The digital archive and preservation is advantageous in comparison to traditional archive. For successful creation and maintenance of digital archive and preservation various basic principles should be followed. There are several technological, legal policies and related challenges which have to be solved for successful implementation of digital archive and preservation. The developing countries have started taking interest in digital archive and preservation but facing several challenges on the way. The study attempted to distinguish the level of consciousness on various copyright or legal issues associated with the digital collection and to get opinion from various categories of respondents about criteria guide on selection of materials for digitization. The present study analysis is to know various problems while using digital archives and ways to broadcast to use the IR/ digital archives and discuss about the special skills required for library staff to implement various methods to access the digital collection and defensive measures relating to issues on digitizing the documents in the digital archives


Proteins secreted from adipose tissue are increasingly recognized to play an important role in the regulation of glucose metabolism. However, much less is known about their effect on lipid metabolism. The fasting-induced adipose factor (FIAF/angiopoietin-like protein 4/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ angiopoietin-related protein) was previously identified as a target of hypolipidemic fibrate drugs and insulin-sensitizing thiazolidinediones. Using transgenic mice that mildly overexpress FIAF in peripheral tissues we show that FIAF is an extremely powerful regulator of lipid metabolism and adiposity. FIAF overexpression caused a 50% reduction in adipose tissue weight, partly by stimulating fatty acid oxidation and uncoupling in fat. In addition, FIAF overexpression increased plasma levels of triglycerides, free fatty acids, glycerol, total cholesterol, and high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. Functional tests indicated that FIAF overexpression severely impaired plasma triglyceride clearance but had no effect on very low density lipoprotein production. The effects of FIAF overexpression were amplified by a high fat diet, resulting in markedly elevated plasma and liver triglycerides, plasma free fatty acids, and plasma glycerol levels, and impaired glucose tolerance in FIAF transgenic mice fed a high fat diet. Remarkably, in mice the full-length form of FIAF was physically associated with HDL, whereas truncated FIAF was associated with low density lipoprotein. In human both full-length and truncated FIAF were associated with HDL. The composite data suggest that via physical association with plasma lipoproteins, FIAF acts as a powerful signal from fat and other tissues to prevent fat storage and stimulate fat mobilization. Our data indicate that disturbances in FIAF signaling might be involved in dyslipidemia.


[1] The Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) program currently coordinates 22 ground-based atmospheric background monitoring stations of global scope. The GAW World Calibration Centre for Surface Ozone, Carbon Monoxide and Methane (WCC-EMPA) is responsible for tracing surface ozone measurements at these stations to the designated reference within the GAW program, the Standard Reference Photometer SRP 2 maintained at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The recommended method for surface ozone measurements is based on UV absorption at 254 nm (Hg line). Repeated and regular intercomparisons of station instruments are necessary to achieve and maintain high and known data quality. In this paper, the traceability chain is explained, and standard uncertainties for each element are evaluated. Data of 26 intercomparisons performed at 14 stations between 1996 and 2002 are analyzed. On 23 occasions, the instruments passed the audit with "good" agreement, in one case with "sufficient" agreement. On 2 occasions, both first audits at the site, the audited instrument did not comply with the minimal data quality requirements. The best instruments in use exhibit a median absolute bias of approximately 0.32 ppbv and a standard uncertainty of approximately 0.8 ppbv (0–100 ppbv). The quantitative improvement of data quality as a result of repeated audits can be demonstrated with several stations.


The key focus of our work is to analyse some jitter control algorithms. We study a jitter control algorithm proposed by Mansour et. al [1] for networks with guaranteed quality of service (QoS) from a competitive analysis point of view. The authors have analysed the proposed algorithm (on-line algorithm) and also compared its performance to the off-line algorithm. In this paper, the analysis of the on-line algorithm has been dealt with rigorously and relevant conditions have been derived. For delay jitter, we show that the on-line algorithm guarantees the same delay jitter as the off-line algorithm. Also, both the algorithms in their original forms are applicable only to a fixed number of packets. We extend the results to a more practical model in which we compare the off-line algorithm with n packets and the on-line algorithm with n1 (n1 > n) packets, arrival times for both the stream of packets being realised from the same statistical model. In this case, we show that there exists a expression for the ratio of buffer size needed in the off-line algorithm to the buffer size needed in the on-line algorithm, provided that the delay jitter in both the cases are equal.


The study examined availability of fund, time and information resources as determinants of quality of research outputs in Nigerian universities with reference to university librarians in south east, Nigeria. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study, with three research questions guiding the study. Enumeration sample was used in selecting sample size of 102 librarians across the university libraries in south east. A well structured and self-designed questionnaire was used in data collection, 102 copies of questionnaire were distributed to the respondents with 85 fully filled and returned, representing returned rate of 83.3%. The data generated was analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. The study revealed that availability of fund, time, information and infrastructural resources are critical factors that determine the quality of research outputs by librarians in university libraries. The study concludes that lack of funds among librarians will limit the extent to which they can source for material that will improve the quality of their research output. Librarians should be granted "Research Leave" and also granted research grants, as this would empower them towards carrying out quality research. This study has opened up the frontiers of variables that acts as predictors of quality research outputs among librarians in university libraries  in south east Nigeria. The study has provided empirical evidence on the availability of funds, time, and information resources as predictors of quality of research outputs among librarians. Keywords: Funding, Time, Factor, Information, Resources, Librarians, University, Libraries


Rural electrification is believed to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The main objective of this research was to identify the impact of rural electrification on the performance and Development of Micro and Small enterprises in rural areas of Gatsibo district and these findings were expected to stimulate the productive uses of grid electricity for increasing income and then poverty reduction. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research design; it was qualitative research because the researcher measured the respondent's perception on the effect of rural electrification on performance and development micro and small enterprises in Gatsibo District of Rwanda using inferential statistics, based on the research objectives. The researcher also used quantitative research design which was descriptive to retrieve the respondent's opinions on the effect of rural electrification on the performance and development of micro and small enterprises in Gatsibo District of Rwanda and the study findings of this research revealed that there is a possibility of rapid emergence and development of MSEs in rural areas of the same characteristics as Gatsibo district if the electricity supplied should be available, reliable and affordable to most of rural poor and concluded that the Government of Rwanda trough the Ministry of Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority and Rural Electrification Roll out program (EARP) should extend the rural electrification areas that are not yet connected to electricity. Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA) should endeavor to supply electricity all the time so as to minimize the black out which leads to loss of revenue like it was revealed in the data made.


Patello-femoral knee pain is a frequent problem the general practitioners, rheumatologists and orthopedists are confronted with. Very often, no exact structural diagnosis can be made. Studies on the natural history of PFPS are lacking. Nevertheless, conservative treatment has been successful in most of the cases. In this respect, management being pertinent to each patient and problem is important. Four categories of frequently affected patients are discussed in this article: young people in their adolescence, well trained athletes, athletes at the end of their career and patients in the 'second half' of their life. The stages of soft-tissue healing in the course of treatment over a long time are of importance. In the sense of a secondary prevention, the intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors have to be considered as well. The taping technique offers an easy and effective treatment method. It usually pulls the patella medially, thereby 'unloading' the joint and the surrounding soft tissues. In an early stage, this results in an analgesic effect and allows an early functional load. In a later stage, the patella tape helps to prevent reinjury.


We describe a parallel mapping matrix that performs several types of sequence manipulations that are the building blocks of well-known phonological processes. Our results indicate that human phonological behavior can by modeled by a highly constrained connectionist architecture, one that uses purely feedforward circuitry and imposes tight limits on depth of derivations.


Many experiments in research and development in the paint preparation involve mixture components. These are experiments with mixtures in which the experimental factors are the components of a mixture and the response variable depends on the relative proportion of each components, but not on the absolute amount of the mixture. Thus the mixture components cannot be varied independently. A common variation of the mixture experiment occurs when there are also one or more process factors that can be varied independently of each other and of the mixture ingredients, to bring about a mixture–process variable experiment. We discuss the design and analysis of these types of experiments, using flame-retardant coating formulation as an example. Goal of this paper is to encourage greater utilization of these techniques in paint preparation research and development.


In a sample of parents who lost a child to cancer, we investigated their needs before and after their child's death and how these needs were fulfilled. We met parents of AYA (adolescents and young adults) between 15 and 25 years old, who died in Curie Institute between 2000 and 2003. Twenty-one families agreed to participate in this study between October 2005 and April 2006. When a family agreed to participate, a semi-structured interview was held in the psycho-oncology unit of the Curie Institute. This interview was audiotaped and then retranscribed for analysis. Data were subjected to the Grounded theory method, a systematic and standardized method of semantic data analysis. Three prominent themes emerged from our thematic data analysis: first, the importance of psychological care during the terminal phase of the child's disease and after the child's death, reported by 95% of parents; second, the need to be listened to and to be understood by the medical team (97% of parents); third, the need for information from the medical team. A big discrepancy was observed between psychological support expectations and the proportion of parents who actually consulted or participated in bereavement groups. Our study clearly demonstrates that parents who lose a child through cancer have particular needs and therefore deserve special attention.


