CHRONIC progressive external ophthalmoplegia is a rare disease. Wilbrand and Saenger (1899) collected 32 cases from the literature, and described the condition as a distinct clinical entity, separating it from the congenital form and from the cases of external ophthalmoplegia associated with other neurological manifestations. McMullen and Hine (1921) 'presented three cases, but rejected one which later presented other manifestations of central nervous system involvement; according to their opinion no definite difference could be determined between the congenital and chronic types. They also annotated cases reported by Beaumont (1900; twelve cases), Ayres (1896; two cases) and Altland (1909; one case). Beaumont's cases covered four generations and were familial, never congenital, slowly progressive, never fatal. Later reports were made by Terrien (1921; one case), Calhoun (1927; annotated by Duke-Elder, 1949; number not mentioned, probably one case), Langdon and Cadwalader (1928; one case), Stone (1936; one case), Wilson (1940; one case), Fagin (1942; one case), Walsh (1947; six cases, three atypical not included), Giardini (1948; one case), Morpurgo (1948; one case), Hussain (1949; one case) and Scharf (1950; one case). Thus the number of cases to be found in the available literature was raised to 65.


On the basis of genes, which control synthesis of externally localized proteins of group B streptococci (bac and scaAB), recombinant polypeptides P6 and ScaAB were obtained. Data on protective activity of these polypeptides during experimental infection of immunized mice as well as in opsonophagocytic test on cultivated peritoneal macrophages are presented. It has been shown that protective effect of specific antibodies to P6 was dependent from intensity of immune response. Titer of specific IgG to P6 equal 1:25000 was protective for mice during challenge with LD50. During sublethal challenge level of humoral immunity determined both rate of microorganism elimination and degree of decrease of concentration of streptococci in the spleen. Recombinant polypeptide ScaAB also had marked protective activity and protective titer ScaAB-specific IgG was significantly lower compared with the first polypeptide (1:1600). It has been established that both types of antibodies have opsonizing activity against different strains of group B streptococci. Opsonizing properties of antibodies to P6 were restricted to Bac protein-producing streptococci whereas specificity of antibodies to ScaAB was not restricted by type and group borders. Opsonization of both group B and group A streptococci was revealed. It has been established that protective efficacy mediated by antibodies was dependent not only from their opsonizing characteristics but also from availability of protein antigens, which under certain conditions can be shielded by capsular polysaccharide. It has been assumed that vaccine preparation developed on the basis of polypeptides P6 and ScaAB is promising for further research.


The information technology may provide alternative approaches to Osteoporosis disease diagnosis. This systematicreview was performed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of vertebral fracture assessment. In this study, we examinethe potential use of classification techniques on a massive volume of healthcare data, particularly in prediction ofpatients that may have Osteoporosis through its risk factors. For this purpose, we propose to develop a new solutionapproach based on Random Forest decision tree to identify the osteoporosis cases. There has been no researchin using the afore-mentioned algorithm for Osteoporosis patients' prediction. The reduction of the attributes consiststo enumerate dynamically the optimal subsets of the reduced attributes of high interest by reducing the degree ofcomplexity. A computer-aided system is developed for this purpose. The performance of the proposed model in thisstudy is analyzed and evaluated based on set of benchmark techniques applied in this classification problem.


Tortor Naposo Nauli Bulung is one of North Sumatra's local dance content, originating from the Mandailing Batak. As a traditional dance, this tortor has binding rules, sourced from the Dalihan Na Tolu kinship system, which illustrates the roles in it such as kahanggi, Mora, and boru children, so that the various movements contain traditional rules and norms that apply and must be obeyed when adhered to to dance it. This article discusses the history, form of presentation, and function of tortors. Theories used to explore history are the progressive-linear theory according to Ibn Khaldun, Djelantik's opinion for the form of presentation, and the theory of function according to Shay. The research method is descriptive qualitative. The results of the study conveyed Tortor Naposo Nauli Bulung became a medium for socializing. This tortor was performed by young people with six or three pairs of dancers. The floor pattern used was only two shapes, namely the horizontal line pattern and the triangle shape. The group of dancers in the front are called 'na gakspi' or 'na isembar', while the group in the back is called 'pangayapi' or 'panyembar'. The basic motions of the Naposo Nauli Bulung tortor are: a) Manyomba tu Raja, b) Markusor (spinning), and c) Singgang (squatting). Naposo Nauli Bulung Tortor contains four functions, namely: as a reflection and legitimacy of the social order, as a vehicle for secular rite expression, dance as social entertainment or recreational activities, and dance as a reflection of aesthetic values.


Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) are a major challenge to Africa's democratic governance. They have a direct impact on a country's stability to raise, retain and mobilise its own resources to finance sustainable economic development. GFI (2017) finds that IFFs remain persistently high. The study finds that over the period between 2005 and 2014, IFFs on average accounted for between 14.1 percent and 24.0 percent of the total developing country trade, while outflows were estimated at 4.6 percent to 7.2 percent of total trade and inflows were between 9.5 percent and 16.8 percent. The problem with IFFs is that they are not only illicit but that their effect spreads far beyond their immediate area of occurrence. Millions of people are affected, economies are weakened, and development is stagnated, while a shady few accumulate wealth and influence. Financial flows are crucial for poor countries and have played an important role in most African countries that have made developmental progress. Since not all financial flows are good for development, the integration of poor countries into the global financial system poses opportunities as well as risks. IFFs usually facilitate most of these risks and have an overall negative impact on African countries.


The electricity generation and management need a precise knowledge of the climate effects on the energy consumption pattern. In a previous work (Valor et al., 2001a) we analysed the meteorological factors influencing the electricity load in Spain, and the air temperature appeared as the most significant. The analysis of the electricity demand in different economic sectors, which is the objective of the present paper, goes further into this study. For the analysis, monthly data of electricity sales in the residential, industrial and other uses sectors have been used. Different regression models have been set up using as explicative variables the heating and cooling degreemonths, considering the seasonality effects, and correcting the autocorrelation problems of the residuals. The obtained models show explicative powers between 82% and 92%, and errors of estimate in the electricity sales ranging from ±1% to ±4%, depending on the considered sector.


US data were sought for transplantation in primary hyperoxaluria (PH). The USRDS recorded 194 patients since 1974. By lifetable analysis, survival was better for transplanted than for non-transplanted patients (P < 0.001), even after trimming data for age < 55 and end-stage renal disease since 1985 (63 patients, 39 transplanted, 24 not transplanted). Transplant survival was longer for living related donor (21) vs cadaveric (17) transplants. Twenty-nine kidney transplants in 22 children were registered in NAPRTCS. Interview data with physicians showed that eight of 17 living related donor kidneys functioned well, three were borderline and six were lost. All six cadaver kidneys were lost. Four of six kidney-liver transplants functioned, and two died. United Network for Organ Sharing recorded 13 kidney-liver transplants in 11 patients. Six initially functioned well; two were retransplanted. Ultimately seven lived and four died. Overall, transplant is better than no transplant; cadaver donation results are poor; living related kidney donation can succeed; and kidney-liver transplant is still problematic in the US, and rarely follows appropriate investigation. Until more cooperative effort can be achieved, isolated kidney living related donor transplant is preferable, and does not preclude kidney-liver transplant later.


Introduction: The efficacy of the bond between the restorative materials and the pulp capping materials has an important role in the success of vital pulp therapy. Aims and Objective: This study was conducted to investigate and compare the shear bond strength (SBS) of Biodentine, Endocem mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), and TheraCal LC to resin composite using a universal adhesive at their respective initial setting time and to identify the specific modes of failure using a stereomicroscope at × 25 magnification. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 acrylic blocks were prepared. Each of the blocks were prepared 20 mm high and 12 mm diameter and had a central hole of 2 mm depth and 5 mm diameter. These acrylic blocks were divided into three groups of 20 samples each based on the liner that is condensed into prepared central hole as Group A – Biodentine, Group B – Endocem MTA, and Group C – TheraCal LC. Composite was then bonded to each sample using universal adhesive. SBS analysis was performed at a cross-head speed of 1 mm/min. Observation and Results: Mean SBS of Group B (Endocem MTA) with composite was found to be significantly lower than that of Group A (Biodentine) with composite which was further significantly lower than that of Group C (TheraCal LC) with composite. Conclusion: This present study concludes that the bond strength of resin-based light-curable TheraCal LC showed clinically acceptable and highest SBS values when used with a universal silane containing adhesive.


When the shorelines were contaminated by oil, oiled shorelines were assessed systematically by SCAT and guideline of cleanup activities and shorelines treatment endpoints based on SCAT were established and operated in case of well developed countries like USA and Canada. However, shorelines cleanup assessment technique are not established clearly in our country. In this study, we studied on the shorelines cleanup assessment technique suitable for Korean shorelines feature. That is, composition of SCAT organization, classification of shorelines and division of oiled shorelines by segment that are elements of SCAT were studied, and we suggest the measures related to above elements suitable for shorelines feature of our country.


