ABSTRACT
 Developmental rate models and biological parameters estimated from them, especially lower and upper temperature thresholds and optimal temperature, can help to forecast phenological events of codling moth, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), in apple orchards. We studied the developmental time of immature stages of codling moth at eight constant temperatures ranging from 10 to 35°C and modeled their developmental rate as a function of temperature using 13 published nonlinear and 2 linear models. Data were fitted to developmental rate models and temperature thresholds and the optimal temperatures were estimated. The models were evaluated based on adjusted coefficient of determination (R 2 adj) and Akaike information criterion (AIC), in addition to coefficient of determination (R 2) and residual sum of squares (RSS). The thermal constants were 79.80, 312.60, 232.03, and 615.32 DD for egg, larva, pupa, and overall immature stages of codling moth, respectively, using the Ikemoto and Takai linear model. The Ikemoto and Takai linear model estimated lower temperature thresholds as 9.97, 8.94, 10.04, and 9.63°C for egg, larva, pupa, and overall immature stages, respectively. Among the nonlinear models, the third-order polynomial fit the data well. This model estimates optimal temperature accurately. Brière-1 and Brière-2 accurately estimated the lower and upper temperature thresholds considering model evaluation criteria and accuracy of estimations.


A transformation is underway in electric power and energy systems (EPESs) to provide clean distributed energy for sustainable global economic growth. Internet of Things (IoT) is at the forefront of this transformation imparting capabilities, such as real-time monitoring, situational awareness and intelligence, control, and cyber security to transform the existing EPES into intelligent cyber-enabled EPES, which is more efficient, secure, reliable, resilient, and sustainable. Additionally, digitizing the electric power ecosystem using IoT improves asset visibility, optimal management of distributed generation, eliminates energy wastage, and create savings. IoT has a significant impact on EPESs and offers several opportunities for growth and development. There are several challenges with the deployment of IoT for EPESs. Viable solutions need to be developed to overcome these challenges to ensure continued growth of IoT for EPESs. The advancements in computational intelligence capabilities can evolve an intelligent IoT system by emulating biological nervous systems with cognitive computation, streaming and distributed analytics including at the edge and device levels. This review paper provides an assessment of the role, impact and challenges of IoT in transforming EPESs.


Author(s): Dietrich, Jeffrey Allen | Advisor(s): Keasling, Jay D | Abstract: Directed evolution of E. coli for improved small-molecule production requires a combination of rational design and high-throughput screening technologies. Rational design-based directed evolution schemes use structural analyses and metabolic models to help identify targets for mutagenesis, thus improving the likelihood of identifying the desired phenotype. We used a strictly rational design-based approach to re-engineer cytochrome P450BM3 for epoxidation of amorphadiene, developing a novel route for production of the anti-malarial compound artemisinin. A model structure of the lowest energy transition state complex for amorphadiene in the P450BM3 active site was created using ROSETTA-based energy minimization. The resulting enzyme variant produced artemisinic-11S,12-epoxide at titers greater than 250 mg*l-1. Continued attempts to use ROSETTA and to either improve P450BM3 epoxidase activity or introduce hydroxylase activity, however, proved unsuccessful. In the absence of a high-throughput screening approach, further improvement of the P450-based production system would be difficult.As with most small-molecules, there exists no known high-throughput screen for artemisinic-11S-12-epoxide, amorphadiene, or any structurally-related compound. We hypothesized that a generalized method for high-throughput screen or selection design could be based on transcription factor-promoter pairs responding to the target small-molecule. Transcription factors have long been used to construct whole-cell biosensors for the detection of environmental small-molecule pollutants1, but the work has remained largely un-translated toward screen development. While no known transcription factor binds artemisinic epoxide, a putative transcription factor-promoter pair responsive to 1-butanol, a biofuel molecule of interest in our laboratory, was recently reported2. The transcription factor, BmoR, and its cognate promoter, PBMO, were used to build a short-chain alcohol biosensor for use as a genetic screen or selection. Following optimization of expression temperature, promoter, and reporter 5'-untranslated region, among other parameters, the BmoR-PBMO system was shown to provide robust detection of 1-butanol in an E. coli host. The biosensor transfer function - relating input alcohol concentration to output fluorescent signal - was derived for 1-butanol and structurally related alcohols using the Hill Equation. The biosensor exhibited a linear response between 100 µM and 40 mM 1-butanol, and a dynamic range of over 8000 GFP/OD600 units. A 700 µM difference in 1-butanol concentration could be detected at 95% confidence. By replacing the GFP reporter with TetA, a tetracycline transporter, a 1-butanol selection was constructed; E. coli harboring the TetA-based biosensor exhibited 1-butanol dependent growth in the presence of tetracycline up to 40 mM exogenously added 1-butanol.Demonstration of the biosensor in various high-throughput screening and selection applications first required construction of a 1-butanol production host. Studies have reporter 1-butanol production in E. coli through heterologous expression of either the C. acetobutylicum 1-butanol biosynthetic pathway3, or a 2-keto acid-based pathway composed of a L. lactis 2-keto acid decarboxylase, KivD, and the S. cerevisiae alcohol reductase, ADH64. In our hands, the C. acetobutylicum pathway proved non-robust and yielded low titers. In contrast, high-titer production of user-defined 2-keto acid derived alcohols was achieved by introduction of a ΔilvDAYC knockout in E. coli and expression of KivD and ADH6. The engineered strain is auxotrophic for 2-keto acids, and 1-butanol was produced by supplementing the growth medium with 2-oxopentanoate. A liquid culture screen was demonstrated using a 960-member KivD and ADH6 ribosome binding site library. Using the TetA-based biosensor, a strict cut-off between analyte 1-butanol concentration and biosensor output was observed. The assay led to the identification of a variant 2-keto acid-based alcohol production pathway exhibiting an approximately 20% increase in specific 1-butanol productivity.Attempts to engineer concomitant 1-butanol production and selection in E. coli proved difficult. Both production and detection pathways functioned robustly when individually expressed in engineered E. coli; however, concomitant production and detection resulted in increased plasmid instability and cell death. We conclude by providing an analysis of observed cell stresses, generating negative 1-butanol selective pressures, and outline future strategies that can be used to address these hurdles.


The microcrack distribution in a low porous granite exposed to weathering after quarrying was investigated in order to detect its microstructural evolution. Two blocks (A and B) were taken in the same granite body from two quarry faces respectively exposed during a few weeks and twenty years. Porosimetry by injection of carbon-14-methylmethacrylate ( 14 C-MMA) was used for analysing the porous medium. Measurements of optical densities of autoradiographs provided data for the localization and the quantification of porosity. Results are compared with those obtained by mercury porosimetry. Average porosity of sample A was found to be 0.37 ± 0.03% whereas average porosity in sample B reaches 1.07 ± 0.45%. Most of the porosity increase may be explained by the opening of grain boundaries.


Introduction. Two comprehensive and relatively complete systems collecting data on cancer co-exist in Poland: the National Cancer Register (NCR) registering incidence from the epidemiological viewpoint, and the system of the National Health Fund (NHF), which registers episodes of care for reimbursement purposes. The aim of this study was to compare data from two systems, based on example of breast and colorectal cancers. Materials and methods. This study was based on the NCR and the NHF data from 2004–2010, covering breast cancer (C50) and colorectal cancer (C18–C21). The analysis was performed, comparing incidence data (acc. to NCR), what is an epidemiological figure, and the number of new cancer patients treated in the public insurance system (acc. to NHF), which is an organizational figure. Results. A 2007–2010 period is the most useful for comparison and the former one should be treated with care. In case of breast cancer, the number of new cases consequently rises, while the number of patients treated in the NHF remains at a constant level. In individual regions this picture is more diverse. In case of colorectal cancer, the number of cases registered by the NCR is a little higher than the number of "confirmed" cases from NHF, though the trends in both registers are similar. Conclusions. It is an exceptional opportunity in Poland, to run two good quality cancer data sources. However, it is pertinent to note the definition and concept differences of data gathered in both systems, due to which the systems are supplementing each other. Data quality in both systems improves gradually and it seems that data available after 2007 in both systems presents a quality allowing for sound conclusions


Public health costs ascribable to air pollution are socialized in our society. To quantify the damage to public health, epidemiologic studies are needed. We present the methods and epidemiologic background data which form the basis for estimating the public health effect ascribable to air pollution. The figures are presented per 1 million "average" Swiss population and per 10 micrograms/m3 increase in long-term annual mean particulate pollution (PM10). Quantification was restricted to the health effects given below (due to lack of complete data for other effects or to avoid duplicating health effects which may be described by overlapping measurements). In parenthesis we present (1) the mean effect estimates (+/-1 SE) (% increase per 10 micrograms/m3 increment in PM10) derived from national and international epidemiologic studies, and (2) the expected absolute additional health effects (+/-1 SE) per 1 million Swiss population and per 10 micrograms/m3 increment in PM10, based on Swiss population statistics: total mortality (long-term estimates from the 2 US cohort studies) (+4.4% [+/-1.1]/349 [+/-91] premature deaths per year); prevalence of chronic bronchitis in adults (+25% [+8.4]/increase in long-term prevalence by 3,513 [+/-1.475]); bronchitis among children (35% [+/-13]/5,180 [+/-2,590] additional children sufferers in a year); repeated cough among children (+54% [+/-8.8]/23,490 [+/-5,873] additional children per year); cough/phlegm in adults (+12.8% [+/-7.8]/1.56 [+/-1.08] million person-days per year); hospital admissions for respiratory diseases (+1.47% [+/-0.5]/71 [+/-24] additional admissions or 1,104 (+/-390) hospital days); admissions for cardiovascular diseases (+0.9% [+/-0.25]/70 [+19] admissions; 970 (+/-270) hospital days); restricted activity days (+10.5% [+/-0.77]/0.42 [+/-0.03] million person-days); days with asthma attacks among the 6.7% asthmatics (Swiss prevalence) (+5.3% [+/-2.1]/ 240,000 [+/-102,000] additional person-days). Conservative assumptions were used throughout the study and thus the true effects are likely to be larger. Estimates of Swiss population exposure distribution would be needed to apply these results to the entire population. This step, and monetary quantification of these total effects, were the second and third elements (not shown in this report) of this Swiss government funded project. Although individual relative risks of air pollution are rather slight, the public health burden of even moderate pollution may be substantial.


