Abstract. Light scattering and its propagation through the PLZT ceramics is presented at the phase transition. TMM is applied to this structure, as a computational method for light scattering. This method is described in detail computational light scattering by polydispersive, randomly oriented rotationally symmetric particles. Our results associated with light wave propagation within the ferroelectric materials. The transmitted and the scattered intensities of incident plane wave are calculated for various combinations and geometry via to different parameters. Also, ferroic correlation between the PLZT structure and the light scattering is briefly discussed.


We address the problem of learning similarities between documents written in different languages for language pairs where little or no direct supervision (in the form of a comparable or parallel corpus) is available. To make up for the lack of direct supervision, our approach takes advantage of the fact that they may be linked indirectly by a hub language. That is, correspondences exist between each of the languages and a third, hub language. The main goal of our paper is to explore the viability of cross-lingual learning under such conditions. We propose a method that extracts a set of multilingual topics that facilitate a common representation of documents in different languages. The method is suitable for a comparable multilingual corpus with missing documents. We evaluate the approach in a truly multi-lingual setting, performing document retrieval across eight Wikipedia languages.


Among his myriad scientific and artistic contributions, Leonardo da Vinci's work in embryology [4] was groundbreaking. He observed and diagramed the previously undemonstrated position of the fetus [5] in the womb [6] with detailed accompanying annotations of his observations. Leonardo was highly paranoid of plagiarism and wrote all of his notes in mirror-like handwriting laden with his own codes, making his writing difficult to discern and delaying its impact. Although he carried out his studies in embryology [4] from 1510–1512, it was not until the 1900s that his work was popularized among the scientific community. Leonardo's embryological annotations found in the third volume of his private notebooks represent his notable contributions to and explanations of human development and embryology [4].


Flash pyrolysis-gas chromatography has been used to investigate macromolecular sulphur in heavy oil. The influences of pyrolysis time and pyrolysis temperature have been studied and the analytical methods of pyrolysis were set up. Sulfur-containing products were identified by comparing with reference data and semi-quantified by a pulsed flame photometric detector (PFPD). The investigation conducted on Dagang, Gudao, Qianguo, Russia and mixed Russia-Daqing residual oils using pyrolysis-gas chromatography showed that the contents and composition of sulphur compounds demonstrated various characters in different pyrolysates of residual oils.


Hepatitis C virus antibodies were studied in sera coming from 39 patients with porphyria (cutanea tarda in 17, variegate in 8, intermittent acute in 4, coproporphyria in 2 and protoporphyria in 8). Nine of 17 patients with porphyria cutanea tarda had positive antibodies, but none of the patients with other types of porphyria. All subjects with porphyria cutanea tarda had histological or laboratory liver abnormalities. There was no relationship between the presence of antibodies and frequency of alcoholism, diabetes, or carbohydrate intolerance. Family background of porphyria was significantly less frequent among patients with positive hepatitis C virus antibodies. In 13 patients, a liver biopsy was performed, always showing signs of chronic hepatitis, whose magnitude was higher in those with positive antibodies. It is concluded that, as reported previously, hepatitis C virus may be an activating factor for porphyria cutanea tarda or may potentiate its accompanying liver disease.


Aim: T and B lymphocytes, the main cellular effectors of adaptive immunity, are deeply involved in the chronic inflammatory process that drives atherosclerosis. As the main source of antibodies, B cells were originally thought to be anti-atherogenic via production of neutralising antibodies against oxidised low density lipoprotein (LDL). Recent studies that depleted B lymphocytes in animal models of atherosclerosis have unravelled pro-atherogenic effects of conventional mature B2 B cells and protective roles for the innate B1a B-cell subset. Recently, B cells with regulatory function (Bregs) have also been identified in both animals and humans, but their role in atherosclerosis is currently unknown. Impairment of Bregs has been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders, but whether the same is true in atherosclerosis is yet to be determined. Our aim was to examine Bregs in patients with coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods: Bregs were defined as CD19+CD24hiCD38hi B cells. The percentage and absolute number of Bregs was quantified in the circulation of patients with myocardial infarction (MI, n=60) and stable angina (SA, n=40), as well as in healthy subjects (n=30) using flow cytometry. The production of interleukin-10 (IL-10) by mature, memory and Breg cells was quantified by intracellular staining and flow cytometry.

Results: We found a marked reduction in the percentage and absolute number of Bregs in patients with coronary atherosclerosis (MI and SA) compared to healthy subjects. No differences were noted in the percentage and absolute number of total B cells, mature and memory B cells in the study groups, suggesting a specific numerical deficit in Bregs in patients with coronary atherosclerosis. Furthermore, Bregs from patients with coronary atherosclerosis produced significantly less IL-10 in response to CpG and CD40L compared to Bregs from healthy subjects, while the production of IL-10 from mature and memory B cells was not impaired. We are now characterising the molecular mechanisms that underlie the defects in Bregs in patients with coronary atherosclerosis.

Conclusion: Our data show for the first time that patients with coronary atherosclerosis harbour marked numerical and functional deficits in Breg cells that may tip the balance in favour of pro-inflammatory B and T lymphocytes. A better understanding of these defects may reveal novel targets for future therapies to quench the inflammatory process that drives atherosclerosis.


Urolithiasis is a condition in which stones are formed in the urinary tract and considered to be one of the most common urological disorders, longstanding medical illnesses and common public health problems. People in many parts of the world including north eastern states of India are now suffering from the stone diseases. Urinary stone is formed usually due to deposition of calcium, phosphates and oxalates which are a major health hazards. It has been reported that urolithiasis as a multifactorial recurrent disease, distributed worldwide in urban, rural, non-industrial and industrial regions with different chemical composition of analyzed stones in context to various risk factors. Besides diet, genetic factors are also reported to contribute in pathogenesis of urolithiasis. Better understanding of the various aspects of this disease including causative agents may provide an insight of this disorder to the researcher and common people in order to contain this disease. The epidemiology and various etiologic factors of urolithiasis are highlighted in this communication.


Zinkicide is a systemic bactericidal formulation containing protein-size fluorescent zinc oxide-based nanoparticles (nano-ZnO). Previous studies have shown that Zinkicide is effective in controlling citrus diseases. Its field performance as an antimicrobial agent has been linked to the bioavailability of zinc ions (Zn2+) at the target site. It is therefore important to monitor Zn2+ release from Zinkicide so that application rates and frequency can be estimated. In this study, we present a simplistic approach designed to monitor Zinkicide nanoparticle dissolution rates in water and acidic buffer solutions using traditional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The evolution of nano-ZnO in the polyacrylamide gel scaffolds was studied by exciting the sample with UV light and detecting the fluorescence of nano-ZnO. Fluorescence intensities measured with this assay allowed for quantitative analysis of molecular weight changes of nano-ZnO in citrate buffer, a surrogate of citrus juice. Our results demonstrated that citrate buffer induced the greatest degradation of Zinkicide. Fluorescence intensity fluctuations were observed over time, indicating interactions of citrate with the surface of nano-ZnO. These findings provide a new approach to quantify the dissolution of nanoparticles in simulated environments, even when other analytical methods lack sensitivity because of the small size of the system (≈4 nm).


Background: This study provides the latest available relative survival data for Australian childhood cancer patients. Methods: Data from the population-based Australian Paediatric Cancer Registry were used to describe relative survival outcomes using the period method for 11,903 children diagnosed with cancer between 1983 and 2006 and prevalent at any time between 1997 and 2006. Results: The overall relative survival was 90.4% after 1 year, 79.5% after 5 years and 74.7% after 20 years. Where information on stage at diagnosis was available (lymphomas, neuroblastoma, renal tumours and rhabdomyosarcomas), survival was significantly poorer for more advanced stage. Survival was lower among infants compared to other children for those diagnosed with leukaemia, tumours of the central nervous system and renal tumours but higher for neuroblastoma. Recent improvements in overall childhood cancer survival over time are mainly due to improvements among leukaemia patients. Conclusion: The high and improving survival prognosis for children diagnosed with cancer in Australia is consistent with various international estimates. However, a 5-year survival estimate of 79% still means that many children who are diagnosed with cancer will die within 5 years while others have long term health morbidities and complications associated with their treatments. It is hoped that continued developments in treatment protocols will result in further improvements in survival.


Proximate, mineral and amino acids composition of cashew nut (Anarcaduim occidentale) flour were determined using standard analytical techniques. The physicochemical characteristics of the oil were also investigated. The mean values of various parameters for proximate composition (%) were: moisture (5.7±0.2), ash (4.4±0.1), ether extract (36.7±0.1), crude protein (25.3±0.2), crude fibre (1.2±0.3) and carbohydrate (by difference) (26.80).The calculated fatty acids were noted to be 29.4% and energy was 2242.8KJ / 100g. Minerals (mg / 100g) included: Na (22.8±0.2), K (38.2±0.1), Ca (21.9±0.3), Mg (36.4±0.2), Mn (1.6±0.2), Cu (0.4±0.1), Zn (0.8±0.1), Fe (0.8±0.1) and P (18.6±0.2) while Pb, Cd and Hg were not detected. The relationship between Na and K as well as between Ca and P; are desirable with the respective ratios of Na/K (0.6) and Ca/P(1.2). Amino acid analysis revealed that cashew nut flour contained nutritionally useful quantities of most of the essential amino acids. The first and second limiting amino acids are Lys (0.58) and Met + Cys (TSAA) (0.66). The results of physicochemical properties of cashew nut oil with the mean values of the following parameters:- colour (yellow), refractive index (1.465), specific gravity (0.964), acid value (0.82 ± 0.4 mg KOH/g, saponification value (168.3 ± 0.3mg KOH/g), iodine value (44.4 ± 0.1mg Iodine/g), peroxide value (3.1±0.2) and free fatly acids (28.4±0.1 mg/g) indicated that cashew nut oil is edible, non-drying and may not be suitable for soap making.


