A new fabrication technique for a one-dimensional (1D) Si wire on a separation-by-implanted-oxygen (SIMOX) substrate, which is effective in reducing the parasitic resistance caused by the thin lead Si regions, is proposed. Thermal oxidation of the Si layer on which a stacked structure of and SiN films is formed does not reduce the thickness of the wide two-dimensional (2D) Si layer, though the 1D wire becomes thinner by the oxidation. A MOS-type 1D Si wire fabricated using this technique shows a clear step-like conductance as a function of gate voltage. Though the measured conductance step is slightly lower than the theoretically predicted value, it is much larger than previously reported values. The inherent conductance of the 1D wire can be extracted from the measured overall conductance owing to low parasitic resistance. The first conductance step thus obtained agrees well with the theoretical value of .


Anticipated handovers that use Link Going Down (LGD) and Link Down (LD) trigger events require the network operator to set the LGD trigger high enough that the handover completes before the LD trigger event.  However, setting the LGD trigger too high can result in frequent handovers by mobile nodes, leading to high signaling overhead. We propose a mechanism for balancing these requirements using a risk function. The function expresses the risk with respect to the probability that the LD event falls within a range of times with respect to handover completion.  The risk function can be used with weights that allow the network operator to set the relative importance of the early handover completion requirement and the requirement that the LGD trigger not be too sensitive. Because the risk is expressed using the characteristic function of the handover time, we can easily use it to set the LGD trigger for any mobility management protocol.


Changes in climate depend essentially on three basic parameters, the amount of incident sunlight, the fraction of this sunlight that is reflected by the Earth, and the trapping of the Earth's infrared radiation by greenhouse gases.The Earth's reflectance of the Sun's radiation back to space—or albedo—is the least well studied of the three.

The albedo depends primarily on cloud properties, and ground-based and satellite studies published within the past 3–4 years have shown a surprisingly significant interannual and decadal variability in this parameter. The variability in reflectance is tied to changes in cloud location, amount, and thickness. However, clouds are very poorly parameterized in climate models. Thus,the scale of these variations presents a fundamental, and as yet unmet, challenge to understanding and predicting the Earth's climate.


In TMA, when bearing and frequency measurements are concurrently processed, no more ownship manoeuver is necessary to make the target trajectory observable (as in conventionnal Bearing Only Tracking). Firstly, using a new linearization method for frequency measurements, we rigorously establish this result about observability. Secondly, we derive two fast Batch Maximum Likelihood Estimation algorithms whose statistical efficiency is proved (by computer simulations). Experimental results demonstrate that, if a few at sea necessary conditions are fulfilled and several frequencies are concurrently processed, DBT yields proper estimates of target trajectory : range accuracy better than 10% for a target at 20 km within 10 minutes.


The role of a cognitive diathesis-stress model in predicting changes in alcohol consumption was examined. This study evaluated the interaction of attributional style with negative life events in predicting changes in beer, wine, spirits, and overall alcohol consumption. 93 undergraduate participants completed the Khavari Alcohol Test, Negative Life Events Questionnaire, and Attributional Style Questionnaire. The interaction of attributional style with negative life events predicted increases in spirits consumption between Time 1 and Time 2.


Emmy Noether's two theorems on the relation between symmetries and conservation laws were a response to the mathematical problems that arose when Einstein proposed the generally covariant equations of general relativity, and when Hilbert and Klein pursued research related to the new physical theory. They served both to elucidate the problem of the conservation of the energy-momentum tensor in that new theory, and to reconcile formulations of the law of conservation of energy that had appeared, a priori, to be quite distinct. Her first theorem also offered a vast generalization of the conservation theorems in mechanics and in the special theory of relativity that had been known at the time. Using Lie's theory of continuous groups of transformations, she presented remarkably general results for the problem of applying the theory of differential invariants to the variational equations of physics.


Innovation platforms (IPs) that support agricultural innovation to enable transition processes towards more sustainable agriculture provide a space where conflicts of interest among actors in the existing agricultural system (the so called incumbent regime) may play out. Sometimes these conflicts over how actors will benefit from an action are not revealed until actors are brought together. However, a barrier to change occurs when IP actors use their existing power to mobilise resources to influence if and how individual and collective interests are aligned. In the context of agricultural innovation and transitions, this paper uses the power in transitions framework (Avelino and Wittmayer, 2016), along with analytical perspectives on conflicts and role perceptions, to understand how consciously staging or revealing conflicts of interest among IP actors changed role perceptions and power relations among these actors. The paper explores this topic in two IPs addressing agricultural production and sustainability challenges in New Zealand's agricultural sector. Conflicts were staged in IPs when one group of actors mobilised resources that enabled them to move existing power relations from one-sided, to synergistic or a mutual dependency. This enabled conflicts to be acknowledged and solved. In contrast, conflicts were not staged when actors mobilised resources to maintain antagonostic power relations. Our cases demontrate that staging conflicts to change actors' role perceptions is an important intermediary step to forming new power relations in the agricultural system. Our findings highlight the need for IP theory to conceptualise power relations in IPs as context specific, dynamic and a force shaping outcomes, rather than solely a force exerted by actors in the incumbent regime over IP actors.


Object detection is an important yet challenging task in video understanding & analysis, where one major challenge lies in the proper balance between two contradictive factors: detection accuracy and detection speed. In this paper, we propose a new adaptive patch-of-interest composition approach for boosting both the accuracy and speed for object detection. The proposed approach first extracts patches in a video frame which have the potential to include objects-of-interest. Then, an adaptive composition process is introduced to compose the extracted patches into an optimal number of sub-frames for object detection. With this process, we are able to maintain the resolution of the original frame during object detection (for guaranteeing the accuracy), while minimizing the number of inputs in detection (for boosting the speed). Experimental results on various datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.


Abstract:  Effective management of biodiversity in production landscapes requires a conservation approach that acknowledges the complexity of ecological and cultural systems in time and space. Fennoscandia has experienced major loss of forest biodiversity caused by intensive forestry. Therefore, the Countdown 2010 initiative to halt the loss of biodiversity in Europe is highly relevant to forest management in this part of the continent. As a contribution to meeting the challenge posed by Countdown 2010, we developed a spatially explicit conservation‐planning exercise that used regional knowledge on forest biodiversity to provide support for managers attempting to halt further loss of biological diversity in the region. We used current data on the distribution of 169 species (including 68 red‐listed species) representing different forest habitats and ecologies along with forest data within the frame of modern conservation software to devise a map of priority areas for conservation. The top 10% of priority areas contained over 75% of red‐listed species locations and 41% of existing protected forest areas, but only 58% of these top priorities overlapped with core areas identified previously in a regional strategy that used more qualitative methods. We argue for aggregating present and future habitat value of single management units to landscape and regional scales to identify potential bottlenecks in habitat availability linked to landscape dynamics. To address the challenge of Countdown 2010, a general framework for forest conservation planning in Fennoscandia needs to cover different conservation issues, tools, and data needs.


Therapy of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy aspires to reduce symptoms, increase exercise tolerance, retard or prevent disease progression, and improve prognosis. Medical treatment with calcium antagonists and suppression of rhythm disturbances with amiodarone seem to be most effective. In patients who show no improvement, surgical treatment must be considered.


Sand blasting and high-velocity thermal spray processes can produce residual stresses in superalloy substrates that can significantly influence microstructure development. To investigate this effect, single-crystal superalloy substrates were sand blasted using different levels of force (zero, light, and heavy) and then coated with a MCrAlY layer by HVOF spraying. Cross-sectional analysis of an as-sprayed sample revealed a subsurface depletion zone with a composition rich in Mo nano precipitates. Cross-sectional examinations after vacuum heat treating and at various points during oxidation testing showed that elemental interdiffusion occurred between the coating and substrate and that sand blasting intensity has a major influence on the depth of the interdiffusion zones.


Background Active adult supervision is promoted as a key strategy for preventing drowning among young children. Little is known about the contributory factors in supervision lapses in child drowning. Objective This study aims to explore the causes of distraction leading to lapses of supervision in fatal drowning cases of children under five in Australia. Methods A total population survey of all fatal unintentional drownings among children aged 0–4 years between 1-July-2002 and 30-June-2017 was undertaken using data primarily from the Australian National Coronial Information System (NCIS). Information was collected on demographics, location (geographic and water body), activity, type of distraction, number of supervisors and presence of siblings/other children. Data were extracted from coronial findings, autopsy, toxicology and police reports. Findings 447 children drowned (males; 62%). Swimming pools accounted for 54% and bathtub/spa baths 17%. Common causes of supervision lapses were indoor (27%) and outdoor household chores (11%), or talking/socialising (9%). In 16% of cases two parents were supervising and both were distracted. Common scenarios for pool drowning were a single supervisor, distracted by indoor household chores, talking or socialising during social settings or caring for other siblings while the child who drowned was alone. Common bathtub scenarios were a single supervisor, distracted by household chores or taking care of other children. A child was more likely to be in the presence of another child (often sibling) while bathing compared to a pool. Conclusions Supervision is a critical prevention tool, when children are in or around the water. This study builds on current knowledge of supervision, specifically, understanding why lapses occur. Policy implications Types of distractions leading to supervision lapses in fatal child drowning and how to minimise them, should be incorporated into national public awareness and drowning prevention campaigned and directed to parents and carers of this at risk group. Acknowledgement This research is supported by Royal Life Saving Society – Australia. The research at Royal Life Saving Society – Australia is supported by the Federal Government.


