With sub-arcsecond angular resolution accompanied by fast time resolution and spatially resolved spectral capabilities, the Chandra X-ray Observatory provides a unique capability for the study of supernova remnants (SNRs) and pulsars. Though in its relative infancy, Chandra has already returned stunning images of SNRs which reveal the distribution of ejecta synthesized in the stellar explosions, the distinct properties of the forward and reverse shocks, and the presence of faint shells surrounding compact remnants. Pulsar observations have uncovered jet features as well as small-scaled structures in synchrotron nebulae. In this brief review we discuss results from early Chandra studies of pulsars and SNRs.


Objective To investigate the effect of Captopril on cardiac function and levels of energy-rich phosphates in pressure overload induced left ventricular hypertrophy rats. Methods Totally, 120 SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham operation group (SH) (n=40), coarctation of abdominal aorta group (CAA) (n=40) and Captopril group (CAP) (n=40). Parameters of cardiac function, levels of energy-rich phosphates and morphological changes of the myocardial mitochondria were observed at the 6th and 8th week after this therapy. Results 1. At 6th week, in CAA group, the cardiac function parameters (LVMI and LVEDP) were increased and±dp/dtmax was decreased, while ATP and ADP were decreased and AMP was increased (p<0.01). These changes were much obvious at 8th week (p<0.01). 2. Compared with that of CAA group, the parameters of heart function and energy-rich phosphates (ATP, ADP, AMP, TAN) in CAP group were improved significantly (p<0.01) at the 6th and 8th week. 3. In CAP group, the parameters of heart function and energy-rich phosphates (ADP, AMP, TAN) were much better at 8th week than that of 6th week. 4. The morphological change of mitochondria was less in CAP group than that in CAA group. Conclusion Captopril can significantly improve the myocardial energy metabolism in pressure overload rats and can protect the function of myocardial mitochondria.


A new dual-function photonic microwave signal processing structure that has the ability to realize both frequency up/down conversion and RF/IF phase shifting, is presented. In the proposed signal processor, a dual-polarization dual-parallel Mach Zehnder modulator (DP-DPMZM) is used to generate an orthogonally polarized single RF/IF signal and local oscillator (LO) modulation sideband without an optical carrier. The optical phase difference between the two sidebands can be controlled by controlling a DC voltage applied to a LiNbO3 electro-optic phase modulator that is connected after the DP-DPMZM. Beating between the two sidebands at a photodetector generates an RF/IF signal with a phase equal to the optical phase difference between the IF/RF signal and LO sidebands. The dual-function photonic microwave signal processor has a wide bandwidth and does not require a precise control of the laser wavelength. Experimental results demonstrate that a flat >−3 dB down/up conversion efficiency is achieved for an RF signal from 3.5 to 26.5 GHz and for an IF signal from 0.5 to 3 GHz, and a full 360° continuous phase shift of the output IF/RF signal.


A 33- year-old married female patient came to outdoor-patient department (OPD) of Agadtantra NIA, having complained of anorexia, indigestion, nausea, fatigue, vertigo, periorbital & periumblical swelling with USG report of massive splenomegaly and haematological report of anemia, having long standing history of ingesting mud and brick in large quantity. According to ayurveda it can be considered as Mridd-Bhakshan Janya Pandu . Hence patient was treated as per line of treatment of Mridd-Bhakshan Janya Pandu. Key words: splenomegaly, Mridd-Bhakshan Janya Pandu, periorbital & periumblical swelling


SYNOPSIS: This short essay addresses the inordinate amount of attention given in the literature to two seemingly widely-held but questionable beliefs: that a major role of financial reporting is providing new information for equity investors, and that "earnings management" is rampant. In this essay, I discuss these beliefs, indicate why I consider them "most incorrect," and offer conjectures on why they have not been corrected.


Congestion is a disturbing phenomenon in Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Network as it leads to loss of call and/or degradation in quality of service. Several measures for controlling this such as discarding policy, acknowledgement, etc. have not been able to handle congestion based on resource allocation. In this book, a scheme that adapts user's traffic to network prevailing conditions by dynamically allocating channels using one-level buffering technique with ticket scheduling algorithm was developed. The new scheme improves the network performance and increase resource utilization.


COVID-19 has been a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. It has marked a paradigm shift when considering other types of pneumonia etiology. We analyzed the biomarkers related to endothelial damage and immunothrombosis in COVID-19 in comparison to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) through a case–control study of 358 patients with pneumonia (179 hospitalized with COVID-19 vs. 179 matched hospitalized with CAP). Endothelial damage markers (endothelin and proadrenomedullin), neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) (citrullinated-3 histone, cell-free DNA), and platelet activation (soluble P-selectin) were measured. In-hospital and 1-year follow-up outcomes were evaluated. Endothelial damage, platelet activation, and NET biomarkers are significantly higher in CAP compared to COVID-19. In-hospital mortality in COVID-19 was higher compared to CAP whereas 1-year mortality and cardiovascular complications were higher in CAP. In the univariate analysis (OR 95% CIs), proADM and endothelin were associated with in-hospital mortality (proADM: CAP 3.210 [1.698–6.070], COVID-19 8.977 [3.413–23.609]; endothelin: CAP 1.014 [1.006–1.022], COVID-19 1.024 [1.014–1.034]), in-hospital CVE (proADM: CAP 1.623 [1.080–2.439], COVID-19 2.146 [1.186–3.882]; endothelin: CAP 1.005 [1.000–1.010], COVID-19 1.010 [1.003–1.018]), and 1-year mortality (proADM: CAP 2.590 [1.644–4.080], COVID-19 13.562 [4.872–37.751]; endothelin: CAP 1.008 [1.003–1.013], COVID-19 1.026 [1.016–1.037]). In conclusion, COVID-19 and CAP showed different expressions of endothelial damage and NETs. ProADM and endothelin are associated with short- and long-term mortality.


Mitragyna speciosa is reported to be beneficial for the management of chronic pain and opioid withdrawal in the evolving opioid epidemic. Data on the blood–brain barrier (BBB) transport of mitragynine and 7‐hydroxymitragynine, the active compounds of the plant, are still lacking and inconclusive. Here, we present for the first time the rate and the extent of mitragynine and 7‐hydroxymitragynine transport across the BBB, with an investigation of their post‐BBB intra‐brain distribution. We utilized an in vitro BBB model to study the rate of BBB permeation of the compounds and their interaction with efflux transporter P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp). Mitragynine showed higher apical‐to‐basolateral (A‐B, i.e. blood‐to‐brain side) permeability than 7‐hydroxymitragynine. 7‐Hydroxymitragynine showed a tendency to efflux, with efflux ratio (B‐A/A‐B) of 1.39. Both were found to inhibit the P‐gp and are also subject to efflux by the P‐gp. Assessment of the extent of BBB transport in vivo in rats from unbound brain to plasma concentration ratios (Kp,uu,brain) revealed extensive efflux of both compounds, with less than 10 percent of unbound mitragynine and 7‐hydroxymitragynine in plasma crossing the BBB. By contrast, the extent of intra‐brain distribution was significantly different, with mitragynine having 18‐fold higher brain tissue uptake in brain slice assay compared with 7‐hydroxymitragynine. Mitragynine showed a moderate capacity to accumulate inside brain parenchymal cells, while 7‐hydroxymitragynine showed restricted cellular barrier transport. The presented findings from this systematic investigation of brain pharmacokinetics of mitragynine and 7‐hydroxymitragynine are essential for design and interpretation of in vivo experiments aiming to establish exposure–response relationship.


Node in wireless multihop networks requires cooperation from peer neighbours to relay packets towards intended destination in ensuring optimal rate of successful data transmission. However, willingness of node to cooperate cannot be guaranteed due to the need to conserve resources that compelling selfish behaviour. Thus, node forwarding behaviour needs to be evaluated to detect selfishness and enforce punishment. Ironically, accurate evaluation of node behaviour is commonly affected by false judgment due to stochastic perceptions of an observer node especially when it is done using single set of actions (SSA) approach. In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of an enhanced mechanism of SSA named Compare and Measure Selfishness Detection (CMSD) based on its promptness and accuracy elements in detecting selfish node. Catering several network scenarios, our analysis shows that the promptness element introduced in CMSD is able to provide more complete behaviour information at reasonable delay trade-off in comparison to SSA, which requires extra observation sessions and induce the need of getting global opinions to collect node behavioural history. In addition, by using CMSD, node behaviour can be identified more accurately and false judgment can be detected earlier as demonstrated using our proposed matrix of judgment. We also propose a general framework of an extended version of CMSD named CMSD with Evidence (CMSDE) and provide brief explanation.


Purpose

Under the background of aging population, the disability of the elderly is more serious, and childbirth affects the health status of elder women. The aim of this paper was to examine the relationship between the number of births and the risk of maternal disability in later life.
Methods

Based on data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) in 2018, 4,686 elder women were selected as study population. The logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate the effect of number of children and other fertility behaviours on the risk of disability and to test whether there were urban-rural differences and gender differences.
Results

A high number of births significantly reduced the risk of disability among elder women. For each additional birth, the odds ratio of maternal disability in later life decreased by 4.3%, especially elder women with fewer than five births. Heterogeneity analysis found that this effect was present in the urban areas, and that an increase in the number of births increased the probability of disability for both fathers and rural mothers, but this result was not significant. Further examination showed that later age at last birth and longer childbearing period both significantly reduced the probability of disability.
Conclusions

This paper found an association between early fertility behaviour and the risk of disability in later life. We need to promote urbanisation and to have children within the right limits, not too many, and improve relevant supporting measures to ensure the health of female elderly in later year.


