Neurons receive the vast majority of their input onto their dendrites. Dendrites express a plethora of voltage-gated channels. Regenerative, local events in dendrites and their role in the information transformation in single neurons are, however, poorly understood. This thesis investigates the basic properties and functional roles of dendritic spikes in cerebellar Purkinje cells using whole-cell patch clamp recordings from the dendrites and soma of rat Purkinje cells in brain slices. I show that parallel fibre (PF) evoked dendritic spikes are mediated by calcium channels, depend on membrane potential and stimulus intensity and are highly localized to the spiny branches receiving the synaptic input. A determining factor in the localization and spread of dendritic calcium spikes is the activation of large-conductance, calcium dependent potassium (BK) channels. I provide a strong link between dendritic spikes and the endocannabinoid dependent short-term synaptic plasticity, depolarization-induced suppression of excitation (DSE). Gating the dendritic spikes using stimulus intensity or membrane potential, I show that the threshold of DSE is identical to that of the dendritic spikes and the extent of DSE depends on the number of dendritic spikes. Blocking BK channels increases the spatial spread of dendritic spikes and enables current injection or climbing fibre (CF) evoked dendritic spikes to suppress PF inputs via DSE. By monitoring dendritic spikes during strong PF stimulation-induced long-term depression (LTD), I also provide a link between long-term synaptic plasticity and dendritic excitability. By showing that blocking CB1 cannabinoid receptors reduces the intensity requirement for LTD, I provide a connection between the short- and long-term changes in PF strength triggered by dendritic spikes I also investigate the effect dendritic spikes have on somatic action potential output. Contrary to pyramidal cells, where dendritic spikes boost the output of the neuron, the average Purkinje cell output becomes independent from the output strength for inputs triggering dendritic spikes. However, the temporal pattern of the output is strongly affected by dendritic spikes. I show that this phenomenon depends on BK channel activation resulting in a pause in somatic firing following dendritic spikes. In summary, I present a description of PF evoked local dendritic spikes and demonstrate their functional role in controlling the synaptic input and action potential output of cerebellar Purkinje cells.


Objective: To determine the impact of successful excision of pterygium on corneal astigmatism and topography.
Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.
Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Feb 2021 to Jul 2021.
Methodology: All 52 patients of pterygium who underwent surgical excision of the pterygium during the study period were included. The size of pterygium was measured in millimeters. Pre-operative automated keratometry and corneal topography was done, and changes in astigmatism, surface asymmetry index, surface regularity index, uncorrected visual acuity and best corrected visual acuity were measured postoperatively on the 7th day. Paired sample t-test was applied between pre- and post-operative astigmatism, surface asymmetry index, surface regularity index, uncorrected visual acuity and best corrected visual acuity.
Results: The mean age of participants was 42.02±13.3 years, with 22(42.3%) females and 30(57.7%) males. The male to female ratio is 1.36:1. The highest frequency of cases was noted in the age group, 31-50 years (42%), followed by 18-20 years (21%). Pterygium size was 2.25 to 4.10 mm, with a mean of 3.16±0.54mm. Pain and photophobia were noted in 5 cases. Pre- and postoperative comparison of astigmatism and corneal topography revealed a significant reduction in Surface Asymmetry Index and Surface Regularity Index values (p-value<0.001). Uncorrected Visual Acuity (p=0.002) and Best Corrected Visual Acuity also improved significantly after surgery (p=0.006).
Conclusions: This study concluded that pterygium excision brings a significant decrease in astigmatism and reversible corneal topography changes.


Effective communication in product development organizations has been identified as a key factor of product development performance. Furthermore, understanding how the development organization manages the knowledge associated with the product architecture is broadly recognized as a critical challenge for established firms facing architectural innovation. This thesis presents a research method and statistical analyses intended to enhance understanding of the coupling between the product architecture and the development organization. The research method is summarized by three steps: 1) capture the product architecture by documenting design interfaces, 2) capture the development organization by documenting team interactions, and 3) couple the product architecture with the development organization by comparing design interfaces with team interactions. Our approach is illustrated by analyzing the development of a large commercial aircraft engine. Several hypotheses are formulated to explain the mismatch between design interfaces and team interactions, that is, the cases when: 1) known design interfaces are not matched by teaminteractions, and 2) reported team interactions are not predicted by design interfaces. Effects due to organizational and system boundaries, design interface strength, design interface type, design interface redesign, indirect team interactions, and secondary design interfaces are studied. In addition, through the analysis of the distribution of cross-boundary design interfaces, modular and integrative systems are formally identified, and differences between designing modular versus integrative systems are studied. Two types of statistical analyses were performed. First, categorical data analysis techniques were used to test the mentioned hypothesized effects. Second, a log-linear model, built upon social network analysis methods, was developed to study the association between design interfaces and team interactions controlling for effects of reciprocity, differential attraction, and differential expansiveness of both components and teams. Findings in this research are complemented with the results of another empirical study focused on the effects of distance and communication media use in geographically distributed development organizations. By considering the results presented in this thesis, development organizations can improve the integration process for complex designs. The approach developed is particularly applicable to projects where the architecture of the product is well understood and the development team is organized around the product architecture.


Liver disease is among the most serious ailments and can be classified as acute or chronic hepatitis, hepatosis, and cirrhosis. Besides expensive and ineffectual modern therapeutic agents like steroids and chemotherapy, South East Asian countries like India and China have an edge in treating hepatic disorders employing their native botanicals. The present study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of Arogyavardhani on D-galactosamine (d-GalN)-induced fulminant hepatic failure. Rats were given an intraperitoneal injection of d-GalN (270 mg/kg). Arogyavardhani (10 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) was administered orally for 14 days continuously, and on the last day at 1hour before the d-GalN injection. Rats were sacrificed 24 hours after the d-GalN. Silymarin (100 mg/kg body weight) was given orally as a standard hepatoprotective drug. The liver injury was assessed biochemically, investigating biochemical parameters like ALT, AST, ALP, Bilirubin, Total Protein, and Albumin. The survival rates after the application of Arogyavardhani at 24 h were also observed. D-galactosamine administration induced a significant increase (P≤0.01) in total bilirubin associated with a marked elevation in the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as compared to control rats. The pretreatment of Arogyavardhani attenuated these changes in a dose-dependent manner. The survival rate of the OC groups was significantly higher than that of the d-GalN group. Our results suggest that Arogyavardhani has hepatoprotective effects against D-galactosamine induced hepatic damage. Therefore, Arogyavardhani may be used as a hepatoprotective agent against various liver diseases including toxic liver injury.


The antimicrobial activity of isothiocyanates (ITCs) extracted from horseradish root was investigated against oral microorganisms: 6 strains of facultative anaerobic bacteria, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Lactobacillus casei, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans; one strain of yeast, Candida albicans, and 3 strains of anaerobic bacteria, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella nigrescens, and Clostridium perfringens. The ITCs extracted from horseradish root showed antimicrobial activity against all oral microorganisms by the paper disk method. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the ITCs extracted from horseradish root ranged from 1.25 to 5.00 mg/ml against 6 strains of facultative anaerobic bacteria and one strain of yeast, and 4.17 to 16.67 mg/ml against 3 strains of anaerobic bacteria. The ITCs extracted from horseradish root showed the strongest antimicrobial activity, with a MBC of 1.25 mg/ml, against C. albicans among facultative microorganisms, and 4.17 mg/ml against F. nucleatum among anaerobic bacteria. These results suggest that the ITCs extracted from horseradish root may be a candidate for use as an antimicrobial agent against oral microorganisms.


Studies of a mentally retarded boy, clinically suffering from nonketotic hyperglycinemia, are reported. Using combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, enzyme specificity studies, and spectropolariometry D-glyceric acid in extremely elevated concentrations was demonstrated in both serum and urine (serum: 1.0-1.3 mmol/liter, urine: 33-187 mmol/liter). Hydroxypyruvic acid was not detectable in urine from this boy using a gas chromatographic method with a limit of detection of 0.3 mmol/liter. Enzyme assays of D-glyceric dehydrogenase on blood leukocytes demonstrated significantly lower activity in the patient compared with five normal children.


Tl2Ba2CuO6+ delta shows a gradual transition from a 85-K superconductor to a nonsuperconducting normal metal, which arises from over-doping of hole carriers by excess oxygen. Neutron diffraction study reveals that excess oxygen is incorporated at an interstitial site between double TlO layers. No remarkable changes are observed at the superconductor-metal phase boundary in both Hall coefficient and spin susceptibility, suggesting the very similarity and continuity between both the electronic structures. This is in sharp contrast with the previous observations for La2-xSrxCuO4.


The problem of modeling and predicting spatiotemporal traffic phenomena over an urban road network is important to many traffic applications such as detecting and forecasting congestion hotspots. This paper presents a decentralized data fusion and active sensing (D2FAS) algorithm for mobile sensors to actively explore the road network to gather and assimilate the most informative data for predicting the traffic phenomenon. We analyze the time and communication complexity of D2FAS and demonstrate that it can scale well with a large number of observations and sensors. We provide a theoretical guarantee on its predictive performance to be equivalent to that of a sophisticated centralized sparse approximation for the Gaussian process (GP) model: The computation of such a sparse approximate GP model can thus be parallelized and distributed among the mobile sensors (in a Google-like MapReduce paradigm), thereby achieving efficient and scalable prediction. We also theoretically guarantee its active sensing performance that improves under various practical environmental conditions. Empirical evaluation on real-world urban road network data shows that our D2FAS algorithm is significantly more time-efficient and scalable than state-oftheart centralized algorithms while achieving comparable predictive performance.


