Gravitational mass movements pose a threat to the population of numerous mountainous regions around the globe. Climate change affects these processes and their related hazards by influencing their triggering, flow and deposition mechanisms, overall increasing the number of natural catastrophes. Numerical modelling is an essential tool for the analysis and the management of such hazards: it allows the quantitative description of the runout and pressure of rapid mass movements and may contribute to better understand the effects of climate change on their size, frequency, and dynamics. Several depth-averaged models are already operational and commonly applied by practitioners and scientists. Yet, a unified model able to simulate multi-phase cascading events, including their initiation, propagation, entrainment and finally impact on structures is still missing. Hence, more detailed models are  required to advance our understanding of the physics behind gravitational mass movements and ultimately to contribute improving hazard assessment and risk management.

Here, we present some preliminary results of the development of a hybrid Eulerian-Lagrangian Material Point Method (MPM) with finite strain elasto-plasticity to simulate in a unified manner: i) permafrost instabilities and failure initiation; ii) rock and ice avalanche dynamics; iii) solid-fluid interaction and phase transition from rock avalanches to debris-flows. In order to simulate the mechanical behaviour of rock and ice, we propose a Drucker-Prager softening constitutive law accounting for cohesion, internal and residual friction. We calibrate this constitutive law on the basis of state of the art laboratory experiments. The model is applied to synthetic slope geometries to evaluate their stability and investigate subsequent rock fragmentation processes. At a larger scale, dynamics simulations are compared against observations of full-scale process chains. In particular, we implement the two real-scale cases of the rock-avalanche from the Piz Cengalo (CH) and ice- and snow-avalanche from the Grandes Jorasses (IT). The 3D implementation of the model allows to accurately reproduce the initial conditions of an event and complex phenomena such as reported ballistic trajectories non adherent to the ground. Secondary releases due to the mass flow (such as snow or glacier-ice entertainment) and phase changes can be simulated realistically. We test the potential of the model in a broad range of settings and highlight the major gaps to be filled in the near future.


Reconstructive surgery was performed in 1148 patients with renal hypertension in the period from 1961 to 1996. Extracorporeal microsurgical correction with subsequent kidney autotransplantation was used in case of the lesions of the renal arteries branches. In 161 (14%) of the patients the result was unsatisfactory. The reasons of unsatisfactory results were the following: uncorrected stenosis of the contralateral renal artery (43%), nephrosclerosis of the contralateral kidney (26%), unknown reasons (31%). The long-term results have been followed up in 769 (67%) of the patients in the period for 135 +/- 4 months after the surgery. In 546 (71%) of the patients positive results persisted. The average time of symptomatic recurrence was 74 +/- 6 months after the surgery. Restenosis was the reason of recurrence in 61 (57%) of the patients. Based on these results the following recommendations are postulated: in atherosclerosis--the transaortic endarterectomy from the opening of the renal artery; in fibromuscular displasia--renal artery resection with end-to-end anastomosis; in nonspecific aorcic arteritis--bypass operations.


This paper presents an energy analysis to support the Egyptian efforts to develop a New Energy Code for New Residential Buildings in the Arab Countries. Also, the paper represents a brief summary of the code contents specially, the effectiveness of building envelope and weather data in reducing electrical energy consumption. The impacts of the following parameters were studied namely; walls and roof constructions, window size and glazing type for different geographical locations in the Arab Countries. Two different distinguish weather classification were developed and analyzed and presented in this study, the DDC18.3& DDH 25. The first was developed by the Author to calculate DD using a mathematical model on electronic spread sheet. The second depends on the hourly values for each geographical location. The analysis includes the capitals and major cities representing most of the Arab countries. It was determined that the window to wall ratio (WWR) of 15% minimizes the total annual electricity use for the buildings. The Solar Factors (SF) and Window Orientation Factors (OF) were calculated for the eight wall orientations. The Over All Transfer Value (OTTV) was calculated for each orientation for different variables, e.g. WWR, Glazing Type, Shading, wall color and mid and top floor. The results show that the mass and types of building materials; WWR (15%), glass type and shutters; orientation; wall insulation (25mm), wall solar absorptivity (α=.3); roof insulation and shading effect enhance the thermal performance and reduces the cooling load by 60%.