Assessment of automated immunohistochemical staining platform performance is largely limited to the visual evaluation of individual slides by trained personnel. Quantitative assessment of stain intensity is not typically performed. Here we describe our experience with 2 quantitative strategies that were instrumental in root cause investigations performed to identify the sources of suboptimal staining quality (decreased stain intensity and increased variability). In addition, these tools were utilized as adjuncts in validation of a new immunohistochemical staining instrument. The novel methods utilized in the investigation include quantitative assessment of whole slide images (WSI) and commercially available quantitative calibrators. Over the course of ~13 months, these methods helped to identify and verify correction of 2 sources of suboptimal staining. One root cause of suboptimal staining was insufficient/variable power delivery from our building's electrical circuit. This led us to use uninterruptible power managers for all automated immunostainer instruments, which restored expected stain intensity and consistency. Later, we encountered one instrument that, despite passing all vendor quality control checks and not showing error alerts was suspected of yielding suboptimal stain quality. WSI analysis and quantitative calibrators provided a clear evidence that proved critical in confirming the pathologists' visual impressions. This led to the replacement of the instrument, which was then validated using a combination of standard validation metrics supplemented by WSI analysis and quantitative calibrators. These root cause analyses document 2 variables that are critical in producing optimal immunohistochemical stain results and also provide real-world examples of how the application of quantitative tools to measure automated immunohistochemical stain output can provide a greater objectivity when assessing immunohistochemical stain quality.


This paper exploits the State Children's Health Insurance Program of the United States to investigate impact of a publicly funded health insurance benefit for children on work behavior of adult men and women. Drawing data from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement of the Current Population Survey and employing a triple- difference identification strategy, I find that public health insurance benefit for children decreases labor supply of women but increases that of men. Estimates suggest that, on average, labor force participation rate of women decreased by 7.4 percentage points while that of men increased by 5.5 percentage points as their families became eligible for State Children's Health Insurance Program. The findings are supported by a number of robustness checks and a falsification exercise.


Intussusception is a paediatric surgical emergency that requires prompt diagnosis and management to prevent significant patient morbidity and mortality. Of the recognised causes, intussusception following rotavirus vaccination is relatively rare and may be overlooked by practitioners. We present the case of a 2-month-old infant found to have intussusception following rotavirus vaccination together with a review of current literature around this important topic.

A 2-month-old male infant was admitted under the paediatric team with a 1-day history of non-bilious vomiting, pyrexia, and irritability a day after receiving his first-dose rotavirus vaccination. On examination he was haemodynamically stable and had no focal signs of sepsis. His abdominal examination revealed a soft, non-distended abdomen with no palpable masses. He had passed normal stool within the preceding 24 hours. Following initial assessment, he underwent a full septic screen including lumbar puncture, the results of which were all within normal range.

After developing bilious vomiting overnight a paediatric surgical review was obtained and an upper gastrointestinal contrast study was performed. This revealed no evidence of malrotation. An abdominal X-ray was subsequently performed which revealed a soft tissue mass in the right hypochondrium, dilated proximal small bowel loops, and a paucity of distal bowel gas, in keeping with small bowel obstruction (Figure 1). An urgent ultrasound scan was obtained which showed dilated proximal small bowel loops and the characteristic target sign typically seen in intussusception (Figure 2). The child received full resuscitation before an air enema reduction was performed under …


This text reviews gendered relationships displayed in some popular social narratives, reflecting distress, conflict and violence existing in inter-gendered relationships. This is reflected on sayings, popular expressions, jokes and riddles. The diversity and ambivalence of popular culture is seen, as well as the reproduction of cultural roles and emotional relief.


The salmon farming industry is shifting from an entrepreneurial spirit towards industrialization and cost efficiency. Large players are purchasing the small players, and the industry is consolidating. Optimization is therefore becoming more relevant, but little academic work has been done on the freshwater part of the value chain. This thesis presents a linear stochastic programming model that minimizes the total expected costs related to smolt production. One of its innovations is a linear formulation using SOS2, enabling water temperature to be a decision variable. The main uncertainty, freshwater intake temperature, is modeled through the use of scenarios,which were generated using a seasonal AR(1)-model. Testing and feedback sessions with biologists were conducted to ensure model quality. The model was applied to two case studies involving the Marine Harvest freshwater facility at Slordal, Sor-Trondelag. The first case investigates a typical two year production plan, while the other explores the production of 500 grams smolts, which is a new product. These case studies have yielded three core insights. First, they indicate that optimization can have a significant impact on the total costs. A typical two year production plan at the Slordal facility experienced a total cost reduction of 11%. Second, smolt orders can be fulfilled with reduced water heating compared to today?s praxis if the fry are deployed earlier. Third, 500 grams smolt should be delivered during the winter to exploit the natural temperature seasonalities. Smolt delivered during the winter has significantly lower cost and production time compared to other seasons.


The vaccine treatment of ringworm of the scalp rests on the fundamental fact that, in the blood of children suffering from this affection, there is a specific antibody which produces a positive complement-fixation test and gives a positive skin reaction. Dr. Kolmer and I found 78 per cent, positive fixation tests in children suffering from tinea tonsurans. This work was done with controls, not only against various dermatologic affections, but also against syphilis, all of which controls were negative. In performing this reaction, the ringworm fungus was used as the antigen. We inject 0.05 c.c. of a suspension of dead ringworm fungus in salt solution, which has been briefly centrifuged at low speed, so that it is of about the same density as luetin. When we inject it into the superficial skin layer of the arm of children suffering from tinea tonsurans, we obtain reactions in the vast majority of


BACKGROUND
Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) have been reported to regulate N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor function in various brain regions. The selective mGluR5 antagonist 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)-pyridine (MPEP) can potentiate NMDA antagonists such as PCP and MK-801-induced behavioural responses. In the present study, the role of group I mGluRs on ketamine- and propofol-induced general anaesthesia was examined.

METHODS
Mice were pretreated with various doses of the group I mGluR agonist (S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG), selective mGluR5 agonist (RS)-2-chloro-5-hydroxyphenylglycine (CHPG), mGluR1 antagonist 7-(hydroxyimino)cyclopropa[b]chromen-1a-carboxylate ethyl ester (CPCCOEt) and mGluR5 antagonist MPEP followed by administration of ketamine (120 mg kg(-1)) or propofol (140 mg kg(-1)) to induce anaesthesia. The duration of loss of righting reflex was recorded.

RESULTS
DHPG and CHPG antagonized and MPEP potentiated ketamine-induced anaesthesia in a dose-dependent manner. CPCCOEt was ineffective. However, propofol-induced anaesthesia was not affected after manipulating mGluR1 and mGluR5 receptors.

CONCLUSIONS
mGluR5 receptors play an important role in modulation of anaesthesia induced by ketamine, but not propofol.


Abstract Introduction The ramping position is recommended to facilitate pre-oxygenation and mask ventilation of obese patients in anaesthetics via improving the airway alignment. Presentation of case series Two cases of obese patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with type 2 respiratory failure. Both cases showed obstructive breathing patterns on non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and failed resolution of hypercapnia. Ramping position alleviated the obstructive breathing pattern and hypercapnia was subsequently resolved. Conclusion There are no available studies on the rule of the ramping position in aiding NIV in obese patients in the ICU. Accordingly, this case series is significantly important in highlighting the possible benefits of the ramping position for obese patients in settings other than anaesthesia.


UDC 911.2:551.435.843 Wolfgang Dreybrodt & Franci Gabrovsek: Small-scale terraces and isolated rimstone pools on stalagmites in caves exhibit striking similarity to large-scale terrace landscapes at hot springs We report on sinter terrace forms on the centimetre scale observed on the top and at the base of a stalagmite in Skocjanske jame (Skocjan caves). #ese exhibit connected rimstone dams, forming a net-like pattern with active water pools inside. #e form is similar to those seen at the large travertine terraces, which form by precipitation of calcite from spring waters highly supersaturated with respect to calcite. In contrast to these patterns we have also found isolated sinter basins with dimensions of a few centimeter on stalagmite-like structures in the cave Dimnice, Slovenia. Similar basins a few meters wide are a tourist attraction in Pamukkale, Denizli, Turkey. #e observed features have grown from supersaturated solutions of calcium carbonate in laminar $ow. Large-scale landscapes originate under conditions of turbulent $ow. Some ideas are presented why, in spite of the clear di%erence in $ow, the shapes are similar on all scales.


Cooperating with other signaling pathways, Wnt signaling controls cell proliferation, morphology, motility, and embryonic development destination and maintains the homeostasis of tissues including skin, blood, intestine, and brain by regulating somatic stem cells and their niches throughout adult life. Abnormal regulation of Wnt pathways leads to neoplastic proliferation in these tissues. Recent research shows that Wnt signaling is also associated with the regulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) through a similar mechanism to that observed in normal adult stem cells. Thus, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has been intensively studied and characterized. For this review, we will focus on the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in skin cancer. With the important role in stemness and skin CSC proliferation, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and its elements have the potential to be targets for skin cancer therapy.


A general infiltration model is derived using a systems approach. The models of Horton, Kostiakov, Overton, Green and Ampt, and Philip are some of the example models that are shown as special cases of the general model. An equivalence between the Green‐Ampt model and the Philip two‐term model is shown. The general model also provides a solution for the Holtan model expressing infiltration as a function of time. This solution of the Holtan model has not been reported in the literature. A first‐order analysis is performed to quantify the uncertainty involved with the generalized model. The general infiltration model contains five parameters. Two of the parameters are physically based and can therefore be estimated from the knowledge of soil properties, antecedent soil moisture conditions, and infiltration measurements; the remaining three can be determined using the least squares method. The model is verified using ten observed infiltration data sets. Agreement between observed and computed infiltration is ...


