Annotations enrich text corpora and provide necessary labels for natural language processing studies. To reason and infer underlying implicit knowledge captured by labels, an ontology is needed to provide a semantically annotated corpus with structured domain knowledge. Utilizing a corpus of adverse event documents annotated for sepsis-related signs and symptoms as a use case, this paper details how a terminology and corresponding ontology were developed. The Annotated Adverse Event NOte TErminology (AAENOTE) represents annotated documents and assists annotators in annotating text. In contrast, the complementary Catheter Infection Indications Ontology (CIIO) is intended for clinician use and captures domain knowledge needed to reason and infer implicit information from data. The approach taken makes ontology development understandable and accessible to domain experts without formal ontology training.


— The Maxwell-Garnett method is used to predict the effective dielectric constant and the tangent loss of various composites consisting of a PVDF-TrFE-CFE-matrix and conductive microsphere fillers made of Cu, Ni, W, Zn, or Fe. Simulation results demonstrate that for small filler fraction values and at low frequencies, the electrical properties of the resulting composite do not depend on the conductivity of the filler. These findings show that composites fabricated using cheaper metal nanoparticle fillers are as effective as those fabricated using expensive ones.


Background In the last few years, accumulating evidence has indicated that numerous long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are abnormally expressed in gastric cancer (GC) and are associated with the survival of GC patients. This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis on 19 lncRNAs (AFAP1 antisense RNA 1 [AFAP1-AS1], CDKN2B antisense RNA 1 [ANRIL], cancer susceptibility 15 [CASC15], colon cancer associated transcript 2 [CCAT2], gastric adenocarcinoma associated, positive CD44 regulator, long intergenic noncoding RNA [GAPLINC], H19, imprinted maternally expressed transcript [H19], HOX transcript antisense RNA [HOTAIR], HOXA distal transcript antisense RNA [HOTTIP], long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 673 [LINC00673], metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 [MALAT1], maternally expressed 3 [MEG3], promoter of CDKN1A antisense DNA damage activated RNA [PANDAR], Pvt1 oncogene [PVT1], SOX2 overlapping transcript [Sox2ot], SPRY4 intronic transcript 1 [SPRY4-IT1], urothelial cancer associated 1 [UCA1], X inactive specific transcript [XIST], ZEB1 antisense RNA 1 [ZEB1-AS1] and ZNFX1 antisense RNA 1 [ZFAS1]) to systematically estimate their prognostic value in GC. Methods The qualified literature was systematically searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (up to March 16, 2018), and one meta-analysis relating to the relationship between lncRNA expression and overall survival (OS) of GC patients was performed. The only evaluation criterion of survival results was OS. Results A total of 6,095 GC patients and 19 lncRNAs from 51 articles were included in the present study. Among the listed 19 lncRNAs, 18 lncRNAs (other than SPRY4-IT1) showed a significantly prognostic value (P<0.05). Conclusion This meta-analysis suggested that the abnormally expressed lncRNAs (AFAP1-AS1, ANRIL, CASC15, CCAT2, GAPLINC, H19, HOTAIR, HOTTIP, LINC00673, MALAT1, MEG3, PANDAR, PVT1, Sox2ot, UCA1, XIST, ZEB1-AS1 and ZFAS1) were significantly associated with the survival of GC patients, among which AFAP1-AS1, CCAT2, LINC00673, PANDAR, PVT1, Sox2ot, ZEB1-AS1 and ZFAS1 were strong candidates in predicting the prognosis of GC patients.


This qualitative study by Dixon-Woods et al raises several issues of direct relevance to practitioners who work with children and adolescents with cancer. Parents' knowledge about their children and their usual health patterns emerged as a crucial source of information concerning the presence of cancer. The reluctance of some doctors to take symptoms seriously may stem from the perception that childhood malignancies are rare. The conflict which then arose when parents demanded further action indicates the importance of appreciating the value of "lay" knowledge when it comes to assessing children's health. Professional knowledge is usually privileged in such situations, but this study shows that this can lead to a delay in investigations and reaching a definitive diagnosis. Such delays may then result in a lack of trust between professionals and parents, which may be difficult to recover.

The study also confirms the value of using qualitative research approaches to obtain evidence about people's detailed perceptions of healthcare services. It is a good example of a practical issue being illuminated by asking people directly about their perceptions of what happened to them. Other factors that were highlighted include the dangers of medical staff lacking expertise in childhood and adolescent cancers. Recent policy changes in the UK have argued that cancer should be treated only in designated centres where the necessary skills, equipment, and experience are available. The researchers provide direct evidence why such an approach should be advocated.

The problem remains unanswered, however, about how to prevent unnecessary delays between the recognition of symptoms and cancer detection. This may require those in primary care to value a parent's instinctive knowledge of their children, so that fewer cases of cancer fall through the net. Such a message must obviously be balanced against reacting to the fears of parents who may simply be over anxious about their children. It is good to see research that focuses on the reality of cancer care and provides evidence of how a system can be improved. Similarly, research that explores adolescents' particular needs is also long overdue. Those involved in primary health and cancer care are likely to find this study thought provoking.


Objective: Associations between changes in physical activity (PA) and cardiometabolic risk factors among women with overweight/obesity enrolled in a university-based worksite wellness program (WWP) were examined. Methods: Data from 173 women who completed a 26-week WWP were analyzed retrospectively. Participants completed diet and PA assessments and received client-centered diet/lifestyle counseling at baseline, and 12 and 26 weeks thereafter. Anthropometrics, blood pressure, and total cholesterol were measured; PA was self-reported using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short form at each visit. Results: Significant improvements in anthropometrics (P < 0.001), blood pressure (P < 0.001), total cholesterol (P = 0.014), and PA (P = 0.007) were found at 26 weeks. In adjusted linear regression models, a 10 metabolic-equivalent-minute increase in PA was associated with 0.01% corresponding decreases in weight and waist circumference. Conclusion: Among women who completed this WWP, increased PA was associated with reductions in anthropometric measures.


The depth and complexity of data now available on chromosome 3D architecture, derived by new technologies such as Hi‐C, have triggered the development of models based on polymer physics to explain the observed patterns and the underlying molecular folding mechanisms. Here, we give an overview of some of the ideas and models from physics introduced to date, along with their progresses and limitations in the description of experimental data. In particular, we focus on the Strings&Binders and the Loop Extrusion model of chromatin architecture.


For decentralised P2P networks, it is very important to have a mechanism in place that allows the nodes to control resource usage and prevent flooding and denial-of-service attacks with spam. In this paper, we discuss and compare the different approaches to fully decentralised resource control that are used by projects in the cryptocurrency space. The introduced methods are then applied to design a decentralised exchange for Namecoin names (or more generally, crypto assets) as an example.


Air-conditioning based on radiant cooling ceilings is a viable option of maintaining optimum thermal conditions without great demands on air distribution in a space. The thesis deals with the theoretical and experimental research of cooling ceiling systems with respect to attainable levels of thermal comfort. A mathematical model solving the internal and external energy balance was created for a room with radiant cooling ceiling based on the theoretical description of heat transfer process within the studied space. The output from the model was used to compare different types of cooling ceilings from the viewpoint of their energy performance. The influence of the room geometry and boundary conditions (internal surface temperatures) on the mean radiant temperature was analysed. A software tool named MRT Analysis was developed to evaluate the mean radiant temperature patterns in a room with cooling ceiling under different boundary conditions. The system with cooling ceiling was compared to a predominantly convective air-conditioning system with respect to achievable levels of occupant's thermal comfort. A measuring system was designed and set up to assess experimentally the thermal environment in a test room with cooling ceiling. The vertical air temperature profiles and occupant's thermal comfort levels in the room were measured and evaluated. The convective heat transfer coefficient (incl. its uncertainty) on the cooling ceiling surface was calculated using the measured temperature profiles. The temperature patterns were measured along a vertical heated panel which simulated a shaded window in summer and its influence on the indoor air temperature; also the width of the vertical convective wall jet and the heat transfer coefficient on a warm window surface were studied experimentally. A typical office room with cooling ceiling was modelled in the ESP-r software. The influence of natural ventilation and window shading on the thermal comfort was studied using the simulations performed in ESP-r for an extreme summer period. Time variations of the operative temperature and predicted mean vote (PMV) were used as the assessment criteria.


We integrate an ordinary planner into a manufacturing system by showing that the assembly trees used by manufacturers can be converted into domain operators and that the operator sequence formed by the planner can be converted into a set of matrices used by the manufacturing system. This allows manufacturers to continue to use their existing representations where possible. We form additional resource matrices based on the planner's output which an existing dispatching system uses to reserve machines and avoid deadlock. We also show how our planner and matrix notation can efficiently implement Manufacturing Resource Planning. In many cases, our MRP system can seamlessly integrate limited production capacity without manager intervention.