Esophagus resection is the adequate treatment for some benign esophageal diseases, especially caustic and peptic stenosis and end-stage motility dysfunction. However, the most frequent indications for esophageal resection are the high-grade dysplasia of Barrett esophagus and nonmetasta-sized esophageal cancer. Different procedures have been developed to perform esophageal resection given the 5-year survival rate among operated patients of only 18%. The disadvantage of the conventional approach is the high morbidity rate, especially with pulmonary complications. Minimally invasive esophageal resections, which were first performed in 1991, may reduce this important morbidity and preserve the oncologic outcome. The first reports of morbidity and respiratory complications with this approach were discouraging and it seemed likely that the procedure would have to be abandoned. However, in the last 5 years, an important impetus for these techniques was given by Japanese groups and the group of Luketich in Pittsburgh. The outcomes of these new series are different than those of the beginning period, leading to an enormous expansion worldwide. Important factors for this change are the standardization of the operative technique, the experience of many surgeons with more advanced laparoscopic procedures, important improvements in instruments for dissection and division of tissues, a better anesthesia technique, and a better selection of patients for operation. Two minimally invasive techniques are being perfected: the three-stage operation by right thoracoscopy and laparoscopy, and the transhiatal laparoscopic approach. It seems that the first approach may be applied successfully for any tumor in the esophagus, whereas the transhiatal seems ideal for distal esophageal and esophagogastric junction tumors. This review paper discusses all these aspects, with special attention for indications and operative technique.


Abstract Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are short non-protein-coding RNAs with a long-recognized role in tuning ribosomal and spliceosomal function by guiding ribose methylation and pseudouridylation at targeted nucleotide residues of ribosomal and small nuclear RNAs, respectively. SnoRNAs are increasingly being implicated in regulation of new types of post-transcriptional processes, for example rRNA acetylation, modulation of splicing patterns, control of mRNA abundance and translational efficiency, or they themselves are processed to shorter stable RNA species that seem to be the principal or alternative bioactive isoform. Intriguingly, some display unusual cellular localization under exogenous stimuli, or tissue-specific distribution. Here, we discuss the new and unforeseen roles attributed to snoRNAs, focusing on the presumed mechanisms of action. Furthermore, we review the experimental approaches to study snoRNA function, including high resolution RNA:protein and RNA:RNA interaction mapping, techniques for analyzing modifications on targeted RNAs, and cellular and animal models used in snoRNA biology research.


Kostrakiewicz-Gierałt K.: The variability of Succisa pratensis Moench individuals and ramet clusters in abandoned Molinietum caeruleae meadows. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 34, No. 3, p. 216–225, 2015. This paper reports the results of observations of the abundance of population Succisa pratensis Moench, as well as temporal and spatial variabilities of chosen traits such as the number of rosettes, number of leaves per rosette, number and height of flowering stems, number of flower heads per generative stem and number of seeds per fruit. Investigations were conducted in the years 2009−2013, in six patches of Molinietum caeruleae with different dominant species, unmanaged from 10 to 22 years. On the basis of studies performed, the state of populations and chances for maintenance in the colonised site were evaluated.


There has been considerable disagreement among political scientists over the relative merits of political culture versus rational choice explanations of democratic and liberal norms and commitments. However, empirical tests of their relative explanatory power using quantitative evidence have been in short supply. This article employs national probability sample surveys conducted in 1994 to assess differences between Czechs and Slovaks in the expression of democratic norms and liberal attitudes with respect to economic, political, social and ethnic issues. The applicability of an explanation focusing on long-standing cultural differences between the two countries is compared with a rational choice explanation based on national differences in their recent experiences of political and economic transition. It is shown that differences in the expression of support for marketization and democracy in the two countries can be explained relatively parsimoniously in rational choice terms. The explanatory contribution of political culture appears to relate only to a narrow range of attitudes and values.


In our previous work [1], a Speech/Music classifier is proposed on the basis of the feature subset selection (FSS) tool and oblique decision tree induced by the algorithm OC1. In this paper, we endeavor to improve it by State transfer (ST) strategy whose aim is to refine the classification results, according to the fact that adjacent segments in one audio file have strong relevance to each other. The proposed algorithm is evaluated by a set of 5-to-11-minute 504 audio files of different types of speech and music in three Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) levels: 30dB, 20dB and 10dB. The results show that ST strategy averagely improves the accuracy for music by 3.3% at 10 dB and 2.3% at 20 dB while keeping accuracy rate of speech almost unchanged. The speech classification rate is also lifted by 5.7% at 10dB on average.


A reverse osmosis unit to treat ground water in Saboura/Syria has been in operation for several years. It suffered frequently from severe fouling of membranes. This led to frequent stoppages and losses of flow. Operators of the unit reported the formation of white solid scales on the membranes. It is well known that membranes treating ground water suffer from precipitates such as CaCO3, CaSO4, Fe, Al, Silica compounds, colloidal matters, bacteria and others. In this study analysis of the solid scales on the membranes showed that silica is the main scaling component. So experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of silica concentration in ground water and other variables such as pressure, pH, metal cations and type of membrane on fouling. The results obtained showed that silica has a direct effect on fouling of membranes. This is influenced by many parameters. Increasing pressure leads to increase in flow rates of water through the membranes. Reduction of pH causes less scaling of silica on the membranes. Cations present in water such as calcium and magnesium help in forming polymeric silicates which cause fouling.


An effective power based parallel preconditioner is proposed for general large sparse linear systems. The preconditioner combines a power series expansion method with some low-rank correction techniques, where the Sherman-Morrison-Woodbury formula is utilized. A matrix splitting of the Schur complement is proposed to expand the power series. The number of terms used in the power series expansion can control the approximation accuracy of the preconditioner to the inverse of the Schur complement. To construct the preconditioner, graph partitioning is invoked to reorder the original coefficient matrix, leading to a special block two-by-two matrix whose two off-diagonal submatrices are block diagonal. Variables corresponding to interface variables are obtained by solving a linear system with the coeffcient matrix being the Schur complement. For the variables related to the interior variables, one only needs to solve a block diagonal linear system. This can be performed efficiently in parallel. Various numerical examples are provided to illustrate that the efficiency of the proposed preconditioner.


Arenosol is one of the main soil types in the Itaparica region, located in the semi-arid northeast of Brazil. This sandy soil typically has low nutrient content and limited capacity to retain water and nutrients. Our overall goal is to contribute to food safety in the region by using locally available and inexpensive materials that serve as long-term amendments to improve the fertility of Arenosols. We tested locally produced pyrolized biochar, made of feedstock of the invasive tree Prosopis juliflora, and a clayey lake sediment on the laboratory and field scale for their ability to increase the retention of nutrients. Both materials were mixed into the Arenosol. In batch experiments according to OECD 106 the sorption capacities of nitrate, ammonium, phosphorous and potassium were investigated for different Arenosol-biochar, respectively Arenosol-clay ratios. In a field trial planting holes with an untreated control, 5 % biochar, respectively 10 % clay share (each v/v) were established, each of them in an unfertilised variant and another variant fertilised with mineral NPK. The native tree species Spondias tuberosa Arruda was planted in all holes. The nutrient leaching out of the planting holes in 70 cm depth within an eight month period was quantified by self-integrating accumulators (SIA). Our results show that biochar increases the sorption capacity of nitrate and, consequently, reduces the leaching of nitrate in the field, whereas clay has no influence on nitrate retention. Both materials lead to a slight increase of ammonium sorption. Biochar also slightly increases the sorption of phosphorous, whereas clay has a marginal higher potential to sorb phosphorous. Clay strongly increases potassium sorption, in contrast to biochar, which releases a high amount of water soluble potassium. According to these results we conclude that biochar and clay have the potential to increase the retention of the tested nutrients and therefore can meliorate the fertility of an Arenosol. We also assume that the application of a mixture of both materials would result in an even higher increase of the nutrient retention capacity. To prove this assumption further experiments are needed.


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The nutritional value of diets fed to chickens has traditionally been evaluated by growth performance and nutrient digestibility. In addition to nutritional physiological studies, research on intestinal structure is also important, as the intestine is the digestive and absorptive organ. In macroscopic anatomy, the guts of poultry differ relative to body weight (Thomas, 1984). Fowls produced for the meat purpose, such as broiler (BR) chickens and Peking ducks, have intestines of greater length, weight and area than those of egg-laying fowl, such as the White Leghorn (WL) chickens and wild ducks (Yamauchi et al., 1990b). Poultry innards are affected by diet (Moss, 1974; Miller, 1975; Langhout et al., 1999; Yasar and Forbes, 1999). Feeding habits rather than individual body weight difference account for gross anatomical differences in the intestine (Yamauchi and Zhou, 1988). These reports suggest that the nutritional value of diets may produce microscopic alterations in the intestinal mucosa. Although the general histological features of the intestine are well known, the relationship between the structure and function of the intestine has not been established. The reason that no information on the histological alterations related with intestinal function has been reported is related to the fact that studies on the interaction between them are limited to morphological observations, which is due to lack of an immunocytochemical procedure using antibodies. Confirmation that intestinal histological alterations are indeed induced by intestinal functions is currently impossible and can be established only by comparison of morphological characteristics with intestinal functions.Consequently, over the past decade, there has been much interest in establishing how intestinal histological alterations are related to intestinal function. The intent of this interest is to assess the enteral nutrient absorption of feed ingredients histologically. This review highlights recent studies on histological alterations related to intestinal function, and adds new information to the assessment of the nutritional values of various kinds of chicken feed.


