While modern America is fascinated with fascism in Germany, we know relatively little about fascism elsewhere. Maurice Williams attempts to expand our understanding through a close study of one prominent Austrian Nazi, Friedrich Rainer. Williams, who teaches at the University of British Columbia– Okanagan and has written a number of articles about Austrian Nazism, has visited a wide variety of archives to piece together Rainer's story. The result is an excellent biography that will interest modern European historians and especially historians of fascism. Born in 1903, Rainer grew up German nationalist in the ethnic hothouse of the Habsburg Monarchy. Gradually, his cultural nationalism became politicized and he emerged by the mid-1930s as a leader of the Austrian Nazi movement. After the Anschluss, Rainer landed on his feet, becoming the Gauleiter first of Salzburg, then of Carinthia and occupied territories to its south. He proved himself administratively capable and politically astute. However, defeat left Rainer a prisoner first of the British, then of the Americans, and finally of the Yugoslavs. In captivity, Rainer collaborated willingly, but his immunity lasted only as long as his usefulness, and his trail disappears in 1950, when he was presumably killed. Williams' story illustrates the importance of Rainer's Habsburg upbringing. Rainer, like other Austrian Nazis, understood Nazism as an ideological movement, not a political one. This distinction enabled him to accept Hitler as his leader of a fascist movement yet strive to preserve the political independence of Austria, an understanding Hitler never shared. Later, while intent on enforcing Nazi racial ideology in Salzburg and Carinthia, he returned to Habsburg's multiethnic traditions when administering parts of prewar Yugoslavia and Italy, privileging Croats and Slovenes against Italians and cooperating with the Catholic Church. To be sure, Rainer remained intent on suppressing the partisan movement and surely knew and approved of wartime atrocities in his region. But his willingness to adopt the rhetoric of multinationalism reminds historians that Nazism varied widely from region to region and person to person. Williams' work is clearly a case study, keeping the focus on Rainer while eschewing lengthy analysis of the broader movement. Moreover, although Williams gives a clear sense of Rainer's devotion to his family, to his duty, and to his race, you never quite get a sense of why and how Rainer moved from German nationalism to National Socialism. Nevertheless, this biography offers a significant academic contribution. Published simultaneously in English and German, it is well illustrated, well written and fascinating. It is probably too specialized for most undergraduates, but graduate students and professional historians will find it well worth reading.


Summary Drought acclimation in woody plants tends to be associated with the development of denser vascular tissue. As wood density may be correlated with the mechanical properties of the tissue, we hypothesized that seedlings subjected to drought would develop stems that had a higher density as well as stiffer and stronger tissue. We tested our hypothesis on establishing trees of the species Betula pendula, Acacia karroo and Ochoma pyramidale. The seedlings were grown for 1 year under well-watered as compared with cyclically droughted conditions. The modulus of elasticity in bending, yield stress, density and pith- and bark fractions of the stems at different heights were measured. In all three species, individuals grown under drought conditions had on average stiffer and stronger stems than the well-watered individuals, though non-significantly so in A. karroo. These differences were associated with a higher density in O. Pyramidale but not in the other species. In B. pendula, the differences in mechanical properties appear to be associated with other factors, e.g. modifications of the micro fibril angle in the S2 cell wall layer. Our results indicate that drought acclimation in seedlings affects the mechanical properties of the stem but that the causal acclimational processes may vary between species.


Background: Age, gender and ethnic-based differences in drug metabolism have been previously reported from large population-based studies. The potential impact of these factors on safety and efficacy outcomes in early phase clinical trials has not been well studied. Methods: We analyzed data from five investigator-initiated phase I clinical trials of targeted biologic agents in solid malignancies conducted at a single academic cancer center. Ethnic distribution of enrolled patients was compared to the referral population demographics at the city, metro and state level. We also analyzed all toxicity experience, dose limiting toxicity (DLT) and clinical benefit to determine any significant differences based on ethnicity i.e. African American, (AA) vs. Caucasian, age or gender. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed to identify significant predictors of DLT. Results: Data from 117 eligible patients was employed for this analysis: AA/Caucasians (27/85); male/female (66/51); median duration on study was 88 days. AA patients were younger in age than Caucasian patients (56 vs. 62 years, p=0.004), otherwise were comparable in terms of weight, Body Mass Index, frequency or grade of toxicity, DLT experience and gender distribution. GI toxicity of nausea/vomiting was more frequent in female patients (43% vs. 24%, p=0.03) but no disparity by age, gender or ethnicity with other types of toxicities or DLT experience. Using median duration of time on study as surrogate for treatment efficacy, there was no difference by gender (M/F 89 vs. 88 days, p=0.822) or ethnicity (AA/Caucasian: 113 vs. 91 days, p=0.840) but significant correlation with age (-0.194, p=0.038) and body weight (0.234, p=0.012) was observed. AA patients had worse overall survival 7.4 (95%CI: 5.3-16.1) vs. 11.4 (95%CI: 9.2-26.3) months with a higher risk of death on univariate [1.812 (95%CI: 1.079-3.045), p=0.025] and multivariate [HR: 2.037 (95%CI: 1.182-3.512), p=0.010] analyses. There was a modest increase in the risk of death in older patients [HR: 1.028, (95%CI: 1.000-1.056), p=0.046] a non-significant trend in improved survival for female patients [HR: 0.687 (0.357-1.321), p=0.260]. Conclusions: Age-, gender- and ethnic-based disparities were observed with specific toxicity and survival of phase I clinical trials of anticancer agents. An enrichment strategy for age and ethnic subgroups in phase I trials is warranted to ensure reliable generalization of study findings. Citation Format: Taofeek K. Owonikoko, Colleen Lewis, Adeniyi K. Busari, Sungjin Kim, Zhengjia Chen, David H. Lawson, Bradley C. Carthon, Bassel F. El-Rayes, Fadlo R. Khuri, John Kauh, R. Donald Harvey, Suresh S. Ramalingam. Ethnic, gender, and age disparities and outcome of phase I clinical trials of biologically targeted anticancer agents. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr C26. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-C26


Hexanolic extract of Piper guineense Schum and Thonn (Piperaceae) was tested for acute toxicity on third instar larvae of Aedes aegypti reared in the Advanced Entomology Laboratory of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Five graded concentrations 0.9ppm, 1.7ppm, 2.5ppm, 3.3ppm and 4.1ppm, were tested on the larvae. Effects of two physical parameters namely; sunlight and ultra-violet radiation on the potency of the extract was also investigated. The extract showed a high level of toxicity on the 3rd instar larvae of A. aegypti. LC50 of P. guineense on the larvae was 1.7 ± 0.84ppm. The highest concentration of 4.1ppm killed 77% of the population within an hour and 95% in 24 hours while at the least concentration of 0.9ppm no death was recorded but killed 16% of the larvae in 24 hours. The potency of P. guineense on the larvae was drastically reduced when exposed to sunlight However, there was no significant difference between the potency of the U-V exposed extract the untreated, rather the raw data showed some level of activation by ultraviolet radiation.


INTRODUCTION:
In 1000 BC life expectancy was only 17 years and by the time of 100 BC in
the time of Julius Caesar, it had reached 25 years. In 2000 AD the average life
expectancy was 79.7 years for women and 74.3 for men (Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention 2004). Osteoporosis the most prevalent and a major
global public health problem affecting elderly women 4 times more commonly
than men. (National osteoporosis foundation 2003) Because of this demographic
change the number of hip fractures increase approximately six fold increasing the
morbidity in the postmenopausal group. (Cooper et al).
Osteoporosis is highly prevalent in India, 4 to 6 million people are affected,
it is projected that by the year 2030 the proportion of postmenopausal women
will be 2nd highest next to china and the burden of osteoporosis in India will also
be very high (Gupta et al). Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and micro architectural deterioration of Bone tissue leading to enhanced bone fragility consequently
increased risk of fractures even with little or no trauma. Post menopausal status
directly attributes to osteoporosis due to hormonal deficiency and contributes to
significant morbidity, mortality, reduction in quality of life, and increasing health
care costs. Various drugs used are as follows:
• Sex hormones,
• Bisphosphonates,
• Calcitonin,
• Calcium and vitamin D,
• Tibolone,
• Teriparatide,
• Flouride,
• Statins,
• Thiazides,
• SERMS.
Raloxifene is a selective estrogen receptor modulator used in the
prevention and management of postmenopausal osteoporosis. To date there has
been few prospective trials and several randomized control trials since 1997
comparing Raloxifene with various other standard therapies. This prospective
study was undertaken to assess the efficacy of Raloxifene in the treatment of
postmenopausal osteoporosis.
AIM OF THE STUDY:
The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of Raloxifene in
postmenopausal women by comparing the pretreatment and post treatment bone
mineral density levels.
SUBJECT AND METHODS:
This was a prospective randomised placebo control study conducted at Govt.
Kasthurba Gandhi Hospital, Chennai at the department of Obstetrics and
Gynecology. This study comprised of study subject (n=50) postmenopausal
women attending gynaec op for other problems from September 2004 to
September 2006. The study was approved by the hospital ethical committee. The
BMD studies were done at SMS Medica-Chennai osteoporosis detection centre,
Nungambakkam Chennai.
Inclusion Criteria:
• Women who attained spontaneous menopause
• The duration of menopause being minimum of two years.
• Not on any drugs like hormone replacement, Vit D, Ca supplementation.
• No history of any vertebral compression fractures
• No history any spinal deformity or spinal surgery.
• No history of osteoarthritis
Exclusion Criteria:
• Patients with menopausal symptoms.
• Patients with history of postmenopausal bleeding
• Patients on chronic medication.
• Patients who had hysterectomy or premature menopause.
• Patients having active rheumatoid arthritis, gastrointestinal, liver,
metabolic, and Neoplastic or endocrinological disease.
• History of recurrent vascular thrombosis
• Family history of any breast or genital malignancies.
• Hyperparathyroidism, Pagets disease, Renal osteodystrophy
• History of treatment with bisphosphonates, sodiumflouride, calcitonin,
estroprogestins,
• anabolic steroids, cortcosteroids, Calcium or vitamin D supplementation
• Smokers or alcoholics
METHODS:
The women so selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria were
explained about the study and consent was obtained. Detailed menstrual,
obstetric, drug intake history was taken. Each subject underwent general physical,
39 of 78
systemic abdominal examination. They were randomly assigned to the study and
control groups and were subjected to DEXA scan. On the day of scan subjects
were asked to eat normally. To avoid calcium supplements for at least 24 hours
before the scan.
They were requested to wear loose, comfortable clothing, avoiding garments that
have zippers, belts or buttons made of metal and were asked to remove jewelry,
eye glasses and any metal objects or clothing that might interfere with the images.
Following DEXA, those assigned to the study group were given 60 mg
Raloxifene orally for one year. For the randomly assigned matched control group,
similarly shaped inert capsules were given for the same duration.
RESULTS:
This study, conducted at government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Women and
Children, Chennai during the period September 2004 to September 2006
compares the efficacy of Raloxifene in post menopausal osteoporosis with that of
a placebo. The findings from both the group of patients were correlated in terms
of bone mineral density.
50 patients were included in the study and the outcomes were analyzed using
various parameters. The results were subjected to statistical analysis using chisquare
test, ANOVA, frequency and percentage analysis, T-test, one way tests
and group correlations. Many crosstabs were formed from the results to
understand various relationships in the results between the control and the
placebo group.
CONCLUSION:
Using Raloxifene in the post menopausal group on an outpatient basis is a
relatively safe and simple treatment with no major adverse effects in
improving the bone mineral density in the spine and hip joint.
• Raloxifene reduces the incidence of vertebral fractures and reducing the
long term morbidity and mortality in postmenopausal women.
• Raloxifene has no risk of endometrial changes and breast cancer, breast
tenderness (compared to estrogens) and no major side effect profile. The
compliance is good ,
• As the risk of osteoporosis increases with increasing duration of
menopause, Raloxifene should be initiated as soon as menopause sets in so
that the morbidity in the rapid losers can be prevented.
• In a country where follow up advice is not properly complied with, e
Raloxifene can be safely administered and made available in every
pharmacy.
So in countries like India where the resources are limited, patients must be
made aware of the postmenopausal osteoporosis and treated effectively so
health care costs could reduce.


