth of human gastric cancer cells and suppressed the level of c-Myc protein. This result suggested that ITV negatively modulated cancer cell growth by upregulating the secretion of factors originating from stromal cells in the co-culture system. To better understand the mechanism, ITV CM was subjected to proteomic analysis. The data revealed that one of the candidate regulators was thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1). Recombinant human TSP-1 protein inhibited the growth of gastric cancer cells. Moreover, the growth-inhibitory activities of ITV CM as well as that of recombinant TSP-1 were blocked by neutralizing antibody targeting TSP-1. These results suggested that ITV inhibited the growth of gastric cancer cells through its modulation of stromal cell function.


The present research empirically measured the risk attitudes of yam farmers in Benue State of Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling design was used to draw a sample size of 120 respondents and ex-post 2016 production data were tacitly elicited from the respondents using structured questionnaire complemented with an interview schedule. The collected data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The yam sett was found to be the most important input in the production process, as such used to measure the farmers risk behavior. Evidence showed that all the respondents were risk aversive and the identified factor which propelled farmers' risk apprehension was paucity of economic capital. Therefore, in order to shift the paradigm from risk aversion to risk preference, yam farmers in the studied area should be given access to formal credit facilities.


Posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysms account for 3% to 4% of all intracranial aneurysms with an unusually high predilection towards a nonsaccular morphology making microsurgical clipping or endovascular reconstruction of the parent artery difficult. The management of these complicated aneurysms may require revascularization procedures for flow preservation with aneurysm trapping. Recently, there is an increasing inclination towards intracranial-intracranial (IC-IC) bypasses over traditional extracranial donors.  This video demonstrates a side-to-side PICA-PICA in situ bypass with trapping of an unruptured incidental right p1-PICA aneurysm. Radiological lesion progression and presence of dysplastic morphological characteristics prompted surgical management. The aneurysm was not amenable to clip reconstruction due to the dysplastic PICA segment and lack of a discernable neck. Institutional Review Board approval and patient consent were sought. With patient in three-quarter-prone position, a right far lateral craniotomy was performed. A left-to-right p3-p3 PICA bypass was completed. The aneurysm was clipped along with proximal PICA at its takeoff from vertebral artery. Indocyanine green videoangiography revealed complete occlusion of aneurysm and proximal PICA and a patent anastomosis with distal right PICA flow. Postoperatively, patient recovered with no new neurological deficits.  Dolichoectatic posterior circulation aneurysms are not readily amenable to clip reconstruction. PICA-PICA in situ bypass is an elegant alternative to existing extracranial-intracranial revascularization constructs (occipital artery to PICA).1 There is lower neurological morbidity associated with IC-IC bypass vs PICA reimplantation due to the deep surgical corridor and its proximity to lower cranial nerves. Additionally, in this patient endovascular occlusion posed a higher risk of thrombotic complications and postprocedural cerebellar edema with brainstem compression.2.


Total hip arthroplasty using artificial materials is a widely used treatment for osteoarthritis and similar disabling conditions. The hip is essentially a ball and socket joint, linking the "ball" at the head of the thigh bone (femur) with the cup-shaped "socket" in the pelvic bone. The longevity of total hip arthroplasties is significantly reduced by the wear of joint surfaces. Prosthetic implant wear and joint degeneration mechanism can be estimated for the hip joint by predicting contact area and pressure distribution during activities of daily living which provide biomechanical rationales for preoperative planning and postoperative rehabilitation. The objective of the current study was to generate a finite element model capable of predicting the influence of femoral head size and coefficient of friction between femoral head and cup on contact pressure distribution as well as wear in total hip replacement. These stress distributions represent an important factor which affects the development of hip and also determines the state of health or disease of the adult hip. Moreover, the understanding of wear behavior will aid in the evaluation of the clinical penetration measurements of patients with hip arthroplasty and design of THR devices. Furthermore, the prediction of contact pressure and wear rates can help in deciding for a treatment and in planning the operation. The finite element models were generated using ANSYS finite element software by developing an ANSYS Parametric Design Language macro for easy and quick calculations. A standardized femur was used as a basis for the FEM models. This study has demonstrated that the increasing of head diameter can reduce the maximum contact pressure between the metallic femoral head and the Ultra High Molecular Weight Poly-Ethylene cup. Furthermore, wear penetration was found to decrease asymptotically with increasing head size and the predicted wear rates were well within clinically observed ranges for each component size.