Hotspots on GHz microprocessor chips pose threats to system performance and reliability. We have found that for a given package configuration and chip geometry there exist a set of universal curves that describe the steady state and time dependent thermal behavior of a chip hotspot of any (rectangular) shape and any (uniform) power density. We demonstrate a set of such curves for a representative case. The methodology described is very general in nature. For most practical situations it can be used to produce sets of curves and offers a general solution for the thermal behavior of constant power density hotspots of arbitrary rectangular shape, which can be calculated for any given package configuration. This can be used by chip designers, chip architects, and package designers to evaluate thermal tradeoffs in both time and space to achieve optimized designs in terms of thermal performance.


The paper analyses the usefulness of selected thermo-sensitive parameters (TSP) in measuring thermal resistance of power MOS transistors. Three TSPs were considered: threshold voltage, voltage at the forward biased drain-substrate junction and voltage between the drain and the source of the transistor operating in the linear range. For each of the mentioned TSPs, thermometric characteristics were measured at selected current values. The linear range of each of the measured characteristics was discussed. An analysis of the measurement error of thermal resistance of a selected power MOS transistor was carried out using each of the considered TSPs. The results of thermal resistance measurements performed using the considered TSPs and a thermoresistor were compared and discussed.


Background: Rickets affects the rapid growth of children. It is prevalent in low-income countries, and ranks among the five most common diseases in children. However, its magnitude and associated factors are not well studied and documented in eastern Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the magnitude and the associated factors of rickets among under-five children in selected public hospitals of eastern Ethiopia.Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 23 to March 10, 2017 among 590 under-five children in Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital, and Haramaya and Dilchora General Hospitals. Consecutive sampling was used to reach the actual respondents. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire and the presence of rickets was assessed based on clinical signs and symptoms. Data were entered into EpiData Ver-sion 3.1 and exported into SPSS Version 22.0 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models were fitted. Level of significance was considered at p-value less than 0.05.Results: The magnitude of rickets was 7.8% (95% CI: 5.70, 10.20). Being under the care of caregivers (AOR=4.21; 95% CI: 1.31, 13.52), dressing fully during sun exposure (AOR=10.36; 95% CI: 3.37, 31.80), no oil massage during sun exposure (AOR=4.94; 95% CI: 2.01, 12.12), and being sick one month prior to the study (AOR=3.56; 95% CI: 1.51, 8.40) were positively associated with rickets.Conclusion: One in every thirteen children had rickets in the study area. Being under the care of caregivers, dressing fully and no oil massage during sun exposure, and being sick one month prior to the study were significantly associated with rickets. Therefore, the health sectors should work to prevent rickets through counseling and encouraging of proper sunlight exposure and disease prevention.
Keywords:  Eastern Ethiopia; Rickets; Under-five Children


This paper deals with morphological and part-of-speech tagging applied to manuscripts written in Middle High German. I present the results of a set of experiments that involve different levels of token normalization and dialect-specific subcorpora. As expected, tagging with "normalized", quasi-standardized tokens performs best. Normalization improves accuracies by 3.56–7.10 percentage points, resulting in accuracies of > 79% for morphological tagging, and > 91% for part-of-speech tagging. Comparing Middle with New High German data of similar size, the evaluation shows that part-of-speech tagging, but not morphological tagging, is clearly easier with modern data.


The results of studies in intramolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition carried out in recent years are surveyed. The synthetic possibilities of this reaction for the preparation of natural products and its high stereoselectivity and regioselectivity are demonstrated. The differences and similarities between intramolecular and intermolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition reactions are elucidated. The bibliography includes 207 references.


Nowadays, nuclear energy is very important to China. Since Qinshan phase I nuclear power plant, by the end of December 2018, 44 nuclear power units are in operation in the mainland of China, with a total power rate of 44645MW, all these units are pressurized water reactors except for two CANDU6 heavy water reactors of Qinshan phase III. The power rate of those units under construction is 16,921MW, and most of them are also pressurized water reactors. Pressurized water reactor is a proven reactor type, but the safety problems should always be paid close attention to, one of the problems is the safety of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV). RPV is the key component in determining the lifetime of pressurized water reactor nuclear power plants, because it is subject to the significant aging phenomenon of irradiation embrittlement and can not be replaced. For materials used for the RPV, sufficient strength and toughness are required to endure the operating conditions and the aging degradation. In order to ensure the safety of RPV, the international experienced practice is to set up the irradiation surveillance programme, including the design of the irradiation surveillance capsule, the irradiation surveillance program, the irradiation surveillance test and evaluation. This paper introduces the RPV irradiation surveillance programmes on pressurized water reactors in China.


Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the central nervous system. Patients with multiple sclerosis often face symptoms of numbness, fatigue, pain, and coordination problems, as well as many other issues. Through years of effort, researchers have found numerous biological markers (biomarkers) that have helped in the diagnosis of the disease. Several biomarkers have been found by examining the cerebrospinal fluid. Furthermore, the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the best used tools for discovering MS biomarkers. Gene expression profiling is a new, up-and-coming method for diagnosing MS. Clinicians and researchers have discovered that patients with MS express certain genes differently, which may lead to the profound discovery of many biomarkers for the disease, with added research efforts. By spotting such biomarkers efficiently, doctors can begin the prognosis treatment sooner, ultimately saving the lives of those affected by Multiple Sclerosis.


Computer modeling confirms recent experimental observations and shows that photon absorption and spontaneous emission cause as much as 50-60 ps jitter in the turn-on time delay of lasers with large mode-suppression ratios. Careful selection of the bias point can reduce this jitter to about 12 ps. Statistics are presented for the expected power level at fixed sampling time during the turn-on, and for the fluctuation in time delay for the laser power to rise to one-half the equilibrium power output.


As is known, tamoxifen therapy is related to endometrial proliferation, hyperplasia, polyp formation, invasive carcinoma and uterine sarcoma. In this study, we present a 75-year-old woman who had five children. Gastric tumor, endometrial carcinoma and cervical adenocarcinoma in situ were detected after treatment with tamoxifen for breast cancer. It seems that being aware of the undesirable affects of tamoxifen treatment during the chemotherapy and post-chemotherapy period is very important.


As a promising architecture, Mobile Data Collector (MDC) enhanced Internet of Things (IoT) exhibits broad prospects in efficient data collection and data aggregation especially for sparse deployment scenarios. Combining the tools from queueing theory and stochastic geometry, we propose an analytical framework to study the network performance of an MDC enhanced IoT network, in terms of coverage probability, end-to-end delay and energy consumption. We derive the closed-form expressions for average contact and inter-contact time between a sensor and its associated MDC. By modeling the data collection system between a sensor and its associated MDCs as an M/G/1 queue system with vacations and general limited (G-limited) service, we first derive the queueing delay at the tagged sensor, and further obtain the end-to-end delay. The proposed analytical framework enables us to quantify the effect on network performance of key system parameters, such as MDC velocity, packet arrival rate, densities of sensors and MDCs, and contact radius. This study reveals that the MDC velocity has little impact on the coverage probability, and provides guidelines to minimize the end-to-end delay by optimizing the density and contact radius of sensors, and the velocity and density of MDCs.


Abstract : This report identifies and describes current methods used during the nondestructive inspection (NDI) of commercial transport aircraft for structural damage. The six most prevalent NDI methods identified are visual, eddy current, radiography, ultrasonic, penetrant, and magnetic particle. The physical principles, generalized performance characteristics, and typical applications associated with each method are described. In addition, descriptions of specific airframe and engine inspection practices are also presented.


Background: Colostomy was used for treatment of colorectal injuries since the 2nd World War, and it is a lifesaving procedure. There is a trend towards primary closure of colorectal injuries without colostomy in hemodynamically stable patients. Objective: To evaluate the safety of primary closure of colorectal injuries without colostomy in hemodynamically stable patients. Methods: A cross sectional study was performed at Al-Imamein Al-Kadhimein Medical City for patients with colorectal injuries over the period from July 2011 to July 2017. Management was started with active resuscitation of the patient, explorative laparotomy (securing hemorrhage) and assessment of the colorectal injuries. When the patients were stable hemodynamically without associated injuries to other parts of the body; debridement of the wound edges of the colon and primary repair by suturing in two layers using 2/0 absorbable suture (polyglactin) on a round needle with or without colostomy. But if the patients were in a shock state with multiple associated injuries to other parts of the body, with severely devascularized lacerated colon; proximal colostomy was done as a part of damage control surgery with resection of the devascularized segment and suturing of the distal end of the colon. Results: A total of 231 patients sustained colorectal injuries; 143 (61.90%) males and 88 (38.09%) females. The age of the patients ranged from 6-76 years, mean age was 32.16±76 year. Colostomy was done for 134 (58.01%) patients. Primary repair without colostomy were done for 97 (41.99%) patients. Postoperative follow up of the patients treated with primary repair of colorectal injuries without colostomy were detected collection and leaking repaired segment of colon in 5 (5.15%) patients. Re-exploration of the abdomen and colostomy were done for them. There was no mortality in patients treated without colostomy. The mortality rate was 9 (6.71%) for patients treated by colostomy due to associated multiple traumas to other parts of the body. Conclusion: Primary repair of colorectal injuries without colostomy are safe in a hemodynamically stable patient without associated injuries to other parts of the body. Keywords: Colorectal injury, primary repair, colostomy. Citation: Atiyah TS. Safe primary repair of colorectal injuries without diverting colostomy. Iraqi JMS. 2018; 16(3): 258-267. doi: 10.22578/IJMS.16.3.5


Measurements of air and solid-particle velocities were made in a vertical pipe two-phase flow by the use of a laser-Doppler velocimeter (LDV). Five kinds of plastic particles, diameters of which ranged from about 3 mm to 200 μm, were transported in a vertical pipe of 30 mm inner diameter. It was found that, the smaller the particle size, the flatter was the mean air velocity distribution for the same mass flow ratio of solids to air. Large particles increased air turbulence throughout the pipe section, while small particles reduced it. Both effects of promotion and suppression of turbulence were observed at the same time in the presence of particles of medium size, that is, the turbulence was increased around the pipe centre and reduced near the wall. The frequency spectrum of air turbulence normalized by the turbulence intensity was not changed by the large particles. In the presence of the small particles, the higher-frequency parts of the spectrum increased.