In this analysis my aim is to further a line of inquiry into the cultural logics surrounding the ways that people conceptualize work, worth, and the compensation of labor. By analyzing public attitudes towards wage floor policies such as the living wage, ethnographers can contribute to the broader effort at dismantling the naturalized cultural logic of neoliberalism regarding progressive economic policies, specifically living wages. I conclude that the discursive constitution of living wages by opponents reflects broader and more deeply held ideological assertions about American society and the marketplace, and reinforcing a notion of American exceptionalism.


A towboat pushing a flotilla along a waterway is delayed by locking, by picking up or dropping off barges, and by miscellaneous causes. Predicting the duration of these delays is important in answering many questions about water transport. For example, to determine whether a lock should be expanded, one must analyse lock delays;1 to determine how much equipment is required for a movement, one must know the time required for the trip (including delay time).


This essay describes various financial, economic, and legal developments in the United States from 1952 until 2007 and argues that they suggest a transformation of the American economic system from capitalism to one I term "financialism." Financialism is a system in which the real economy plays a secondary role to the financial economy, in the process stripping future real economic profits for present consumption. While it bears similarities to the process often identified in the economic literature as "financialization," it differs both in historical scope and in its suggestion that financialism differs fundamentally from capitalism.


https://doi.org/10.30574/msarr.2021.3.1.0059 Abstract The antidiarrhoeal effects of Lantana camara ethanol leaf and stem extracts were compared in Wistar rats. The phytochemical and acute toxicity tests were also determined. The extracts were evaluated for castor oil- induced diarrhoea and enteropooling as well as intestinal transit in rats. The ethanol stem extract produced significant ( P < 0.05), while the ethanol leaf extract produced significant ( P < 0.01) dose dependent protection on rats against castor oil induced diarrhoea. The stem extract inhibited intestinal transit time and caused significant ( P < 0.05), while leaf extract caused significant ( P < 0.01) dose related inhibition of castor oil induced enteropooling in rats, comparable to the standard drugs. The leaf and stem extracts significantly and dose dependently delayed the onset of castor oil induced diarrhoea, decreased the frequency of defecation and reduced the severity of diarrhoea in rats. The ethanol leaf and stem extracts of L. camara significantly and dose dependently decreased the volume of intestinal fluid accumulation in the castor oil induced enteropooling. The distance travelled by charcoal meal in intestinal transit time was also reduced. The oral LD 50 values obtained were greater than 5000 mg/kg in rats. These findings suggest that both ethanol leaf and stem extracts of Lantana camara may contain some biologically active ingredients that are active for the treatment of diarrhoea in Nigerian herbal traditional medicine. However, the leaf extract has more antidiarrhoeal activities compared to the stem extract in castor oil-induced diarrhoeal in Wistar


This paper demonstrates how learners can work on problems involved in learning a foreign language on their own through reading strategies and the help of a well-stocked, language resources center. Using this self-access approach and the resources center, the learner can accomplish the goal of learning with only minimal assistance from other learners or a language learning adviser. It is suggested that learning materials be developed for language development as well as for reading skills development. Approaches that have been found useful for language learning through reading and for reading skills, in particular, are reviewed, such as extensive reading, intensive reading, skimming, scanning, and summarizing. The impact of reading speed on student learning is also discussed. (Contains 22 references.) (NAV) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * *********************************************************************** Reading in Foreign Language: A Self-Access Approach


Loxoprofen sodium is a chiral drug with two chiral centers. In our previous work, we found that the elimination of its four isomers showed stereospecificity in rats, while how the stereospecific behavior occurred in vivo was unclear. To clarify this issue, each single isomer of loxoprofen sodium was prepared by a chiral semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and then administered to rats. By analysis of each isomer in rat plasma utilizing an analytical chiral HPLC, it was discovered that the chiral inversion occurred only to its (2R)-isomers, one from (1'S,2R)- to (1'S,2S)-isomer and the other from (1'R,2R)- to (1'R,2S)-isomer. The reduction of α-substituted cyclopentanone occurred only to its (1'R)-isomers, with (1'R,2R)-isomer reduced to (2'S,1'R,2R)-trans-alcohol and (1'R,2S)- to (2'S,1'R,2S)-trans-alcohol. Interestingly, both the inversion and the reduction reaction occurred to its (1'R,2R)-isomer due to the special stereo-structure with both (2R)- and (1'R)-configuration, and conversely, neither of them occurred to its (1'S,2S)-isomer, which caused the significantly different elimination rate in vivo. These new findings were meaningful for evaluation of the safety and efficacy of chiral drugs.


OBJECTIVES
To analyze the cellular function of the newly discovered DNA damage repair factor WDR70, and investigate the mutation in ovarian cancer to verify if function loss of the WDR70gene was associated with ovarian cancer.

METHODS
The WDR70 gene was silenced by using siRNA technique or overexpressed its wild and mutation type by with lentivirus and plasmid in hunman cells. The subcellular localization and biochemical function of WDR70 was analyzes by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoblotting. The expression level of WDR70 and the mutations of its cDNA was checked with RT-PCR sequencing for 1 normal ovarian tissue and 16 ovarian cancer specimen.

RESULTS
We found gene silencing of WDR70 or overexpression of WDR70 mutation type disrupts the phosphorylation level of homologous recombination functional protein RPA32 and the ability of recruitment at DNA damage site of recombinase RAD51, the loss of function of WDR70 also causes the elevation of the chromosome breakage in metaphase. Meanwhile, we also noticed that the existence of multiple mutations in genomic WDR70 in ovarian cancer specimen.

CONCLUSIONS
Our results defined that in vitro system, WDR70 is a DNA damage repair gene, silencing of WDR70 or overexpression of WDR70 mutation type disrupts homologous recombination and chromosomal instability; the frequent mutations of WDR70 gene in genome of ovarian cancer specimens could also lead to DNA repair defeat and gene instability. Consequently WDR70 gene could represent an anti-cancer mechanism for ovarian cancer.


We have studied an effect of 3He on superfluid 4He films adsorbed on exfoliated graphite (Grafoil) using a quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) technique. It is known that zero-temperature superfluid mass and superfluid onset temperature of 4He films adsorbed on porous gold substrate are suppressed, or even eliminated with the addition of 3He. We found that the superfluid onset temperature of 4He films on graphite decreases with the addition of 3He. However, the superfluid mass does not increase monotonically with decreasing temperature; it has a peak and is suppressed below a certain temperature, which suggests a phase separation of the film at low temperatures.


The response of Te isotopes to the energy-spectra of supernova neutrinos is explored by applying the folding procedure. We present double differential cross sections for 128,130Te isotopes convoluted with a two-parameter Fermi-Dirac (FD) and a Power-Law (PL) neutrino energy distributions. The original cross sections are calculated in the context of the quasi particle random phase approximation (QRPA) by using realistic two-body forces.


Vector-borne diseases have a profound impact on world health. The two most well-known and costly diseases are dengue fever and malaria, both spread by mosquito vectors. In the last decade, many new solutions to halting the spread of these diseases have been sought, including vector-mediated disease suppression. The work presented here seeks to generate alleles to effect this suppression, and engineer a drive system to replace the native population. Additional work on systems to keep engineered organisms genetically isolated from native populations has also been carried out. Initial studies in C. elegans investigated use of the transitive nature of RNAi in this species to genetically isolate one population from another. This type of speciation could be used in plant populations to limit gene flow of engineered crops into local environments. The next series of studies details work on engineering of refractoriness alleles. Dengue virus has several enzymatic activities that are essential for its replicative cycle, including an RNA-dependednt RNA polymerase (RdRp) responsible for synthesizing both the sense and antisense viral genomes and a protease responsible for several essential cleavages of the viral polyprotein. Artificial substrates for these proteins were created to act as sensors, triggering an apoptotic response when viral infection occurs. Several generations of constructs were tested, but so far no completely functional sensor has been generated. Lastly, a series of underdominant gene drive architectures were built and tested in Drosophila melanogaster. Initial systems utilized a Drosophila cell death protein, Hid, as toxin, and engineered microRNAs designed to target the Hid proteins as antidote. Two toxin-antidote pairs were mismatched and positioned on separate chromosomes so that an organism carrying both chromosomes survives, but an organism carrying only a single chromosome is unviable. Construction of a proof-of-principle in the eye was successful, but work in essential tissues is ongoing. Systems using engineered microRNAs as toxins and resupply of the native protein as antidote were tested in essential tissues. Testing of many components has contributed to the development of these systems, but a complete system has not yet been constructed.