It is important to recognize the difference between isotopebased, surface-mold brachytherapy used in treating cases of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and electronic surface brachytherapy (EBT), which shares the same initials as electron beamtherapy. Electronbeam therapy uses electrons and a linear accelerator, whereas surface-mold brachytherapy (used in this series1) involves radioactive isotopes. Both electron beam therapy and isotope-based surface-mold brachytherapyhave beenused to successfully treat cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Electronic surface brachytherapy uses miniature radiographic tubes without isotopes or linear accelerators and is designed for small tumors, such as basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas. Electronic surface brachytherapy devices are deployed in offices without the involvement of boardcertified radiation oncologists and medical physicists, whereas isotope-based brachytherapy is based on a custom computed tomography–guided treatment planning system that provides precise and reliable dosing. A limited set of doses is available for electronic surface brachytherapy of common, small tumors; however, the treatment modality is not customizable beyond these preset doses. Electronic surface brachytherapy is also an inherently nonhomogeneous form of radiotherapy, with limited capability to deliver uniform doses over complex surfaces, such as the topography of hands and feet.


The Manunggaling Kawula lan Gusti concept was found in Serat Nawa Ruci in the Middle Ages of Java in the 16th Century AD and was re-transformed into the New Javanese era in Dewa Ruci Fiber, Cabolek Fiber, Malaya Syeh Fiber until the 20th century AD in Fiber Sastra Jendra (Literature Aji Endra) which is still used today. Over five centuries, the concept experienced distortion of meaning far from the purpose and purpose of its writing. This study was analyzed using the theoretical basis of the R. G. Collingwood Historical Philosophy aimed to find out the development of Sufism in Java, the transformation of the spread of the concept in several Islamic Javanese texts derived from the Nawa Ruci Fiber, and its interpretation in the Fiber of Jendra's Literature. using historical research methods with heuristic steps, criticism, interpretation, and historiography. The manuscripts used obtained from utilizing manuscripts as a result of philological research or translation that have never been studied by others. This research found that in Indonesia, Sufi propagators of Islam in Java preached by combining local traditions with Islam, which led to the birth of Javanese Sufism.


The aim of this work is to investigate the possibility to improve the thermal behaviour of epoxy based systems, cured by ionizing radiation, in order to produce matrices for advanced carbon fibres composites. Blends of two epoxy monomers, difunctional and trifunctional, have been polymerized by e-beam irradiation and the dynamic mechanical thermal properties have been investigated. The increase of the concentration of the trifunctional epoxy monomer in the blend causes a marked increase of the Tg, but strongly decreases the reactivity. Subsequently, blends of the same epoxy monomers with a high Tg thermoplastic toughening agent have been considered and their reactivity and the thermal properties of the obtained materials have been also studied. The experimental results show that the thermoplastic component increases the reactivity of the difunctional/trifunctional blends, without a significant decrease of the glass transition temperature which still satisfies the requirements for advanced composite materials.


Several reports have suggested that schizophrenic patients engage in very little Looking and eye-contact. However, previous work, much of it methodologically unsatisfactory, has been based almost always on the clinical psychiatric interview, with the result that several important questions remain unanswered. In particular, we do not know how schizophrenic patients behave in free conversation, how their behaviour with another patient may differ from their behaviour with a psychiatrically normal partner, nor even whether they show individual consistency across encounters. The first study was designed to examine these questions, by observing recently admitted schizophrenic patients in two free dyadic conversations, one with a schizophrenic partner and one with a psychiatrically normal partner, and comparing them with three control groups: depressive patients; patients suffering from neurotic or personality disorders; and psychiatrically normal chest patients. The second study went on to test whether the early descriptions of gross abnormality may be more appropriate to chronic long-stay patients than to recently admitted patients, and the design consisted of a comparison between the two groups. The first study revealed a quite unexpected pattern of results. Consistently across their two encounters, schizophrenic subjects behaved similarly for the most part to all three control groups, normal and abnormal alike. Moreover, the few differences which did emerge conflicted sharply with previous findings, including the writer's, and were no more marked in patient-patient than patient-normal encounters. The second study revealed no differences between chronic long-stay and recently admitted schizophrenic patients. It is suggested that the differences in findings between the present two studies and previous reports are most likely to be attributable to differences in verbal content: schizophrenic patients show abnormalities of visual interaction when talking about personal matters, but behave quite normally when the topic is not of immediate personal relevance.


Textured Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ+Y2BaCuO5 pseudo-crystals were grown by the partial melting method. The thermocapillary effect on the deviation of the stoichiometry of Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ+Y2BaCuO5 bar samples during the partial melting process is shown. The hydrodynamic equation describing the mechanism of transfer of the BaCuO2 and CuO phases in the pores of samples is proposed. The coefficient of Y2BaCuO5 diffusion into the liquid BaCuO2+CuO phases is determined.


Studies show that female workers in the personal-care industry have an increased risk of developing cancer believed to be the result of increased exposure to toxic and/or carcinogenic chemicals found in cosmetics, hair dyes, and nail polish. One chemical found in multiple personal-care products, di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), is a known endocrine disruptor and has been found in increased levels in women of childbearing age. The goal of this study was to elucidate mechanisms of phthalate toxicity in normal human cells to provide information concerning interindividual variation and gene-environment interactions. Normal human mammary epithelial cell strains were obtained from discarded tissues following reduction mammoplasty [Cooperative Human Tissue Network (sponsors: NCI/NDRI)]. Gene transcription in each cell strain was analyzed using high-density oligonucleotide DNA microarrays (U133A, Affymetrix) and changes in the expression of selected genes were verified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (ABI). DNA microarrays were hybridized with total RNA that was collected after DBP treatment for 5 hr and 10 hr. RNA was harvested from the vehicle control (acetone) at 10 hr. Data Mining Tool software (Affymetrix) was used to separate genes in clusters based on their expression patterns over time. Only 57 genes were found to be altered in all four cell strains following exposure to DBP. These included genes involved in fertility (inhibin, placental growth factor), immune response (tumor necrosis factor induced protein), and antioxidant status (glutathione peroxidase). Data from this study will help clarify the role of DBP in reproductive toxicity, and yield biomarkers of exposure for future epidemiology studies.


A proboscidian (mammoth or mastodon) skeleton from the Baldwin Peninsula, northwestern Alaska, is associated with plant remains 26,900 (+2,400, −3,400) C 14 yr old (AU-90). Pollen from the same level records shrub tundra dominated by dwarf birch, sedges, and grasses; spruce pollen is lacking, and alder is represented only by a few stray grains, indicating that forest vegetation lay hundreds of kilometres away. The radiocarbon age and the pollen spectrum suggest that the animal lived during a late Wisconsinan interstadial interval equivalent to the Plum Point Interstade of the Great Lakes region of North America and the final mild episode of the Kargin Interstade of northwestern Siberia.


AIMS OF THE STUDY
To assess the performance of the Expanded Risk Score in Rheumatoid Arthritis (ERS-RA), a disease-specific cardiovascular disease (CVD) prediction score, in evaluating the 10-year risk, in comparison with other traditional algorithms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS
Consecutive RA patients, aged 40-75 years, without established CVD, were included. We calculated the disease-specific ERS-RA and four traditional CVD prediction scores: the modified Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (mSCORE), the Framingham Risk Score using body mass index (FRS BMI), the calculator developed by the American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association in 2013 (ACC/AHA 2013) and the QRISK3. Subjects also underwent ultrasound assessment of the carotid arteries. The presence of a carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) >0.90 mm or of carotid plaques identified the high-risk patients.

RESULTS
Of the 84 patients evaluated, 33 (39.3%), 16 (19.0%), 24 (28.6%), 25 (29.8%) and 33 (39.3%) subjects were defined as having high CVD risk according to ACC/AHA 2013, mSCORE, FRS BMI, QRISK3 and ERS-RA, respectively. Compared with the ultrasound results, all the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC-ROC) showed good discrimination properties (0.848 - FRS BMI, 0.816 - mSCORE, 0.828 - ACC/AHA 2013, 0.844 - QRISK3, 0.869 - ESR-RA). Comparison of the AUC-ROCs did not show that discriminative ability for detecting subclinical atherosclerotic damage was improved with ESR-RA.

CONCLUSIONS
Using a surrogate marker of subclinical atherosclerotic organ damage as indicator of CVD burden, the newly ERS-RA risk score that incorporates specific aspects of RA performs as well as ACC/AHA 2013, mSCORE, FRS BMI and QRISK3 estimators.


Being part of a developing world, most of our population suffers from various infectious diseases, enteric fever is one of the commonest of all. A greater percentage of affected children and young adults recover without any complications. As its initial symptoms are very benign, sometimes proper treatment is delayed and that can lead to morbid situation. Our presented case is important to get reported because here a young man was about to die due to one of the rarest respiratory complications of enteric fever that very rapidly led to MODS. Fortunately, he survived for all the prompt clinical judgements were taken in time.
Bangladesh J Medicine 2022; 33: 304-307


We report here the first wave-length measurements in the second resonance doublet of francium, D1'(7s2S1/2-8p2P 1/2) and D2'(7s2S1/2-8p2P 3/2), carried out by collinear fast-beam laser spectroscopy. The transition wave numbers are D1' = 23112.9603(50) cm-1 and D2' = 23658.3058(40) cm-1, corresponding to a 8p fine-structure splitting of δW8p = 545.3454(70) cm-1. In addition the hyperfine structure in both lines and the isotope shift in the D2' line for the isotopes 212,213,220,221Fr have been measured. The results are discussed with special emphasis on the analysis of the atomic structure in the heaviest alkali element and compared with theoretical predictions, as well as the only earlier spectroscopic data on francium obtained in the first resonance doublet.