In 2015 Ross Gibson wrote about the need in the academy for "linguistic explication" of the artwork and creative process, in particular to encourage debate on knowledge that arises from the work. I began my creative practice PhD after spending twenty years as a successful documentary practitioner. When it was time to start writing about my research and the new knowledge, instead of using text I turned to the audiovisual medium as my method of communication. I created "Filming" (2017), which combines the theory-rich mode of academic papers with the audio-visual form of my art, documentary. I called it a "digital paper". The digital paper form has become an integral part of my PhD. This hybrid creative practice uses my artform medium as my method of communicating Gibson's "linguistic explication", rather than using text alone. This report will locate the digital paper within my PhD practice.


Torrents was an idea first formed in 2017 while working as an artist in residence in Sydney, Australia. The idea was to create an interactive performance presented through a quadrophonic speaker array. Torrents 1.5 is a development on this original foundation.

Originally, the work was presented as a live performance that then gave way to audience interaction. Torrents 1.5 takes this idea and presents a format for an interactive sound art installation. Torrents 1.5 is intended to be an installation that is interacted with through a midi controller. The installation is based around a PureData patch that allows an audience member to interact with the sounds that are coming out through each individual speaker. The audience member can interact with the music of the installation and create a soundscape that has the potential to be completely unique to that of the next person. Torrents 1.5 is a development of an idea but not it's final intended state. This installation is planned for a multi-speaker array, four or above. 1.5 is limited to the stereo field for the purpose of this presentation.

The soundscape that makes up Torrents 1.5 is a combination of originally composed music and field recordings that were captured during a one-month residency in Itoshima, Japan. The piece you hear as part of Torrents 1.5 is a section for the work Dual Location, which paired field recordings from the rural area of Itoshima with recordings of Fukuoka city. These recordings inform the aesthetic direction of the work while building the foundations of the soundscape. Presenting Dual Locations through the medium of Torrents 1.5 allows me to explore the composition in a new light, further developing the existing material.

Conceptually, the work is based on a loose interpretation of the way digital files are shared through peer-to-peer sharing. When a torrent is downloaded through a peer-to-peer service the file is created by taking information from multiple sources and combining them to create a complete whole. Following this idea, Torrents 1.5 is using multiple sounds that are then being dispersed through a speaker array (however large it may be) that then creates the sum of the work. Each speaker acts as a 'seed' within the piece and as the user interacts with the interface, they are able to develop the sum of the work – in a sense mimicking the role of the downloader.

The purpose of Torrents 1.5 is to develop new and novel ways of approaching sound-art installation and exploring the possibilities that programs such as PureData allow within the medium. Another aim of the project is to present new possibilities for audience participation with an installation. This could lead to further develop of the project or spawn ideas for new projects that follow the same or similar template; for example, combining the work with live performance.


Abstract The increasing global population tends many sectors to overcome the food security issue; sustainable aquaculture is one of the systems that reveal the food problem in the world. The aquaculture industry is drastically increasing to offer the growing demand for this food type. The high mortalities threaten this sector during the first larval stages because of the low supplies of suitable feed for the fish larva. Artemia is vital for the aquaculture industry as it is the primary feed source for fish larvae; it is distinguished by its small size, food carrier characteristic, and off-the-shelf food feature. However, the principal source of artemia cysts has been affected by climate change, ultimately affecting artemia cyst production. Consequently, many areas worldwide try to produce artemia locally to satisfy the aquaculture rearing requirements. As a feed transmitter, artemia can be enriched with essential elements to feed the fish larvae; this method increases survivability, growth performance, and other growth indicators for many fish species. This review aimed to update the academia and stakeholders involved in artemia production in relation to the aquaculture industry. An updated overview of artemia production is also presented in the current review.


Clinical manifestations of atherothrombotic disease, such as acute coronary syndromes, cerebrovascular events, and peripheral arterial disease, are major causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Platelet activation and aggregation are ultimately responsible for the progression and clinical presentations of atherothrombotic disease. The current standard of care, dual oral antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and the P2Y12 adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor inhibitor clopidogrel, has been shown to improve outcomes in patients with atherothrombotic disease. However, aspirin and P2Y12 inhibitors target the thromboxane A2 and the ADP P2Y12 platelet activation pathways and minimally affect other pathways, while agonists such as thrombin, considered to be the most potent platelet activator, continue to stimulate platelet activation and thrombosis. This may help explain why patients continue to experience recurrent ischaemic events despite receiving such therapy. Furthermore, aspirin and P2Y12 receptor antagonists are associated with bleeding risk, as the pathways they inhibit are critical for haemostasis. The challenge remains to develop therapies that more effectively inhibit platelet activation without increasing bleeding complications. The inhibition of the protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) for thrombin has been shown to inhibit thrombin-mediated platelet activation without increasing bleeding in pre-clinical models and small-scale clinical trials. PAR-1 inhibition in fact does not interfere with thrombin-dependent fibrin generation and coagulation, which are essential for haemostasis. Thus PAR-1 antagonism coupled with existing dual oral antiplatelet therapy may potentially offer more comprehensive platelet inhibition without the liability of increased bleeding.


The transition from laminar to turbulent flow is of great interest since it is one of the most difficult and unsolved problems in fluids engineering. The transition processes are significantly important because the transition has a huge impact on almost all systems that come in contact with a fluid flow by altering the mixing, transport, and drag properties of fluids even in simple pipe and channel flows. Generally, in most transportation systems, the transition to turbulence causes a significant increase in drag force, energy consumption, and, therefore, operating cost. Thus, understanding the underlying mechanisms of the laminar-to-turbulent transition can be a major benefit in many ways, especially economically. There have been substantial previous studies that focused on testing the stability of laminar flow and finding the critical amplitudes of disturbances necessary to trigger the transition in various wall-bounded systems, including circular pipes and square ducts. However, there is still no fundamental theory of transition to predict the onset of turbulence. In this study, we perform direct numerical simulations (DNS) of the transition flows from laminar to turbulence in a channel flow. Specifically, the effects of different magnitudes of perturbations on the onset of turbulence are investigated. The perturbation magnitudes vary from 0.001 (0.1%) to 0.05 (5%) of a typical turbulent velocity field, and the Reynolds number is from 5,000 to 40,000. Most importantly, the transition behavior in this study was found to be in good agreement with other reported studies performed for fluid flow in pipes and ducts. With the DNS results, a finite amplitude stability curve was obtained. The critical magnitude of perturbation required to cause transition was observed to be inversely proportional to the Reynolds number for the magnitude from 0.01 to 0.05. We also investigated the temporal behavior of the transition process, and it was found that the transition time or the time required to begin the transition process is inversely correlated with the Reynolds number only for the magnitude from 0.02 to 0.05, while different temporal behavior occurs for smaller perturbation magnitudes. In addition to the transition time, the transition dynamics were investigated by observing the time series of wall shear stress. At the onset of transition, the shear stress experiences an overshoot, then decreases toward sustained turbulence. As expected, the average values of the wall shear stress in turbulent flow increase with the Reynolds number. The change in the wall shear stress from laminar to overshoot was, of course, found to increase with the Reynolds number. More interestingly was the observed change in wall shear stress from the overshoot to turbulence. The change in magnitude appears to be almost insensitive to the Reynolds number and the perturbation magnitude. Because the change in wall shear stress is directly proportional to the pumping power, these observations could be extremely useful when determining the required pumping power in certain flow conditions. Furthermore, the stability curve and wall shear stress changes can be considered robust features for future applications, and ultimately interpreted as evidence of progress toward solving the unresolved fluids engineering problem.


The authors describe a novel experimental technique, based on synchronizing pulsed Bitter coils with pulsed tunable laser sources in the ultraviolet, which allows a Faraday rotation method, originally developed for accurate f-value measurements of high Rydberg members with synchrotron radiation to be extended, both in available magnetic field strength and in spectral resolution. By applying their technique, they have extended accurate measurements of f-values for the principal series of Ba I from around n=15, where earlier measurements by the hook method become inaccurate, to n=42, well beyond the present capabilities of alternative experimental methods. Similarly, they have extended earlier magneto-optical measurements for Sr I from n=25 to n=43. Advantages of the new experimental approach are discussed.


This paper studies the evolution of the external demand for spanish tourist services. The analysis is carried out within the framework of Structural Time Series Models that are formulated in terms of unobserved components stochastically specified. The first aim of this work is to analyse tourism trends. A measure of the underlying rate of growth of the international demand is derived in order to evaluate whether the sector is in a period of expansion or recession. The empirical results show that the worst period of the crisis suffered at the end of the eighties by the tourist industry is over now and the future prospects are quite optimistic in the short run. The second aim of this paper is to perform an econometric analysis of the tourism demand in Spain in order to understand the major facts which influence visitation levels. The estimated structural model includes as explanatory variables an income index, two price indexes (one with respect to client countries and another with respect to competitor countries), a stochastic trend, representing the changes in tourist tastes, and a stochastic seasonal component. The forecasting performance of the estimated structural model compares well with the forecasting performance of two alternative dynamic models, the transfer function and error correction models.