Analysis of potential spatial behavior in transport infrastructures is usually carried out by means of a digital network. A basic condition for such a network analysis has traditionally been the desire to find solutions to optimization problems and to achieve greater efficiency in industry. Geographic information system (GIS) tools for network analysis are overwhelmingly targeted at finding solutions to optimization problems, which include the shortest path problem and the traveling salesman problem. This article addresses the problem of the lack of tools for finding solutions to a class of constraint satisfaction problems that are of potential interest to behavioral geographers. Constraint satisfaction problems differ from optimization problems in that they lack an expression to be maximized or minimized. We describe how a constraint-based approach to network analysis can be applied to search for 'excess routes' that are longer or in other ways exceed single, optimal routes. Our analysis considers both round-trips and travel from A to B and defines a set of constraints that can characterize such paths. We present a labeling algorithm that can generate solutions to such excess route problems.


Objective: The prime objective was to determine the impact of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders on activities of daily living and its association with depression. Material & Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in '80' HIV positive patients, registered at ART Centre of PBM and AG Hospital, Bikaner. A test battery comprising of three scales was used i.e. International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS), Activities of Daily Living(ADL) scale and PRIME-MD Patient Health Questionnaire(PHQ-9) to diagnose cognitive dysfunction, dependence in ADL and depression respectively. Results: The 32.50% (n=26) of the patients were diagnosed to have cognitive dysfunction (IHDS Score 10). Out of these cognitively impaired patients, n=2 patients were found to be dependent in >2 ADL while remaining patients were able to perform their ADL independently. No significant association was found between depression and cognitive dysfunction. Conclusion: Patients having score of Key words: HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder, Activities of daily living (ADL) scale, Patient health questionnaire (PHQ), International HIV dementia scale (IHDS), Asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment, Mild neurocognitive disorder, HIV associated dementia.


The ignition and optimization of the pulsed micro-cathode triggerless vacuum arc thruster model are analyzed. To this end a simplified model of the thruster consisting of two rectangular electrodes on an alumina ceramic plate with a variable inter-electrode gap covered by a conductive film of carbon paint is considered. It is shown that after optimizing the inter-electrode gap, the electrical power and the value of the magnetic field parallel to the film surface, such an 'idealized' thruster model can provide up to 1.2–1.3 million pulses with a high degree of stability of ignition and a large amplitude of arc current. These findings may be used in designing long-life and durable low-power micro-cathode thrusters with rigidly fixed, unmovable electrodes. We also propose the concept of a modular thruster consisting of separate elementary consumable thrusters—the modular thruster lifetime increases with the number of these elementary thrusters.


ABSTRACT This article examines distressing images of dead infants in several novels by Rachilde (Marguerite Eymery Vallette, 1860–1953), principally La Princesse des ténèbres of 1896 in order to emphasize the failure of walls to prevent seepage. Examples range from domestic walls that leach arsenic to uterine walls that slough blood. These fictional images of decomposition suggest a parallel porosity in the generic walls that separate fiction and biography, leading to speculation as to whether any of these fictional representations have grounding in autobiographical experience. The article also presents new biographical information about Rachilde's relationship with Louis-Pilate de Brinn'Gaubast and Léo d'Orfer (Marius Pouget) to fill certain silences (and Silences) in Rachilde's work.