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Emergency drainage of the upper urinary tract may be undertaken by either the placement of an internal ureteric stent or percutaneous nephrostomy and is a standard treatment procedure for patients with acute obstructive pyelonephritis. Few randomized, published studies showed equal efficacy for both methods among patients with obstructive urolithiasis and signs of upper urinary tract infection, but these studies did not include patients' treatment preferences. To date, there have been no clear guidelines for the selection of an optimal treatment plan for upper urinary tract obstruction in obstructive pyelonephritis. In this study, we sought to identify the best method for draining the upper urinary tract in obstructive pyelonephritis. METHODS: A prospective analysis of the patients with acute obstructive pyelonephritis treated in our clinic from 2015 to 2016 was performed. Patients needing drainage of the UUT and having no contraindications for percutaneous nephrostomy or ureteric stenting were included in the analysis. In this study, patients have been provided with detailed information regarding the methods of drainage and possible complications of each procedure. Afterward, the patients were asked to fill out a special questionnaire. RESULTS: The total cohort consisted of 209 patients, and the median age of patients was 45. Females comprised 45% of the cohort. Most of the patients (89%) in the cohort suffered from urolithiasis. A total of 57.2% of patients reported not being competent to choose a particular drainage method; therefore, they relied on their doctors while making decisions regarding treatment options. A total of 96.5% of patients decided to undergo ureteric stenting, and 70.6% of patients regarded stenting as an attractive alternative to percutaneous nephrostomy. Only 3.5% of patients preferred nephrostomy. Most of the patients (66%) considered that a ureteric stent would allow for preservation of their quality of life standards, and only 16.9% of patients thought that a stent would lead to marked pain and discomfort. A total of 61% of patients called placement of a ureteric stent an intervention they would like to avoid. The overwhelming majority of patients (87%) negatively viewed nephrostomy, as they considered this method would lead to a massive quality of life reduction. Only 1.5% of patients stated that nephrostomy would allow them a good quality of life. A total of 12% of patients were concerned that nephrostomy would lead to marked pain and discomfort. A total of 77% of patients called percutaneous nephrostomy an intervention that they would like to avoid. CONCLUSIONS: Patients hospitalized with acute obstructive pyelonephritis are not sufficiently informed about and do not have an adequate understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of their respective treatment options, which is why they are not able to self-sufficiently choose the treatment modality. As a result, 57.2% of patients delegated decision-making to their consultant doctor. Regarding the rest, out of 86 patients, 83 decided to undergo a ureteric stent placement, and only 3 out of 86 patients agreed to percutaneous nephrostomy. Source of Funding: None


Large numbers of vibration signals of wood-based panels are unsteady and complicated, which means that detection can be difficult. The wavelet transform is an effective method to detect these signals, which are otherwise difficult to detect using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). This paper presents a study on nondestructive detection of bubble defects seen in poplar laminated veneer lumber (LVL) using a combination of modal analysis and wavelet transform. The energy spectrum of wavelet packet decomposition due to a vibration signal is investigated. The vibration nondestructive test is used to study the relationship between bubble and changes of LVL physical properties. Results show that a bubble defect leads to a variation of energy dissipation in LVL vibration, and it is mode-dependent. For relatively small bubbles, the bubble-induced changes in natural frequencies are too small to be detected by the nondestructive method. However, by analyzing the energy spectrum of wavelet packet decomposition, smaller bubbles can be detected using the nondestructive vibration signals. The position and degree of defects can be ascertained by the wavelet packet energy curvature method at the same time.


Starting from the interaction of 15 adult subjects in three environments of Virtual Reality we identified nine manners of action that potentially promote immersion sensation. This research is based on the Biology of Cognition when postulating that immersion happens as a result of an effective structural coupling between subjects and virtual environment. We discuss the function of guideline, interactivity and simulation as negotiators of immersion in virtual environments taking in mind learning.


In recent years, Information System (IS) scholars have increasingly explored the malleability and re-combinability of digital artifacts that facilitate innovation and change. In this paper, we focus on how architectural debt thwarts evolvability of complex IT architectures and systems founded on them. We conduct a case study in a major Scandinavian financial institution and explore their how they managed architectural debt during fast paced service innovation. Our analysis suggests that the firm's capability to innovate depended on software developer's ability to work across multiple syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic knowledge boundaries whilst addressing architectural debt. The paper offers two contributions. First, we add to the nascent body of socio-technical research on technical debt by illustrating how architectural debt cuts across multiple developer teams and architecture layers making it hard to identify and resolve. Second, we expand studies of digital innovation by identifying two interconnected tensions faced when innovators have to evolve complex IT architectures that lay the foundation for artefact malleability. We tie how the tensions are addressed to the firm's capability to manage architectural debt.


A major goal in biology is to understand the genetic basis of morphological variation at different evolutionary scales, for example between and within species. Here I investigate this issue by using plant leaves as an example. Previously comparative studies between the simple leaf model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and its dissected leaf relative Cardamine hirsuta have shown that inter-specific differences in leaf shape mostly result from variation in local tissue growth and patterning (Vlad et al., 2014; Hay et al., 2006; Barkoulas et al., 2008). Here, I aim to elucidate the genetic basis of natural variation in leaf form within species, by using divergent strains of C. hirsuta. I present evidence that variation in six strains collected from geographically diverse locations results from different rates of progression of an age-dependent leaf development programme in a phenomenon known as heteroblasty. By using Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping with a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between the Oxford and Azores strains, I detected six QTL that influence leaflet production on multiple leaves. A QTL located on the 4th linkage group was validated and selected for further analysis. Characterisation of QTL effect indicated that the QTL influences leaf form by altering the rate of heteroblastic development. Subsequently I fine mapped this QTL to a DNA segment of 48 kb containing the gene SQUAMOSA PROMOTER PROTEIN BINDING LIKE 9 (ChSPL9), a previously characterised regulator of age dependent development. The parental alleles of ChSPL9 show variation in their sequence and were transformed into A. thaliana to evaluate whether they contribute to the QTL effect. Resultant phenotypes mirrored the QTL effect suggesting that ChSPL9 does indeed contribute to this QTL effect. These results indicate that age-dependent leaf shape progression underlies variation in leaflet number within species and more broadly suggest that in the case of plant leaves different processes might underlie morphological variation between and within species.


In 2010, Batina et al. proposed a privacy-preservi ng grouping proof protocol for RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) based on ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography). Recently, Lv et al. have shown that Batina et al.'s protocol is not secure against the tracking attack. Lv et al. also proposed an enhancement protocol based on Batina et al.'s work to against the tracking attack. In this paper we proved Lv et al.'s protocol can not work. We also present an improvement version of privacy-preservi ng ECC-based grouping-proof protocol to against the tracking attack.


We propose a geographical information search system for use on mobile devices based on user search operations in local services such as Yelp. We aim for intelligent interaction such as adjusting the search properties to estimate user criteria from user operations on a general geographical search interface. In this paper, we use regions and categories as search property. When a user searches for restaurants in an unfamiliar location by interested category, and retrieved objects are few, our method enlarges current region for adding related objects automatically. We propose an estimating method of user's search criteria using user's operation, and develop geographical information search system based on estimated criteria.


Electrical conductivity, mobility, cationic and anionic transference numbers and numbers of respective mobile charge carriers have been measured for polyethylene-oxide-based polymer electrolytes complexed with mixed anion salts. The systems studied are (polyethylene oxide)15: ((1-x)NaI+xNaSCN) and (polyethylene oxide)15: ((1-x)NaI+xNaClO4). It is shown that the presence of mixed anions in the polymer salt complex electrolytes changes the relative number of mobile cations and anions together with their respective transference numbers as well as the crystallinity of the polymer matrix. A qualitative correlation has been established between the crystallinity, tcation, conductivity and the number of mobile anions/cations. The maximum change in the cationic (Na+) transference number was for polyethylene oxide: NaI for which tNa+ could be increased from 0.18 to about 0.6 in the mixed anion system (polyethylene oxide)15: (0.35NaI+0.65NaSCN) with comparable conductivity.


Recently, 3D films and 3D TV sets are releasing and we can watch 3D images in daily life. However, the stereoscopic method used by these 3D systems are not suited for human perceptual for three dimensional objects. A Holo TV system based on a holographic technique is an ideal 3D communicate system, unfortunately, it has never been realized for a commercial base because it has technical difficulties. In many laboratories around the world, researchers study Holo TV systems, and these researches have been greatly advanced during this decade. This paper introduces the present of researches and the difficulties for the realization, at the last discuss problems needed to solve and the future of the 3D Holo TV.


The distribution of excited species in a helium plasma torch is studied during the introduction of carbon tetrachloride in the main gas. This paper provides information on the processes occurring in the plasma. The method uses a fast high-resolution acquisition setup, as well as a new data processing procedure based on the Abel inversion technique that provides the radial profile of thin plasmas.


The class of finite mixture models is widely used in many areas, including science, humanities, medicine, engineering, among many others. Testing homogeneity is one of the important and challenging problems in the application of finite mixture models. It has been investigated by many researchers and most of the existing works have focused on the univariate mixture models, normal mixture models on the mean parameters only, and normal mixture models on both mean and variance parameters. This thesis concentrates on testing homogeneity in multivariate mixture models, scale mixtures of normal distributions, and a class of contaminated normal models. We first propose the use of the EM-test (Li, Chen, & Marriott, 2009) to test homogeneity in multivariate mixture models. We show that the EM-test statistic has asymptotically the same distribution as the likelihood ratio test for testing the restricted mean of a multivariate normal distribution given one observation. Based on this result, we suggest a resampling procedure to approximate the p-value of the EM-test. Scale mixture of normal distributions, i.e., mixture of normal distributions on the variance parameters, has wide applications. However, an effective testing procedure specifically for testing homogeneity in this class of mixture models is not available. We retool the EM-test (Chen & Li, 2009) for testing homogeneity in the scale mixture of normal distributions. We show that the retooled EM-test has the simple limiting distribution 1 2 χ0 + 1 2 χ1. Large-scale hypothesis testing problem appears in many areas such as microarray studies. We propose a new class of contaminated normal models, which is a two-component normal mixture model with one component mean being zero and different component variances, and can be used in large-scale hypotheses. We further design a new EM-test for testing homogeneity in this class of mixture models. It is shown that the new EM-test statistic has a simple shifted 1 2 χ1 + 1 2 χ2 limiting distribution. In all the three scenarios, extensive simulation studies are conducted to examine whether the limiting distributions approximate the finite sample distributions reasonably well and whether the EM-tests have appropriate power to detect heterogeneity in the alternative models. To demonstrate the application of the proposed methods, several real-data examples are analyzed.