Objectives. To assess resident physician knowledge of pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of asthma and to assess the impact of an interactive curriculum on that knowledge. Participants. A total of 720 resident and attending physicians at 15 internal medicine residency programs. Methods. An educational module and two multiple choice tests were developed using established methods of curriculum development and knowledge assessment, then disseminated online to 15 internal medicine residency programs. Baseline and post-intervention knowledge was analyzed according to year of training using Chi square to detect differences in group performance. Results. Baseline knowledge on asthma was poor. The average baseline score on all questions was 54.2%, and was worst on questions on diagnosis of asthma (47.5% correct) and questions on management of asthma (54.8% correct). Baseline knowledge was best on questions on the pathophysiology of asthma (71.5% correct). On specific concepts, only 41.9% correctly knew which pharmacotherapeutic agents were used as controller agents, and only 43.5% were able to correctly diagnose asthma severity. Knowledge on questions on diagnosis of asthma was no better in post-graduate year (PGY) 3 residents than in PGY1 residents (p = 0.054), but PGY3 residents performed better on questions about management of asthma than did PGY1 residents (p < 0.001). Knowledge improved for all concepts and at all levels of training after completion of an interactive module on asthma guidelines (p < 0.001). Conclusion. Resident physician knowledge of asthma guidelines is poor and can be improved by an interactive curriculum.


We report a 67-year-old man who presented with sudden onset of pain in the left flank in association with anemia and hypotension. Imaging studies revealed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at the right lobe of the liver with bilateral adrenal metastases and recent hemorrhage in the left adrenal gland. His serology for hepatitis C was positive. Abdominal exploration with left adrenalectomy was performed. The postoperative course of the patient was uneventful and three cycles of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) were administered. His general condition gradually deteriorated, and he died 6 months after surgery. Spontaneous massive AH due to metastatic HCC is unusual. Considering the high incidence of HCC in Asia, clinicians should be aware of this atypical and fatal presentation.


Despite the progress made in studying the observable exteriors of conscious processes, which are reflected in the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC), there are still no satisfactory answers to two closely related core questions. These are the question of the origin of the subjective, phenomenal aspects of consciousness, and the question of the causal mechanisms underlying the generation of specific phenomenal states. In this article, we address these questions using a novel variant of cosmopsychism, a holistic form of panpsychism relying on the central idea that the universe is imbued with a ubiquitous field of consciousness (UFC). This field is understood as a foundational dual-aspect component of the cosmos, the extrinsic appearance of which is physical in nature and the intrinsic manifestation of which is phenomenological in nature. We argue that this approach brings a new perspective into play, according to which the organizational characteristics of the NCC are indicative of the brain's interaction with and modulation of the UFC. Key insights from modern physics suggest that the modulation mechanism is identical with the fundamental mechanism underlying quantum systems, resulting in the conclusion that a coherently oscillating neural cell assembly acquires phenomenal properties by tapping into the universal pool of phenomenal nuances predetermined by the UFC, or more specifically, by entering into a temporary liaison with the UFC and extracting a subset of phenomenal tones from the phenomenal color palette inherent in the basic structure of the UFC. This hypothesis is supported by a substantial body of empirical evidence.


Simulators are often used in prosthesis research to evaluate new devices or characterize aspects of prosthesis use, so as to recruit participants without amputations. Simulators, in general, must locate the prosthesis somewhere other than where the intact biological limb exists. In this study, we compared two configurations of simulators for hand prostheses to determine which leads to more natural elbow and shoulder kinematics, and in turn, which is the more valid simulator. One configuration located the prosthesis in-line with the forearm, beyond the biological hand; the other located it beside the hand. We measured the kinematics of 12 non-amputee participants during three clinical tests of hand-arm dexterity, which were completed 1) using each simulator configuration with a body-powered Hosmer 5X hand prosthesis and 2) using the biological hand with a wrist brace. The beside-the-hand configuration resulted in kinematics that were more similar to those measured with the biological hand, particularly during the Box and Blocks Test, which involved navigating the prosthesis around obstacles. Therefore, we concluded that simulators with the beside-the-hand configuration are likely to better emulate the use of hand prostheses for activities involving a wide variety of arm movement. We suggest using this configuration in general, except when arm movement is of secondary importance and when this configuration would be obstructive, visually or otherwise.


The long span orthotropic bridge decks applied around the world are used with open or closed cross-sectional longitudinal ribs placed below the steel deck to increase the strength of the deck. Fatigue cracks are developed in the longitudinal ribs due to traffic loadings. In this study, v type of longitudinal rib cross-sections are modelled and the stresses for the rib are evaluated under tire load loading using finite element analysis. Longitudinal ribs are used for long span steel bridges. The aim of this study is to compare the fatigue crack path of the longitudinal rib on a real bridge with the stress pattern in the finite element model.


The nuclear states club includes nine states, in comparison to only five nuclear states that existed at the moment of entering into force of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1970. Nuclear proliferation had a significant evolution during the Cold War, but also in the post-Cold War period, which is also known as the second nuclear era. In these circumstances, it becomes necessary to make a critical analysis of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the basis of the current nuclear nonproliferation international regime. Despite the successes recorded in the application of this treaty, which include among others the raise in the number of state parties to this treaty and the limitation of the number of state which proliferate, the nonproliferation regime suffers from limitations and has to respond to new challenges among which: the impossibility of attracting all of the states as parties to the NPT, the absence of efficient mechanisms for the application of the treaty provisions but also the increase in the number of states wishing to use nuclear technology for military purposes.


The definitive work on fracture relative permeability was performed by E.S. Romm in 1966. His research concluded that relative permeability is a linear function of saturation. Since that time very few attempts have been made to calculate relative permeability in fractures. This paper presents the results of an independent experimental investigation to test the validity of Romm`s results. The research was conducted with the same kerosene and water systems in a parallel glass plate fracture applying modern day techniques. The technique of video-imaging was used for measuring saturations in the fracture. Relative permeability ratios were computed using Welge`s interpretation of the Buckley-Levrett theory after fractional flow was obtained from the displacement. Results indicated that relative permeability is not a linear function of saturation as was shown in the past.


Abstract Statistical analyses that involve regression methods often encounter data in which some observations have substantial influence. This article presents a nontechnical discussion of influence and of two techniques, based on leaving out each individual observation in turn, for diagnosing influential data. An example illustrates the techniques in an analysis of recurrence rates in endoscopic treatment of bleeding peptic ulcers.


The power of the unaided individual mind is highly overrated. Much human creativity is social, arising from activities that take place in a social context in which interaction with other people and the artifacts that embody collective knowledge are essential contributors. Social creativity is not a luxury but a necessity to address the problems faced by societies in the 21st century. Our research has focused specifically on complex design problems requiring the contributions of many stakeholders. We have developed socio-technical environments supporting these objectives in the specific contexts of urban planning, collaborative learning, and collaborative software design. This paper concludes with a brief description of research directions and activities in the USA related to these aspects of creativity.