Abstract Trust in the media has become an increasingly important issue in communication research. Traditional credibility research and modern media skepticism studies have bred a multiplicity of empirical findings illustrating the attitudes of the recipients toward the mass media, possible reasons for trust or skepticism, and possible consequences of media trust for the individual and society. However, the psychological causes of trust in the media have not attracted much attention in communication research. This is especially true for personality traits such as individual level of interpersonal trust, which, as a global attitude, might be considered as one possible reason for the development of further trust relationships. In this paper it is assumed that the individual level of generalized social trust is one possible reason for the development of trust in the media. It is assumed that people tending to generally trust their fellow humans also express high levels of trust in the media and in other institutions. Based on a representative telephonic survey of the German population, it was found that there are positive correlations between interpersonal trust, trust in the media, and trust in other institutions.


Background: Delusional disorders related to the skin, such as subjective bromidrosis, are clinically associated with a chronic course and doubtful prognosis. Case studies showing in detail the process of psychotherapy and its results are few. Case Report: A 32-year-old African graduate student suffered from the delusive idea that other people might be embarrassed by his 'malodor' (bromidrosis). He retired from social contact, stopped studying, and became increasingly depressed. He developed the conviction that he was afflicted with a life-threatening physical illness which had not yet been diagnosed. Psychotherapy: Transferred to our psychodermatological hospital unit, he entered a short-term course of psychodynamic treatment, which focussed on his projective defenses, directed against severe aggressive strivings resulting from a painful divorce. The patient gained insight and his complaints improved. Follow-up: After discharge, the patient's mental state improved clinically and psychometrically (SCL-90-R, ACS), compared with the initial scores. A follow-up 3 years later confirmed a gradual but decisive change in psychic functioning and a better social adjustment. Conclusion: The psychodynamic function of his symptomatology is discussed in summary. It can be concluded that insight-oriented, psychodynamic treatment may alleviate severe psychodermatological conditions.


OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study is to clarify factors that support the work engagement of nurses, who bear the burden of extended day shifts, by focusing on the advantages of the variable shift system and workday break activities.

METHODS
Nurses who were working under a variable shift system were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire to examine the workload, work engagement, work stressors, stress-coping strategies, and stress-coping break time activities, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the variable shift system. Nine break activities were classified into the following four categories: social activities, rest/relaxation, entertainment, and cognitive activities. The advantages or disadvantages of the variable shift system were scored by developing composite variables using principal component analysis. These variables were used to perform a multiple regression analysis with work engagement as the dependent variable.

RESULTS
The advantage score was the variable most strongly correlated with work engagement. In contrast, "Quantitative workload" was negatively correlated with work engagement. Among break activities, in the social activities category correlations were observed in "Both conversation and Email/SNS" and "Conversation only". Although in fact most nurses chose conversation as one of the break options, more than half of the nurses selected rest/relaxation as their ideal break activity.

CONCLUSION
Our study suggested that the variable shift system supported the work engagement of nurses who worked extended day shifts. The results also suggested that it would be useful to arrange the employee lounge environment so that employees could freely choose between "conversation" or "taking a rest" depending on the circumstances.


Connectome fingerprinting—a method that uses many thousands of functional connections in aggregate to identify individuals—holds promise for individualized neuroimaging. A better characterization of the features underlying successful fingerprinting performance—how many and which functional connections are necessary and/or sufficient for high accuracy—will further inform our understanding of uniqueness in brain functioning. Thus, here we examine the limits of high-accuracy individual identification from functional connectomes. Using ∼3,300 scans from the Human Connectome Project in a split-half design and an independent replication sample, we find that a remarkably small "thin slice" of the connectome—as few as 40 out of 64,620 functional connections—was sufficient to uniquely identify individuals. Yet, we find that no specific connections or even specific networks were necessary for identification, as even small random samples of the connectome were sufficient. These results have important conceptual and practical implications for the manifestation and detection of uniqueness in the brain. Author Summary Patterns of functional connectivity are so distinct between different people that they can be used to predict individual identity with high accuracy. Here, we show that a strikingly small fraction of the functional connectome is actually needed to predict individual identity (as few as 40 functional connections from 64,620). We further show that although certain functional connections may be most informative, even small fractions of the connectome selected at random can be used to identify individuals, and that no specific connections or even networks are actually necessary. The results indicate that uniquely identifying signatures of brain functioning are widely distributed throughout the brain and can be detected in a much more compact manner than previously appreciated.


Viruses have evolved to traverse cellular barriers and travel to the nucleus by mechanisms that involve active transport through the cytoplasm and viral quirks to resist cellular restriction factors and innate immune responses. Virus-derived vector systems exploit the capacity of viruses to ferry genetic information into cells, and now - more than three decades after the discovery of HIV - lentiviral vectors based on HIV-1 have become instrumental in biomedical research and gene therapies that require genomic insertion of transgenes. By now, the efficacy of lentiviral gene delivery to stem cells, cells of the immune system including T cells, hepatic cells, and many other therapeutically relevant cell types is well established. Along with nucleic acids, HIV-1 virions carry the enzymatic tools that are essential for early steps of infection. Such capacity to package enzymes, even proteins of nonviral origin, has unveiled new ways of exploiting cellular intrusion of HIV-1. Based on early findings demonstrating the packaging of heterologous proteins into virus particles as part of the Gag and GagPol polypeptides, we have established lentiviral protein transduction for delivery of DNA transposases and designer nucleases. This strategy for delivering genome-engineering proteins facilitates high enzymatic activity within a short time frame and may potentially improve the safety of genome editing. Exploiting the full potential of lentiviral vectors, incorporation of foreign protein can be combined with the delivery of DNA transposons or a donor sequence for homology-directed repair in so-called 'all-in-one' lentiviral vectors. Here, we briefly describe intracellular restrictions that may affect lentiviral gene and protein delivery and review the current status of lentiviral particles as carriers of tool kits for genome engineering.


Injuries to articular cartilage are one of the most challenging issues of musculoskeletal medicine due to the poor intrinsic ability of this tissue for repair. Despite progress in orthopaedic surgery, cell-based surgical therapies such as autologous chondrocyte transplantation (ACT) have been in clinical use for cartilage repair for over a decade but this approach has shown mixed results. Moreover, the lack of efficient modalities of treatment for large chondral defects has prompted research on tissue engineering combining chondrogenic cells, scaffold materials and environmental factors.This paper focuses on the main parameters in tissue engineering and on the potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as an alternative to cells derived from patient tissues in autologous transplantation and tissue engineering. Here we discuss the prospects of using autologous chondrocytes or MSCs in regenerative medicine and summarize the advantages and disadvantages of these cells in articular cartilage engineering.


In this paper we propose a multi-modal deep learning approach to detect floods in social media posts. Social media posts normally contain somemetadata and/or visual information, therefore in order to detect the floods we use this information. The model is based on a Convolutional Neural Network which extracts the visual features and a bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory network to extract the semantic features from the textual metadata. We validate the method on images extracted from Flickr which contain both visual information and metadata and compare the results when using both, visual information only or metadata only. This work has been done in the context of the MediaEval Multimedia Satellite Task.


A P2P system can be viewed as a system that provides replication services. Unlike conventional structured replication systems (CDN, RAID), peers in an unstructured P2P system may have heterogeneous, sometimes low, online availability. Therefore, we formulate the problem with the objective to achieve good system level file availability, and study distributed algorithms for autonomous peers to accomplish that. In this paper, we emphasize the need to provide a differentiated replication service, since files are accessed with different frequency and have different importance. We quantify file preference in terms of weight and formulate the objective as to maximize a weighted sum of file availability. A bi-weight model is studied and then applied to a decentralized random replication algorithm through a statistical rounding policy. This algorithm is easily implementable by autonomous peers with partial information about the resources of the system, and yet yields favorable results in delivering the differentiated replication service while maintaining the system level replication goal.


The aim of this study is to provide an analysis of gap event times under the illness–death model, where some subjects experience "illness" before "death" and others experience only "death." Which event is more likely to occur first and how the duration of the "illness" influences the "death" event are of interest. Because the occurrence of the second event is subject to dependent censoring, it can lead to bias in the estimation of model parameters. In this work, we generalize the semiparametric mixture models for competing risks data to accommodate the subsequent event and use a copula function to model the dependent structure between the successive events. Under the proposed method, the survival function of the censoring time does not need to be estimated when developing the inference procedure. We incorporate the causespecific hazard functions with the counting process approach and derive a consistent estimation using the nonparametric maximum likelihood method. Simulations are conducted to demonstrate the performance of the proposed analysis, and its application in a clinical study on chronic myeloid leukemia is reported to illustrate its utility.


The estimation of planetary magnetic fields from observations of the magnetic field gathered along a spacecraft flyby trajectory is examined with the aid of generalized inverse techniques, with application to the internal magnetic field of Jupiter. Model non-uniqueness resulting from the limited spatial extent of the observations and noise on the data is explored and quantitative estimates of the model parameter resolution are found. The presence of a substantial magnetic field of external origin due to the currents flowing in the Jovian magnetodisc is found to be an important source of error in estimates of the internal Jovian field, and new models explicitly incorporating these currents are proposed. New internal field models are derived using the vector helium magnetometer observations and the high field fluxgate observations of Pioneer 11, and knowledge of the external current system gained from the Pioneer 10 and Voyagers 1 and 2 encounters.