Coherent diffraction radiation (CDR), generated by relativistic femtosecond electron bunches passing through an aperture in a metallic foil, is becoming widely used as a high brightness, coherent, polarized, and broad- band terahertz radiation source. It is one of the most promising technique for non-destructive beam diagnostics in ac- celerators. In this paper, how to produce CDR is studied by utilizing femtosecond electron bunches at wavelengths equal to or longer than the bunch length with the aperture size at the condition of a≤γλ/(2π), which is provided by Shanghai Deep Ultraviolet-Free Electron Laser (SDUV-FEL) facility. General characteristics of CDR at SDUV-FEL are analyzed and numerically calculated. The results show that the radiance of this radiation within the frequency range from 0.2 up to 5 terahertz greatly exceeds that available from conventional black body radiation or synchrotron radiation.


Synopsis Advances in Accounting Education is a refereed, academic research publication whose purpose is to help meet the needs of faculty members and administrators who are interested in ways to improve teaching, learning and curriculum development in the accounting area at the college and university level. We publish thoughtful, well-developed articles that are readable, relevant, and reliable. Articles may be either empirical or non-empirical and should emphasize innovative approaches that inform faculty and administrators as they seek to improve their classrooms, curricula and programs. Volume 23 consists of three themes: (1) Capacity Building and Program Leadership, (2) Classroom Innovation and Pedagogy, and (3) Engagement with Professionals Through Advisory Councils. Theme 1, Capacity Building and Program Leadership , include articles that focus on innovation in accounting doctoral programs, roles and professional development opportunities of accounting program leaders, the interaction of gender and performance shortly after junior college students transfer to a four-year college, and the diffusion of data analytics in the accounting curriculum. Theme 2, Classroom Innovation and Pedagogy, consists of a class exercise on accounting for stock option modifications and option service and performance conditions, student group work across geographical and cultural borders, and the use of publicized-data breach cases to incorporate cybersecurity into upper-level accounting courses. Theme 3, Engagement with Professionals Through Advisory Councils , explores ways in which accounting programs might leverage their advisory councils (boards) to improve their curricula and strengthen opportunities for student success. The first article in Theme 3 reports the result of a survey that explores opportunities for interaction between the accounting academy and the profession through advisory councils. This is followed by articles that discuss the use of advisory councils to (a) improve the master's in accountancy curriculum and (b) serve as a catalyst for improving the ethical reasoning skills of accounting students and accounting professionals. In total, this volume includes 10 peer reviewed articles that make significant contributions to teaching, learning, curricula and programs, and faculty development matters in accounting. Accounting & finance


This paper describes a method of real-time facial expression recognition which is based on automatic measurement of the facial features' dimension and the positional relationship between them. The method is composed of two parts, the facial feature extraction using matching techniques and the facial expression recognition using statistics of position and dimension of the features. The method is implemented in an experimental hardware system and the performance is evaluated. The extraction rates of the facial-area, the mouth and the eyes are about 100%, 96% and 90%, respectively, and the recognition rates of facial expression such as normal, angry, surprise, smile and sad expression are 54%, 89%, 86%, 53% and 71%, respectively, for a specific person. The whole processing speed is about 15 frames/second. Finally, we touch on some applications such as man-machine interface, automatic generation of facial graphic animation and sign language translation using facial expression recognition techniques.


The Covid-19 pandemic, or what is often called the corona virus, is currently increasingly infecting the Indonesian economy. Corruption is one of the causes of the nation's very rapid economic system, because corruption in Indonesia is widespread, thus harming the country's economy or the state's financial condition. In this study, the author discusses corruption in infrastructure development in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic. This type of research is library research using the juridical-normative type of research, namely research that is focused on examining the causal factors, punishments given and examining the implications of corruption in infrastructure development on the economy and education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data in this study is secondary data, namely library materials that include official documents, journals, books, libraries, scientific works, articles, and documents related to this research material. The results of this paper indicate that: 1) Factors causing corruption in infrastructure development during the COVID-19 pandemic can occur for various reasons, both from within the perpetrator (internal) or from outside the perpetrator (external). 2). The KPK emphasized that it would give the death penalty to those who commit criminal acts of corruption, especially when the country is in a state of disaster or economic crisis. However, it is all in the judge's decision which decides whether a severe or light sentence is given in giving sanctions in accordance with the provisions of Law Number 31 of 1999 and Law Number 20 of 2021 concerning the eradication of corruption. 3). The implications of corruption in infrastructure development on the economy and education are very negative. The consequences of corruption in infrastructure development can result in access to mobility being unresolved, so that the community's economy becomes bad and unstable. Likewise, the impact of corruption on the education sector can have a negative impact on the quantity, quality, and efficiency of education services. © 2021. RIGEO. All Rights Reserved.


Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the representation of women on the boards (WOMBDs) and audit committees is associated with a reduction in the practice of earnings management and whether women are associated with income reducing (conservative) rather than income-increasing (aggressive) earnings management. The authors further argue that family ownership moderates the relationship between the presence of WOMBDs and audit committees and earnings management. Design/methodology/approach - The study uses non-finance firms listed on Bursa Malaysia over a period of four years, i.e. from 2008 until 2011. Findings - The evidence reveals that the presence of WOMBD or audit committee is not associated with a propensity for earnings management. In addition, the evidence also reveals that family ownership does not interact either with WOMBD or with women on the audit committee (WOMAC) to influence the propensity for earnings management. Nevertheless, the additional analyses show that, while women on boards are not associated with income-decreasing accruals, the presence of women on audit committees leads to income-reducing earnings management. The evidence further reveals that family ownership does not interact with either WOMBD or WOMAC to influence income-decreasing earnings management. Originality/value - This study extends prior research on the role of women directors and women audit committee members on earnings management focussing on family ownership. Further, the study also examines the direction of earnings management as opposed to the most prior studies, which mainly focus on the propensity of earnings management.


The potential impact of autonomous robotics is magnified when those robots are deployed in teams: a team of cooperating robots can greatly increase the effectiveness of a human working alone, making short work of search-and-rescue and reconnaissance tasks. To achieve this potential, however, a number of challenging problems ranging from multi-robot planning, state estimation, object detection, and human-robot interfaces must first be solved. The MAGIC 2010 competition, like the DARPA grand challenges that preceded it, presented a formidable robotics problem designed to foster fundamental advances in these difficult areas. MAGIC asked teams of robots to collaboratively explore and map a 500× 500m area, detect and track benign and dangerous objects, and collaborate with human commanders while respecting their cognitive limits. This paper describes our winning entry in the MAGIC contest, where we fielded a team of 14 autonomous robots supervised by two human operators. While the challenges in MAGIC were diverse, we believe that cooperative multi-robot state estimation is ultimately the critical factor in building a successful system. In this paper, we describe our system and some of the technological advances that we believe were responsible for our success. We also contrast our approach to those of other teams. a)


Abstract Children with autism spectrum disorders need imitation due to its application for learning other behaviors. Behavior analysis has procedures for effectively teaching imitative behaviors. Imitation can only be considered mastered, however, when imitation of untaught behaviors occurs. To explore the relationship between taught and untaught imitative behaviors, Accuracy Building and Frequency Building to a Performance Criterion (FBPC) was provided to a four-year-old girl with autism. Twelve motor movements were taught during instructional sessions while another three remained untaught/unreinforced. The first set of three motor imitations occurred in the Accuracy Building condition where the child received prompts, corrections, and reinforcement. Upon achieving the exit criterion of 100% correct, the FBPC condition began and the participant built frequency, or practiced the taught imitative behaviors until meeting a performance criterion. Imitation of untaught behaviors was assessed in every third instructional session. A repeated acquisition design revealed the combination of Accuracy Building and FBPC led to the stimulus control of taught imitative behaviors. In addition, the behavioral fluency of taught imitations contributed to the steady growth of untaught behaviors indicating the participant had learned imitation.


This article takes a critical look at Ghana's rapidly evolving broadcasting scene and in particular at the expansion and popularity of religious broadcasting. Sketching the developments of the Ghanaian media landscape, it analyses the changing politics of representing religion in this field. The much-celebrated processes of media deregulation and democratization, and the new opportunities for ownership, production, and participation they entail, have led to a dominance of Pentecostalism in the public sphere. While this development has been analysed from the perspective of churches and pastors, this article explores the intertwinement of commercial media and Pentecostalism from the perspective of a number of private media owners and producers in Accra. Whether these media entrepreneurs are themselves Pentecostal or not, they all have to deal with, and commercially exploit, the power and attraction of Pentecostalism. Their experience that commercial success is hardly possible without Pentecostalism makes clear that the influence of Pentecostalism in the Ghanaian public sphere reaches way beyond media-active pastors and born-again media practitioners, and invites us to rethink the relationship between media, business and religion. © 2011 Intellect Ltd Article.


Abstract This work aims to evaluate the provision of energy services in non-interconnected zones (NIZ) between 2018 and 2019 using open data from the Colombian government and business intelligence methodology. The analysis is approached from the ETL (Extract, Transform, Load). It focuses on the variables obtained from the National Monitoring Centre (CNM) for monitoring the operation of these zones, where there is a Telemetry System that provides monthly information on location variables, energy variables, such as active and reactive energy maximum power, maximum power per day, and hours of service delivery. We concluded that in the years, 2018–2019 energy consumption in NIZ has remained stable with a variation of 0.19%. On the other hand, the NIZ include 56% of Colombia's states, and the energy consumption is concentrated in 6 of the 93 municipalities with 80% of national consumption. The challenges in these areas are associated not only with the quality and provision of energy services but also with the environmental challenges that mean that most of these areas obtain their energy supply from fossil fuels, being protected areas such as ecological reserves, the biosphere, or the jungle.