In this era, technology and the Internet is growing rapidly. Included in the game. In the past, we are familiar with traditional games. But because of the changing times, the game traditionally was replaced by the name of this onlinePenelitian game will test the effect of behavior, time management, motivation and self-control against addiction to online gaming. The samples used were 200 respondents to the people who have played games online. Methods of data analysis used in this study is the Smart PLS 3.0. we find that the results are particularly significant behavior, time management, motivation and cell-control of online gaming addiction. Where in the data that have influence on the Time Management Online Game Addiction. Then Motivation has an influence on Online Game Addiction. The behavior has an influence on Online Game Addiction. And Self-Control has an influence on Online Game Addiction.


FabI and FabK are bacterial enoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductases that catalyze the final and rate-limiting step of bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis (FAS) and are potential targets of novel antibacterial agents. We have reported 4-pyridone derivative 3 as a FabI inhibitor and phenylimidazole derivative 5 as a FabK inhibitor. Here, we will report phenylimidazole derivatives of 4-pyridone as FabI and FabK dual inhibitors based on an iterative medicinal chemistry and crystallographic study of FabK from Streptococcus pneumoniae/compound 26. A representative compound 6 showed strong FabI inhibitory (IC50 = 0.38 microM) and FabK inhibitory (IC50 = 0.0045 microM) activities with potent antibacterial activity against S. pneumoniae (MIC = 0.5 microg/mL). Since elevated MIC value was observed against S. pneumoniae mutant possessing one amino acid substitution in FabK, the antibacterial activity of the compound was considered to be due to the inhibition of FabK. Moreover, this compound showed no significant cytotoxicity (IC50 > 69 microM). These results support compound 6 as a novel agent for the treatment of bacterial infections.


Abstract Intraspecific patterns of autumn migration timing are not well known, particularly in the western United States. Here, we (1) describe autumn migration timing and age ratios of landbird migrants in southwestern Idaho, (2) examine differences in timing among age and sex classes, and (3) demonstrate how prebasic molt strategies affect migration timing differences between age classes. As a group, Neotropical migrants were most common from late July through early September, whereas temperate migrants were most common from mid-September into early October. Proportion of hatch-year birds was 74.5% for all migrants combined and ranged from 33.3% to 100% for individual species. Timing differences between sex classes were detected in only a few species and no general patterns emerged. In 22 of 31 Neotropical and temperate migrants examined, there were significant differences in timing between adults and hatch-year birds. In species in which adults begin fall migration before replacing flight feathers, adults migrated earlier than hatch-year birds. Conversely, in species in which adults molt flight feathers on or near the breeding grounds before departing on fall migration, hatch-year birds migrated earlier than adults in all but one case. Therefore, it appears that molt strategy is a powerful determinant of intraspecific migration timing differences and, to our knowledge, this is the first study to document this pattern among migrant passerines of North America. Estrategias de Muda y Diferencias en el Momento de Migración Otoñal en Migrantes Terrestres en el Suroeste de Idaho


The homage of Mściwoj I made in 1210 to Waldemar II, the king of Denmark, is still one of the unexplained episodes of the history of medieval Pomerania. In the current scientific literature historians almost unanimously accepted that the inclusion of Eastern Pomerania by the influence of Denmark resulted from the armed expansion of the Danes, who forced Mściwoj I to pay them homage. However, the analysis of sources gives us reasons to suppose that events could actually follow a completely different path. The manner of recording the events in "Annales Waldemariani", as well as political relations between the papacy, Denmark and Germany at the beginning of XIII century, seem to indicate that the feudal homage of the Eastern Pomeranian ruler was made voluntarily. Moreover, we can suppose that the initiative of such a political union came from Mściwoj I himself.
At the turn of XII and XIII century Eastern Pomerania was being in immediate danger of Danish expansion. The possessive intent of Waldemar II toward the Sobiesławice estate became apparent with the occupation of Słupsk by Denmark between 1202 and 1206. Couldn't counting on support of the Polish princes, involved in conflicts with each other for supremacy, Sobiesławice probably decided to enter into agreement with Denmark. In exchange for recognition of the princes rights in Eastern Pomerania (Sobiesławice didn't have a position equal to the rest of the Polish or even West Pomeranian rulers) Mściwoj I voluntarily accepted Danish supremacy in 1210. It is possible that it was also connected with his willingness to participate in the Danish conquest of the Prussian lands. Against this background, however, it came to some friction, because the head of the Prussian mission, Christian, probably cooperating with Denmark, blocked the actions of Mściwoj I aimed at subordinating Prussian neophytes to him, witch chilled the Danish‑Pomeranian relations. Christian's monopol on actions among Prussians was also against the will of Polish princes, witch is why there was rapprochement between them and the ruler of East Pomerania. At the rally in Mąkolno in 1212 Mściwoj I involved himself into Polish plans of taking actions in Prussia ted by Denmark in 1210. Because of the source shortages, we are unable to determine whether after 1212 Mściwoj returned under authority of Poland. It is impossible to explicitly exclude such course of events. However, it is possible thet the Eastern Pomeranian ruler after 1212 could still remaind in a fief relation with Denmark, which was broken just after his death by imposing the Polish superiority on Świętopełk by Leszek the White. In such arrangement likely moment of the breakdown of Danish‑Eastern Pomeranian partnership is year 1220, when Mściwoj I died and Waldemar II was in Estonia on crusade.


Background Information on the validity of self-reported cases of stroke and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is varied. The aim of this study was to assess the validity and agreement of self-reported prevalent cases of stroke and AMI in the Spanish cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Methods At recruitment, 1992–1996, and in the follow-up (3 years after recruitment), each participant in the Spanish EPIC cohort (15 630 men and 25 808 women) was asked if a doctor had ever said that they had had a stroke or AMI, and the results were compared with information available in medical records. Validity of self-reported prevalent cases of stroke and AMI was examined by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values and κ statistics. Results The sensitivity of self-reported prevalent cases of stroke was 81.3% and that for AMI was 97.7%. The positive predictive value was 22.2% and 60.7% for stroke and AMI, respectively, whereas specificity was very high (>99%) for both diseases. The agreement between self-report questionnaire results and medical records was substantial (κ=0.75) for AMI but not for stroke (κ=0.35). Conclusion Self-reported information on stroke and AMI included in the EPIC questionnaire is a valid instrument for the assessment of AMI disease but should be used with caution in stroke.


A surgical case of glioblastoma which showed a pronounced "adenoid" (or "epithelioid") appearance was reported. The patient was an 81-year-old woman, who presented with unsteady gait. Neuroradiological examination revealed three discrete mass lesions located in the 1-frontal, 1-parieto-occipital, and r-occipito-temporal lobes. Despite the subtotal removal of two of the three lesions and postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the patient died 21 months after the onset of illness. Histopathological examination of the resected tumors revealed typical features of glioblastoma in the peripheral region of the tumor. In the central region, the tumor cells were arranged in a papillary fashion or formed solid, sheet-like cell nests and were surrounded by fibrous connective tissue septa. Although the histopathological appearance of the tumor closely resembled metastasis of adenocarcinoma, the immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies of the tumor failed to detect evidence of a definite differentiation towards epithelial cells.


In the dilemma discussed in the April issue of In Practice, Simon Coghlan described a scenario where a long-standing client wishes to enrol her dog in an animal-assisted therapy (AAT) programme for children with autism spectrum disorder. The AAT psychologist has requested a veterinary assessment before the dog (Imogen) takes part in the programme. Imogen is a very calm, well-trained 18-month-old Labrador. She has recently been diagnosed with unilateral elbow dysplasia. Her owner reports that Imogen dislikes having her nails trimmed. Given this, you wonder if you have an ethical responsibility to recommend against the dog entering AAT. However, your client is very upbeat, 'Imogen loves children and will be a wonderful help to them,' she enthuses. (IP, April 2019, vol 41, pp 134-135). What do you do?


The role of gene therapy in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders continues to be an active area of research. As the etiology of many musculoskeletal diseases becomes increasingly understood, advances in cellular and gene therapy maybe applied to their potential treatment This review focuses on current investigational strategies to treat osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). OI is a varied group of genetic disorders that result in the diminished integrity of connective tissues as a result of alterations in the genes that encode for either the pro alpha1 or pro alpha2 component of type I collagen. Because most forms of OI result from dominant negative mutations, isolated gene replacement therapy is not a logical treatment option. The combined use of genetic manipulation and cellular transplantation, however, may provide a means to overcome this obstacle. This article describes the recent laboratory and clinical advances in cell therapy, highlights potential techniques being investigated to suppress the expression of the mutant allele with antisense gene therapy, and attempts to deliver collagen genes to bone cells. The challenges that the investigators face in their quest for the skeletal gene therapy are also discussed.