For more than a quarter of a century, Madan G. Singh taught and accomplished seminal research on approaches to better control, manage, and understand complexity in systems. This interdisciplinary work has covered the intersections of the areas of control engineering, systems engineering, applied mathematics, management science, and computer science. His work has been remarkable at both a theoretical level, as well as at a practical level. Indeed, over the years, his practical work has led to new insights which have driven the theoretical developments. He has examined complexity in human-made systems, in managerial decision making, in marketing, and in production planning and scheduling. He has taken full advantage of contemporary developments in computing technology and in organizational science. He was, in a great many respects, a truly excellent exemplar of the modern academic, with highly tuned entrepreneurial skills integrated with major research skills. His career reflects well the contemporary changing character of academia that is now simultaneously home to ivory tower research, pragmatic market-driven research and associated product and service development. The purpose of this commemorative paper is to describe the evolution of his academic, research, scholarship, professional service, and enterprise efforts over the last two and a half decades.


Short exposure of frog atrial trabeculae to high [K] fluids induces a large transient increase ('facilitation') of subsequent twitch tension. This facilitation declined during regular stimulation with a time course similar to that of the initial 'staircase' phenomenon following a change in heart rate. The facilitation increased in a graded manner, above a threshold level, with the potassium concentration in the conditioning high [K] fluid. Variation of external calcium during the high [K] treatment did not significantly affect the height of the facilitated twitches. However, variation of external calcium after the conditioning treatment produced large changes in tension. More detailed study of this effect showed that the facilitatory effect could be entirely explained by an increased sensitivity of heart cells to the instantaneous level of external calcium concentration. The results suggest that twitch facilitation is brought about by the enhancement of calcium inward movement associated with an action potential.


Urban sprawl has become a very complex process, because it has many factors affecting its directions and values. The study of relative research shows that the driving forces that lead and redirect future urban sprawl require the application of a statistical method. In our study, logistic regressions were used to analyze and class the driving forces for urban sprawl. Identifying the driving forces, which is the most important step in predicting the future of urban sprawl in 2037, was performed using the cellular automata models. This study takes the Aswan area as a case study in the period from 2001 to 2013 by analyzing the official detailed plan and Google Earth historical imagery. Almost all data was prepared for logistic regression analysis using ArcGIS software and IDRISI® Selva. In our study, a hybrid model of the Markov chain and logistic regression models was applied to identify future urban sprawl in 2037. The findings of this paper simulate the increase in urban area over 24 years from 1.85 to 2.59 km2. These findings highlight the growing risks of urban sprawl and the difficulties opposing the sustainable urban development plans officially proposed for this area.


Aluminium alloy 6061 T6 circular specimens were joined using TIG and MIG welding methods. Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) and Base Metal (BM) were separated from each other. Potentiodynamic polarization and open circuit potential were employed to investigate the corrosion properties. Mechanical properties were evaluated using tensile, and hardness tests. It was shown that corrosion resistance was less for the HAZ of TIG and MIG welded specimens. The BM showed better corrosion resistance. The corrosion potential of HAZs was largely fluctuated; the corrosion potential for BM was relatively stable. Both welding procedures affected the mechanical properties of the specimens. The ultimate tensile strength of the TIG welded AA 6061 T6 specimens was 193.107 MPa which is 54% that of the base metal. The ultimate tensile strength of the MIG welded AA 6061 T6 specimens was 155.725 MPa which is less than 50% that of the BM. The HAZ of TIG welded specimens had the lowest hardness, for MIG welding the welded zone was shown to have the lowest hardness values due to the presence of pores which confirm using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).


The combination of isatins, active methylene reagents and 4-phenylurazole/ phthalhydrazide in the presence of ionic liquid ([BMIm]Cl) as a solvent catalyst was found to be a suitable and efficient method for the synthesis of the biologically important spirooxindoles. The features of this procedure were characterized by one-pot procedure, reasonable reaction times, fairly high yields, and simple isolation procedures. The ionic liquid can be easily separated and reused for several times.


In modern world various transformations have an impact on social and political processes of the society. Even cultural changes somehow depend on these transformations. Therefore, social and political phenomena need new approaches for their study, where the political culture has its proper relevance.
The article explores the theoretical and methodological foundations of political culture based on the analysis of foreign and Armenian scholars works. The behavioral, psychological, comparative and other approaches as well as methods of political culture analysis are examined.
In a result of generalization of theoretical approaches and summarizing the outcomes obtained from a comparative analysis of political culture methodologies, we can define political culture as the aggregate of political ideas, knowledge, traditions and values; as a whole of political participation and behavior models; as a relatively stable link between political consciousness and socialization, between stages and levels of political communication tools and political institutions, which defines the political process and which is expressed through the political discourse.


Abstract Broiler breeders hens (meat-type hens) have lower reproductive potential than laying-type hens. Statistical models for predicting potential laying pattern are important for economically optimal breeding strategy of egg production in a poultry flock. The aim of the study was to find the most suitable function for describing the egg-laying rate and egg weight during the broiler breeders' production period and to characterize laying pattern in groups of hens with different egg production. The following four mathematical models were used: gamma, Narushin-Takma, logistic-curvilinear, and compartmental. The daily recorded egg production data from 100 broiler breeder hens were used. Hen-weekly egg production was described using laying rate during successive weeks after reaching sexual maturity (26 weeks of age) and daily recorded egg weight. On the basis of the total number of eggs laid (NEggs), groups of hens with low (21%), intermediate (52%), and high (27%) egg production were created. The differences between the goodness-of-fit criteria values (AIC, R2 MSE) were small, with all the examined models having the same quality of curve fitting for egg-laying rate and egg weight. The logistic-curvilinear model was able to fit well both egg-laying rate and egg weight of the whole broiler breeder hens' flock, and also when hens were divided into three egg production groups. This model could be considered in a long-term prediction of the reproductive potential in the commercial management. Moreover, the presented model could be useful in the research on different reproduction parameters of individual hens.


Eleven years of eelgrass Zostera marina seed additions conducted in a coastal bay system where Z. marina had not been reported since 1933 have resulted in rapid Z. marina expansion beyond the initially seeded plots. From 1999 through 2010, 37.8 million viable seeds were added to 369 individual plots ranging in size from 0.01 to 2 ha totaling 125.2 ha in 4 coastal bays. Subsequent expansion from these initial plots to approximately 1700 ha of bay bottom populated with Z. marina through 2010 is attributable to seed export from the original plots and subsequent generations of seedlings originating from those exports. Estimates of annual patch vegetative expansion showed mean estimated diameter increasing at varying rates from 10 to 36 cm yr−1, consistent with rhizome elongation rates reported for Z. marina. Water quality data collected over 7 yr by spatially intensive sampling, as well as fixed-location continuous monitoring, document conditions in all 4 bays that are adequate to support Z. marina growth. In particular, median chlorophyll levels for the entire sampling period were between 5 and 6 μg l−1 for each of the bays, and median turbidity levels, while exhibiting seasonal differences, were between 8 and 9 NTU. The recovery of Z. marina initiated in this coastal bay system may be unique in seagrass recovery studies because of how the recovery was initiated (seeds rather than adult plants), how rapidly it occurred (years rather than decades), and the explicit demonstration of how one meadow modulated water clarity and altered sediments as it developed and expanded. Our results offer a new perspective on the role seeds can play in recovery dynamics at large spatial scales.


We describe a monoclonal antibody (Mab), V1, specific for Leishmania (Leishmania) venezuelensis. Previous Mabs and DNA probes were not specific for this parasite, and so it was not directly possible to distinguish L. (L.) venezuelensis from other Leishmania species. Immunofluorescent staining using Mabs may be performed on very few parasites, whereas other methods of identification usually require far greater numbers of organisms. L. (L.) venezuelensis frequently dies on subculture. Mab V1 can be used to identify this parasite by indirect immunofluorescence and radioimmunoassay.


Background Several retrospective studies have suggested that immunotherapy, including prednisolone, azathioprine and thymectomy, reduces progression of ocular myasthenia gravis to generalized myasthenia gravis. This study examines the effect of immunotherapy on generalization rates in ocular myasthenia patients who are acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody-positive. Methods Retrospective record review of 34 patients from three university-based hospitals with neurology and neuro-ophthalmology services in Australia. In all patients, positive AChR antibodies were recorded, the initial symptoms were purely ocular, and all had at least 2 years of follow-up. The patients who developed generalized myasthenia gravis were compared with those who remained purely ocular. Results There were 21 patients who developed generalized myasthenia gravis. Of these 21, only 2 (9.5%) had received prior immunotherapy. Among the 13 patients whose symptoms remained purely ocular, 10 (76.9%) had received prior immunotherapy. Conclusions In this study, most of the patients who progressed from ocular myasthenia to generalized myasthenia had not received prior immunotherapy. This study adds weight to the call for a prospective trial of early immunotherapy in patients with ocular myasthenia.


As the 2000 election so vividly showed, it is Electoral College standings rather than national popular votes that determine who becomes President. But current pre-election polls focus almost exclusively on the popular vote. Here we present a method by which pollsters can achieve both point estimates and margins of error for a presidential candidate's electoral-vote total. We use data from both the 2000 and 1988 elections to illustrate the approach. Moreover, we indicate that the sample sizes needed for reliable inferences are similar to those now used in popular-vote polling.