While Turkish television shows have been quite popular in the Middle East, the Balkans, and South America, Turkish producers have been less successful in exporting content to the Western European and North American markets. After receiving moderate ratings in Turkey, Son (2012) was the first Turkish show to be sold to Western Europe when the Swedish public television stv2 purchased the rights to air it with subtitles. While the American adaptation, Runner , did not make it on air on ABC despite the pilot order, the Dutch and the Spanish adaptations were filmed in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Son ( The End ) remains the only success story among other attempts to introduce Turkish shows into these new markets. In this article, I argue that Son 's two opposing female characters offer a reflexive discussion of Turkey's identity, and that this allegorical representation, which anchors the story in the current geopolitical climate—mirroring Turkey's role as an east-west bridge—enables the show to challenge the existing borders of travel for Turkish TV shows.


A development of a convex polyhedron is a connected plane figure obtained by cutting the surface of the polyhedron and unfolding it. In this paper, we determine the length and configuration of a minimum perimeter development for each of the Platonic solids. We show that such developments are obtained by cutting the surface of the polyhedron along a Steiner minimal tree. We introduce the concept of Steiner isomorphism to develop a search algorithm for determining these Steiner minimal trees. Each of these trees is completely symmetric with respect to rotation around a fixed point.


Purpose We investigated the prevalence rate of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) among Korean males in a rural area through a cross-sectional, community-based epidemiologic survey and analyzed the correlation with epidemiologic factors. Materials and Methods A total of 779 males who lived in Yangpyeong County participated in a prostate examination campaign. Targeting these men, we collected the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), medical history, demographic information, serum prostate-specific antigen, and prostate volume as measured by transrectal ultrasonography. The data for 599 participants were analyzed, excluding 180 men who had a possibility of prostate cancer. BPH was defined as an IPSS of 8 points or higher and a prostate volume of 25 mL or more. Results The prevalence rate of BPH was 20.0%. The prevalence rate increased with age. There were 2 subjects (4.4%) in the age group of 40-49 years, 18 subjects (10.9%) in the age group of 50-59 years, 44 subjects (22%) in the age group of 60-69 years, and 56 subjects (26.6%) in the age group of over 70 years; this increase with age was statistically significant (p<0.001). In the BPH group, the average IPSS was 14.67±5.95, the average prostate volume was 37.04±11.71 g, and the average prostate-specific antigen value was 1.56±0.88 ng/mL. In the analysis of correlations between the epidemiologic factors and the risk of BPH, smoking was the only statistically significant factor. Conclusions The total prevalence rate of BPH in this study was 20.0%, which was a little lower than the rate reported in other cities or rural areas.


Although DIY(Do-It-Yourself) clothes are not popular in Korea, they continually reflect emerging DIY trends. Previous studies have approached the technical aspect of DIY clothes or have considered them only as an aspect of consumption tendencies. The purpose of this study is to look into online communities to investigate distinctive elements, which form the DIY clothing culture. Participant observation of texts and pictures from the online community`s postings about DIY was conducted and used for the analysis. Research results showed that personal and social factors motivated DIY clothes. Personal motivations are comprised of factors such as practical creativity and personal enjoyment. Practical creativity occurred when someone wished to express aesthetics and personality in DIY clothes; personal enjoyment refers to the pleasure and utility that one feels when one makes DIY clothes. The social motivations were comprised of factors such as a desire to show off and to expand social exchanges. The desire to show off involved wearing DIY clothes and then finding satisfaction from reactions of people who notice it. The "expansion of exchanges" was not only about sharing information about DIY clothes in an online community but also about distributing or giving real goods (materials or tools for DIY clothes and finished goods) as gifts. Furthermore, some "DIYers" made DIY clothes sustainable by pursuing economic feasibility as an additional motivational factor. When they had expertise and commercial traits, they established businesses in the form of independent creative firms, transforming themselves from productive consumers to producers.


The propagation of whistler energy in slight enhancements or depressions of ionization aligned with the geomagnetic field has been studied earlier in the two limiting cases of a discontinuous boundary or very slowly varying density gradients. These two approaches have yielded different results, particularly for the trapping of energy in enhancements of ionization. Therefore a study of the reflection and transmission for the full range of gradients is desirable. In this paper, full-wave methods are applied to bell shaped ducts of arbitrary scale size. The results indicate criteria for applicability of the two simplifying limiting cases. This phase of the study is further extended by examination of a coupling theory. For a variety of magnetospheric conditions the cross-coupling terms between characteristically different waves are negligible; this leads to almost perfect reflection and substantiates the use of the simpler phase-integral techniques. By using the phase integral techniques, we have derived a fairly complete description of possible modes excited in bell shaped ducts. For each mode a theoretical whistler spectrogram is obtained. Extensions of the theory to apply to nonuniform magnetic fields may lead to predictions of a hyper-fine whistler structure.


The concept of Logical Entropy, $S_L = 1- \sum_{i=1}^n p_i^2$, where the $p_i$ are normalized probabilities, was introduced by David Ellerman in a series of recent papers. Although the mathematical formula itself is not new, Ellerman provided a sound probabilistic interpretation of $S_L$ as a measure of the distinctions of a partition on a given set. The same formula comes across as a useful definition of entropy in quantum mechanics, where it is linked to the notion of purity of a quantum state. The quadratic form of the logical entropy lends itself to a generalization of the probabilities that include negative values, an idea that goes back to Feynman and Wigner. Here, we analyze and reinterpret negative probabilities in the light of the concept of logical entropy. Several intriguing quantum-like properties of the logical entropy are derived and discussed in finite dimensional spaces. For infinite-dimensional spaces (continuum), we show that, under the sole hypothesis that the logical entropy and the total probability are preserved in time, one obtains an evolution equation for the probability density that is basically identical to the quantum evolution of the Wigner function in phase space, at least when one considers only the momentum variable. This result suggest that the logical entropy plays a profound role in establishing the peculiar rules of quantum physics.


This paper presents an application of the randomized controlled trial methodology to evaluating modifications to the design of microcredit programs. As microfinance becomes an even more popular tool for fighting poverty, institutions innovate in their products and programs at a rapid pace. Policymakers and practitioners should know the relative impact of different designs, both to the client (in terms of welfare) and to the institution (in terms of financial sustainability). We discuss the current approach to evaluating product or program changes, and the reasons why more rigorous evaluations are necessary. We then discuss why randomized controlled trials can prove vital to microfinance institutions in identifying effective program designs in different environments. In this paper, we focus on the choice of lending methodologies – credit with education versus credit only, and group versus individual liability -- to illustrate the benefits of randomized controlled trials as a business tool for measuring impact and learning how to improve sustainability and growth. This methodology can be employed for a plethora of program design issues, such as timing of payments, loan size, interest rates, term, and other services such as insurance and savings.


In this article, we present a new formulation and an associated algorithm for the simultaneous numerical simulation of multiple condensed phase explosives in direct contact with each other, which may also be confined by (or interacting with one or more) compliant inert materials. Examples include composite rate-stick (i.e., involving two explosives in contact) problems, interaction of shock waves with chemically active particles in condensed-phase explosives, and devices such as detonators and boosters. There are several formulations that address the compliant or structural response of confiners and particles due to detonations, but the direct interaction of explosives remains a challenge for most formulations and algorithms. The proposed formulation addresses this problem by extending the conservation laws and mixture rules of an existing hybrid formulation (suitable for solving problems involving the coexistence of reactants and products in an explosive mixture and its immiscible interaction with inert materials) to model the interaction of multiple explosive mixtures. An algorithm for the solution of the resulting system of partial differential equations is presented, which includes a new robust method for the retrieval of the densities of the constituents of each explosive mixture. This is achieved by means of a multi-dimensional root-finding algorithm, which employs physical as well as mathematical considerations in order to converge to the correct solution. The algorithm is implemented in a hierarchical adaptive mesh refinement framework and validated against results from problems with known solutions. Additional case studies demonstrate that the method can simulate the interaction of detonation waves produced by military grade and commercial explosives in direct contact, each with its own distinct equation of state and reaction rate law.


The Honduran military has a long history of established roles oriented toward both external defense and internal security and civic action. Since the end of military rule in 1982, the military has remained a key political, economic, and social actor. Politically, the military retains a constitutional mandate as guarantor of the political system and enforcer of electoral rules. Economically, its officers direct state enterprises and manage a massive pension fund obscured from public audit. Socially, the military takes on numerous civic action tasks—building infrastructure, conserving forests, providing healthcare, and policing crime—that make the state appear to be useful to its people and bring the military into direct contact with the public almost daily. As a result, the military has ranked high in public trust in comparison with other institutions of the state. Most significantly, the military has retained the role of arbiter in the Honduran political system. This became brutally clear in the coup of 2009 that removed the elected president, Manuel Zelaya. Although new rules enhancing civilian control of the military had been instituted during the 1990s, the military's authority in politics was restored through the coup that ousted Zelaya. As no civilian politician can succeed without support for and from the military, the missions of the armed forces have expanded substantially so that the military is an "all-purpose" institution within a remarkably weak and increasingly corrupt state.