Background: The 'physical activity health paradox' advocates that leisure physical activity (PA) promotes health while occupational PA impairs health. However, this paradox can be explained by methodological limitations of the previous studies—self-reported PA measures, socioeconomic confounding or not addressing the compositional nature of PA. Therefore, this study investigated the association between compositions of accelerometer-based moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) time at work and leisure and onset of long-term sickness absence (LTSA). Methods: Time spent on MVPA and remaining physical behaviours (sedentary behaviour, standing, light PA and time in bed) at work and leisure was measured for 929 workers using thigh accelerometry and expressed as isometric log-ratios (ilrs). LTSA was register-based events of ≥6 consecutive weeks during 4-year follow-up. The association between ilrs and LTSA was analysed using a Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for remaining physical behaviours and potential confounders, then separately adjusting for and stratifying on education and type of work. Results: During the follow-up, 21% workers experienced LTSA. During leisure, more relative MVPA time was negatively associated with LTSA (20% lower risk with 20 minutes higher MVPA, P=0.02). At work, more relative MVPA time was positively associated with LTSA (15% higher risk with 20 minutes higher MVPA, P=0.02). Beneficial association between MVPA at leisure and LTSA was only observed for the lowest tertile of MVPA at work (P=0.03). Results remained unchanged when adjusted for or stratified on education and type of work. Conclusion: These findings provide further support to the 'PA health paradox'. Key words: physical activity, sedentary behavior, accelerometers, sick leave, occupational health, time-use epidemiology, register-based sickness absence


A novel method for near-hermetic packaging of integrated UWB passive devices based on multilayer liquid crystal polymer technology is presented in this paper. The aim of this work is to develop a cheap, easy-to-manufacture procedure that can be used to enclose already designed devices without the need of any redesign, and works up to 20GHz. To achieve this, a coplanar waveguide-to-microstrip (CPW-MS) transition is designed to connect the enclosed device with the outer environment. This allows for the device to be PCB mounted as well as providing isolation. Two experiments are presented to validate this approach: an enclosed MS line, in order to measure the losses introduced by the packaging; and then a real ultra wideband (UWB) filter replacing the MS line using the same packaging. Simulated and measured results are provided in order to validate this approach.


The concept of interval‐valued Pythagorean fuzzy (IVPF) sets is capable of handling imprecise and ambiguous information and managing complex uncertainty in real‐world applications. This paper focuses on multiple criteria decision analysis involving IVPF information and proposes a new outranking decision‐making method that uses a closeness‐based assignment model. In contrast to the existing assignment‐based methodology, the uniqueness of this paper is the consideration of uncertain information represented by IVPF values, the determination of criterion‐wise precedence rankings based on a closeness‐based approach, and the development of a new measure for scalar representation. First, to underlie anchored judgments in subjective decision‐making processes, this paper presents a compromising concept of the closeness index with the positive‐ideal and negative‐ideal IVPF values to identify criterion‐wise precedence ranks among alternatives. Next, this paper defines the concept of matrices of precedence frequency and contribution to provide a basis for the proposed assignment model. To overcome the difficulty of lacking nontrivial scalar representations, a useful measure is also developed to appropriately describe IVPF values. Based on a closeness‐based assignment approach, a novel outranking decision‐making method is proposed to transform the extended criterion‐wise ranks into the ultimate priority orders of the alternatives. The proposed method is first implemented in a practical problem of selecting a bridge construction method to demonstrate its feasibility and applicability. Moreover, its practicality and effectiveness are verified through a comparative analysis with relevant assignment‐based approaches. Further comparative analyses with newly developed IVPF decision‐making methods are conducted for both a risk evaluation problem and an investment problem to examine the advantages of the proposed method and extend the current technique by considering distinct preference information for adapting to the particularities in practice.


Modification of sodium lignosulfonate (SLS) via combined oxidation-sulfomethylation was employed to prepare concrete superplasticizer. It was found that the oxidation of SLS by peroxyacetic acid facilitated the subsequent sulfomethylation. After modification, both the molecular weight and sulfo group content were significantly increased, and thus the performance of SLS as water reducer was improved. With the water to cement ratio at 0.4 and 0.3% (w/w) modified SLS, the fluidity of cement paste could reach 185 mm, which was 15% higher than that with unmodified SLS. It was also comparable to the performance of commercial naphthalene superplasticizer under the same conditions.


On-site wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) work by first storing the wastewater in a septic tank before releasing it to soils for treatment that is generally effective and sustainable. However, it is not clear how the abundance of E. coli changes during its passage through the tank. In this study, which was conducted under the UGA young Scholar Program in summer of 2010, we examined the change in wastewater quality parameters during the passage of the wastewater through the tank and after its release into soil. We collected wastewater samples at the inlet and outlet of an experimental septic tank in addition to obtaining water samples from lysimeters below trenches where the drainpipes were buried. We report that E. coli concentration was higher by 100-fold in the septic tank effluent than influent wastewater samples, indicating the growth of E. coli inside the tank under typical Georgian summer weather. This is contrary to the assumption that E. coli cells do not grow outside their host and suggests that the microbial load of the wastewater is potentially enhanced during its storage in the tank. Electrical conductivity, pH and nitrogen were similar between the influent and effluent wastewater samples. E. coli and total coliform concentrations were mainly below detection in lysimeter samples, indicating the effectiveness of the soil in treating the wastewater.


OBJECTIVE
To study on the inhibitory action of combined acupuncture and medicine therapy on the model rat of hyperplasia of mammary glands and the mechanism.

METHODS
The model rat of hyperplasia of mammary glands were prepared. After modelling, they were randomly divided into an acupuncture group, a Chinese drug group and a combined acupuncture and drug group, a control group and a model group. Except both the control group and the model group, other 4 groups were treated respectively with acupuncture, Chinese drug, combined acupuncture and Chinese drug, and Premormine, once each day, 9 sessions constituting one course. After treatment of 3 courses (30 days), changes of the breast tissue form were observed, and the diameter and the area of the acina cavity were determined and expressions of estrogen receptor subgroups (ERalpha and ERbeta) were detected with immunohistochamical methods.

RESULTS
The diameter and the area of the acina cavity were increased in the model group as compared with those in the normal group (both P < 0.01), and in the treatment group they were decreased as compared with those in the model group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01)); both acupuncture and Chinese drug could up-regulate the expression of ERbeta and down-regulate the expression of ERalpha.

CONCLUSION
Both acupuncture and moxibustion, and Chinese medicine have inhibitory action on hyperplasia of mammary glands in the rat, with the strongest inhibitory action of the combined acupuncture and medicine treatment which is basically close to the level of Premormine. The mechanism is possily related with the up-regulation of ERbeta expression and down-regulation of ERalpha expression.


GH receptor (GHR) gene-disrupted mice (GHR-/-) have provided countless discoveries as to the numerous actions of GH. Many of these discoveries highlight the importance of GH in adipose tissue. For example GHR-/- mice are insulin sensitive yet obese with preferential enlargement of the sc adipose depot. GHR-/- mice also have elevated levels of leptin, resistin, and adiponectin, compared with controls leading some to suggest that GH may negatively regulate certain adipokines. To help clarify the role that GH exerts specifically on adipose tissue in vivo, we selectively disrupted GHR in adipose tissue to produce Fat GHR Knockout (FaGHRKO) mice. Surprisingly, FaGHRKOs shared only a few characteristics with global GHR-/- mice. Like the GHR-/- mice, FaGHRKO mice are obese with increased total body fat and increased adipocyte size. However, FaGHRKO mice have increases in all adipose depots with no improvements in measures of glucose homeostasis. Furthermore, resistin and adiponectin levels in FaGHRKO mice are similar to controls (or slightly decreased) unlike the increased levels found in GHR-/- mice, suggesting that GH does not regulate these adipokines directly in adipose tissue in vivo. Other features of FaGHRKO mice include decreased levels of adipsin, a near-normal GH/IGF-1 axis, and minimal changes to a large assortment of circulating factors that were measured such as IGF-binding proteins. In conclusion, specific removal of GHR in adipose tissue is sufficient to increase adipose tissue and decrease circulating adipsin. However, removal of GHR in adipose tissue alone is not sufficient to increase levels of resistin or adiponectin and does not alter glucose metabolism.


The electrical conductivity test indirectly evaluates cell membrane disorganization by quantifying the electrolytes released into the water after tissue imbibing. The objective of this work was to evaluate methodological variations in the electrical conductivity test, for it to serve as an indicator of low temperature-induced damages and estimate the cold tolerance of bean plants. Cultivar IPR Uirapuru plants were subjected to minimum temperatures of 4 °C, 2 °C, 0 °C, -1 °C, -2 °C, -3 °C, and -4 °C for 1 h in a growth chamber under controlled conditions. After the treatment period, the response of plants to cold stress was evaluated by determination of the total protein content, and catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzymatic activities, and evaluation of photosystem II (Fm/Fv) efficiency and leaf anatomy. These results were compared with those obtained in the electrical conductivity test, which was performed in plants under cold stress as well as under a non-stress environment, with 2, 4, 6, and 8 leaf discs immersed in 30 mL of distilled water for 24 h in BOD, at temperatures of 25 °C, 30 °C, and 35°C. Analysis of variance was performed using a completely randomized design, and for electrical conductivity, a number of discs × cold stress temperature combinations were used for each soak temperature. The averages were compared using the Turkey's test at 5% and 10% probability. Pearson correlation coefficient (r) between the conductivity averages and other cold stress evaluation data was also performed. The results showed a marked reduction in the ratio (Fv/Fm) only in the treatments at -3 °C and -4°C, which indicated tissue death. At temperatures below 0°C, there was a collapse of the leaf blade tissues, and it was not possible to differentiate the palisade parenchyma from the spongy parenchyma in the treatments at -2°C, -3°C, and -4°C. There was an increase in the protein content since the temperature -3°C. The enzyme activity of CAT decrease at -4°C whereas that of APX increased. In the electrical conductivity test, there was a significant interaction between soak temperature and the number of discs, and an increase in conductivity of the solution with a decrease in temperature was verified in several treatments, among which, the combination that best correlated with the other tests was 25°C with six leaf discs. It was concluded that the electrical conductivity test presents results similar to those obtained from other physiological, biochemical, and anatomical tests, and therefore, it can be used to evaluate the damage caused by low temperatures in bean plants.