In order to fulfil its mission to ensure and promote the global comparability of measurements, the BIPM operates laboratories in the fields of physical metrology, time, ionizing radiation and chemistry. These laboratories act as centres for scientific and technical collaboration between member states providing capabilities for international measurement comparisons on a shared cost basis. They coordinate international comparisons of national measurement standards agreed to be of the highest priority, and they establish and maintain appropriate reference standards for use as the basis of key international comparisons at the highest level and provide selected calibrations from them. The BIPM sustained all of its key activities throughout the periods of confinement resulting from the global pandemic in 2020 including: the publication of Circular T each month, the annual World Metrology Day celebrations and the launch of the new key comparison database (KCDB 2.0). Several activities were brought forward in the work programme including the automation of data handling in the International Reference System (SIR) for radionuclide metrology and on-line technical exchanges and capacity building initiatives. The BIPM has also worked to understand how best to support the National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) as a 'new normal' emerges. As a first step, the NMI 'COVID action' repository was implemented and two pilot studies were launched by the CCQM on the measurement of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. New ways have been developed to support the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) consultative committees on-line. For example, during 2020 a total of 70 video meetings were held for the CCQM, with similar trends for other CCs. In the following sections, we provide highlights of the work the laboratories have undertaken during 2020.


Nitrate is a common contaminant causing eutrophication, particularly in agricultural areas, such as in Brittany (France). In this region, natural
green-rust phases (fougerite) significantly contribute to the bluish color of hydromorphic soils. These minerals are thought to form upon reduction of Fe(III)-minerals by bacterial activity under anoxic conditions[1,2]. Since synthetic green rusts phases are known to reduce NO3-to NH4+ [3], potential for in situ denitrification involving bacterial metabolism and abiotic reduction by biogenic green-rust has been raised. In the present study, biogenic hydroxycarbonate green-rusts, GR(CO3), were produced in the laboratory from the reduction of either lepidocrocite or ferric oxyhydroxycarbonate [4] by Shewanellaputrefaciens strain ATCC 12099. These biogenic Fe(II,III)-containing minerals were characterized by XRD, TEM and transmission Mossbauer spectroscopy, and their interactions with nitrite were studied. Results show that kinetics of reduction by biogenic GR(CO3) differ from those reported for synthetic analogues [5]. In addition, XRD and EXAFS analysis of time-series samples help to elucidate the chemical mechanisms involved when green rusts get oxidized.


Research trends keep evolving along the time with certain trackable patterns. Mining academic literature and discovering the latent research trends evolution is an interesting and important problem. Few of previous studies focusing on academic topic evolution modeling have addressed the temporal topic evolution patterns. In addition, researchers' profile and their social networks are valuable complementary to the research trends tracking. In this study, to analyze the underlying research trends evolution along with the scientific collaborations of researchers, a novel temporal research trends evolution model associated with researchers' social networks is proposed and built. Specifically, the detected research topics are classified into different clusters in each timeslot, and the evolution patterns are deduced among these topic clusters. The effectiveness of our approach is evaluated based on a real academic dataset. The experimental results can help users to discover the major research trends for specific fields. Besides, the tracked statuses of the corresponding scientific groups are helpful for searching research trends or finding collaboration opportunities according to researchers' different requirements.


Invasive alien plants impact ecosystems, which often necessitates their removal. Where indigenous species recovery fails following removal alone, an active intervention involving reintroduction of seed of native species may be needed. This study investigated the potential for a combination of the fire cues of smoke and heat as a pre-treatment of seeds in breaking dormancy and facilitating increased germination. Species were selected to represent different functional types within Cape Flats Sand Fynbos; a fire-prone, critically endangered vegetation type in South Africa. Seeds were exposed to either a heat pulse (temperatures between 60 and 300°C for durations of between 30 s and 20 min) or dry after-ripening (1 or 2 months at milder temperatures of 45°C or less). Thereafter, seeds were soaked in smoke solution for 18 h and subsequently placed on agar at 10/20°C for germination. Most species fell into one of two main groups: Seed germination in the first group was greatest following a lower temperature (60°C) heat pulse, an extended period of mild temperature (20/40°C or 45°C) exposure, or no pre-treatment with heat. Seed germination in the second group was promoted after brief exposure to higher (100°C) temperatures. No germination occurred in any species following heat treatments of 150°C or higher. Species which responded better to higher temperatures were mainly those possessing physical dormancy, but seed morphology did not correlate with germination success. This study showed that heat stimulation of seeds is more widespread in fynbos plant families than previously known and will enable the development of better seed pre-treatment protocols before large-scale sowing as an active restoration treatment after alien plant clearing.


Our previous studies indicate that the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is involved in bombesin-induced cell proliferation in prostate cancer cells. Cyclin D1 is a critical regulator involved in cell cycle progression through the G1 phase into the S phase, thereby contributing to cell proliferation. Mostly, mitogen-stimulated expression of cyclin D1 is attributed to the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation. Here, we found that bombesin induced human cyclin D1 expression on both mRNA and protein levels in DU-145 prostate cancer cells. Mutational analyses showed that bombesin-enhanced cyclin D1 transcription required the binding of nuclear proteins to the -143 to -105 region of the human cyclin D1 promoter, which contains binding sites for transcription factors Sp-1 and early growth response protein (Egr-1). Do novo protein synthesis was requisite for bombesin-induced cyclin D1 expression. Further studies showed Egr-1 was induced upon bombesin stimulation. The induction of Egr-1 expression and its binding to the cyclin D1 promoter were essential for bombesin-enhanced cyclin D1 transcription. Inhibition of MAPK pathway with either the MEK1 inhibitor PD98059 or a dominant-negative Ras mutant, RasN17, abolished bombesin-induced cyclin D1 activation. Taken together, bombesin-induced cyclin D1 expression in prostate cancer cells is mediated by Egr-1 activation and the interaction of Egr-1 with the Egr-1/Sp1 motif of the cyclin D1 promoter through the activation of MAPK pathway. These findings represent a novel mechanism of bombesin-dependent stimulation of mitogenesis by regulating directly the cell cycle in prostate cancer.


A new tunneling time is proposed by introducing the transfer speed of energy carried by tunneling particles. This speed is similar to the energy transfer speed in electromagnetism, and with the tunneling time, the well-known superluminality may be avoided. The low energy limit, the critical limit, and the opaque limit are considered, which are physically meaningful. Comparisons with dwell time and Buttiker and Landauer's semiclassical time are also made.


Molecules undergo Brownian rotational diffusion, continually tumbling through solution. If a molecule contains a fluorescent chromophore with an appropriate excited-state lifetime, and a solution of such molecules is excited with a brief flash of polarized laser light, then it is possible to measure the rates at which the molecule tumbles. One can measure the anisotropy of the decay of the fluorescence, a measure of the depolarization of the fluorescence in time. The rates of rotational diffusion are sensitive to the shape of the molecule. This paper examines the molecular shape information available from the anisotropy decay. Three systems, which are of interest to our laboratory, are described here. Our studies on the dye rose bengal (molecular weight ~1000) suggest that an approximation used in rotational diffusion theory—that the solvent molecules are very small compared to the solute—is valid even for this relatively small molecule. Next, we examine the effects of calcium concentration on the rotational diffusion ofthe protein calmodulin (molecular weight ~17,000) derivatized by photoinduced crosslinking to form a dityrosine fluorophore. In the presence of sufficiently high calcium ion concentration, this crosslinked calmodulin shows a single exponential anisotropy decay consistent with the rotational diffusion of the extended dumbbell structure found for calmodulin by x-ray crystallography. At low calcium concentrations, the crosslinked calmodulin rotates considerably faster, suggesting a much more compact shape; also, this anisotropy decay shows short correlation times that are interpreted as arising from a segmental flexibility not evident for crosslinked calmodulin at high calcium concentration. Finally, we examine a transition that is observed at very low salt concentrations for nucleosome core particles, relatively large complexes (molecular weight ~204,000) derived from the chromatin of higher organisms and comprised of eight histone molecules and 145 base pairs of DNA. The anisotropy decay of ethidium bound to the DNA indicates that core particles exposed to low ionic strength are considerably elongated relative to the shape at higher ionic strength.


This paper presents a robust method for ground plane detection in vision-based applications based on a monocular sequence of images with a non-stationary camera. The proposed method, which is based on the reliable estimation of the homography between two frames taken from the sequence, aims at designing a practical system to detect road surface from traffic scenes. The homography is computed using a feature matching approach, which often gives rise to inaccurate matches or undesirable matches from out of the ground plane. Hence, the proposed homography estimation minimizes the effects from erroneous feature matching by the evaluation of the difference between the predicted and the observed matrices. The method is successfully demonstrated for the detection of road surface performed on experiments to fill an information void area taken place from geometric transformation applied to captured images by an in-vehicle camera system.


New technologies open up the door to multiple business models applied to public services in smart cities. However, there is not a commonly adopted methodology for evaluating business models in smart cities that can help both practitioners and researchers to choose the best option. This paper addresses this gap introducing the Business Model Evaluation Tool for Smart Cities. This methodology is a simple, organized, flexible and the transparent system that facilitates the work of the evaluators of potential business models. It is useful to compare two or more business models and take strategic decisions promptly. The method is part of a previous process of content analysis and it is based on the widely utilized Business Model Canvas. The evaluation method has been assessed by 11 experts and, subsequently it has been validated applying it to the case studies of Santander's waste management and street lighting systems, which take advantage of innovative technologies commonly used in smart cities.


Vibrational spectra of seven surfactants adsorbed at the surface of aqueous solutions have been obtained by IR–VIS sum-frequency generation. From these spectra the degree of conformational disorder and the angle of the terminal methyl group are inferred. In general, the number of gauche conformations increases as the area per chain increases. The angle of the methyl group, which is an indicator of the tilt of the hydrocarbon chains, is not simply related to the area per chain. Comparison of surfactants with the same chain length and area per molecule shows that the structure of the chain region of the monolayer is sensitive to the nature of the head group and not just to the packing density. Quantitative models to explain peak intensities in sum-frequency spectra of surfactants are discussed critically.