Nanometer scale line edge roughness (LER) is an increasingly important factor in critical dimension control as the minimum feature sizes of devices continue to shrink. We previously studied the material origin of the resist LER in silicon containing positive-tone chemically amplified resists by emulating the resist compositions ana analyzing morphology in the line edge region with atomic force microscopy (AFM). We concluded that the LER stems mainly from the phase incompatibility of the protected and de- protected polymers. In this paper, we expand our study to also include the non-silicon containing chemically amplified resists. We present results on the effects of casting solvent, photoacid generator, and base additive on the surface roughness of thin films of neat partially protected polymers and blends of the protected and the de-protected polymers. We also investigated the surface roughness of neat partially protected polymer films under various development conditions. The AFM results reinforce our previous conclusion on the material origin of LER in chemically amplified resists. Strategies to minimize LER will also be discussed.


Takerbucht is the only cultivar of date palm known as being resistant to the bayoud disease, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis (F.o.a.). In the aim to understand more about the defense mechanisms implied, we realized phytochemical analyses of this cultivar leaflets and roots and this, for the first time, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).The examination of our results shows that fifty-four molecules have been detected, fourteen of which are common to leaflets and roots. This study revealed also the organs' richness in derivatives fatty acids: both saturated and unsaturated are represented mainly by methyl esters of Hexadecanoic and 9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acids. 1-Dodecanethiol, derivative Dodecanoic acid is only present in roots. It's of great interest to note that the screening revealed the steroidal saponins abundance, among which Yamogenin acetate and Diosgenin, exclusively detected in Takerbucht. They may play an essential role, in the date palm resistance to the bayoud disease. Keywords—Analysis by GC-MS, leaflets and roots of resistant date palm to F.o.a., derivatives fatty acids, steroidal saponins.


1195 1,3-Butadiene (BD) is an important contaminant in the environment. BD is present for example in car exhausts and cigarette smoke. It is widely used in the plastic industry. Some epidemiological studies have indicated that BD may pose a cancer risk to workers exposed to it. It is a carcinogenic compound in animal tests with a significant species difference in sensitivity to get malignant tumors. BD is metabolized to electrophilic epoxides which may react with nucleophilic sites in cellular macromolecules. The formed adducts can be used to estimate the molecular dose of the reactive metabolites. We have been working with the method which allow us to measure the adducts formed from the three epoxymetabolites, butadienemonoepoxide (BMO), butadienediolepoxide (THB) and butadienediepoxide (DEB). The method is based on the analysis of tryptic peptide fragments of the globin protein in red blood cells. Analysis was performed using HPLC/MS/MS techniques. The usefulness of the method was tested by analysing mouse blood samples. Animals were exposed to 62,5, 625 and 1300 ppm of BD for 10 days. Model peptide fragments were synthezised, isolated by HPLC and their identity was confirmed by mass spectrometric methods. Adducts derived from BMO were detected on animals exposed to 62.5, 625 and 1300 ppm BD. THB adducts were also detected in all exposure levels. DEB adducts were not detected. A dose responce was seen in BMO adducts, however the level of THB adducts decreased if the exposure level was increased. We report a method which has a potential use in human monitoring and which presumable allow the assessment of a long term low exposure. The Finnish Work Environment Fund is acknowledged for financial support.


A novel and mild Cu-catalyzed oxidative dual arylation of carbon-carbon double bonds in acrylamides with 3-aminoindazoles is proposed for the synthesis of cyanoarylated oxindoles. Notably, 3-aminoindazoles are employed as efficient arylating agents via the cleavage of two C-N bonds. This oxidative dual arylation of active alkenes involves a radical process and undergoes a sequence of 3-aminoindazole oxidation, two-C-N-bond cleavage, cyanoaryl radical addition, and intramolecular cyclization.


Asian summer monsoon and atmospheric aerosol simultaneously influence the climate in the East Asian region. However, substantial uncertainties exist in the current understanding of the interactions between monsoon and aerosol and their combined effects. Previous studies have shown that aerosols influence the strength of monsoon and monsoon-related water cycles; however, monsoon strongly regulates the aerosol spatial distribution. This letter investigates the radiative flux response at the top of the atmosphere to the Asian summer monsoon by using observations made by the Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. In comparison with the ten-year (2002-2011) mean climatology, the aerosol radiative effect is estimated over two eastern Asia regions for the months of July in 2002 and 2003, corresponding to a weak and a strong summer monsoon event, respectively. The dramatically different influences show the aerosol radiative forcing over land to be strongly responsive to Asian summer monsoon. Furthermore, the reanalysis-based estimate of the aerosol radiative effect is consistent with its observation-only counterpart.


Levamisole, a widely used antihelminthic drug has been shown to restore cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity in anergic patients with cancer and to amplify the activation of T lymphocytes by in vitro mitogens. Levamisole has been approved for the treatment of colon cancer in combination with 5 Fluorouracil. Herein we report a case of a 5 1/2 y.o. male who presented with a fulminant, disseminated mycobacterial infection of his joints secondary to a deficiency in his cellular mediated immunity in association with chemotherapy for a T cell leukemia. The patient was treated with Levamisole resulting in restoration of his T cell functions and resolution of his mycobacterial infection.


Despite reductions in recent years, drug use is widely believed to be greater among youth in America than among youth in any other industrialized nation. An estimated 9.3 million American youth, 46 percent of those ages 12 to 17 living in the general population, have used alcohol; and 4.0 million, 20 percent of those in the same age group, have used an illegal drug other than alcohol (1). The use of alcohol and other drugs has an enormous impact on the nation's physical, social, and economic health. Much of the economic cost can be attributed to lost productivity (2). Drug-related crimes contribute significantly to our overloaded legal and criminal justice systems. People who misuse alcohol and use other drugs require a disproportionate share of health care services. Families and schools struggle with the adverse impact of the use of alcohol and other drugs among adolescents. Further, the use of these substances may be both a cause and an effect of homelessness (3). Alcohol and other drug use are preventable behaviors that usually are established during youth and that may extend into adulthood. The use of these substances jeopardizes physical, mental, and social development during a person's formative years, thereby endangering successful transitions from adolescent to adult roles (4). Public and private agencies, including schools, commu nity and business organizations, and State and local departments of education and health, can help children and adolescents avoid, or reduce risks associated with, the use of alcohol and other drugs. The development and nature of programs that effectively accomplish these aims depend in part on information about specific behaviors associated with the use of these substances. This paper describes the development of questions related to the use of alcohol and other drugs for the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) question naire. The YRBSS Panel Participants (see Appendix I, page 56) first identified major shortand long-term health outcomes associated with using these substances. Guided by national health objectives for the year 2000 (3), we developed questions that would elicit informa tion on priority behavioral dimensions of alcohol and other drug use.


Objectives. The development of microfluidic systems is one of the promising areas of science and technology. In most procedures performed using microfluidic systems, effective mixing in microfluidic channels of microreactors (chips) is of particular importance, because it has an effect on the sensitivity and speed of analytical procedures. The aim of this study is to describe and evaluate the major parameters of the flow and mixing processes in a passive microfluidic micromixer, and to develop an information-measuring system to monitor the dynamics of flow (mixing) of liquids. Methods. This article provides an overview of the concept of microfluidic mixing chips (micromixers) and their classification, and analyzes the kinds of points of mixing and microfluidic channels for mixing. The article presents the description and calculations of the hydrodynamic similarity criteria (Reynolds, Dean and Peclet numbers), which are the critical parameters for creating and optimizing micromixers (for example, straight and curved channels in the flow rate range between 100 and 1000 µl/min). We have developed an information-measuring system to monitor the dynamics of flow (mixing) of liquids in a microfluidic channel, which consists of a microscope with a digital eyepiece (LOMO MIB, Russia), an Atlas syringe pump (Syrris Ltd., UK) and a passive mixing microfluidic chip of interest (made of clear glass). This system was designed to quickly illustrate the principles of mixing in microfluidic channels of different configurations. Results. The developed system has allowed carrying out a colorimetric analysis of the modes and dynamics of mixing two liquids (5% aqueous solution of azorubine dye and water) at the T-shaped mixing point, at the straight and curved (double-bend shaped) sections of the microfluidic channel of the passive-type micromixer with flow rates varying from 100 to 400 µl/min. Conclusions. According to the obtained calculations, the share of the advective mixing processes (formation of vortex flows and increase in the contact area of the mixed substances) in flowing liquids is significantly higher in curved microchannels. The developed information-measuring system to monitor the dynamics of flow (mixing) of liquids in a microfluidic channel is a convenient tool for optimizing the mixing modes in the channels of micromixers, and for designing new configurations of channels in microchips. It would allow intensifying processes and increasing the performance of microfluidic systems.


A novel low profile power inductor suitable for planar integration is designed and fabricated based on low temperature co-fired ceramics technology for microprocessor power delivery applications. The inductor was designed to operate at a switching frequency of 4 to 5MHz, carrying a nominal dc current of 20A with a ripple current of 8 to 10A in a 5-V to 1-V dc-dc converter. The design and fabrication procedure is discussed in this paper, followed by small signal measurement and magnetic characterization results. The inductor was implemented in a prototype converter and the large signal measurement results are presented and its performance evaluated


Product placement in films receives renewed focus in integrated marketing communication (IMC). One of the main concerns with regard to product placement as a marketing communication tool is that marketers have little knowledge if consumers are aware of product placements or recognise products that are deliberately placed in feature films by markerters and advertisers. The following specific research objectives were put forward to determine; if product placements in films increase realism of the film and respondents' recognition of brand name products placed in a film. These objectives were tested by questionnaire, distributed to 220 undergraduate respondents in the age bracket of 18 to 24 years. Respondents were exposed to film stimuli containing product placements and thereafter were required to complete the questionnaire at a university in Pretoria. A conclusion drawn from the findings was that product placements in films do have an effect on the realism of the film. Branded products placed in films are thought to inject a sense of realism into the film. It was further concluded that product placements in films prompted brand recognition among respondents. The main findings and conclusions of this research maintain that the prominence of a product placement in a film affects the consumers' ability to recognise the placed product. The more prominent a placement is in a film, the greater the likelihood that consumers will recognise it. It is recommended that marketing and advertising managers should strategically place their products prominently in films and television programmes in order to guarantee the desired impact thereof.