The present study investigated the effect of reused rubber particles (RRP) on the deicer salt durability of ordinary concrete. Four mixtures were designed, a control concrete (CC) and three other rubber concretes obtained by partial substitution of natural dune sand aggregate with reused rubber particles with 0%, 3%, 6%, and 9% w/w. All studied concretes were subjected to the combined effect of freeze/thaw (56 and 120) cycles with the deicer salt solution of 3% NaCl. The results indicated that RRP improved the deicer-salt scaling resistance of rubber concrete strongly compared with the control. The observed innovative property of RRP could be applied to cement-based materials to improve their deicer salt durability. Further, this environmentally friendly practice could reduce the stock of waste tires and offer a renewable source of construction aggregates.


An exocellular protease having the activity of coagulase was synthesized by Bacillus subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens when the growth medium contained no nitrogen sources. The removal of a nitrogen source from the medium was found to induce the synthesis of exoproteases by washed bacterial cells. Protein as a sole source of nitrogen in the medium inhibited rather than induced the biosynthesis of proteases possessing the activity of coagulase by the cells. The production of exoproteases with the coagulase activity was inhibited when a mixture of amino acids was used as a sole nitrogen source.


We introduce a new examination method developed at the University Dermatology Hospital in Tübingen in cooperation with the Institute for High Frequency Techniques of Aachen Technical College and the Metabo Factory in Nürtingen, Germany. The Tübingen workplace simulator for studying vibration white finger (VWF) syndrome standardized vibrations reproducing the vibration pattern of actual hand-held tools. This stimulator makes it possible to evaluate on-line the effects of defined vibrations on skin blood flow in the fingers and to investigate the etiopathogenesis of vibration white finger syndrome. The vibration simulator itself is modelled after an altered router with two side-mounted handles. The electronic speed control and exchangeable unbalance pins make it possible to adjust the frequency and amplitude of the vibrations to simulate actual conditions in the job. New developed photoplethysmographic sensors are fastened to the fingertips with double adhesive rings and measure blood flow in the skin. Measurements are recorded simultaneously with a multi-channel plotter. This method is not only useful as a diagnostic tool but has potential future applications in pre-employment screening in the affected industries and in the development of reduced-vibration tools.


The project of a center for risk analysis and regulation is founded paradoxical statement: although health risks and crisis are major a focus of society and a driving force for institutional change and regulations, France, contrary to many industrialized countries, has no multidisciplinary center in this field. This is likely due to the weakness of French risk research, resulting in few international publications and little visibility. The creation of the French School of Public Health (FSPH) brings an opportunity to fill this gap by gathering together, in the same center, researchers and teachers specializing in risk assessment and management--the conceptual basis of public health. The main objectives of this risk center, which will link the scientific knowledge on health with the public decision-making process, are--to organize a network of researchers with expertise in risk analysis and regulation;--to bolster the presence of French risk research on the international stage;--to increase international publication and to share experiences and methodological innovations with other countries ; and 4) to organize integrated training on health risks. Through the development of analyses on risk evaluation and regulation, this center will contribute to the promotion of public health.


Lyapunov functions are constructed for nonlinear systems of ordinary differential equations whose linearized system at an equilibrium point possesses either a simple zero eigenvalue or a complex conjugate pair of simple, pure imaginary eigenvalues. The construction is explicit, and yields parametrized families of Lyapunov functions for such systems. In the case of a zero eigenvalue, the Lyapunov functions contain quadratic and cubic terms in the state. Quartic terms appear as well for the case of a pair of pure imaginary eigenvalues. Predictions of local asymptotic stability using these Lyapunov functions are shown to coincide with those of pertinent bifurcation-theoretic calculations. The development presented is carried out using elementary properties of multilinear functions. The Lyapunov function families thus obtained are amenable to symbolic computer coding.<<ETX>>


The ability of expert and naive judges to discriminate between genuine and Barnum assessment statements was assessed. In a 2 X 2 X 2 design (naive vs. expert judges, genuine vs. Barnum test statements, sex), judges rated assessment statements for their information value, usefulness, social desirability, and typicalness. Results indicated that judges were able to make expected discriminations between genuine and Barnum statements. These results were discussed in terms of previous findings which have suggested that judges have seen Barnum statements as "accurate" or "good" as genuine statements. In the present study, the discriminations seemed due to the use of a population of judges more representative of clinical assessment consumers and to the more specific judgments required.


Energy consumption and water resources are closely interrelated. Extracting, treating and transferring water requires energy, yet is essential for energy generation process including cooling power plants or hydropower generation. Drought conditions lead to increased groundwater pumping in California's agriculture sector, which causes an increase in energy consumption. This brings the intertwined connection between energy and water into focus. Our study analyzes the relationship between agricultural energy consumption, primarily from groundwater pumping in response to droughts, from 1986-2013. The results show that precipitation has a strong relationship with agricultural energy consumption (correlation: -0.53). California experienced one of the most extreme droughts on record between 2012-2016. Agricultural energy consumption increased by 13% during the 2012-13 period compared to the long-term average. Typically, droughts significantly increase agricultural energy consumption, and thus lead to more CO2 emissions. During 2012-2013, the carbon footprint of agricultural energy consumption increased by 2.22 million metric tons (MMT) relative to the long-term average. In this thesis, we use a copula based conditional probability approach to determine the probability energy consumption and CO2 emissions under different drought conditions. We show that a decrease of four inches in California precipitation can lead to a 30% increase in the probability of agricultural energy consumption being above average. This increase in energy consumption corresponds to a 166% increase in the probability of above average CO2 emissions. As increasing CO2 emissions stimulate climate change, there will be an increase in extreme climatic events, such as floods and droughts. This increase in drought events will further cause increases in CO2 emissions, expediting climate change. Policy makers must consider these positive feedback loops in their decision-making, and dampen the impacts of drought on agricultural energy consumption.


It is investigated that internal defect of planetary gear which consists of two gears with different number of teeth on both side. The internal defect, central burst, begin to form at the place of adiabatic shear band which usually has maximum ductile fracture value during the forming operation, forward and backward extrusion. It makes the plastic forming of planetary gear difficult. The prediction of defect to minimize the cost to produce the planetary gear. The finite element simulation code DEFORM is applied to analyze the defects. In the analysis, the toothed gears are assumed as axisymmetric cylinders whose diameters are equal to those of pitch circles of the each gears. Experiments were carried out with the SCM415 alloy steel as billet material and AIDA 630-ton knuckle-joint press. The calculated results and experimental inspections are compared to design a die and blank without defects and the results are useful to predict the internal defect.


In spite of the great potential for the development of mobile banking in Brazil, since the banking index reaches more than half of the population and the number of Internet users is even higher, this potential is not evenly distributed among the age groups in the country. Taking into account the tendency to resist new technologies as one ages, this study aimed to identify the factors which lead the Brazilian population aged 45 years or over to use the Internet and, within this spectrum, identify the percentage of mobile banking users, in order to determine the barriers to the adoption of said technology. A questionnaire was applied and 113 responses were analyzed, categorized between functional and psychological aspects. The results are presented in this work.


The continued success of ionic liquids in applications ranging from energy to medicine poses the challenge to rapidly find new functional ionic liquids with desirable properties while developing practical, scalable syntheses. As a SuFExable functionality, the sulfonyl fluoride has become widely adopted throughout the field of chemical biology due, in part, to its unique stability–reactivity pattern, highlighting the underappreciated potential of the SVI–F motif in materials chemistry. For the first time, we herein report the development of a set of sulfonyl fluoride-functionalized ionic liquids with considerable structural diversity via an efficient, modular, and orthogonal fluorosulfonylethylation procedure. The resulting SO2F-functionalized ionic milieu has properties consistent with its classification as ionic liquids. We employed a combination of molecular design, synthesis, computational modeling, and X-ray crystallographic studies to gain in-depth understanding of their structure–property correlations. The diversification of the SO2F-bearing salts is extended to include active pharmaceutical precursors, allowing for access to functional materials with a priori low toxicity.


For a long time, management has been developing and applying a standardized universal approach with its employees to optimize the operation of companies. This is regardless of the company's nature and the country where it operates. The failure of certain firms, the increasing globalization of trade, the circulation of goods, and the fast transfer of individuals and information have led to the need to take into account other aspects of management, in particular the intercultural factor. Today, employees from different cultural backgrounds are working as a team in the same company. Nevertheless, differences in understanding values and visions of the world can create intra-team misunderstandings in collaborative work. Managing cultural diversity reduces these misunderstandings so that the benefits of the diversity emerge. Managing cultural diversity means managing opposing opinions, constant contradictions, continuous oppositions, and different perceptions. Furthermore, managing cultural diversity contributes to improving team effectiveness where diverse teams often perform better than homogenous teams in problem solving and complex tasks. Greater diversity leads to innovative, higher-quality decisions, and solutions. This paper sheds light on the importance of cultural diversity among the company's human resources and the role of cultural intelligence in intercultural management. As part of the research, a study centered on the Lebanese small and medium tourism enterprises (SMTE) was conducted. The results obtained showed a shy diversity management approach in the Lebanese tourism sector due to several factors, namely: the economic instability and lack of training.