This paper is concerned with the factorization form of the rank regularized loss minimization problem. To cater for the scenario in which only a coarse estimation is available for the rank of the true matrix, an $\ell_{2,0}$-norm regularized term is added to the factored loss function to reduce the rank adaptively; and account for the ambiguities in the factorization, a balanced term is then introduced. For the least squares loss, under a restricted condition number assumption on the sampling operator, we establish the KL property of exponent $1/2$ of the nonsmooth factored composite function and its equivalent DC reformulations in the set of their global minimizers. We also confirm the theoretical findings by applying a proximal linearized alternating minimization method to the regularized factorizations.


Experimental measurements of acoustic transmission through a solid-solid two-dimensional binary-composite medium constituted of a triangular array of parallel circular steel cylinders in an epoxy matrix are reported. Attention is restricted to propagation of elastic waves perpendicular to the cylinders. Measured transmitted spectra demonstrate the existence of absolute stop bands, i.e., band gaps independent of the direction of propagation in the plane perpendicular to the cylinders. Theoretical calculations of the band structure and transmission spectra using the plane wave expansion and the finite difference time domain methods support unambiguously the absolute nature of the observed band gaps.


Iterative PET image reconstructions can improve quantitation accuracy by explicitly modeling photon-limited nature and physical effects of coincident photons. Geometric model in iterative reconstructions defines the mapping between image and sinogram domains based on scanner's geometry, which affects the accuracy of image results and the convergence rate of reconstruction algorithms. This paper examines the convergence rates of a reconstruction algorithm with three PET geometric models: interpolative, area-based, and solid-angle. The iterative algorithm used in this study is the maximum likelihood expectation-maximization (MLEM) algorithm. Experimental data are generated by the GATE package which simulates the Inveon microPET system. The comparison of convergence rate is based on the plot of log-likelihood value versus iteration number. From the plots of log-likelihood curves, the results from solid-angle model consistently reach the highest values at early iterations. It means that the MLEM algorithm with the solid-angle model will converge faster than the other two models. The experimental results indicate that the solid-angle model is a favorable geometric model for faster iterative PET image reconstruction.


Determination of the cosmic-ray muon energy spectrum above 100 TeV by observing extensive air showers from the horizontal direction (HAS) has been carried out at Akeno for four years. No definite shower of muon origin with size above 105 has been observed at zenith angles above 60 degrees . The upper limit of HAS intensity is 5*10-12 m-2 s-1 sr-1 (90% confidence level) for sizes greater than 105. This value indicates that the upper limit of the muon flux above 100 TeV is about 1.3*10-8 m-2 s-1 sr-1, which is in agreement with that expected from the primary spectrum with a 'knee', assuming scaling in the fragmentation region and 40% protons in the primary beam. It also implies that the critical energy at which a muon flux from prompt processes (decay of charmed particles) takes over from that due to conventional process (decay of pions and kaons) is higher than 100 TeV in the horizontal direction.


Deployment of ground source heat pumps in Texas and the Southwest has been limited by high initial cost and potential ground heating. To address these limitations for a residential application a sensitivity study of the ground loop design parameters was completed. The study uses an integrated building load-ground source heat pump model that is designed to be a test bed for assessing the short- and long-term performance of GSHPs. This study examines a 195 m2 residential house located in Austin, Texas with a 14.6 kW heat pump and 4 vertical boreholes each with a length of 68.5 m. The performance effects and the long-term economics of the total ground loop length, spacing of the boreholes, placement of the boreholes, grout thermal conductivity, and supplemental heat rejector sizes are compared. The study shows the importance of proper sizing, design, and placement of the borehole in locations with severely unbalanced heating and cooling loads.© 2012 ASME


Gas-barrier materials obtained by coating poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates have already been studied in the recent literature. However, because of the benefits of using cheaper, biodegradable, and nonpolar polymers, multilayered hybrid coatings consisting of alternate layers of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets and a novel high amorphous vinyl alcohol (HAVOH) with zirconium (Zr) adducts as binders were successfully fabricated through a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly approach. Atomic force microscopy analysis showed that rGO nanoplatelets were uniformly dispersed over the HAVOH polymer substrate. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies revealed that multilayer (HAVOH/Zr/rGO)n hybrid coatings exhibited a brick-wall structure with HAVOH and rGO as buildings blocks. It has been shown that 40 layers of HAVOH/Zr/rGO ultrathin films deposited on PET substrates lead to a decrease of 1 order of magnitude of oxygen permeability with respect to the pristine PET substrate. This is attributed to the effect of zirconium polymeric adducts, which enhance the assembling efficiency of rGO and compact the layers, as confirmed by NMR characterization, resulting in a significant increment of the oxygen-transport pathways. Because of their high barrier properties and high flexibility, these films are promising candidates in a variety of applications such as packaging, selective gas films, and protection of flexible electronics.


The application of the Massey-Omura lock (MOL) to obtain data encryption and digital signatures in intelligent networks is discussed. MOL is a mathematical padlock based on field exponentiation in GF(2/sup m/) with normal basis representation. If a special mathematical MOL processor is available, the encryption-decryption rate can be accelerated significantly. Recent results on the analysis and realization of MOL are presented.<<ETX>>


Electricity price prediction plays a vital role in energy storage system (ESS) management. Current prediction models focus on reducing prediction errors but overlook their impact on downstream decision-making. So this paper proposes a decision-focused electricity price prediction approach for ESS arbitrage to bridge the gap from the downstream optimization model to the prediction model. The decision-focused approach aims at utilizing the downstream arbitrage model for training prediction models. It measures the difference between actual decisions under the predicted price and oracle decisions under the true price, i.e., decision error, by regret, transforms it into the tractable surrogate regret, and then derives the gradients to predicted price for training prediction models. Based on the prediction and decision errors, this paper proposes the hybrid loss and corresponding stochastic gradient descent learning method to learn prediction models for prediction and decision accuracy. The case study verifies that the proposed approach can efficiently bring more economic benefits and reduce decision errors by flattening the time distribution of prediction errors, compared to prediction models for only minimizing prediction errors.


THE SIMULTANEOUS occurrence of a neoplasm and Hashimoto disease (Hashimoto "thyroiditis," lymphadenoid goiter, struma lymphomatosa) in a thyroid gland has been noted infrequently. In a study concerned primarily with the clinical aspects and pathogenesis of various types of thyroiditis, a significant statistical relation was found between malignant thyroid neoplasms and Hashimoto disease of the thyroid gland. Thirty-seven malignant neoplasms were observed in 302 glands which also displayed the characteristic lesions of Hashimoto disease, a frequency which would occur by chance less than 1 time in 1,000. 1 The present study was concerned with 73 patients who had benign or malignant thyroid epithelial neoplasms associated with Hashimoto disease of the thyroid gland. Included in the study for comparative purposes were 207 patients who had only benign or malignant thyroid epithelial neoplasms and 205 patients who had Hashimoto disease without thyroid neoplasms (Table 1). All patients were observed during the last 10


This study aimed to explore the impacts of COVID 19 pandemic on the consumer online purchasing behaviors in Jordan. A descriptive analytical approach was adopted. The population involves all the online consumers in Jordan who shopped online during the pandemic. The researcher passed the questionnaire forms to 200 students by email who were selected from three Jordanian universities that are located in Amman. Those students were selected randomly. All the forms were filled and retrieved. All the retrieved forms were analyzed statistically. The response rate is 100%. The questionnaire was developed by the researcher based on the literature that was reviewed. SPSS software was used. Means and standard deviations are calculated. The researcher concluded the COVID 19 pandemic has a moderate impact on consumer online purchasing behaviors in Jordan. That was concluded from the perspective of the students who are enrolled at Jordanian universities. The researcher found that there are differences between the respondents' views which are attributed to gender for the favor of females. She recommends taking the recent purchasing trends into consideration when setting marketing plans by plan developers. © 2021, World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society. All rights reserved.


Although there is no fishing activity within the central Arctic Ocean at present, commercial fishing activity does occur in the high seas areas of the North Atlantic and North Pacific, and within the exclusive economic zone of the Arctic coastal States. Climate change will most probably lead to an increase in fishing activity, through the reduction in sea ice, opening up new areas of the Arctic to fisheries, including the Central Arctic Ocean. This prospect has fuelled intensive negotiations—still ongoing—for the signing of a legally binding agreement to prevent unregulated fisheries therein. What seems missing, though, from both the ongoing negotiations on this agreement and the scholarly literature is reference to fisheries enforcement in the Arctic. Accordingly, this article identifies the most effective tools that could be employed for fisheries enforcement purposes, including port and flag State measures, and addresses their potential application in the Arctic.


Digital video compression has become an integral part of the way we create, consume visual information and communicate, over the last few decades. A robust technique of compression is proposed in this paper for video compression. Reduction of irrelevant or redundant data in order to save the storage space requirements and processing time is nothing but compression. Here H.264/AVC (Advance Video Coding) video coding standard is used for compression. Where I-frames are divided into different macro blocks (MB) and each MB is efficiently compressed using 4 x4 and 16 x16 blocks in H.264/AVC intra prediction. Choosing one of 9 prediction modes for each 4 x4 block with reduced time and less complexity is still a bottleneck. In this paper a gradient based fast intra prediction mode selection method for 4x4 and 16x16 is proposed. The proposed method divides an input frames into variable block sizes based on the texture and performs few mode examinations based on the gradient direction in the given slice. Respective best mode with minimum cost is selected using sum of absolute difference (SAD) and rate distortion optimization (RDO). This process is carried for all the video input frames. Each compressed video frames are combined finally to get a compressed video output.