The aim of this work is the analysis of methods, approaches, technologies, means of information management (IM), using both conventional technologies and adding new intellectual and block chain. Trends in the use of intelligent technologies in information management are given. The developments in the field of intelligent agents based on semantic web, web-services and semantic web-services, the use of cloud computing (CC) are shown. The main ideas of semantic technologies, in which a page of the semantic network contains information in two languages: the natural and special, understood only by intelligent software agents (IA) are discussed. The use of block chain technology for the control of various material and non-material assets are done. Technically, the block chain technology is another application layer on top of the stack of the Internet protocols and can be integrated with the semantic level. The use of intelligent technologies in the information management in the cloud area with the work of IA. The intelligent web (web 3.0), which became the next stage in the development of the Internet is discussed. It forms the semantics on the ontology dase, creating new opportunities for IA to perform various user requests. Analyzes the major developments in the field of intellectualization of IM, and the main tendencies of their development. The result was a list of criteria and their values, which must meet an intelligent system for IM. As trends in the development of IM is considered the improvement of models and methods of joint activity of IA in the cloud area using block chain technology. Three directions of development of intellectual control system are proposed. As the development of information management proposed the creation of an instrumental platform based on multi agent approach, integrating semantic and block chain technology in the cloud area.


This paper considers the problem of automatically testing a sequential switching circuit. It is assumed that the sequential circuit is nonclocked in order that the same automatic tester may be used for a wide class of circuits. The program for the tester is to be generated by an IBM 7090 computer from the logical description of the circuit to be tested. The specific problem considered here is to write a program for the 7090 in order to accomplish this purpose. A method of solution and a brief description of the program are given and a worked example is supplied.


Abstract Researchers are increasingly interested in leveraging technology to support the physical and mental well-being of older adults. We systematically reviewed previous scholars' criteria for sampling older adult populations, focusing on age cohorts (namely adults over 65) and their use of internet and smart technologies. We iteratively developed keyword combinations that represent older adults and technology from the retrieved literature. Between 2011 and 2020, 70 systematic reviews were identified, 26 of which met our inclusion criteria for full review. Most important, not one of the 26 papers used a sample population classification more fine-grained than "65 and older." A knowledge gap thus exists; researchers lack a nuanced understanding of differences within this extraordinarily broad age-range. Demographics that we propose to analyze empirically include not only finer measures of age (e.g., 65-70 or 71-75, as opposed to "65 and older"), but also those age groups' attitudes toward and capacity for technology use.


AbstractThis study the analysis of language errors in Indonesian subjects at MTs LKMD Waemoli, Buru Regency inclass discussion activities. The research design used in this research is descriptive qualitative, namelycollecting, processing, analyzing, and presenting data objectively about the object of research, namely languageerrors in class discussion activities of class VIII students of MTs LKMD Waemoli, Buru Regency, especiallywords, phrases, clauses, and the sentence. Data collection techniques are carried out to obtain the informationneeded in order to achieve the research objectives, the techniques used are observation techniques andrecording techniques. The results showed that the form of language error analysis for grade VII students at MTsLKMD Waemoli, Buru Regency in class discussion activities was the use of words, use of phrases, use ofclauses, and use of sentences. Based on the data obtained regarding the analysis of students' language errors inclass discussions, it can be said that in the use of words there are 168 non-standard word uses, in the use ofphrases there are 7 errors, the use of clause errors there are 13 errors and 10 errors in the use of sentences. Theoverall dialogue on the data in the analysis is 146 which is more wrong with the use of errors in words.Keywords: language, error analysis, class discussion.


Summary This review covers the progress made in research on microbial a-amylase, a highly demanded industrial enzyme in various sectors such as food, pharmaceuticals, textiles, detergents, etc. Amylases are of ubiquitous occurrence and hold the maximum market share of enzyme sales. The article surveys the a-amylase family and the major characteristics, microbial sources, production aspects, downstream processing, salient biochemical properties, industrial applications, enzyme engineering and some recent research developments.


This study proposed a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (M-Z)-based disturbance detection interferometric fibre optic sensor system. In this system, two single-mode optical fibres passing through the central tube of cable were used as the signal arm and reference arm of the M-Z interferometer. In the coherent length range of laser light source, as long as encountering suitable optical path difference, can the photosynthesis generate a series of alternately dark and bright interference fringes. Reference arm is dependent from the external signals, while the signal arm is subject to the disturbance of external signals. Affected by the disturbance, signal interference fringes significantly generated fluctuations with the variation of the optical distance between the two arms. The interference signals were then collected and stored through digital storage oscilloscope. By detecting the variations of the interference fringes from stability to instability, and from regularity to irregularity, it had access to judging whether or not there was external disturbance invasion. Experimental results suggested that the sensor system was very sensitive. In case of slight touch on the cable, the waveform will generate variations.


The complete nucleotide sequence of the chloroplast genome of Arabidopsis thaliana has been determined. The genome as a circular DNA composed of 154,478 bp containing a pair of inverted repeats of 26,264 bp, which are separated by small and large single copy regions of 17,780 bp and 84,170 bp, respectively. A total of 87 potential protein-coding genes including 8 genes duplicated in the inverted repeat regions, 4 ribosomal RNA genes and 37 tRNA genes (30 gene species) representing 20 amino acid species were assigned to the genome on the basis of similarity to the chloroplast genes previously reported for other species. The translated amino acid sequences from respective potential protein-coding genes showed 63.9% to 100% sequence similarity to those of the corresponding genes in the chloroplast genome of Nicotiana tabacum, indicating the occurrence of significant diversity in the chloroplast genes between two dicot plants. The sequence data and gene information are available on the World Wide Web database KAOS (Kazusa Arabidopsis data Opening Site) at http://www.kazusa.or.jp/arabi/.


We studied motor impersistence with a standardized clinical test of sustained actions, both in patients with acute focal stroke lesions, who were matched for age and size of lesion, and normal controls. Patients with right-sided lesions had significantly more impersistence than did those with left-sided lesions. The most discriminating tests were eye-closure, mouth-opening, tongue-protrusion, and gaze to the left. Right central and frontal lesions seemed to be more responsible for motor impersistence than were posterior or left-sided lesions. Although motor impersistence is sometimes seen with diffise cerebral disease, it is also a sign of right-hemisphere lesions; the phenomenon is probably related to mechanisms of directed attention that are necessary to sustain motor activity.


OBJECTIVE
Glucocorticoid (GC) has occupied a central role in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia due to its ability to induce apoptosis in neoplastic lymphoid cells. Glucocorticoid resistance is present among 20% initial acute lymphoblastic leukemia, even 80% refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Glucocorticoid resistance has been an important determinant of clinical outcome. Glucocorticoid depends on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) to induce apoptosis. Glucocorticoid receptor, a number of nuclear hormone receptor superfamily, is mediated by many signal transduction systems. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) superfamily of serine/threonine kinases has emerged as an important component of cellular signal transduction. Four MAP kinase families, ERK, p38 MAP kinase, JNK, and ERK5, have been well characterized. p38 MAPK usually plays a role in regulating apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and cytokines production, et al. In steroid resistance patients, IL-2 combined with IL-4 can decrease glucocorticoid receptor ligand-binding affinity via p38MAPK. In human alveolar epithelial A549 cells, dexamethasone could inhibit the activation of p38MAPK. It is unclear that the effect of p38MAPK on glucocorticoid receptor function induced by dexamethasone in CEM cells. This study aimed to investigate effect of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase on glucocorticoid receptor function induced by dexamethasone in CEM cells.

METHODS
Cell viability was determined by trypan blue dye exclusion. Apoptosis was evaluated by morphology and flow cytometry. Glucocorticoid receptor protein and p-p38MAPK protein were analyzed by Western Blot.

RESULTS
When treatment with SB203580 and dexamethasone for 24 h to 72 h, the survival percentage was increased from 62.3%, 35.5% and 11.6% to 82.8%, 54.7% and 48.1%, respectively (P < 0.01). Co-treatment with SB203580 and dexamethasone resulted in the decrease of apoptotic percentage from 26.2% to 7.1% for 36 h (P < 0.01). p38 MAPK activation was apparent at 15 min, peaked at 1 h after dexamethasone treatment, and was sustained for 6 h. The phosphorylation was still observed at 48 h. Treatment with dexamethasone at 5 micromol/L for 12, 24, 36 and 48 h resulted in increase of GR(alpha) protein to 117%, 121%, 122% and 125% respectively. Unbinding to dexamethasone, GR(alpha) is in the cytoplasm. Nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio of GR(alpha) is 0.27. Treatment with dexamethasone at the same concentration and time resulted in the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio increase to 0.48, 0.59, 0.95, 2.16 and 4.08 respectively. Combined treatment with SB203580 and dexamethasone resulted in the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio decrease from 4.08 to 0.43 for 48 h (P < 0.05). The total GR(alpha) protein was unaffected.

CONCLUSIONS
Expression of GR(alpha) protein is upregulated and translocated into nucleus. p38MAPK enhances GR(alpha) protein translocation into nucleus.