Thioesterase superfamily member 2 (THEM2) is essential for cell proliferation of mammalian cells. It belongs to the hotdog-fold thioesterase superfamily and catalyzes the hydrolysis of the thioester bonds of acyl-CoA in vitro. In this study, THEM2 protein from zebrafish (fTHEM2) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by Ni-affinity and gel-filtration chromatography. fTHEM2 crystals were obtained using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method with PEG 10 000 as precipitant. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 1.80 Å resolution using a synchrotron-radiation source. The crystals belonged to the monoclinic space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a=77.1, b=74.4, c=96.6 Å, β=93.7°.


The antineoplastic alkaloid acronycine inhibits the incorporation of extracellular nucleosides into the RNA and DNA of cultured L5178Y cells. Spectrophotometric and DNA melting temperature studies showed no evidence of an interaction between acronycine and DNA, nor did the drug inhibit the template activity of DNA (when Escherichia coli RNA polymerase was used). Acronycine did not inhibit nucleic acid synthesis in L5178Y cells as measured by the transfer of radioactivity from an intracellular precursor pool prelabeled with radioactive uridine or thymidine into nucleic acids. On the other hand, the alkaloid markedly inhibited the accumulation of extracellular uridine and thymidine as nucleotides in the intracellular precursor pool. Acronycine had no effect on the distribution of radioactivity among the various components ( e.g. , uridine nucleotides) of the acid-soluble pool in cells incubated with uridine-5-3H, and it had little or no effect on the phosphorylation of uridine by cell extracts. It is suggested that the reduced net uptake of uridine may be due to an alteration in the transport of the nucleoside through the plasma membrane. A similar mechanism may be responsible for the inhibition by acronycine of the uptake of other nucleosides ( e.g. , thymidine). Acronycine also strongly reduced the net uptake of formate by L5178Y cells but slightly stimulated the accumulation of 2-deoxyglucose. The immediate biochemical and growth-inhibitory effects of acronycine were readily reversible upon removal of the drug.


The huaicos and flooding caused in 2017 by the El Nino Costero phenomenon mobilized Peruvian society to give humanitarian aid. But to what extent did the humanitarian agenda and the victims' needs misalign, and what are the implications for this asymmetry for the reproduction of pre-existing social relations? We answer these questions via a qualitative study with 80 interviews and 30 participant observation notes covering state and private actors and victims. The disaster created by the huaicos challenged the response capacity and accentuated social hierarchies. Humanitarian aid temporarily activated a spirit of solidarity that created an asymmetrical exchange of material and symbolic goods, which resulted in multiple uses for the aid. For example, those who donated goods also received recognition from the victims generating warm glow and prestige. But to what extent were the voices of the affected heard? This research contributes to the identification of practical ways to make humanitarian aid more efficient. To this end, we incorporate anthropology of disaster, subaltern studies, and economic anthropology frameworks. Deepening our ethnographic knowledge of organizational cultures and their discourses about charity, solidarity, and social justice is fundamental to incorporating local perspectives and ensuring that disasters transform society, rather than reproduce social inequalities.


A scanning single-frequency aerosol lidar is described in which a system of control, recording, and processing of information is based on a personal computer. The problem of processing the lidar returns with instrumental noise is considered. The examples of lidar application to monitoring of the spatiotemporal distribution of aerosol polluting fields, as well as determining the strength of emissions from stacks of local pollution sources are considered.


In this paper, we propose a Multi-granularity Spatial Access Control (MSAC) model, in which multigranularity spatial objects introduce more types of policy rule conflicts than single-granularity objects do. To analyze and detect these conflicts, we first analyze the conflict types with respect to the relationship among the policy rules, and then formalize the conflicts by template matrices. We designed a model-checking algorithm to detect potential conflicts by establishing formalized matrices of the policy set. Lastly, we conducted experiments to verify the performance of the algorithm using various spatial data sets and rule sets. The results show that the algorithm can detect all the formalized conflicts. Moreover, the algorithm's efficiency is more influenced by the spatial object granularity than the size of the rule set.


The subject of this essay is the study on negotiation as a cultural practice and a model of social interaction, characterized by objectives and relationships that make it different from other types of communication. Contractual-type social relationships are typical in our society; therefore ours is an age of negotiation. People negotiate when something must be shared, or when a result must be achieved or a conflict that neither part could solve alone, must be solved. Therefore the negotiation practice is a daily action, and is different from other practices because it is founded on the perception of incompatibility and on the development of strategies and tactics focused on the achievement of a mutually acceptable agreement. Negotiation has an intrinsically polemic-conflictual nature: generally when people get in touch, a sort of fight occurs in order to assert their positions, ideas and beliefs, if not to even persuade the other to change opinion. Pragmatics and sociosemiotics try decomposing the negotiation process, and identifying the signs, the moves and the tactics of the strategical interaction.


The terms health education, patient education, self-care education, school health education, and health promotion are distinguished from each other as follows. Health education is a subset or strategy within each of these but is the primary and dominant strategy in health promotion. Health education occurs through the health care providers in various settings: worksites, medical, community agencies and schools. Nurses and midwives are the most important health care providers to train people for health promotion and cancer prevention. We appreciate the importance of the "Fight against Cancer" movement in the primary health care centre and its health care providers who inform people about cancer and its symptoms, how to find lesions and early stages, and how to avoid hazardous factors. This is as process of continuous information transfer by in-service education. Primary prevention should encompass all actions aimed to reducing the occurrence of cancer. In reviewing recent advances in science and how the art of health education has been applied in practical ways within medical and other settings for prevention and public health, we can point ot the necessity for facilities like an APOCP Training Centre as a venue for scientific courses.


A data base management system (DBMS) has been developed that simplifies the retrieval of data concerning radioisotope use at a university and hospital. The system customizes software that is commercially available to perform several functions. Reports can be developed concerning receipt of radioactive materials, radioactive waste disposal, and research proposals submitted by investigators. Reports can be prepared that utilize the software's ability to perform numerical calculations. The main advantage of the DBMS is that it allows the easy retrieval of information that is used in the day-to-day operation of a radiation safety office; it also provides easy access and manipulation of data for the preparation of reports, budget proposals, and justifications for purchases.


The diagnosis of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) was added to the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5) just 10 years ago. This disorder consists of the failure to meet one's nutritional and/or energy needs, which may result in significant weight loss, significant nutritional deficit or functioning dependent on enteral nutrition or oral supplements. In children with this disorder, development is often problematic, and there is also marked interference with psychosocial functioning at all ages. The causes leading to food avoidance in these patients may be related to a lack of interest, to the sensory properties of the food or to the possible adverse consequences associated with it. Given the multitude of aspects involved in this disorder and the impact it has especially on younger patients, more and more studies are addressing treatments and related benefits and/or complications. A narrative review of currently published studies was performed for articles published before 5 March 2023 on therapeutic interventions in patients with ARFID. Because of the large number of results obtained, this review was conducted only via PubMed in order to analyze and discuss children and adolescent ARFID treatments reported in literature. The treatments most often referred to in the literature are cognitive behavioral therapy, family-based therapy and pharmacological treatment. All the data on these treatments are promising. However, due to the recent introduction of this disorder and the limited data still available, a multidisciplinary approach seems to be the best option.


In a 7-year Hungarian study, 27 apple cultivars (9 scab resistant, 9 commercial, and 9 old) were evaluated for scab resistance in high-density integrated and organic apple orchards; classified into five susceptibility categories (low, low to middle, middle, middle to high, and high) based on their season-long leaf and fruit scab development; and the temporal progress of scab in each classification category was analyzed. Mean final scab incidence was considerably higher in the organic than in the integrated production system except for the resistant cultivars, which had no fruit scab symptoms. Fruit of all cultivars was protected in the integrated production system (final fruit scab was below 1.1%), but most commercial cultivars ('Idared', 'Jonagold', 'Jonathan', 'Jonica', 'Mutsu', and 'Royal Gala') were moderately or highly infected by harvest in the organic production system. Categorization of cultivar susceptibility indicated that season-long leaf and fruit scab development was low for the majority of resistant cultivars and moderate to high or high for most commercial cultivars. The resistance of old cultivars to scab ranged from low to moderate to high. Temporal scab progress of each classification category was analyzed by (i) calculating standardized area under the disease progress curves (AUDPCS); (ii) fitting a three-parameter logistic function to the disease progress data; and (iii) estimating upper asymptote (y f), relative rate parameter, and the inflection point from the fitted function. Results demonstrated that y f and AUDPCS showed significant differences (P < 0.05) among each scab classification category of leaf and fruit in both production systems; therefore, y f and AUDPCS can be used to differentiate the relative resistance of apple genotypes. Classification categories can assist in the selection of the most appropriate cultivars for planting in integrated or organic apple orchards.