Although rarely performed today in most centers, Senning procedure continues to be a good option for patients with transposition of great arteries presenting late with either regressed left ventricle or pulmonary hypertension. There are many subsets of patients including those having deficient atrial septal tissue, situs inversus, dextrocardia, and atrial isomerism which require complex modifications of technique. One such subset is patients having bilateral superior vena cavae (SVC), which requires coronary sinus cutback and creating a wide flap for the posterior venous baffle which unduly increases the complexity of the surgery. We describe an alternative way of rerouting a persistent left SVC by reimplanting onto the left atrial appendage which forms the part of the systemic atrium after the atrial switch surgery.


In this chapter we will introduce a new theory of aesthetics in the performing arts that is based on communication via movement. With a specific focus on dance performances, we propose that movement messages are communicated from performer to spectator. We suggest that the aesthetic impact of dance (and perhaps all performing arts) is a result of successful message-passing between performer and spectator. We show how Grice's four maxims of successful conversation can be applied to the performance situation. We propose that communication during a performance is interactive and bidirectional. Information being passed from performer to audience is primarily communicated through observed movement kinematics and choreographic structure: We will distinguish between the processing of syntactic information of postures, movements and movement sequences on the one hand, and processing of semantics of movement intentions on the other hand. Aesthetic processing of the movement message will further depend on the spectator's visual and motor expertise. In a dimensional model of aesthetic appreciation of dance we distinguish between processing fluency and novelty/complexity of information as two distinct sources of movement aesthetics that relate to specific brain mechanisms. Aesthetic judgements of preference and interest will reflect a combination of both implicit processing fluency and explicit aesthetic strategy of the observer. Our theory differs from existing accounts of aesthetic experience in that it emphasises successful communication as the primary source of aesthetic experience. Appreciation of dance in this context is neither just a function of dance movement features (as an objectivist aesthetics suggests) nor of the spectator's processing fluency (as a subjectivist aesthetics suggests). Instead, our emphasis on communication implies some level of experience-sharing between dancer and spectator.


Backgrounds and Aims: It is well-known that angiogenesis contributes to the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by initiating the remodeling of bronchial vasculature. However, the molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood. Endostatin, which is a member of endogenous antiangiogenic proteins activated by proteolytic cleavage, has been found to play an important role in angiogenesis and many inflammatory diseases. This research is to firstly explore whether endostatin is a biomarker in COPD. Methods: 100 stable COPD patients, 130 patients with acute exacerbation(AECOPD) and 68 healthy volunteers were recruited in this research. Lung function test was done on the healthy and stable COPD group. Serum endostatin, C-reactive protein (CRP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of all subjects were measured by Human Magnetic Luminex Screening Assay. Results: Serum endostatin significantly increased in stable COPD patients(89.29±30.33ng/mL) compared with healthy control (68.86±29.17ng/mL) and increased more in AECOPD patients (102.09±36.59ng/mL) (P<0.001). Besides, stable COPD patients with frequent exacerbation (≥2 exacerbations per year) in the last one year had higher concentration of endostatin in the circulation compared to the patients with less exacerbation (P=0.037). Furthermore, endostatin was negatively correlated with FEV1/FVC (P=0.031) and FEV1% (Rho=-0.260, P=0.009) in the stable COPD group and positively related to VEGF in all the subjects (p=0.002). Conclusions: These results suggest that endostatin is a biomarker of COPD and associated with lung function decline and exacerbation. Endostatin potentially contributes to the pathogenesis of COPD.


This thesis focuses on the molecular-level chemistry of the solvation of aluminum salts. Fundamental aspects such as, structural characteristics of the aluminum molecules, hydrolysis, acidity, solvation structure, effect of counter ions, and chemical stability are discussed herein. Static computations augmented with the conductor-like screening model (COSMO) were used to investigate hundreds of planar and cyclic configurations of dimeric, trimeric, tetrameric, and pentameric aluminum complexes. Car–Parrinello molecular dynamics (CPMD) calculations were used to expand investigations to aqueous environments. This thesis consists of four articles and one additional article. The first paper focuses on the structural analysis of the hydrolysis products of AlCl3 · 6H2O. Dimeric, trimeric, and tetrameric aluminum (chloro)hydroxides were investigated in both gas and liquid phase. The liquid environment was modeled by using COSMO. The second and the additional paper concentrate on the chemistry of aluminum sulfate complexes. The second article focuses on identifying hydrolysis products of AlCl3 · 6H2O in the presence of sulfate (H2SO4). The additional paper focuses on the structural characteristics of the hydrolysis products of Al2 (SO4)3 · 18H2O. Structural information was deduced from the ESI MS results with the aid of computational methods. Detected cationic structures closely resembled the aluminum chlorohydrate analogues introduced in the first paper. The third and fourth articles are devoted to the hydrolysis, stability, and dynamics of dimeric and pentameric aluminum (chloro)hydroxides in aquatic environments. During the CPMD simulations, several spontaneous associative hydration reactions were detected in the primary hydration shell of the complexes. Dimeric aluminum chlorohydrates were detected to be stable in liquid conditions, whereas the pentameric aluminum complexes experienced significant topological changes during the simulations. Constrained simulations were used to reveal the role of chloride ions in the hydrolysis processes of dimeric complexes. The effect of the empirical van der Waals corrections to the dynamics of the simulations was also tested for the pentameric system. The results of this thesis showed unequivocally that computational chemistry provides effective tools for structural analysis of inorganic complexes such as, aluminum chlorohydrates and sulfates in both gas and liquid phase. In addition, calculations provided answers to the anomalies detected in the experiments. Hence, theoretical methods are highly recommended to be used alongside with conventional experimental methods in the interpretation of the aluminum species in aqueous solutions and to widen the overall chemical perspective of the hydrolysis of aluminum salts.


Recent work has shown that cadherins at cell-cell junctions bear tensile forces. Using novel FRET-based tension sensors, we showed first that in response to shear stress, endothelial cells rapidly reduce mechanical tension on vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin. Second, we observed a simultaneous increase in tension on platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM)-1, induced by an interaction with vimentin. In this commentary, we discuss how our results fit with existing data on cadherins as important mediators of mechanotransduction, in particular, in cell migration where mechanical tension across cadherins may communicate the direction of movement. The ability of PECAM-1 to bear mechanical tension may also be important in other PECAM-1 functions, such as leukocyte transmigration through the endothelium. Additionally, our observation that vimentin expression was required for PECAM-1 tension and mechanotransduction of fluid flow suggests that intermediate filaments are capable of transmitting tension. Overall, our results argue against models where an external force is passively transferred across the cytoskeleton, and instead suggest that cells actively respond to extracellular forces by modulating tension across junctional proteins.


Non‐genomic, rapid actions of steroids have long been known, suggesting the possible presence of non‐classical steroid receptors. A membrane receptor for progestins (mPR) was recently described in the spotted seatrout, and transcripts of three related receptors (α, β, and γ) were subsequently identified in other species including human and mouse. To begin exploring the roles of mPRγ in mammals, we have generated an antibody against this receptor. The specificity of the antibody was demonstrated by both overexpression and RNA interference experiments. Using the antibody, we show that mPRγ is expressed in female mouse reproductive tissues such as ovary and fallopian tube, and also in the lung and liver of both sexes. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that mPRγ is associated with the apical membrane of ciliated cells facing the lumen of the fallopian tube. The presence of mPRγ in ciliated cells of the fallopian tube was also demonstrated in human samples. Rapid effects of progesterone on ciliary beat frequency in the fallopian tube have recently been reported. Together, this suggests a common role for mPRγ in the regulation of ciliary activity in the fallopian tube and thus gamete transport in mammals. The presence of mPRγ in lung and liver of mice suggests that the receptor mediates the actions of progesterone outside the reproductive tract as well. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 74: 843–850, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The science of ecohydrology centers on understanding the linkages and feedbacks between terrestrial ecosystems and the hydrologic cycle. Within the disciplines of hydrology, ecosystem ecology, and community ecology, a wide range of conceptual, mathematical, and field-based approaches have evolved to address specific ecohydrologic research questions. In this article, we discuss key elements of these ecohydrologic approaches. We begin by focusing on conceptual frameworks that are organized at the patch level, which define spatially homogeneous units. We compare a set of models in terms of the specific hydrologic and ecologic processes considered and the degree of coupling between them. We then address issues of landscape heterogeneity and compare approaches to the resolution of spatial patterns of soil, topography, vegetation, and atmospheric conditions and the representation of the interactions and feedbacks between neighboring patches. The hierarchical structure and function of terrestrial ecohydrologic systems involve processes varying over very different time and space scales. Finally, we discuss challenges and next steps in developing an integrated framework that can address the range of spatial and temporal scales implied by hydrologic feedbacks on both shorter-term ecosystem material and energy cycling and longer-term ecosystem structure and evolution.