Historical explanations for the American "noble experiment" with alcohol prohibition based on individual conspiracies, cultural changes, social movements, or self-interested bureaucracies are partial and unsatisfying. Recent advances in punctuated equilibrium theory shine new light on this historical enigma, providing a more persuasive account of the dramatic episodes associated with both constitutional prohibition and its repeal. Through longitudinal analysis of a unique data set reflective of early twentieth century public alcohol control sentiments, this article suggests that, as but one of a range of potential alcohol policy options, national alcohol prohibition was hardly a foregone conclusion. The ultimate adoption of prohibition over competing alcohol control alternatives, as well as its eventual repeal, can best be understood with reference to particular feedback processes inherent in the institutional structure of American policymaking, which readily account for both the mad dash for prohibition and the widespread clamor for repeal, which have traditionally eluded historical explanation.


In this clear-sighted and enjoyable book, Cleanth Brooks, acknowledged to be "the best critic of our best novelist," introduces the general reader to Faulkner's most important novels and stories: The Sound and the Fury; As I lay Dying; The Hamlet; Go Down, Moses; Light in August; and Absalom, Absalom! Brooks focuses on theme, character, and plot as well as on Faulkner's world-the fictional Yoknapatawpha County that provides a unique setting for Faulkner's tragicomic vision.


Internationally, there are countless initiatives to build National Healthcare Information Networks (NHIN) that electronically interconnect healthcare organizations by enhancing and integrating current information technology (IT) capabilities. The realization of such NHINs will enable the simple and immediate exchange of appropriate and vital clinical data among participating organizations. In order for institutions to accurately and automatically exchange information, the electronic clinical documents must make use of established clinical codes, such as those of SNOMED-CT, LOINC and ICD-9 CM. However, there does not exist one universally accepted coding scheme that encapsulates all pertinent clinical information for the purposes of patient care, clinical research and population heatlh reporting. In this paper, we propose a combination of methods and standards that target the harmonization of clinical terminologies and encourage sustainable, interoperable infrastructure for healthcare.


This paper is concerned with the computation of the basins of attraction of a simple one degree-of-freedom backlash oscillator using cell-to-cell mapping techniques. This analysis is motivated by the modeling of order vibration in geared systems. We consider both a piecewise-linear stiffness model and a simpler infinite stiffness impacting limit. The basins reveal rich and delicate dynamics, and we analyze some of the transitions in the system's behavior in terms of smooth and discontinuity-induced bifurcations. The stretching and folding of phase space are illustrated via computations of the grazing curve, and its preimages, and manifold computations of basin boundaries using DsTool (Dynamical Systems Toolkit).


This paper presents a tele-control system constructed from a multi-fingered robot hand and operator. The angle of the robot hand is controlled by the angle of the operatorpsilas finger, and the operator feels the environmental force, as detected by the robot hand, constituting so-called bilateral master/slave control. In the experiments, the operator grasped the object in spite of round trip time (RTT) as 0 sec, 0.56 sec, using a multi-fingered humanoid robot hand by master/slave control feeling fingertip force. However, with increases in the RTT, the operation became more difficult. We also analyzed the stability of the master site and the slave site by frequency characteristics. The results showed that this system was unstable. However, grasping by tele-control with a communication delay was demonstrated.


Feature selection and extraction are critical steps in many areas where pattern recognition techniques are applied. Feature selection and extraction are based on identifying and maximizing dependency relations. Gebelein's Maximal Correlation (GMC) is the most general form of dependence in that it does not make any statistical assumptions concerning the nature of the dependencies. Unfortunately, benefiting from such a useful measure in practice is generally impossible as there are only a few cases for which explicit formulae are available to calculate it. In this paper, we point out a parallel between GMC and the SINBAD algorithms, developed originally as a model of feature extraction for neurons in the cerebral cortex. We use SINBAD as a robust approximation to GMC to perform feature selection and extraction on a number of artificial and real datasets. We show that SINBAD estimates of GMC compare favorably to other well known feature selection and extraction methods based on mutual information, kernel canonical correlation analysis and principal component analysis.


Knowledge of the differences between deaths for which autopsies are performed and all deaths is pertinent to epidemiologic investigation in such areas as disease trends, chronic disease incidence, and occupationally related disease. A population-based study was undertaken to evaluate these differences for deaths in Connecticut in 1979 and 1980. Analyses for 1979 and 1980 were comparable. Of 28,440 deaths in 1980, 14% underwent autopsy. Differences by sex, race, marital status, age, underlying cause of death, and place of occurrence of death were demonstrated when decedents who underwent an autopsy were compared with all decedents. Non-white men who died at 20 to 29 years of age were the most likely group to undergo an autopsy. Proportions of autopsies, by major category of underlying cause, did not parallel the leading causes of death. Deaths due to trauma accounted for a larger proportion of all autopsies (25%) than of all deaths (6%). If a death certificate indicated a circulatory disorder or neoplasm as the cause of death, an autopsy was less likely to be performed. A disproportionately high number of autopsies were performed for deaths occurring in hospitals; the converse was true for deaths occurring in nursing-convalescent homes. We conclude that knowledge of the ways in which autopsies are biased will permit broader use of the sensitive and specific information that can be obtained from them.


This study aimed to examine the concurrent performance of working memory and cortical activity during acute aerobic exercise in young adults. In a crossover study design, 27 young adults (mean age = 22.7 ± 3.4 years, 15 women) participated in two experimental conditions in a randomized order: (1) sitting condition (without exercise) and (2) cycling condition (moderate-intensity exercise). Working memory was measured with a modified version of the n-back task. A functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to measure cortex activation. In the cycling condition, response time (RT) for the n-back task was significantly faster (p < 0.05). No differences in accuracy were observed between the sitting and cycling conditions. The fNIRS results showed that the oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentrations in the bilateral frontopolar area (p < 0.05), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (p < 0.05), and right premotor and supplementary cortex (p < 0.05) were decreased while cycling. The findings indicated that the concurrent performance of working memory was improved during acute aerobic exercise, whereas cortical activity was decreased in some brain regions.


Embedded systems are today, widely deployed in just about every piece of machinery from toasters to spacecraft. Embedded system designers face many challenges. They are asked to produce increasingly complex systems using the latest technologies, but these technologies are changing faster than ever. They are asked to produce better quality designs with a shorter time-to-market. They are asked to implement increasingly complex functionality but more importantly to satisfy numerous other constraints. To achieve the current goals of design, the designer must be aware with such design constraints and more importantly, the factors that have a direct effect on them. One of the challenges facing embedded system designers is the selection of the optimum processor for the application in hand; single-purpose, general-purpose or application specific. Microcontrollers are one member of the family of the application specific processors. The book concentrates on the use of microcontroller as the embedded system's processor, and how to use it in many embedded system applications. The book covers both the hardware and software aspects needed to design using microcontroller. The book is ideal for undergraduate students and also the engineers that are working in the field of digital system design.


Feeding causes a substantial rise in the aerobic metabolism of all vertebrates, which is met by a rise in heart rate to secure adequate oxygen delivery, as well as intestinal nutrient absorption and transport between organs. To study the autonomic regulation of this postprandial tachycardia in an amphibian, we placed arterial catheters in individuals of the bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus (Shaw, 1802), to measure their blood pressure and heart rate. Heart rate in experimental subjects increased from a fasting value of 42.5 ± 2.5 to 52.5 ± 1.6 and 57.5 ± 2.1 min-1 at 24 and 33 hours, respectively, after meals that corresponded to 5% of their body weight. Using an infusion of atropine and propranolol, we demonstrated that part of the postprandial tachycardia can be ascribed to a progressive decrease in parasympathetic tone (26 ± 5% in fasting frogs to 6 ± 5% by 33 hours into digestion), whereas the sympathetic tone remained unaltered at approximately 20%. In addition to the withdrawal of vagal tone, digestion was also associated with an increase in the heart rate upon double-blockade (i.e., the combination of atropine and propranolol) from a fasting value of 44.5 ± 0.9 to 50.8 ± 1.9 min-1 at 33 hours. This indicates that the postprandial tachycardia in frogs, as previously demonstrated for snakes, is partially governed by excitation of non adrenergic, non cholinergic (NANC) factors.


A 4-ary run-length limited (RLL) code with minimum run-length constraint d = 1 and maximum run-length constraint k = 2 is presented. The proposed code can be represented by a finite state diagram with two states. This is the lowest number of states necessary for representing the code yet presented. A simple docoding rule for the code is also introduced and a scheme for reducing the DC content of the coded sequence in the sense of multilevel running digital sum (RDS) is discussed.


Abstract. This paper presents the preliminary results of nocturnal Aerosol Optical Depth (τa) and Angstrom Exponent (α) obtained from a new lunar photometer prototype, trade name Cimel CE-318U. Due to the variation of the moon's illumination inherent to the lunar cycle, the typical Langley-plot Method used in solar photometry to calibrate these instruments cannot be applied. In this paper, we propose three different methods to carry out the lunar-photometer calibration. In order to validate the results, we have selected three events which encompass seven nights and ten days under different atmospheric conditions, including several saharan dust intrusions episodes. Method#1 is introduced in this work as a modification of the usual Langley Method. This technique, called Lunar-Langley Method, requires the extraterrestrial irradiances from a lunar irradiance model, providing similar accuracies on τa to those of AERONET (±0.01–0.02). It makes comparable daytime and nighttime measurements. Method#2 consists of transferring the current calibration from a master used by sunphotometers. Its results are again within the limit of accuracy expected for the instrument. Method#3 uses an integrating sphere and the methodology proposed by Li et al. (2008) to determine sky calibration coefficients (Cj) and the instrument's solid angle field-of-view (Ω), respectively. We observe significant τa differences between Method#1 and #3 (up to 0.07), which might be attributed to the errors propagation in Method#3. The good results obtained from the comparison against a second CE-318U prototype, and against daytime data from a Precision Filter Radiometer (PFR), constitute a valuable assessment of CE-318U performance. Results of α and its spectral variation (δ α) show good agreement between daytime and nighttime, being able to identify the aerosol properties associated with each event.


Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of currently available medical and surgical interventions for treating symptoms of Patulous Eustachian Tube (PET). Data Sources: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE (January 1948 to July 8, 2015), EMBASE (January 1974 to July 8, 2015), gray literature, hand searches, and cross-reference checking. Study Selection: Original published reports evaluating an intervention to treat the symptoms of patulous eustachian tube in patients 18 years and older. Data Extraction: Quality-of-case reviews were assessed with the National Institute of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool for Case Series Studies. Data Synthesis: The search strategy identified 1,104 unique titles; 39 articles with 533 patients are included. The available evidence consists of small case series and case reports. The most common medical treatment was nasal instillation of normal saline. Surgical treatments were categorized as mass loading of the tympanic membrane, eustachian tube plugging, and manipulation of eustachian tube musculature. Conclusions: The available evidence for management of patients with PET is poor in quality and consists predominantly of small case series. Further research is needed to determine the comparative efficacy of the current treatments.


This report discusses the issues of data quality in biobanks. It presents the state-of-the-art in data quality: the definition of data quality, the dimensions of data quality, and the quality management system for achieving or describing the aspired data quality characteristics and we present and discuss all elements for such a data quality management system. In depth, we discuss the requirements and the context of data quality for biobanks in particular, where we argue that biobanks can be seen as data brokers, where the indented use of the data is to support the search for suitable material and data in the preparation of medical studies. For such an intended use, the quality of the metadata is of high importance and biobanks have to emphasize to strive for adequate documentation of the quality of the data annotating the samples.


Transcription factors play essential role in the gene regulation in higher organisms, binding to multiple target sequences and regulating multiple genes in a complex manner. In order to decipher the mechanism of gene regulation, it is important to understand the molecular mechanism of protein-DNA recognition. Here we describe a strategy to approach this problem, using various methods in bioinformatics and computational biology. We have used a knowledge-based approach, utilizing rapidly increasing structural data of protein-DNA complexes, to derive empirical potential functions for the specific interactions between bases and amino acids as well as for DNA conformation, from the statistical analyses on the structural data. Then these statistical potentials are used to quantify the specificity of protein-DNA recognition. The quantification of specificity has enabled us to establish the structure-function analysis of transcription factors, such as the effects of binding cooperativity on target recognition. The method is also applied to real genome sequences, predicting potential target sites. We are also using computer simulations of protein-DNA interactions and DNA conformation in order to complement the empirical method. The integration of these approaches together will provide deeper insight into the mechanism of protein-DNA recognition and improve the target prediction of transcription factors.


Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a leading cause of mortality in haematological patients. Appropriate activation of the innate immune system is crucial for the successful clearance of IA. Therefore, we studied the Aspergillus fumigatus‐mediated activation of human granulocytes and monocyte‐derived immature dendritic cells (DCs), as well as murine bone marrow‐derived DCs (BMDCs) from wild type, toll‐like receptor (TLR)4‐deficient, TLR2 knockout, and TLR2/TLR4 double deficient mice. Aspergillus fumigatus antigens induced the activation and maturation of immature DCs as characterized by CD83 expression, upregulation of major histocompatibility complex and co‐stimulatory molecules. Moreover, fungal antigens enhanced the phagocytosis and production of interleukin (IL)‐8 in granulocytes. The release of IL‐12 by BMDCs in response to A. fumigatus antigens was dependent on the expression of TLR2, whereas the release of IL‐6 was dependent on the expression of functional TLR4 molecules. The protein precipitate of A. fumigatus supernatant provided strong stimulation of DCs and granulocytes, indicating that a factor secreted by A. fumigatus might activate innate immune cells. In conclusion, A. fumigatus antigens induced the activation of DCs and granulocytes. Our results indicated that this activation was mediated via TLR2 and TLR4. Future studies are needed to assess the clinical impact of these findings in patients at high risk for IA.


The detection of shorted turns in a stator winding is possible in a variety of ways. The analysis of the motor current to perform this function is particularly attractive however, since current sensors are usually installed together with the motor for control and protection purposes. A winding function based method for modelling polyphase cage induction motors with this type of asymmetry is developed, and it is shown that the stator winding itself can be used as a sensor for detection of this type of fault. An experimental setup comprising a 3 kW delta connected motor loaded by a generator was used to validate this approach. The experimental results obtained clearly validated the theory.


Although rigid bronchoscopy remains the gold standard for the management of foreign body (FB) inhalation, sometimes it still misses residual FBs. Inhalation of sharp FBs by infants is an uncommon but hazardous occurrence, which presents a significant challenge and demands expertise in therapeutic bronchoscopy. Particularly, residual sharp FBs in the peripheral tracheobronchial tree may pose challenging management problems for bronchoscopists. Herein, we describe the case of 1-year-old girl, who presented with persistent atelectasis in the left lower lobe for 20 days without responding to antibiotic therapy after removal of fish bone by rigid bronchoscopy at local hospital. Flexible bronchoscopy at our department showed a residual fish bone in the outer basal segment of the left lower lobe. A combined flexible and rigid bronchoscopy was then applied, and a fish bone measuring 1.5 cm in length was extracted on multiple attempts without any complications. Thus, our reports demonstrated that removal of challenging residual sharp FBs in the distal airways is possible with the aid of combined flexible and rigid bronchoscopy by an experienced multidisciplinary team. Additionally, a physician should pay special attention to abnormal chest images after removal of FBs.


Abstract Measures of hydrologic connectivity have been used extensively to describe spatial connections in riverine landscapes. Hydrologic fluctuations constitute an important macrofactor that regulates other environmental variables and can explain the distribution and abundance of organisms. We analysed morphological variations among individuals of two freshwater crab species, Zilchiopsis collastinensis and Trichodactylus borellianus, from localities of the middle Paraná River basin during two phases of the local hydrological regime. Specimens were sampled at sites (localities) of Paraná River, Saladillo Stream, Salado River and Coronda River when water levels were falling and rising. The conductivity, pH, temperature and geographical coordinates were recorded at each site. The dorsal cephalothorax of each crab was represented using 16 landmarks for Zilchiopsis collastinensis and 14 landmarks for Trichodactylus borellianus. The Canonical Variate Analyses showed differences in shape (for both species) among the crabs collected from the Paraná and Salado Rivers during the two hydrologic phases. We did not find a general distribution pattern for shape among the crab localities. During falling water, the shapes of Zilchiopsis collastinensis were not related to latitude-longitude gradient (i.e., showing greater overlap in shape), while during rising water the shapes were ordered along a distributional gradient according to geographical location. Contrary, shapes of Trichodactylus borellianus were related to latitude-longitude during falling water and were not related to distributional gradient during rising water. The cephalothorax shape showed, in general, no statistically significant covariations with environmental variables for either species. These results show that each freshwater crab species, from different localities of the middle Paraná River, remain connected; however, these connections change throughout the hydrologic regime of the floodplain system. This study was useful for delineating how the relation among shapes of crabs of localities varies during two phases of the hydrological regime and for estimating the connections and geographical patterns in the floodplain system.


In a recent paper in Water International, Amarasinghe and Smakhtin suggest that crop–water production functions provide conceptual support for using water productivity and water footprints to guide water allocation and to determine optimal management strategies. Their analysis is thoughtful and interesting. Yet, there is no conceptual foundation supporting the use of water productivity or water footprints in an optimizing context. Production functions do not provide conceptual support. Policy makers wishing to achieve the optimal allocation of water must consider incremental gains and costs, including opportunity costs and externalities. Ratios depicting average output or average value do not contain sufficient information for determining optimal water allocations or efficient management strategies.


In this research, numerical analysis of corners of square cylinder on following parameters of the turbulence and changing pressure and drag coefficient in air flow has been discussed. Selected models were made of Plexiglas that side length is 15mm and high of this is 400mm. To investigate effect of different corners on following parameters of square cylinder, these cylinders with sharp, rounded and beveled corners are used. Amount of bevel and radius of rounded edges are selected 25.5mm. Type of grid (mesh) around each square is structured and for other parts of solution range, unstructured mesh was used. The result of this research, shows angle of attack and figure of corners of cylinder, causes significant changes in turbulence parameters of square cylinder and value of drag coefficient. Rounding and bevel corners of square cylinder, decrease mean (average) and maximum turbulence in the wakes of cylinder. Drag coefficient by rounding and beveling corners of square cylinder with sharp edges can be considerably reduced. Keywords— aerodynamics, wakes of square cylinder, corners of the cylinder, drag coefficient


An apparatus for use in treating pulmonary emphysema was designed to assist respiration in both the inspiratory and the expiratory phases. Air was supplied by an intermittent positive pressure breathing (IPPB) device in such a way that it flowed alternately into the patient's airways (inspiratory phase) and into an inflatable belt strapped about his body at the level of the diaphragm (expiratory phase). The apparatus was used initially on 27 patients with obstructive emphysema secondary to anthracosilicosis. Measurements of minute ventilation, tidal volume, expiratory flow rate, carbon dioxide excretion, arterial oxygen saturation, and the pCO2and pH of the blood showed that little, if any, objective improvement in the patients could be ascribed to the addition of the inflatable belt. Subjective improvement was reported by most patients, who thought they could breathe better.