A figure-8 coil was designed that was capable of generating currents over a relatively limited area. In this study, we used the figure-8 coil to localize human cerebral motor cortex by transcranial magnetic stimulation and assessed its value as a diagnostic tool for neurosurgical disease. The subjects were 10 normal volunteers and 12 neurosurgical patients. The points obtaining a response were plotted and the response area was delineated for each stimulus output. Rectangular coordinates were subsequently determined for the C3-Cz-C4 line with the stimulation sites set 1.0 cm apart. Then amplitude and latency maps were displayed by a computer wave map program. In normal volunteers, the posterior margin of the site where a threshold +5% stimulus obtained a response from the THE or ADM muscles almost coincided with the central sulcus. The optimal areas were relatively narrow on the amplitude and latency maps. In the patient with a left frontal convexity meningioma, the left threshold +5% area for the THE and ADM muscles showed marked anterolateral shift. No threshold map could be obtained on the affected side in patients with metastatic tumor and astrocytoma. Low perfusion areas caused by moyamoya disease and arteriovenous malformations produced narrowing of the optimal zone on the threshold map of the affected side. Hyperexcitability of the motor cortex was recognized in the arteriovenous malformation patients. Transcranial focal magnetic stimulation is a useful noninvasive diagnostic method for identification of the human cerebral motor cortex. It provides important information about changes in the localization and excitability of the motor cortex in neurosurgical patients and should be helpful for treatment planning.


The COVID-19 outbreak has changed education, mainly by shifting face-to-face classes to online sessions. Online courses are not new as many educational institutions offer distance or hybrid learning courses. However, emergency remote teaching (ERT), into which education has shifted, attains differences. This study aims to identify student performance differences depending on teaching modality (face-to-face and ERT). Studies considering the COVID-19 pandemic and information originating from Ecuador are scarce, making this study relevant. This quantitative research used a two-way ANOVA to analyze skills results from exams given in the academic year 2019 (face-to-face) and 2020 (ERT). Results were not statistically significant at p < .05, which concurs with the existing literature.


In this study, Adhesion force and Nanotribological Characteristics of fluorocarbon (FC) films on Al deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) were evaluated. The contact angle of FC thin films on Al was measured to be around 110°. The surface energy was calculated to be 15 dynes/cm from the measurements of contact angles of polar and nonpolar solutions on surfaces. The contact angle hysteresis, which is an indicator for the surface heterogeneity, was lower than 30°. The friction force of FC films coated surfaces was three times lower than bare Al. The adhesion force of bare Al was measured to be around 9.6nN. The presence of FC films on Al reduced it to below 4nN. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectra showed the presence of fluorocarbon groups such as –CFn- and =CF=CF 2 .


Prostanoids are lipid compounds that mediate a variety of physiological and pathological functions in almost all body tissues and organs. Thromboxane (TX) A2 is a powerful inducer of platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction and it has ulcerogenic activity in the gastrointestinal tract. Overdose or chronic use of a high dose of acetaminophen (N-acetyl-paminophenol, APAP) is a major cause of acute liver failure in the Western world. We investigated whether TXA2 plays a role in host response to toxic effect of APAP. CBA/H Zg mice of both sexes were intoxicated with a single lethal or high sublethal dose of APAP, which was administered to animals by oral gavage. The toxicity of APAP was determined by observing the survival of mice during 48 h, by measuring concentration of alanine-aminotransferase (ALT) in plasma 20-22 h after APAP administration and by liver histology. The results have shown that anti-thromboxane (TX) B2 antibodies (anti-TXB2) and a selective inhibitor of thromboxane (TX) synthase, benzylimidazole (BZI), were significantly hepatoprotective, while a selective thromboxane receptor (TPR) antagonist, daltroban, was slightly protective in this model of acute liver injury. A stabile metabolite of TXA2, TXB2, and a stabile agonist of TPR, U-46619, had no influence on APAP-induced liver damage. Our findings suggest that TXA2 has a pathogenic role in acute liver toxicity induced with APAP, which was highly abrogated by administration of anti-TXB2. According to our results, this protection is mediated, at least in part, through decreased production of TXB2 by liver fragments ex vivo .


Abstract Which form of belief-less religion should the agnostic prefer: non-doxasticism which substitutes belief with some weaker cognitive attitude, or fictionalism which standardly treats religious life as a game of make-believe? I argue for non-doxasticism due to its ability to handle the problems associated with fictionalism. However, in an argument for exclusive availability I go further, denying even that the agnostic has a choice: if she has a religious pro-attitude only non-doxasticism is rationally available to her. I also address and reject a recent argument by Finlay Malcolm to the effect that non-doxasticism cannot be properly distinguished from fictionalism.


We present a method for applying spatially resolved adiabatic and radiative loss processes to synthetic radio emission from hydrodynamic simulations of radio sources from active galactic nuclei (AGN). Lagrangian tracer particles, each representing an ensemble of electrons, are injected into simulations and the position, grid pressure, and time since the last strong shock are recorded. These quantities are used to track the losses of the electron packet through the radio source in a manner similar to the Radio AGN in Semi-analytic Environments (RAiSE) formalism, which uses global source properties to calculate the emissivity of each particle ex-situ. Freedom in the choice of observing parameters, including redshift, is provided through the post-processing nature of this approach. We apply this framework to simulations of jets in different environments, including asymmetric ones. We find a strong dependence of radio source properties on frequency and redshift, in good agreement with observations and previous modelling work. There is a strong evolution of radio spectra with redshift due to the more prominent inverse-Compton losses at high redshift. Radio sources in denser environments have flatter spectral indices, suggesting that spectral index asymmetry may be a useful environment tracer. We simulate intermediate Mach number jets that disrupt before reaching the tip of the lobe, and find that these retain an edge-brightened Fanaroff-Riley Type II morphology, with the most prominent emission remaining near the tip of the lobes for all environments and redshifts we study.


Fossil woods in Java Island have been excavated and sold for outdoor ornaments or indoor decoration purposes since 30 years ago. These fossils are in danger of being drained out without known identities, composition and history. This study was aimed to find out the botanical identity and geographical aspect of a newly discovered silicified fossil wood from Banten area in the west region of Java Island. The fossil trunk 28 m in length and 105 cm in diameter was buried in a tuffaceous sandstone layer. The age of the stratum was thought to be Lower Pliocene. A small sample was cut from the outer part of the log and then ground to obtain thin section for anatomical observation. The main anatomical features of the fossil wood are as follows: wood diffuse porous; vessel almost exclusively solitary, vascicentric tracheid present; axial intercellular canal present, distributed in long tangential rows; fibers with distinctly bordered pit; rays heterocellular multiseriate; crystals present in the enlarged parenchyma cells. These features show affinities of the fossil wood to the extant wood Dryobalanops of the family Dipterocarpaceae, regardless of the fact that this genus does no longer exist living in the natural forest of the present day Java Island.


The under-representation of women in science and especially in the upper positions of the academic career is a matter of great current concern. The aim of this paper is to assess the presence of men and women as authors of papers and as editorial board members of eight first-class international Mathematics journals and to explore inter-gender differences in scientific activity (impact and collaboration). Only 4% of the members of the editorial boards are female scientists, while 10% of authors are women and they contribute to 18% of the papers. No relationship between the share of female authors, the share of female editorial board members and journal prestige is observed. A higher presence of female authors is found in the more applied journals. Women are slightly less cited than men as measured through the number of citations per paper and their contribution to the 10% most cited papers. Very small inter-gender differences in the collaborative behaviour of authors are observed. Underlying factors for explaining the under-representation of women in editorial boards are discussed. The need to encourage female presence in journal boards is pointed out.


Importance
Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS), also known as drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome, is a potentially life-threatening reaction to medications with a mortality rate up to 10%. Standard therapy involves the use of systemic corticosteroids with tapering doses extending up to 9 months after the initial reaction. Alternative treatments for DIHS are needed, especially for patients for whom systemic corticosteroids are contraindicated.

Objective
To assess a short course of cyclosporine as first-line therapy for DIHS.

Design, Setting, and Participants
In this case series, 2 patients referred to the dermatology service of an academic tertiary care hospital and subsequently diagnosed as having DIHS were studied from December 1, 2013, through July 31, 2014.

Interventions
Short course (3-7 days) of cyclosporine.

Main Outcomes and Measures
Clinical and laboratory indicators were examined to determine the timing and efficacy of cyclosporine treatment.

Results
Two cases are reported of drug hypersensitivity reaction that were treated with cyclosporine, resulting in rapid and significant clinical improvement. The first case involved a woman in her 40s who developed DIHS after treatment with carbamazepine. A 7-day course of cyclosporine resulted in clinical resolution of the DIHS. The second case was that of a man in his 30s with minocycline-induced DIHS. A 3-day course of cyclosporine resulted in rapid and sustained clinical improvement.

Conclusions and Relevance
A short course of cyclosporine was of therapeutic benefit in the treatment of 2 patients with DIHS. Short courses of cyclosporine in the acute care setting may be an alternative to longer courses of systemic corticosteroids in the treatment of DIHS.