Keywords:

ecohydrology;
patch dynamics;
ecosystem cycling;
community ecology;
disturbance


This paper deals with the analysis of deceleration rate in the train braking profile for one of major transportations company in the Europe The aim is to establish the relation between the declaration rate and the factor preferred by the client. Of all the factors, the most preferred factor was an average gradient experienced by each train. The method used in this paper is hard technique of Operational Research. Mathematical calculation is used to generate the average gradient experienced by each train which will be used to match which with the deceleration rate to established the relation between these two variables using regression analysis. As a conclusion, there was a relation between deceleration rate and average gradient experienced by the train and it was noticeable that driver's actual braking performance of applying deceleration rate was affected by the varying gradient more than constant gradient. As an additional work, the relation between braking distance and deceleration rate is also established. The model can be used as an initial study to determine the distance when the driver should start to brake optimally in further study.


A spin-polarized current direction controller scheme is proposed based on a nonuniform Rashba quantum wire. It is shown that |PLRz| = |PRLz|, whereas their signs are opposite, and the effect of this phenomenon is due to the two broken symmetries and the unbroken C2-rotation symmetry of the investigated system. In addition, the spin-polarized current is nonzero even with a strong disorder strength, which demonstrates that this structure may be utilized for potential applications.


Reply to "Elastin fiber but not collagen fiber is decreased dramatically in the dermis of vitiligo patients": possible mechanisms of decreased elastin fibers Dear Editor, We read with interest the article entitled "Elastin fiber but not collagen fiber is decreased dramatically in the dermis of vitiligo patients" by Hirobe et al. In their study, the authors histochemically investigated collagen and elastin fibers in vitiligo patients and demonstrated that elastin fibers are significantly decreased or completely absent in the dermis of vitiligo lesions. The authors propose that melanocyte function is closely related to elastin fibers and suggest a relationship between the immune infiltrate in vitiligo and elastin fibers. They hypothesize that the decrease of the elastic fibers might facilitate the immune infiltration from the dermis into the epidermis described in vitiligo. Here, we would like to complement the authors in discussing the possible mechanisms that may lead to elastic fiber loss in vitiligo patients. Mechanisms leading to dermal elastic fiber loss in cutaneous conditions, especially inflammatory ones, include degradative enzymatic processes or elastophagocytosis. In vitiligo, reactive oxygen species and other free radicals have been shown to be elevated. These have the ability to increase the expression of matrix metalloproteinases, which in turn can degrade elastic fibers. Degraded elastic fibers may then attract inflammation with granuloma formation and secondary elastophagocytosis as was reported in a case of annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma developing on lesions of preexisting vitiligo. Furthermore, the well-documented elastic fiber changes in lichen sclerosus (LS) may shed light on what is happening to elastic fibers in vitiligo, taking into consideration the many overlapping features that these two diseases share. Like vitiligo, LS is an autoimmune skin condition that may present with depigmented lesions, and many case studies on LS have reported association with vitiligo. This finding, coined "vitiligoid lichen sclerosus", describes lesions with clinical features of vitiligo but histological features of both vitiligo and lichen sclerosus. Depigmentation in these cases is an early finding, and it is postulated that the inflammation in LS may be triggered against melanocytes as well. As for elastic fibers, their loss in the homogenized zone of well-developed LS lesions has now been very well documented. Possible contributing mechanisms to this loss of elastic fibers in LS include inflammatory cell-mediated enzymatic digestion (such as elastases and/or other degradative enzymes) and/or elastophagocytosis (phagocytosis of normal or degenerated elastic fibers by histiocytes and/or multinucleated giant cells). The latter can be primary or secondary. Ultrastructurally normal elastic fibers may be phagocytosed by activated macrophages leading to their degradation or alteration of elastic fibers that may activate macrophages, leading to elastophagocytosis. Elastophagocytosis has been reported in many conditions including inflammatory (such as lichen sclerosus), elastolytic, infectious, and neoplastic conditions, among others. Linking all of the above, elastic fiber loss in vitiligo may involve enzymatic degradation (possibly by matrix metalloproteinases) and/or elastophagocytosis, as demonstrated in the case described by Watabe et al. This needs to be clarified in future studies.


In the current medical environment, policy makers, accreditation agencies, and third-party payers are increasingly looking for standardization of medical practice. One way of making medical practice more uniform is the acceptance of standards and guidelines. The SNM has been developing practice guidelines since the mid-1990s; these are updated periodically. Each such update involves review of the recent literature, several revisions among the authors, public comment through the SNM Web site, review by the SNM Committee on Guidelines, and approval by the SNM Board of Directors. The revised guideline is published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology and on the SNM Web site. There are several improvements in the updated version of the SNM Practice Guideline for Somatostatin Receptor Scintigraphy that appears this month in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology (1). The revised guideline takes into consideration the European Association of Nuclear Medicine guideline (2) and therefore is a step toward SNM's goal of harmonizing its practice with that of other professional societies. We reorganized the grouping of neuroendocrine and other neoplasms and disorders according to their level of somatostatin receptor expression (i.e., high vs. low), similar to the grouping used by the European Association of Nuclear Medicine and adapted from the World Health Organization classification of tumors. However, this classification, which is based on histologic differentiation and grade, is difficult to correlate with somatostatin receptor expression, as all these features may not be directly related. Nevertheless, we believed the new grouping would be more practical—that is, would help users decide whether somatostatin receptor scintigraphy might be helpful for a given patient. The revision now incorporates references within the text (as is customary in any scientific publication). This change has strengthened the guideline in the direction of using evidence-based data rather than expert opinion. As for the procedure itself, the recommended administered activity for children has been reduced from 5 to 3 MBq/kg, and information has been added on SPECT/CT, including acquisition and processing suggestions (e.g., a 5.0-mm slice thickness with 2.5-mm collimation for CT attenuation correction; iterative reconstruction with ordered-subsets expectationmaximization for reconstruction; and low-count processing for areas of low tracer activity). The task force strongly encourages the judicious use of SPECT/CT for the areas of concern, for more accurate lesion localization, and for any otherwise unexplainable activity seen on planar or SPECT images, while keeping radiation exposure considerations in mind. Thanks to all the task force members for their hard work. Thanks also to all those who commented. Their valuable feedback has improved the quality of this document.


This note is devoted to the study of manufacturing systems with parallel production lines. By using overlapping decomposition method, a convergent recursive procedure is presented to estimate system production rate with high accuracy. The results obtained are illustrated by a case study at an automotive assembly plant.


In this paper I sketch a virtue theory of art, analogous to a virtue theory of ethics along Aristotelian lines. What this involves is looking beyond a parochial conception of art understood as work of art, as product, to include intentions, motives, skills, traits, and feelings, all of which can be expressed in artistic activity. The clusters of traits that go to make up the particular virtues of art production and of art appreciation are indeed virtues in part because, when they are expressed in artistic activity, that activity is chosen for its own sake, 'under the concept of art'; and also they are virtues in part because, when they are so expressed, the activities are themselves partly constitutive of human well-being, along with other activities, including leading an ethical life, and what Aristotle called contemplation. With a virtue theory of art before us, we can begin to see the point of art, to see why art matters to us as human beings.


Due to stabilization and structural adjustment policies, it is imperative to learn more about its impacts. Given a good database, the current thrust on devolution will facilitate the institutionalization of a community-based monitoring system. The system reduces the administrative costs associated with the design of safety net programs that are meant to counter the adverse effects of macro adjustment policies.


Blood hyperviscosity due to secondary erythrocytosis is a common pathologic feature of cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD). In CCHD, it is possible that hematological parameters other than red blood cells influence blood rheology. We measured blood passage time to evaluate the blood rheology in patients with CCHD (n=18, age: 15.3+/-11.9 years, mean +/- SD) and age-matched control subjects (n=27) using the microchannel array flow analyzer (MC-FAN), and the results [several hematological parameters, including hematocrit (Hct)] were compared. Blood passage time in the CCHD group was prolonged, compared with the control group (67.6+/-27.2 s vs. 44.6+/-6.7 s). For the CCHD group, blood passage time correlated significantly with red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, Hct, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), platelet (Plt) count, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level, and triglycerides (TG) level (RBC, r=0.77; Hb, r=0.69; Hct, r=0.73; MCHC, r=-0.64; Plt, r=-0.49; TG, r=0.53; HDL-C, r=-0.49, p<0.05 for each variable). For all 45 subjects, blood passage time correlated significantly with HbA1c level (r=0.45, p<0.01) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen level (r=0.46, p<0.01). Our results indicated that blood rheology is reduced in patients with CCHD as expressed by prolonged blood passage time, and it may be defined by several blood parameters in addition to erythrocytosis.