In this article, medieval Iranian, Syrian and Egyptian Islamic ceramics of the finds from the excavations on Kadıkalesi/ Anaia nearby Kuşadası, will be presented. While the Islamic ceramic knowledge is reminded, to try finding the answers to the questions on the subject why and how those ceramics were at the site, is aimed for our text. Their first major group was unearthed in the cisterns at the southeastern corner of the episcopal church in the season of 2009. Afterward, the collection was enriched by some sherds found from the other parts of the excavation area. Beside the monochrome glazed frit body ceramics which look like celadons and sherds of the underglaze painting from the centers like Tel Minis and Kashan, there was a minor group of Iranian lusters. These finds are remarkable to show the commercial traces from Eastern Mediterranean Islamic Lands at a Byzantine site.


Nowadays a lot of people not really think about the job satisfaction in their work place especially the chief at some company,  while the job satisfaction is very important for employee performance. Job satisfaction is simply how people feel about jobs and different aspects of their jobs it is the extent to which people like (satisfaction) or dislike (dissatisfaction) their jobs. Job Satisfaction is a part that is always related to the employee and the  productivity that can increase employee productivity in the workplace. Satisfaction affect the employee productivity because it is a serious problem in the world of work, and becomes one important problem faced by employees. The problem of job satisfaction can result from the same person within the scope of their workers or the organization. This is quantitative research that associative with multiple linear regression analysis technique. The population in this study is the employees at PT. BPR Prismadana Manado, and the respondents are 40 peoples. This study may imply that the contribution of Working Condition, Salary, Corporate Ownership and Fairness Job Satisfaction is affected by other variables not examined in this study, and for  PT. BPR Prismadana Manado in managerial role should consider about the Job satisfaction since it is the most crucial part of the company and how company can provide encouragement and motivation by providing working condition, salary, corporate ownership and fairness for employees who have good work. Keywords : job satisfaction, working condition, salary,  corporate ownership, and fairness


Modeling the transient behavior of continuous culture is of primary importance for the scale-up of biological processes. Spatial heterogeneities increase with the reactor size and micro-organisms have to cope with a fluctuating environment along their trajectories within the bioreactor. In this article, a structured model for bioreactions expressed in terms of biological extensive variables is proposed. A biological variable is introduced to calculate the growth rate of the population. The value is updated on the basis of the difference between the composition in the liquid and biotic phase. The structured model is able to predict the transient behavior of different continuous cultures subject to various drastic perturbations. This performance is obtained with a minimum increase in the standard unstructured model complexity (one additional time constant). In the final part, the consequences of decoupling the growth rate from the substrate uptake rate are discussed. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009


The recent Facebook study about emotional contagion has generated a high-profile debate about the ethical and social issues in Big Data research. These issues are not unprecedented, but the debate highlighted that, in focusing on research ethics and the legal issues about this type of research, an important larger picture is overlooked about the extent to which free will is compatible with the growth of deterministic scientific knowledge, and how Big Data research has become central to this growth of knowledge. After discussing the 'emotional contagion study' as an illustration, these larger issues about Big Data and scientific knowledge are addressed by providing definitions of data, Big Data and of how scientific knowledge changes the human-made environment. Against this background, it will be possible to examine why the uses of data-driven analyses of human behaviour in particular have recently experienced rapid growth. The essay then goes on to discuss the distinction between basic scientific research as against applied research, a distinction which, it is argued, is necessary to understand the quite different implications in the context of scientific as opposed to applied research. Further, it is important to recognize that Big Data analyses are both enabled and constrained by the nature of data sources available. Big Data research is bound to become more widespread, and this will require more awareness on the part of data scientists, policymakers and a wider public about its contexts and often unintended consequences.