Prior work ha~ noted the importance of parenting for supporting the development of emotion regulation in infants/children. The goal of this study was to examine the influence of adult EF on behavioral responses to infant distress. The current investigation used a novel methodological approach, the infant simulator paradigm (ISIM), to evaluate the effects of participant EF on soothing behavior during interactions with an inconsolable, simulated infant. Given the importance ofEF in regulation of behavior, it was predicted that participants with lower EF would engage in fewer soothing behaviors (i.e., sensitive vocalizations, soothing touch, distracting, and caretaking efforts) than participants with higher EF. Non-parent college students participated in a laboratory interaction with the ISIM. Participants also completed the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, and two Stroop-like tasks which assessed aspects ofEF. Following a demonstration, participants interacted with the inconsolable ISIM. Interactions were video/audio recorded and later coded for targeted soothing behaviors. Kappa's for each behavioral code ranged from .70 to .92 (M = .78). Regression analyses controlling for gender and prior care giving experience indicated that greater EF difficulties predicted less frequent use of soothing vocalizations. A trend in the expected direction was also found such that greater difficulties with inhibitory control were associated with fewer distraction attempts. The findings have implications for intervention work such that the efficacy of parenting interventions may be enhanced by considering caregiver EF, as those with EF difficulties may need more intensive, practice oriented interventions.


The nutritionally important starch fractions and in vitro starch digestibility index (SDI) were studied in three commercially available rice varieties and a millet which were subjected to four different cooking methods to validate the claim of low glycemic index. The Hydrolysis index was analyzed to compute Estimated Glycemic Index (EGI) and correlated with SDI. In addition, carbohydrate profile, amylose content, the degree of gelatinization and ultra-structural analysis were also done. The starch fractions differed according to the cooking methods. Samples with high Rapidly Available Glucose (RAG) showed higher Starch Digestibility Index (SDI). The SDI ranged from 17-46, samples cooked by pressure and steaming method had higher SDI. The degree of gelatinization (DG) correlated with total starch (TS) content. The Estimated Glycemic Index ranged from 53-65 categorizing them as medium GI foods. The nutritional properties of rice starch fractions are of immense interest due to their digestion characteristics (slowly digested and absorbed) and therefore, the identification of foods with low glycemic index and low RDS and SDI values could be useful for target population.


Background Zygomaticomaxillary complex (ZMC) fractures mostly occur in the form of tripod fractures. The surgical field is accessed using a combination of three classic approaches. However, the subciliary incision may have unfavorable aesthetic results. Herein, the authors report the advantages of the extended transconjunctival approach (ETA) combined with T-bar screw reduction in minimizing scarring and complications for the treatment of ZMC fractures. Methods A total of 26 patients underwent ZMC reduction through the ETA and intraoral approach. A skin incision measuring roughly 5 to 8 mm in length was placed following the lateral canthal skin crease. After releasing the inferior crus of the lateral canthal tendon for canthotomy, the medial periosteum of the lateral orbital rim was preserved for canthal reattachment. A limited subperiosteal dissection and partial relaxing incision of the orbicularis oculi were performed to expose the fracture line of the inferior orbital rim and zygomaticofrontal suture. Reduction was performed using a T-bar screw through the transconjunctivalincision and an elevator through the intraoral incision. Results The aesthetic and functional results were excellent. Successful reduction was achieved and the skin incision was less than 8 mm in 20 cases (76.9%). Only six patients had an additional skin incision (less than 5 mm) to achieve reduction. No cases of ectropion, entropion, or excessive scarring were noted. Conclusions The ETA using a T-bar screw is a useful method for maximizing aesthetic results in ZMC fractures, with the advantages of minimal scarring, faster recovery, and maintenance of pretarsal fullness.


The theoretical characterisation of multiword expressions (MWEs) is tightly connected to their actual occurrences in data and to their representation in lexical resources. We present three lexical resources for Italian MWEs, namely an electronic lexicon, a series of example corpora and a database of MWEs represented around morphosyntactic patterns. These resources are matched against, and created from, a very large web-derived corpus for Italian that spans across registers and domains. We can thus test expressions coded by lexicographers in a dictionary, thereby discarding unattested expressions, revisiting lexicographers's choices on the basis of frequency information, and at the same time creating an example sub-corpus for each entry. We organise MWEs on the basis of the morphosyntactic information obtained from the data in an electronic, flexible knowledge-base containing structured annotation exploitable for multiple purposes. We also suggest further work directions towards characterising MWEs by analysing the data organised in our database through lexico-semantic information available in WordNet or MultiWordNet-like resources, also in the perspective of expanding their set through the extraction of other similar compact expressions.


Ischemic strokes occur when there is a sudden obstruction of an artery supplying blood flow to an area of the brain, leading to a focal neurological deficit. Strokes can be thrombotic or embolic in etiology and are associated with underlying conditions such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. Possible etiologies of strokes include cardioembolic disease, hematologic disorders, connective tissue disorders, and substance abuse or can be cryptogenic. Most stroke cases are seen in patients over 65 years of age. However, about one-fourth of strokes occur in young adults. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) has been described as a known cause for strokes in children, but very few case reports describe this association in adults. We describe a 20-year-old female who presented with sudden onset left side weakness. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain demonstrated ischemic infarctions. Patient was also found to be severely anemic. Patient had a thorough work-up including Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) of the brain, echocardiogram, and an extensive screen for thrombophilia disorders. This, however, did not demonstrate a clear etiology. As it has been suggested that IDA is a potential cause for stroke, it is possible the stroke in this young patient was attributable to severe IDA.


One of the main purposes of earth observation is to extract interested information and knowledge from remote sensing (RS) images with high efficiency and accuracy. However, with the development of RS technologies, RS system provide images with higher spatial and temporal resolution and more spectral channels than before, and it is inefficient and almost impossible to manually interpret these images. Thus, it is of great interests to explore automatic and intelligent algorithms to quickly process such massive RS data with high accuracy. This thesis targets to develop some efficient information extraction algorithms for RS images, by relying on the advanced technologies in machine learning. More precisely, we adopt the manifold learning algorithms as the mainline and unify the regularization theory, tensor-based method, sparse learning and transfer learning into the same framework. The main contributions of this thesis are as follows.


Nitrogen heteroarenes form an important class of compounds which can be found in natural products, synthetic drugs, building blocks etc. Among the diverse strategies that were developed for the synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles, oxidative dehydrogenation is extremely effective. This review discusses various oxidative dehydrogenation strategies of C–C and C–N bonds to generate nitrogen heteroarenes from their corresponding heterocyclic substrates. The strategies are categorized under stoichiometric and catalytic usage of reagents that facilitate such transformations. The application of these strategies in the synthesis of nitrogen heteroarene natural products and synthetic drug intermediates are also discussed. We hope this review will arouse sufficient interest among the scientific community to further advance the application of oxidative dehydrogenation in the synthesis of nitrogen heteroarenes.


Emotional intelligence (EI) is a relatively new construct in differential psy- chology. Proponents of EI have made strong claims for its importance in basic and applied psychology. This article considers whether the promise of EI has been fulfilled. We examine various fundamental challenges to establishing EI as a major individual differences factor, including cross-cultural issues. We then examine strategies for assessing EI as a personal quality distinct from general intelligence and personality, and evaluate leading tests and scales for EI. Various sources of validity evidence demonstrate the value of research on EI, but we also identify various weaknesses of existing instruments. It appears that there is no strong, over-arching general factor of EI that shapes human emotional functioning across a range of diverse contexts. Instead, we advocate a "multipolar" conception of EI that discriminates tempera- ment, information-processing, emotion-regulation and acquired skills. Focusing research on more narrowly defined but conceptually coherent research domains may be a more productive strategy than seeking to define an all-embracing general EI.


In this study, a deep learning-based method is proposed to automate the field of view of the camera measurement process, which is applied to each camera coming out of the mass production line and currently performed with the human eye. This proposed method is fundamentally based on detecting the time instants when a certain target enters and exits the scene seen by the camera. To be detected these moments, improved YOLOv3 with ResNet50 hybrid architecture is proposed. It is aimed to create a target detection model with less training data. With this model, the camera field of view is estimated. By using two different test systems and two different thermal cameras, a dataset is created to be used in the training processes of the proposed hybrid architecture, Faster-RCNN, and YOLOv3 target detection architectures. In the performed camera field of view estimation tests using this dataset, it is seen that the proposed hybrid architecture has higher accuracy than other target detection architectures.


Boiling water reactors (BWRs) represent a large fraction of the world's installed nuclear power capacity. The core model of a BWR is very complex because it has many fuel assemblies and strong axial heterogeneities such as coolant voiding, partial control rod insertion, and non-uniform fuel assembly design. The core design of BWR is a hard optimization problem with a nonlinear objective function and nonlinear constraints. In this paper, we propose an integrative two-stage optimization method of dynamic stage and static stage based on Genetic Algorithm (GA). This algorithm provides both good convergence performance and global searching ability. Therefore, this optimization system realized the practical application for the real BWR core design. Through calculation in an actual plant, it was confirmed that the optimization could be realized within a reasonable computation time. This two-stage optimization algorithm made the automation of core design tasks possible.


. CHIMERA is a multi-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics code designed to study core-collapse supernovae. The code is made up of three essentially independent parts: a hydrodynamics module, a nuclear burning module, and a neutrino transport solver combined within an operator-split approach. We review the code's architecture and some recently improved implementations used in the code. We also briefly discuss preliminary results obtained with the code in three spatial dimensions.


The history of Wesleyan Methodism in Zimbabwe speaks loudly about the role played by the first missionaries. Most scholars credit these missionaries for the sacrifices they made. However, the expansion of the mission was largely the work of teacher-evangelists from South Africa. Among them were Modumedi Moleli and James Anta. Moleli and Anta were martyred in Mashonaland during the Shona uprising of 1896–1897. Although the two evangelists came to Zimbabwe during the same period and were killed in the same epoch through the same type of brutality, Moleli received scholarly attention and church recognition. On the one hand, Brandon Graaf dedicated a book to Moleli and on the other hand, the church named a school after him. Moleli died in Mashonaland East and was buried at Nenguwo (now Waddilove) Training Institute, whereas the school in his honour is located in Mashonaland West, where James Anta was killed. In contrast, there is neither a building nor scholarly work dedicated to Anta. This paper argues that, although Anta's name is mentioned in the Wesleyan Methodist literature, there is deliberately no attempt to honour his martyrdom as central in the growth of Methodism in Zimbabwe. By using qualitative research methodology, the paper challenges the Wesleyan Methodist Church to reconstruct its ecclesiastical history to honour Anta, who came to Zimbabwe as a missionary in his own right. The paper concludes by arguing that the historiography of Methodism in Zimbabwe is incomplete without acknowledging Anta as a missionary, evangelist and martyr; and yet he remains an unsung hero.