Study of sea level is being developed at RSHU in several directions: global, regional and local. The global one includes the study of the patterns of interannual fluctuations of the global sea level (GLS), identification of their genesis and development of a set of methods for its long-term forecast. Two approaches to the genesis of GLS are considered. In foreign studies, changes in GLS are determined by changes in the water mass of various cryosphere components, land water reserves and steric level fluctuations. Another approach, implemented at RSHU, is to assess contributions of various factors using the equation of the freshwater balance of the World Ocean as the sum of eustatic and steric factors. A physical-statistical method for two-decade GLS forecasting, based on delay in the GLS response to air temperature over the ocean, has been developed, as well as the GLS projections at the end of the century for climatic scenarios according to the CMIP5 project have been provided. In the regional context, the main attention is paid to identifying the genesis of the interannual variability of the Caspian Sea level with the aim of its long-term forecasting. The entire chain of cause-and-effect relationships in the North Atlantic-atmosphere-Volga basin-Caspian level system is discussed. It has been established that, as a result of the intensification of cyclonic activity in the North Atlantic, especially in the Norwegian Sea, caused by the processes of large-scale interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere,
there is an increase in evaporation and in the zonal transfer of water vapour to Europe and then to the Volga basin. Therefore, more precipitation falls in the runoff-forming zone of the basin, the annual runoff of the Volga and the level of the Caspian Sea increasing. The reverse is observed with weakening of cyclonic activity in the North Atlantic. In view of this, the level of the Caspian Sea is an integral indicator of largescale moisture exchange in the ocean-atmosphere-land system. The article discusses the features of interannual sea level fluctuations in Kronstadt since 1836. A simple two-parameter model for forecasting sea level by the end of the 21st century is proposed for major climate scenarios, the predictors being the GSL and the North Atlantic Oscillation. According to the most realistic forecast, the level in Kronstadt may rise to 34-59 cm (Baltic system) by the end of the century, while according to the "pessimistic" one — to 80-90 cm (Baltic system). The estimates of the extreme storm surge at which the level rise north of the Gorskaya can reach 600 cm (Baltic system) are given. The effect of flooding from storm surges is especially strong near Sestroretsk. The total area of possible flooding of the Kurortny district at a 4-m high surge wave exceeds 1260 hectares, all the beaches being completely lost. The trajectories of flood cyclones and their role for periods of climate warming and cooling are considered


Study background: Autologous Iliac Crest Bone Graft is considered the gold standard graft for use in instrumented spinal fusion procedures. Due to significant morbidity and complication rate, alternate graft materials have been investigated. This study seeks to determine the fusion rate of one such alternative, the K2M VESUVIUSTM Osteobiologic Fibers, a form of demineralized bone matrix.
Methods: Prospectively collected CT scans of 27 patients with 29 instrumented levels were taken 1 year post-operatively. These were reviewed blindly by 5 fellowship trained spine surgeons to evaluate for fusion. The fusion mass was graded as no fusion (grade 1), partial unilateral (grade 2), partial bilateral (grade 3), solid unilateral (grade 4), or solid bilateral (grade 5). The fusion mass was then further classified as solid (grade 4-5), probable fusion (grade 3), or non-union (grade 1-2). The Kappa method was used to assess interrater reliability. We calculated the proportion of successful subjects at both cut-off values of either Grade 3 or Grade 4/5.
Results: When using a cut-off grade of 3 or higher, 40% of subjects achieved fusion according to 4 of 5 graders and 50% achieved fusion according to 3 of the 5 graders. When using a cut-off grade of 4 or higher, 28% of subjects were found to achieve fusion by at least 4 graders and approximately 50% achieved fusion according to 3 of the graders. When analyzing correlation between the reviewers, 8 of 10 interrater reliabilities demonstrated moderate to good agreement. Correlation by grade showed that only grade 1 had significant agreement amongst the graders with a kappa value of 0.3394. Otherwise, the combined kappa value was 0.1092.
Conclusion: Compared to the literature control using iliac crest bone autograft of 70.6% fusion rate, the results with K2M VESUVIUSTM Osteobiologic Fibers DBM were disappointing regardless of the cut off used.


It has been suggested that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress facilitates fibrotic remodeling. Therefore, modulation of ER stress may serve as one of the possible therapeutic approaches to renal fibrosis. We examined whether and how activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) suppressed ER stress induced by chemical ER stress inducers [tunicamycin (TM) and thapsigargin (TG)] and also nonchemical inducers in tubular HK-2 cells. We further investigated the in vivo effects of AMPK on ER stress and renal fibrosis. Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence, small interfering (si)RNA experiments, and immunohistochemical staining were performed. Metformin (the best known clinical activator of AMPK) suppressed TM- or TG-induced ER stress, as shown by the inhibition of TM- or TG-induced upregulation of glucose-related protein (GRP)78 and phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor-2α through induction of heme oxygenase-1. Metformin inhibited TM- or TG-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transitions as well. Compound C (AMPK inhibitor) blocked the effect of metformin, and 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1β riboside (another AMPK activator) exerted the same effects as metformin. Transfection with siRNA targeting AMPK blocked the effect of metformin. Consistent with the results of cell culture experiments, metformin reduced renal cortical GRP78 expression and increased heme oxygenase-1 expression in a mouse model of ER stress-induced acute kidney injury by TM. Activation of AMPK also suppressed ER stress by transforming growth factor-β, ANG II, aldosterone, and high glucose. Furthermore, metformin reduced GRP78 expression and renal fibrosis in a mouse model of unilateral ureteral obstruction. In conclusion, AMPK may serve as a promising therapeutic target through reducing ER stress and renal fibrosis.


Oscillatory reconnection is a relaxation process in magnetized plasma, with an inherent periodicity that is exclusively dependent on the properties of the background plasma. This study focuses on the seismological prospects of oscillatory reconnection in the solar corona. We perform three sets of parameter studies (for characteristic coronal values of the background magnetic field, density, and temperature) using the PLUTO code to solve the fully compressive, resistive MHD equations for a 2D magnetic X-point. From each parameter study, we derive the period of the oscillatory reconnection. We find that this period is inversely proportional to the characteristic strength of the background magnetic field and the square root of the initial plasma temperature, while following a square root dependency upon the equilibrium plasma density. These results reveal an inverse proportionality between the magnitude of the Alfvén speed and the period, as well as the background speed of sound and the period. Furthermore, we note that the addition of anisotropic thermal conduction only leads to a small increase in the mean value for the period. Finally, we establish an empirical formula that gives the value for the period in relation to the background magnetic field, density, and temperature. This gives us a quantified relation for oscillatory reconnection, to be used as a plasma diagnostic in the solar corona, opening up the possibility of using oscillatory reconnection for coronal seismology.


Self-driving cars have the potential to bring significant benefits to drivers and society at large. However, all envisaged scenarios are predicted to increase the risk of motion sickness. This will negatively affect user acceptance and uptake and hence negate the benefits of this technology. Here we discuss the impact of the user interface design in particular, focusing on display size, position, and content and the relationship with the degree of sensory conflict and ability to anticipate the future motion trajectory of the vehicle, two key determinants of motion sickness in general. Following initial design recommendations, we provide a research agenda to accelerate our understanding of self-driving cars in the context of the scenarios currently proposed. We conclude that basic perceptual mechanisms need to be considered in the design process whereby self-driving cars cannot simply be thought of as living rooms, offices, or entertainment venues on wheels.


Background & aim: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a common disorder in the central nervous system. It leads to cognitive, motor, and sensory impairment and causes various challenges for physical and mental health. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between psychological capital and acceptance of the disease with life satisfaction in patients with MS. Methods: This study was a descriptive correlational research. The study population consisted of all patients with MS affiliated with the MS society of Hamadan, of which 300 were selected by available sampling method. Research instruments were psychological capital (including life expectancy, toleration, self-efficacy and life orientation items), Stuifbergen's acceptance of chronic health conditions scale and Diner life satisfaction questionnaires. To analysis data, the correlation coefficient and stepwise regression analysis were used in SPSS v22. Results: The results showed that 192 (64%) of participants were female participants and 108 (36%) were men. Their mean age was 34.72±9.02 and the duration of the disease was 5.98±4.25 years. There was a significant positive correlation between psychological capital with life satisfaction (p<0.001) and acceptance of life with satisfaction of life (p<0.001) in patients with multiple sclerosis. Conclusion: The results showed that with increasing of each component of psychological capital and acceptance of disease, life satisfaction in patients with MS increases. Therefore, by teaching the components of the psychological capital and accepting the disease, it can increase the life satisfaction of MS patients and help them better deal with the disease.


This paper provides the concepts for building a community television model for human development, that from programming, projection, strategic alliances, participation and human development, helps to encourage people's expressive capabilities and to improve their life standards; and also becomes the input for the design of programming that, from the topics of coexistence, democracy and citizenship, children and youth and community experiences, helps to meet the country's development needs.


The relationship between the strength of a differential equation as introduced by Einstein, its Cartan characters, and its Hilbert polynomial is studied. Using the framework of formal theory previous results are extended to nonlinear equations of arbitrary order and to overdetermined systems. The problem of computing the number of arbitrary functions in the general solution is treated. Finally, the effect of gauge symmetries is considered.


A R S U A G G . SOLAKIAN.2 Tlie application of Kelvin's liydrodynamic analogy to the determination of stress lines in shafts and "pictures" of warped surfaces as presented by the authors is of academic nature, as is evident from many statements in the paper. The practical value of the paper to engineers for the accurate determination of stresses, both as to intensity and distribution, is very doubtful, especially when considering the fact that many


Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of a cognitive improvement program on cognition, activities of daily living (ADL), depression, life satisfaction, and grasping power in small groups. Methods: A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Participants were 127 elders who were never diagnosed with dementia and could read (experimental: 61, control: 66). The program was consisted of 8 sessions to improve vocabulary and writing skills and fine motor skills. Each session was applied once a week for 8 weeks. A group was consisted of less than five members. Results: Cognition (t=3.82, p<.001), depression (t=-2.24, p=.027), life satisfaction (t=2.25, p=.027), and grasping power (Rt: t=2.44, p=.016, Lt: t=2.63, p=.010) except ADL (t=-0.49, p=.622) were significantly increased in the experimental group after the cognitive improvement program compared to the control group. Conclusion: This study indicates that the cognitive improvement program was effective to improve cognition, depression, life satisfaction and grasping power. Further study is needed in order to identify continuous effects of this cognitive improvement program.