Markov decision processes (MDPs) are a standard model for dynamic systems that exhibit both stochastic and nondeterministic behavior. For MDPs with finite state space it is known that for a wide range of objectives there exist optimal strategies that are memoryless and deterministic. In contrast, if the state space is infinite, optimal strategies may not exist, and optimal or ε-optimal strategies may require (possibly infinite) memory. In this paper we consider qualitative objectives: reachability, safety, (co-)Büchi, and other parity objectives. We aim at giving an introduction to a collection of techniques that allow for the construction of strategies with little or no memory in countably infinite MDPs. 2012 ACM Subject Classification Theory of computation → Random walks and Markov chains; Mathematics of computing → Probability and statistics


Climate-smart cropping systems should be designed with three objectives: reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, adapting to changing and fluctuating climate and environment, and securing food production sustainably. Agriculture can improve the net GHG emissions balance via three levers: less N2 O, CH4 and CO2 emissions, more carbon storage, and green energy production (agrifuels, biogas). Reducing the application of mineral N fertilizer is the main option for reducing N2 O emissions either directly or by increasing the proportion of legumes in the rotation. The most promising options for mitigating CH4 emissions in paddy fields are based on mid-season drainage or intermittent irrigation. The second option is storing more carbon in soil and biomass by promoting no-tillage (less fuel, crop residues), sowing cover crops, introducing or maintaining grasslands and promoting agroforestry. Breeding for varieties better adapted to thermal shocks and drought is mainly suggested as long-term adaptation to climate change. Short-term strategies have been identified from current practices to take advantage of more favorable growing conditions or to offset negative impacts: shifting sowing dates, changing species, cultivars and crop rotations, modifying soil management and fertilization, introducing or expanding irrigation. Some crops could also move to more suitable locations. Model-based tools and site-specific technologies should be developed to optimize, support and secure farmer's decisions in a context of uncertainty and hazards. Most of the adaptation and mitigation options are going in the same way but trade-offs will have to be addressed (e.g. increasing the part of legumes will be possible only with significant breeding efforts). This will be a challenge for designing cropping systems in a multifunctional perspective.


In an effort to encourage contraceptive use it was beneficial to offer a simple, reliable, and satisfactory contraceptive method needing no special skill for its adoption. Among a group of 1023 patients, 871 (85%) used the vaginal jelly. Of those 436 patients offered both jelly and cream, 273 (64%) preferred the jelly and 153 (36%) the cream. Among those using only jelly, 71 (8%) became pregnant resulting in a 2.2% failure and a 97.8% effectiveness rate. Of those patients using only cream 7% became pregnant yielding a 2.4% failure and 97.6% effectiveness rate. 5 women in the total group were sterilized. Evidence indicating pruritus or vaginal irritation was absent in the entire group. This study showed that the cream is as efficient as the jelly - when used alone without the diaphragm and according to instructions both provdie simple, reliable, and satisfactory contraception.


This report describes the first four years of operation of the Extended MPH Degree Program of the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine and the features that might explain its initial success. The format of the curriculum is radically different from the traditional two-year program of studies leading to the master of public health degree. Over a three-year span of intensive, on-campus courses and seminars, students are able to fulfill all academic and institutional requirements necessary for the MPH degree. Many more applicants have enrolled for the Extended Degree Program than for the regular MPH program. The 94 students who have matriculated into the program are employed mainly in government agencies in eight western states and British Columbia; most have their prior professional training in nursing and medicine with a median of nine years professional experience. The academic performance of these students is comparable to that of regular full-time MPH program students. The administrative, fiscal, and instructional problems raised by such a transformation have been overcome and the demand for the program and our experience to date suggest that extended MPH degree programs are both feasible and desirable.


Doublet bands with νh11/2⊗νd−15/2 configuration are studied for the first time via the triaxial particle rotor model. The main properties of the doublet bands, including the energy spectra and the electromagnetic transitions, are presented for different triaxiality parameter γ. The aplanar rotation and chiral geometry are discussed based on the analysis of angular momentum components.


This study evaluated efficacy and safety of donepezil hydrochloride (donepezil) at 5 mg/day in patients with mild to moderately severe Alzheimer's disease for 24 weeks in a double-blind, placebo-controlled comparative trial. In this study, 268 patients were enrolled and 39 of these (15%) were withdrawn. In the evaluable population of efficacy, Protocol-Compatible (PC) analyzed patients (n = 228), better effects than that of placebo were confirmed using two primary efficacy measures: a cognitive performance test, the Japanese version of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale – cognitive subscale (ADAS-J cog, p = 0.003) and a clinical global assessment, the Japanese version of the Clinical Global Impression of Change (J-CGIC, p = 0.000). The superiority of donepezil was also shown by secondary measures: the Sum of the Boxes of the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR-SB), the Mental Function Impairment Scale (MENFIS) and the caregiver-rated modified Crichton scale (CMCS). The same results were obtained in the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis (n = 263). The incidence of drug-related adverse events was 10% (14/136) in the donepezil and 8% (10/131) in the placebo group; no significant difference was seen between the two groups. The main adverse events were gastrointestinal symptoms, and these were almost all mild, and they all disappeared with continued administration or temporary discontinuation of donepezil. These results indicate that the donepezil appears to be effective and well tolerated in patients with mild to moderately severe Alzheimer's disease.


Introduction: The umbilical cord is the vital extension of the fetal circulatory system which regulates blood flow in both directions, thus allowing mother-child communications viz., immunological, oxygenation, fetal nutrition, cardiac function. Umbilical cord abnormalities are associated with the adverse maternal and perinatal outcome.. Aim: To assess prevalence of various umbilical cord abnormalities and its association with maternal complications and perinatal outcome. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at Saraswathi Institute of Medical Sciences Pilkhuwa, Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, India from June 2019 till March 2020. The approval for the study was taken from the Institutional Ethical Committee. Total number of deliveries during this period were 1284. After satisfying exclusion criteria, total 600 deliveries of more than 37 weeks of gestation were included in the study at random. Examination of cord was done during delivery for presence of loops of cord around the neck or body, any knots, true or false. After the delivery, the cord was clamped 5 cm from the fetal end and the total length was measured from the cut end till the placental insertion site, and 5 cm added therein. Umbilical cord was examined for any abnormalities and numbers of coils recorded and Umbilical Coiling Index (UCI) measured. Apgar score and NICU admissions noted. Results: Out of 600 patients, umbilical cord abnormalities were seen in 194 (32.33%) patients, while in 406 (67.67%) no abnormality was detected. The mode of delivery was vaginal in 441 cases (73.5%) while 159 (26.5%) had Lower Segment Cesarian Section (LSCS). Out of 194 cases with umbilical cord abnormality, 89 (45.87%) had LSCS and out of 406 cases with no cord abnormality, only 70 cases (17.24%) had LSCS (p-value<0.0001). Mean UCI was 0.25±0.09. Total 269(44.83%) had maternal complications and 143 cases (53.16%) had umbilical cord abnormalities. While 126 (46.84%) cases with maternal complications did not show any cord abnormality. Apgar score of <7 at one minute was seen in 43 cases (22.16%) and 23 (11.86%) were admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with umbilical cord abnormality. Conclusion: The umbilical cord abnormalities were associated with the adverse maternal and perinatal outcome and increased rate of LSCS (p-value <0.0001). The study shows the importance of knowledge of cord abnormalities. The cord abnormality should be looked for after each delivery, with the aim to reduce perinatal morbidity.


The objective of this research is to get a deep explanation between the role of law in the face of social change and the relation of cybercrime in the society. It's included in Act Number 11 of 2008 regarding The Electronic Transaction and information. This research use literary research with normative and judicial approach and the primary law material which is included the secondary data. The analysis technique of this data is using the combination of deductive and inductive. The result of this research show the existence of close relationship between law and social change associated with cyber crime. The Act Number 11 of 2008 regarding The Electronic Transaction and Information is the instrument of social control and social engineering in the society.


Following the concept of a critical conduction parameter for single-phase PFC circuits, a critical conduction parameter K/sub 3/spl Phi// is derived for a three-phase modular power conversion system. With this parameter (K/sub 3/spl Phi//), the optimum choice for the output filter can be determined to achieve the highest power factor of the system. The voltage conversion ratio required to achieve high power factor to fulfil the harmonic requirements is also derived. By operating the modular power converter system in the discontinuous output current mode, the input current distortion can be reduced and the modular system can achieve high power factor. Both simulations and experimental results from a 1.5 kW prototype using full bridge converter modules have confirmed the analysis.


This paper describes a suite of techniques used to develop an operational approach for mapping land degradation and change detection purposes in the central parts of Jordan using Landsat (TM) images acquired in March 1987, and February 2009, respectively. The two multi-temporal images were geometrically and radiometrically calibrated to each other and used as input to an automatic change detection procedure. To map changes that had occurred between the two dates six spectral bands of both TM digital data (with the thermal bands being excluded) were individually used as input for supervised classification purpose. Monitoring of the land degradation, particularly in vegetation coverage, had been done using NDVI image differencing. The histogram of difference image showed that unchanged pixels were centered around the mean; the changed pixels were located in the tail regions on either side. The difference image indicated that significant negative changes in land use/cover have occurred between 1987 and 2009. Change detection results of central Jordan revealed that the decline of cultivated areas and green vegetation areas was clearly the result of accelerated expansion through the process of urbanization, which had negative effects on both agricultural lands and water basins, and consequently enhanced land degradation.


The human computer interaction (HCI) research continues to furiously enrich the natural interaction paradigm. Hence, new novel interaction techniques employ the whole body movements for interactions with ambient interactive systems. The recent wide spread adoption of this paradigm critically invokes the problem of interaction documentation. We therefore, as part of our research on dynamic interaction ensembles in ambient spaces, aim at a standard machine and human readable documentation method for natural interactions. Our approach extends previous research on movement description and analysis methods inspired by dance choreography, physical therapy, and drama. Particularly, we are focusing on Labanotation (Kinetography) as a documentation method to preserve and share kinetic-based interactions.