Summary.  Background: Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a genetic disorder characterized by epistaxis, mucocutaneous telangiectases and visceral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), particularly in the brain (CAVMs), lungs (PAVMs), liver (HAVMs) and gastrointestinal tract (GI). The identification of a mutated ENG (HHT1) or ALK‐1 (HHT2) gene now enables a genotype–phenotype correlation. Objective: To determine the incidence of visceral localizations and evaluate phenotypic differences between ENG and ALK1 mutation carriers. Methods: A total of 135 consecutive adult patients were subjected to mutational screening in ENG and ALK1 genes and instrumental tests to detect AVMs, such as chest–abdomen multislice computed tomography (MDCT), brain magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography (MRI/MRA), upper endoscopy, were offered to all patients, independent of presence of clinical symptoms. The 122 patients with identified mutations were enrolled in the study and genotype–phenotype correlations were established. Results: PAVMs and CAVMs were significantly more frequent in HHT1 (75% vs. 44%, P < 0.0005; 20% vs. 0%, P < 0.002, respectively) and HAVMs in HHT2 (60% vs. 84%, P < 0.01). No age difference was found for PAVMs whereas HAVMs were significantly higher in older patients in both HHT1 and HHT2. Neurological manifestations secondary to CAVMs/PAVMs were found only in HHT1 patients, whereas severe liver involvement was detected only in HHT2. Respiratory symptoms were mainly detected in HHT1. Conclusions: Our study evidences a higher visceral involvement in HHT1 and HHT2 compared with previous reports. HHT1 is more frequently associated with congenital AVM malformations, such as CAVMs and PAVMs whereas HHT2 predominantly involves the liver. The ENG gene should be first targeted for mutational screening in the presence of large PAVM in patients < 45 years.


In this study, we reported the effects of post-treatment medium on the morphology and performance of asymmetric ultrafiltration membrane. The membranes were prepared via simple dry/wet phase-inversion technique using ternary mixture of membrane solution consist of 15 wt.% polyethersulfone, 77 wt. % N-methypyrolidone and 8 wt.% water. The prepared membranes were characterised in terms of permeability coefficient and membrane morphology. Separation performance of protein was demonstrated using lysozyme as protein model. the optimum transmission obtained when the lysozyme separation achieved 97.4% transmission using UF membrane with methanol post-traeatment., The optimum flux for these four membranes decreased as the boiling point of the post treatment medium increased from methanol to glycerol. This study proved that the post-treatment medium highly influenced the performance and morphology of UF membranes which in turn exhibited an improvement in separation ability.


Abstract. The image classification procedure to identify remote sensing signatures from a particular geographical region can be performed with an identification model that has the ability to use large datasets to reach an accurate result. This novel methodology is referred to as the Statistical Enhanced Classification algorithm, which has been developed to employ multispectral images based in the statistical supervised learning theory and can be used for applications in environmental monitoring and analysis. This paper presents the performance study of the proposed methodology using both, multispectral synthetic images and multispectral remote sensing images. The obtained results are accurate due to the use of several spectral bands, the use of statistics such as mean and standard deviation for the training classes and for the pixel neighborhood, which provides more robust information, and the decision-making rule that has the ability to decide if the pixel is not belonging to a predefined class, which leads to an accurate decision model.


The post-natal period is the critical stage in the prevention of maternal and neonatal deaths. Zambia has recorded a decline in maternal mortality from 597(2007) to 398/100 000 (ZDHS 2014). WHO recommends that all post-natal women must be reviewed within 48 hours after delivery to avert maternal and neonatal mortality rate. This study was therefore conducted to assess the factors affecting the utilization of post-natal services at 48 hours at Kanyama first level hospital with over 1,000 deliveries every month. A mixed survey (employing both quantitative and qualitative methods) was completed by 197 women using a structured questionnaire. Quantitative was cross sectional while qualitative a case study. Informants included health workers and mothers who had delivered within 6 days at this hospital. The data was analyzed using STRATA 13 for quantitative, descriptive and inferential statistics. Key findings: utilization of post-natal services at the hospital was poor at 6%. No information was given to women to report back within 48 hours, inadequate space and staff to implement this guideline and no association between PNC utilization and social economic, demographic and geographic factors. Conclusion: The survey showed that utilization of PNC at 48hrs was low. Social economic, demographic and geographic factors were not associated with PNC utilization. To improve utilization, increase on staffing, improve on space, provide information to mothers and implementation of guidelines.


Dental healthcare increasingly employs computer‐aided design software, to provide patients with high‐quality dental prosthetic devices. In modern dental reconstruction, dental technicians address the unique anatomy of each patient individually, by capturing the dental impression and measuring the mandibular movements. Subsequently, dental technicians design a custom denture that fits the patient from a functional point of view. The current Workflow does not include a systematic analysis of aesthetics, and dental technicians rely only on an aesthetically pleasing mock‐up that they discuss with the patient, and on their experience. Therefore, the final denture aesthetics remain unknown until the dental technicians incorporate the denture into the patient. In this Work, we present a solution that integrates aesthetics analysis into the functional Workflow of dental technicians. Our solution uses a video recording of the patient, to preview the denture design at any stage of the denture design process. We present a teeth pose estimation technique that enables denture preview and a set of linked visualizations that support dental technicians in the aesthetic design of dentures. These visualizations assist dental technicians in choosing the most aesthetically fitting preset from a library of dentures, in identifying the suitable denture size, and in adjusting the denture position. We demonstrate the utility of our system with four use cases, explored by a dental technician. Also, we performed a quantitative evaluation for teeth pose estimation, and an informal usability evaluation, with positive outcomes concerning the integration of aesthetics analysis into the functional Workflow.


With regard to the surplus value and the appreciation by the students and companies, in our view the following can be said.
Pro:
• Such a project enriches the student's learning process enormously. Collaborating in a multidisciplinary team calls for the ability to learn and appreciate each other's language and way of thinking. Subsequently (very) good results can be achieved in the border areas of each other's specialisms.
• Companies, such as ECN and Xerox were quite taken with such projects.
• Students must be better or become better in their own fields to be able to work in a multidisciplinary project.
Neutral:
• The teambuilding process can better take place within the Faculty.
Con:
• Students are tired of being levelled down due to group assessments; therefore recruitment of good students in particular is very difficult.
• The programming of the studies, especially the start of the final year project and the positioning in the curriculum, differs greatly within the Faculty of Technology and Science.
• The acquisition of external multidisciplinary assignments is hard; companies feel the supervision of a group of students with such a broad assignment to be problematic.


Although federal arrangements adopt a multiplicity of forms across and within federations, this article suggests that some models of power division are better than others at enhancing clarity of responsibility and electoral accountability. This conclusion is the result of exploring responsibility attribution and economic voting in a state where decentralisation arrangements vary across regions: the Spanish State of Autonomies. Using electoral surveys and aggregated economic data for the 1982–2012 period, the empirical analysis shows that regional economic voting is most pronounced in regions where decentralisation design concentrated authority and resources at one level of government, whereas it is inexistent in regions where devolution followed a more intertwined model of power distribution. The implication of the empirical findings is that the specific design of intergovernmental arrangements is crucial to make electoral accountability work in federations.


This essay takes up a collaboration between Inuk singer Tanya Tagaq and Greenlandic mask dancer Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory to theorize a form of dominant public I call an "ugly public." Ugly publics rely on the difference between audiences (the people in the room) and publics (which are not quite people and rely on a series of texts) to come into being. Ugly publics result when a dominant public is pinned down and made to feel feelings associated with minoritarian positionings. Crucially, in ugly publics, these feelings do not result from empathizing with minoritarian subjects but rather from confronting their own dominance.


Analysis and systematization of the lexis designating the pysanka (painted Easter egg) traditions are of great importance for the normalization of Ukrainian terminology since it reflects lexical abundance of the Ukrainian language, its historical roots, place and role in the system of lingual world of the Ukrainians. Topicality of the research is stipulated by the fact that the pysanka art terminology has not been the subject matter of linguistics yet. The topic is chosen owing to the necessity of describing the lexis of the analyzed semantic group. The research objective is the determination of specific features of the origin of certain thematic words. To do that, structural-semantic and etymological analysis of the names of pysanka art products has been applied. Study of the structural and semantic area is aimed at specifying the features of the structure and notional organization of the units under analysis; etymological study of those units makes it possible to identify their relation with the corresponding deriving words and word combinations, demonstrating the nature of their origin both in speech and language. The objective meeting involves solution of the following problems: to give definition for each analyzed unit; to determine the approximate time and cause of its origin; to demonstrate its use in the certain context; and to comment on its grammatical characteristics and models of its formation. Each unit of the lexical group under consideration has been analyzed in terms of its relation to the univerbalized equivalents of word combinations, i.e. as a synthetic unit arisen as a result of univerbal transformation of a word combination into a word; it has the lexical meaning, identical to the word combinations, and a syntactic function. It has been concluded that the analyzed units belong to the univerbs or quasiuniverbs depending on the ways and chronology of their origin both in speech and language. Perspectives of further studies of the represented semantic group of words are in the analysis of their derivative potential in the Ukrainian and other Slavic languages.


A new algebraic method to find two special types of exact traveling wave solutions and the solitary type solutions to some conformable fractional partial differential equations is proposed. The two special types of solutions given by the product of exponential and Weierstrass elliptic functions, and the product of exponential and Jacobi elliptic functions are new and they cannot be obtained by using the existing algebraic methods.


The D{\O} and CDF experiments have each collected more than 8 fb-in Run II of Fermilab's Tevatron, and have many recent search results which use up to 5.2 fb-1 . Here I summarize the results of a variety of searches for physics beyond the Standard Model with an emphasis on searches for very exotic phenomena. I will present the status of model-inspired searches for several signatures of supersymmetry, as well as several other searches for several "hidden- valley" inspired models, all of which contain photons and jets in the final state.


Identification of gifted students is clouded when concerned adults misinterpret high achievement as giftedness. High-achieving students are noticed for their on-time, neat, well-developed, and correct learning products. Adults comment on these students' consistent high grades and note how well they acclimate to class procedures and discussions. Some adults assume these students are gifted because their school-appropriate behaviors and products surface above the typical responses of grade-level students.