Transporter is a critical part of Supply Chain integration. An international transporter process involves multiple ground pickup and delivery operations, package sorting and palletizing, airport operations and air transport. This paper describes a successful two-machine implementation of a distributed simulation model for an international transportation system in a supply chain network operation using Run Time Infrastructure of High Level Architecture software developed by the Defense Modeling and Simulation Office, the Distributed Manufacturing Simulation Adapter developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and ARENA simulation tool. By incorporating the capabilities provided by these tools, it was successful to establish the information flow exchange between the machines where one machine houses transporter while the other has suppliers, customers, and distribution centers located in different parts of world. This research tool attempts to facilitate the development of distributed simulations so they can be used to analyze and solve manufacturing related problems.


OBJECTIVE
Oxygen-derived free radicals may contribute to vasospasm after the rupture of an intracranial aneurysm through direct vasoconstricting effects occurring within the arterial wall or, secondarily, by causing lipid peroxidation in the subarachnoid erythrocytes with secondary induction of vasoconstriction. U74389G is a potent inhibitor of lipid peroxidation and a scavenger of oxygen-derived free radicals. This study determined the relative contributions of oxygen-derived free radicals and lipid peroxidation to vasospasm in the double-hemorrhage dog model.

METHODS
Sixteen dogs underwent baseline (Day 0) cerebral angiography and induction of subarachnoid hemorrhage by two injections of blood into the cisterna magna 2 days apart. They were randomized to receive drug vehicle (n=8) or U74389G (n=8, 3 mg/kg of body weight/d) intravenously. Drug administration and end point analysis were blinded. The end points were angiographic vasospasm, as assessed by comparison of angiograms obtained before and 7 days after subarachnoid hemorrhage, and the levels of malondialdehyde and salicylate hydroxylation products (dihydroxybenzoic acids) in cerebrospinal fluid and of malondialdehyde in subarachnoid blood clots and basilar arteries 7 days after hemorrhage.

RESULTS
Comparisons within groups of Day 0 and Day 7 angiograms and between groups of angiograms obtained at Day 7, showed significant vasospasm in animals in the vehicle group (mean+/-standard error, 51%+/-4) but not in the U74389G group (25%+/-11, P < 0.05, unpaired t test). High-pressure liquid chromatographic assays of malondialdehyde and dihydroxybenzoic acids in cerebrospinal fluid, subarachnoid blood clots, and basilar arteries showed no significant differences between groups.

CONCLUSION
The significant prevention of vasospasm by U74389G without change in levels of indicators of free radical reactions suggests that the effect of the drug is related to other processes occurring in the arterial wall and that cerebrospinal fluid levels of oxygen radicals and lipid peroxides are not useful markers of vasospasm.


Approximately 400 dung samples were collected from Mainland China during the past two years and examined for coprophilous fungi. Fourteen are new records of Podospora and Schizothecium for Mainland China and the taxa are described and illustrated in this paper. A key to these species from Mainland China is also provided.


This paper introduces a probe-correction method for near-field antenna measurements. The proposed technique is intended to be used jointly with a sources reconstruction method for antenna diagnosis and near-field-to-far-field (NF-FF) transformation. The method is based on the introduction of the probe antenna's pattern as a weighting function into the field integral equations relating the measured near field and the antenna's equivalent sources. In this way, the equivalent currents are reconstructed without distortion due to the probe's pattern, as well as the fields calculated from those currents. The theoretical formulation and practical examples based on antenna measurements are presented in this paper.


In this paper, a measurement report based and active network optimization approach is introduced. It differs from the conventional method that solving the problems based on customer complaints which is passive. By extracting and analyzing the relevant information from the measurement reports generated by the network within a continuous period of time, some common problems existing in the wireless network can be detected and located quickly and actually. Then network maintenance personnel can take specific measures to solve the corresponding problem which could improve the network quality of service Besides, a common method to decode the measurement report comply with 3GPP specification is also introduced.


Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) with their evolving data gathering capabilities will play a significant role in road safety and efficiency applications supported by Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), such as Adaptive Traffic Signal Control (ATSC) for urban traffic congestion management. However, their involvement will expand the space of security vulnerabilities and create larger threat vectors. We perform the first detailed security analysis and implementation of a new cyber-physical attack category carried out by the network of CAVs on ITS, namely, coordinated Sybil attacks, where vehicles with forged or fake identities try to alter the data collected by the ATSC algorithms to sabotage their decisions. Consequently, a novel, game-theoretic mitigation approach at the application layer is proposed to minimize the impact of Sybil attacks. The devised minimax game model enables the ATSC algorithm to generate optimal decisions under a suspected attack, improving its resilience. Extensive experimentation is performed on a traffic dataset provided by the City of Montreal under real-world intersection settings to evaluate the attack impact. Our results improved time loss on attacked intersections by approximately 48.9%. Substantial benefits can be gained from the mitigation, yielding more robust control of traffic across networked intersections.


Home region failed to provide any clear short-term improvement in plant growth, vigor, flowering, quality, or survival of Gaillardia pulchella Foug. (Asteraceae; firewheel) when plants derived from natural populations in east Texas, northeast Florida, central west Florida, central east Florida, and southeast Florida were grown under low-input landscape conditions in northwestern, northern central, or southeastern Florida. During the 22-wk study, adaptability of east Texas plants was similar to that of northeast Florida and southeast Florida plants within the different sites. At the 2 northern sites, plant growth, vigor, and flowering were greater than for plants grown in southeastern Florida. The patterns of biweekly changes in plant vigor, flowering, and quality ratings were similar among plants of all seed sources within a site. Averaged over the entire study, these ratings were equally high for plants of all seed sources except central east Florida plants. Within a site, survival of northeast Florida, southeast Florida, and east Texas plants was equally high (83 to 100%). Also, 100% of central west Florida plants survived at the 2 northern sites, yet no central west Florida plants survived past week 16 in southeastern Florida. Differences in growth, vigor, flowering, quality, and survival were likely related to the loamier soils at the 2 northern sites and (or) flooding June rains in southeastern Florida.


I review recent results on Dalitz plot analyses of D meson decays and an analysis that takes advantage of the quantum correlations between D meson pairs produced in the decay of the ψ (3770).


Cancer has been identified as the leading cause of death. It is predicted that around 20-26 million people will be diagnosed with cancer by 2020. As a result, there is an urgent need for a more effective methodology to prevent and cure cancer. Microarray technology provides a useful basis of achieving this ultimate goal. For cancer research, it has become almost routine to create gene expression profiles, which can discriminate patients into good and poor prognosis groups. This cluster analysis offers a useful basis for individualized treatment of disease. Cluster ensembles have been shown to be better than any standard clustering algorithm for such a task. This meta-learning formalism helps users to overcome the dilemma of selecting an appropriate technique and the parameters for that technique, given a set of data. Among different state-of-the-art methods, the link-based approach (LCE) provides a highly accurate clustering. This paper presents the improvement of LCE with a new link-based similarity measure being developed and engaged. Additional information that is already available in an information network is included in the similarity assessment. As such, this refinement can increase the quality of the measures, hence the resulting cluster decision. The performance of this improved LCE is evaluated on published microarray datasets, in comparison with the original LCE and several well-known cluster ensemble techniques. The findings suggest that the new model can improve the accuracy of LCE and performs better than the others investigated in the empirical study.


With rapid growth in computer network and information technology, a large number of copyrighted works now exist digitally as a computer files, and electronic publishing is becoming more popular. These improvements in computer technology increase the problems associated with copyright enforcement and thus future developments of networked multimedia systems are conditioned by the development of efficient methods to protect ownership rights against unauthorized copying and redistribution. Digital watermarking has recently emerged as a candidate to solve this difficult problem. In the first part of this paper we introduces an overview to digital watermarking: The general framework, its main applications, the most important properties, the main aspects used to classify watermarking, and we discuss the attacks that watermarking system may face. Finally we introduce human visual system and its interaction with watermarking as well as some open problems in digital watermarking. In the second part we introduces an overview of watermarking in frequency domain. The general properties for frequency domain as well as specific properties for each sub-domain are introduced. The sub-domains considered are discrete cosine domain, discrete wavelet domain and discrete Fourier domain. We also introduce some different watermarking techniques in each category.


A common goal for materials employed in nuclear environments is to exhibit the highest radiation tolerance. The lifetimes of current and even more of future reactors are largely determined by materials issues such as embrittlement and swelling. In the process of energy production via fission and fusion, structural materials are subject to substantial radiation damage, which appears in the form of point defects and their agglomeration to form dislocation loops and vacancy clusters. Combination of vacancy clusters with transmutation products such as helium (He) promotes the formation of He bubbles. These bubbles cause swelling, embrittlement and dimensional instabilities in structural metals, which represent a real challenge for application of metals in nuclear industry. It is well known that surfaces, grain boundaries and heterointerfaces are good sinks for radiation-induced point defects and traps for implanted He. Composite materials with a high interface density distribution showed enhanced radiation tolerance compared to conventional single phase metals. In spite of this beneficial effect, the role of He bubbles on the mechanical properties and structural integrity of nanostructured materials is still to be understood. This study is aimed at evaluating and correlating the effects of He bubbles formation with structural and mechanical properties of nanomaterials with high interface density distributions such as nanoscale metallic multilayers. With this aim, Cu/W multilayers were deposited by magnetron sputtering and subjected to He ion implantation (1 MeV) with two different fluences (1.1 and 3.2 ×1016 cm-2) and incident angles. Structure of pristine and irradiated multilayers was investigated by XRD and FIB/TEM analyses, while mechanical properties changes were evaluated by nanoindentation, through which possible deformation mechanisms in multilayers with He bubble-decorated interfaces were also investigated. By combining calculated He concentration profiles, throughout the multilayer thickness and TEM images, it is found that in low He concentrations regions, bubbles formed mostly along interfaces, while more homogeneously distributed bubbles were found in Cu layers and along columnar grain boundaries in higher He concentrations regions. It is suggested that the capability of interfaces to annihilate point defects is weakened by the He bubbles shielding effect. Nanoindentation tests revealed a hardness decrease amounting to ~ 0.5 and ~ 1 GPa for low and high fluences, respectively. The observed softening effect is mostly attributed to He storage induced changes in residual stresses, and columnar grain boundary sliding facilitated by He bubbles.