An estimate of oil-water contact (OWC) and the understanding of the capillary behaviour of hydrocarbon reservoirs are vital for optimum reservoir characterization, hydrocarbon exploration and production. Hence, the height of oil-water contact above free water level for different rock types from some Niger Delta reservoirs were estimated here. Data obtained from oil-displacing brine (drainage) capillary pressure tests using refined oil as simulated brine formation or reservoir fluid on various rock samples were utilized to illustrate the basic capillary behaviour of ten hydrocarbon reservoirs within Niger Delta of Nigeria and to estimate the (OWC) above Free Water Level. Almost all the samples show plateau prominence and high permeabilities of (422-4110) x 10 Hm at very low displacement pressures with well sorted grains which is indicative of good reservoirs This is further confirmed by their low heights of 100% water saturation above free water level of 2.11m, 1.41m, 2.46m, 1.05m, 2.07m, 1.72m, 1.79m, 1.76m, and 1.05m, and corresponding to a depth range of 3030 to 3261 m which indicate good quality reservoirs. Only one sample showed evidence of low yield reservoir with high height of 5.62m at a depth of 3266 m. The derived knowledge of water density, oil density and saturation height function adequately estimates the quality of reservoirs and classify them in terms of prominence of the plateaux and channels. The results show that the typical Niger Delta reservoirs are of good quality as confirmed by the relatively low shale presence. Keywords : Oil-water contact, capillary pressure, reservoir characterization, saturation height function and permeabilities Nigerian Journal of Physics Vol. 19 (2) 2007: pp. 303-311


Heart disease has a higher fatality rate than any other disease. Increased Atrial fat on the left atrium has been discovered to cause Atrial Fibrillation (AF) in most patients. AF can put one's life at risk and eventually lead to death. AF might worsen over time; therefore, it is crucial to have an early diagnosis and treatment. To evaluate the left atrium fat tissue pattern using Radon descriptor-based machine learning. This study developed a bridge between the Radon transform framework and machine learning to distinguish two distinct patterns. Motivated by a Radon descriptor-based machine learning approach, the patches of eight patients from CT images of the heart were used and categorized into "epicardial fat tissue" and "nonfat tissue" groups. The 10 feature vectors are extracted from each big patch using Radon descriptors and then fed into a traditional machine learning model. The results show that the proposed methodology discriminates between fat tissues and nonfat tissues clearly. KNN has shown the best performance with 96.77% specificity, 98.28% sensitivity, and 97.50% accuracy. To our knowledge, this study is the first attempt to provide a Radon transform-based machine learning method to distinguish between fat tissue and nonfat tissue on the left atrium. Our proposed research method could be potentially used in advanced interventions.


This study investigated the toxicity of double walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) to three aquatic organisms, namely, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Daphnia pulex, and Poecilia reticulata under the influence of exposure media properties specifically the ionic strength and organic matter represented by humic acid. Results indicated that ionic strength enhanced DWCNTs agglomeration whilst humic acid stabilized the CNTs and in turn inhibited the formation of aggregates. LC50s for D. pulex were higher at 2.81 and 4.45 mg/L for pristine and oxidised DWCNTs, respectively; however, P. reticulata had lower values of 113.64 mg/L and 214.0 mg/L for the same CNTs correspondingly. P. subcapitata had EC50s of 17.95 mg/L and 10.93 mg/L for the pristine and oxidised DWCNTs, respectively. In the presence of humic acid high DWCNTs acute toxicity towards D. pulex and P. reticulata was observed but ionic strength led to opposite effect irrespective of DWCNTs form. Both humic acid and ionic strength shielded the P. subcapitata from toxic effects of DWCNTs. Overall, our findings suggest that the toxicity of DWCNTs in the aquatic systems (i) will be dependent on media properties and (ii) is likely to proceed at different rates to organisms at different trophic levels.


The Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) has achieved great successes in data assimilation in atmospheric and oceanic sciences, but its failure in convergence to the right filtering distribution precludes its use for uncertainty quantification. We reformulate the EnKF under the framework of Langevin dynamics, which leads to a new particle filtering algorithm, the so-called Langevinized EnKF. The Langevinized EnKF inherits the forecast-analysis procedure from the EnKF and the use of mini-batch data from the stochastic gradient Langevin-type algorithms, which make it scalable with respect to both the dimension and sample size. We prove that the Langevinized EnKF converges to the right filtering distribution in Wasserstein distance under the big data scenario that the dynamic system consists of a large number of stages and has a large number of samples observed at each stage. We reformulate the Bayesian inverse problem as a dynamic state estimation problem based on the techniques of subsampling and Langevin diffusion process. We illustrate the performance of the Langevinized EnKF using a variety of examples, including the Lorenz-96 model, high-dimensional variable selection, Bayesian deep learning, and Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) network learning with dynamic data.


A new viscoplastic theory for CusilABA and other braze alloys has been developed. Like previous viscoplastic theories,this new theory uses a hyperbolic sine function of effective stress in its kinetic equation for the inelastic strain rate. This new theory has an internal state variable which accounts for isotropic hardening and recovery and a second-order, internal state tensor which accounts for kinematic hardening and recovery. Unlike previous theories, the new theory uses evolution equations for the state variables which describe competing mechanisms of power law hardening and static recovery. The evolution equations used in previous theories describe competing mechanisms of linear hardening, dynamic and static recovery. The new viscoplastic theory was implemented in several finite element codes and used in several metal-to-ceramic brazing simulations. Two approaches for obtaining material parameters for the new viscoplastic theory were developed.


Molybdenum oxide thin films are successfully deposited using spatial atomic layer deposition (SALD), a tool designed for high‐throughput industrial film growth. The structural and optical properties of the film are evaluated using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. To demonstrate the applicability of molybdenum oxide in industrial settings the films are applied as hole‐selective silicon heterojunction contacts for solar cells. When paired with intrinsic amorphous silicon passivation layers, implied open‐circuit voltages of 699 mV are achieved. The carrier transport is unaffected by low‐temperature contact anneals up to 300 °C with contact resistivities of ≈ 10 mΩ cm2. Finally, the optical performance of silicon solar cells featuring different front hole‐selective heterojunction structures are simulated. It is shown that the generation current density of heterojunction solar cells can be significantly increased with the addition of SALD molybdenum oxide contacts.


In the biogas industry, feedstock plans are used to estimate methane production and nutrient content in the digestate, however, these predictions do not consider the mineralized nitrogen fraction of the feedstock, which is useful when determining the quality of the digestate. In this study, the artificial fiber bag technique, which is commonly used to study feedstock degradation in ruminants, was implemented in anaerobic digestion to quantify mineralization of N and S. The artificial fiber bags were used to enclose substrates but with access to inoculum because of small pores in the bags, thereby enabling digestion. The content of the bags was analyzed before and after digestion to quantify residual mass as well as N and S concentration in the substrate. The method was validated through batch anaerobic digestion of a single substrate with and without bags, where the bags showed little influence on methane production and degradation. Semi-continuous anaerobic digestion experiments showed higher substrate degradation and higher N and S release at thermophilic conditions using four different types of feedstocks and proved useful for solid feedstocks but less so for semi-solid feedstock. For N, most of the mineralization occurred during the first 15 days over a trial of 30 days.


This paper will highlight the continued development of a comprehensive, scalable, and systemic business model based on Ludwig von Bertalanffy's Informal Survey of Main Levels in the Hierarchy of Systems, (pursuant to Kenneth Boulding). This paper is about the systems based implementation of this new business model. The implementation process will include infrastructure definition, future state definition, future state design, future state development, and keys to effective and complete systemic implementation. From a General Systems Theory perspective, the continued development of this model "reaches out" to other disciplines such as mathematics, quantum physics and architecture in search of isomorphisms applicable to business. This is in response to Bertalanffy's desire that "general system theory should be, methodologically, an important means of controlling and instigating the transfer of principles from one field to another, and it will no longer be necessary to duplicate or triplicate the discovery of the same principles in different fields isolated from each other". It is necessary when describing, analyzing and implementing this new model that a certain amount of precision is required. As suggested by Bertalanffy, "by formulating exact criteria, general systems theory will guard against superficial analogies which are useless in science and harmful in their practical consequence." The systemic business model described is applicable to businesses both large and small. Finally, this paper will propose a new framework for the systemic implementation of new business models both locally and enterprise wide. This new method of implementation will show that theory and practice are not diametric or binary opposites, but complimentary forces necessary for the development, conceptualizing, and application of new phenomena.


There is an ongoing debate regarding the nature of memory deficits that occur in the early stages of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI has been associated with atrophy to regions that process objects, namely perirhinal and lateral entorhinal cortices. However, it is currently unclear whether older adults with early MCI will show memory deficits that are specific to objects, or whether they will also show memory deficits for other stimulus classes, such as scenes. We tested 75 older adults using an object and scene recognition task with stimulus‐specific interference (i.e., exposure to irrelevant object or scene stimuli). We found an interaction (P = 0.05) whereby scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a neuropsychological test with high sensitivity to MCI, shared a stronger relationship with object recognition than with scene recognition performance. Interestingly, this relationship was not modulated by the stimulus category of interfering items. To further explore these findings, we also tested an amnesic patient (DA) with known medial temporal lobe damage. Like older adults with early signs of MCI, DA showed poorer object recognition than scene recognition performance. Additionally, his performance was not modulated by the stimulus category of interfering material. By demonstrating that object memory is more predictive of cognitive decline than scene memory, these findings support the notion of perirhinal and lateral entorhinal cortex dysfunction in the early stages of MCI. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.