I I I. Matrix losses I I. Losses in filaments The hysteresis loss in a cylindrical sample of superconductor of unit volume may be calculated from the formula: 2 (I) 4dJ B Qf = ------3 0 0 In [(B + B )/B ] 1T 0 0 where Qf is the loss per cycle during a field pulse which rises to B and then falls again to zero. The diameter of the sample is d, Jo is the critical current density at zero field and Bo is the field in the well known Kim-Anderson formula Jc = JoBol (B + Bo)' I t wi 11 be noted tha t the dissipation is not dependent on the rate of field rise. To put this relationship into perspective, a practical example is quoted. Suppose unit volume of niobium-titanium, subdivided into 5 ~ diameter filaments, is cycled from zero field to 5 T and returned to zero, then the loss per cycle is given by: provided for each superconducting filament and electrically insulated from all other filaments, a problem which has yet to be solved in practice, some electrical coupling between filaments must be accepted and with it increased losses under pulsed field conditions. The inevitable compromises involved in developing a satisfactory geometry of superconductor for pulsed field applications are described in the following sections with particular reference to the latest prototype filamentary conductors and cables under development. The value of Bo has been assumed to be 1 T and that of J o 9 x 109 Am-2 .Design considerations for pulsed magnets for superconducting synchrotrons, which have provided the main motivation for the development of pulsed superconductors, indicate that dissipation rates of this order, or perhaps a I ittle more, are tolerable. Thus it is generally accepted that subdivision of the superconductor to the 5 to 10 ~ level is necessary and a greater degree of subdivision is desirable if this can be achieved. The practical multifilament superconductors produced to date have all been manufactured by co-processing niobium-titanium in a metallic \ matrix, usually copper or copper/cupro-nickel. I. Introduct ion The present stage in the development of superconducting composites and cables intended for use in pulsed magnets and based on niobiumtitanium is described. The principal formulae for calculating ac losses are quoted and some numerical examples are given. In contrast with their loss-less conduction of dc current, the high field Type I I superconductors do exhibit losses under conditions of changing current or changing external magnetic field. The mechanism of this loss is well understood as being due to the penetration of magnetic field into the bulk superconductor when the latter is in a flux flow resistive state. l It follows that the rate of dissipation of heat can be obtained by multiplying the critical current density of the superconductor by the voltage gradient associated with the changing flux, and integrating this product over the volume of the superconducting material. One salient point arising from the analyses performed along these lines is the need for fine subdividion of the superconductor into numerous individual filaments if acceptable losses are to arise in practical pulsed superconducting devices. Numerical examples given later in this paper illustrate the magnitude of the losses and indicate that for coils with field rise times of the order of 1 sec it is necessary to subdivide the superconductor into fi laments of the order of 5 ~ diameter. Now a 5 ~ diameter filament, adopting niobiumtitanium superconductor by way of example, will carry a current of about 30 mA at 5T. A conductor rated at 3000 A for a pulsed magnet would thus have to be subdivided into about 105 such filaments. It is this type of reasoning that sets the real problem for the designer of the conductors to be used in pulsed superconducting devices. How can an assembly of, typically, 105 superconducting filaments be made into a practical conductor bearing in mind that any direct electrical contact between individual filaments wi!! tend to make them behave cooperatively with higher overall dissipation under pulsed conditions? Furthermore coil protection precautions must not be overlooked for following a 'quench' transition of the superconductor to its normal conducting state the current which each individual filament is carrying must transfer safely to a low resistance shunt path. This is necessary since the resistivity of a superconductor on reversion to its normal state is high, and indeed too high in most practi~al cases to avoid coil burn-out unless precautions of the type described are taken. Unless an individual shunt path is


This article is devoted to microwave radio link design in order to provide communication between two locations and based on modelling of different radio link solutions with different modulation techniques, different antenna dimensions etc. by using PathLoss program software. Path loss test tool and modulation techniques for 256 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), 64 QAM, 16 QAM, and 4 QAM have been used in order to perform simultaneous simulations so that the best correlation of stated variables are characterized for the project. The variables are then simulated with various antenna sizes for the best throughput of 155 Mbit/s data transfer. Another design consideration for achieving better radio link availability and less transmission path interruption is to use automatic Adaptive Modulation feature of selected radio link equipment to fight against adverse weather. Adaptive Modulation can lower modulation level from 16 QAM in our study to 4 QAM level and this allows even smaller interruption time (0.18 minute) but with a bit smaller capacity (80 Mbps) for this short adverse weather conditions period.  In this study, the locations where we are unable to reach via fiber are considered for wireless transmission links. In the practical part of this study different modulation techniques and antenna sizes were analyzed in order to provide the most efficient way of data transmission.


Novelists responded immediately to the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. Analysis of key works demonstrates the numerous images and interpretations that the catastrophe has generated among Haitians, and is valuable as a source for indigenous understandings of the altered nature of place in Haiti. Literature offers insight into the Haitian view of the earthquake's effect on gender relations, family structures, urban migration and development, and memory. Literature also participates in the country's reconstruction by articulating the challenges and opportunities faced by Haitian society, and by providing a space for therapeutic self‐expression. In this literature we witness the development of the language, attitudes, emotions, and meanings that are and will be the earthquake's cultural legacy.


Bulimia nervosa is occurring with increasing frequency among adolescents. Yet, no studies have examined effective treatments for this patient population. Involving the family in the treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa has proven to be helpful. A small series of cases has demonstrated that family-based treatment might also be beneficial for adolescents with bulimia nervosa. Moreover, treatment studies for adolescents with anorexia nervosa have demonstrated that family-based treatment does benefit binge eating/purging anorexics. Therefore, preliminary evidence seems to support the use of family-based treatment for adolescent bulimia nervosa. In this article, we review our current knowledge of family-based treatment for adolescents with an eating disorder, and present a case that has completed treatment in order to demonstrate the outline and main interventions of this manualized treatment. While this case demonstrates the successful resolution of bulimia in an adolescent female, at least in the short term, the efficacy of family-based treatment for this patient population is yet to be determined, and is currently being examined in a randomized controlled study at The University of Chicago.


Hypothesis: Systematic postoperative evaluation of patients with non-small cell lung cancer will identify treatable second primary lung cancer and local recurrences. Design: Retrospective review from January 1, 1996, to December 31, 2000. The follow-up protocol included an annual computed tomographic examination of the chest with interval chest radiography every 4 months for 2 years and every 6 months for 3 additional years. Setting: A National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. Patients: One hundred twenty-four patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer. Main Outcome Measures: Number and size of second primary and locally recurrent tumors, secondary surgical procedures, and survival of patients who underwent resection. Results: The median diameter of resected second primary tumors detected by computed tomography was 14 mm (range, 8-28 mm) and by chest radiography was 26.5 mm (range, 23.0-35.0 mm) (P<001). Of 14 patients with second primary lung cancer treated surgically, 9 were without evidence of disease at a median of 20 months (range, 4-56 months), 2 were alive with disease at 13 and 37 months, 2 died of unrelated causes but without evidence of disease at 7 and 35 months, and 1 died intraoperatively of a cardiac arrhythmia. Conclusions: Systematic follow-up of non-smail cell lung cancer, including annual computed tomography, detects second primary lung cancer in stage IA. Limited pulmonary resections are often feasible in these patients. Locally recurrent lung cancer is infrequently resectable.


A two-port circuit adjusting both even and odd mode fields, with orthogonal mode adjustment, can be used as an embedding circuit for a microwave transistor oscillator. The circuit, analyzed in TEM line, may also be realized in any other form of transmission line geometry, including two coexistent modes in a cavity. The resulting oscillator is stable, has low FM noise, and is readily tunable. Analyses of the tuning circuit and oscillator are presented, along with some experimental results and a discussion of methods using other than TEM transmission lines to produce the even and odd modes.


ABSTRACT This paper addresses the phonology of a Swedish girl, aged 3 years 10 months, with extensive phonological difficulties that include an unusual phonological pattern. She had relatively well-developed phonological building blocks in terms of features, stress pattern and word length (number of syllables), but had extensive difficulties regarding syllable and word shapes, with frequent deletions of both segments and whole syllables. Word-initial position was dominated by non-continuant consonants, both voiced and voiceless, with extensive deletion. Word-medial position was dominated by voiceless obstruents, with extensive use of [j] in place of voiced consonants. Word-final position was similar to word-medial, but with more deletion than [j]. Non-initial stressed syllables resemble word-initial syllables. Consonant clusters mirrored singletons, i.e. with similar substitution patterns or deletions. We present a non-linear analysis of her speech production, and a plan for intervention targeting her special difficulties.


ObjectiveSweetening agents have been recommended in position statements and consensus documents for procedural pain management in neonates; however, it is not clear if this has resulted in widespread adoption in clinical practice. The objective of this study was to investigate unit-specific protocols for the use of sweetening agents. MethodsStructured telephone survey with qualified personnel in special care (level II) nurseries and neonatal intensive care (level III) units across Canada. The frequency and pattern of recommended use of sweetening agents was documented. ResultsEighty-six of 92 units (93.5%) participated. Sixty-four percent recommended sucrose and 2.3% recommended glucose for procedural pain management; 87.7% had a guideline. Sweetening agents were most commonly recommended for venipuncture/venous cannulation (91.2% for both), lumbar puncture (87.7%), and heel lance (82.5%). Dosing guidelines ranged from 0.05 mL of 24% sucrose solution to 3 mL of 25% sucrose solution. Sweeteners were not recommended for infants with necrotizing enterocolitis (77.2%) or those who were nil per os (75%). ConclusionsSweetening agents were recommended for procedural pain management in two-thirds of special care nurseries and neonatal intensive care units across Canada with extensive variability in specific dosing guidelines. Audits of pain management practices should therefore account for unit-specific practice guidelines.