The propensity score plays a central role in inferring causal effects from observational studies. In particular, weighting and subclassification are two principal approaches to estimate the average causal effect based on estimated propensity scores. Unlike the conventional version of the propensity score subclassification estimator, if the propensity score model is correctly specified, the weighting methods offer consistent and possibly efficient estimation of the average causal effect. However, this theoretical appeal may be diminished in practice by sensitivity to misspecification of the propensity score model. In contrast, subclassification methods are usually more robust to model misspecification. We hence propose to use subclassification for robust estimation of propensity score weights. Our approach is based on the intuition that the inverse probability weighting estimator can be seen as the limit of subclassification estimators as the number of subclasses goes to infinity. By formalizing this intuition, we propose novel propensity score weighting estimators that are both consistent and robust to model misspecification. Empirical studies show that the proposed estimators perform favorably compared to existing methods.


Although creativity is encouraged in the abstract it is often discouraged in educational and workplace settings. Using an agent-based model of cultural evolution, we investigated the idea that tempering the novelty-generating effects of creativity with the novelty-preserving effects of imitation is beneficial for society. In Experiment One we systematically introduced individual differences in creativity, and observed a trade-off between the ratio of creators to imitators, and how creative the creators were. Excess creativity was detrimental because creators invested in unproven ideas at the expense of propagating proven ones. Experiment Two tested the hypothesis that society as a whole benefits if individuals adjust how creative they are in accordance with their creative success. When effective creators created more, and ineffective creators created less (social regulation), the agents segregated into creators and imitators, and the mean fitness of outputs was temporarily higher. We hypothesized that the temporary nature of the effect was due to a ceiling on output fitness. In Experiment Three we made the space of possible outputs open-ended by giving agents the capacity to chain simple outputs into arbitrarily complex ones such that fitter outputs were always possible. With the capacity for chained outputs, the effect of social regulation could indeed be maintained indefinitely. The results are discussed in light of empirical data.


Abstract During the worst year of the Great Irish Famine, 'Black '47', tens of thousands of people fled across the Irish Sea from Ireland to Britain, desperately escaping the starvation and disease plaguing their country. These refugees, crowding unavoidably into the most insalubrious accommodation British towns and cities had to offer, were soon blamed for deadly outbreaks of epidemic typhus which emerged across the country during the first half of 1847. Indeed, they were accused of transporting the pestilence, then raging in Ireland, over with them. Typhus mortality rates in Ireland and Britain soared, and so closely connected with the disease were the Irish in Britain that it was widely referred to as 'Irish fever'. Much of what we know about this epidemic is based on a handful of studies focusing almost exclusively on major cities along the British west-coast. Moreover, there has been little attempt to understand the legacy of the episode on the Irish in Britain. Taking a national perspective, this article argues that the 'Irish fever' epidemic of 1847 spread far beyond the western port of entry, and that the epidemic, by entrenching the association of the Irish with deadly disease, contributed significantly to the difficulties Britain's Irish population faced in the 1850s.


In this study, we questioned the role and the place of constructional morphology in
bilingual dictionaries. As it is the case with monolingual dictionaries, it is becoming
increasingly common to find morphological elements in bilingual dictionaries.
Presenting such elements in a bilingual context, however, raises questions as to
representations of meaning, translation selection and choice of examples. We show a
comparison of the treatment of productive prefixes of Italian in 5 bilingual dictionaries-
French was the target language in three of them, English in the other two. This
comparison shows the differences in the treatment of prefixation and its coverage. First,
we notice that not all the prefixes are represented in these dictionaries, and that some
lexical elements are labelled as prefixes even if this status is contested. In terms of
treatment, we examine in particular aspects of polysemy and of multiple translations.
Regarding the polysemy of some prefixes, many dictionaries simply avoid marking the
difference, while others add specific sense indicators. The most frequently used method
for presenting the translation of prefixes, however, is through examples. In analysing
these examples, we notice the inadequacy of certain translation equivalents, especially
from a productive point of view. There is a noticeable absence of any information on the
productivity of these constructional elements. From the perspective of understanding
neologisms and sometimes even producing them, this lack of precision is regrettable.


The changes in primary care help tailor services to local needs, with benefits to patients. Nurses will play a key part in managing improved access to services, especially in chronic disease management. Strategically, the nurse's role has the potential to change and expand, offering the option of becoming partners with GPs or even grouping together to form a limited company and seek contracts with the PCT. Last but not least organisational standards in the quality framework for CPD and good human resources practice should result in improving nurses' employment conditions.


Aims: Stent thrombosis is a serious complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We examined the incidence of stent thrombosis and other outcomes in patients treated with PCI and paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES), sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) or bare-metal stents (BMS). Methods and results: All patients who underwent PES, SES or BMS implantation from January 2002 to June 2005 were identified in the population-based Western Denmark Heart Registry. All were followed for 36 months. Cox regression analysis was used to estimate relative risk (RR), controlling for covariates. A total of 12,374 patients were treated with stents: 1,298 with PES, 2,202 with SES and 8,847 with BMS. The three-year incidence of definite stent thrombosis was similar in the DES group (1.1%) and in the BMS group (0.7%) (adjusted relative risk [RR]: 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.85-1.81). Very late definite stent thrombosis occurred more frequently in DES-treated patients (adjusted RR: 2.89, 95% CI: 1.48-5.65). The three-year mortality rate did not differ significantly between the two groups. Target lesion revascularisation (TLR) was lower in DES-treated patients than in BMS-treated patients (adjusted RR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.63-0.81). Conclusions: An increased risk of very late definite stent thrombosis was observed in DES-treated patients compared with BMS-treated patients, but a similar mortality was detected. TLR continued to be lower among patients receiving DES.


The most significant problem of a conventional hybrid rocket is its very low fuel regression rate; however, paraffin-based fuels are known to have a much higher regression rate. It was determined by Karabeyoglu et. al. that the materials with low surface tension and melt layer viscosity, such as paraffin-based fuels, generate more entrainment of liquid droplets, resulting in increased regression rates. It was very interesting model for us. Therefore we confirmed it experimentally by observing the burning fuels with a visualization chamber and revealed the high regression rate mechanism of paraffin-based fuels. And then we tried to increase the regression rate moreover with swirled oxidizer flow. It was quite effective, approximately twice of the regression rate of no swirl, but a large amount of liquid fuel was observed in the chamber. It is necessary to vaporize the liquid fuel rapidly to obtain high combustion efficiency. We tried to resolve this problem with a baffle plate set in the combustion chamber and obtained 3% combustion efficiency improvement.


: The method of knee joint endoprosthesis for its pronounced deformity was proposed. As a transplant there was applied the ceramic hydroxiapatite, manufactured according to special technology. The implant was fixed on the transplant adjusted.


In perpetual development, roads are creating a vast network with harmful ecological effects. However, vegetative strips that border them, called roadsides, can mitigate, and even provide additional ecosystem services to the society (biodiversity preservation, water and air filtration,…). Mainly for security reasons, these roadsides must be regularly maintained. Inappropriate roadside management can lead to the decrease in ecosystem services (spread of invasive plants, habitats destruction or modification of the environment by soil enrichment among others). As roadside maintenance is highly recommended, the aim of this review is to identify technological solutions allowing to reduce management effects on ecosystem services provided by roadsides. Based on a systematic review of the scientific literature, five sensor technologies solutions were finally selected: the detection of rare, protected, or invasive plant species, the detection of animals, the automated control of ditches, the assessment of biomass quantity and carbon storage and the assessment of cultural services provided by roadsides.


Electronic nose (E-nose), as an artificial olfactory system, can be used for quantification of odor concentration combined with a pattern recognition module. Back propagation neural network (BPNN) has been recognized as the common pattern recognition in E-nose development. Considering the flaw of easily trap into a local optimal of BPNN, this paper presents a novel chaotic sequence optimization BPNN method for improving the accuracy in E-nose quantification prediction. Three chaos dynamic equations including logistic map, tent map and Gaussian map for chaotic queue with ergodic characteristic were applied in chaos based optimization. Through comparisons with standard particle swarm optimization, the experimental results demonstrate the superiority and efficiency of the chaos based optimization algorithm from the point of view of the search ability and robustness.


This paper discuss the theory of orientation estimation algorithms designed for inertial/magnetic sensor modules and briefly describe three types of sensor modules. Specifically, the modules discussed are the InterSense InertiaCube, the MicroStrain 3DM-G, and the MARG III. The MARG III was designed by the authors and manufactured by McKinney Technology. Basic background on the ambient magnetic field of the Earth and how it is distorted by ferrous objects and electrically powered devices is then provided. Methods of calibrating magnetic field variations are then discussed.