In this paper we derive bounds on the torsional rigidity for coated fiber reinforced shafts. The bounds are used to assess the optimality or suboptimality of fiber reinforcement configurations. This investigation focuses on coated fiber reinforcements with circular cross section. It is shown how the effective antiplane shear modulus and torsional rigidity of each coated fiber are used to determine whether the configuration provides reinforcement above or below that of a homogeneous shaft containing no coated fibers. Simply connected shaft cross sections of arbitrary shape reinforced with any configuration of coated fibers are considered. Precise conditions on the effective antiplane shear modulus and torsional rigidity of each coated fiber are given under which the circular shaft reinforced with a single centered circular coated fiber is either optimal or suboptimal.


The paper investigates the rigidity of two classes of three-dimensional pin-jointed assemblies which describe triangulated surfaces of hyperbolic paraboloidal shape: type 1 with straight boundaries, and type 2 with parabolic boundaries. The two arrangements have identical horizontal plans. The investigation begins with a brief historic review of techniques for detecting lack of rigidity. The behaviour of both type-1 and type-2 assemblies depends on the number n of bars on each edge of the structure and, although both geometric arrangements satisfy Maxwell rule (3j ═ b, where j is the number of joints and b is the number of bars) for any value of n, all type-1 assemblies with n even and greater than 2 and type-2 assemblies with n > 1 are in fact not rigid. This result is first proved for some specific cases by the zero-load test; and then for arbitrary values of n. The equilibrium equations of each joint are written down in terms of a stress function, and are then assembled in an equilibrium matrix whose rank is found by general matrix manipulations. The number of inextensional mechanisms and static redundancies is also obtained. The rigidity of assemblies consisting of four interconnected type-1 hyperbolic paraboloidal sheets is also discussed, and it is concluded that they are equally prone to the same kind of misbehaviour.


Objective.To investigate the diagnostic value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture for opportunistic viruses from HIV-1-infected individuals. Methods.A 4-year prospective study was conducted using a participant population consisting of 186 HIV-1-infected individuals without neurologic disease, 73 HIV-1-infected individuals with encephalopathy, myelopathy, and/or peripheral neuropathy, and 10 controls. CSF samples recovered at 1-year intervals were subjected to virus culture using techniques commonly used in the clinical laboratory setting. Results.CSF samples obtained from only 15 of the 269 (5.6%) participants yielded an opportunistic virus upon culture. Cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, adenovirus, and presumptive enteroviruses were identified. No consistent correlation was observed between the detection of an opportunistic virus within a CSF sample and the presence or future development of neurologic disease. However, a significant correlation was observed between culture of virus from CSF and the future development of abnormal CD4+ (X2, P= 0.0286) and CD8+ (X2, P= 0.0018) lymphocyte counts in HIV-1-infected participants without neurologic disease. Conclusion.These results show that culture of CSF to screen for opportunistic viruses is neither diagnostic nor predictive of neurologic disease in HIV-1-infected individuals. Nevertheless, the presence of virus within CSF may be an indicator of HIV-1-mediated immune dysfunction and a predictor for future development of abnormal CD4+ and/or CD8+ lymphocyte counts.


The antitumour effects of flavone acetic acid (FAA) against a broad spectrum of established experimental tumours has been demonstrated. Damage to the vasculature, which rapidly disrupts blood flow and induces haemorrhagic necrosis, is believed to be a major mechanism contributing to the observed antitumour effects. Despite these established observations, FAA has shown little effect against human tumours. However, other applications of FAA, for examples, for an extended period of treatments or in combination with other antitumour modalities, have not been sufficiently explored. In order to test the direct effects of FAA on vasculature, endothelial cells isolated from human umbilical vein (HUVEC) and bovine pulmonary artery (CPAEC) were used in this study. FAA at the concentrations of 50 to 200 micrograms/ml causes reduction in cell number (from 20 to > 30% of the cells) of HUVEC as measured by MTT assay after 1, 3, and 5 h of treatment at 37 degrees C. FAA did not produce significant effects on similarly treated human squamous cell carcinoma, cell line UM-SCC-2. After 1 h treatment of FAA at 300 micrograms/ml, a large number of HUVECs failed to react with an actin stain, NBD-phallacidin. The growth of HUVECs and CPAEC in the presence of FAA for 1-3 days was progressively reduced. The number of HUVEC treated for 3 days at the concentrations of 100, 200, and 300 micrograms/ml were reduced by 75-86% in comparison with the control culture. The experiments with CPAEC showed similar results. The inhibition of the growth of endothelial cells by FAA was enhanced when it combines with tumour necrosis factor-alpha but not with interleukin-1, interferon-gamma, heat, or radiation. We observed that FAA can initiate both immediate effects and growth inhibition on cultured endothelial cells. These results support the notion that FAA rapidly induces vasculature damage. Furthermore, cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha can enhance the toxicity of FAA on endothelial cells.


The title adopted from Richardson's article captures a paradigm- a constructive entropy. It seeks to balance democratic deficit in promoting social emancipation, sustainable development and other ethical objectives with economic prosperity and development. This paper trains this 'conflict' to the most crucial dynamic of Canada's external trade: CE-CETA as it includes investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism to protect investors mimicking provisions in other International Investment Agreements (IIA). This paradox of advancing immovable force of SRI and promoting unstoppable force of trade (and investor's) in CE-CETA is the nub of the issue. An attempt is made here to suggest management of the trends, tensions and contradictions between the two and balance by appropriate deference to core ideals of either- Buddha's golden mean! This paper examines the issue in five parts. Part I walks through the introductory notions and principles of SRI as a paradigm and situating the 'conflict' within the CE-CETA with inclusion of ISDS. Part-II describes the global context of external trade and its architecture in the shape of IIAs: performance metrics of IIAs; Part-III discusses the jurisprudence specifically related to IIAs on investment between members of NAFTA and other EU investor-state arbitration (US-Ecuador BIT) and Unified Arab Agreement to representatively demonstrate and demystify phasmophobia created about 'regulatory chill' that critics canvass, both for Canada-EU: Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement and US-EU-TTIP due to ISDS. Part-IV enumerates article-wise cutting edge issues in the CE-CETA text, demonstrating as to the extent of views of critics misplaced relating to ISDS: balancing of investor with the cherished and crucial sustainable goals and objectives for Canada. Part-IV, and in conclusion the paper deals with critique and discussion of the ISDS mechanism and possible workable solution without abandoning SRI goals in light of latest developments and initiatives of United nations Conference on trade and Development (UNCTAD).


We report on the preparation of flexible polymer composite films with aligned metallic fillers composed of atomic chain bundles of quasi-one-dimensional (1D) van der Waals material, tantalum triselenide (TaSe3). The material functionality, embedded at the nanoscale level, is achieved by mimicking the design of an electromagnetic aperture grid antenna. The processed composites employ chemically exfoliated TaSe3 nanowires as the grid building blocks incorporated within the thin film. Filler alignment is achieved using the "blade coating" method. Measurements conducted in the X-band frequency range demonstrate that the electromagnetic transmission through such films can be varied significantly by changing the relative orientations of the quasi-1D fillers and the polarization of the electromagnetic wave. We argue that such polarization-sensitive polymer films with unique quasi-1D metallic fillers are applicable to advanced electromagnetic interference shielding in future communication systems.


Harness racing in Sweden has evolved since the 18th century when it began as racing to the
church or at frozen lakes. Since then Sweden has become one of the world's foremost harness
racing nations with a world-class breeding. Mares show heat and are fertile during the bright
season of the year, which in Sweden is from late February or early March until early autumn.
This means that most foals are born in May and April. The breeding season can start earlier
with a light program, which usually means less time outdoors for the mare when the program
is most easily controlled by keeping the lighting in the stable on for a long time.
The Standardbred trotter is expected to compete and perform at a high level at an early age.
There are advantages and disadvantages for horses to be born early or late in the year.
A disadvantage of late-born foals in addition to the relative age difference is that the foal
often moves on large surfaces early, which can lead to skeletal damage. Contact with humans
decreases as late-born foals often go out into large pastures shortly after birth. The advantage
of late-born foals is that the foal can be offered movement at an early age without climate
restrictions. The advantage of early-born foals is that the foal gets used to standing on stables
and in human contact at an early age. In many cases, the mare has a good and controlled
nutrient intake which gives a positive effect for the skeletal structure of the foal. The
disadvantage is that the foal sometimes cannot be offered the outdoor space it needs.
Early-born foals have been proposed to perform better on the racetrack. To get early foals
breeding season for the mare need to be advanced which could affect the mare.
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the performances of Standardbred
trotters is affected by month of birth.
The material in this study was two- to four-year-old Standardbred trotters born in 2010-2012
and factors as earnings, speed, gender, birth period and numbers of starts were studied. The
differences between the results were measured by p-value where the difference was
significant at p-value <0.05 and tended to be significant if the p-value was <0.1.
The results showed that it was most favorable for horses to be born early in the year. Horses
born in February did most races per year and with a better earnings and speed then horses
born later in the year.
In conclusion the hypothesis that the month of birth would have an effect on the performance
of two and three-year-old horses is true. The effect follows with the horses up to four years
and possibly longer than that. Horses born in January-March perform best followed by horses
born in April or late May and last horses born in June-August. The heat season can be
advanced with an artificial light program. There are no studies that indicate that light
programs would adversely affect the mare
Keywords; horse, birth, age, artificial light program, race performance


The current research dealt with an important aspect of the technical processes in industrial design in a more precise manner than similar researches based on the title of the tagged research (the effectiveness of attraction and excitement in the design of industrial products (sports cars) as a model)، because of its importance in the design of industrial products in different shapes and sizes and multiple functions for its important and active role in human life, The research has dealt with four chapters. The first concerned with the statement of the research problem , which was determined by the following question: - Is the excitement reflected in its output concept on the recipient's sense of interaction with the industrial product? The importance of the research is summarized as follows: In that it sheds light on an important aspect of the modern technological aspects in the methods of car treatment externally and formall , it focuses on the aesthetic as well as the functional aspect in an attempt to attract the taste of the recipien , Because it is the shape that catches the eye in the beginning , which means more chances to sell , therefore , two are no different from the inevitability and importance of this stage, therefore، companies attach great importance to industrial design and are keen to make vehicles appear distinctive، and since every work begins with planning as you want to do it , here in the automotive industry, the whole design is based on fertile imagination , and then those fantasies turn into lines and thoughts. Lines and ideas that designers put on paper , after a lot of planning , modification, and available additions , an acceptable form that represents the silhouette of a new car is reached، after that , these shapes are entered on the electronic computer to produce a threedimensional shape to illustrate an imaginary image of that design, and the shape is modified until a satisfactory and distinctive result is reached.