DESCRIPTION BuSpar ® (buspirone hydrochloride tablets, USP) is an antianxiety agent that is not chemically or pharmacologically related to the benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or other sedative/anxiolytic drugs. Buspirone hydrochloride is a white crystalline, water soluble compound with a molecular weight of 422.0. Chemically, buspirone hydrochloride is 8-[4-[4-(2-pyrimidinyl)-1


In this paper, we propose a new
controlled multistage system to formulate the fed-batch culture
process of glycerol bio-dissimilation to 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) by
regarding the feeding rate of glycerol as a control function.
Compared with the previous systems, this system doesn't take the
feeding process as an impulsive form, but a time-continuous process,
which is much closer to the actual culture process. Some properties
of the above dynamical system are then proved. To maximize the
concentration of 1,3-PD at the terminal time, we develop an optimal
control model subject to our proposed controlled multistage system
and continuous state inequality constraints. The existence of
optimal control is proved by bounded variation theory. Through the
discretization of the control space, the control function is
approximated by piecewise constant functions. In this way, the
optimal control model is approximated by a sequence of parameter
optimization problems. The convergence analysis of this
approximation is also investigated. Furthermore, a global
optimization algorithm is constructed on the basis of the above
descretization concept and an improved Particle Swarm Optimization
(PSO) algorithm. Numerical results show that, by employing the
optimal control policy, the concentration of 1,3-PD at the terminal
time can be
increased considerably.


The field experiment was conducted at Spices Research Centre, Shibganj, Bogura, Bangladesh during Rabi season of 2017-18 to study the color preference of Scirtothrips dorsalis in chilli. The treatments were T1= Blue trap @40 trap/ha; T2= Yellow trap @40 trap/ha; T3= White trap @40 trap/ha; T4= Green trap @40 trap/ha and T5= Pink trap @40 trap/ha. Among the color traps used, at 35 days after installation (DAI) of trap blue color attracted highest (8.44 thrips/ sq. inch area of trap) number of S. dorsalis adults followed by white (5.43 thrips/ sq. inch area of trap), yellow (4.30 thrips/ sq. inch area of trap), green (3.52 thrips/ sq. inch area of trap) and pink (3.40 thrips/ sq. inch area of trap) color. Blue coloured sticky trap also attracted comparatively less number of beneficial insects and can be used for relative estimate of S. dorsalis population and also for monitoring and mass trapping as a component of IPM program.


Thin-walled features can be difficult to produce with traditional machining methods which often rely on excess stock material for stiffness. This challenge is increased in hybrid manufacturing where the feature is already near net shape before machining. Significant workpiece deflection can result in poor geometric and surface finish tolerances on the finished part. A potential solution to this problem is to implement sacrificial support structures to the as-printed geometry. The supports are then machined away during the finishing portion of the hybrid process. In the present work, several different design parameters for these sacrificial supports were evaluated to determine their impact on the quality of representative thin wall geometry samples. The angle, height, and spacing of triangular support structures were varied for each sample and then machined and examined. The addition of these supports relative to an unsupported configuration provided a deflection reduction of around 0.2 mm. Surface roughness was improved by approximately 1.5 µm. Increasing values of support height were found to correspond to reduced wall deflection. Similarly, decreasing values of support angle and support spacing improved geometric accuracy. Efficiency comparisons showed that increases in print time corresponded to rapidly diminishing gains in geometric accuracy but continued to improve surface roughness. Implications for hybrid finishing of additively manufactured thin-walled structures is briefly discussed.


Making accurate multi-step-ahead prediction for a complex system is a challenge for many practical applications, especially when only short-term time-series data are available. In this work, we proposed a novel framework, Delay-Embedding-based Forecast Machine (DEFM), to predict the future values of a target variable in an accurate and multi-step-ahead manner based on the high-dimensional short-term measurements. With a three-module spatiotemporal architecture, DEFM leverages deep learning to effectively extract both the spatially and sequentially associated information from the short-term dynamics even with time-varying parameters or additive noise. Being trained through a self-supervised scheme, DEFM well fits a nonlinear transformation that maps from the observed high-dimensional information to the delay embeddings of a target variable, thus predicting the future information. The effectiveness and accuracy of DEFM is demonstrated by applications on both representative models and six real-world datasets. The comparison with four traditional prediction methods exhibits the superiority and robustness of DEFM.


This paper makes a theoretical analysis of farmers' income and career choice under the two modes of traditional and cooperative management, demonstrates the "direct effect" and "indirect effect" of cooperative operation on farmers' income, and puts forward three influence mechanisms: (1) cooperative operation improves traditional agricultural operation through institutional advantages, making agricultural economy obtain Pareto improved income by operational efficiency; (2) cooperative operation can adjust the imbalance between supply and demand of skilled labor between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, which makes agricultural economy obtain Pareto improvement income by optimizing the use of labor elements; (3) cooperative operation reduces the skill leverage of non-agricultural employment of labor force under the traditional agricultural management model by providing more career choices for labor force, and promotes the equal distribution of farmers' income. On this basis, this paper apply the 1995-2018 National Household Survey Data, using the continuous DID model to verify the mechanism of cooperative operation on farmers' income.


Organizations of all types and sizes face internal and external factors and influences that make it uncertain whether and when they will achieve their business objectives. The effect this uncertainty has on an organization's objectives is "RISK". In recent times all sectors of the economy have shifted focus towards the management of risk as the key to making organizations successful in delivering their objectives while protecting the interests of their stakeholders. Risk may be defined as events or conditions that may occur, and whose occurrence, if it does take place, has a harmful or negative impact on the achievement of the organization's business objectives. The exposure to the consequences of uncertainty constitutes a risk.Organizations that are most effective and efficient in managing risks to both existing assets and to future growth will, in the long run, outperform those that are less so. Simply put, companies make money by taking intelligent risks and lose money by failing to manage risk intelligently.Risk management is the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks (defined in ISO 31000 as the effect of uncertainty on objectives, whether positive or negative) followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities. Risks can come from uncertainty in financial markets, project failures (at any phase in design, development, production, or sustainment life-cycles), legal liabilities, credit risk, accidents, natural causes and disasters as well as deliberate attack from an adversary, or events of uncertain or unpredictable root-cause. Several risk management standards have been developed including the Project Management Institute, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, actuarial societies, and ISO standards. Methods, definitions and goals vary widely according to whether the risk management method is in the context of project management, security, engineering, industrial processes, financial portfolios, actuarial assessments, or public health and safety.Risk management is a holistic, integrated, structured and disciplined approach to managing risks with the objective of maximizing shareholder's value. It aligns strategy, processes, people & culture, technology and governance with the purpose of evaluating and managing the uncertainties faced by the organization while creating value.Broadly this paper deals with the objective of risk management along with identification, polarization, mitigation and governance of risks associated with pipeline projects. Further the criteria for assigning the probabilities and impact of an identified risk along with their classification based on its probability and impact are also incorporated in the paper.Copyright © 2013 by ASME


Combined method of laparoscopically and retroperitoneoscopically assisted necrsequestrectomy, consisting of staged application of miniinvasive methods with simultaneous laparoscopic and retroperitoneoscopic control of necrsequestrectomy, was elaborated with the objective to improve surgical treatment of an acute pancreatitits. The procedure has significant advantages over open operative intervention in purulent complications of necrotic purulent pancreatitis: reduction of the local and systemic operative treatment severity, minimization of microbial metabolites coming into the blood, total visual control of intervention, reduction of the vascular injuries risk, аdequate surgical sanation with saving of viable pancreatic parenchyma, absence of conditions for the purulent complications occurrence while the operative wound healing is going on, preservation of possibility for an adequate draining, using drains of a large diameter.


Recording and interpreting thermoregulatory patterns is important in determining many aspects of animal ecology and behavior. Externally attached radiotransmitters are a relatively non-invasive method to continuously monitor skin temperature as a proxy for core body temperature. However, the effects of ambient conditions, such as wind or rain, on the accuracy of externally attached radiotransmitters are often overlooked. We investigated the effect of wind speed on the accuracy of radiotransmitters. We found that the accuracy of radiotransmitter readings was correlated with wind speed, with higher wind speeds resulting in underestimations of skin temperature. These effects may result in misinterpretations of recorded data, and ultimately may lead to inaccuracies in describing behavior. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.


Although ammeters are very important tools for science classes in elementary and junior high schools, many ordinary ones are not easy to handle nor sufficiently educational. From this viewpoint, the authors have investigated the possibility of using clamp-on ammeters, which are very common among professional electricians, for educational purposes. It has been found that clamp-on ammeters are useful in science classes in junior high school and that many students felt them easy to use. In particular, our ammeters are expected to be very effective in reducing the time students spend on experiments because it is not necessary to rebuild the circuit to connect the ammeter before measuring the current.


In this study, soil and sediment samples from known sources (sewage treatment plants, chicken farms, paddy fields and palm oil plantations) were analyzed for selected organic compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin and sterols). Samples were extracted using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) techniques. The data sets obtained were subjected to chemometric techniques namely cluster analysis (CA), discriminant analysis (DA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Based on CA, two clusters were generated; cluster 1 consisting of PAHs, chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin while cluster 2 consisting of coprostanol, cholesterol, stigmasterol, stigmastanol, and β- sitosterol. DA plot rendered clear discrimination between the samples from different sources of contaminations. PCA analysis, applied to the data sets resulted in four latent factors explaining 63.8% of the total variance. The varifactors obtained from PCA indicated that the parameters responsible for source variations are sterols (coprostanol, cholesterol, stigmasterol, i¢-sitosterol and stigmastanol), which are strongly correlated to sewage and chicken farm samples, PAHs (naphthalene, acenaphtene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene) and pesticides (chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin) which are comparatively correlated to samples from agricultural activities (paddy fields and palm oil plantations). The application of chemometric on selected organic compounds provides useful and promising techniques in tracing sources of contaminants as well as to reduce the complexity of the data interaction without lost of much important information.