In achieving the level of compliance of the Individual Taxpayer, it is necessary to evaluate the public awareness to comply with the rules that apply as a Taxpayer, at this time the Taxpayer has been introduced to e-filing which with all the conveniences and benefits offered to support the level of compliance of taxpayers' reporting. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of applying online tax reporting or e-filing to the level of compliance of Individual Taxpayer reporting at the Pamekasan Primary Tax Service Office.
             The theory used in this study, namely the impact and satisfaction of the use of e-filing, and the factors that affect taxpayer compliance. While the type of research used is qualitative research using data tabulation techniques obtained. While the data source used in this study uses primary data and secondary data.
              The results of this study indicate that the application of online reporting or e-filing is sufficient to have a good impact on Individual Taxpayers and Pamekasan Taxpayers in improving tax reporting compliance through e-filing. The number of tax reporters through e-filing is increasing, it's just that there is a need for an evaluation of system performance and detailed guidance information so that users are more comfortable and understanding when using e-filing, so that more Taxpayers will use e-filing.


Summary: The gas vesicles of the cyanobacteria Anabaena flos-aquae and Microcystis sp. contain, in addition to the principal M r 7400 gas vesicle protein GVPa, a second, M r 22000 protein component, GVPc. We show here that GVPc can be removed from the gas vesicles, without their collapsing, by rinsing in solutions of sodium dodecyl sulphate. It is concluded that GVPc is located on the outer surface of the hollow shell formed by GVPa. Removing GVPc causes a marked decrease in the critical collapse pressure of the gas vesicles. It is suggested that the protein provides structural support and reduces pressures generated by surface tension. By measurement of the 35S-labelling of Anabaena gas vesicles we demonstrate that GVPc, which contains two methionine residues per molecule, accounts for 9% of the total gas vesicle protein, confirming the value suggested by amino acid analysis. 32P-labelling indicates that the phosphate content of gas vesicle protein is negligible.


Composition and succession of all major organism groups in microfilm in a flow channel in the river Rhine were examined in parallel over a period of 14 months. In addition, abiotic parameters were monitored (e.g. temperature, water level, chlorophyll content). Based on these data an additional laboratory experiments involving chromadorid nematodes and bdelloid rotatoria, the first model ever of matter flow in the biofilm of a large river could be developed, possibly representing an important contribution to the identification of relevant interactions in the biofilm system. It could be demonstrated that the matter flow in biofilm of the river Rhine was dominated by protozoans - mostly filtrating species - in the investigated model system; they contributed around 78% to the mean annual metabolism. The most important representatives of heterotrophic flagellates were sessile choanoflagellates with abundances up to 100,000 individuals/cm². Throughout the year, ciliates were mostly dominated by peritrichous ciliates. With respect to individual count, metazoans were dominated by bdelloid rotatoria and chromadorid nematodes, representing together more than 90% of the metazoans during the study period. The densities of chromadorid nematodes were high, even up to 600 ind./cm². Another important result of the current study was the proof of the strong benthic-pelagic coupling in the Rhine. It could be demonstrated that only approximately 2% of the biomass metabolized in biofilm was autochthonously synthesized in the biofilm itself; 98% were imported directly from the pelagial. This high import portion of planctonic organisms controls the benthic microbial metabolic cycling in the investigated system, i.e. biofilm in the Rhine, and therefore also represents an important structuring factor for the planctonic food web. Sampling of ice habitats in the Antarctic demonstrated that also the communities of heterotrophic flagellates in Antarctic were primarily composed of benthic species. Biofilm in slush was dominated by filtrating species (choanoflagellates and chrysomonads) at the floe margins, being in agreement with the biofilm samples of the Rhine. Compared to individual counts in the pelagial, the individual density of protozoans in ice-related biofilms was significantly higher. It is suggested that the accumulation of organisms in the biofilms of ice-related habitats also in Arctic habitats plays an important role in the control of nutrient cycling.