Introduction This study aims to develop and validate a questionnaire to assess workplace violence (WPV) domains in the healthcare setting. Methods The study used a mixed-method design. In Phase 1, qualitative methods for developing the questionnaire were employed, including literature review, focus-group discussion, expert evaluation, and pre-testing. During Phase 2, quantitative methods were employed for establishing the construct validity of the questionnaire. In Phase 1, experts from departments like emergency medicine, medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, trauma, anesthesia, and critical care unit participated. For Phase 2, data were collected from 213 participants; mean age (30.48±5.95) in metropolitan cities. Results The questionnaire consists of 37 items in five domains: (A) Forms of violence, (B) Impact of violent incidences, (C) Reporting of incidence, (D) Mitigation strategies, and (E) Risk factors. The Cronbach's alpha value of the questionnaire is 0.86, suggesting an excellent internal consistency. Conclusion A reliable and valid tool for gathering information regarding WPV in the healthcare system from around the world has been developed. The tool can be used to study the elements that may contribute to violence and its consequences, which will help policymakers curate various mitigation methods to safeguard WPV victims.


The article does not represent the title. Response: We do recognize that the title does not adequately represent the body of the text. We have now changed the title to reflect better what is explained in the text. It now reads: (page 1 lines 1-2) Is antenatal care preparing mothers to care for their newborns? A community-based cross-sectional study among lactating women in Masindi, Uganda Comment The logical flow is missing. The reasons for neonatal deaths described in chaotic order. The authors jump from neonatal mortality to infant mortality without paragraph transition. The focus of the introduction is not specific and rational for the study is not justified. Response We have improved the flow in the introduction by reorganizing the paragraphs to give better meaning to the reader. We have also reorganized the reasons for neonatal deaths and included a comment on how neonatal death can be prevented. We have 2 deleted phrases related to child mortality and limited our introduction to neonatal mortality in order to focus our arguments. The rationale of the study has been strengthened with additional text. The entire section of introduction has been revised and now reads as follows: (page 4 and page 5 lines 1-12)


Thermal spray technology has been used in many industrial application. Especially, thermal spray coating have been employed with the purposes of achieving better resistances in abrasion, heat and corrosion. In the previous studies on the thermal spray coating, thermal spray characteristics from the perspective of combustion engineering have not been investigated sufficiently, while the material characteristics of the coated substrates have been investigated widely. In this study, the effect of spray particles on the flame behavior was experimentally investigated. The amount of the injected particles was measured using the light scattering method and the temperature of the particles was estimated using a two-color method. Various flame-spray interactions were observed and it was found that the high temperature zone near the flame is elongated by particles density. Based on these results, the applicability of the light scattering method and the two-color method was discussed.


Callaghan has suggested that the most important factor in obtaining optimal results after total hip arthroplasty may be the ability to determine when to use cemented or cementless fixation. This article has presented the indications and relative contraindications for use of proximally porous-coated prostheses. Midterm results suggest that with appropriate patient selection, excellent clinical results can be achieved with currently available proximally porous-coated prostheses. Use of proximally coated prostheses is indicated for primary total hip arthroplasty in patients aged >70 years with good bone stock. Relative contraindications are based on interference with bone ingrowth or with the ability to achieve a congruent fit, both of which preclude establishment of rigid initial stability. These conditions include metabolic bone disease such as osteoporosis, osteomalacia, Gaucher's disease, sickle cell disorders, and Paget's disease; significant anatomical distortion, as seen in developmental dysplasia of the hip with anteversion, prior osteotomy, or intertrochanteric fracture; Dorr type C bone; and current treatment with radiation, chemotherapy, indomethacin, or diphosphonates. The same relative contraindications to use are applicable in revision situations. Further, proximally porous-coated prostheses should not be used for revision arthroplasty in the setting of massive bone loss, limited life expectancy, or inability to participate in protected weight bearing. These devices may be used successfully in revision arthroplasty when the hip has minimal or moderate bone loss, and occasionally in the setting of severe bone loss. As further information is revealed through the long-term (10-20 years) results of proximally coated prostheses, further refinements and knowledge of the indications and contraindications for the use of these prostheses will be revealed.


This investigation considers the association between patterns of emotional reactivity and reliance on mother in infancy and cognitive and language developments at age 2. Low-income women (N = 518) and their firstborn infants participated in (1) a lab-based assessment where emotion challenges were presented when the infants were 6 to 9 months old, and (2) an assessment of language and cognitive skills at age 2. After controlling for birthweight, early sensorimotor delay, and age at testing, infants who displayed a pattern of combined high reactivity and high reliance on mother in response to positive, anger, and fear emotion challenges had higher cognitive and language skills at age 2 compared with infants who displayed patterns of low reactivity and low reliance on mother. Children who showed high fearful distress and low reliance on mother and whose mothers had low psychological resources had especially poor developmental outcomes. The role of maternal availability in the socialization of emotion and early communication is discussed.


Enterprise Architecture (EA) has been identified as one of the prime initiative to drive the establishment of digital government towards world class public service delivery. However, building upon several public sector agencies that had implemented these initiatives, it was reported as unfavourable in sustaining EA practices. This study aims to i. review and identify related issues ii. identify factors that influence sustainability of EA practices also iii. identify elements of EA governance. Through the systematic literature review (SLR) five related issues were discerned, four key factors were established in sustaining EA practices while five elements of EA governance emerged in the construction of EA governance framework.


A new technique of dimension reduction named projection pursuit is applied to model and evaluatewetland soil quality variations in the Sanjiang Plain, Helongjiang Province, China. By adopting the im-proved real-coded accelerating genetic algorithm (RAGA), the projection direction is optimized and multi-dimensional indexes are converted into low-dimensional space. Classification of wetland soils and evaluationof wetland soil quality variations are realized by pursuing optimum projection direction and projection func-tion value. Therefore, by adopting this new method, any possible human interference can be avoided andsound results can be achieved in researching quality changes and classification of wetland soils.


A 47-year-old man with a 15-year history of bipolar disorder treated with anti-depressants, lithium carbonate or neuroleptics was admitted because of marked difficulty in gait and speech. At the age 45, he was unable to walk without bilateral assists and became a wheel-chair state. There was no family history and his mother, father and younger sister were neurologically free. General physical examinations revealed no abnormalities. Neurologically, he was moderately demented (mini mental state examination: 18/30) and showed bilateral horizontal gaze nystagmus, parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria and moderate spastic paraparesis. No involuntary movements were noted. Wet blood smear showed acanthocytes, while blood chemistries revealed no abnormalities including levels of serum creatine kinase, hepatic enzymes and blood beta-lipoprotein. Kell antigen expressions of the red blood cells were within normal limit. Western blot analysis with anti-chorein antibody detected normal chorein expression levels of the red blood cells. Cranial MRI showed severe symmetric atrophy of the frontotemporal lobes, caudate nuclei, putamen, and brainstem. Also, MRI-gradient echo showed symmetric iron accumulation in the medial portion of the globus pallidus without surrounding high intensity areas, so called "eye-of-the-tiger sign". Genetic analyses revealed no mutations in the PANK2 and PLA2G6 genes. Therefore, he was diagnosed as idiopathic neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA). These findings suggest that NBIA is heterogeneous and other additional genes remain to be found.


Measurements of the 10830-A He line in 198 stars are given along with data on other features in that spectral range. Nearly 80 per cent of all G and K stars show some 10830-A absorption or emission; of these, half are variable and one-quarter show emission. The results of Vaughan and Zirin (1968) are confirmed that the 10830-A line is not found in M stars, is weak in F stars, and is particularly strong in close binaries. The line is found in emission in extremely late M and S stars along with P-gamma, but the latter is not in emission in the G and K stars with 10830-A emissions. Variable He emission along with Ti I emission is found in the RV Tauri variables R Sct and U Mon. In R Aqr, the Fe XIII coronal line at 10747 A is found in emission along with a line at 11012 A, which may be singlet He or La II, as well as the 10830-A and P-gamma lines. There is possibly a five-year period in the appearance of 10830-A emission in theta Her. The nature of coronae or hot chromospheres in the various stars is extensively discussed without definite conclusion, except that the 10830-A intensity must be more or less proportional to the energy deposited in the chromosphere-corona by nonthermal processes.


The effects of commonly used nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, carprofen and acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) on some serum biochemical parameters and haemostatic values, were studied in clinically healthy dogs during administration for days 9 and 5, following discontinuation of the treatment. Clinically and haematologically healthy adult mongrel dogs (18) were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1 was administered 2.2 mg/kg of carprofen per os twice a day, group 2 was administered in the same manner 4.4 mg/kg of carprofen and group 3 was administered in the same manner as group 1 10 mg/kg of aspirin. Results of faecal occult blood tests were positive in three dogs that received aspirin on 9 th d, but negative in both carprofen groups. By endoscopy, erosions and submucosal haemorrhages were seen in gastric and duodenal mucosa in all dogs receiving aspirin on days 5, 9 and 14, whereas only minor lesions were observed in both carprofen groups. Platelet counts were significantly decreased (P<0.05) in the aspirin group on days 5 and 9, compared to previous treatment values, and with values of both carprofen groups. In the aspirin group prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time, were prolonged significantly (P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively) on days 5, 9, and 14. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and γ glutamyle transferase were significantly increased (P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively) in aspirin group on days 5, 9, and 14, compared to previous treatment values, and with values of both the carprofen groups. For group 2 given carprofen, serum ALT concentration slightly increased but remained within reference ranges. Significant differences were not detected in aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, total protein and creatinine concentrations in aspirin and both carprofen groups. The results of our study provide evidence that carprofen administration; at the dose of 2.2 and 4.4 mg/kg, did not obviously cause bleeding of the gastric mucosa, or significantly affect serum biochemical parameters and haemostatic values in dogs during 9 th d of its administration, or on the 5 th d following discontinuation of the treatment.