The main objective of this thesis was to investigate tree cover crop interactions and soil response in an intercropping system, in which leguminous and grass cover crops were used with birch (red-leaved Downy birch Betula pubescens L.). The investigation was conducted in two field experiments in a nursery and in a greenhouse experiment. In the latter the effect of the water supply in interspesific competition was also investigated. The cover crops in the field experiments were perennial clovers Trifolium pratense L., T. repens L. and T. hybridum L. and annual clovers T. incarnatum L., T. resupinatum L. and T. subterraneum L. and perennial Festuca rubra L. The height, stem diameter, leaf area and nutrient status of the birch were determined, as well as soil nutrient status and microbial characteristics. The cover crops in the greenhouse experiment were T. repens, T. subterraeum and F. rubra. The biomass, height, leaf area, leaf area index, specific leaf area and N concentration of the birch, the biomass and N concentration of the cover crops were measured, and soil N and microbial characteristics, as well. Bare ground was the control in all the experiments. The perennial clovers and Festuca strongly decreased the birch growth and nutrient status, but the annual clovers sown in midsummer in the field experiments provided about as good growth as bare ground. In the greenhouse experiment all cover crops were effective competitors with the birch. The soil NO3-N was, in general, the highest on bare ground and second highest in the annual clover plots. Though there were, in general, only minor differences in the soil nutrient concentrations between the treatments, there were significant differences in the tree growth and nutrient concentrations. The interspecific competition in this kind of intercropping system is mainly belowground. The growth reduction in the birch was mainly due to competition for nitrogen but water seems to play an important role in regulating the competitive interaction between the birch and cover crops. The competition for these resources seems to be most crucial at the beginning of the growing season. The microbial biomasses and soil respiration were greatest in the Festuca and perennial clover treatments, which may indicate that microorganisms together with these cover crops may seriously compete with birch for nutrients. Intercropping system is complex and comprises both negative and positive influences. In order to minimize negative competition effects, the cover crop should be non-competitive or the ground should be kept free of vegetation at the beginning of the growing season. By improving soil microbial characteristics, the vegetative ground covers make this cropping system one possiblity towards sustainability in the long-term.


Voltage unbalance in a three-phase system causes performance deterioration of PWM power converters by producing 120 Hz voltage ripples in the DC link and by increasing the reactive power. To eliminate the DC link voltage ripple and the DC component of the reactive power, both positive- and negative-sequence currents should be controlled simultaneously, according to the paper by Rioual et al (1996). The authors used two synchronous reference frames: a positive-sequence current regulated by a proportional integral (PI) controller in a positive synchronous reference frame (SRF); and a negative-sequence current regulated by a PI controller in a negative SRF. In the positive SRF, which rotates counterclockwise, the positive sequence appears as DC, while the negative sequence appears as 120 Hz. In contrast, in the negative SRF, which rotates clockwise, the negative sequence appears as DC, while the positive sequence appears as 120 Hz. By deleting 120 Hz components using a notch filter in each SRF, one can measure positive- and negative-sequence currents separately, and use them for constructing two feedback controllers. Since the negative-sequence current is also controlled in its own SRF by a DC command, this approach yields better performance without increasing the control gain. Note that, since the controller is implemented by a software routine in the digital signal professor chip, using two SRFs does not require additional hardware. The authors demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme by using computer simulation and experiments.


Despite the progress made over the last decades across several socio-economic indicators, poverty incidence remains persistently high in São Tomé e Príncipe, with over two-thirds of the population living below the poverty line of US$3.2 (World Bank 2018). A set of constraints imposed by the country's insularity, small market size and agroecological conditions make the country extremely vulnerable to market and climate shocks. Its economy relies heavily on imports, which are counterbalanced by a narrow set of exports, with cacao taking the lion share (approximately 70% of total exports, World Bank 2018). Agricultural production, however, has declined since the country's independence in 1975 and productivity has remained consistently low, hindering economic wellbeing and progress of rural livelihoods, particularly of those relying on small-scale farming as a key source of income. The two projects evaluated in this report – the Participatory Smallholder Agriculture and Artisanal Fisheries Development Programme (PAPAFPA; implemented 2003-15) and, its successor, the Smallholder Commercial Agriculture Project (PAPAC; 2015-2020) – focus on this group of farmers and on three value chains: cacao, coffee and pepper. The projects interventions revolve around the promotion of certified organic farming and the creation of export-oriented cooperatives in each value chain, together with the investment in rural infrastructure. The projects' cooperatives play a key role in the implementation of the interventions in the field, by working closely with the farmers and their associations, providing professional training, productive assets and facilitating linkages to the market. The interventions aim at increasing agricultural production in a sustainable manner via organic farming, enhancing market access and resilience to shocks, thereby promoting small farmers' income stability and food security. Organic certification labels have been increasingly used across the world to pursue social and environmental sustainability in supply chains for agricultural products. However, there is still considerable debate surrounding their effectiveness in achieving those goals. Robust quantitative evidence of their impact on crop prices, productivity and overall welfare of rural livelihoods is scarce, and for São Tomé e Príncipe inexistent. Thus, the current impact assessment fills a gap in this literature by using a mixed-methods approach to assess and quantitatively estimate the impact of a project centred around certification schemes through rigorous counterfactual-based methods. Given the fundamental role played by the value-chain cooperatives in the project, it also contributes to a growing literature on the impact of associativism and cooperativism on the economic mobility of farmers and rural households.


In a clinical trial the predictive potential of a microbiological screening test for identifying patients with increased caries activity was evaluated. Within a period of 2 years microbiological data and caries increments were found to correlate well. Of the results in 113 preschool children, only 4 proved to be false negative, i.e. only 4 children were wrongly allocated to a non-risk group. As the test is easily handled, it is excellently suited both for group and individual screening programs.


This research created an Expectation Enactment Analysis, which was used to study the Chancellor of a Christian, faith-based, missions-oriented university. The study was grounded in the field of managerial work, jobs, and behaviour. It also drew on symbolic interactionism, role theory, role identity theory, and enactment theory.

The framework for Expectation Enactment Analysis contains seven components viewed from three perspectives. The components are 1) identification of contextual parameters, 2) Role Episode analyses, 3) interviews of the Chancellor and his Role Set Members, 4) identification of Managerial Agenda items, tasks, and activities, 5) identification of three Expectation Enactment Programs, 6) expectations enacted, and 7) Impact Analysis. The three perspectives are organizational, interpersonal, and personal.

This Analysis developed the Expectation Enactment Program model-an open systems, role construct--integrating the managerial agenda as an internal standard for internal processing and external performance. Additionally, the Analysis linked external performance to expectation enactment and the Role Incumbent's impact on the organization, his Role Set Members, and himself.

The study employed a naturalistic, "inquiry from the inside" approach characterised by a longitudinal, field based, case study format relying on qualitative methods. It was an exploratory study designed to create a conceptual framework for further developing an understanding of managerial roles. This methodology involved intensive participation on the part of the researcher. As a result, it extends this type of research only occasionally seen in the field of managerial work, jobs, and behaviour.

Expectation Enactment Analysis integrates work from a breadth of related disciplines. Such an Analysis offers the possibility of understanding 1) the functioning of a Role Incumbent in role, 2) the impact of that functioning on an organization, Role Set Members, and him/herself, and 3) potential leverage points for creating change within the organization through the Role Incumbent. The Analysis offers future possibilities for application in research, management education, and executive development.


Background In China, laparoscopic splenectomy and esophagogastric devascularization (LSED) are effective and safe tools that are used to treat esophageal-fundic variceal bleeding with portal hypertension (PHT) with minimal trauma; however, due to the increased difficulty of operation, their application in massive splenomegaly (MS) remains limited. This study sought to determine the efficacy and safety of LSED in treating MS patients with PHT. Methods The data of 124 patients who underwent LSED by a single surgical team at our department from January 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The characteristics of the patients, perioperative parameters, and long-term follow-up data were examined. Results A total of 61 MS and 63 mild-to-moderate splenomegaly (MMS) patients underwent LSED. Much larger spleen and significant lower of white blood cells and platelets was found in MS group compared the MMS group preoperation (P<0.05). The MS group had a significantly longer operation time (P=0.009), more blood loss (P=0.003), and more abdominal drainage days (P=0.017) than the MMS group. Four patients in the MS group and 0 patients in the MMS group were converted to open surgery. No significant difference was found between the 2 groups in terms of postoperative complications. Nine patients in the MMS group and 10 in the MMS group experienced recurrent bleeding in the follow-up period, but no significant differences were observed in terms of recurrent bleeding and overall survival (OS) between the 2 groups. Conclusions LSED can be used to treat MS patients with PHT under careful perioperative management. For experienced surgeons, LSED is a safe, feasible, and minimally invasive procedure with satisfactory long-term outcomes that can be used to treat MS patients with PHT. Keywords Laparoscopic splenectomy (LS); massive splenomegaly (MS); devascularization; portal hypertension (PHT)


A series of new ether lipid-3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) conjugates (11a-g) were synthesized and evaluated for anti-HIV activity. The effect of chirality on the antiviral activity was examined through the synthesis of AZT conjugates bearing alkoxypropanols in the lipid portion of the molecule (11a-d). In addition, the long alkyl chain of alkoxyethyl ether lipid-AZT analogs was replaced with aromatic groups (11e-g), and the effect of this structural modification on activity is reported. The results of the biological tests indicate that analogs with a methyl group alpha to the phosphate moiety (11c,d) exhibit a marked degree of stereoselectivity with regard to their anti-HIV activity. Also, replacement of the long alkyl chain with aromatic groups in the oxyalkyl ether phospholipid-AZT conjugates leads to substantially more potent compounds (11e-g) with an anti-HIV activity comparable to that of AZT.


ABSTRACT We report here for the first time the 16,566-bp mitochondrial genome sequence of the human neuroblastoma cell line 751-NA. The 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNAs, and 22 tRNAs are organized in a virtually identical fashion to a previously reported human mitochondrial genome, except that the 1,136-bp d-loop region is slightly variable between them.