This paper analyses the climate change projected for the near and distant future in South America using MRI/JMA (Japanese Meteorological Agency) global model simulations with resolutions of 20 and 60 km. Changes in mean climate, as well as in the annual cycles and interannual variability of temperature and precipitation are discussed. An analysis is also made of the uncertainties of the 60 km resolution model experiments. For the near and distant future, both, the 20 km and 60 km resolution MRI/JMA models project that temperature changes will be positive in all seasons. The greatest values of change are over the Andes and over tropical and subtropical latitudes of the study region. In all the subregions analysed, the 20 km model projects greater changes in the annual cycle of mean temperature than the 60 km model. Changes in summer precipitation are positive over most of the continent, except for southern Chile. Autumn precipitation is projected to increase over northern Argentina and north-western South America and to decrease over central Chile in winter, which might be due to the southward shift of the Pacific storm-track. The most significant positive change in Southeastern South America (SESA) is projected to occur in spring precipitation. In general, projected changes in the annual cycle are greater in the rainy seasons of each subregion. No significant changes are expected in the interannual variability of temperature and precipitation. La Plata basin is projected to experience increased runoff, which would indicate that the projected rise in precipitation would have stronger effect than projected warming. The analysis of climate projection uncertainties revealed that temperature projections are more reliable than precipitation projections; and that uncertainty in near future simulations is greater than in simulations of the end of the century.


Transcatheter aortic valve replacement has been established as the standard of care for inoperable patients and a valid alternative for high-risk individuals with severe symptomatic native aortic stenosis. Over the last decade, substantial improvement has been made in the transcatheter technology. Nevertheless, this less-invasive procedure is still associated with complications like paravalvular leaks, strokes and vascular complications. This review article discusses these worrisome complications associated with transcatheter aortic valve replacement and proposes methods to prevent these hurdles.


In this paper we illustrate how non-stochastic (max,+) techniques can be used to describe partial synchronization in a Discrete Event Dynamical System. Our work uses results from the spectral theory of dioids and analyses (max,+) equations describing various synchronization rules in a simple network. The network in question is a transport network consisting of two routes joined at a single point, and our Discrete Events are the departure times of transport units along these routes. We calculate the maximum frequency of circulation of these units as a function of the synchronization parameter. These functions allow us further to determine the waiting times on various routes, and here we find critical parameters (dependent on the fixed travel times on each route) which dictate the overall behavoiur. We give explicit equations for these parameters and state the rules which enable optimal performance in the network (corresponding to minimum waiting time).


Introduction: Intra-arch dental malocclusions are explained by the disharmony between the arch perimeter and the existing dental capital. The habitable perimeter is the result of the basal and alveolar growth, itself under the dependence of the musculature. The idea of working on the relationship between obesity and malocclusion is to understand whether the effects of mastication and the typology of musculature specific to this category, could have an influence on the dimensions of the arches and therefore on the genesis of malocclusions in children. The aim of this cross-sectional observational study is therefore to evaluate the impact of obesity and overweight on the development of malocclusion in growing age subjects. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in 58 children aged 10 to 16 years old who consulted the Rabat Dental Treatment and Consultation Center CCTD-CHIS between January 2018 and December 2018. Excluded from this study were children who had received orthopedic treatment or were undergoing orthodontic treatment, children with system pathology, as well as those with incomplete dentures or proximal caries.  The sample was divided into 2 groups according to their Body Mass Index (BMI): G1 normal weight children, G2 overweight or obese children. The variables studied were: dental crowding, overjet and overbite, presence of dysfunction or parafunction and height of the anterior face. The comparison of these variables between the two groups was made by Pearson's Chi-square test for qualitative variables and the non-parametric test (Mann- Whitney's U-test) for quantitative variables. Results: The results of this study showed that the frequency of dysfunctions and parafunctions, as well as the increase in the lower anterior facial height were greater in the overweight/obese group (57.1%; 62.9% and 60.9% respectively). For endo-buccal parameters, crowding was greater in the overweight/obese group with a median of 2 [0-3] for this group and 1 [0-3] for the normo-weight group. The difference between the two groups for these parameters was not statistically significant. In addition, the results of this study showed that the overjet in the overweight/obese group was slightly reduced (1[o-2]) compared to the norm-weight group (2[1-3]).  This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05).


Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis are members of a closely related group of organisms referred to as the M. tuberculosis complex, which also includes Mycobacterium africanum and Mycobacterium microti. M. tuberculosis is the primary cause of tuberculosis in humans and, world wide, is the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. Animals with potential exposure to M. bovis through contact with infected cattle are skin tested and, in some cases, slaughtered to prevent the spread of tuberculosis to new herds. Tuberculosis caused by M. bovis and M. tuberculosis has been reported in zoos, game parks, and other exotic animal collections in the United States and throughout the world. The presence of a wildlife reservoir of tuberculosis in Michigan may prevent the United States from achieving the goal of eradication of tuberculosis in animals. To comprehend the pathogenesis of a disease, it is important to understand the routes of infection and mode of transmission between hosts as well as the host response and characteristics intrinsic to the pathogen. Tuberculosis in animals is chiefly acquired by inhalation or ingestion. Follow-up surveys of the wildlife in the area revealed no further evidence of tuberculosis in any of the wild animals that were examined. The best long-term approach to control of tuberculosis in the United Kingdom appears to be the development of a vaccine for cattle and improved diagnostic tests to discriminate infected from vaccinated cattle.


The effect of tracheal instillation of surface-active mixtures in premature lambs was studied as an animal model of exogenous surfactant replacement therapy for the respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Specific mixtures studied were 7:3 (molar ratio) dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC):egg phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and extracted mixed lipids (with 1% protein) from cow lung lavage (CLL). Preventilatory tracheal instillation of greater than 15 mg/kg of CLL in 10 ml 0.15 M NaCl to premature lambs gave improved alveolar-arterial O2 gradient and blood gases and increased lung compliance, compared with control lambs over a 15-h period. Lambs receiving 7:3 DPPC:PG dispersions were not improved over controls with regard to pressure-volume characteristics and were worse than controls in arterial oxygenation. In terms of in vitro surface properties, both extracted natural CLL and 7:3 DPPC:egg PG were able to lower aqueous surface tension to 1 dyn/cm under dynamic compression. However, the dynamic respreading of CLL films on successive surface cycles was superior to that of 7:3 DPPC:PG. Moreover, after dispersal in 0.15 M NaCl by vortexing (5 mg/80 ml), CLL adsorbed to surface pressure (tau values of 45 dyn/cm within 10 min. 7:3 DPPC:PG adsorbed to significantly lower tau values after subphase dispersal by a variety of methods.


Human studies have consistently shown that drugs of abuse affect memory function. The psychostimulants amphetamine and the "bath salt" 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) increase brain monoamine levels through a similar, yet not identical, mechanism of action. Findings indicate that amphetamine enhances the consolidation of memory for emotional experiences, but still MDPV effects on memory function are underinvestigated. Here, we tested the effects induced by these two drugs on generalization of fear memory and their relative neurobiological underpinnings. To this aim, we used a modified version of the classical inhibitory avoidance task, termed inhibitory avoidance discrimination task. According to such procedure, adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were first exposed to one inhibitory avoidance apparatus and, with a 1-min delay, to a second apparatus where they received an inescapable footshock. Forty-eight hours later, retention latencies were tested, in a randomized order, in the two training apparatuses as well as in a novel contextually modified apparatus to assess both strength and generalization of memory. Our results indicated that both amphetamine and MDPV induced generalization of fear memory, whereas only amphetamine enhanced memory strength. Co-administration of the β-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol prevented the effects of both amphetamine and MDPV on the strength and generalization of memory. The dopaminergic receptor blocker cis-flupenthixol selectively reversed the amphetamine effect on memory generalization. These findings indicate that amphetamine and MDPV induce generalization of fear memory through different modulations of noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission.