A Rolling Ball pulse generator by piezoelectric transduction is described in this paper aimed at wireless recognizing devices. A metallic rolling ball is effected in the prototype by way of an inertial proof mass excited through outside waves at random low frequency. Winning improvement of the metallic impervious mass, magnetic connection can be reached toward motivate the piezoelectric cantilever through awarding tip magnets near the allowed completion. Popular accretion, self-synchronous switching is achieved via relating electrodes toward the path of the developing ball. An original passive prebiasing instrument is familiarized toward improve the performance of the pulse generator. Collected simulation also experimental results remained showed near determine the development. Experimental results demonstration supplementary energy container remains removed through the prebias instrument associated near the impartial occasion. A communication circuit founded arranged a Colpitts oscillator stayed constructed toward examination the presentation of the capacitor-powered oscillator which remains calculated by way of the load of the pulse generator. Through addition a voltage regulator element, the transmission circuit is accomplished of programming an instrument signal via frequency intonation which determines the possibility of affecting a developing ball wireless sensing original founded arranged the piezoelectric pulse generator.


Objective: To study whether human neural progenitor cells can differentiate into neural cells in vivo and improve the recovery of injured spinal cord in rats.Methods: Human neural progenitor cells were transplanted into the injured spinal cord and the functional recovery of the rats with spinal cord contusion injury was evaluated with Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor scale and motor evoked potentials. Additionally, the differentiation of human neural progenitor cells was shown by immunocytochemistry.Results: Human neural progenitor cells developed into functional cells in the injured spinal cord and improved the recovery of injured spinal cord in both locomotor scores and electrophysiological parameters in rats.Conclusions: Human neural progenitor cells can treat injured spinal cord, which may provide a new cell source for research of clinical application.


Delivering a software product on time, within budget, and to an agreed level of quality is a critical concern for many software organizations. Underestimating software costs can have detrimental effects on the quality of the delivered software and thus on a company's business reputation and competitiveness. On the other hand, overestimation of software cost can result in missed opportunities to funds in other projects. In response to industry demand, a myriad of estimation techniques has been proposed during the last three decades. In order to assess the suitability of a technique from a diverse selection, its performance and relative merits must be compared. The current study replicates a comprehensive comparison of common estimation techniques within different organizational contexts, using data from the European Space Agency. Our study is motivated by the challenge to assess the feasibility of using multi-organization data to build cost models and the benefits gained from company-specific data collection. Using the European Space Agency data set, we investigated a yet unexplored application domain, including military and space projects. The results showed that traditional techniques, namely, ordinary least-squares regression and analysis of variance outperformed analogy-based estimation and regression trees. Consistent with the results of the replicated study no significant difference was found in accuracy between estimates derived from company-specific data and estimates derived from multi-organizational data.


The electrical and structural properties of dendritic silicon have been measured and compared with solar cell efficiencies. The twin planes in the web and their effect on minority carrier diffusion length were of particular interest. The starting material and the cells were always from the same web strips. Cross-sectional electron-beam-induced current (EBIC) analysis was used to identify differences in the electrical behavior of low- and high-efficiency web material, both in the as-grown state and after solar-cell processing. High-efficiency cells exhibit flat EBIC linescans across the web cross sections, high minority-carrier diffusion lengths, few dislocations, and no defect clusters. Low-efficiency cells show EBIC linescans of reduced amplitude near the twin planes, low diffusion lengths, many dislocations, and electrically active defect clusters at the twin planes. Excessive recombination at the twin planes seems to limit the efficiency of these cells. In both high- and low-efficiency material, DLTS (deep-level transient spectroscopy) peaks present in the as-grown material disappear upon cell processing. >


This paper attempts to examine the influences of Confucianism, Feng Shui and Buddhism on the evolution of Chinese accounting before recent accounting reforms commencing in the 1980s. Chinese cultural variables (e.g. Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, etc.) have been widely utilized in studying Chinese accounting systems, the accounting profession and the evolution of Chinese accounting techniques. However, the literature has not taken into account the traditional Chinese Feng Shui belief, which was broadly considered as the most important part of Chinese traditional culture. There is much evidence to show that Chinese accounting development was not only influenced by Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, but also by the prevalence of Feng Shui belief in ancient China over thousands of years. This paper first discusses the concepts of culture and describes Confucianism, Feng Shui and Buddhism in China, and then examines the influences of Confucianism, Feng Shui and Buddhism on the evolution of Chinese accounting. The influences discussed are those on bookkeeping methods, accounting information, accounting profession/accountants, regulating and standardizing accounting practice, government accounting and private-sector accounting respectively. This paper also identifies some areas for future research in Chinese accounting history and culture.


We construct a two-parametric family of integrable models and reveal their underlying duality symmetry. A modular subgroup of this duality is shown to connect noninteracting modes of different models. We apply this solution and duality to a Richardson-Gaudin model and generate a novel integrable system termed the s-d wave Richardson-Gaudin-Kitaev interacting chain, interpolating s- and d-wave superconductivity. The phase diagram of this interacting model has a topological phase transition that can be connected to the duality, where the occupancy of the noninteracting mode serves as a topological order parameter.


We studied if clinicians could gain sufficient working knowledge of a computer‐assisted diagnostic decision support system (DDSS) (SimulConsult), to make differential diagnoses (DDx) of genetic disorders. We hypothesized that virtual training could be convenient, asynchronous, and effective in teaching clinicians how to use a DDSS. We determined the efficacy of virtual, asynchronous teaching for clinicians to gain working knowledge to make computer‐assisted DDx. Our study consisted of three surveys (Baseline, Training, and After Use) and a series of case problems sent to clinicians at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. All participants were able to generate computer‐assisted DDx that achieved passing scores of the case problems. Between 75% and 92% agreed/completely agreed the DDSS was useful to their work and for clinical decision support and was easy to use. Participants' use of the DDSS resulted in statistically significant time savings in key tasks and in total time spent on clinical tasks. Our results indicate that virtual, asynchronous teaching can be an effective format to gain a working knowledge of a DDSS, and its clinical use could result in significant time savings across multiple tasks as well as facilitate synergistic interaction between clinicians and lab specialists. This approach is especially pertinent and offers value amid the COVID‐19 pandemic.


Nowadays, urbanization becomes the widest spreading and expanding event in the world. The issue of urbanization is one of the most important threats for developing countries like Ethiopia. Werabe town, which is found in southern and central parts of the country specifically in the Silte zone south nation nationality people (SNNP) region, is one of the rapidly growing towns at the moment. Therefore, this research is intended to assess the horizontal expansion of the urban and its impact on the use of the surrounding land in Werabe town using a Geographic Information System and integrating socio-economic data. To do this, a Land sat 8 satellite image was used to generate the change detection analysis and all the relevant primary data were gathered. After all, supervised image classification algorithms were applied to determine the available land use types by integrating socio-economic information. Finally, accuracy assessments were done to crosscheck whether the features are accurately classified in the Arc GIS. Based on this, in Werabe town built-up land was increased from 1963.98 ha (12.5 %) in 2009 to 5251, 95 (33.4%) in 2019. Hence, in the study period built-up area was increased by 3287.97ha (20.9%). The forest cover of the study area in 2009 was 3798.27 ha (24.2 %), however, it was decreased to 1358.01ha (8.6%) in the year 2019. Thus 2440.17 ha (15.6%) forest cover was deforested. For agricultural activity, 8833.41 ha (56.2 %) of land was used in the year 2009 but it was altered to 7198.83 ha (45.7%) in the year 2019. Hence from 2009-2019, agricultural land was decreased by 1634.58 ha (10.5 %). Bare land cover in 2009 was 1130.85 ha (7.2%) but it increased by 786.87 (5%) and became 1917.72 ha (12.2%) in the 2019 year. The study evidences that, urban built-up activity is expanding to all the surrounding landmasses, especially it is invading agriculture and forest cover lands of the peri-urban areas. Therefore, to prevent the loss of fertile lands against the ongoing expansion of urban areas, the integration of remote sensing and GIS with appropriate urban land management policy is vital


To assess the phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial activities of F. schweinfurthii plant were examined against five different gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Traditionally, Fagonia has been used to cure diseases such as skin eruptions, heal sores, skin diseases, anti-pyretic, pain relief, ear infection and venereal diseases. The distilled water, methanol, benzene, chloroform, pet ether & toluene extracts of F. schweinfurthii investigated individually for antimicrobial activity (antibacterial activity) by agar well diffusion method. These were investigated against selected bacterial species strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus vulgaris to find the inhibitory activities of the microbes. The methanol extract of F. schweinfurthii stem & root showed considerably high activity against K. pneumonia and E. coli than other extracts.


Bangladesh is trying to transform her economy from low income group to upper middle income group economy. Small and Medium Business Enterprises (SMBE) will be the key driver, steering this transformation of the Bangladesh Economy. This is due to the fact that Small and Medium Business Enterprises (SMBEs) can not only be enterprising and innovative, but also create employment, purchasing power capability, raise overall per capita income, empower the owners of SMBEspecially women and improve standard of living. Though SMBEs operate directly in the formal sector, but they also form indirectly a part of the informal sector and have a multiplier effect on the formal sector. The main purpose of this study is to investigate whether SMBEs financing through the formal banking sector, to the borrowers, is supportive as per their perception? Quantitative and Qualitative methodology were adopted to analyse both, the primary and secondary sources of data. Time period of the study was from 15 November, 2014 to 31 March, 2015. A questionnaire was prepared which was divided into three parts: demography; simple binary data and Likert Scale were applied. Total numbers of respondents were 308. On the basis of binary data, logit regression model was also tested. Result shows that SMBE loan has positive impact on creation of employment opportunity and income generation. From the Likert scale we observed borrowers' perception and mindset. Further, we analysed the secondary data which indicated that there was a direct positive relationship between the number of women entrepreneurs' and the recovery ratethat is lower the number of women entrepreneurs, lower is the recovery rate. The paper suggested a model for SMBEs.This paper further provides few policy implications and recommendations such as; policy makers of the country ought to keep supporting SMBEs through enhanced institutional support, infrastructural support, ease of application procedure of SMBEs. SMBEs financing should be raised in the green business and environmental friendly industries, creation of more women entrepreneurs, corruption free banking system, corporate governance and favourable guidelines and policies regarding SMBEs funding and expansion of businesses at domestic and international level.