Remarkable progress has been made in the development of electronic devices , especially in portable applications. This field requires packaging technologies that allow for smaller structures with higher density. To satisfy this demand, a W-CSP (Wafer-level Chip Size Package) with a resin stress buffer layer has been developed. The incredibly small package size and simple structure of the W-CSP creates an important issue: how to decrease thermal mechanical stress caused by differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the IC chip and the daughter substrate . In this paper, we describe the development of a W-CSP structure that includes a resin stress buffer layer with high thermal cycle reliability for BLTs (Board Level Tests), using thermal mechanical analysis and a novel W-CSP structure with two redistribution circuit layers. The lifetime of this novel structure is twice as long as that of an ordinary W-CSP for a thermal cycle BLT.


. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is an infectious disease resulting spectrum of clinical manifestations that vary from the lightest, dengue fever, hemorrhagic fever and dengue fever are accompanied by shock or dengue shock syndrome. Its caused by dengue virus, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. The case is spread in the tropics, especially in Southeast Asia, Central America, America and the Caribbean, many causes of death in children 90% of them attacking children under 15 years old. Until now pathogenesis is unclear. There are two theo ries or hypotheses immunopatogenesis DHF and DSS is still controversial which secondary infections (secondary heterologus infection) and antibody-dependent enhancement. Risk factors for dengue transmission are rapid urban population growth, mobilization of the population because of improved transportation facilities and disrupted or weakened so that population control. Another risk factor is poverty which result in people not has the ability to provide adecent home and healthy, drinking water supply and proper waste disposal.


The free trade agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico had essentially the same objectives for the latter two countries : to have broader and securer access to their main market and create a more favorable environment for an outward-oriented economic growth. Canada's request to officially take part in negotiations between Mexico and the U.S. has been justified as tactical. Canadian authorities sought to improve several of the recently implemented clauses of the Canada US trade agreement such as the dispute-settlement procedure. By taking part in these negotiations, the Canadian government wished to improve the North American rules of origin. The North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) had, however, two positive effects on Canada-Mexico relations. It created more dynamic trade relations between the two countries and it played the role of a cooperation "catalyst", transforming a friendly relationship into a strategic partnership. Market liberalization and harmonization of necessary regulations in the North American region, which may be qualified as an "emerging regime", obviously played a great role in this new cooperative relationship. Mexico became, to Canada, a potential strategic partner with which it wished to develop closer economic and diplomatic relations, as well as approaches, if not solutions, to problems of common interest. This relative closeness has also enabled both countries to gain a better understanding of each other and to establish a permanent mutual dialogue that is equally beneficial to both businesses and civil associations, as well as both countries' population in general. Finally, with its own international policy agenda, Canada possibly intends to use its partnership with Mexico to extend its relations with other countries of Latin America, as well as to assert its own interests and mark its values in the institutions of an emerging community of the Americas.


Goal. To develop a personalized approach to the administration of an anti-cytokine therapy to patients suffering from moderate to severe and severe forms of psoriasis based on clinical and immunological parameters. Materials and methods. The authors treated 79 patients suffering from moderate to severe and severe forms of psoriasis vulgaris using anti-cytokine drugs; they assessed the clinical efficacy of the therapy taking into account changes in the PASI index and assessed the levels of cytokines (IL-4, IL-6, IL-17, TNF-α, IL-20, IL-22, IL-31, IL-12, IL-11, IL-18), intercellular adhesion molecules, vascular endothelial growth factor (ICAM-1,VEGF) in the blood serum of patients prior to and in the process of treatment. Results. The authors determined the criteria for a personalized approach to the administration of anti-cytokine drugs.


/ EMOTIONAL NEWSPAPER The newspaper cries every morning as it rests on my doorstep from 6:30 am. until I wade out of bed to get it. It cries harder as I read of an earthquake in Mexico, and a rape in Indianapolis. It laughs asFunkyWlnkerbean slides through life, never growing old; and it cheers for the Yankees (only 4'12 games out) in their quest for another pennant. I comfort its anxieties by reading its life, and soon it dies: lost in the memory of the 1Z o'clock news.


Systems-Based Practice (SBP) is the sixth competency defined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Outcome Project. Specifically, SBP requires "Residents [to] demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care and the ability to effectively call on system resources to provide care that is of optimal value." This competency can be divided into four subcompetencies, all of which are integral to training emergency medicine (EM) physicians: resources, providers, and systems; cost-appropriate care; delivery systems; and patient advocacy. In March 2002, the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors (CORD-EM) convened a consensus conference to assist residency directors in modifying the SBP competency specific for EM. The Consensus Group modified the broad ACGME definition for SBP into EM-specific goals and objectives for residency training in SBP. The primary assessment methods from the Toolbox of Assessment Methods were also identified for SBP. They are direct observation, global ratings, 360-degree evaluations, portfolio assessment, and testing by both oral and written exams. The physician tasks from the Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine that are most relevant to SBP are out-of-hospital care, modifying factors, legal/professional issues, diagnostic studies, consultation and disposition, prevention and education, multitasking, and team management. Suggested EM residency curriculum components for SBP are already in place in most residency programs, so no additional resources would be required for their implementation. These include: emergency medical services and administrative rotations, directed reading, various interdisciplinary and hospital committee participation, continuous quality improvement project participation, evidence-based medicine instruction, and various didactic experiences, including follow-up, interdisciplinary, and case conferences. With appropriate integration and evaluation of this competency into training programs, it is likely that future generations of physicians and patients will reap the benefits of an educational system that is based on well-defined outcomes and a more systemic view of health care.


We present results from 30 nights of observations of the intermediate-age Solar-metallicity open cluster NGC 7789 with the WFC camera on the INT telescope in La Palma. Prom ~900 epochs, we obtained lightcurves and Sloan r' — i' colours for ~33000 stars, with ■~2400 stars with better than 1% precision. We find 24 transit candidates, 14 of which we can assign a period. We rule out the transiting planet model for 21 of these candidates using various robust arguments. For 2 candidates we are unable to decide on their nature, although it seems most likely that they are eclipsing binaries as well. We have one candidate exhibiting a single eclipse for which we derive a radius of I.SIIq^oo^JThree candidates remain that require follow-up observations in order to determine their nature. Monte Carlo simulations reveal that we expected to detect <̂ 2 transiting 3d to 5d hot Jupiter planets from all the stars in our sample if 1% of stars host such a companion and that a typical hot Jupiter radius is similar to that of HD 209458b. Our failure to find good transiting hot Jupiter candidates allows us to place an upper limit on the 3d to 5d hot Jupiter fraction of 2.6% for all stars at the 1% significance level, and similar useful limits on the hot Jupiter fraction of the different star types in our sample.


Scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) is known to be a valuable tool for carrier mapping and profiling on nanoscale semiconductor samples. Certain applications, however, such as quantitative capacitance microscopy on InAs quantum dots, e.g. require low modulation frequencies and complete darkness, which are requirements completely incompatible with the current commercial SCM systems relying on a laser feedback system. For this reason, an intercepted feedback method was developed, which allows to switch off the laser temporarily while the feedback loop keeps running. As an application, images of sub surface InAs self assembled quantum dots were recorded. The InAs dots are clearly visible as bright areas in a contrast-rich capacitance landscape, which we attribute to local thickness variations of the InAs wetting layer in our sample.


In this paper, a real-time obstacle avoidance method is discussed for a remote mobile robot controlled by a teleoperator. The method enables the remote user to drive the mobile robot without collisions. It consists of a real-time environment modeling algorithm using ultrasonic sensors, and a mobile robot control algorithm for obstacle avoidance. The former solves the limitations of the ultrasonic sensors such as noise sensitivity, poor directionality, and specular reflection for obtaining more accurate sensor data. Then the latter conducts wall or center following implemented by a fuzzy controller for obstacle avoidance using the environment model obtained by the previous algorithm. The command for obstacle avoidance is actually applied as a reflective force using a haptic device such as a force feedback joystick. The remote mobile robot, ROBHAZ-DT(RoBot in HAZardous environment-Double Track) developed by KIST(Korea Institute of Science and Technology), is employed as the mobile robot model. The normal and the maximum speed of the ROBHAZ-DT are 3.1 km/h and 7.2 km/h, respectively. The weight of the robot is 50 kg. Simulations with the ROBHAZ-DT model are carried out to verify the performance of the proposed method.


We examined T. matsutake survived in soil after forest fires in T. matsutake-produced forest in the pre-fire period and the situation of damages from forest fire in stands. We established a square plot of (50 m×50 m) in a burned site and divided it into 100 square quadrats of (5 m×5 m). Tree density of P. den- siflora, the dominant tree species, in plot was 2,104/ha, with a basal area accounting for 99%. The percent- age of dead pine trees was 52.1%, which is less than in other species as 88.6% and 100% of Quercus spp. and Prunus sargentii, respectively. In PCR amplification using the T. matsutake-specific primer pair, the 400-bp fragment was found in 29 of 100 soil sample s from each quadrat and in control cultures. The rela- tionship to the percentage of crown damage differed significantly (p=0.0026), with means between Tm and nTm of 59% and 70.5%, respectively. Moreover, the difference between BLT and nBLT on crown damage was highly significant in the U-test (p=0.0008). Therefore, P. densiflora in inner quadrats with low crown damage had T. matsutake on their roots. T. matsutake favor P. densiflora and mineral soils with low litter rather than under BLT with a thick humus layer. The area of T. matsutake from a forest fire in crown dam- age to P. densiflora will eventually decrease in relation to the increase in BLT. Hence, the species distribu- tion in understory vegetation such as shrub and BLT is an important factor for overstory tree survival from forest fires. In conclusion, the management of T. matsutake forest by controlling tree density and taking out understory vegetation is considered a good method for decreasing damage from forest fires.