This paper addresses shifts in governance and the re-framing of citizenship discourse in the People's Republic of China during the 1990s. Drawing upon a Sinicized Marxist-Leninism, public intellectuals and propagandists have sought to represent citizens' rights primarily as socio-economic beneŽ ts of China's reform agenda delivered by the Communist Party. This materialist articulation of citizens' rights diminishes the prospect of citizenship functioning as a mechanism for political claims against the State. However, the proclamation of rights as social beneŽ ts is in keeping with a traditional Chinese relationship between State and society whereby the former is responsible for the general welfare of the population. The citizen is thus divested of its Western political connotations and becomes a blueprint for ethical refashioning based on state goals of economic development.


Generative learning strategies interconnect with cognition and emotion. Based on one-factorial experimental design, 75 participants were randomly assigned to study a chemical Virtual Reality (VR) lesson in one of three conditions: VR, VR+ summarizing, and VR+ self-testing. An emWave system was used to record the learners' emotional state during learning. The learners' learning outcomes were measured with retention tests, learning experiences were measured with instruments. The results showed that compared to the students were given a VR lesson without generative learning strategy, 1) the students who engaged in generative self-testing strategy during learning displayed more positive emotions in the cognition process, more positive ratings after learning, and higher memory test scores; 2) the students who engaged in generative summary strategy during learning showed more positive emotions in the cognition process, but lower immediate memory scores. These findings give new evidence to explaining how generative summarizing and self-testing learning strategies affect learning based VR.


Symbolic computational approaches are desirable for many applications and especially for large complex and nonlinear systems. These approaches work well when (a) the user interface is "symbolized" and (b) the underlying computational algorithms are robust. This paper presents advances in both of these areas and for the specific application of numerical integration of large complex nonlinear systems. We present a method for symbolically defining complex nonlinear systems. The methodology includes a human interface for symbolic manipulations of the system model. The system model is symbolically quadratized. The quadratized model is integrated with a numerical method that belongs to the general class of collocating methods. The presented methodologies are superior to previous approaches by the authors using symbolic manipulations and trapezoidal integration. The methodology is illustrated with example systems including converters with saturable inductors, surge arresters and other complex nonlinear systems. The proposed methodology is compared to previous approaches for the purpose of quantifying the advantages


Amorphous sulfur (a-S) is prepared by rapidly compressing molten sulfur to high pressure. From differential scanning calorimeter measurements, a large exothermic peak has been observed around 396 K. Online wide-angled x-ray scattering spectra indicate that no crystallization occurs in the temperature range 295–453 K, suggesting that the exothermal process corresponds to an amorphous-to-amorphous transition. The transition from amorphous sulfur to liquid sulfur is further verified by the direct observation of sulfur melt at the temperature of the associated transition. This is the first time of reporting that a-S transforms to liquid sulfur directly, which has avoided a crystallization process. What is more, the transition is an exothermic and a volume expansion process.


While the incidence of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) meningitis is expected to decrease with the widespread use of the Hib vaccine, the resistance of Hib has actually increased. Therefore, selection of the initial antibiotics used for treatment must be performed with resistant bacteria, including beta-lactamase negative ampicillin resistant H. influenzae (BLNAR), in mind. Tazobactam/piperacillin (TAZ/PIPC) has a satisfactory minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against BLNAR and is a beta-lactamase inhibitor. Although there is no insurance coverage for its use in patients with meningitis, the penetration of TAZ/PIPC into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in animal experiments promises a satisfactory result, and we have been using a combination of ceftriaxone (CTRX) and TAZ/PIPC as an initial treatment and a resistant bacteria countermeasure in patients with Hib meningitis at our hospital since 2008. We examined the concentration of TAZ/PIPC in CSF to further investigate the possibility of using TAZ/PIPC as an antibiotic treatment against bacterial meningitis. In cases treated with a 1: 8 drug formulation of TAZ/PIPC against Hib meningitis at our hospital, we used the remaining portion of a CSF sample collected after the initiation of TAZ/PIPC administration and then measured the concentrations of TAZ and PIPC in the CSF. Six specimens from 5 patients between the ages of 6 and 59 months were examined. The dosage of TAZ/PIPC was 95.7-113.6 mg/kg/dose x 3 times/day, and the CSF concentrations at 0-105 minutes after the completion of the administration were 0.319-1.32 microg/mL for TAZ and 2.54-7.74 microg/mL for PIPC. With the approved dosage, the peak concentration level during the acute period indicated a sufficient CSF concentration level for the antibacterial and beta-lactamase inhibition effects against Hib. As an antibiotic treatment for H. influenzae meningitis, the combined usage of TAZ/PIPC is likely to be effective as a resistant bacteria countermeasure, in addition to third-generation cephem drugs and meropenem.


Much debate in media and communication studies is based on exaggerated opposition between the digital sublime and the digital abject: overly enthusiastic optimism versus determined pessimism over the potential of new technologies. This inhibits the discipline's claims to provide rigorous insight into industry and social change which is, after all, continuous. Instead of having to decide one way or the other, we need to ask how we study the process of change.This article examines the impact of online distribution in the film industry, particularly addressing the question of rates of change. Are there genuinely new players disrupting the established oligopoly, and if so with what effect? Is there evidence of disruption to, and innovation in, business models? Has cultural change been forced on the incumbents? Outside mainstream Hollywood, where are the new opportunities and the new players? What is the situation in Australia?


A new approach based on glycemic index was suggested in choosing foods as a source of carbohydrate. A study on glycemic index of selected Indonesian food has been conducted such as breadfruit which is a source of carbohydrate. The objective of this study was to analyze glycemic index value of breadfruit products such as fried breadfruit, steamed breadfruit, boiled breadfruit, and breadfruit cookies. These processing was choosen based on common method of breadfruit cooking in Indonesia. Breadfruits from Kudus were selected. That breadfruit had processed into four kinds of breadfruit products namely fried breadfruit, steamed breadfruit, boiled breadfruit, and breadfruit cookies. The foods were analyzed the nutrient composition of the four breadfruit products. Six healthy subjects (3 males and 3 females) with BMI between 18.5 and 22.9 kg/m2 were selected. GI value of four breadfruit products determined by standard method (Miller 1996). Measurement of GI was conducted after approval of the Ethics Committee (No. LB.03.04/KE/4914/2010) received. Proximate analysis showed that nutrient contents of the products were as follows : moisture content (wet based, wb) of breadfruit products such as fried breadfruit, steamed breadfruit, boiled breadfruit, and breadfruit cookies were 51.01%, 71.75%, 79.91%, and 4.24% respectively, protein content (dry based, db) were 1.22%, 2.11%, 3.2%, and 3.53% respectively, fat content (db) were 20.07%, 0.61%, 0.73, and 30.12% respectively, carbohydrate by difference content (db) were 73.36%, 90.30%, 90.78%, and 64.37% respectively, and total dietary fiber content (db) were 16.5%, 25.76%, 30.47%, and 4.36% respectively.  The result showed that glycemic index of fried breadfruit, steamed breadfruit, boiled breadfruit, and breadfruit cookies were 82, 89, 85, and 80 respectively. Those four products were classified as high GI category. Statistical analysis showed that treatment did not affect the GI value.


Out of a group of 12 M. nemestrina (originating from Malaysia), 9 adults had shown clinical signs induced by ILS at 25 c/sec. Six of them (3 males, 3 females) were very photosensitive; however, only 2 presented eyelid and/or head jerks after the end of ILS (level 4), but never a generalized seizure. Tactile periorbital stimuli favoured myoclonus. In all but the two of level 4, the intensity of clinical signs varied from one day to the next. In all implanted adult macaques, spontaneous paroxysmal EEG activities were seen during slow sleep in mostly anterior areas, but also during waking and REM sleep in some of them; however, their occurrence depended upon the individual and were not in all cases related to their level of photosensitivity. During ILS, paroxysmal discharges (spikes and waves and/or polyspikes and waves), isolated or in bursts at 3-4/sec were bilateral and symmetrical. They started in fronto-rolandic regions, then became generalized. This observation constitutes a new fact since the discovery, in 1966, of the photomyoclonic syndrome of Papio papio, Macaca nemestrina being another species of subhuman primates with a marked predisposition to photosensitive epilepsy.


This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence and the natural course of venous thromboembolism (VTE) without thromboprophylaxis to ascertain whether routine thromboprophylaxis is necessary following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) in Korean patients. The medical records and multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) imaging of the consecutive 77 UKAs in 70 patients were reviewed. In all patients, MDCTs were undertaken preoperatively and at 1-week after surgery, and VTE symptoms were evaluated. At postoperative 6-months, follow-up MDCTs were undertaken in all patients in whom VTEs were newly detected after surgery. VTE lesions were newly detected in 18 (26%) of the 70 patients. However, none of the patients complained of VTE-related symptoms and MDCT demonstrated that all VTEs were small and involved limited portion without lower leg edema or pleuroparenchymal complication. At the 6-month follow up MDCT, all types of VTEs were shown to be completely resolved, regardless of their location. All of the VTE lesions maintained an asymptomatic status for 6-month after surgery. VTE following UKA in Korean patients who do not receive thromboprophylaxis seems to occur frequently, but all of the VTEs are clinically insignificant and all VTEs are spontaneously regressed. Routine thromboprophylaxis or thrombolytic treatment in Korean patients undergoing UKA may not be necessary.