The difference between an American put option and its European counterpart has been characterized in terms of a simple integral expression which can be used to calculate the optimal exercise boundary in a recursive manner, if Black–Scholes dynamics are assumed for the underlying asset. In this paper, we extend this formula to the case where a more general stock and cumulative dividend process are included, and show how this changes the properties of the optimal exercise boundary.


The Leon Springs pupfish (Cyprinodon bovinus) is an endangered fish endemic to Diamond Y Spring in west Texas. To mitigate the negative effects of habitat loss, Diamond Y Spring was renovated to maintain and provide additional breeding habitat. Monsanto Pool, an extant location where C. bovinus have become extirpated, was also renovated in order to increase breeding habitat. After Monsanto Pool was renovated, captive-bred C. bovinus were reintroduced to this location to both increase the range of this species, and evaluate whether captive release is a viable option. These conservation efforts have led to the unique opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of habitat renovations in wild and captivebred populations of C. bovinus, occurring in natural and renovated breeding habitats at two separate locations. The overarching question asked was, is it better to renovate an unoccupied site and introduce captive-bred individuals, or to expand an occupied site that would allow the current population to grow? Habitat use and spawning in three different breeding areas were compared, and specific ecological factors were measured at each site in order to determine if any coincided with observed C. bovinus location preferences. Wild C. bovinus in the natural breeding habitat spawned more, had more spawns per individual male, and had greater territorial stability than wild or captive-bred C. bovinus in renovated habitats. Differences in social system stability and reproductive success between sites may be due to variation in their ability to adapt to a renovated site as well as the ecological makeup of the habitat.


Abstract Deforestation is a global issue. Education has a fundamental role to play in this context. In this regard, the direction and effectiveness of educational practices should focus on the empowerment of students in ecocentric environmental attitudes. A key point in education for environmental sustainability is pedagogical approaches focused on the development of critical and reflective thinking. In this context, objectified research was developed in the (re)conceptualization of the "living being", with thermogram didacticization, as a way to develop egalitarian feelings of the need for similar attitudes among living beings. The study was developed in an action-research context. The pedagogical-didactic intervention was within the scope of the "Natural Sciences" curricular unit of the "Basic Education" degree at a Portuguese Institution. After a pedagogical-didactic intervention, the reconceptualization of "living being" was observed in these students, presenting, now, a reflexive argument concerning the ecocentric environmental attitudes regarding the "living being" – the tree vs. animal, highlighting the importance that the thermographic images had in the (re)significance of their "new look" regarding the tree.


An asymmetric tectonic fabric was delineated by narrow-beam bathymetric profiles in a 180-km 2 area of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge crest at lat 26°N. Features of the tectonic fabric are a continuous rift valley offset by small ( The rift valley has a double structure consisting of linear segments, bounded by ridges, and basins at the intersections of the minor fracture zones. The double structure of the rift valley acts like a template that programs the reproduction of the tectonic fabric. The minor fracture zones form an asymmetric V about the rift valley at variance with the symmetric small circles formed by major fracture zones. To reconcile the asymmetry of minor fracture zones with the symmetry of major fracture zones, it is proposed that the minor fracture zones have been preferentially reoriented by an external stress field attributed to interplate and intraplate motions. Major fracture zones remain symmetric under the same stress field owing to differential stability between minor and major structures of oceanic lithosphere.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether laboratory markers of methanol ingestion and subsequent toxicity can serve as predictors of visual outcomes in patients.

METHODS
Retrospective medical record review of 122 patients in a cluster outbreak of methanol poisoning. Data collected included history, complete ocular and systemic examination details, time to presentation, amount of alcohol ingested, and results of laboratory investigations, such as hemogram, glucose levels, hematocrit level, arterial pH, methanol levels, potassium and bicarbonate levels, and anion and osmolar gap determination, as well as hepatic and renal function tests. Therapy administered consisted of ethyl alcohol, sodium bicarbonate, and nutritional supplements, with hemodialysis in severe cases. Visual acuity (VA), pupillary reaction, and optic disc findings were assessed at presentation and 3 months after discharge. Patients were classified according to their visual disturbance: transient (group 1) or permanent (group 2). Appropriate statistical analysis was performed. Outcome measures included determining the association between biochemical markers of methanol poisoning and final VA.

RESULTS
A total of 122 patients (1 female and 121 male) were admitted for treatment; of these, 10 died. Only 1 patient showed a 2-line drop in VA. pH was the strongest predictor of final VA and improvement in VA among all markers. The odds that a patient with an initial pH greater than 7.2 would have only transient visual disturbances were high (odds ratio, 31; 95% CI, 6-149).

CONCLUSIONS
The degree of acidosis at presentation appears to determine final VA; early presentation and treatment did not seem to significantly alter the visual outcome, especially in severe poisoning.


The purpose of this study are to find out the gender and school level differences in adolescents' depression , and the influences of parent attachment and school stress on adolescents' depression and the effect of ego-resilience relations between parent attachment and depression, and that of school stress and depression. 402 of students(the first and the second graders of middle school and of high school in academic track in D area) completed questionnaire on parent attachment, school stress, ego-resilience, and depression. Descriptive statistic analyses, reliability analyses, Two-way ANOVAs, correlation analyses, and hierarchial multiple regression analyses were conducted through SPSS WIN 20.0. The findings are as follows. 1) There was school level difference, but not gender differences, on adolescents'depression. 2) There was ego-resilience control effect on the relations between parent attachment and adolescents' depression only for middle school students, but not for high school students. 3) There were ego-resilience control effect on the relations between school stress and adolescents' depression for both middle and high school students. The importance of ego-resilience and school levels in understanding adolescents' depression was discussed.


This study develops micromanufacturing techniques to fabricate extremely smooth surface finish, high aspect ratio, and complex microchannel patterns. Computer controlled micromilling on a high speed machine system with minimum quantity lubrication is used to remove most materials and define a channel pattern. Assessment of microchannel is performed with optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and white light interferometry. Meso-scale milling confirms the validity of theoretical surface finish of ball-end milling, but surface finish in micro-scale milling is measured to be few orders of magnitude higher. Build-up-edge is reduced with optimally coated tool and milling in minimum quantity lubrication. The surfaces of milled microchannels are then further enhanced by subsequent electrochemical polishing process. When applying to 304, 316L stainless steel alloys and NiTi alloy, this hybrid technique can repeatedly produce microchannels with average surface finish in the range of 100-300 nm.


Camel milk is produced in areas where there is lack of milk cooling facilities coupled with high ambient temperature that exacerbates milk spoilage before it reaches the ultimate market and consumers. To overcome this problem lactoperoxidase system (LPS) is one the methods to preserve freshness of milk until it is marketed or reaches where there is milk cooling facilities. This study was conducted with the objectives of assessing the effect LPS activation on preservation of raw camel and cow milk and to comparing acidification rate of LPS activated camel and cow milk. The effect of LPS activation on inhibition of selected pathogens (i.e. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) was also studied. The treatments consisted of a 2 x 4 factorial experiment (LPS activated and non LPS activated with 0, 6, 12, and 24 hrs storage time at 30°C treatments) in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with a factorial arrangement and three replications per treatment. Twenty-four camel and cow milk samples obtained from Errer valley ago-pastoralists and Haramaya University Dairy farm, respectively were examined for titratable acidity, total bacterial count (TBC) and coliform count (CC). The result revealed that titratable acidity, CC and TBC in LPS activated milk samples were significantly lower (P< 0.05) than their respective values in non LPS activated milk samples for both cow and camel milk, stored for 6, 12 and 24 hrs. The percent of acidity were not significantly (P>0-05) different than that of the initial acidity level in LPS activated cow and camel milk up to 12hrs of storage. LPS activated milk showed bactericidal effect against TBC and CC both in cow and camel milk. In the current experiment, activation of LPS in camel milk reduced the growth rate of E. coli as compared to non LPS activated milk samples. The bactericidal effect of the LPS suggests that activation of the LPS would be of paramount importance in controlling the growth of microorganisms and improving the microbial quality of both cow and camel milk in the study area. Cow milk with activated LPS showed a slight delay in acidification rate compared to the non LPS activated cow and camel milk using a thermophilic starter culture. From the study, we can suggest that LPS activation of both cow and camel milk helps to extend the shelf life of fresh milk up to 6 and 12 hours, respectively and enables milk producers to sell fresh milk within this time frame and reduce milk wastage. LPS activation can be used in improving the microbiological quality and the shelf-life of raw camel and cow milk where milk cooling facilities are not available. LPS activated milk could also be used for manufacturing of fermented milk products. Keyword: Camel milk; cow milk; hydrogen peroxide; lactoperoxidase system; thiocyanate


If a society aims at preserving its socio-ethical values, practices concerning the planning, assessment and management of biomonitoring tests in occupational health surveillance and research should not conflict with these values. Protecting both health and employment of every candidate or employee must be the aim of the occupational health physician. For assessing ethical acceptability of occupational health surveillance practices, their accuracy, relevance, need or necessity, and consequences must first be analysed. This analysis must constitute the basis for any societal democratic decision making process, which cannot be substituted for simply by individual informed consent. A physician trained in occupational health is the professionalism required for doing the testing and assuring the protection of the confidentiality of medical data, in accordance with strict legal and deontological rules. In biological monitoring studies and, in general, in any occupational health research settings, however, the principle of individual, really informed consent must be used, whenever possible. This may also considerably contribute to the committment of study subjects to the research goals. On the other hand, this committment would also contribute to promoting impartial research which is needed to improve the knowledge in occupational health and to increase health protection and prevention.