Canine leptospirosis has been described as having re-emerged in North America around the mid-1990s, with a change in the epidemiology of the infecting serovars responsible for the disease emergence. A retrospective case-control study was conducted to examine the re-emergence of seroprevalent cases of canine leptospirosis in Ontario using serology submission records from 1406 dogs from January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2006. The data collected [results of the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), veterinary clinic postal code, age, sex, neutering status, and breed] were analyzed by multivariable logistic regression, generalized linear mixed modeling, and Cochran-Armitage test for trends in proportions. Dogs in urban areas appeared to be at significantly higher risk than dogs in rural areas for the entire study period [odds ratio (OR) = 1.6, confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-2.3], though this was not as marked as in other studies. Results indicated that canine leptospirosis in Ontario is a disease of all breeds and ages, regardless of gender. No geographic clustering was noted, but clustering of cases by clinic within geographic areas suggested differences in awareness or in diagnosis by veterinarians. A distinctive seasonal pattern of leptospirosis, with more cases occurring during the summer and fall, as found in previous studies, was also observed in this study. The temporal trend analysis was consistent with an increasing proportion or re-emergence of seroprevalent cases of canine leptospirosis since 1998, suggesting that the putative increase in canine leptospirosis has been genuine.


In situ extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESL) has increasingly become accepted for the treatment of ureteral stones. However, treatment success is negatively affected by stone impaction or associated urinary obstruction. In order to assess the impact of obstruction on the outcome of in situ ESL, we reviewed the results in 503 patients treated in this way. The presence and severity of urinary obstruction was defined prior to ESL, being classified as no or mild obstruction (Group I) and moderate or severe obstruction (Group II). The stone-free rate in the nonobstructed group was 90%, whereas it was 85% in the obstructed group (P > 0.005). While all of our patients were treated on an outpatient basis, two patients in Group I and four patients in Group II required hospitalization with the diagnosis of pyelonephritis. All six patients were treated successfully with appropriate measures. No other serious complication occurred that required hospitalization. We conclude that urinary obstruction does not affect stone disintegration or passage and suggest that in situ ESL should be the treatment of choice in ureteral stones.


The objective of the research was to determine the level of relationship between self-regulated learning of statistics and tics integration in university students. The methodology was non-experimental, quantitative, correlational, and cross-sectional, at a single point in time. A non-probabilistic, non-random, convenience sampling was used. Then, using the snowball technique, the instrument was applied to a total of 433 students, to whom a questionnaire validated with Cronbach's alpha was applied as an instrument, with 39 questions on a Likert scale measuring the variables self-regulated learning and integration of information and communication technologies, with the dimensions: planning, self-regulation, self-assessment and proactive incorporation, motivation, and competences, respectively. It is concluded of the total inferential analysis, that there are significant differences in the average values of the analysis since planning is among the moderately high levels while in the other dimensions the values do not reach the total high value determined in the measurement scale, which indicates the need to instruct in this phase to improve the integration of self-regulated learning. Spearman's correlation coefficient at a significance level of 0.01 shows a value of 0.828. These results allowed concluding that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship for the level of self-regulated learning and integration of information and communication technologies as variables. In addition, when analyzing the percentage levels as a result, it was obtained that in the self-planning dimension there is 82% in the advanced level, in the variable integration of information and communication technologies and its dimension proactive incorporation it was also reached in an advanced level 81.1%, likewise it can be mentioned that in the results it was obtained in the integration of information and communication technologies an advanced level of  81.1% which are the results of the virtual classes taken as a strategy in education and bringing strengths in the new approach to education.


(Tantalum, niobium) carbide-nickel composites were prepared by the powder metallurgy technique. Microsize (tantalum, niobium) carbide particles were reinforced in the nickel matrix. Different nickel contents were added to (tantalum, niobium) carbide powders by two different methods, namely, blending and electroless coating. The results of the microstructure show a good distribution of the (tantalum, niobium) carbide particles in the nickel matrix. The produced (tantalum, niobium) carbide-nickel composite powders were cold compacted at 400 MPa and sintered under vacuum at 1,450°C for 90 min. The density of the (tantalum, niobium) carbide-nickel–sintered materials was measured by the Archimedes method. The mechanical properties of the obtained sintered materials were evaluated by measuring the Vickers hardness and the wear rate using a pin-on-ring wear test machine. The microstructure of the sintered (tantalum, niobium) carbide-nickel as well as the microstructure of worn samples were investigated by a scanning electron microscope. The results revealed that the (tantalum, niobium) carbide-nickel–sintered materials, which were prepared by the electroless nickel coating of (tantalum, niobium) carbide particles, have a homogeneous microstructure and exhibit higher relative density, hardness, and low specific wear rate than the samples of the (tantalum, niobium) carbide/nickel–sintered materials prepared by blending of nickel with the (tantalum, niobium) carbide powders. The magnetic properties of the obtained blended and coated (tantalum, niobium) carbide particles as well as the sintered one have been studied. It was observed that the saturation magnetization is increased by increasing the nickel content.


The integrity of the cellulosic insulation in power transformers is considered one of the most relevant parameters that affects their performance and reliability. Electric faults, such as short circuits, have thermal and mechanical effects that degrade the paper and can eventually produce the end-of-life of the transformer. The evolution of the properties of the paper insulation of a commercial continuously transposed conductor due to thermal ageing was characterised through the degree of polymerisation and tensile testing. Failure initiation and propagation in the paper was analysed macroscopically and microscopically using scanning electron microscope. A finite element numerical mechanical model of the conductor was implemented to reproduce the experiments and to obtain the load level and strain state that produce failure at each ageing state, aiming at developing a failure model for the insulation. This model may contribute to an improvement in manufacturing processes and management of the electrical system.


This paper has proposed an effective intelligent prediction model that can well discriminate and specify the severity of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in clinical diagnosis and provide a criterion for clinicians to weigh scientific and rational medical decision-making. With indicators as the age and gender of the patients and 26 blood routine indexes, a severity prediction framework for COVID-19 is proposed based on machine learning techniques. The framework consists mainly of a random forest and a support vector machine (SVM) model optimized by a slime mould algorithm (SMA). When the random forest was used to identify the key factors, SMA was employed to train an optimal SVM model. Based on the COVID-19 data, comparative experiments were conducted between RF-SMA-SVM and several well-known machine learning algorithms performed. The results indicate that the proposed RF-SMA-SVM not only achieves better classification performance and higher stability on four metrics, but also screens out the main factors that distinguish severe COVID-19 patients from non-severe ones. Therefore, there is a conclusion that the RF-SMA-SVM model can provide an effective auxiliary diagnosis scheme for the clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 infection.


. The safe and long-term serviceability of concrete structures is one of the methods how to improve the sustainability of the concrete industry. This study presents a pilot application of an integrated system for online monitoring and service life prediction of concrete bridges. The system consists of strain gauges measuring the structural response coupled with a laser rangefinder for detection of the bridge-crossing traffic. The measured data were used for the development of a computational model of the bridge. Next, the deterioration models were applied to the model to assess the long-term mechanical behaviour. In this study, we considered chloride-induced reinforcement corrosion. The numerical data are given for 100-years-long service life prediction.


Fish, cetaceans and many other aquatic vertebrates undulate their bodies to propel themselves through water. Numerous studies on natural, artificial or analogous swimmers are dedicated to revealing the links between the kinematics of body oscillation and the production of thrust for swimming. One of the most open and difficult questions concerns the best kinematics to maximize this later quantity for given constraints and how a system strategizes and adjusts its internal parameters to reach this maximum. To address this challenge, we exploit a biomimetic robotic swimmer to determine the control signal that produces the highest thrust. Using machine learning techniques and intuitive models, we find that this optimal control consists of a square wave function, whose frequency is fixed by the interplay between the internal dynamics of the swimmer and the fluid-structure interaction with the surrounding fluid. We then propose a simple implementation for autonomous robotic swimmers that requires no prior knowledge of systems or equations. This application to aquatic locomotion is validated by 2D numerical simulations.


In view of the problem that the orthogonality of MIMO radar waveform decreased with the increase of number of waveforms, using the pseudo-random and initial value sensitivity of continuous chaotic system, this paper presents a design method of orthogonal waveform based on the continuous chaotic frequency modulation. Firstly, the mathematical expression of orthogonal continuous chaos frequency modulation signal (OCCFMS) is given, autocorrelation and quasi-orthogonal property is analyzed, and proposes a progressive chaotic particle swarm optimization algorithm to optimize the chaos initial value. Performance analysis and simulation results show that OCCFMS presents quite good performances in ambiguity functioni¼Œautocorrelation and pseudoorthogonal property, the performance of the waveform is affected by the chaos initial value. Using the suggested method to optimize the initial value, can get any number of orthogonal waveforms, the precision of optimization is higher, can further reduce the autocorrelation sidelobe peak and cross-correlation peak of OCCFMS, and the autocorrelation sidelobe peak and cross-correlation peak of each orthogonal signal of the waveform set are very close, and can be applied as a kind of promising MIMO radar signals


A yukawaon model which is compatible with an SU(5) GUT model is investigated. In a previous SU(5) compatible yukawaon model with a U(3) family gauge symmetry, we could not build a model with a lower energy scale of the family gauge symmetry breaking scale Λfam than 10 13 GeV, so the family gauge boson effects in the previous model were invisible. In the present model, we consider two family symmetries U(3)×O(3), and we assume that the conventional quarks and leptons (5̄+ 10+ 1) of SU(5) are described as (5̄i + 10α + 1α) (i = 1, 2, 3 and α = 1, 2, 3 are indices of U(3) and O(3), respectively). As a result, we build a model with ΛO3 ∼ 10 GeV and ΛU3 ∼ 10 GeV. The lightest U(3) family gauge boson A 1 will be observed with a mass of the order of 1 TeV.