The semivariogram plays a central role in a geostatistical analysis of spatially correlated environmental data. A valid semivariogram model is selected, and the parameters of that model are estimated, before kriging (spatial prediction) of environmental variables is performed. These inference procedures are generally based upon examination of the empirical semivariogram, which consists of average squared differences of data taken at sites lagged the same distance apart in the same direction. In some situations, the investigator may wish to estimate some attributes of the semivariogram more precisely than others. The efficient estimation of such attributes is affected significantly by the spatial configuration of the network of sites where measurements are taken. In this paper, an approach to network design is proposed that emphasizes the utility of the network for estimating selected attributes of the semivariogram. Details are given as to how the approach can be applied to precisely estimate (a) the ratio of nugget effect to sill, (b) a set of compatibility-determining attributes, and (c) a geometric anisotropy. Acid deposition data taken from a sampling network in the eastern United States are used to further illustrate the approach.


Objectives: Hypotension is the major side effect of spinal anaesthesia during caesarean section. Since the adverse effects are dosage-dependent, various methods have been tried to prevent spinal anaesthesia induced complications, such as lowering the local anaesthetic dose and combining it with additives like neuraxial opioids, alpha-2 agonist e.g. dexmedetomidine. Here we are investigating the efficacy dexmedetomidine with hyperbaric bupivacaine for improved postoperative analgesia and more stable hemodynamic during caesarean section. Methodology: An institutional-based RCT was conducted on 60 patients randomly allocated in two groups. Low dose hyperbaric bupivacaine L-DG group (n=30) received 7.5 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine with 5µgm dexmedetomidine and control group S-CG (n=30) received standard dose of hyperbaric bupivacaine of 12.5mg. The hemodynamic parameters, postoperative analgesia, other adverse effects and neonatal outcomes were monitored. Result: The L-DG group had significantly more rapid and persistent sensory block (p < 0.05), stable maternal hemodynamic which was maintained by fewer IV fluids (p < 0.01), lower vasopressor dosages (p < 0.01), no evidence of foetal distress, and a lower incidence of postoperative maternal shivering. Post operative duration of analgesia in L-DG group was more significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: L-DG group shows stable maternal hemodynamic with fewer demands for vasopressors and fluids, effective sensory blockade and excellent postoperative analgesia


Summary The heart rates and corresponding energy expenditure of adult Brahman cattle (Bos indicus) and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) were measured whilst they were standing, walking at speeds of up to 1 m/sec and pulling loads of up to 50 kg for periods of 1–2 h/day. Correlations of heart rate with energy expenditure showed a positive linear relationship within species although a distinct difference was exhibited between species. However, when heart rate and energy expenditure were expressed relative to their respective resting values (RHR and REE respectively), the results for all animals fitted the same line: REE = 2·251 RHR – 0·954 (r = 0·93; n = 49). More importantly, the relative heart rate and actual energy expenditure per unit metabolic body weight (EEW) for all animals fitted a common line: EEW = 24·94 RHR – 16·25 (r = 0·91; n = 49), where EEW is in watts/kg0·75 and RHR = heart rate of the working animal/heart rate at rest. This assessment of the energy expenditure from measurement of heart rate and live weight thus allows a prediction to be made of the energy requirements of working draught cattle under field conditions.


This article presents a comparative analysis of modern textbooks on Russian history for students of comprehensive schools. Particular attention is paid to the problem of unification of Russian lands into a single state in the XIV century.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the immediate- and long-term outcomes of stent supported coronary angioplasty in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction.

METHODS
Seventy-four consecutive patients with angiographic left ventricular ejection fractions < or = 40% underwent percutaneous coronary angioplasty, including 61 (81%) with stent back-up. Clinical follow-up (29.1 +/- 22.9 months) data were obtained in all clinically successful patients.

RESULTS
Angiographic success was achieved in 120 (89.5%) of 134 lesions. Clinical success was obtained in 66 (89.2%) patients with 1.4% procedure related mortality, 2.7% myocardial infarction and zero need of emergent bypass surgery. NYHA class reduction > or = 1 was seen in 29 (73%) of 40 successfully treated congestive heart failure patients at 6 months after the procedure. During long-term follow-up, 58 (87.9%) of 66 patients with clinical success were alive, including 44 (68.6%) free from cardiac events.

CONCLUSIONS
Patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction treated with stent supported PTCA experience a high rate of success, low procedure related mortality and satisfactory long-term survival.


The legume crop clusterbean ( Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.) is a promising crop for cultivation in the south of Russia. In 2018, phytosanitary examinations of clusterbean fields (13 collection accessions) were conducted in five VIR branches (Krasnodar Territory, Dagestan, Astrakhan and Volgograd Regions). At all points, several types of leaf spots were observed on clusterbean leaves and symptoms of plant damage by fungi of the genus Alternaria Nees prevailed. Using microbiological methods and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer two (ITS2), the species composition of micromycetes was identified. It was found that the micromycetes Alternaria spp. in different ecological and geographical conditions of the south of Russia cause two main types of leaf spots: the typical (beige and brown round spots, usually accompanied by concentric zonality) and brown spot (small brown bulging merging spots). Overwhelmingly the damage to leaf tissues is caused by the fungus A. tenuissima (Nees & T. Nees : Fr.) Wiltshire. A quite numerous accompanying mycoflora (first of all, fungi of the genus Fusarium Link) was also detected. A. cyamopsidis Rangaswami & A.V. Rao, one of the most harmful guar pathogens in the countries where the main acreage is located (India, Pakistan, USA), was not found on clusterbean fields in Russia. The accessions of clusterbean differ in degree of damage by A. tenuissima that causes Alternaria leaf blight. Differential interaction of parasite and plant host was revealed. Therefore, to prevent epiphytotics, varieties protected by non-identical resistance genes should be grown. At all VIR branches, accessions k-52568 (Argentina) and k-52569 (Pakistan) were weakly damaged by Alternaria leaf blight, and some accessions were resistant only in the environmental conditions of one or two experimental stations. The accessions studied were heterogeneous in pathogen resistance, which allows selecting disease-resistant lines from most of the collection accessions. Thus, in various VIR branches, plants without symptoms of disease were selected from accessions k-52571, k-52573 and k-52580, and seeds were collected to create new donors of disease resistance.


Abstract Cognitive interviewing is a qualitative research method for improving the validity of quantitative surveys, which has been underused by academic researchers and monitoring and evaluation teams in global health. Draft survey questions are administered to participants drawn from the same population as the respondent group for the survey itself. The interviewer facilitates a detailed discussion with the participant to assess how the participant interpreted each question and how they formulated their response. Draft survey questions are revised and undergo additional rounds of cognitive interviewing until they achieve high comprehension and cognitive match between the research team's intent and the target population's interpretation. This methodology is particularly important in global health when surveys involve translation or are developed by researchers who differ from the population being surveyed in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, worldview, or other aspects of identity. Without cognitive interviewing, surveys risk measurement error by including questions that respondents find incomprehensible, that respondents are unable to accurately answer, or that respondents interpret in unintended ways. This methodological musing seeks to encourage a wider uptake of cognitive interviewing in global public health research, provide practical guidance on its application, and prompt discussion on its value and practice. To this end, we define cognitive interviewing, discuss how cognitive interviewing compares to other forms of survey tool development and validation, and present practical steps for its application. These steps cover defining the scope of cognitive interviews, selecting and training researchers to conduct cognitive interviews, sampling participants, collecting data, debriefing, analysing the emerging findings, and ultimately generating revised, validated survey questions. We close by presenting recommendations to ensure quality in cognitive interviewing.


Non-intrusive presence detection of individuals in commercial buildings is much easier to implement than intrusive methods such as passive infrared, acoustic sensors, and camera. Individual power consumption, while providing useful feedback and motivation for energy saving, can be used as a valuable source for presence detection. We conduct pilot experiments in an office setting to collect individual presence data by ultrasonic sensors, acceleration sensors, and WiFi access points, in addition to the individual power monitoring data. PresenceSense (PS), a semi-supervised learning algorithm based on power measurement that trains itself with only unlabeled data, is proposed, analyzed and evaluated in the study. Without any labeling efforts, which are usually tedious and time consuming, PresenceSense outperforms popular models whose parameters are optimized over a large training set. The results are interpreted and potential applications of PresenceSense on other data sources are discussed. The significance of this study attaches to space security, occupancy behavior modeling, and energy saving of plug loads.


A mind PC interface (BCI) is a direct neural interface between a human or creature cerebrum and an outer world. In this paper the framework is exhibited in which wheelchair is controlled utilizing EEG signals acquired from the human mind. The Neurosky item for example mind wave gadget headset is utilized to quantify the human brainwave signals. The sign are then mapped and contrasted and the reference estimation of consideration and reflection level alongside squinting eye signal. The wheelchair moves in various ways and can be controlled successfully utilizing contemplations of the individual correctly. So the human capacity is utilized successfully to control the given wheelchair utilizing precision of about 95%.