Plants have evolved antioxidant molecules to help them withstand environmental stresses. Humans may also benefit from these defense molecules through their consumption in fruits and vegetables. Dietary antioxidants are indeed believed to play a very important role in the human body defense system, protecting, as in plants, against oxidative damage induced by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of aging and many degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers. In this review, we compare the systems involved in ROS production and scavenging in humans and in plants. We focus mainly on the description of the best-known dietary antioxidants: ascorbate (vitamin C), tocopherols (vitamin E), carotenoids, and phenolic compounds. Their redox properties, metabolism and functions are discussed from both a human and a plant perspective.


This paper responds to the interest of the Home Office's Immigration, Research and Statistics Service (IRSS) in creating a longitudinal database to provide information on the social and economic outcomes for refugees and other migrants entering and settling in the United Kingdom. The research team were asked to provide information on current longitudinal methods used worldwide in creating suitable databases on migrant profiles and outcomes, with specific reference to four existing longitudinal surveys (LS) in Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.


ABSTRACT The cell surface receptor Notch is required duringDrosophila embryogenesis for production of epidermal precursor cells. The secreted factor Wingless is required for specifying different types of cells during differentiation of tissues from these epidermal precursor cells. The results reported here show that the full-length Notch and a form of Notch truncated in the amino terminus associate with Wingless in S2 cells and in embryos. In S2 cells, Wingless and the two different forms of Notch regulate expression of Dfrizzled 2, a receptor of Wg;hairy, a negative regulator of achaeteexpression; shaggy, a negative regulator ofengrailed expression; and patched, a negative regulator of wingless expression. Analyses of expression of the same genes in mutant N embryos indicate that the pattern of gene regulations observed in vitro reflects regulations in vivo. These results suggest that the strong genetic interactions observed between Notch and wingless genes during development of Drosophila is at least partly due to regulation of expression of cuticle patterning genes by Wingless and the two forms of Notch.


The purpose of this paper is to explore theoretically the band structures for different kinds of point defect in phononic crystal thin plates for square / triangle lattice using the improved plane wave expansion method combining with the supercell technique. The defect is created by several means such as changing the radius, the mass density, the elastic modulus, the geometric shape of one of the cylinders, etc. The phononic crystal thin plate is composed of parallel cylindrical inclusion of Al2O3 embedded periodically in the Epoxy host. The results show that the defect modes existing in the first band gap are strongly dependent on the size and the mass density of the point defect for the two lattices. Elastic modulus point defect could not lead the generation of the defect bands for the square lattice. However, for the triangle lattice, the elastic modulus has some influences on the defect modes. With decreasing of the size of the defect, all defect bands move from the upper edge of the first band gap towards the middle and the edges of the first band gap almost remain unchanged as the defect size varies.


We examined a patient with Melkersson's-Rosenthal's syndrome who was admitted to the Department of Clinical Neurology for acute cerebral hemispheric ischaemic infarction. The patient presented the typical triad of features that include facial oedema, facial palsy, and fissure of the tongue. He had also manifestations unusual for that age (a 33 year-old man): hypertension, permanent haematuria and advanced cerebral stenoocclusive vascular disease. Immunological measurements have shown sligthly increased levels of both serum immunoglobulin and B lymphocytes, and high levels of histamine in blood. The patient was hypersensitive to certain external antigens (exhaust, fumes, Coca-Cola, fungicide--T.M.T.D.). This case demonstates the complexity of this syndrome and illustrates the necessity of long-term follow-up of such patients.


We report the first family with a glycyl‐tRNA synthetase (GARS) mutation with autosomal dominant intermediate Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease (DI‐CMT). The proband and the proband's father presented with gait disturbance and hand weakness. Both patients displayed moderately decreased conduction velocities (MNCV) (ranging from 29.2 to 37.8 m/s). A sural nerve biopsy of the father revealed evidence of both axonal loss and demyelination. On exome sequencing, in both the proband and his father, we identified a novel missense mutation (c.643G > C, p.Asp215His) in the GARS gene in a heterozygous state, which is considered to be pathogenic for this DI‐CMT family. The present study broadens current knowledge about intermediate CMT and the phenotypic spectrum of defects associated with GARS.


Background Oral glucocorticoids (GC) are used in different medicine fields and appear as risk factors of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO). Objectives The aim is to estimate the frequency of use of prophylaxis of OP, use drugs that are approved for GIO and also an awareness of GIO of patients with prolonged intake of GC. Methods 50 patients (10 men and 40 women), taking GC, took part in research. 30 patients (60%) were from rheumatology department, 5 patients (10%) from pulmonology department, 5 patients (10%) from gastroenterology department, 10 patients (20%) from nephrology department of Republic Clinical Hospital. Mean age of patients - 48,84±14,03 years (from 26 to 73). The following signs were estimated: clinical data, osteoporosis risk factors, instrumental tests (X-ray, densitometry). FRAX assessment of fracture risk was performed, the questionnaires of patients' awareness of GIO was completed. Results The duration of intake GC – 5,93±4,86 years. Minimal dose of GC per day (if receiving prednisone) – 7.5 mg; maximal dose – 60 mg. 10-year risk of major osteoporotic fractures by FRAX, adjusted according to GC dose - 18,11±11,01. 32 patients (64%) were given recommendations for changing lifestyle and diet for GIO prophylaxis, 40 patients (80%) - recommendations for intake of calcium and vitamin D medications, but only 31 patients (62%) followed recommendations and started the intake of calcium medications. From the said number of patients only 14 patients (45,2%) used appropriate daily dose of calcium and vitamin D. Drugs that are approved for GIO were have to be prescribed for 18 patients, but only 6 patients (33,3%) underwent treatment, principally bisphosphonates. Only half of them underwent densitometry after starting the therapy. 72,2% patients with GIO used calcium and 30,7% were taking appropriate daily dose of calcium and vitamin D. 70% rheumatologic patients knew about GIO and in 90% cases calcium and vitamin D drugs were recommended. Only 50% of patients from non-rheumatologic departments knew about GIO and in 65% cases calcium and vitamin D drugs were recommended. Conclusions Clinical recommendations in real clinical practice are rarely fulfilled. Less than 60% patients were taking calcium and vitamin D, which are recommended for all patients, who started the GC therapy; only 33% of patients received osteoporosis therapy, only half of them underwent densitometry. Patients are insufficiently informed about necessity of changing lifestyle and diet for GIO prophylaxis. Education for patients taking GC and training for rheumatologic and non-rheumatologic specialties are necessary. Disclosure of Interest None declared


One of the roadmap plans for quantum computers is an integration within HPC ecosystems assigning them a role of accelerators for a variety of computationally hard tasks. However, in the near term, quantum hardware will be in a constant state of change. Heading towards solving real-world problems, we advocate development of portable, architecture-agnostic hybrid quantum-classical frameworks and demonstrate one for the community detection problem evaluated using quantum annealing and gate-based universal quantum computation paradigms.


Resonance enhanced absorption (REA) nanocolor microfluidic devices are new promising bioassay platforms, which employ nanoparticle- (NP-) protein conjugates for the immunodetection of medically relevant markers in biologic samples such as blood, urine, and saliva. The core component of a REA test device is a PET chip coated with aluminum and SiO2 thin layers, onto which biorecognitive molecules are immobilized. Upon addition of a sample containing the analyte of interest, a NP-protein-analyte complex is formed in the test device that is captured on the REA chip, for example, via streptavidin-biotin interaction. Thereby, a colored symbol is generated, which allows optical readout. Silver enhancement of the bound nanoparticles may be used to increase the sensitivity of the assay. Herein, we demonstrate that adsorptive immobilization via a cationic polymeric interlayer is a competitive and fast technique for the binding of the capture protein streptavidin onto planar SiO2 surfaces such as REA biochips. Moreover, we report the development of a silver enhancement technology that operates even in the presence of high chloride concentrations as may be encountered in biologic samples. The silver enhancement reagents may be integrated into the microfluidic assay platform to be released upon sample addition. Hereby, a highly sensitive one-step assay can be realized.


In this paper, a hybrid, mine wide communication system for online monitoring of miners during working hours is described. The developed system consists of surface computer with monitoring software, base stations and miner kits. RS485 is used as a wired link between surface computer & base stations whereas low frequency RF link is employed between miner's kit and base station. Based on the underground mine wireless propagation modeling and some communication facts, Sub 1GHz has been selected as operating frequency of the system. Software for the monitoring of the miners at surface computer has been developed. This software keeps track of the miners with the help of the received information from base stations and issues warning signals to the miners in any emergency condition.