Noise generated by turbulent boundary layer over the trailing edge of a wind turbine blade under various flow conditions is predicted and analyzed for structural health monitoring purposes. Wind turbine blade monitoring presents a challenge to wind farm operators, and an in-blade structural
 health monitoring system would significantly reduce O&M costs. Previous studies into structural health monitoring of blades have demonstrated the feasibility of designing a passive detection system based on monitoring the flow-generated acoustic spectra. A beneficial next step is identifying
 the robustness of such a system to wind turbine blades under different flow conditions. To examine this, a range of free stream air velocities from 5 m/s to 20 m/s and a range of rotor speeds from 5 rpm to 20 rpm are used in a reduced-order model of the flow-generated sound in the trailing
 edge turbulent boundary layer. The equivalent lumped acoustics sources are predicted based on the turbulent flow simulations, and acoustic spectra are calculated using acoustic ray tracing. Each case is evaluated based on the changes detected when damage is present. These results can be used
 to identify wind farms that would most benefit from this monitoring system to increase efficiency in deployment of turbines.


In Sweden, a relatively high number of students have a background in working life before entering higher education. Measures have also been taken to widen admission among adults with working-life experience. The admission to Swedish higher education is governed through a two-step selection system. Firstly eligibility is assessed through varying measures, to secure that students have the ability to take the course or program in question. Secondly, if there are more eligible applicants than study places, a selection process is undertaken based on partly other measures. The focus of this paper is the first step, eligibility, and particularly applicants who were employing the 25:4 scheme, a measure for eligibility that was introduced to widen access to higher education in the 1970s, and which is now abandoned. The scheme meant that an age of 25 and 4 years work experience were the main criteria in an alternative track for basic eligibility. The aim of this study is to describe choices and trajectories in relation to higher education among 25:4 applicants, and their experiences of factors that could influence their choices. The analysis is based on a follow-up survey distributed to a sample of 25:4 applicants from the autumn admission round of 2008, the last admission round when the decision to abandon the 25:4 scheme still had not had any influence on applicants' opportunities. The results identify patterns of application, admittance, completion of studies, and drop-out, in this group. Particularly, applicants' experiences of choice and drop-out are focused upon. For example, it is shown that almost 90 % were admitted to their first-hand choice, which means that the selection process was not that decisive in this group, but the eligibility was central to be able to be admitted. Further, it is shown how the importance of a course is influenced by its value in terms of working-life opportunities, but also how individual knowledge interests and family situations influence the choices of the applicants.


This tutorial review is designed to dispel the myth, still believed by many synthetic organic chemists, that radical-based syntheses are free from significant solvent effects. However, many synthetically valuable radical reactions do exhibit large kinetic solvent effects. It is therefore important to select the solvent for any proposed radical synthesis with considerable care if good product yields are to be achieved.


Malang Kota Baru Station is located in the center of Malang City with a variety of land uses occurring around the area. The concept of an area supports aspects of building density, diversity of land use, and the proximity of the area to transit points, one of which is Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). The purpose of this research is to obtain a development strategy that can be carried out in the area. The TOD principle approach is used in the Area of suitability analysis. The AHP method and SWOT analysis are used to obtain a regional development strategy. The results of the suitability analysis show that almost all of the existing condition variables are not under the TOD principle parameters. Furthermore, all parameters are used in the AHP analysis, and the order of priority for regional development is obtained, namely: diversity, design, and density. Determination of the grand strategy for regional development based on IFAS and EFAS obtained recommendations for aggressive maintenance strategy. This strategy needs to be carried out in regional development by maximizing various opportunities, to resolve or minimize internal weaknesses that occur.


While the prevalence of overweight and obesity has been increasing annually, the accessibility of on-site treatment programs is not rising correspondingly. Digital, evidence-based obesity treatment programs could potentially alleviate this situation. The application zanadio has been developed to enable patients with obesity (BMI 30–45 kg/m2) to participate in a digital, multimodal weight reduction program based on current treatment guidelines. This article is divided into two parts: (I) it introduces zanadio, its aims and therapeutic concept, and (II) provides a first impression and demographic data on more than 11,000 patients from across the country who have used zanadio within the last 16 months, which demonstrates the demand for a digital obesity treatment. zanadio has the potential to partially close the current gap in obesity care. Future work should focus on identifying predictors of successful weight loss to further individualize digital obesity treatment, and an important next step would be to prevent obesity, i.e., to start the treatment at lower BMI levels, and to invent digital treatment programs for children and adolescents.


ABSTRACT Drawing on an original survey of voters and parties, this article examines the policy space in Irish politics in the context of the 2016 general election. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses show that four broad ideological dimensions structure voters' policy views across a range of salient issues. These are an economic dimension, a cultural dimension, a religious dimension and an austerity dimension. Comparing the location of voters and parties on these dimensions, gaps in the policy space are identified where voters are not represented by any party. Most noticeably, a significant segment of the electorate is found to have left-wing views on economic issues but conservative/authoritarian views on the cultural dimension, and this combination is currently not offered by any of the existing political parties. The article also highlights areas where political parties are out of step with the views of their own voters.


A research project undertaken in 2001 reviewed the latest research on mobility and accessibility benefits of public transport services. It also quantified the economic value of the mobility/accessibility benefit of the existing public transport network in major urban centres in New Zealand. The research project was undertaken in two stages. Stage 1 involved definition and scoping of public transport accessibility benefits; review of international literature on these benefits; and critique of methods available for estimating them. Stage 2 involved estimation of accessibility benefits of existing public transport systems for New Zealand by applying appropriate quantification methods identified in the Stage I critique. Only the consumer surplus methodology, which measures the user accessibility benefits (increased opportunity for employment, education and other activities) for all public transport users, was able to be applied in the New Zealand context. User accessibility benefits of around $200M per annum were estimated. (a)


Abstract To assess the trends in ophthalmic healthcare, especially those of cataract, vitreo-retinal diseases, and glaucoma, the national data from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, which recorded medical practices for 126.1 million citizens, were studied for 15 years. The volume and expenses of cataract surgeries increased during this period; however, non-surgical expenses decreased. As a result, the total national cataract healthcare expenses decreased over the 15-year period. The volume of vitrectomies increased from 2007 to 2013. After introduction of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections, the number of injections increased 8.4 times from 2010 to 2021, while the volume of vitrectomy and retinal photocoagulation declined after 2019 and 2017, respectively. Minimally invasive glaucoma and long-tube shunt surgeries began to increase in 2015 and 2014, respectively. This trend contrasts with the decrease in trabeculectomies after 2019. The coronavirus disease-19 pandemic caused a 30.9% decrease in ophthalmological surgery expenses in 2020. The decreases in volume and expense were greater for cataract surgeries than for other surgeries. The pandemic had a stronger impact on ophthalmological healthcare than that on general medical healthcare. Advancements in technology and methodology have led to cost savings in national cataract healthcare, vitrectomy, and retinal photocoagulation while caused increase in the volume and expenditure of glaucoma surgeries and anti-VEGF injections over a span of 15 years in Japan.


Abstract The genetic architecture of diabetes mellitus in general and in pregnancy is complex, owing to the multiple types of diabetes that comprise both complex/polygenic forms and monogenic (largely caused by a mutation in a single gene) forms such as maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY). Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) have complex genetic etiologies, with over 40 and 90 genes/loci, respectively, implicated that interact with environmental/lifestyle factors. The genetic etiology of gestational diabetes mellitus has largely been found to overlap that of T2D. Genetic testing for complex forms of diabetes is not currently useful clinically, but genetic testing for monogenic forms, particularly MODY, has important utility for determining treatment, managing risk in family members, and pregnancy management. In particular, diagnosing MODY2, caused by GCK mutations, indicates that insulin should not be used, including during pregnancy, with the possible exception of an unaffected pregnancy during the third trimester to prevent macrosomia. A relatively simple method for identifying women with MODY2 has been piloted. MODY1, caused by HNF4A mutations, can paradoxically cause neonatal hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia and macrosomia, indicating that detecting these cases is also clinically important. Diagnosing all MODY types provides opportunities for diagnosing other family members.