The author defends a novel philosophical thesis about the nature and foundation of moral rights. The thesis maintains that rights-claims derive their credibility from a distinctive idea of equality according to which persons are not just equally valuable but equally invaluable. The egalitarian ideal derives its normative content from widely acknowledged norms of competence that are distinguishable from and conceptually prior to the norms of rationality and morality that have exercised contemporary theorists of rational choice and justice. When its nature and foundation are appreciated, rights-based justice can be seen to be more powerful and, in an important sense, less ideological than alternative conceptions. In defending this view, the author considers how ideology corrupts thinking about justice and maintains that contemporary theorists are ideological in a sense that disqualifies them from setting credible normative standards.


Seventy percent of the earth is occupied by oceans. Forty percent of the world inhabitants are living along
the coastline of the oceans. Marine microorganisms have been associated with various processes in the
ocean with 50% of global primary production occurring in the ocean and carried out by marine bacterial
metabolisms of chemical elements. Divers infectious diseases affecting both human and animals originate
from aquatic sources especially water and sediment most of which occur in developing countries as a result
of industrial and anthropogenic activities in coastal areas while the level of contamination influences pathogenicity
of the prevailing pathogens contamination. Aeromonas and Vibrio species are aquatic microorganisms
and share similar characteristics. They cause diseases in both human and aquatic animals. They are
also prevalent in coastal areas. Virulence factors are utilized by bacteria to escape host immune system, to
establish diseases and resist antibiotics. Most common virulence factors among bacteria include protease,
lysis of red blood cells, motility, and biofilm formation. There has been a global increase in emerging and
re-emergence of virulence bacteria species. Among the key factors attributed to this trend is resistance to
antibiotics, possession of new virulence genes through horizontal gene transfer from the environment or
bacterial stress. Study on Aeromonas and Vibrio species has grown widely in the past decades due to unusual
antibiotics resistance and virulence factors displayed by these bacteria hence comparative study on
the occurrence, prevalence, putative virulence factors and antibiotics resistance of Aeromonas and Vibrio
species is therefore required.


This study applies the charcoalification measurement method to infer the emplacement temperature of pyroclastic flow deposits erupted from the Sundoro Volcano, Indonesia. This pyroclastic flow partially covered the Liyangan archeological site, a site where Hindu temples were constructed approximately 1,000 years ago. Five samples of charcoal collected from this area were analyzed for reflectance and elemental composition. Charcoalification temperatures were determined based on mean random optical reflectance values (Ro) plotted on published RoTemperature curves. Charcoalification temperatures were also estimated using a published formula based on the charcoal's hydrogen to carbon (H/C) ratio. These two methods for determining pyroclastic flow deposition temperatures indicated that the pyroclastic deposits that entombed the Liyangan archeological site ranged from 295° to 487°C when they were deposited. This study used very simple, rapid, precise, and low-cost methods of charcoalification temperature measurement to infer the emplacement temperature of a pyroclastic deposit. This estimation procedure could be applied widely to predict emplacement temperatures in volcanic area in Indonesia to enhance volcanic hazard mitigation.


This study examines the experiences of men following stillbirth in particular the challenges they face in claiming their identity as a father of an absent child. Fathers felt diminished when concerns about how they were coping were directed only to the women. Contrary to the notion that father's experience suggests men suffer less distress, this research shows that men also deal with loss at an emotional level.

This investigation into men's accounts of loss forms part of a larger study in which 28 men and women participated in interviews and focus groups about their experiences of perinatal death.

By listening to narrative accounts of loss, the passage to parenthood for bereaved men represents a disruption and re-evaluation of who they are, what they knew about the world as they negotiate the incomprehensibility of the death itself. Narratives by bereaved men also reveal how their sense of self and identity is mediated by the social and cultural milieu to which they belong and are largely disenfranchising experiences when friends, family and others, at times, fail to acknowledge the enormity of their loss.

The findings suggest that recognition of the death of baby who is stillborn as well as the impact of the death for father's is intertwined with personal identity. Men in this study needed to receive recognition as fathers, both at the time of their loss and after. In examining the reproductive and bereavement journey of men, several domains occurred to illuminate the experience of men including; men as support partners; the impact of the death; parenting an absent child [advocate, protector]. The findings from this study will offer insight into the experiences of men that will resonate for others including practitioners who support individuals going through similar experiences.

Ethical approval for the study was granted by the University of Bristol Ethics Committee as part of doctoral research. Written informed consent was obtained by all study participants. No formal recruitment was obtained through the National Health Service or Government Institution and was entirely voluntary.


Abstract 2118 Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT, Osler Weber Rendu Syndrome) is an autosomal dominant vascular disease characterized by mucocutaneous telangiectasias, epistaxis, GI bleeding and iron deficiency. Arteriovenous malformations also frequently occur in pulmonary, hepatic and cerebral circulation. The disease prevalence has been estimated between 1:5000 and 1:8000, but much higher rates are seen in geographically isolated regions such as Curacao and Bonaire (1:1330). At least 5 genetic mutations have been implicated in the development of HHT but the two major gene targets are endoglin (chromosome 9) and activin receptor like kinase 1, ALK 1 (chromosome 12). Endothelial cells derived from HHT patients express one half the normal levels of these proteins. In addition, increased plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and TGF-Beta-1 have been noted in HHT patients. Inhibition of VEGF would appear to be an appropriate target to arrest the aberrant vascular proliferation in this disease. Despite better understanding of the pathophysiology of this syndrome, treatment advances have been hampered by the variability in clinical presentation and a lack of controlled clinical trials. Recommendations are largely based on anecdotal experience and case reports. We report a 77 year old patient with HHT (4/4 Curacao criteria) who developed a massive, prolonged transfusion requirement due to epistaxis and GI bleeding. Six units of packed red blood cells per week were required over a 4 year period to maintain a hemoglobin of 8 g/dl. He also required 400 mg of iron sucrose intravenously per week to maintain a ferritin level of 50ng/ml. Bone marrow biopsy demonstrated no evidence of a myelophthisic process or myelodysplastic syndrome. Erythropoietin levels were markedly elevated and coagulation studies were consistently normal. Bleeding persisted despite multiple endoscopies with extensive cauterization. He received sequential 3 month treatments with aminocaproic acid, sirolimus and thalidomide before receiving bevacizumab. Aminocaproic acid and sirolimus resulted in no change in the chronic 6 unit weekly transfusion requirement. Thalidomide transiently decreased the transfusion requirement to 4 units per week before being discontinued due to peripheral neuropathy. Bevacizumab at 5 mg/kg was administered every two weeks. By 4 weeks the transfusion requirement decreased to 1 unit per 2 weeks. By three months, he was transfusion independent and has remained so for three months. HHT is a vascular disorder with evidence of disordered angiogenesis. The clinical presentation and severity of symptoms varies widely. 3 case reports have previously demonstrated amelioration of bleeding due to bevacizumab. Our case is significant for the severity and prolonged duration of the bleeding. Local measures, aminocaproic acid and sirolimus failed to have any effect on the rate of bleeding in this patient. Thalidomide had a modest benefit at the expense of development of peripheral neuropathy. Bevacizumab completely corrected the prolonged and extreme bleeding in this case and it effectiveness was evident after the first dose. Our experience suggests that angiogenesis inhibition may have a significant role in the management HHT. Further investigation into patient selection, optimum dosing and duration of treatment is needed. Disclosures: Off Label Use: Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody to Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor. Our case describes its use to eliminate bleeding in a patient with Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia.


This paper presents the first step toward a computational steering environment based on CORBA. This environment, called EPSN, allows the control, the data exploration and the data modification for numerical simulations involving an iterative process. In order to be as generic as possible, we introduce an abstract model of steerable simulations. This abstraction allows us to build steering clients independently of a given simulation. This model is described with an XML syntax and is used in the simulation by some source code annotations. EPSN takes advantage of the CORBA technology to design a communication infrastructure with portability, interoperability and network transparency. In addition, the in-progress parallel CORBA objects will give us a very attractive framework for extending the steering to parallel and distributed simulations.


This paper describes the low-noise low-cost receiver for satellite broadcasting with new technology developed by us. The paper also describes the image recovery theory, the design principle of our downconverter, a frequency-stabilized local oscillator with bipolar transistors, the required limiting factor of a filter, the removing circuit of an energy dispersal signal, and a parabolic antenna for circularly polarized waves together with the performance of our device. The experimental results obtained through the Communication Technology Satellite (CTS) are also shown.


Diabetes Mellitus (DM) was a chronic metabolic disorder that occurs when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin or when the body fails to effectively use the insulin that is produces. One of the non-medical therapies that can be given to patients with diabetes mellitus is giving dragon fruit, apples and papayas. This purpose of this study to see how giving dragon fruit, apple and papaya juice affects blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes patients. This study is a quasi-experimental design with a pretest and posttest with a control group. This study was carried out at the Palembang Social Health Center from March to October 2022. The sample in this study was selected by accidental sampling with a total sample of 30 subjekts in the treatment and control groups. The paired sample t-test was used to analyze the data, and there was a difference in the average difference of blood glucose levels in the treatment group of 68,44 mg/dl (p-value = 0,000) and the control group of 1,2 mg/dl (p-value = 0,770). Analysis of the multiple linear regression multivariate test showed that there is an effect of energy, fat, carbohydrate and fiber intake on blood glucose levels with a p value <0,005. The conclution that there is an effect of giving dragon fruit, apple and papaya juice on blood glucose levels in diabetes mellitus type 2 patients the differences in average blood glucose levels of the treatment group were greater than those of the control group.