This paper describes the stochastic model order reduction algorithm via stochastic Hermite polynomials from the practical implementation perspective. Comparing with existing work on stochastic interconnect analysis and parameterized model order reduction, we generalized the input variation representation using polynomial chaos (PC) to allow for accurate modeling of non-Gaussian input variations. We also explore the implicit system representation using sub-matrices and improved the efficiency for solving the linear equations utilizing block matrix structure of the augmented system. Experiments show that our algorithm matches with Monte Carlo methods very well while keeping the algorithm effective. And the PC representation of non-Gaussian variables gains more accuracy than Taylor representation used in previous work (Wang et al., 2004).


Eugenol has many functional properties for food and pharmaceutical purposes, especially as an antimicrobial agent. However, its use is constrained by its volatility and shelf life because it is easily degraded due to temperature, oxidation, and light. Research on encapsulation technology using biopolymers is still required to obtain the appropriate formulation in a eugenol delivery system. The aims of this research were to develop a new formulation of protein and polysaccharides in eugenol encapsulation and to determine the effect of eugenol and chitosan concentration on the characteristics of the emulsions and spray-dried powder produced. In this study, eugenol was encapsulated in whey protein–maltodextrin conjugates and chitosan through the double layer encapsulation method. The emulsions which were prepared with 2.0% eugenol were relatively more stable than those of 1.0% eugenol based on the polydispersity index and zeta potential values. Spray-dried powder which was prepared using an emulsion of 2.0% w/w eugenol and 0.33% w/w chitosan had the highest eugenol loading. The presence of chitosan resulted in more stable emulsions based on their zeta potential values, improved thermal stability of eugenol, increased eugenol loading to become twice as much as the loading obtained without chitosan, and modified release profile of eugenol from the spray-dried powders.


Bamboo is an important source of income for rural livelihoods in Ethiopia and somewhere else. It is increasingly recognized as potential species for environmental protection and poverty reduction in many countries including Ethiopia. The study was conducted in Amhara Regional State, Awi Zone, where Yushania alpina dominated areas of Banja district. This finding aimed at to identify advanced propagation techniques that can be pertinent for large scale plantation of Yushania alpina. randomized complete block design with three replications was used. The vegetative propagation materials (treatments) were; rhizome with two nodes, rhizome with four nodes, rhizome with six nodes, rhizome without culm and rhizome with the whole culm (offset). A total of 240 offset planting materials were planted in the experimental station. Of which, sixteen planting material were used in each plot level. New shoot sprouting, and their height, root collar diameter and mortality rate data was collected. There was no statistical significant difference in mean number of new sprouted shoots of Yushinia alpina between the five treatments. While, there was significant difference between mean shoot height of rhizome with four nodes and rhizome without Culm (137.02b ± 22.94, 67.10a ± 17.97) at (p<0.05) respectively. The result revealed that, rhizome with four nodes and six nodes had shown significantly higher mean shoot height and root collar diameter, as compared with the traditional one (Rhizome with the whole culm) (33.89b ± 12.17, 32.43b ± 12.68, 8.48a ± 2.53) at (p<0.05) respectively. The present finding confirmed that, among different Propagating techniques rhizome with four and six World Scientific News 61(2) (2017) 122-136 -123nodes are appropriate for large scale plantation of Yushinia alpina, as compared to the conventional propagation technique (offsets).


Over‐exploitation and habitat degradation are the two major drivers of global environmental change and are responsible for local extinctions and declining ecosystem services. Here we compare the top‐down effect of exploitation by fishing with the bottom‐up influence of habitat loss on fish communities in the most diverse of ecological systems, coral reefs. Using a combination of multivariate techniques and path analyses, we illustrate that the relative importance of coral cover and fishing in controlling fish abundance on remote Fijian reefs varies between species and functional groups. A decline in branching Acropora coral is strongly associated with a decline in abundance of coral‐feeding species, and a decrease in coral‐associated habitat complexity, which has indirectly contributed to reduced abundance of small‐bodied damselfish. In contrast, reduced fishing pressure, brought about by declining human populations and a shift to alternate livelihoods, is associated with increased abundance of some piscivores and fisheries target species. However, availability of prey is controlled by coral‐associated habitat complexity and appears to be a more important driver of total piscivore abundance compared with fishing pressure. Effects of both fishing and coral loss are stronger on individual species than functional groups, as variation in the relative importance of fishing or coral loss among species within the same functional group attenuated the impact of either of these potential drivers at the functional level. Overall, fishing continues to have an influence on Fijian fish communities; however, habitat loss is currently the overriding agent of change. The importance of coral loss mediated by climate change is expected to have an increasing contribution to fish community dynamics, particularly in remote locations or where the influence of fishing is waning.