Aim: To determine the frequency of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants Place and duration of study: It is a descriptive cross-sectional study in Pediatric Medicine Department, Nishtar Hospital Multan from March, 2021 to August, 2021 Methodology: The preterm neonates were called for follow up every week for 4 weeks to diagnose Necrotizing enterocolitis. Results; Out of 174 cases, 101 (58%) were males while 73 (42%) were females. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was noted in 61 (35.1%) while NEC in breastfeeding infants was 14/74 (18.9%) and in formula feeding infants NEC was 47/100 (47%). Conclusion; High frequency of necrotizing enterocolitis was observed in this study among formula fed preterm infants as compared to breastfed preterm infants. Keywords; Breastfeeding, formula feeding, Necrotizing enterocolitis


The influence of i.v. administration of indoprofen on template bleeding time and other haemostatic parameters was investigated in ten elderly subjects with osteoarthritis. The drug was given first as a single dose (400 mg bolus) and then, after an appropriate interval, as a short-term treatment (200 mg bolus t.i.d. for 7 days). Platelet count, prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time were never affected, whereas a significant, though moderate, lengthening of bleeding time and a parallel reduction of platelet aggregation were observed in both trials. In the acute one these changes were seen at the first hour following administration and waned in all patients within 96 hours. In the subacute test the bleeding time was steadily prolonged throughout the week of treatment, being slightly still above the baseline value 7 days later, at which time no residual effects were noticeable in platelet aggregation.


Lost circulation is the most common drilling issue for infill drilling projects in Satun-Funan Fields, South Pattani Basin, Gulf of Thailand (GOT). The depleted sand is possible to be a root cause in many wells based on observation from resistivity time-lapse separation in depleted sands or shale nearby. Therefore, the objective of this study is to estimate fracture pressure related to the depleted sand and design an appropriate Equivalent Circulating Density (ECD) threshold for each well to avoid or minimize lost circulation and well control complication during drilling a new well.
 This study model is using Eaton (1969) equation. There are 3 input parameters which are Poisson's Ratio and pre-drilled estimated depletion pressure and depth. With limitations of no actual fracturing data and limited sonic log, the maximum ECD while lost circulation reading from Pressure While Drilling (PWD) tool and formation pressure test data were used to back-calculate for Poisson's Ratio and identified a relationship with depth. From the total of 68 wells in the Satun and Funan areas, the interpreted Poisson's Ratio ranges from 0.36 to 0.44 and its linear trend is apparently increasing with depth. To minimize the variation of back calculated Poisson's Ratio the local data become an important key for model validation and maintain the similarity of subsurface factors. This interpreted Poisson's ratio trend will be used to calculate for fracture pressure by incorporating with estimated depletion pressure and depth that expect to encounter in each planned well. The lowest fracture pressure in a planned well is used to prepare pre-drilled ECD management plan and a real-time well monitoring plan. Additionally, the model can be adjusted during the operational phase based on the new drilled well result.
 This alternative model was applied in 4 trial drilling projects in 2019 and fully implement in 6 drilling projects in 2020. The lost circulation can be prevented with value creation from expected gain reserves section is $57M and cost avoidance from non-productive time due to lost circulation is $3.4M. With an effort, good communication and great collaboration among cross-functional teams, the model success rate increases by 12%. However, there are some unexpected lost events occurred even though the maximum ECD lower than expected fracture pressure. This suspect as a combination of limitations and uncertainties on key input parameters and drilling parameters.
 In the future, the model is planned to expand to other gas fields in the Pattani Basin which will move to more infill phase and have higher chance of getting lost circulation to maximize benefits as the success case in Satun and Funan fields.


Breast cancer (BC) is the foremost cause of cancer related deaths in women globally. Currently there is a scarcity of reliable biomarkers for its early stage diagnosis and theranostics monitoring. Altered DNA methylation patterns leading to the silencing of tumor suppressor genes are considered as an important mechanism underlying tumor development and progression in various cancer types, including BC. Very recently, epigenetic silencing of SHISA3, an antagonist of β-catenin, has been reported in various types of tumor. However, the role of SHISA3 in BC has not been investigated yet. Therefore, we aimed at evaluating the contribution of SHISA3 in BC causation by analyzing its expression and methylation levels in BC cell lines (MDA-MB231, MCF-7 and BT-474) and in 103 paired BC tissue samples. The SHISA3 expression and methylation status was determined by qPCR and methylation specific PCR (MSP) respectively. The role of SHISA3 in BC tumorigenesis was evaluated by proliferation and migration assays after ectopic expression of SHISA3. The association between SHISA3 hypermethylation and clinicopathological parameters of BC patients was also studied. The downregulation of SHISA3 expression was found in three BC cell lines used and in all BC tissue samples. However, SHISA3 promoter region was hypermethylated in 61% (63/103) tumorous tissues in comparison to the 18% of their matched normal tissues. The 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine treatment restored SHISA3 expression by reversing promoter hypermethylation in both MDA-MB231 and MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, ectopic expression of SHISA3 significantly reduced the proliferation and migration ability of these cells. Taken together, our findings for the first time reveal epigenetic silencing and tumor suppressing role of SHISA3 in BC. Henceforth, this study has identified SHISA3 as potentially powerful target for the development of new therapies against BC, as well as novel diagnostic and therapy response monitoring approaches.


Modern, high-resolution, gray-scale, ultrasound (US) imaging equipment is computer based, with all hardware signal processing functions under software control. This systems architecture permits maximum flexibility in function, rapid upgrades, and reliable performance. With modern US equipment, the spatial dimensions of the analog image are transformed into a digital matrix of picture elements (pixels). The volume of tissue, or voxel, that contributes to the echo amplitudes received from each pixel depends crucially on the section (ie, "slice") thickness at the voxel depth. Partial volume effects are more likely to occur in a longer voxel located at a depth outside the section thickness focal zone. The echo signal voltage, or amplitude, is acquired by an analog-to-digital converter simultaneously with the pixel location of the image echo origin. The most accurate echo amplitudes (with least partial volume averaging) occur at the highest image magnification when the voxel dimensions are the smallest in and out of the scan plane. With computer-based imaging, postprocessing procedures, such as fill-in algorithms and digital calipers (measurements of distances in images), can be used to aid in diagnosis.


Many studies on Taiwanese voting behavior have addressed the topic of the electorate's voting choice. Unfortunately, few have paid attention to the implications of different electoral systems on voting behavior. This paper examines voting behavior in single-member districts and multi-member districts and argues that inter-party strategic voting exists in presidential elections. In regards to the presidential election, partially overlapping social bases of political parties provide the framework for inter-party strategic voting. In the legislative election, which uses a single-nontransferable voting system (SNTV), party lines are mostly respected. Party-line voting, however, would be replaced by inter-party strategic voting once SNTV transforms into a single-majority voting system. To test our hypotheses , we examine the 2000 presidential election, in which there were three sets of major candidates. We also examine the 2001 and 2004 legislative elections as examples of the SNTV system. Our conclusion is that Taiwanese voters respond to change in the electoral system and that there will be vote switching when the number of parties is reduced.


In the Australian Therapeutic Trial in Mild Hypertension treated patients had significantly lower cardiovascular mortality and a significantly lower incidence of cerebrovascular complications than patients given placebos. There was, however, no difference in the incidence of nonfatal myocardial infarction or other new manifestations of ischaemic heart disease. Although the evidence of benefit from treatment was clear-cut, the number of cardiovascular complications in the control group was small. This was due to several factors. Patients admitted to the trial had no preceding evidence of cardiovascular complications, the blood pressure fell spontaneously to below 95 mm Hg in almost half the control group, and patients whose blood pressures rose to levels above 110 mm Hg were given treatment, but remained in the placebo group for analysis. In both treated and placebo groups, trial end-points occurred more frequently in persons whose average diastolic blood pressure during the study remained raised. Ischaemic heart disease and many cases of stroke are due to atherosclerotic arterial disease. This appears not to be favourably influenced by antihypertensive drug therapy.


The induction and regulation of wound-healing (WH) processes in potato tubers and other vegetables are of great nutritional and economic importance. The rapid accumulation of waxes to restrict water vapor loss and formation of suberin barriers to block infection are crucial components of WH. Recently we determined the regulatory involvement of abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene in WH. In this addendum we integrate and interpret features from this recent research with additional information on ABA and data on the association of jasmonic acid (JA) in tuber WH. Results show that wounding dramatically increased tuber ethylene production and ABA and JA content. Blockage of wound-induced ABA biosynthesis and ethylene action/biosynthesis showed that ABA is a potent regulator in reduction of water vapor loss and hastening of suberization while ethylene had no discernable effect. The collective results also imply that ethylene has no effect on ABA regulation of WH. JA content in dormant and non-dormant minitubers is very low (≤ l ng gFW-1) but rapidly increases upon wounding then decreases, all before wound-induced ABA or ethylene accumulation reach their maxima. Results gathered to date do not support a role for ethylene in potato tuber WH but do implicate ABA in this process. Although JA content increases rapidly after wounding, its role in tuber WH remains speculative.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the effects and mechanism on anti-leukemic activity of cytokine inducing killer (CIK) cells with an endogenous expression of interleukin-21 (IL-21).

METHODS
Mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood and cultured with cytokines to generate CIK cells. IL-21 lentiviral vector was constructed and used to transfect 293T cells. Then the culture supernatant with virus infected CIK cells was identified. Proliferation of CIK cells and their cytotoxic activity against K562 cells were measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT). The expressions of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), tumor necrosis factor-β (TNF-β), perforin, granzyme A, granzyme B, FasL and NKG2D mRNA were measured by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunophenotypes of CIK cells, IL-21 receptor (IL-21R) and FasL on the surface of CIK cells, intra-cellular perforin and granzyme B of CIK cells were measured by flow cytometry. And the concentrations of IFN-γ and TNF-α in cultured supernatant were measured by enzyme immunoassay.