Expectations are that 25% of the Dutch population will be aged 65 years or older in 2050 whilst in 2008 this proportion was only 15%. As a consequence the annual absolute number of new cases of specific infectious diseases will increase. Elderly people often have less clear symptoms of infection, making it harder for clinicians to recognize the disease. Morbidity and mortality caused by infections increase with age. Ageing will possibly cause an increase in levels of antibiotic resistance. There will be more elderly people in hospitals and nursing homes, where more antibiotics are used. This development will come in addition to other developments in the field of antibiotic resistance. There will be more elderly people with chronic HIV and viral hepatitis B and C infection and their complications because patients who are presently infected with those pathogens are ageing. Policy makers should more often consider introducing vaccination of older age groups against certain infectious diseases.


This paper shows a basic and original fuzzy reasoning method that can draw a novel study direction of the approximate inference in fuzzy systems with uncertainty. Firstly we propose a criterion function for checking of the reductive property about fuzzy modus ponens (FMP) and fuzzy modus tollens (FMT). Secondly unlike fuzzy reasoning methods based on the similarity measure, we propose a principle of new fuzzy reasoning method based on distance measure and then present two theorems for FMP and FMT. Thirdly through the several computational experiments, we show that proposed method is simple and effective, and in accordance with human thinking. Finally we pointed out conclusion that proposed method does satisfy the convergence of the fuzzy control and has not information loss.


Pounding of neighbouring construction of structures due to seismic excitation increases the damage of structural components or even causes collapse of structures. Among the possible building damages, earthquake induced pounding has been commonly observed in several earthquakes. Therefore it is imperative to consider pounding effect for structures. This study aims to understand the response behaviour of adjacent buildings with dissimilar heights under earthquake induced pounding. Effects of different separation distances between structures are also investigated. Nonlinear finite element analysis in time domain has been carried out for pounding of neighbouring structures having varying heights. To show the importance of avoiding pounding in structures the results obtained were compared with model having no pounding phenomena. The results were obtained in the form of storey shear, pounding force, storey drift, point displacement and acceleration. The acceleration at pounding level significantly increases during collision of building. The generated extra pounding force may cause severe damage to structural members of structures. Pounding produces shear at various story levels, which are greater than those obtained from no pounding case. Building with more height suffers greater damage than shorter building when pounding occurs. Increasing gap distance tends to reduce story shear in consistent manner. The results also show that the conventional modelling of building considering only beams and columns underestimates pounding effects. More realistic modelling such as beams, columns and slabs shall be adopted to accurately understand the pounding phenomenon.


Computer systems performance is today
improved with two major approaches: general-purpose
computer computing power increase (creation of multicore
processors, multiprocessor computer systems, supercomputers),
and adaptation of the computer hardware to
the executed algorithm (class of algorithms). The last
approach often provides application of hardware
accelerators – ASIC-based and FPGA-based, also named
reconfigurable, and is characterized by better performance
/ power consumption ratio and lower cost as
compared to the general-purpose computers of equivalent
performance. However, such systems have typical
problems. The ASIC-based accelerators: 1) they are
effective only for certain classes of algorithms; 2) for
effective application there is a need to adapt algorithms and
software. The FPGA-based accelerators and reconfigurable
computer systems (that use FPGAs as a processing units):
1) the need in the process of writing a program to perform
computing tasks balancing among the general-purpose
computer and FPGA; 2) the need of designing applicationspecific
processors soft-cores; and 3) they are effective only
for certain classes of problems, for which applicationspecific
processors soft-cores were previously developed. This paper covers the scope of questions regarding
concept of design, architecture, and proof of concept of the
Self-Configurable FPGA-Based Computer Systems – an
emerging type of high-performance computer systems,
which are deprived of specified challenges. The method of
information processing in reconfigurable computer systems
and its improvements that allow an information processing
efficiency to increase are shown. These improvements are
used as a base for creating a new type of high-performance
computer systems with reconfigurable logic, which are
named self-configurable ones, and a new method of
information processing in these systems. The structure of
self-configurable FPGA-based computer system, the rules
of application of computer software and hardware means
necessary for these systems implementation are described.
Major processes on the stages of program loading and
execution in the self-configurable computer system are
studied, and their durational characteristics are
determined. On the basis of these characteristics, the
expressions for evaluating the program execution duration
in the self-configurable computer system are obtained. The
directions for further works are discussed.


A new three-parameter size-biased Poisson-Lindley distribution which includes several one parameter and two-parameter size-biased distributions including size-biased geometric distribution (SBGD), size-biased negative binomial distribution (SBNBD), size-biased Poisson-Lindley distribution (SBPLD), size-biased Poisson-Shanker distribution (SBPSD), size-biased two-parameter Poisson-Lindley distribution-1 (SBTPPLD-1), size-biased two-parameter Poisson-Lindley distribution-2(SBTPPLD-2), size-biased quasi Poisson-Lindley distribution (SBQPLD) and size-biased new quasi Poisson-Lindley distribution (SBNQPLD) for particular cases of parameters has been proposed. Its various statistical properties based on moments including coefficient of variation, skewness, kurtosis and index of dispersion have been studied. Maximum likelihood estimation has been discussed for estimating the parameters of the distribution. Goodness of fit of the proposed distribution has been discussed.


Summary form only given. The authors present an approach to process control in VLSI processing where the recipe is modified between every product run, based on measured results, in order to compensate for small drifts and shifts. This approach is implemented in the run-by-run controller, which is part of a process control system being developed at MIT. The run-by-run controller implements a form of adaptive control based on the sequential design of experiments. The algorithmic basis of the run controller is discussed with attention to the implementation of statistical process control (SPC) charting concurrent with run-by-run control. Examples of applications are presented.<<ETX>>


Introduction: Urinary tract infections are a significant problem both in community and health care settings. Antimicrobial resistance is on the rise even in uropathogens and a cause of major concern.
Materials and methods: Records for urine cultures for the years 2011 & 2014 were retrospectively analysed for trends in percentage culture positivity, bacterial spectrum and resistance to commonly used antibiotics. The results were compared between genders, outdoor (OPD) and indoor (IPD) settings, and major disciplines for each year. Any difference was statistically analysed for significance.
Results and Conclusions: 7217 and 10067 samples were processed in 2011 and 2014 respectively. Significant increase in culture positivity was detected in 2014 (21%vs 29.6%, p


ABSTRACT This article reports on a recent study into the experiences of Indigenous and allied environmental activists with teaching and learning during and as a result of Indigenous environmental movements. This inquiry is grounded in a theoretical framework informed by decolonization and cultural revitalization, social movement learning, and repressive tolerance. Interviews with 10 participants across Canada produced rich insights related to significant life experiences, the tensions encountered by activist educators, the complexity of inter-activist relationships, interaction with police agencies, the plurality of protest, and the revitalization and sharing of Indigenous traditions as the ultimate form of resistance.


SUMMARY Through case studies of two women, this paper uses a taskonomy approach to analyze rural Vietnamese women's narratives of prevention, treatment and management of vaginal discharge to illustrate care seeking, health practice and the pragmatism of their action. The research is based upon ethnographic research undertaken by the author between 1995 and 1997 in a rural district in northern Vietnam. This exploration illustrates the complexities of women's rationalities and the web of influences upon their choices–the health seeking culture as practiced. The women's narratives are also placed within the broader context of gender, power and health systems that structure their decision making. The author discusses how social and economic resource factors influence the choices women make regarding when to begin treatment for vaginal discharge and where to seek care. She concludes that women use their understanding of the relationships between health, living conditions and diseases on a day-to-day basis and that the practice of managing vaginal discharge is mediated by concepts of body, self and the body politic in Vietnam.


Evidence is offered for log-periodic (in time) fluctuations in the S&P 500 stock index during the three years prior to the October 27, 1997 "correction". These fluctuations were expected on the basis of a discretely scale invariant rupture phenomenology of stock market crashes proposed earlier.


The first step is to calculate the mean consultation time for each clinic and doctor, a matter of making timed observations, after which the number of patients who can comfortably be seen at one session can be fairly accurately calculated. Individual times should then be allocated to each patient, although two, but certainly not more than three, may be called for the beginning of the clinic, and two may be called for some of the appointment times during the session to allow for any failures to attend. A break of some 16 to 20 minutes during the course of the clinic will allow for any unavoidable pile-up of patients to be released, or for a cup of tea to be taken should everything be running smoothly. For clinics where both new and old patients are seen, allowance must be made in the planning of the schedule for the differing times these consultations usually take. Block bookings may sometimes be justified for clinics where the consultation times are very short, such as fracture clinics, but the blocks should still not be larger than three patients per doctor.


Carbon offsetting – the investment in carbon reduction activities to compensate for the carbon emitted by other activities – is a way for people to use carbon fuels without adding to global environmental damage. In 2010, the UK government introduced a feed-in-tariff scheme, which guaranteed small scale generators of electricity from renewable sources at a fixed price for the power they produced that is considerably above the wholesale market price. This was done specifically to encourage consumers to generate their own electricity. Under the scheme, it is unlikely that all the power will be generated by renewable means when it is needed, but it is possible to export surplus electricity to the grid, which can offset the exported electricity when the equipment is not generating. By exporting more electricity than is needed, it is possible to offset the carbon emissions from heating. This paper looks at the potential for using photovoltaic cells (PV) to provide a carbon offsetting scheme. It investigates the impact of the structure of the tariff to see if it encourages installations that are capable of offsetting the carbon used by a range of households.