Background: Sedentary behaviors have increased in recent years and their consequences have led the World Health Organization to make recommendations for promoting a more active lifestyle. The school environment has been defined as a key place for achieving this objective for children and adolescents. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to analyze the effect of active-break interventions for interrupting prolonged sitting times during school-time on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB), at school, in childhood and youth. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out, including clinical trials aimed at assessing the effects of interrupting prolonged sitting at school with active breaks on in-school PA and/or SB. Multimodal and static interventions were excluded. Six databases were analyzed: Medline, WOS, Cochrane Library, SPORT Discus, CINAHL and EMBASE. PA, SB; moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were the variables considered. Results: Nine studies were included, with a total of 2145 children between 6 and 12 years old. The heterogeneity in the duration (five–sixty min), the frequency (one–three times per-day up to three times per week), and duration (five days to three years) of the interventions was detected. The meta-analyses for in-school PA, MVPA, and SB were performed, showing a significant improvement in both PA and MVPA. Conclusions: Interrupting prolonged sitting with active-based school interventions could improve PA and MVPA levels during school time. (PROSPERO: CRD42022358933).


This paper introduces a novel geospatial identification approach to distinguish areas of mixed use from predominantly residential areas within urban agglomerations. Carried out within the framework of the World Bank's Country Disaster Risk Profiles (CDRP) project initiative - currently being implemented in Central America - global applicability and easy transferability is considered crucial. Therefore global spatial datasets are used throughout in the setup of the disaggregated property stock exposure model, one of the key elements for subsequent disaster risk and loss estimation. After initial urban-rural classification at a 1km grid level, predominantly residential areas need to be identified as opposed to areas of mixed use in order to spatially link accordingly compiled property stock information (e.g. from global tabular databases such as PAGER-STR). Impervious Surface Area (ISA) data based on remotely sensed nighttime lights from the DMSP-OLS sensor are used as proxy to identify areas of peak human activity. Intense lighting in that context is associated with a high likelihood of commercial and/or industrial presence, commonly clustered in certain parts of a city (such as central business districts and or peripheral commercial zones). Areas of low light intensity, in turn, can be considered more likely residential. Several light intensity threshold are tested for Cuenca City, Ecuador, in order to best match the situation on the ground, where local-level cadastral land use data show a 75-25 distribution ratio of residential vs. mixed use. Results will be presented first-hand in this paper and future work will be addressed highlighting the relevance of remote sensing data for top-down modeling approaches at wide spatial scale.


Background: Elsinoë arachidis, an important peanut pathogenic fungus that distributes widely and leads to large-scale losses in peanut producing regions in China, produce elsinochromes (ESCs) as the vital toxin through pathogenic process. However, the biosynthesis of elsinochromes have not been investigated and the transcriptional response of the light on synthesis of elsinochrome in Elsinoë is poorly understood. Results: In this paper, high-quality genome of E. arachidis by PacBio RS II sequencing method was reported. The 33.18Mb genome encodes 9056 predicted genes, of which the proportion of genes encoding secreted proteins 8.0% (734 secreted proteins), 124 transporter-related genes, 949 signal peptides, 1,829 transmembrane protein-coding genes, 127 non-coding RNAs and 13 pseudogenes. Mapped the E. arachidis assembly to 16 scaffold that contain 86 secondary metabolites gene clusters, including six polyketide synthase gene clusters encoding two melanin, one elsinochromes and three T-toxin were also identified in the genome. Additionally, ESC biosynthesis-related gene cluster predicted to contain ESCB1 which was high expression under light condition. Conclusion: Analysis of genomic information of E. arachidis lays a solid molecular data foundation for further exploration of pathogenic mechanisms and toxin biosynthesis pathways. Taken together, we provide a valuable foundation in the biosynthesis of elsinochrome and essential information for further comprehend its virulence mechanism.


Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is a rare cause of chronic bleeding in cirrhotic patients. It has been suggested that these gastric lesions might be related to portal hypertension, hepatic insufficiency, or both parameters. We report two cases of cirrhotic patients in whom GAVE was the source of recurrent bleeding. These patients also had complete portal vein thrombosis. Liver transplantation was performed and an end‐to‐end cavoportal anastomosis was performed, leaving patients with persistent portal hypertension after surgery. We observed complete disappearance of the antral lesions several weeks after transplantation, which shows that the GAVE is not related to portal hypertension but is rather a direct consequence of liver failure. Possible pathophysiologic mechanisms are discussed.