Abstract Schizotypy denotes psychosis-like experiences, such as perceptual aberration, magical ideation, and social anxiety. Altered physiological arousal from social stress is found in people with high schizotypal traits. Two experiments aimed to determine the relationship of schizotypy to physiological arousal from social stress. Experiment 1 tested the hypotheses that heart rate from social stress would be greater in high, than mild-to-moderate, schizotypal traits, and disorganized schizotypy would explain this effect because of distress from disorganisation. Experiment 1 tested social stress in 16 participants with high schizotypal traits and 10 participants with mild-to-moderate schizotypal traits. The social stress test consisted of a public speech and an informal discussion with strangers. The high schizotypal group had a higher heart rate than the mild-to-moderate schizotypal group during the informal discussion with strangers, but not during the public speech. Disorganized schizotypy accounted for this group difference. Experiment 2 tested the hypothesis that mild-to-moderate schizotypal traits would have a linear relationship with physiological arousal from social stress. Experiment 2 tested 24 participants with mild-to-moderate schizotypal traits performing the abovementioned social stress test while their heart rate and skin conductance responses were measured. Mild-to-moderate schizotypal traits had a linear relationship with physiological arousal during the discussion with strangers. Distress in disorganized schizotypy may explain the heightened arousal from close social interaction with strangers in high schizotypy than mild-to-moderate schizotypy. Mild-to-moderate schizotypal traits may have a linear relationship with HR during close social interaction because of difficulty with acclimatizing to the social interaction.


The burgeoning size of the second edition of this important work in renal disease attests to the major developments in the study of these disorders in the last decade. Extensive new knowledge has become available through the use of immunological procedures and through the use of the electron microscope during this interval. (Alas! Resolution of the etiologies and resolution of the methods of treatment have not kept pace.) The utilization of occasional guest essayists enhances the quality of the book and in no way detracts from the extraordinary efforts of Dr. Heptinstall in producing such a work. Both he and the publisher are to be congratulated in utilizing sufficient print to expose adequately the problem discussed. The text is very well done and the illustrative material is excellent. A part of the increase in size is due to the extensive addition of the electron microscopic photographs. Some might find fault


: This telecommunications system contacts home care patients automatically for followup using clinically developed software and a standard touch-tone phone. This system could help control costs by allowing health professionals to monitor patients' progress without unnecessary visits.


People travel to different destinations for different reasons. In this study, we investigate the viability of market segmentation by personal traits (based on and exemplified by Jungian's MBTI variables) of travelers from Switzerland, by performing a data-driven a posteriori segmentation by means of k-means clustering. To identify the segmentation power of personal traits, this analysis is complemented with a multiple discriminant analysis as well as a number of contingency tests to identify differences between the segments. We identified four clearly definable segments, which differ in terms of the psychographic traits of the segment members but also in terms of some sociodemographic characteristics as well as travel profiles. Despite a growing body of work on classical market segmentation, there is a growing but still limited number of works on potentialities of psychographic approaches relating to a traveler's traits and/or personality as a segmentation basis in tourism.


TWEAK (TNFSF12) is a multifunctional cytokine that binds to the cell surface receptor TweakR (Fn14, TNFRSR12A). TweakR is overexpressed in many solid tumor types, including cancers of breast, pancreatic, and ovarian origin. The initial functional description of TWEAK described it as a weak inducer of apoptosis in certain cancer cell lines. TWEAK is also known to function in other diverse biological processes such as inflammation, tissue repair, angiogenesis, cell migration, and growth inhibition. The growth inhibitory activity of TWEAK observed in some cancer cell lines and the overexpression of its receptor in cancer led to investigation of targeting TweakR as a therapeutic modality. Enavatuzumab (PDL192), a humanized IgG1 mAb to TweakR, exhibits some of the same functional activities of TWEAK and is currently in clinical investigation for the treatment of solid tumors due to its significant in vitro and in vivo growth inhibitory activity in models of multiple solid tumor types. The purpose of the current study was to provide insight into the mechanism of action of enavatuzumab and to further our understanding of the biology of TweakR in tumor cell lines. A panel of 106 cancer cell lines was tested for the ability of enavatuzumab to inhibit in vitro cell growth to identify characteristics of response. Of the 106 cell lines tested, 33 cell lines had >25% growth inhibition in response to the drug. Using luciferase transcriptional reporter constructs, it was revealed that the NFκB pathway was activated in response to enavatuzumab treatment in responder cells. Both classical (p50/p65) and non-classical NFκB (p52/RelB) pathways were subsequently shown to be induced by enavatuzumab treatment using Western blot and functional ELISA in responder cell lines. Using Affymetrix™ microarrays, we observed that cell lines sensitive to enavatuzumab had a higher number of transcriptional changes compared with resistant cells and included many genes known to be regulated by NFκB. To confirm a role for NFκB in enavatuzumab-mediated signaling, we inhibited NFκB pathway induction using siRNAs to the individual NFκB subunits p50, p65, p52, and RelB as well as the upstream kinases IKKα and IKKβ. The siRNAs were able to block enavatuzumab9s growth inhibitory activity in multiple sensitive cell lines. Further confirmation of the importance of NFκB was obtained using a small molecule inhibitor of IKKα/β (IKK16) which significantly reduced the drug-induced growth inhibition. The finding that NFκB drives the growth inhibitory activity of enavatuzumab is a compelling function for a family of transcription factors that are more frequently associated with cancer growth and survival than inhibition of cell proliferation. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1770. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1770


Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been the promising stars in the solar cell industry for dramatically improving the power conversion efficiency (PCE) in the past decade and reaching a record over 25%. However, there are still many issues to be solved on an industrial scale. One of these challenges is the material stability of precursors, which may significantly affect the performance of PSCs. Herein, a facile method is provided to produce controllable lead iodide as the raw material for formamidinium‐based PSCs whose performance is highly correlated to the crystallographic‐preferred orientation of PbI2. The PSCs based on the PbI2 synthesized at 120 °C exhibit the best PCE of 17.96% among these solar cells. Furthermore, the perovskite solar module with an active area of 3.68 cm2 and a PCE of 16.08% is successfully demonstrated, showing the potential of scaling up in the future.


Abstract Formalist definitions of the fantastic in literature, such as the well-known one by Zvetan Todorov, overlook the historical and cultural variants of the genre. Fantastic stories from different cultures represent the unlikely, the invisible, or the supernatural phenomena (such as dragons and ghosts) in similar ways, which suggests that the fantastic is universal but conceived differently in different cultures and epochs. Fantastic literature can be defined as poeticized storytelling about the imaginary of the unknown. Yet the unknown today may be known tomorrow. As the Chinese writer Lao Zi remarks: "The unknown is the commencement of all becoming; the known is the mother of all becoming." Owen Barfield's theory of the evolution of consciousness, and Goethe's view of the evolution of the human mind, can be used for a new periodization of the genre, that divides the poetic renderings of the fantastic into four stages.


The pressure gradient system is a sub-system of the compressible Euler system. It can be obtained either through a flux splitting or an asymptotic expansion. In both derivations, the velocity field is treated as a small remnant of the original velocity of the Euler system. As such, the boundary conditions for the velocity do not necessarily follow the original ones and careful consideration is needed for the validity, integrity, and completeness of the model. We provide numerical simulations as well as basic characteristic analysis and physical considerations for the Riemann problems of the model to find out appropriate internal conditions at the origin. The study reveals subtle structures of the velocity: Both components exhibit discontinuities at the origin at traditional levels of numerical resolutions around 400×400 cells on the unit square, but they vanish at the origin with possible square root type singularity when we increase the resolutions. Comparing to the roll-up of shear waves or vortex-sheets of the Euler system, these singularities are mild and occur only along rays from the origin. The numerics is done at higher resolutions than traditionally possible via the automated clawpack that contains adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) and message passing interface (MPI), for which we provide the Riemann solvers in both the normal and transversal directions, where the Roe's approximation has the elegant 1/2 average in the model's original variables.


Just like any other branch of mathematics, denotational semantics of programming languages should be formalised in type theory, but adapting traditional domain theoretic semantics, as originally formulated in classical set theory to type theory has proven challenging. This paper is part of a project on formulating denotational semantics in type theories with guarded recursion. This should have the benefit of not only giving simpler semantics and proofs of properties such as adequacy, but also hopefully in the future to scale to languages with advanced features, such as general references, outside the reach of traditional domain theoretic techniques. Working in Guarded Dependent Type Theory ( GDTT ), we develop denotational semantics for FPC, the simply typed lambda calculus extended with recursive types, modelling the recursive types of FPC using the guarded recursive types of GDTT . We prove soundness and computational adequacy of the model in GDTT using a logical relation between syntax and semantics constructed also using guarded recursive types. The denotational semantics is intensional in the sense that it counts the number of unfold-fold reductions needed to compute the value of a term, but we construct a relation relating the denotations of extensionally equal terms, i.e., pairs of terms that compute the same value in a different number of steps. Finally we show how the denotational semantics of terms can be executed inside type theory and prove that executing the denotation of a boolean term computes the same value as the operational semantics of FPC.


The Tarbiyah (education) movement in Indonesia today is the best known and has the largest number of members amongst groups in the Dakwah (proselytising) movement that mostly work in Indonesian campuses. However, in contrast to other Islamic revivalist organizations, the Tarbiyah movement, is reformist, and relies heavily on modern interpretations of Islam concerned with democracy, civil society, human rights and equality of women, although these values are understood differently from common Western notions. The group has many female activists but unfortunately until today there has never been any study looking at the ways women has involved in this Tarbiyah movement. This paper aims to explore the numerous and varieties of women"s activities in this movement, especially in relation the ways women see their rights, roles and sexual identities within their notion of piety. Female and male activists of Tarbiyah movement in Airlangga University (UNAIR), Surabaya State University (UNESA) and Institute of Technology Surabaya (ITS) are respondents in this research. Participation observation and in-depth interviews will used as techniques of data collection. Some finding shows that the Tarbiyah movement"s espousal of women"s and gender issues in an Islamic setting complicates even more the dissemination of such issues to the Indonesian public. One important finding indicates that the Tarbiyah conceives that male and female are segregated in nature (biological construction) yet in that segregation lies irreplaceable equality in any sphere and any value. Although many female members of the Tarbiyah movement claim to reject feminism, in particular they reject liberation of women"s (and men"s) sexuality, as it is believed to be of Western origin, in fact they subscribe to concepts of sexual equality while maintaining sexual segregation. The rise of the Dakwah movement and its various groups has raised concern in Indonesian society that such groups may pose a threat to civil Islam. However, to see all groups in the Dakwah movement as militant, radical or even fundamentalist is wrong, the complexity of Islamic movements requires careful examination as within these movements groups are fragmented in terms of their interpretations of Islam and its application. Teaching of this Dakwah movement can also be an alternative to national character building as its teachings and morale are in accordance to the values of Indonesian national characters such as honesty, religiousness and others.