The recent histological classifications of breast malignant epithelial tumours place increased emphasis on several concepts: in situ carcinoma, difference of lobular carcinoma from other forms of breast cancer and histological factors of prognosis. The authors propose to discriminate: non infiltrating duct carcinoma (intraductal carcinoma); lobular carcinoma (in situ and infiltrating); infiltrating duct carcinoma in their usual form (80 p. 100 about of all breast carcinoma); among them, histological types with a less ominous prognosis, although relatively rare, are stressed (infiltrating papillary and comedo-carcinomas, tubular carcinoma, medullary carcinoma, colloid carcinoma, cylindroma, certain metaplastic variants, Paget's disease of the nipple); some features in unusual hosts are related. They mention the criteria of the Scarff and Bloom's "grading" and its importance from the point of view of prognosis, mainly for the usual infiltrating forms. Other malignant tumours of the breast (malignant cystosarcoma phyllodes, sarcomas, mammary metastases) are more scarcely seen (I p. 100 of the mammary neoplasms): their classification is succinctly recalled.


Background More than 50% patients suffered from low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) after low anterior resection, and their quality of life is predominantly determined by colorectal surgeons' awareness and knowledge of LARS. We conducted the survey to find out the weakness in the management of patients' functional recovery after surgery and explore targeted training pathways to improve doctor's ability to deal with LARS. Methods An anonymous paper-based survey among colorectal surgeons was performed across the country. Results 252 questionnaires were collected and analyzed with the effective rate of 86.6%. Most of the respondents were highly educated and experienced in gastroenterology. The mean age was 39.9 ± 9.20 years. In multivariate Logistic regression analysis, surgeons with MD, PhD degree (OR: 2.843, 95%CI: 1.441-5.609, p = 0.003) and national academic membership (OR: 2.063, 95%CI: 1.010-4.214, p = 0.047) were associated with surgeons' emphasis on follow-up. 65.1% of respondents underestimated the prevalence of LARS. Chief/deputy chief, national academic membership and annual surgeries ≥ 50 (42.7% vs 29.4%, p=0.033; 46.4% vs 30.0%, p=0.007; 46.0% vs 31.6%, p=0.021) were associated with high diagnostic rate of LARS but none of these factors were statistically significant in multivariate analysis. LARS score was the most popular scale in the evaluation of LARS severity. The feedback of the most common postoperative anorectal disorders by colorectal surgeons was significantly different from the items listed in the LARS score. 48.4% of respondents use drugs to treat LARS but therapies varied from surgeons to surgeons. Conclusions There is a lack of knowledge relating to LARS in colorectal surgeons. Clinical guidelines should be developed to guide medical staff in effective management of patients with LARS.


Most patients with neurocysticercosis have few intracranial lesions. However, a small subset show development of massive infections that may be divided into encephalitic and nonencephalitic. Proper differentiation of both forms is important because they have different pathogenetic mechanisms and require different therapeutic approaches. in and


Vapor pressure is one of the most important properties in chemical process design for unit operations like distillation, extraction an absorption processes. Even though, vapor pressure data for most of the commonly used chemical compounds are available in the literature and the data bank is continuously being updated, reliable vapor pressure data for vegetable oils are scarce. Vapor pressure of vegetable oils are not easily determined due to its complex nature (chemical composition) and temperature sensitivity. The vapor pressure measurements of all phlegmatic liquids including oils and its main constituent triglycerides, require a method which impose a minimum of thermal hazard to the substance under examination. It is also suggested that the vapor pressure of vegetable oils may be determined from the data on its constituent triglycerides by suitable interpolation/extrapolation. This paper discusses methods of determining vapor pressure of some of the major components found in palm oil. Some intricate problems related to the temperature measurement and instrumentation under very low pressures are also indicated. Preliminary results of this investigation on the vapor pressure of the triglycerides are presented.


Large area, 7:25 8:76 cm, Silicon Drift Detector (SDD) has been developed for the ALICE experiment at CERN [A. Vacchi, et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 306 (1991) 187; A. Rashevsky, et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 461 (2001) 133–138; A. Rashevsky, et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 485 (2002) 54; P. Burger, C. Piemonte, A. Rashevsky, A. Roncastri, A. Vacchi, INFN/TC-02/07; C. Piemonte, A. Rashevsky, INFN/TC-02/08; C. Piemonte, A. Rashevsky, D. Nouais, INFN/TC-00/04. C. Piemonte, A. Rashevsky, A. Vacchi, ALICEINT-2002-15, 2002; Inner Tracking System, CERN/LHCC, June 1999]. SDDs form two out of six cylindrical layers of the ALICE inner tracking system. The 260 high-quality SDDs needed to equip these two layers have been selected. One of the detector design elements devoted to allow controlled operating conditions is the on-board arrays of point-like charge injectors [D. Nouais, et al., CERN-ALICEPUB-99-31; V. Bonvicini, et al., Il Nuovo Cimento 112AN (1–2) (1999) 137–146]. In the case of an SDD they are essential to trace, with the required frequency and precision, the changes in drift velocity induced by temperature variations. In order to ensure operating stability during the 10 years of the ALICE experiment the bias scheme of the charge injectors exploits the electrical properties not only of a detector itself, but also those of the cables mounted onto it, thus constituting a module. Computer simulations of the equivalent circuit revealed a significant improvement of the injection efficiency. Subsequent experimental tests of the first assembled modules confirmed the predicted performances. We report the layout of the charge injectors integrated in the ALICE SDD, as well as test results. r 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 29.30.Kv; 29.40.Gx


Inequity and power imbalances, adverse employment conditions and the lack of economic opportunities or control over assets are all manifestations of peoples' disempowerment and contribute to their poverty. This Policy Guidance Note considers the causal relationship between empowerment and pro-poor growth. It identifies eight domains of empowerment within three spheres: the economic (markets, decent employment and productive assets); the political (political representation and collective action); and the social (human capabilities, critical awareness and inclusion) and describes what donors can do to support and strengthen empowerment in those domains. Suggestions for how donors should work for optimal effect include key messages for development co-operation.


This research examines mediational roles of perceived customer value and customer satisfaction on the relationship between online service quality dimensions and brand equity dimensions. A theoretical model was developed based on a review of the existing literature on the topics, and a survey was developed to test the model using a sample of 576 participants with active online banking accounts in UAE. The structural findings showed that system efficiency, fulfillment and responsiveness have positive effects on brand awareness and brand image, whereas system reliability and security showed negative relationships. Moreover, the findings support the mediational roles of perceived customer value and customer satisfaction on the relationship between brand awareness, brand image, and brand loyalty.


The scattering amplitude fk (α, θ) of a charged particle from a long hard cylindrical solenoid is derived by solving the time independent Schrodinger equation on a double connected plane. The amplitude is expressed by a summation over the angular momentum quantum number m (partial wave summation). It is shown that only negative mechanical angular momenta, m+α<0, contribute to the amplitude when the radius of the solenoid goes to the zero limit (a→0) without varying the magnetic induction flux α = Φ_B/Φ_0 (flux line). The original Aharonov-Bohm result is obtained with this limit.


Multi-channel urodynamics is an invasive diagnostic method used to assess bladder biomechanics. MRI-based CFD has shown high potential as a clinical tool primarily focused on cardiovascular flows. In this pilot study, we demonstrate MRI-based CFD as a tool to study urodynamics. Real-time MRI on one subject provided bladder wall surfaces at multiple time points during voiding. We developed a surface mapping algorithm that processes the bladder geometries before inputting them into a CFD simulation. Coupling MRI with CFD successfully visualized and quantified urine flow dynamics. This provides a non-invasive tool to investigate urodynamics in common urological conditions such as BPH/LUTS.


In 1989, Normark and coworkers reported on fibrous surface structures called curli on strains of Escherichia coli that were suspected of causing bovine mastitis. Subsequent work by many groups has revealed an elegant and highly regulated curli biogenesis pathway also referred to as the type VIII secretion system. Curli biogenesis is governed by two divergently transcribed operons, csgBAC and csgDEFG. The csgBAC operon encodes the structural subunits of curli, CsgA and CsgB, along with a chaperone-like protein, CsgC. The csgDEFG operon encodes the accessory proteins required for efficient transcription, secretion, and assembly of the curli fiber. CsgA and CsgB are secreted as largely unstructured proteins and transition to β-rich structures that aggregate into regular fibers at the cell surface. Since both of these proteins have been shown to be amyloidogenic in nature, the correct spatiotemporal synthesis of the curli fiber is of paramount importance for proper functioning and viability. Gram-negative bacteria have evolved an elegant machinery for the safe handling, secretion, and extracellular assembly of these amyloidogenic proteins.


Intrinsically stretchable conductors play key roles in the dynamic interfacing of electronic devices with soft human tissues. However, it is difficult to simultaneously achieve high electrical conductivity and mechanical stretchability. Here, highly stretchable and conductive thin film electrodes are prepared by combining PEDOT:PSS and a mutually plasticized polymer dopant. Notably, harsh acid treatment for conductivity enhancement is avoided, and good solvent tolerance and high optical transparency are realized, all of which are essential to device fabrication. A transparent electrochromic display is further developed that can bear stretching up to 80% strain, demonstrating its promising application in next‐generation optoelectronics.


The aim of this article is to investigate language use as a social phenomenon in the period of eight centuries during which there was a Muslim state in the Iberian peninsula—that is, more exactly, the period comprising 711 C.E. to 1492 C.E., which are the dates of the Muslim arrival and conquest of the peninsula, and the end of the reconquest of the Muslim territory by the Christians, respectively. For this purpose, I will look into the contexts and registers in which the different languages of Medieval Iberia were used, as well as references to linguistic usages that the written sources of this period contain. Religious affiliation will prove to be a decisive factor in the use of different linguistic varieties and, moreover, the values ascribed to each of them.