RESULTS
By restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing, IL-21 lentiviral vector was identified, after transfecting virus supernatant into CIK cells, the expression of IL-21 was detected in CIK cells. Compared to control, (1) the total number of cells remained unchanged, but the proportion of cells expressing CD3(+)/CD56(+) phenotype increased from 16.95% ± 4.70% to 24.60% ± 2.10%. (2) Cytotoxic activity against K562 cells by CIK cells increased from 23.3% ± 2.8% to 58.4% ± 8.3% and stayed at 61.2% ± 6.2% after 5 days. It was stronger and longer compared to the exogenous effect of IL-21 (from 22.8% ± 2.8% to 44.6% ± 8.3%). (3) The expression of IL-21R increased around 2 folds. (4) The mRNA expressions of IFN-γ and TNF-α increased almost 1.5 folds, perforin, granzyme B, FasL rose almost 2 folds, the expressions of granzyme A, TNF-β and NKG2D were similar with those of controls. (5) Detected by flow cytometry, the expression of FasL of CIK cells was higher than that of control (0.56% ± 0.37% vs 0.06% ± 0.02%), the expression of perforin increased from 12.23% ± 2.35% to 25.86% ± 6.13%, the expression of granzyme B rose from 14.56% ± 1.36% to 37.58% ± 2.30%, the concentration of IFN-γ in culture supernatant spiked from (23.2 ± 5.6) to (55.3 ± 3.5) ng/L and TNF-α jumped from (5.6 ± 0.6) to (15.6 ± 0.6) µg/L.

CONCLUSIONS
CIK cells with an endogenous expression of IL-21 have stronger anti-leukemic activity through an up-regulation of IL-21R, perforin, granzyme B, FasL, IFN-γ and TNF-α. Thus IL-21 may potentially enhance the anti-leukemic immunotherapy.


Correction of psychoemotional and autonomic disturbances in children 7-17 years old with diabetes mellitus type 1 was conducted using transcranial magnetic electro-stimulation with alternate action on brain hemispheres (main group, 42 patients). The method includes the combined action of magnetic field pulses and series of electric impulses; magnetic and electric stimulation were performed synchronously - at first, on one brain hemisphere, then on another hemisphere with alternation frequency 9.5-10.5 Hz. A comparison group consisted of 44 patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 who received physiotherapeutic treatment as a combination of transcranial magnetic therapy and electro-stimulation with simultaneous action on both brain hemispheres. Treatment duration was 10 sessions. Treatment efficacy was assessed by the decrease in frequency and intensity of complaints, improvement of patient's health status measured (a scale for assessment of activity, health perception and mood) and improvement of the status of the autonomic nervous system (Vein's questionnaire), mental sphere (the Luscher color test) and cognitive traits (The Concentrated Attention Test of the Toulouse-Pierron Factorial Battery). The status of the autonomic nervous system was evaluated before and after the treatment using cardiointervalography. Brain bioelectrical activity was assessed using encephalography. Significant reduction of autonomic, psychoemotional and cognitive disturbances, normalization of brain bioelectrical activity due to the α-rhythm organization and arrhythmia removal were identified in the main group after the treatment. No adverse effects of this physiotherapeutic treatment was found.


A study was undertaken to evaluate owners' perception of the effect that epilepsy and long-term phenobarbital therapy had on the quality of pet and owner lifestyle. Selected owners who participated in a prospective, longitudinal clinical epilepsy study were sent a questionnaire at the end of the two-year study. Inclusion criteria were dogs with a history of seizures without previous medical attention or therapy by any veterinarian before enrolment, subsequent determination of seizure aetiology using a standardised diagnostic protocol and treatment with phenobarbital for a minimum period of six months. A relatively equal distribution of the respondents' dogs had a determined (secondary, 47 per cent) or undetermined (primary, 53 per cent) seizure aetiology, and the vast majority of owners agreed that they would choose to treat their epileptic pet again rather than opt for other alternatives. Most owners disagreed that their pet was leading a poor quality of life after the start of phenobarbital therapy. A significant negative correlation existed between an owner's perception of the pet's quality of life and the amount of work required to care for the pet during the two-year study period. This study demonstrates that many owners are willing to care for epileptic dogs on long-term phenobarbital treatment, regardless of the underlying cause.


It was recently published by CITCEM the correspondence to and from D. Vicente Nogueira - a collection of 120 letters written for about 40 years, between September 1615 and May 1654. The chronological predisposition, the crossing with the related letters decisively contributed to a proper understanding of texts and contexts... It was clear its monumentality, its importance for the Portuguese culture of the time, seen from Rome, Paris and Lisbon. In this article, we will make a re-reading of this estate looking for, on the one hand, what he says about life, relationships, moods, joys and despair of D. Vicente Nogueira; and, on other hand, what news on the Roman Curia on the Portuguese politics and diplomacy and on particular procedures as the Inquisition - often so discordant than those used in Rome...


Background The Psychology team have run two creative workshops for young people with health conditions based on the 'Tree of Life', a metaphor informed by narrative therapy. Young people are invited to create their own tree, with different parts of their tree representing different areas of their lives, such as skills, hopes and dreams. The day involves activities and talking in the group which aim to support young people to grow in confidence regarding living with their conditions and challenges that they face. The day also aims to support young people with making connexions and sharing experiences and knowledge with each other. Project Seven young people attended the first day, aged between 9–16 years with health conditions managed by a number of different GOSH teams including endocrinology, oncology and rheumatology. The presentation will outline the content of the day, describe the role of the facilitators and the approach taken. This will be demonstrated through video and camera footage of the young people engaging in the group activities. Results Feedback from the young people and their parents was very positive and indicated that the group enabled young people to: • Feel more connected to other young people facing similar challenges in their life. • Build confidence. • Hear other people's ideas about how to cope with challenging times. • Be creative in expressing their thoughts and ideas. This presentation will outline our learning from running these first two days and our hopes for future days, including how to involve young people in the development and running of future Tree of Life days.


Objective: To explore ethical issues in using deception to improve participation in a patient with severe traumatic brain injury who had not responded to traditional behavioral and pharmacologic approaches. Design: Case study. Participant: A male in inpatient neurorehabilitation with history of severe traumatic brain injury and significant behavioral disruption that limited his therapy participation. Methods: Behavior modification program using principles of operant conditioning that required deception. Results: Participation in therapies significantly improved and disruptive behaviors decreased. Conclusion: When used cautiously and with careful consideration of the ethical implications, deception may be permissible as part of an intervention strategy with this population but only as a last resort.


Osteosarcoma is one of the most aggressive malignancies with poor prognosis rates. Many studies have demonstrated that miRNAs were involved in osteosarcoma, but the role of miR-103a in osteosarcoma remains elusive. In this study, we detected the expression levels of miR-103 in osteosarcoma and non-osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines. The binding effect of miR-103 on p57 was detected by luciferase reporter assay. After altering expressions of miR-103 or p57, viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of MG63 cells and expressions of proteins related with the JNK/STAT and mTOR pathways were all detected. We found the higher expression of miR-103 in osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines compared with non-osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines. miR-103 overexpression promoted survival, migration, and invasion of MG63 cells. Knockdown of miR-103a inhibited cell survival, migration, and invasion by upregulating the expression of p57, which was a target of miR-103. Moreover, miR-103a overexpression activated the JNK/STAT and mTOR pathways probably through inhibiting p57 expression. In conclusion, miR-103a acted as an oncogene in osteosarcoma, probably through activating the JNK/STAT and mTOR pathways by inhibiting p57 expression.


Although Periplaneta americana L. and its modern preparation, Kangfuxin liquid, have been extensively applied for ulcerative diseases in gastrointestinal tract (e.g., gastric ulcer (GU) and ulcerative colitis, the effective components and potential mechanisms) remain unclear. In accordance with the accumulating research evidences, the relieving/exacerbating of GU is noticeably correlated to focal tissue programmed cell death. Herein, gastro-protective effects of the effective Periplaneta americana L. extract (PAE) fraction were assessed in vitro and in vivo, involving in programmed cell death-related signaling channels. To screen the effective PAE fraction exerting gastroprotective effects, several PAE fractions were gained based on a wide range of ethanol solution concentration, and they were assessed on ethanol-induced ulcer mice. Based on HPLC investigation with the use of nucleosides, the chemical composition of screened effective PAE, extracted by 20% ethanol, was analyzed in terms of quality control. Based on CCK-8 assay, the protective effects on GES-1 cells, impaired by ethanol, of PAE were assessed. After 3 days pre-treatment with PAE (200, 400, 800 mg/kg), the gastric lesions were assessed by tissue morphology, and periodic acid-schiff (PAS) staining, as well as hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) based histopathology-related investigation. The levels for inflammation cytokines (IL1-β, TNF-α, IL-18, PGE2, and IL-6), antioxidant indices (SOD and MDA) were examined via ELISA. In the meantime, based on Western Blotting assay, the expression levels of some programmed cell death-related protein targets (NLRP3, caspase-1, NF-κB p65, MyD88, and TLR4) were analyzed. As revealed from the results, PAE is capable of alleviating gastric mucosa impairment, suppressing the inflammatory cytokines, and down-regulating the MyD88/NF-κB channels. Accordingly, 20% ethanol extract of Periplaneta americana L. would contribute its gastroprotective effects, thereby providing the evidence that its anti-GU mechanisms correlated with inhibiting programmed cell death channel.


The low-energy (below 10-3 au) capture processes in hydrogen-anti-hydrogen scattering have been investigated using the plane wave approximation. The capture cross sections for the different excited states (up to the principal quantum number N = 24) of the protonium (Pn) atom, keeping the positronium (Ps) atom in its ground state, have been explicitly calculated. The present cross sections for the excited states of the Pn atom (N = 24, L = 0) are found to be in fair agreement with those of Jonsell et al (Jonsell S, Saenz A, Froelich P, Zygelman B and Dalgarno A 2001 Phys. Rev. A 64 052712). The s-state capture cross sections for the N = 17-23 excited states are found to be quite significant. The p-state cross sections are also not negligible.


The authors present modern views on the therapy of endometriosis, paying much attention to pathophysiological aspects. They present both conventional methods, as hormonal therapy or surgery, and non-conventional methods as laser laparoscopy, microsurgery and fertilization in vitro. The authors stress the lack of casual treatment of endometriosis, which does not result in full effectiveness of the therapy and sometimes there is recurrence of the disease.