There is widespread interest in the relationship between aging and cancer, and the involvement of senescence in both processes. The accumulation of senescent cells imparts elevated risk of age-associated disease, including cancer; however, a continuing challenge in the field is the lack of senescence-specific biomarkers. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are potent inducers of senescence, and the pro-inflammatory secretion of persistent senescent cells has been shown to propel tumor evolution and metastatic dissemination. Thus, there is a need to define how much senescence can be tolerated in tissue prior to physiologic dysfunction; however defining senescence 'burden' in aged tissue or cancer cannot be accurately determined with existing markers due to their redundancy. To address this shortcoming, we undertook a proteomic-based analysis to identify novel senescent biomarkers in K-Ras mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Importantly, quiescent cells were also included in the experimental design to enable the identification of proteins associated with general dormancy and not specific to senescence. Cell surface proteins from senescent, quiescent and asynchronous cancer cells were labeled with biotin, enriched and analyzed using tandem mass spectrometry. An average of 850 proteins were detected in each replicate, and 287 were unique to senescence. Gene ontology analysis of proteins detected in senescence indicated functions enriched for metabolism, DNA damage checkpoint integrity, membrane organization, wound healing and cytoskeletal remodeling; all consistent with a senescent phenotype. Data were filtered by strict criteria to derive a final list of 31 proteins unique to senescence. Initial validation of a subset of these for which specific commercial antibodies were available, was done by immunoblotting whole cell lysates and plasma membrane-enriched fractions. Some candidates had enriched expression in senescence; while others were increased in both senescence and quiescence and thus are more useful as dormancy markers. Additional validation by immunofluorescence was performed to deduce expression and localization of four senescent candidates. Novel patterns of localization were found whereby some candidates showed enrichment in structures resembling large vesicles and invadopodia-like extensions that connected with neighboring senescent cells. Lastly, immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses of formalin-fixed tissue obtained from chemotherapy-treated NSCLC patients revealed intense staining in enlarged cells with polymorphic nuclei, a characteristic of senescent cells. Thus, we have identified a unique cohort of senescence-specific biomarkers, some of which are amenable to IHC analyses. Ongoing studies will determine their utility as prognostic and predictive biomarkers of senescence tumor burden in NSCLC, with potential extrapolation to other malignancies and pathologies. Citation Format: Meagan Vogt, Chia-Ping H. Yang, Edward Nieves, Kenny Ye, Perry Cohen, Steven Keller, Hayley M. McDaid. Proteomic-based senescent biomarker identification and characterization in non-small cell lung cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-066.


Plato and Aristotle would have found the modern effort to fuse ethics and ecology to be incomprehensible. Despite the fact that oikos—meaning house or household—is a Greek word, Greek science did not entertain a concept of ecology. Nor did Greek philosophy regard nature as morally considerable. Etymology aside, the word ecology in anything like its modern sense of "biospheric house" did not appear in European thought until 1873 when Ernst Heinrich Haeckel, a German biologist and philosopher, used it, with the spelling "Oekologie," in his The History of Creation. Furthermore, the words "ecology" and "ecological" always had exclusive reference, until quite recently, to a scientific discipline and not to a branch of philosophy. As with the Classical Greek philosophers, so it was also with modern thinkers. Ethics, they held, were concerned solely with interpersonal relations. They could not, therefore, recognize a duty to nature. That we do owe a duty to nature, however, is the carefully considered conclusion of most of the environmental ethicists.


Abstract Objective: This study characterized two patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs): a patient-facing adaptation of the revised amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Functional Rating Scale ("self-entry ALSFRS-R") and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale. Methods: ALS patients presenting to clinic completed PROMs that included (1) the self-entry ALSFRS-R, (2) the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC Scale), and (3) a question about falls. PROM data were compared to one another and to the traditional ALSFRS-R collected by trained evaluators in clinic ("standard ALSFRS-R"). Results: Over the data collection period, 449 ALS patients completed at least one of the three PROMs. Self-entry vs. standard ALSFRS-R total scores (n = 183) had high agreement (intraclass correlation (ICC)=0.81, 95% CI = 0.67, 0.88). Self-entry ALSFRS-R total scores were significantly higher than standard ALSFRS-R total scores (2.3 points, p < 0.001). In a subset of participants who contributed data at two timepoints, the average ALSFRS-R decline was not significantly different between methods (n = 49). ABC scores correlated highly with self-entry and standard ALSFRS-R Gross Motor subdomain scores (Pearson's r = 0.72, p < 0.001 and Pearson's r = 0.76, p < 0.001, respectively; n = 130). ABC score was negatively correlated with the number of reported falls within the last month (Spearman's r=–0.40; p < 0.001; n = 130). A 10-point decrease in ABC score increased odds of a reported fall by 16%. Conclusions: In a multidisciplinary clinic setting, self-entry and standard ALSFRS-R scores were similar, but not interchangeable. Self-entry scores were higher than standard ALSFRS-R scores but declined at a similar rate to the standard ALSFRS-R. ABC scores correlated with self-reported fall history and thus may provide useful data for clinical care.


Biosketch: Dr Lucier's credentials and record of accomplishments in the field of toxicology are documented in the attached CV. He is currently a consultant in toxicology and a Senior Adjunct scientist for Environmental Defense. Dr Lucier retired from the National Institute of Environmental health Sciences in 2000 where he was Director of the Environmental Toxicology program and Associate Director of the National Toxicology Program. In that capacity, Dr Lucier was responsible for coordinating toxicological research and testing across Federal agencies including the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and parts of the Centers for Disease Control. Dr Lucier was head of a research group in molecular epidemiology and risk assessment and has authored approximately 250 scientific publications. His research focused on the use of basic biology to reduce uncertainty in human risk assessments and to improve the tools used in exposure assessment. His work has made major contributions to risk assessments for dioxins, endocrine disrupters and methylmercury and he is frequently asked by Federal agencies to assist them in high visibility risk assessments. Dr Lucier chairs the Science Advisory Board for hazardous air pollutants for the State of North Carolina which makes recommendations on safe exposure levels on air pollutants of concern to North Carolina. He is also an advisor to the National Institutes of Health, a member of the NAS Committee on Toxicity Testing and a member of the Science Advisory Board for EPA. Dr Lucier was editor of the scientific journal, Environmental Health Perspectives, for 28 years.


Objectives Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users are screened bi-annual for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A novel device, called the Colli-Pee, collects first-void urine in a standardised way and the collector tube can be easily delivered by regular post to a certified laboratory. The aim of the study was a one-to-one comparison between the STI test results obtained with the urine collected in the clinic, versus urine collected at home in a real-life setting by Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) in Belgium. The user-friendliness and acceptability of the Colli-Pee device by the users was also evaluated. Design A single-site nested substudy in a prospective PrEP demonstration project (Be-PrEP-ared) among MSM in Belgium. Participants A total of 473 home-based samples from 213 MSM were received with a mean age of 38.5 years. Interventions Participants were requested to collect a urine sample at home using the Colli-Pee device and to send it to the laboratory via regular mail. Primary and secondary outcome measures The presence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) was determined using molecular amplification assays. Agreement between test results of samples collected at the clinic and collected at home were evaluated using Cohen's kappa statistic. Results: TV was not detected. A very good to almost perfect agreement was found for CT, NG and MG of κ=0.75, 0.87 and 0.85, respectively. Using the Colli-Pee device only one low positive CT and two MG infections were missed, however, three additional CT, two NG and six MG infections were detected. Conclusions The Colli-Pee device is a feasible and convenient way to collect urine at home for STI testing. This may be particularly relevant for populations that need frequent STI testing, such as PrEP users and patients who prefer home-sampling. Trial registration number NCT02552914; Pre-results.


Detecting small objects in images is a challenging problem particularly when they are often occluded by hands or other body parts. Recently, joint modelling of human pose and objects has been proposed to improve both pose estimation as well as object detection. These approaches, however, focus on explicit interaction with an object and lack the flexibility to combine both modalities when interaction is not obvious. We therefore propose to use human pose as an additional context information for object detection. To this end, we represent an object category by a binary star model and train regression forests that localize parts of an object for each modality separately. Predictions of the two modalities are then combined to detect the bounding box of the object. We evaluate our approach on three challenging datasets which vary in the amount of object interactions and the quality of automatically extracted human poses.


This study analyzed the contact preferences of newly diagnosed cancer patients and healthy control group participants. In line with the theory of socioemotional selectivity, patients were more likely than control participants to prefer contact with familiar social partners, but this difference was stronger in younger and middle-aged patients than in older patients. Across a 6-month interval, patients' contact preferences changed according to the perceived success of therapy. For example, if therapy was perceived to be successful, patients showed an increasing interest in contacts with unfamiliar social partners. Results indicate that contact preferences are adapted to the perception of limited versus extended future lifetime.


Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, humanity has had to face unprecedented change in daily routines. Therefore, the pandemic has also had an impact on mental health. Most of the literature analyzes adult experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the youth is less investigated. The purpose of this study was to reveal adolescent experiences during COVID-19. Methods: This qualitative study consisted of 19 adolescents from 11–17 years old. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted, and thematic analysis was applied. Results: Five themes were identified: ambivalent feelings; daily routine changes; disappointment with distance education; coping strategies; and discoveries. Conclusion: The study revealed adolescents' mostly negative feelings such as sadness, anger, loneliness, or boredom. They shared about frustrating daily routine changes and shifting to a distance education mode that was quite limited in effectiveness and convenience. Nonetheless, communication with family, peers, pets, active leisure, and favorite activities helped them to cope with the difficulties during COVID-19. During this period, adolescents had more free time for themselves and personal growth, found new activities, or improved some relationships. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic had mostly negative side effects, and regardless of positive experiences, it was mainly considered by adolescents as an adversity for their mental health.


"...an excellent book...provides valuable insights into a broad range of cutting-edge topics in the social sciences such as ethnic and identity politics, nation building, transnationalism and diasporas." -Choice "This book will take its place as a classic in the field..." -Journal of Church and State "...a lucid formulation of post-Zionist ideology for the generation of the 1980s and 1990s." -International Journal of Middle East Studies "It is...a remarkable experience to read Evron's thoughtful book. He finds much to criticize in the conventional reading of Jewish history and argues that Israel should be thought of not as a state for the Jewish people but as a territorial state much like others, with full rights for all its inhabitants." -Foreign Affairs "...an extremely erudite, brilliant and powerful book with a novel approach: a sober secular conception of Judaism." -Maariv "A provocative post-Zionist critique of the fundamental concepts of Jewish peoplehood, Zionism, and Israeli nationalism." -Choice "This compelling book conveys the reader straight to the frontline of the battle raging in Israel over the proper boundaries of the national identity. Evron's radical post-Zionist critique of Israel's conceptual foundations calls in question the core link between Israel and Judaism and between Israel and the Jewish diaspora. His penetrating analysis challenges the muddled ideological bearings of Israel's public self-images and points the way toward what may be a more realistic adaptation to its Middle Eastern environment." -Noah Lucas, Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies "Boas Evron is one of the most important and innovative contemporary Jewish-Israeli thinkers and writers...For the English-speaking reader, Evron's book is a unique opportunity to understand the new secular Israeli nationalism, written by one of its most critical yet optimistic representatives." -Baruch Kimmerling, The Hebrew University Boas Evron concludes that Israel should become a territorial state that would accommodate its sizeable non-Jewish minority in a truly democratic way.


Some problems of production technology of expanded clay aggregate in a rotary kiln are considered with the use of the method of dusting the particles of burning material with refractory, or highmelting, powders. A list of the main units of modernization for the rotary kiln is given. Dependence upon the consumption of dusting materials is shown, and the conditions of its usage in rotary kilns are investigated. Comparative technical indexes of operation during the industrial tests in modernized rotary kilns with the use of devices under discussion are offered. Industrial tests are given for four kinds of argillaceous raw materials. The use of the device to regulate the feeding of secondary air, which helps to reduce a fuel consumption at the expense of a decrease of heat loss by waste gases, is considered. The main technical and economic effects of using the devices under discussion in modernized rotary kilns are included.


In this paper, we present a real-time trading framework for distribution networks where a rational aggregator is identified as a broker by contracting with individual demands and dealing with the distribution company. Demand response capability is characterized by the coexistence of elastic and inelastic demand components. A one-leader multi-follower bilevel model is proposed to derive the procurement strategies, i.e., the upper-level problem intends to maximize the profit of the proactive distribution company, while the lower-level expresses the profit maximization per rational aggregator. The proposed model is then transformed into a solvable mathematical program with equilibrium constraints through a primal-dual approach. A modified 33-bus distribution network is utilized to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model.


Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) practitioners and anti-ECT activists have divergent interpretations of both the treatment and its history. Despite claims by ECT opponents that practitioners do not acknowledge memory side effects, the published literature on the procedure demonstrates psychiatrists' awareness of this issue. And though current ECT practitioners claim that memory side effects were mostly the result of outmoded methods, investigators continue to publish studies that indicate ongoing memory problems. This article explores the conflict between pro- and anti-ECT groups around the issue of memory side effects in the broader context of changes in American psychiatry and society.


Operations Management is replete with examples where dependence in risk has large financial consequences. Modeling dependence in multi-dimensional systems is a hard problem. Traditional models of dependence suffer from the curse of dimensionality. This dissertation introduces a framework, called subordinated Markov chains, to model dependence in risk and demonstrates the efficacy of the framework for two applications in operations management. First, the mathematical validity of the framework is established along with simulation algorithms for the framework. Next, the framework is used to model dependent outages of electricity power plants and to model the joint disruptions in the facility location problem.


Unilateral exophthalmos exists when there is unilateral proptosis measurable by exophthalmometry. Routine roentgenographic examination of the orbit provides specific evidence of abnormality in about 50% of such cases.1Supplementary orbital pneumotomography, angiography, and orbitography with opaque medium give even more evidence of abnormality. Unilateral exophthalmos is most frequently caused by thyroid dysfunction; it is also found in primary orbital disease and may be secondary to extension of disease from adjacent bone, skin, sinuses, nose, nasal passages, nasopharynx, or brain. Neoplastic metastases, vascular malformation, infections or parasitic infestations, reticuloendothelioses, autoimmune diseases, fractures, or foreign bodies may also be implicated.2-4 Examination Procedure.— Examination of the orbit for unilateral exophthalmos may include (1) complete routine skull examination with stereoscopic or nonstereoscopic roentgenograms including Caldwell, Waters, right and left oblique optic foramen, base, and lateral views; (2) tomography of the orbits and antra; (3) pneumotomography5of the orbits; (4) arteriography6,7


This paper proposes an improved method for estimating the magnet temperature in permanent-magnet synchronous machines without using any temperature sensors. Originally, the method implies an intermittent injection of a voltage pulse in the positive d-axis of the motor while keeping the load current zero. Thus, the resulting d-current response depends on both the initial value of the d-current itself and the actual magnetization level of the permanent magnets. Since the magnetization of the magnets depends on the temperature, different d-current slopes are associated with given temperature levels of the magnets. At higher speeds, the current response is additionally affected by induced voltages of various sources which lead to erroneous estimation of the magnet temperature. By applying a voltage pulse in the positive and negative d-axis of the motor, symmetry of the induced voltages can be achieved in a manner that the difference of the current responses from the positive and negative pulses is no longer affected by the induced voltages.


What does partnership mean? Together. On the same side. Working as one. At least, that's what it means to me, so the tone of some of the recent debate on patient empowerment has surprised me. Many articles in the medical press are telling doctors to get out of the driving seat—saying that we oppress patients, who need "emancipation."

Much of medicine is still grounded in paternalism; this is true. And it's true that services are often designed for the healthiest middle classes rather than for people with multimorbidity or who lack internet access or have poor literacy, for example.

Doctors are not the enemy, though. I want emancipation, too: I am working for the government rather than patients, and this system leaves me drained and …


Predicting the arrival of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is one key objective of space weather forecasting. In operational space weather forecasting, solar wind numerical models are used for this task and ensemble techniques are being increasingly explored as a means to improve these forecasts. Currently, these forecasts are not constrained by the available in situ and remote sensing observations, such as those from the heliospheric imagers (HIs) on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) STEREO spacecraft, which record white‐light images of solar wind and CMEs. We report case studies of four CMEs and show how HI observations can be used to improve the skill and reduce the uncertainty of ensemble hindcasts of these events. Using a computationally efficient solar wind model, we produce 200‐member ensemble hindcasts, perturbing the modeled CME parameters within uniform distributions about the best estimates. By comparing the trajectory of the modeled CME flanks with HI observations, we compute a weight for each ensemble member. Weighting the ensemble distribution of CME arrival times improves the skill and reduces the hindcast uncertainty of each event. For these four events, the weighted ensembles show a mean reduction in arrival time error of 20.1 ± 4.1%, and a mean reduction in arrival time uncertainty of 15.0 ± 7.2%, relative to the unweighted ensembles. This technique could be applied in operational space weather forecasting, if real‐time HI observations were available. Therefore, as NASA and the European Space Agency are currently planning the next space weather monitoring missions, our proof‐of‐concept study provides some evidence of the potential value of including HIs on these missions.


Hercules X-1 (Her X-1) light-curve dips are analysed using the entire set of Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer/Proportional Counter Array observations archived over nine years. 370 new dips are found in 35 different 35-d cycles. This is the largest record of Her X-1 dips acquired as a result of a single study and by the same satellite, and includes 20 post-eclipse recovery dips, over 100 short-high-state dips, 10 possible low-state dips, and 162 subdips, which have never been documented before. The dips were identified by X-ray energy softness ratio (SR) change. The dips' intensity, based on SR change and derived NH, varies strongly with orbital phase. Dip duration covers a broad range: 32s–15h. The main-high-state and pre-eclipse dips are the most numerous and have the longest lengths and ingresses. There is some evidence that ingress and egress become progressively faster as the orbital cycle unfolds. Symmetry is investigated here for the first time: most dips are highly asymmetric. Duration and symmetry depend on orbital and 35-d phase. The 35-d-phase versus orbital-phase distribution is significantly different than previously reported.