Objetcives : Cancer cachexia is a common syndrome in advanced cancer patients, which is characterized by profound changes in protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism , resulting in anorexia, weight loss, muscle wasting and poor performance status. We studied the journals of Chinese herb medicine about cancer cachexia and reported the results. Methods : This study attempted to analyze the contents of the research papers concerning the treatment of cancer cachexia presented in the journals of Chinese medicine published in China over the period between 2000 and 2009. Results & Conclusions : The principles for medical treatment were invigorating Ki(益氣), invigorating the spleen(健脾), regulating the stomach(和胃), nourishing the blood(養血), nourishing Eum(補陰), promoting the circulation of Ki(行氣), removing the phlegm(化痰), removing blood stasis(祛瘀) etc. The used herbs were Poria(茯笭), Astragali Radix(??), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma(白朮), Codonopsis Pilosulae Radix(黨蔘), Dioscoreae Rhizoma(山藥), Citri Pericarpium(陳皮), Angelicae Gigantis Radix(當歸), Coicis Pemen(薏苡仁), Paeoniae Radix Alba(白芍藥) etc. The effetcive rate of treatment with Chinese herb medicine group was comparable or even more effetcive. Chinese herb medicine group had little side effetcs. Chinese medicine herb treatment to inhibit cancer cachexia has many possibilities.


Retinoblastoma is an aggressive childhood cancer of the developing retina that is initiated by the biallelic loss of the RB1 gene. In addition to its role in tumor initiation, loss of the RB1 gene has been shown to induce genome instability, thus promoting tumor progression. In an attempt to identify the mutations that cooperate with RB1 loss, we performed whole-genome sequencing of retinoblastomas. However, the overall mutational rate was very low, with RB1 being the only known cancer gene mutated. We then evaluated RB19s role in genome stability and considered non-genetic mechanisms of cancer pathway deregulation. Since RB1 has been implicated in regulating major epigenetic processes, including miRNA regulation, DNA methylation, and histone modification, we hypothesized that RB1 inactivation may contribute to the rate of retinoblastoma tumorigenesis through non-genetic mechanisms that deregulate tumor suppressor and oncogenic pathways. We performed sister chromatid cohesion, kinetochore structure, and spectral karyotype analyzes, and evaluated double strand break repair using comet assay, γ-H2AX and TP53BP1 foci immunostaining, and found that the human retinoblastoma genome is stable. Nonetheless, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-on-chip) and DNA methylation analyzes pointed that multiple cancer pathways are epigenetically deregulated in human retinoblastoma. For example, the proto-oncogene spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) is epigenetically upregulated in retinoblastoma and is required for tumor cell survival. Targeting SYK with a small-molecule inhibitor induced retinoblastoma tumor cell death in vitro and in vivo. Thus, RB1 inactivation may allow preneoplastic cells to acquire multiple hallmarks of cancer through epigenetic mechanisms, resulting directly or indirectly from RB1 loss. These data provide novel targets for chemotherapeutic interventions of retinoblastoma. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2011 Nov 12-16; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2011;10(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A163.


Summary Objective: To investigate the osteogenic differentiation potential of equine umbilical cord blood-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (CB-MSC) within coralline hydro-xyapatite scaffolds cultured in osteogenic induction culture medium. Methods: Scaffolds seeded with equine CBMSC were cultured in cell expansion culture medium (control) or osteogenic induction medium (treatment). Cell viability and distribution were confirmed by the MTT cell viability assay and DAPI nuclear fluorescence staining, respectively. Osteogenic differentiation was evaluated after 10 days using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, alkaline phosphatase activity, and secreted osteocalcin concentration. Cell morphology and matrix deposition were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after 14 days in culture. Results: Cells showed viability and adequate distribution within the scaffold. Successful osteogenic differentiation within the scaffolds was demonstrated by the increased expression of osteogenic markers such as Runx2, osteopontin, osteonectin, collagen IA increased levels of alkaline phosphatase activity increased osteocalcin protein secretion and bone-like matrix presence in the scaffold pores upon SEM evaluation. Clinical significance: These results demonstrate that equine CB-MSC maintain viability and exhibit osteogenic potential in coralline hydroxyapatite scaffolds when induced in vitro. Equine CB-MSC scaffold constructs deserve further investigation for their potential role as biologically active fillers to enhance bone-gap repair in the horse.


This study discusses the localization problem based on time delay and Doppler shift for a far-field scenario. The conventional location methods employ two steps that first extract intermediate parameters from the received signals and then determine the source position from the measured parameters. As opposed to the traditional two-step methods, the direct position determination (DPD) methods accomplish the localization in a single step without computing intermediate parameters. However, the DPD cost function often remains non-convex, thereby it will cost a high amount of computational resources to find the estimated position through traversal search. Weiss proposed a DPD estimator to mitigate the computational complexity via eigenvalue decomposition. Unfortunately, when the computational resources are rather limited, Weiss's method fails to satisfy the timeliness. To solve this problem, this paper develops a DPD estimator using expectation maximization (EM) algorithm based on time delay and Doppler shift. The proposed method starts from choosing the transmitter-receiver range vector as the hidden variable. Then, the cost function is separated and simplified via the hidden variable, accomplishing the transformation from the high dimensional nonlinear search problem into a few one dimensional search subproblems. Finally, the expressions of EM repetition are obtained through Laplace approximation. In addition, we derive the Cramér–Rao bound to evaluate the best localization performance in this paper. Simulation results confirm that, on the basis of guaranteeing high accuracy, the proposed algorithm makes a good compromise in localization performance and computational complexity.


Proposals to build new, more powerful spallation sources and the introduction of advanced moderator concepts will result in neutron sources that are 20 times more luminous than the brightest available today. These developments provide opportunity and challenge to expand the capabilities of present low-Q instruments using new designs. A particularly interesting case is the design of an instrument capable of measurements to very low'' momentum transfer, say Q [approx] 0.0007 [Angstrom][sup [minus]1]. We consider an instrument to be built on a 20 Hz, 330 kW target and viewing a coupled liquid-hydrogen moderator. The instrument would use a frame-definition chopper to select a wavelength band suitable for the required Q-domain. Monte Carlo optimization of the geometry was performed by choosing the minimum observable Q always to be 0.0007 [Angstrom][sup [minus]1] and then maximizing intensity/variance at Q = 0.0020 [Angstrom][sup [minus]1] while maintaining reasonable constraints. The resulting design is 48 m long, with a maximum wavelength band 16.9 [Angstrom] [le] [lambda] [le] 20.5 [Angstrom]. The Monte Carlo simulations of instrument performance include wavelength-dependent effects from aluminum and fused silica windows, air, chopper opening and closing times and phase jitter, measured spectrum and detector efficiencies, sample transmission and multiple scattering, and gravity. Themore » results were normalized by the measured flux from the present LANSCE moderator, and scaled by the expected performance of a coupled hydrogen moderator. The results compare well with the 76-m configuration of the D11 instrument at ILL in both count rate and Q-precision, due in part to the ability to correct for gravitation effects using the time of flight of the detected neutrons. The validity of these comparisons was demonstrated by comparison of measurements and Monte Carlo simulations made on the present LANSCE Low-Q instrument (LQD) and on D11.« less


plancher de la bouche de Gensoul" is the nomenclature adopted in this book. The histopathology of malignant disease receives an elaborate general description, and tumours are described separately under the three rubrics of the tonsil, the nasopharynx, and the laryngopharynx. The various methods of treatment are described in detail, both surgical and physical, butthere is a reluctance to quote any evidence on the results obtained. However bad these may be they should be frankly given so that some estimate, however imperfect, may be formed of their value. There is an inclination to resort to simple excision in all operable cases, but the section on the surgery of the laryngopharynx is unexpectedly found to be disappointing. The authors say that they have tried to avoid " redites," and some. repetition in a book so designed is inevitable, but there is much that might have been eliminated without spoiling the form of a magnificent collection of essays. Although the book is rather larger than it need have been, Professor Canuyt and his friends have made a splendid and permanent contribution to French medical literature, and in particular it forms a lasting memorial to Professor Reverchon.


Background An elegant bedside provocation test has been shown to aid the diagnosis of long‐QT syndrome (LQTS) in a retrospective cohort by evaluation of QT intervals and T‐wave morphology changes resulting from the brief tachycardia provoked by standing. We aimed to prospectively determine the potential diagnostic value of the standing test for LQTS. Methods and Results In adults suspected for LQTS who had a standing test, the QT interval was assessed manually and automated. In addition, T‐wave morphology changes were determined. A total of 167 controls and 131 genetically confirmed patients with LQTS were included. A prolonged heart rate–corrected QT interval (QTc) (men ≥430 ms, women ≥450 ms) at baseline before standing yielded a sensitivity of 61% (95% CI, 47–74) in men and 54% (95% CI, 42–66) in women, with a specificity of 90% (95% CI, 80–96) and 89% (95% CI, 81–95), respectively. In both men and women, QTc≥460 ms after standing increased sensitivity (89% [95% CI, 83–94]) but decreased specificity (49% [95% CI, 41–57]). Sensitivity further increased (P<0.01) when a prolonged baseline QTc was accompanied by a QTc≥460 ms after standing in both men (93% [95% CI, 84–98]) and women (90% [95% CI, 81–96]). However, the area under the curve did not improve. T‐wave abnormalities after standing did not further increase the sensitivity or the area under the curve significantly. Conclusions Despite earlier retrospective studies, a baseline ECG and the standing test in a prospective evaluation displayed a different diagnostic profile for congenital LQTS but no unequivocal synergism or advantage. This suggests that there is markedly reduced penetrance and incomplete expression in genetically confirmed LQTS with retention of repolarization reserve in response to the brief tachycardia provoked by standing.