Abstract Zygocotyle lunata adults grown in mice were treated in vitro with 3-H-adenosine to label sperm and then transplanted to the caecum of mice singly or with 6 to 8 unlabelled adults. After 6 to 10 days, worms were recovered, processed for autoradiography, and observed for radioactive sperm in their seminal receptacles. Adults would not incorporate radioactive thymidine into dividing cells. Tyrosine was utilized only by juvenile worms and then not enough to label germinal cells for mating studies. Four of 13 (31%) worms transplanted singly self-inseminated, whereas 9 of 10 (90%) labelled worms in multiple infections self-inseminated. When in groups, the labelled worms cross-inseminated with 14 of 43 (33%) unlabelled worms. This mating pattern was unrestricted in that both self- and cross-insemination took place in multiple infections, much like the mating pattern in another paramphistomatid, Megalodiscus temperatus, but unlike the restrictive pattern shown by three species of eyeflukes.


Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic granulomatous disease characterised by the histologic evidence of granulomas in various organs. Clinically discernible gastric sarcoidosis is extremely rare, reported in less than 1% of the patients. We present a case of gastric sarcoidosis with atypicial manifestations and without current pulmonary disease. The patient was admitted for gastric fullness, anorexia, and weight loss. She had a history of migraine and nodular goiter. Family history revealed bladder carcinoma in the mother and gastric carcinoma in the uncle. Initial laboratory findings and chest x-ray were normal. Biopsies from the gastric mucosa revealed noncaseating granulomas with focal multinucleate giant cells. Six months after the patient was admitted for dry cough and fatigue. Chest x-ray and CT revealed diffuse nodules in the upper and middle lung zones. Transbronchial biopsy demonstrated noncaseiting granulomas compatible with sarcoidosis. The patient was started on mehtylprednisolone and had a significant improvement in her symptoms. This case is an unique paradigm for the exceptional presentation of sarcoidosis. Isolated extrapulmonary organ involvement without simultaneous lung disease may be the initial manifestation of sarcoidosis. Meticulous follow-up for sarcoidosis is required for patients presenting with atypical symptoms and noncaseiting granulomas in any extrapulmonary organ.


The paper describes the application of a discrete multivariable output-prediction equation to the optimal-control problem. The dynamic-programming procedure is used to minimise a cost functional defined in terms of the inputs and outputs of the process. Also, a method is described whereby it is possible to effect stabilised control which is based on minimisation of a single-stage performance criterion. The output-prediction equation is shown to provide an effective basis for the implementation of optimal control.


For the sake of its functions, criminal law is widely perceived as an ideal instrument for diagnosing the political system of a country and the regime it is supposed to safeguard. It is the regime that determines certain features of criminal law, influencing its frames and the understanding of its two most basic — protective and guarantee — functions. By analysing the way in which those functions are performed — on the level of constitution as well as application of the law — we are able to determine whether we live in a democratic system or in some form of authoritarian, or even totalitarian regime. If criminal law is used as an instrument supporting an authoritarian regime, the significance of its guarantee function decreases, whereas the significance of the (specifically understood) protective function increases. The judge, who is the subject applying the criminal-legal tools, has a particularly important role to play. A competent and, most importantly, independent judge can make a good use of a faulty law as long as it allows some judicial freedom. Similarly, if the application of law is left to an incompetent judge, particularly one who is ready to compromise their judicial mission, the existence of a good law does not guarantee a fair ruling. Therefore, the analysis of criminal law we are confronted with allows a diagnosis of a political system of a country as democratic or authoritarian, as long as it covers not only the law on the books, but also how substantive and procedural law is used in practice.


The human system, driven largely by economic decisions, has profoundly affected planetary ecosystems as well as the energy supplies and natural resources essential to economic production. The challenge of sustainability is to understand and manage the complex interactions between human systems and the rest of nature. This conceptual article makes the case that meeting this challenge requires consilience between the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, which is to say that their basic assumptions must be mutually reinforcing and consistent. This article reviews the extent to which economics is pursuing consilience with the sciences of human behavior, physics and ecology, and the impact full consilience would have on the field. The science of human behavior would force economists to redefine what is desirable, while physics and ecology redefine what is possible. The challenges posed by ecological degradation can be modeled as prisoner's dilemmas, best solved through cooperation, not competition. Fortunately, science reveals that humans may be among the most cooperative of all species. While much of the mainstream economic theory that still dominates academic and the policy discourse continues to ignore important findings from other sciences, several sub-fields of economics have made impressive strides towards consilience in recent decades, and these are likely to change mainstream theory eventually. The question is whether these changes can proceed rapidly enough to solve the most serious problems we currently face.


Recombination processes, gain, and loss have been comparatively studied in both strained and lattice-matched 1.5- mu m semiconductor quantum-well lasers using differential carrier lifetime techniques and other measurements. For the first time, some predicted strain benefits to 1.5- mu m semiconductor lasers have been verified, including (i) the reduction of the Auger recombination rate in devices with both 0.9% and 1.8% compressive strain; and (ii) a 33% reduction of transparency carrier density in lasers with 0.9% strain compared to lattice-matched lasers. The authors, however, did not observe an increase of the differential gain in strained devices as predicted.<<ETX>>


Background Tackling the rise of non-communicable diseases has become a significant challenge for public health across the globe. Understanding diets and dietary behaviours is important due to significant links between poor diet and obesity, diabetes, cardio-vascular diseases and many cancers. This study aims to describe the patterns of expenditures on food and beverages purchased for at-home consumption in Great Britain and to examine socio-economic inequalities in the nutritional content of purchases. Methods We use home-scan (Kantar Worldpanel) data covering daily purchases of all foods and beverages for at-home consumption in the period 2012–17 by ∼32,000 British households. The sample is nationally representative with respect to age and sex of the main shopper in the household, geographical region and socio-economic status. We estimate daily per capita purchases of energy, all sugars and saturated fats from 26 healthier and less healthy food groups defined using a nutrient profile model (UK Department of Health). Results are further stratified by social grade (A/B, C1/C2 and D/E). Results Preliminary results show that daily per capita purchases of energy and sugar decreased between 2012 and 2017 from 2099 kcal (95% CI 2,091 to 2106 kcal) to 2002 kcal (95% CI 1,995 to 2009 kcal) and 116 g (95% CI 116 to 117 g) to 108 g (95% CI 108 to 109 g) respectively. Expenditure on saturated fat remained constant at 31 g (95% CI 31 to 32 g) per capita/day. Similar trends are observed across the three socio-economic groups. We note a decline in energy purchased from meat and fish (8 kcal), bread and cereals (21 kcal), and fruits and vegetables (9 kcal), but an increase in the calories from dairy (7 kcal) and savoury snacks (9 kcal). There is a decrease in the energy and sugar purchased from less healthy non-alcoholic drinks, such that purchases of energy and sugar from healthier alternatives now exceed in comparison. The nutritional content of sweet snacks expenditure has not changed (197 kcal and 18 g of sugar per capita/day). In contrast, the energy and sugar purchased from desserts and puddings decreased from 195 kcal (95% CI 194 to 196 kcal) to 166 kcal (95% CI 165 to 167 kcal), and from 20 g (95% CI 20 to 20 g) to 17 g (95% CI 16 to 17 g) respectively, accounting for 46% percent of the total decrease in sugar purchased daily. Conclusion While small improvements in the nutritional content of food purchased for at-home consumption are detected, these may be offset by different trends in out-of-home purchases. To understand the extent to which these improvements influence social inequalities, further analyses focus on socio-economic differences in the nutritional content of purchases across all the food groups over time.


The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of occupational injuries and associated factors among building construction workers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 15 licensed building construction companies in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. A multi-stage sampling was used to recruit 809 study participants. Data was collected using face to face interview and observational checklist. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 statistical software. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. A total of 683 (84.7%) respondents reported occupational injuries during the past 12 months giving an overall annual prevalence rate of 847 injuries per 1000 construction workers. Of the total 683 injured respondents, 74 (10.8%) were hospitalized. The odds of injuries were two times higher among males when compared with females (OR=2.17, 95%CI (1.47-3.19). Not having job satisfaction increased the odds of occupational injuries by about four folds as compared to those who are satisfied with their job (OR = 4.82, 95% CI (2.75-8.46). Working for more than 48 h per week, lack of vocational trainings, not using of personal protective equipment had significantly contributed to the higher risks of occupational injuries.

 Key words: Construction, injury, health, occupational safety, prevalence.