Liquid biopsy, an important enabling technology for early diagnosis and dynamic monitoring of cancer, has drawn extensive attention in the past decade. With the rapid developments of microtechnology, it has been possible to manipulate cells at the single-cell level, which dramatically improves the liquid biopsy capability. As the microtechnology-enabled liquid biopsy matures from proof-of-concept demonstrations towards practical applications, a main challenge it is facing now is to process clinical samples which are usually of a large volume while containing very rare targeted cells in complex backgrounds. Therefore, a high-throughput liquid biopsy which is capable of processing liquid samples with a large volume in a reasonable time along with a high recovery rate of rare targeted cells from complex clinical liquids is in high demand. Moreover, the purity, viability and release feasibility of recovered targeted cells are the other three key impact factors requiring careful considerations. To date, among the developed techniques, micropore-type filtration has been acknowledged as the most promising solution to address the aforementioned challenges in practical applications. However, the presently reported studies about micropore-type filtration are mostly based on trial and error for device designs aiming at different cancer types, which requires lots of efforts. Therefore, there is an urgent need to investigate and elaborate the fundamental theories of micropore-type filtration and key features that influence the working performances in the liquid biopsy of real clinical samples to promote the application efficacy in practical applications. In this review, the state of the art of microtechnology-enabled filtration is systematically and comprehensively summarized. Four key features of the filtration, including throughput, purity, viability and release feasibility of the captured targeted cells, are elaborated to provide the guidelines for filter designs. The recent progress in the filtration mode modulation and sample standardization to improve the filtration performance of real clinical samples is also discussed. Finally, this review concludes with prospective views for future developments of filtration-based liquid biopsy to promote its application efficacy in clinical practice.


The word facility was chosen for its context of meaning "skill" rather than "ease." For everyone will agree that, though tonsilloadenoidectomy (T and A) is often classified as minor surgery, its performance may entail great worry and troublesome complications. It is more properly classified as a major operation. As one of the earliest surgical procedures of the ancients and the most widely performed surgical operation today, it is of great importance to several groups in medical practice. Hence any knowledge contributing to facility or skill of management should be worthwhile. The purpose of this discussion is to pass on some knowledge gained from the 2,400-case series. By way of introduction the following is pertinent. All cases in the series were operated on by the author in his private practice. Indefinite follow-up and delegation of responsibility make "house cases" unsuitable for the present purpose. The majority of cases were T and


inhibition with 30 ,&g disc) and they appear to form a distinct subgroup. We have tested 46 such organisms: they do not grow at 25°C, but most grow freely at 45°C, are relatively salt-tolerant, and produce coccoid forms in cultures much earlier than with most jejuni strains. We have isolated them commonly from locally caught seagulls, but also occasionally from other animals and man. Thus the nalidixic acid sensitivity test is a useful adjunct to the 25°C test, but it is not infallible. We, too, have found that while all jejuni group organisms grow freely at 42°C, a few isolates of what are ostensibly subsp. intestinalis (25°C positive and with typical morphology) do manage to grow at this temperature. Such strains, which were mostly isolated from bovine faeces, have generally produced more H2S than orthodox intestinalis strains, notably in iron-containing medium. Of course, one has to be careful in performing tests near the upper limit of temperature tolerance; the cut-off point is sharp, and unless the temperature is accurately controlled results will be variable. We hope to publish a full account of our studies shortly.


Neutron activation system (NAS) is currently designed for ITER and will be procured by the Korean DA. The main purpose of this diagnostic is to evaluate the integrated fusion power and cross-check with other neutron diagnostic, whose sensitivity can vary over time. Total neutron production rate shall be measured from all over the plasma, regard-less of the position or profile of the neutron source. Therefore, it is required to minimize material and its density variation across the field of view between the plasma and the irradiation end.


Abstract The development of local anesthetic (LA) system is the application of commercial drug for the pain management that indorses the reversible obstructive mechanism of neural transmission through preventing the innervation process in human peripheral nerves. Ropivacaine (RV) is one of the greatest frequently used LA s with the actions of long-lasting and low-toxicity for the post-operative pain management. In this work, we have approached novel design and development of glycosylated chitosan (GCS) encapsulated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (GCS-MONPs)-based nano-scaffold for sustainable distributions and controlled/supported arrival of stacked RV for targeting sites, which can be activated by either outer ultrasound activating to discharge the payload, foundation on-request and dependable analgesia. The structural and morphology analyses result established that prepared nano-formulations have successful molecular interactions and RV loaded spherical morphological structures. The drug release profile of developed nanostructure with ultrasound-activation has been achieved 50% of drug release in 2 h and 90% of drug release was achieved in 12 h, which displays more controlled release when compared to free RV solution. The in vitro cell compatibility analysis exhibited GCS-MONPs with RV has improved neuron cell survival rates when compared to other samples due to its porous surface and suitable biopolymer proportions. The analysis of ex vitro and in vivo pain relief analysis demonstrated treated animal models have high compatibility with GCS-MONPs@RV, which was confirmed by histomorphology. This developed MONPs based formulations with ultrasound-irradiation gives a prospective technique to clinical agony the board through on-request and dependable help with discomfort.


In the design phase of sensor arrays during array signal processing, the estimation performance and system cost are largely determined by array aperture size. In this article, we address the problem of joint direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation with distributed sparse linear arrays (SLAs) and propose an off-grid synchronous approach based on distributed compressed sensing to obtain larger array aperture. We focus on the complex source distribution in the practical applications and classify the sources into common and innovation parts according to whether a signal of source can impinge on all the SLAs or a specific one. For each SLA, we construct a corresponding virtual uniform linear array (ULA) to create the relationship of random linear map between the signals respectively observed by these two arrays. The signal ensembles including the common/innovation sources for different SLAs are abstracted as a joint spatial sparsity model. And we use the minimization of concatenated atomic norm via semidefinite programming to solve the problem of joint DOA estimation. Joint calculation of the signals observed by all the SLAs exploits their redundancy caused by the common sources and decreases the requirement of array size. The numerical results illustrate the advantages of the proposed approach.


S ince the horrible tragedies of September 11th. we have all been informed of the extraordinary but much needed changes in security regarding flying. For those of us who have the occasion to fly with our bird. these have certainly been interesting times. We all acknowledge the need for the searches and screenings and as someone who flies frequently, I applaud the extra vigilance. However, I have found. that unfortunately. many security personnel are unsure how to handle pets that are flying with their owners. I hope to offer some insight and tips on how to make your next flight with your pet as smooth and easy as possible for security personnel, owners, and above all, the bird. Booking Your Flight Before you book your flight, make sure the airline you choose allows pets in the cabin. Nor all airlines do and all of them have the restriction of the bird fitting underneath the seat in front of you. Others limit bird size to only Cockatiel or smaller. FAA regulations allow for only two pets in the main cabin so you must make reservations for your bird with your airline. There will be a charge anywhere from $50-$100 each way which you will have to pay upon your check-in at the airport. Also. get a health certificate from your veterinarian no earlier than 10 days before your RETURN flight. Not all airlines require a health certificate but that may not matter if you are dealing with someone who is unaware of the policy. Best to be prepared just in case. Preparing Your Bird Buy an airline-approved underthe-seat carrier. The #100 Cabin Kennel is inexpensive, easy to clean and comes with either a solid or wire top. It can be purchased at most pet supply stores. Get a small cage that comfortably holds your bird and fits inside the carrier. Be sure to include a perch and food and water cups. Do not cover the floor of the cage or you may be required to remove your bird from the cage. Place a small bag of your bird's food and bottle of water inside but make sure there are no scissors, wire cutters or other sharp objects inside. Again, do not line the cage or carrier. If possible, clip the bird's wings (not possible for people who exhibit birds). This is always good insurance under any conditions but even more so now. The day of the flight, feed and water the bird and then place it in the cage with food, millet, juicy fruits, and an ice cube in the water cup (it will melt before you get on the plane, believe me). What to Expect at the Airport Get to the airport at least two hours prior to your flight; some places were requiring four hours so check with your airlines. You should confirm your flight before you leave for the airport and make sure to check any connecting flights. Some airlines have reinstated curbside check in for luggage but not all. And, if you are flying with your bird, you will have to check your luggage. The FAA has limited carry-on bags to one plus a "personal" item such as a purse, briefcase, or lap top computer so your bird will count as your carry-on even though you are paying extra. When you get to the counter, immediately inform them you have a pet, who has a reservation, and that you need to pay his expenses. Present your health certificate and confirmation number for the bird's reservations. Do not be surprised if the person behind the counter is unfamiliar on how to process the bird's "ticket" but remain calm and do not get frustrated. There are a lot of armed law enforcement and military in the airport and you do not want a misunderstanding to develop with anyone. Remain calm and wait patiently - eventually, things will be done and you will be on your way. Make sure you have both receipts - one that is kept for your records and one that should be stapled to your ticket. This proves you have paid for the bird and should be shown to security personnel if asked. It is often asked prior to boarding the plane as well. Also, keep your health certificate handy - sometimes airlines and/ or security ask to see it. When you approach the security screening areas, ask for a handsearch of your bird. Most airports have turned their x-ray machines up to the highest level and this may be harmful to your bird. Inform them you can remove the bird from the carrier for inspection. You will have to hand the carrier to security, walk through the metal detector (without setting it off) and comply with all other security procedures (turning on laptops, removing cell phones, etc.). Gather your belongings and immediately open the carrier and remove the cage with the bird inside. Hold it so all angles can be seen by security - they may ask that the empty carrier go through x-ray to make sure it does not have a false bottom. Again, this procedure can be difficult because there has been virtually no training among security personnel on how to inspect animals especially birds. Most assume you have a cat or small dog that can easily be removed. Be patient and show whatever papers they request - receipt from the airlines, health certificate, whatever. Do not get angry or act rudely - remain calm and if all else fails, ask to see a supervisor. Once you have gone through security, you may be asked by airline personnel to see the receipt for the bird and/or the health certificate. This may also be done at subsequent plane changes so make sure they are kept handy. Things have definitely changed with flying in America and it is much better for all of us. I am sure I am safer flying now than I was six months ago. However, until the security system can be uniform at all airports by trained and skilled people, things are going to be difficult. But it is something that we can be prepared for and adjust to so long as we use a little planning and a lot of understanding. Tips for Flying with a Bird • Make Reservations For Bird • Get Health Certificate • Use Cage in Carrier • No Paper or Substrate on Floor • Use Airline Approved Carrier • Arrive Two Hours Before Flight • Pay for Bird & Obtain Receipt • Present Receipt & HC When Requested • Have Bird Hand Inspected • Remove Bird in Cage for Inspection • Remain Patient and Calm