The flow and reallocation of agricultural production factors induced by urbanization play an important role in the changes of the grain production pattern (GPP). Using provincial panel data from 1996 to 2018 in China as the research sample, the center of gravity transfer–standard deviation ellipse model was applied to understand the change characteristics of GPP. Next, a dynamic spatial panel econometric model was established to test the impact of urbanization on GPP, and a spatial mediated effect model was used to identify the mediated transmission paths played by cropland utilization, planting structure adjustment, and agricultural technology progress in this impact process. The main conclusions showed that (1) the grain production COG of China transferred to the northeast, gradually resulting in a spatial pattern from the northeast to the southwest; (2) the urbanization process has a significant negative impact on the GPP, with each unit increase in urbanization resulting in a 0.30% decrease in the grain production concentration index; (3) cropland utilization, planting structural adjustment, and agricultural technology progress play significant mediating roles in the impact of urbanization on the GPP, and their mediating effects can weaken the direct negative impact of urbanization, among which the mediating effect of planting structure adjustment is the highest (13.9%). The study findings provide a new perspective for further understanding the relationship between urbanization and grain production pattern and also provide theoretical references and practical insights for improving the allocation efficiency of agricultural production factors and formulating scientific regional planning policies for grain production in the high-quality transformation of urbanization.


The effect of different seawaters on survival and growth of biotin-, isoleucine-, and uracil-requiring mutants of the marine bacterium, Serratia marinorubra, has been investigated. Samples of seawater were collected from coastal waters, the California Current, and central North Pacific waters at depths of 1, 25, 50, 100, 250, and 500 m. The growth or survival of the test bacterium in basal medium prepared in these seawater samples was determined. The control water was synthetic or charcoal-treated natural seawater. In several experiments, the metabolite required by the bacterium was added to the basal medium 24 hr after inoculation, and the growth response was determined. Depending on the source, the seawater samples were both stimulating and inhibitory. Surface waters were more inhibitory than those taken at depth, where, in some cases, bacterial growth occurred. Seawater inhibition was related more to station depth than to the location of the station. The most toxic effects were found against the uracil-requiring mutant; the least, against the isoleucine-requiring mutant. The results of these studies and some laboratory experiments indicate that seawater toxicity is not primarily associated with the physical and biological properties of a particular water mass and that the same factor(s) may be responsible for the rapid death of bacteria in all waters.


Deep learning has recently resulted in remarkable performance improvements in machine fault diagnosis using only raw input vibration signals without signal preprocessing. However, research on machine fault diagnosis using deep learning has primarily focused on model architectures, even though optimizers and their hyperparameters used for training can have a significant impact on model performance. This paper presents extensive benchmarking results on the tuning of optimizer hyperparameters using various combinations of datasets, convolutional neural network (CNN) models, and optimizers with varying batch sizes. First, we set the hyperparameter search space and then trained the models using hyperparameters sampled from a quasi-random distribution. Subsequently, we refined the search space based on the results of the first step and finally evaluated model performances using noise-free and noisy data. The results showed that the learning rate and momentum factor, which determine training speed, substantially affected the model's accuracy. We also discovered that the impacts of batch size and model training speed on model performance were highly correlated; large batch sizes led to higher performances at higher learning rates or momentum factors. Conversely, model performances tended to be high for small batch sizes at lower learning rates or momentum factors. In addition, regarding the growing attention to on-device artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, we assessed the accuracy and computational efficiency of candidate models. A CNN with training interference (TICNN) was the most efficient model in terms of computational efficiency and robustness against noise among the benchmarked candidate models.


This article analyzes the taxonomy of trademark distinctiveness that has long been endorsed in the courts and scholarly commentary. This distinctiveness scale is routinely justified on the basis of an assumption about consumer psychology: that consumers perceive suggestive, arbitrary, or fanciful marks as source-indicating, but see descriptive marks as "merely descriptive." Although this core premise of trademark law is a fundamental matter of consumer psychology, it has never been subjected to scrutiny under the light of consumer psychology theory and empirical analysis. We offer a consumer psychology model for questioning the law of distinctiveness (or "source indication") and then test our theory in a series of empirical studies. Building on perceptual schema theory, we suggest that the non-lexical signs in a trademark may overwhelm the linguistic signs credited by the law. If a descriptive word mark is presented in a spatial placement, size, and style that matches the consumer's schematic mental model of what product labels and brand names look like, the word may be perceived as a source indicator even if its semantic meaning may be "merely descriptive."Our three empirical studies confirm this hypothesis. Study 1 shows that there is no statistically significant difference in sourceindicating distinctiveness across the spectrum of descriptive, suggestive, arbitrary, and fanciful word marks when presented in an average trademark use context on a box of cookies. Study 2 confirms our hypotheses across a broader spectrum of products and word marks. Study 3 shows that when a descriptive word is not presented in a "trademark use" context, its descriptive semantic meaning will predominate and it will no longer be perceived as a source indicator. Our theory and empirical results are employed in support of a proposal to abandon the longstanding taxonomy of trademark distinctiveness. We propose instead that trademark distinctiveness turn only on a threshold showing of "trademark use" (an existing doctrine that considers non-lexical signs of source-


The present paper develops a reliability analysis method for category I nuclear structures, particularly for reinforced concrete containment structures subjected to various load combinations. The loads considered here include dead loads, accidental internal pressure and earthquake ground acceleration. For mathematical tractability, an earthquake occurrence is assumed to be governed by the Poisson arrival law, while its acceleration history is idealized as a Gaussian vector process of finite duration. A vector process consists of three component processes, each with zero mean. The second order statistics of this process are specified by a three-by-three spectral density matrix with a multiplying factor representing the overall intensity of the ground acceleration. With respect to accidental internal pressure, the following assumptions are made: (a) it occurs in accordance with the Poisson law; (b) its intensity and duration are random; and (c) its temporal rise and fall behaviors are such that a quasi-static structural analysis applies. A dead load is considered to be a deterministic constant.


The education of undergraduate mechanical engineering students (UGME) in state of the art technology development for microturbomachinery (MTM) is of importance to ensure the availability of qualified labor satisfying MTM manufacturer and end used needs, as well as to encourage the students towards pursing advanced degrees in science and engineering. National Science Foundation (NSF) funds a three-year summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program (#0552885) to conduct hands-on training and research in mechanical, manufacturing, industrial, or materials engineering topics related to technological advances in microturbomachinery. The paper details the progress in research achieved by four UG students during 10 weeks in the summer of 2008. The students, assisted by seasoned graduate students and expert faculty, conducted work in aspects of gas bearing technology from manufacturing bearing components, to conducting rotordynamic performance tests, and to predicting rotordynamics performance. During the program, the students attended to a number of technical seminars including vocational and counseling presentations and preparation for admission to graduate school. The paper showcases the students' technical posters produced upon completion of their 10 week research program: (1) Precision Tooling for Manufacturing an Underspring of a Generation II Foil Bearing, (2) Measurements of Imbalance Response of a Rotor Supported on Gas Foil Bearings, (3) Predictions of Nonlinear Rotordynamics of Rotor-Foil Bearing Systems, and (4) Measurements of Rotor Lift-Off and Break Up Torque in a Metal Mesh Foil Bearing. NASA GRC and Honeywell Turbocharging Technologies also provided support that enabled the success of the NSF REU program. URL http://reumicro.tamu.edu provides full descriptions on the program, topics of study, faculty involved and participating students.Copyright © 2009 by ASME


The deposition of platinum atoms by argon plasma sputtering has been simulated by using a 3-D Monte Carlo simulation called Sputtered Particles Transport in Gas, which provides spatial and energy distributions of the Pt atoms impinging on the substrate and on the chamber walls. The Yamamura formula provides the Pt sputtering yield from argon ions, whereas the initial energy distribution of sputtered atoms is given by the Thompson distribution. The Pt flux on the chamber walls and on the substrate are compared with experimental deposition rates.


Background Boundaries that prevent cell movement allow groups of cells to maintain their identity and follow independent developmental trajectories without the need for ongoing instructive signals from surrounding tissues. This is the case of vertebrate rhombomeric boundaries. Analysis in the developing chick hindbrain provided the first evidence that rhombomeres are units of cell lineage. The appearance of morphologically visible rhombomeres requires the segment restricted expression of a series of transcription factors, which position the boundaries and prefigure where morphological boundaries will be established. When the boundaries are established, when the cells are committed to a particular rhombomere and how they are organized within the hindbrain are important questions to our understanding of developmental regionalization. Methodology/Principal Findings Sophisticated experimental tools with high-resolution analysis have allowed us to explore cell lineage restriction within the hindbrain in mouse embryos. This novel strategy is based on knock-in alleles of ubiquitous expression and allows unrestricted clonal analysis of cell lineage from the two-cell stage to the adult mouse. Combining this analysis with statistical and mathematical tools we show that there is lineage compartmentalization along the anteroposterior axis from very early stages of mouse embryonic development. Conclusions Our results show that the compartment border coincides with the morphological boundary in the mouse hindbrain. The restriction of the cells to cross rhombomeric boundaries seen in chick is also observed in mouse. We show that the rhombomeric boundaries themselves are involved in cell movement restriction, although an underlying pre-pattern during early embryonic development might influence the way that cell populations organize.