The risk factors of suicide which occur in people of all genders, ages and ethnicities, although complex to fully understand, share certain characteristics that include depression (other mental disorders, psychosis or substance abuse disorder), a prior suicide attempt, family history of a mental disorder or substance abuse, family history of suicide, family violence (including physical or sexual abuse), having guns or other firearms in the home, incarceration and exposure to others' suicidal behavior (such as that of family members, peers, or media figures). Research suggests that people who attempt suicide differ from others in many aspects of how they think, react to events, and make decisions. This paper reviews the global trends on suicide and the prevention of suicide according to program evaluation, risk and protective factors, type of intervention, level of intervention and the interface between clinical and public health levels. The major interventions for the prevention of suicide are reasonable care and treatment of mental and addictive disorders, restricted access to lethal means of suicide such as firearms, pesticides, etc., improvement of media portrayal of suicide, school-based programs, availability of hotlines and crisis centers, and training of primary health care personnel. Keywords: Suicide; Risk factors; Global trends; Prevention


Background To compare the perioperative parameters, convalescence parameters, and oncologic outcomes of intermediate follow-up between hand-assisted laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (HALNU) and hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (HARNU) in treating upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma. Methods We analyzed the data from 48 patients who underwent HALNU and 25 patients who underwent hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy in our institution between January 1999 and December 2003 for UC of the ureter, renal pelvis, or both. Clinical preoperative and perioperative data were collected retrospectively by reviewing medical records. All specimens were pathologically confirmed. The outcomes including bladder recurrence-free survival, metastasis-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival were compared between the 2 operative methods. Results The median follow-up period in the HALNU group was 47.5 months (range, 6 to 72 mo) and 32 months in the HARNU group (range, 21 to 43 mo). Patients' demographic data showed no significant difference between the 2 groups. The operation time was similar between the HALNU group and the HARNU group (223 min vs. 252 min; P=0.11). There was statistically less blood loss in the HALNU group compared with the HARNU group (164 mL vs. 212 mL; P=0.42). The complication rates between the HALNU group and the HARNU group were similar (10.4% and 12%, respectively, P=0.84). There was no open conversion or intraoperative mortality in both groups. The 3-year bladder recurrence-free survival, cancer-specific survival, metastasis-free survival, and overall survival rate were comparable in both groups. Conclusions HALNU and HARNU have comparable perioperative parameters, convalescence results, and oncologic outcomes for the management of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma from an intermediate follow-up period.


New tomographic cardiovascular imaging tests, such as intravascular ultrasonography and coronary computed tomography angiography, can be used to assess atherosclerotic plaques for the characterization and early staging of coronary artery disease (CAD). Although intravascular ultrasonography provides high-resolution images that are capable of revealing early preclinical CAD, it is a highly invasive technique used clinically only in conjunction with coronary interventions. Multidetector computed tomography angiography, which is noninvasive and corresponds well with plaque histology, shows promise as a diagnostic method for CAD and can provide general evaluation of noncalcified and mixed plaque composition. The current generation of 64-slice computed tomography scanners have high accuracy for detection of lesions obstructing more than 50% of the lumen, with sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values all over 90% in patients without known CAD. They may have an important role in characterizing high-risk noncalcified and mixed plaques. Review of the currently available literature suggests that tissue density measured by multidetector computed tomography can be used to accurately characterize coronary atherosclerotic plaque composition. With further advances in tomographic angiography, the goal will be to detect plaques earlier in the development of CAD and to characterize the plaques most likely to generate a clinical event.


Acrylic acid is a hydrophilic monomer which becomes the most popular material used to synthesize superabsorbent polymer. In this recent study, acrylic acid was partially neutralized with KOH and mixed with chitosan to form a superabsorbent hydrogel poly (acrylic acid) – graft – chitosan by using of gamma ray irradiation technique. The aim of this study was to determine the optimum composition of KOH in acrylic acid partial neutralization process for enhancing the production of grafted polymer. The degree of neutralization was varied (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100)% and the effect on the superabsorbent characteristics were studied. Hydrogel products were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The gel content, swelling ratio, Equilibrium Degree of Swelling (EDS), and Thermal Analysis were also performed. The highest water swelling capacity was 715 (g water/g dry hydrogel), and the gel content was 91.23%, resulted from 75% of acrylic acid neutralization. The swelling capacity of the products was also tested in urea and NaCl solutions and reached 750 (g urea solution/g dry hydrogel) for urea and 378,33 (g NaCl solution/g dry hydrogel) for NaCl. The huge water absorption capacity indicated that the hydrogel from this research was a superabsorbent product which was suitable for hygiene products application. The degree of neutralization did not show a significant influence on the thermal resistance of the grafted hydrogel produced in this study.


Maize, paddy, millet and wheat are the farmers' priority cereals in mid hills of Nepal. The soil inhabiting insects- red ants, white grubs, termites, crickets, cutworms and wire-worms attack almost all cultivated crops causing 12 to 60% losses in mid hill crops. The farmers used almost all the chemical pesticides available in the markets and that further aggravated the pest problem. The severity of those pests is increasing over the years due to haphazard use of chemical pesticides and loss of predators and parasites of the soil pests. The cryptic nature of soil insects makes the other control measures ineffective. The potentiality of endogenous antagonistic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae was tested in the laboratory and the farmers perception on microbial control agents was documented. The fungus isolated from the mid hill farms was tested for its efficacy to white grub control and the hazards to beneficial insects like the mulberry silkworms- Bombyx mori. The further findings and suggestions are mentioned in this book.


For the first time, the high Q components of the optoelectronic oscillator, i.e. the optical fiber, and the narrow pass band microwave filter in the oscillator loop were thermally stabilized to improve the oscillator short- and long-term frequency stability. In our design, the temperature of these elements is kept above ambient and stabilized with the help of resistive heaters and temperature controllers. With this scheme the free running oscillator demonstrates a short-term frequency stability of 0.02 ppm and frequency vs. temperature slope of -0.1 ppm//spl deg/C (at 20-30/spl deg/C) with an exceptional spectral purity (-143 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset frequency). Locking the opto-electronic oscillator to a standard reference oscillator, oscillating at 100 MHz further stabilized the 10 GHz microwave carrier frequency.


Introduction: The Mesoamerican endemic specie Triatoma dimidiata is the main vector of Chagas disease in Central America, after the elimination of an introduced vector Rhodnius prolixus . The traditional method of vector control using insecticides results in reinfestation. An integrated Ecohealth approach, including education, house improvements and domestic animal management was shown effective for long-term control of T. dimidiata, and it was applied in several villages in Guatemala. Objective: To evaluate the changes in community practices after an Ecohealth intervention in La Prensa, Olopa Chiquimula. Methods: Through three surveys, we measured risk factors associated with T. dimidiata infestation, the infestation index, blood sources of T. dimidiata , the presence of Trypanosoma cruzi were analyzed using PCR. Statistics analysis included Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, Mc-Nemar test, Chi-square test and Fisher exact test to compare the surveys. Results: Over the years, risk factors associated with the presence of T. dimidiata and population density of the vector were observed. We found a decrease in consumption of human blood and the parasite in the vector population. However, we found the consumption of bird blood meal increased. Conclusions: Our results provide evidence that an ecohealth approach for an endemic Chagas vector has impact on reducing vector-human contact, possibly by influencing people's behavior. Increasing the community knowledge about these risk factors can be an effective strategy to further reduce the risk of house reinfestation and Chagas transmission.


Strict power and form factor requirements of miniaturized IoT wearable devices have introduced severe challenges in equipping them with multi-band cellular IoT connectivity. The antenna front-end renders the primary obstacle since supporting narrow and multi-band cellular connectivity requires a range with extensive coverage and high selectivity. This fact, in turn, would require a larger antenna and multiband filtering. Recently, high-Q tunable antennas have shown great potential in eliminating multiband filtering. However, their coverage and tuning range in small dimensions has proved to be inadequate to present a global coverage. This paper proposes a novel tunable antenna front-end architecture to address this problem. The proposed architecture benefits a dual-band, high-Q and tunable antenna in conjunction with tunable filters to cover a large variety of LTE-M bands in the resolution of 700 MHz to 2155 MHz including bands: 3, 4, 12, 13, 17 and 20. The design and implementation are discussed in detail, and related measurements are presented to prove the tuning capability.


Over the last 10 years, around 15 per cent of the Australian aid budget was spent through two multilateral development banks (MDBs): the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank. Close to two-thirds of this was given as non-core funding (funding earmarked for a specific purpose or region). Through these contributions the aid program has supported work in a wide range of settings, from building bridges and roads in the Greater Mekong Subregion, reconstruction in Afghanistan, health sector development in Cambodia, and education reform in the Philippines. Australia's emphasis on non-core funding is stronger than most other donors, and has grown over time. In 2013–14, Australia provided almost 10 times as much non-core funding as in 2005–06. These contributions have grown in number as well as value; Australia's non-core contributions to the ADB and World Bank between 2005–06 and 2012–13 supported 325 projects worth $4.1 billion.  Despite aid budget cuts, non-core contributions to MDBs are likely to remain a prominent feature of Australia's aid program. The evaluation by the Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) looked at what the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) can do to improve the way it manages its partnerships with the ADB and World Bank, to get the most out of these investments in the future.