Filarial nematodes harbour intracellular, Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the genus Wolbachia. These bacteria have been observed in various species of filariae, including the main filariasis agents of humans and animals. It has been suggested that Wolbachia could play an important role in the biology of filarial nematodes and could be implicated in the pathogenesis of filarial diseases. Wolbachia could thus represent a target for the control of filariasis and key to the understanding of these diseases. Indeed, in various species of filariae, tetracycline treatments have been shown both to reduce/eliminate the Wolbachia population and to determine detrimental effects on the nematodes. In addition, proteins of Wolbachia have been shown to determine specific IgG responses in animals infected by filariae and some Wolbachia molecules (e.g. LPS) have been shown to stimulate innate-immunity responses (e.g. production of cytokines such as IL1, IL6, IL10, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma by macrophages).


Of all the eccentricities and diversities of human embodiment, no physical abnormality seems to have captured the imagination of biblical authors so much as s i āravat (תערצ), "skin disease," which is accorded detailed treatment in both Priestly legislation and non-Priestly narratives. Scholarly treatments of the condition have tended to view the diverse scriptural portraits as descriptions of the same condition: an essentially homogeneous medical condition with, importantly, a single cause. This approach rides roughshod over the diverse views of the various biblical authors. In this article we will first examine the Priestly notion of the origin of s i āravat, with the specific intent of demonstrating that, unlike the non-Priestly narratives, the Priestly laws of Leviticus 13–14 do not present s i āravat as a divine punishment for human sin. The second part of the essay provides a brief overview of how three distinct hermeneutical groups—precritical interpreters, historical-critical scholars, and scholars of disability studies—understand (or fail to understand) the distinctive claims of the Priestly legislation regarding s i āravat.


The paper focuses on the principles of construction and the results of studies on the logical control systems which are based on application of the finite-state models describing the controlled object behaviour.


The ability of native communities to maintain invasion resistance in the face of environmental changes is crucial for biodiversity conservation. However, previous studies have primarily focused on the inhibitive effects experienced by invaders, providing limited insights into the ultimate outcome of resistance.

In this study, we integrated modern coexistence theory into biotic resistance research to investigate the impact of nutrient enrichment on the resistance of Phragmites australis marshes to Spartina alterniflora invasion in the Yangtze estuary saltmarshes of China.

Our results demonstrated that under non‐enriched conditions, successful invasion resistance was facilitated by stable coexistence between native and invasive species in the field. This prediction of invasion resistance aligned with the distribution dynamics of the two species in the Yangtze estuary saltmarshes over the past two decades. However, nutrient enrichment was likely to lead to a fundamental shift in their coexistence and ultimately, the failure of resistance.

Synthesis and applications. Integrating modern coexistence theory into biotic resistance studies advances the assessment of invasion resistance by shifting from quantifying relative strength to predicting explicit resistance outcomes. Ecosystem managers can draw explicit conclusions about the potential establishment and impact of invaders by analysing observational or experimental data within the framework of modern coexistence theory. This information aids in identifying the most efficient strategies for addressing invasive species.


During the 10th week of gestation human prostate development is about to start. Androgens are the crucial factors to stimulate the initial interactions between the epithelium and mesenchyme. One of the key events in androgen metabolism is the transformation of circulating testosterone to 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by tissue-linked 5α-reductase. Both, the formation of a male phenotype and the androgen-mediated growth of the prostate are mediated by DHT. To date the function of 5α-reductase 1 (5αR1) still remains unclear whereas 5α-reductase 2 (5αR2) is supposed to be the predominant isoenzyme in human accessory sex tissue. Only little data are available on the detection, distribution, and effects of both isoenzymes during fetal life and infancy. Recently, immunohistochemical investigations of serial sections from fetuses and infants using specific antibodies directed against 5αR1 and 5αR2 seem to shed light on that issue. Moreover, the detection of downstream products of androgen synthesis using RT-PCR analyses for 17-β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase Type 2 (17 βHSD 2), 17 βHSD Type 3 and 17 βHSD Type 7 adds to discovering the molecular biological background. New studies confirm that both isoenzymes are present throughout fetal development. On the transcriptional level RT-PCR for 5αR1 and 5αR2 certifies these findings. 17 βHSD 2, 3 and 7 representing the most relevant enzymatic downstream products of cellular androgen synthesis were revealed by RT-PCR as well. Current studies discovered the expression and distribution of both 5α-reductase isoenzymes as well as the potential contribution of 5αR1 during fetal human prostate development.


Biotinylated DNA from two satellite-related, repetitive DNA clones, pHuR 98 and pHuR 195 (specific for chromosomes 9 and 16, respectively), and from a Y-specific clone, pY-3.4A, were hybridized to human metaphase chromosomes using fluoresceinated avidin to detect binding. The chromosomes were simultaneously counterstained with distamycin-DAPI to identify the AT-rich heterochromatin of chromosomes 1, 9, 15, 16, and the Y chromosome. With this method, clear results were obtained under both normal and low stringency conditions, allowing hybridization between molecules sharing 80-85% and 60-65% identity, respectively. Thus, additional sites related to the probes could be identified. A close relationship was shown between the heterochromatin of chromosomes 1 and 16, both hybridizing with clone pHuR 195 under low stringency. Hybridization with clone pHuR 98 was highly specific for chromosome 9, even under low stringency. A relationship between chromosomes 9, 15, and the Y chromosome, however, was shown by hybridization with clone pY-3.4A. The chromosomal distribution of the three repetitive DNA clones used in this study, and data from the literature, are in accordance with the distribution of the heterochromatin types characterized by staining with different fluorescent dyes and dye combinations. Furthermore, our sequence data for clones pHuR 98 and pHuR 195 may explain the fluorescent properties on which the cytogenetic classification of the heterochromatin is based.


The accurate identification of positive selection in genomes represents a challenge in the field of population genomics. Several recent approaches have cast this problem as an image classification task and employed Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). However, limited efforts have been placed on discovering a practical CNN architecture that can classify images visualizing raw genomic data in the presence of population bottlenecks, migration, and recombination hotspots, factors that typically confound the identification and localization of adaptive genomic regions. In this work, we present SweepNet, a new CNN architecture that resulted from a thorough hyper-parameter-based architecture exploration process. SweepNet has a higher training efficiency than existing CNNs and requires considerably less epochs to achieve high validation accuracy. Furthermore, it performs consistently better in the presence of confounding factors, generating models with higher validation accuracy and lower top-1 error rate for distinguishing between neutrality and a selective sweep. Unlike existing network architectures, the number of trainable parameters of SweepNet remains constant irrespective of the sample size and number of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, which reduces the risk of overfitting and leads to more efficient training for large datasets. Our SweepNet implementation is available for download at: https://github.com/Zhaohq96/SweepNet.


The global survey, "Assessing national capacity for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases", shows that some countries are making remarkable progress. A number of countries have put in place measures to protect people from exposure to tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Some have created new financing opportunities to build strong public health systems by taxing tobacco products.


Background: Total ankle arthroplasty is a viable option for the treatment of end stage ankle arthritis. The purpose of this study is to report on the mid-term results with a cemented total ankle prosthesis, the Inbone™ II implant over a 5 year period. Methods: A retrospective, single-center chart and radiographic review of all patients with end stage ankle arthritis treated with Inbone™ II TAR) as the primary index procedure from 12/1/2012 to 3/1/2017. Clinical data were evaluated at 3 month, 6 month, 1 year and subsequent intervals for the study period. Preoperative diagnosis, pertinent patient demographics adjunctive procedures, implant associated complications, subsequent surgeries, and revisions were recorded. Results: 121 total ankles met our inclusion criteria. Patients had an INBONE™ II TAR implant placed with bone cement with a minimum of a 12 months follow up. Average age was 62.88 (range, 32-87) years, average body mass index was 32.74 (range, 21.8-56.04) kg/m2 and average follow up was 28.51(range, 12-69) months. Using the COFAS complication classification there were 14 minor, 11 moderate, and 5 major complications. 6/121 (5.0%) revisions which included: polyethylene exchange, device explant/fusion, and antibiotic spacer in situ. No complications over the course of this study ended in amputation. Conclusion: Total Ankle Arthroplasty utilizing the cemented INBONE™ II yielded good midterm results with regards to minor, moderate, and major complications. Rate of revision 6/121 (5.0%) was within the reported range with only 5 patients converted to fusion during the study period resulting in a 95% survivability at mid-term follow up. Levels of Evidence: Level IV: Retrospective case series