The World Bank's Lawyers provides an original socio-legal account of the evolving institutional life of international law. Informed by oral archives, months of participant observation, interviews, legal memoranda and documents obtained through freedom-of-information requests, it tells an untold story of the World Bank's legal department between 1983 and 2016. This is a story of people and the beliefs they have, the influence they seek and the tools they employ. It is an account of the practices they cling to and how these practices gain traction, or how they fail to do so, in an international bureaucracy. Inspired by Actor-Network Theory, relational sociologies of association and performativity theory, this ethnographic exploration multiplies the matters of concern in our study of international law(yering): the human and non-human, material and semantic, obscure and evasive actants that tie together the fragile fabric of legality. In tracing these threads, this book signals important changes in the conceptual repertoire and materiality of international legal practice, as liberal ideals were gradually displaced by managerial modes of evaluation. It reveals a world teeming with life—a space where professional postures and prototypes, aesthetic styles and technical routines are woven together in law's shifting mode of existence. This history of international law as a contingent cultural technique enriches our understanding of the discipline's disenchantment and the displacement of its traditional tropes by unexpected and unruly actors. It thereby inspires new ways of critical thinking about international law's political pathways, promises and pathologies, as its language is inscribed in ever-evolving rationalities of rule.


Psychology![Figure][1]

CREDIT: ANGELA PIAZZA/ZUMA PRESS/NEWSCOM

Telephone companies have long used recorded voices, usually female, and many services companies have chosen to confront callers with voice-based menus of options. Personalized assistance became available by means of Siri for iPhone users, and Waytz et al. have now begun to explore the psychological consequences of endowing autonomous vehicles, one of the latest technological innovations to come to market, with a voice. They monitored drivers' physiological status while in a driving simulator operated either by themselves or by an autonomous entity, referred to as Iris, that spoke to the human drivers. Not surprisingly, audio communication increased the sense of liking and of anthropomorphization; it also enhanced feelings of trust—which was measured both by self-reported ratings and by fluctuations in heart rate—under normal driving conditions. Furthermore, in the aftermath of a collision with another car, programmed so as to be unavoidable, drivers were more likely to absolve Iris of blame in comparison to a similar, nonverbal autonomous vehicle. These effects fit neatly into a framework of greater humanization as being reflective of an entity's capacities to carry out actions (agency) and to embody feelings.

J. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 52 , 113 (2014).

 [1]: pending:yes


The ESA space mission Gaia, planned to be launched at the end of 2013, will make astrometric, photometric and spectroscopic measurements of about 1 billion sources in our Galaxy. Amongst these sources will be numerous multiple systems. In the processing chain eclipsing binaries (EBs) will be detected and, if possible, their period and characteristics determined. Here we summarize the various steps that are foreseen to automatically classify and characterise these EBs.


This paper reports results of further investigation of the so-called direct torque control (DTC) technique to an interior permanent magnet (1PM) synchronous motor drive. This torque control technique for IPM motors requires no dq-axes current controllers and coordinate transformnation networks. A completely sensorless 1PM motor drive with DTC, which uses a new speed estimator from the stator flux linkage vector and the torque angle, is presented. It is shown that including the torque angle in the estimation process results in a far more accurate transient speed estimator than what is reported in the existing literature.


In construction stages of cable-stayed bridges with prestressed concrete deck, the influence of creep on stresses and strains is very important in order to foresee the final patterns of internal forces and displacements. In cantilever construction, the concrete deck can be considered, in each stage, as a continuous beam resting on elastic restraints, which modify with successive additions of new segments, until the last one has been assembled. In these stages stress relaxation in concrete occurs as well as vertical displacements increase. Ehen structure has been closed by inserting midspan segment, stress redistribution begins, due to creep. Deformation and internal force development in construction and service life modify stay stresses such as deck and pylon final profiles. It is necessary to prevent undesirable deformed shape of deck and pylon and to control the final stress pattern of deck and stays. The requested final geometry of the bridge is reached by adjusting stay axial forces during construction. A study is presented in which, by taking into account creep effects, the optimization in terms of deck and pylon deformed shape can be achieved through a sequence of stay force adjustments during construction stages. The presented analysis is based on the theory of aging linear viscoelasticity in order to give a useful tool for the conceptual design of cable-stayed bridges with concrete deck. The proposed procedure allows engineers to design by reducing and avoiding creep effects instead of calculating them with refined models since the first design step.