The petrochemical industry is very interested in the sour service fatigue performance of girth welded steel pipes. As a result several papers are published every year addressing this issue, and several Joint Industry Projects (JIP) are currently underway addressing different aspects of sour service performance of steel pipelines. To date research work has focused on quantifying the fatigue performance via small scale specimens due to the difficult and danger in dealing with H2S. Currently a JIP is underway that promises to provide full scale fatigue performance of pipeline welds under sour service.This paper documents the knockdown-factor-on-life (KD) determination for full scale sour service testing. In an industry first, a very difficult full scale sour service test was performed: 1) High Pressure, 2) High content of H2S, 3) Dense phase gases with ultra low water content (less than 400 ppm), and 4) Loading rate of 0.01 Hz. The loading was applied in full longitudinal tension. The full scale sour tests are compared with full scale in-air tests to obtain the knockdown factor. Resource constraint limited the number of full scale tests to 3.The main objective of the tests for the practical application was to ensure that the usage of crack growth based knock-down factors, i.e. the use of Fatigue-Crack-Growth-Acceleration-Factor (FCGAR) from small scale fracture mechanics specimens, was reasonable and conservative.Some additional comparisons are done with crack-growth based knockdown factors that may help explain the effect of the ultra-low water concentration. Knockdown factors from small scale crack growth specimens, Fatigue-Crack-Growth-Acceleration-Factor = 60 (FCGAR), are significantly higher than the full scale results, KD = 7. The ultra-low-water dense phase gases do not pit the surface, thus leaving the initiation life relatively intact. The knockdown factor for the full scale test is then mostly the result of the accelerated crack growth that occurs once a macro-crack nucleates.Copyright © 2012 by ASME


Low power realization of video applications on embedded cores is described. Code transformations are applied to reduce the data memory power consumption. The transformed code indicates a power efficient data memory architecture while transformations move the main part of memory accesses from larger memories (possibly off-chip) to smaller ones (on-chip). The effect of transformations on performance, which is usually the overriding issue in such systems, is evaluated. It is shown that performance is closely related to program memory power consumption that is in some case orders of magnitude larger than data memory power consumption. The aim of the proposed research is the development of a methodology for the application of data storage and transfer optimizing transformations that achieve a close to optimal balance between power and performance in realizations of multimedia applications on embedded cores.


Catenanes can undergo rotation of one ring through the cavity of the other. Since macroscopic and molecular properties must clearly vary with the relative positions and orientations of the interlocked components, a complete understanding of the way that the rings rotate is of considerable importance. Here we show that low-dimensional quantum-mechanical modeling can yield rate constants and barriers similar to those obtained by temperature-dependent nuclear magnetic resonance experiments. Data from both non-hydrogen bond disrupting (e.g. CDCl3) and hydrogen bond disrupting (e.g. [D6]DMSO) solvents are well reproduced demonstrating the validity of the model. The successful simulation of the rates of circumrotations by entirely harmonic transition state theory originates from the description of the anharmonic levels of the systems through an effective harmonic frequency, not very different from twice the zero point energy. The nature of the model makes it extendable, in principle, to the calculation of properties dependent upon circumrotational activity.


In this paper, we present a first attempt to characterize the semantic deviance of composite expressions in distributional semantics. Specifically, we look for properties of adjective-noun combinations within a vector-based semantic space that might cue their lack of meaning. We evaluate four different compositionality models shown to have various levels of success in representing the meaning of AN pairs: the simple additive and multiplicative models of Mitchell and Lapata (2008), and the linear-map-based models of Guevara (2010) and Baroni and Zamparelli (2010). For each model, we generate composite vectors for a set of AN combinations unattested in the source corpus and which have been deemed either acceptable or semantically deviant. We then compute measures that might cue semantic anomaly, and compare each model's results for the two classes of ANs. Our study shows that simple, unsupervised cues can indeed significantly tell unattested but acceptable ANs apart from impossible, or deviant, ANs, and that the simple additive and multiplicative models are the most effective in this task.


Abstract Emotional intelligence (EI) is important in many business contexts. Knowing how sales professionals use emotions to facilitate positive outcomes for their firms, themselves and their customers is particularly important for managing marketing exchanges. To leverage EI it is necessary to accurately measure it. Existing scales are of limited value and therefore a new scale to measure EI in marketing exchange is presented here. It focuses on EI related abilities in the specific context of marketing exchange and effectively demonstrates how EI interacts with sales, customer orientation, the extent of influence of a sales rep in an encounter, customer retention and cognitive ability. The new tool helps to diagnose individual levels of marketing exchange EI. It can be very useful for employee selection and designing specific sales training in order to improve exchange relationships and interactions between buyers and sellers, in particular.


ABSTRACT The performance of harvesting operations strongly influences profitability and service satisfaction for both industries and wood suppliers. To assess different perspectives of satisfaction, this study explores quality perceptions of harvesting services using a multi-dimension approach, and suggests a tool for measuring satisfaction from a triad perspective. Values associated with services were identified by interviewing actors involved in triads linked to two forest owners associations (FOAs). FOA managers' and private forest owners' expectations and perceptions of performances by a sample of contractors in relation to these values were then separately measured using an adapted version of the Servqual questionnaire. Similarly, contractors' views of associated planning conditions were evaluated. Quality perceptions varied widely among respondents. The surveyed forest owners commonly determined performance in a subjective manner: many solely by visual impressions. Consequently, many contractors not performing well from a manager perspective still met forest owners' service expectations well, and thus were considered valuable assets by the FOAs from a wood sourcing perspective. The results also revealed differences in valued factors between thinning and final felling operations. The paper concludes with a suggested model to rank relationship success.


The operating control parameters of injection flushing type of electrical discharge machining process on stainless steel 304 workpiece with copper tools are being optimized according to its individual machining characteristic i.e. material removal rate (MRR). Lower MRR during EDM machining process may decrease its' machining productivity. Hence, the quality characteristic for MRR is set to higher-the-better to achieve the optimum machining productivity. Taguchi method has been used for the construction, layout and analysis of the experiment for each of the machining characteristic for the MRR. The use of Taguchi method in the experiment saves a lot of time and cost of preparing and machining the experiment samples. Therefore, an L18 Orthogonal array which was the fundamental component in the statistical design of experiments has been used to plan the experiments and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is used to determine the optimum machining parameters for this machining characteristic. The control parameters selected for this optimization experiments are polarity, pulse on duration, discharge current, discharge voltage, machining depth, machining diameter and dielectric liquid pressure. The result had shown that the higher the discharge voltage, the higher will be the MRR. Keyword—ANOVA, EDM, Injection Flushing, L18 Orthogonal Array, MRR, Stainless Steel 304


PURPOSE
To compare the effects of two methods for myocardial preservation during coronary artery by pass graft (CABG): the intermittent aortic cross-clamping (IACC) and the cold hyperkalemic solution (CHS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS
One hundred and sixty-three patients operated for CABG between October/83 to May/84 were studied retrospectively. Those operated in emergency situations, reoperations and those who required concomitant additional procedures were excluded. The surgical technique used in both groups was essentially the same. Group I comprised 93 cases (40-70 years-old, median 57.7% y; 86% male) in which IACC were used. Group II comprised 70 cases (37-72 years old, median 67.7 y; 80% male) in which CHS (St. Thomas) was injected into the aortic root. The patients were evaluated in the immediate postoperative period at 3, 6, 12 months and then in variable periods until the 61 months of late follow-up. Myocardial ischemia and infarction, the use of drugs and the hospital time recovery were evaluated. The occurrence of symptoms, return to work, physical capacity, reinternations, reoperations and late deaths were evaluated in the late follow-up.

RESULTS
During hospital period, no death was observed. Perioperative myocardial infarct was similar in both groups (group I = 2.1% and group II = 1.4%) statistical difference in the others parameters was observed. Of 95.5% of the patients who had postoperative observations, 80% had a late follow-up ranged from 30 to 61 months (median 38 months). One patient of each group had a cardiac death. In both groups (group I--1 patient and group II--4 patients) coronary insufficiency symptoms related were present and no statistical difference in the others parameters was observed.

CONCLUSION
CHS or IACC were efficient and similar methods for myocardial protection in an elective group of patients submitted to a CABG in the immediate and late follow-up.


The present study demonstrates that exposure of human thyroid slices to thyrotropin causes an increase in phospholipid metabolism as measured by an increased incorporation of myo-2-[3H]-inositol into phosphatidylinositol, the generation of InsP3 and formation of GInsP as well as metabolism of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidic acid. These results indicate that adenosine, probably via the A1 type of P1 receptor, modulates both incorporation of labelled substrate into thyroid slices and its metabolism to active compounds which could play a role in a cell signalling system. These observations confirmed suggestions about the physiological role of the phosphatidylinositol pathway in signalling action of thyrotropin and purinergic receptors in human thyroid.


Most papers about trade credit in supply chain studied retailer's inventory policy based on information shared.Few papers paid attention to supplier's trade credit policy under asymmetric information.So this paper tries to propose supplier's optimal trade credit policy to reveal retailer's private information.The aim is achieved by developing an incentive model with revelation principle.The retailer's private information can be found out through this trade credit policy.This contract is more general than the wholesale price contract.For the retailer's private information,the order quantity and ratio of delay in payment are distorted.Sensitivity analysis shows that the contract is influenced by sales ability and discount rate.Finally,the indirect mechanism with the same effect is proposed to make it easy to be put into practice.


Physical therapy is recommended for the treatment of Huntington's disease, but reliable studies investigating its efficacy are almost non‐existent. This may in part be due to the lack of suitable outcome measures. Therefore, we investigated the applicability of novel quantitative and objective assessments of motor dysfunction in the evaluation of physical therapy interventions aimed at improving gait and posture.