The Active Contour Model (ACM) was introduced in 1987 and allows the image segmentation of objects in digital images through edge detection, obtained from image information. This ACM consists in outlining an initial curve around or inside an object of interest. This curve is deformed, according to some forces which act on it, moving it to the edges of the object. This process is performed through successive minimizing iterations of a given energy associated to the curve. Recently, various applications have proposed changes in traditional ACMs, generating new methods, applications, benefits and performance improvements in certain applications. Due to that, these methods have also been expanded to three dimensions (3D), being called Active Contour Methods 3D (ACM 3D), as is the case of the proposed method, called Adaptive Balloon ACM 3D. This method is applied in the segmentation of 3D models and compared to the 3D Region Growing method (RG 3D). The results showed that the RG is superior to the 3D proposed method when applied in closed objects, but inferior in hollow objects, in which the proposed method is stably displayed in all applications. Therefore, one can conclude that the proposed method can be applied to the segmentation of 3D objects in a promising way.


In three experiments, 2- to 4-year-old children, following pretraining with everyday objects, were presented with arbitrary stimuli of differing shapes. In Experiment 1A, 9 subjects were trained one common tact response, "zag," to three of these and a second tact, "vek," to another three. In category match-to-sample Test 1, 4 subjects sorted accurately when required only to look at the sample before selecting from five comparisons. The remaining 5 subjects succeeded in Test 2, in which they were required to tact the sample before selecting comparisons. Experiment 1B showed, for 2 of these subjects, that tact training with 12 arbitrary stimuli established two six-member classes that were still intact 6 weeks later. In Experiment 2, 3 new subjects participated in a common tact training procedure that ensured that none of the exemplars from the same class were presented together prior to the test for three-member classes. Two subjects passed category Test 1 and the third passed Test 2. Tests showed subjects' listener behavior in response to hearing /zog/ and /vek/ to be in place. These experiments indicate that common naming is effective in establishing arbitrary stimulus classes and that category match-to-sample testing provides a robust measure of categorization.


This research analyses the issue of the level of Internet financial reporting (IFR) by companies listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia. The discussion in this paper will be based on the inconsistencies of the dimensions used in representing IFR by previous researchers who had carried out studies on IFR. The inconsistencies resulted in differences in their findings. Based on a comprehensive review, the level of IFR for this research will be divided into two main dimensions, namely, content dimension and presentation dimension. The findings showed that the level of IFR of Bursa Malaysia listed companies started from 48.27 per cent to 78.16 per cent with a min of 65.10. The findings also showed that the overall level of IFR listed companies on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia was considered good. The implication of the research findings and future research will also be discussed.


PGC-1alpha is a key regulator of tissue metabolism, including skeletal muscle. Because it has been shown that PGC-1alpha alters the capacity for lipid metabolism, it is possible that PGC-1alpha expression is regulated by the intramuscular lipid milieu. Therefore, we have examined the relationship between PGC-1alpha protein expression and the intramuscular fatty acid accumulation in hindlimb muscles of animals in which the capacity for fatty acid accumulation in muscle is increased (Zucker obese rat) or reduced [FAT/CD36 null (KO) mice]. Rates of palmitate incorporation into triacylglycerols were determined in perfused red (RG) and white gastrocnemius (WG) muscles of lean and obese Zucker rats and in perfused RG and WG muscles of FAT/CD36 KO and wild-type (WT) mice. In obese Zucker rats, the rate of palmitate incorporation into triacylglycerol depots in RG and WG muscles were 28 and 24% greater than in lean rats (P < 0.05). In FAT/CD36 KO mice, the rates of palmitate incorporation into triacylglycerol depots were lower in RG (-50%) and WG muscle (-24%) compared with the respective muscles in WT mice (P < 0.05). In the obese animals, PGC-1alpha protein content was reduced in both RG (-13%) and WG muscles (-15%) (P < 0.05). In FAT/CD36 KO mice, PGC-1alpha protein content was upregulated in both RG (+32%, P < 0.05) and WG muscles (+50%, P < 0.05). In conclusion, from studies in these two animal models, it appears that PGC-1alpha protein expression is inversely related to components of intramuscular lipid metabolism, because 1) PGC-1alpha protein expression is downregulated when triacylglycerol synthesis rates, an index of intramuscular lipid metabolism, are increased, and 2) PGC-1alpha protein expression is upregulated when triacylglycerol synthesis rates are reduced. Therefore, we speculate that the intramuscular lipid sensing may be involved in regulating the protein expression of PGC-1alpha in skeletal muscle.


Objectives To study the clinical security, medium-term and long-term effects of six French transradial percutaneous coronary intervention for patients with unprotected left main coronary artery lesions. Methods Our study investigated 61 patients with unprotected left main coronary artery lesions treated by six French transradial percutaneous coronary intervention in our hospital between January 2008 and December 2009. The mean age of these patients was 66.03±10.02 (total scope: 44–87). Of the 61 cases, 40 had hypertension and 14 had diabetes mellitus. 22 patients had a history of smoking. The average left ventricle ejection fraction was (62.96±12.15)%(total scope: 28–86) and the average plasma creatinine level was (82.92±18.30) μmol/l.(total scope: 44–130. Patients enrolled in the study underwent clinical evaluation of MACE after the procedure (The deadline is 31 October 2011). Results Procedural success was achieved in all cases. A total of 67 stents were implanted. No in-hospital death occurred. Mean clinical follow-up period was (26.25±5.92) months (total scope: 19–44 months). MACE developed in six cases (9.8%) during the follow-up period, including 2 death (3.3%) and four case of target lesion revascularisation (6.6%). Compared with low-risk group (SYNTAX score <=32,(From the study of SYNergy between percutaneous coronary intervention with TAXus and cardiac surgery trail)), MACE was increased in the high-risk group of the patients (SYNTAX score>32). Conclusions Six French transradial percutaneous coronary intervention for patients with unprotected left main coronary artery lesions is safe, feasible and highly successful, bringing about medium-term or long-term good outcomes. Patients in the low-risk group (SYNTAX score <=32) have better clinical prognosis compared with high-risk group (SYNTAX score>32).


Consider an evolving population, with genealogy given by a Λ-coalescent that comes down from infinity. We provide rather explicit sampling formulae under this model, for large samples. More precisely, we describe the asymptotic behavior of the site and allele frequency spectrum and the number of segregating sites, as the sample size tends to ∞. A regular variation condition on the driving measure Λ is assumed for some of the almost sure asymptotic results, but most of out results are valid for a general Λ-coalescent that comes down from infinity. The proofs rely in part on the recent analysis of the speed of coming down from infinity for Λ-coalescents, done by the authors in [4]. The second goal of this paper is to investigate a remarkable connection between Λ-coalescents and genealogies of continuous-state branching processes. Our particle representation and the resulting coupling construction offer new perspective on the speed of coming down from infinity, and its consequences, as well as several other results recently obtained in the area. AMS 2000 Subject Classification. 60J25, 60F99, 92D25


This paper presents the results of the experimental investigations carried out by the authors in order to evaluate the changes in the physico-mechanical properties of fiberglass tubing used to transport fluids between different facilities. In the near future, water injection wells will be equipped with fiberglass tubing, as an alternative to the more traditional metal tubing. The mechanical properties of fiberglass material (ultimate tensile strength, impact energy, burst pressure) have been determined for sets of 5 specimens that have been maintained (at a temperature of 80°C) in different environments and with different exposure times (hydrochloric acid: 6/24/48 hours; acetic acid: 6/24/48 hours; hydrochloric acid + hydrofluoric acid: 6/24/48 hours; xylene: 1/2/3 months; condensates: 1/2/3 months).


The effect of incorporating organic acids in whey protein based edible film, and its antimicrobial activity has been studied. Four organic acids namely acetic, lactic, propionic and benzoic acids (5% v/v each) were incorporated in whey protein based edible film, and their antimicrobial activity was tested using Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Eschericia coli and Salmonella sp. There was a highly significant effect (P<0.01) of the organic acid on the inhibition zone of microorganisms, due to water vapor permeability (WVP) and protein solubility. A significant effect (P<0.05) was shown by different organic acids incorporated on the antimicrobial activity of the films. The highest inhibition zone was found at the E. coli tested sample (11.6 mm), whilst the lowest one was found at the Salmonella sp tested sample (9.77 mm). The highest inhibition zone was also found in the films that contained benzoic acid (11.76 mm), and the lowest was found in the film that contained lactic acid (10.44 mm). While the highest WVP value (0.0238 g.mm/m 2 .kPa) was shown by the film that contained propionic acid, the lowest one was shown in the film that contained acetic acid (0.0116 g.mm/m 2 .kPa). With regards to protein solubility, it was found that the film containing propionic acid had the highest value (44.4444%), while that with acetic acid showed the lowest protein solubility (35.5516%).


Modeling errors due to hourly inputs averaged from high frequency measurements can be significant where solar resource variability and inverter loading ratios are both high. However, satellite data sources average low frequency measurements. This paper studies the effects of satellite sampling frequency on subhourly modeling errors. We simulate satellite data from high frequency measurements by selecting instantaneous measurements at a lower sampling rate then averaging selected instantaneous measurements for the hour. With simulated satellite data sampled every 30-minutes or shorter we observe modeling errors, but for sampling rates longer than 30-minutes, modeling errors appear to cancel out annually possibly due to random errors in the sampled data. Similar effects have been observed by other researchers, and the results of this study seem to confirm their findings. However, the modeling error is not completely canceled out. Even with input sampled every 30-minutes, we still see some modeling error, and the modeling error increases as sampling rates get shorter. Based on our observations, we recommend that a modeling error correction be applied whenever hourly inputs are used, especially at sites with high solar variability and DC/ AC ratios greater than one.