Winter growth and survival of wild individually tagged juvenile Arctic charr (1+ age) from a riverine anadromous stock, were studied in a small ice-covered (� 6 months) ground water brook (temperature � 1 � C) connected to Skibotnelva in subarctic northern Norway. The overall winter survival was estimated to be 68% from late October 2005 to early May 2006. The recaptured charr were not significantly different in initial length or weight compared with the nonrecaptured fish suggesting low size-dependent mortality. The majority (98%) of the recaptured charr showed significant increase in size, with a mean increment of 62% from their initial bodyweight and 12% of the charr parr had more than doubled their weight. The mean specific growth rate was calculated to be slightly lower (0.27) than estimated values from a growth model (� 0.35). In addition, the condition factor increased significantly during the field experiment. These results are the first individual growth data on riverine anadromous Arctic charr parr under natural winter conditions, and indicate that charr can grow relatively fast during periods with low temperature and also that ground water brooks can be good over-wintering habitat for juvenile Arctic charr. These results suggest that the winter period is perhaps a less severe bottleneck than previously recognised for the cold-adapted Arctic charr.


Abstract Aim Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is taken into account as one among the effective measures for caries arrest and prevention in youngsters, due to the fact it proffers marginally invasive but cost-effective alternative to time-commemorated restorative caries control. The study was carried out to appraise the effectiveness of SDF (38%) in arresting active carious lesions and to gauge parental perception toward the treatment of cavities with SDF in the primary teeth. Materials and methods A total of 36 children in the age range 2–10 years, having active caries lésions, based on ICDAS criteria, in primary teeth were selected following the baseline examination. After four dropouts and refusal by two patients, 30 patients were treated with 1–2 topical applications of SDF (38%). Lesions were reassessed at 1 week and 3 months taking into account to assess the color and amend inconsistency (soft/hard). Parents have been mentioned regarding features of pain or infection and have been surveyed with regard to subjective feelings regarding SDF. Results Quantitative variables have been subjected to the Chi-square test. All the 30 participants within the present study at baseline were reported to possess active caries lesion. About 80% of carious lesions were found to be arrested at first recall and 93.3% after 3 months. No occurrence of pain or infection was documented. Parental perception for simple application, taste, and esthetics became statistically significant. Conclusion: Study outcomes endorse SDF to be effective in preventing active carious lesions in deciduous dentition in youngsters, and treatment outcomes were affirmative by the parents. Clinical significance SDF has been a possible management option for a noninvasive remedy to inhibit active carious lesions in deciduous dentition without causing any psychological trauma to children. How to cite this article Shrivastava U, Barjatya K, AK BB, et al. Effectiveness and Parental Perception of Silver Diamine Fluoride toward Treatment of Dental Caries in Primary Teeth. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2021;14(6):790–794.


Stenting of old obstructed saphenous vein grafts improves immediate angiographic results and long-term clinical outcome compared to standard balloon angioplasty. Comparison of results and long-term clinical outcome between different types of stents in the treatment of vein graft disease is scarce. The authors studied two matched groups of 33 patients each, receiving either coronary or biliary tubular-slotted stents in old vein graft lesions to compare immediate results and long-term clinical outcome. Patients in the two groups were matched for age and left ventricular function. Baseline angiographic characteristics, the minimal luminal diameter (MLD) (0.68 +/- 0.56 mm vs 0.61 +/- 0.51 mm, p = 0.9), and diameter stenosis (DS) (81 +/- 14% vs 82 +/- 15%) were similar between the groups. After stenting, the MLD (3.15 +/- 0.65 mm vs 3.37 +/- 0.63 mm, p = 0.9) and residual stenosis (-7 +/- 19% vs -11 +/- 21%) were also similar. The in-hospital major complications (myocardial infarction and death) (one vs eight, p = 0.01) and the combination of major and minor (bleeding and vascular) complications (eight vs 17, p = 0.02) were higher in the biliary stent group. At long-term follow-up, both groups of patients had high but comparable rates of major cardiovascular events (39% vs 45%, p = 0.62). Kaplan-Meier event-free survival analysis did not show any statistically significant difference in event-free survival (log-rank statistic 0.98). The authors conclude that patients receiving biliary stents had higher rates of immediate minor and major complications, but at long-term follow up, major cardiovascular event rates were comparable between the two groups of patients.


Twenty years ago, Kay proposed an iterative filtering algorithm (IFA) for jointly estimating the frequencies of multiple complex sinusoids from noisy observations. IFA is based on the fact that the noiseless signal is an autoregressive (AR) process, so the frequency estimation problem can be reformulated as the problem of estimating the AR coefficients. By iterating the cycle of AR coefficient estimation and AR filtering, IFA provides a computationally simple procedure yet capable of accurate frequency estimation especially at low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). However, the convergence of IFA has not been established beyond simulation and a very special case of a single frequency and infinite sample size. This article provides a statistical analysis of the algorithm and makes several important contributions. It shows that the poles of the AR filter must be reduced by an extra shrinkage parameter to accommodate poor initial values and avoid being trapped into false solutions. It also shows that the AR estimates in each iteration must be bias-corrected to produce a more accurate frequency estimator; a closed-form expression is provided for bias correction. Finally, it shows that for a sufficiently large sample size, the resulting algorithm, called new IFA (NIFA), converges to the desired fixed point, which constitutes a consistent frequency estimator. Numerical examples, including a real data example in radar applications, are provided to demonstrate the findings. It is shown in particular that the shrinkage parameter not only controls the estimation accuracy, but also determines the requirements of initial values. It is also shown that the proposed bias-correction method considerably improves the estimation accuracy, especially for high SNR.


In the context of the Abstract Interpretation framework, initiated by Cousot and Cousot to model program static analyses, numerous numerical abstract domains have been proposed. Their number is due to both the intended usage of the domains (properties to prove) and the trade-off between precision and computation efficiency. In this paper, we propose a way to quantify the precision of abstract values belonging to numerical domains like intervals, octagons or polyhedra. To do so, we rely on the fact that abstract values of that kind describe some volumes that can be measured. The article focuses on the definition and computation of this precision, also providing examples of application.


Thirty-one flexor tendon repairs in 30 patients managed by early passive motion were retrospectively compared with 31 flexor tendon repairs in 30 patients managed by 3 weeks of postoperative immobilization. Repairs were performed by several surgeons, including plastic surgical residents. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups comparing age, zone of injury, number of tendons repaired, nature of injury, or associated injuries. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups when total active and total passive range of motion were compared for repairs in zone I, zone II, zones III and IV, and all zones combined. In the early passive motion group in zone II, there were 12 percent excellent results, 15 percent good results, 23 percent fair results, and 50 percent poor results. In the immobilization group, there were 18 percent excellent results, 8 percent good results, 23 percent fair results, and 53 percent poor results. There was no significant difference between the two groups (p less than 0.05).


Recently the prompt-tuning paradigm has attracted significant attention. By only tuning continuous prompts with a frozen pre-trained language model (PLM), prompt-tuning takes a step towards deploying a shared frozen PLM to serve numerous downstream tasks. Although prompt-tuning shows good performance on certain natural language understanding (NLU) tasks, its effectiveness on natural language generation (NLG) tasks is still under-explored. In this paper, we argue that one of the factors hindering the development of prompt-tuning on NLG tasks is the unfamiliar inputs (i.e., inputs are linguistically different from the pretraining corpus). For example, our preliminary exploration reveals a large performance gap between prompt-tuning and fine-tuning when unfamiliar inputs occur frequently in NLG tasks. This motivates us to propose input-tuning, which fine-tunes both the continuous prompts and the input representations, leading to a more effective way to adapt unfamiliar inputs to frozen PLMs. Our proposed input-tuning is conceptually simple and empirically powerful. Experimental results on seven NLG tasks demonstrate that input-tuning is significantly and consistently better than prompt-tuning. Furthermore, on three of these tasks, input-tuning can achieve a comparable or even better performance than fine-tuning.


We present a catalogue of 362 million stellar parameters, distances, and extinctions derived from Gaia's early third data release (EDR3) cross-matched with the photometric catalogues of Pan-STARRS1, SkyMapper, 2MASS, and AllWISE. The higher precision of the Gaia EDR3 data, combined with the broad wavelength coverage of the additional photometric surveys and the new stellar-density priors of the {\tt StarHorse} code allow us to substantially improve the accuracy and precision over previous photo-astrometric stellar-parameter estimates. At magnitude $G=14\, (17)$, our typical precisions amount to 3% (15%) in distance, 0.13 mag (0.15 mag) in $V$-band extinction, and 140 K (180 K) in effective temperature. Our results are validated by comparisons with open clusters, as well as with asteroseismic and spectroscopic measurements, indicating systematic errors smaller than the nominal uncertainties for the vast majority of objects. We also provide distance- and extinction-corrected colour-magnitude diagrams, extinction maps, and extensive stellar density maps that reveal detailed substructures in the Milky Way and beyond. The new density maps now probe a much greater volume, extending to regions beyond the Galactic bar and to Local Group galaxies, with a larger total number density. We publish our results through an ADQL query interface ({\tt gaia.aip.de}) as well as via tables containing approximations of the full posterior distributions. Our multi-wavelength approach and the deep magnitude limit make our results useful also beyond the next Gaia release, DR3.


A function f(z) defined on the unit disc U is said to be logharmonic if it is the solution of the
nonlinear elliptic partial differential equation where such
that . These mappings admit a global
representation of the form where In this paper,we shall
consider the logharmonic mappings , where is
starlike. Distortion theorem and radius of starlikess are obtained. Moreover,
we use star functions to determine the integral means for these mappings. An
upper bound for the arclength is included.