In his enlarged and revised Cambridge dissertation, David Chapman investigates early Jewish views of crucifixion and (more briefly) the significance of these for the understanding of Early Christianity. Chapter 1 provides a survey of Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic terms for crucifixion. Since Chapman finds that none of these languages has a term that specifically designates what we understand by crucifixion, but tend to have a wider vocabulary that includes the concept of bodily suspension or hanging, he adopts the position that this terminology did not exclude crucifixion and is therefore still relevant. His study investigates ancient Jewish views concerning the penalty of crucifixion "through the period of the compilation of the Talmuds" (p. 2). In chapters 2–5, the Jewish sources (both in the Hebrew Bible texts and in extra-biblical narratives throughout the Graeco-Roman world) are thoroughly discussed, revealing mainly that crucifixion was usually regarded as a horrible punishment of the innocent, though to a lesser extent also as a just reward for rebels. In chapter 4, Chapman briefly discusses the role of the cross in symbology and magic, followed by a longer chapter on crucifixion in metaphors, proverbs and halakah. Chapter 6 deals with the perception of crucifixion in ancient Jewish Communities, concluding that despite an overlap of Jewish views with those in the wider society, "there were also distinctly Jewish perceptions of the cross in antiquity" (p. 219). Themes such as innocent suffering were unique to the Jewish world, though Jewish attitudes to crucifixion were in flux during the Second Temple period (pp. 37–38). In Part Two, Chapman systematically and precisely presents the results of his research, particularly how these varying Jewish perceptions of crucifixion were taken over or rejected by Christians. In disputes, Jews might stress the connection of crucifixion with rebels or bandits, but on the positive side the image of the crucified martyr was something that Christians could also affirm, despite Deuteronomy 21:22–23 and the curse described in it remaining a much disputed and divisive text. However, since it was Roman policy to crucify brigands, it may be questioned whether Chapman's contention is correct that Christians accurately reflected historical Jewish opposition to a crucified messiah (p. 260). Overall Chapman's conclusions are balanced and careful, reflecting his cautious approach to the reading of ancient texts. The strength of this study lies in Chapman's demonstration of real interaction between Christians and Jews concerning the figure of Jesus and his crucifixion. The symbol of the cross is shown to have a prehistory that in both positive and negative ways illuminates the relations between Jews and Christians from the earliest days of the emergent Christ-movement. This study deserves a wide audience, and will provide a significant context for all those interested in how a Roman symbol of a horrible and cruel death became the honored image of Christianity. William S. Campbell University of Wales, Trinity St. David Lampeter SA48 7ED, UK


Over recent years there have been changes in the technology and engineering of road lighting for traffic routes. This is most evidenced by the availability and use of computer techniques for the design and evaluation of road lighting installations. The report first examines the principles and engineering components of lighting, describing the relationship between the observer, the luminaire and road surface. The scope and application of Australian code is discussed and contrast is then made with the use of computer techniques in the design process. The availability and scope of the computer programs to calculate road lighting performance is discussed and the application of two CIE programs to Australian conditions is investigated. The CIE standard luminance program is examined in detail and several worked examples are given. ARRB special report 18 (IRRD no 239522). Freeway lighting, the data of which has been derived from a computer program, is examined and examples of the uses to which the data can be put are given. The implications of road and traffic engineering, lighting equipment and maintenance considerations to road lighting design are discussed. Finally a case study on the design of a freeway lighting installation is given to illustrate the practical application of the methods and guidance given earlier in the report (a). The ISBN for the microfiche version is 0 86910 018 1. (TRRL)


Software component technologies have not yet been generally accepted by embedded-systems industries. In order to better understand why this is the case, we present a set of requirements, based on industrial needs, that are deemed decisive for introducing a component technology. The requirements we present can be used to evaluate existing component technologies before introducing them in an industrial context. They can also be used to guide modifications and/or extensions to component technologies, to make them better suited for industrial deployment. One of our findings is that a major source of requirements is non-technical in its nature. For a component technology to become a viable solution in an industrial context, its impact on the overall development process needs to be addressed. This includes issues like component life-cycle management, and support for the ability to gradually migrate into the new technology.


An efficient oxidative aminooxyarylation of alkenes under a transition-metal-free condition was described. Under the reaction conditions, N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) reacted readily with N-arylacrylamides to produce cyclic products via a radical C-H functionalization process, achieving both C-O and C-C bonds formation in one pot. This reaction provided a facile access to the valuable aminooxylated oxindoles. The benzylic and α-methylene C(sp3)-H bonds were also aminooxylated under the reaction conditions.


decreases in the occurrence of resistance to 46.7% and 28.1% among E faecium and E faecalis isolates from pigs, respectively. Erythromycin resistance among E faecium isolates from broilers reached a maximum of 76.3% in 1997, but decreased to 12.7% in 2000 concomitantly with more limited use of virginiamycin. Use of virginiamycin increased from 1995 to 1997 and was followed by an increased occurrence of virginiamycin resistance among E faecium isolates in broilers—from 27.3% in 1995 to 66.2% in 1997. In January 1998, the use of virginiamycin was banned in Denmark, and the occurrence of virginiamycin resistance decreased to 33.9% in 2000. Use of avilamycin increased from 1995 to 1996 and was followed by an increase in avilamycin resistance among Efaecium isolates from broilers, from 63.6% in 1995 to 77.4% in 1996. Since 1996, avilamycin usage has decreased, followed by a decrease in resistance to 4.8% in 2000. These results show that it is possible to reduce the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in a national population of food animals when the selective pressure is removed. Cases in which resistance to vancomycin was linked to resistance to erythromycin were exceptions. In such cases, resistance did not decrease until the use of both avoparcin and tylosin was limited. FROM: Aarestrup FM, Seyfarth AM, Emborg HD, Pedersen K, Hendriksen RS, Bager F. Effect of abolishment of the use of antimicrobial agents for growth promotion on occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in fecal enterococci from food animals in Denmark. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2001;45:2054-2059.


Objectives This study investigated the reliability and validity of the Korean Self-Compassion Scale in a sample of 405 adult women in a community. Methods We examined the sample using the Korean version of the Self-Compassion Scale (K-SCS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), SCL-90-R, and the Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS) and conducted a confirmatory factor analysis and correlation analysis. Results Confirmatory factor analysis results showed that a six-factor model, consisting of Self-Kindness, Self-Judgment. Common Humanity, Isolation, Mindfulness, and Over-identified, fit better than a three-factor model did. The validity analysis results indicated that self-compassion was significantly correlated with positive mental health outcomes, such as less depression and anxiety and greater psychological well-being. Conclusion These findings suggest that the Korean version of the Self-Compassion Scale is a reliable and valid scale for measuring self-compassion. We also discuss the implications of this study and directions for future study.


This review of unpolarized parton distributions in the perturbative QCD framework examines contemporary issues on next-to-leading order studies, assesses the current status of global analysis of these distributions, and discusses the wide scope of physical processes relevant for improving the second-generation analyses and for resolving the remaining open questions. Subtlies and pitfalls are delineated---with a view of extracting pertinent lessons for the emerging study of polarized parton distributions.


Intercultural cities – a joint initiative launched in 2008 by the European Commission and the Council of Europe – aims to develop a model supporting intercultural integration within diversified urban communities. This article examines, using methods of applied linguistics and discourse analysis, how intercultural urban policy is linguistically produced in the initiative. The examination indicates that the intercultural urban policy in the initiative is 'negative politics': the policy rhetoric commonly outlines the content of interculturalism by describing what is not included in it and what the policy is not about. The language used in the intercultural urban policy rhetoric presents the coexistence of distinct cultures as a problematic and conflicting issue. This contradicts the fundamental principle of the policy, which aims for co-operative and positive encountering between people in an urban environment.


THE LITERATURE of 1954 on otitis media and complications contains many papers that are very interesting and instructive. The growing awareness of the importance of the conservation of hearing is especially reflected in the large number of articles on the modified radical mastoidectomy. ANATOMY Diamant1(Halmstad, Sweden) examined and classified the degree of pneumatization of the mastoids of 356 patients. He used a planimeter to measure the number of square centimeters covered by the cells on the x-ray films. He classified his material in five groups according to the method of Schwarz. In his classification, Group 1 has extremely large development and Group 5 has no development. His resulting groups were very similar to the remarkably large group of 3048 published by Seppala in 1946. About 4% had extremely large development. The second group, 35%, had moderately large development, with cells extending into the zygomatic region and into the


Crop wild relatives provide a useful source of genetic variation and represent a large pool of genetic diversity for new allelic variation required in breeding programs. Armenia is an important center of origin both for cultivated Vitis vinifera ssp. sativa and wild Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris. Owing to recent prospection in Armenian woods and river floodplains many forms of wild grapevine were discovered and inventoried, which is an important prerequisite to unlock their breeding potential in the future. The fact that some genotypes of V. sylvestris can withstand the diseases is likely to be due to a more efficient basal immunity. The overall goal of the proposed research was to characterize the diversity of V. sylvestris from Armenia with respect to its capacity for stilbene biosynthesis, which might be exploited as genetic resource for resistance breeding. The realized research stimulates the recovery, characterization and preservation of wild grape germplasm, presently at risk of extinction. The recovery and characterization of wild genotypes will be the base of selection of genetic traits important in breeding programs for the generation of biotic and changing climate tolerant grapevine varieties and rootstocks, both necessary for the future of viticulture in Armenia and in Europe.