Outbound tourism from China has been the subject of many empirical studies conducted over the last two decades. These studies have collectively analyzed a wide variety of situations. The large volume of findings illustrates researchers' keen interest in Chinese outbound tourism, the existence of diverse research areas, and also the craving to understand this very important market. The barriers to understanding this market are related to its cultural background, language, and governmental intervention. This study integrates the empirical findings and discussions in 80 papers on Chinese outbound tourism. The aim is to identify the main areas of research interest, analyze how they are related in terms of tourism framework, critically evaluate the research areas, and explore future directions. The study advocates future Chinese outbound tourism research to be more concerned with the source market where the main causal factors of tourist flows are located; the social impacts of Chinese outbound tourism on its own people and destinations; and the legal and ethical aspects of the outbound tourism.


We describe a case of intrapleural rupture of pulmonary arteriovenous fistula A 37-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a sudden onset of right chest pain. A computed tomography scan showed massive pleural effusion and tension hemothorax. Subsequently the patient went into shock. Partial resection of the lung was performed emergently. Pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is often associated with Rendu-Osler-Weber disease (ROW). Because of her brain arteriovenous malformation and family history, we could not exclude the possibility of ROW.


Pinhole collimators are widely used to image small organs and animals. The sensitivity of knife-edge pinhole collimators has been previously estimated using an "effective diameter" formulation and experimentally described using a sin/sup /spl infin// /spl theta/ fit, where /spl theta/ is the angle between the line segment from the center of the aperture to the photon source and its projection onto the plane of the aperture. An analytic form of the sensitivity of the pinhole collimator is derived in this paper. A numerical formula for predicting the sin/sup /spl infin// /spl theta/ form of the sensitivity is calculated from the analytic form. Experimental data are compared with the theoretical estimate and the sin/sup /spl infin// /spl theta/ prediction. The agreement is excellent.


The relationship between corporate law and corporate practice is complex. So too is the relationship between the different types of corporate law rules — from primary and delegated legislation, through listing rules and ASIC orders to corporate constitutions. Corporate lawyers tend to respond to this complexity and diversity by implicit understanding than by conceptual framework. This article offers one way of conceptualising the complexity of corporate law rules and their relationship to corporate practice. Drawing on Boaventura de Sousa Santos' influential 1987 article 'Law: A Map of Misreading. Toward a Postmodern Conception of Law', the article looks to cartography as an unexpected source of ideas to assist in understanding the shape of modern corporate law rules.<br>


In the formation of ozone by an electric discharge in molecular oxygen, substitution of 18O and 17O for 16O produces equal kinetic isotope effects. This may be taken as a paradigm of non-mass dependent isotope effects. However, a number of other reactions have been thus labeled, even when deviations from the expected ratio of ~0.5 for (17O/16O)/(18O/16O) are a few parts per thousand. Several equilibrium constants are calculated for isotopic exchange reactions involving oxygen and sulfur isotope effects, and it is shown that exact calculations can differ from this approximate ratio by a few percent. The conclusion is that the label "non-mass dependent" should be applied with care.


A node-bond percolation model is presented for the gas permeability and pore surface area of the coarse porosity in woven fiber structures during densification by chemical vapor infiltration (CVI). Model parameters include the number of nodes per unit volume and their spatial distribution, and the node and bond radii and their variability. These parameters relate directly to structural features of the weave. Some uncertainty exists in the proper partition of the porosity between "node" and "bond" and between intra-tow and inter-tow, although the total is constrained by the known fiber loading in the structure. Applied to cloth layup preforms the model gives good agreement with the limited number of available measurements.


Abstract An area of the main thrust zone south of Adak, Alaska, in the central Aleutian island arc is characterized by clustering of hypocenters of earthquakes of m b ≧ 4.5 and by low b -value relative to the rest of the thrust zone. The location and dimension of two of these clusters has been constant during 15 yr of teleseismic and 9 yr of local monitoring. Six earthquakes of m b ≧ 4.5 have occurred in one of the cluster areas in the past 3 yr in contrast to two earthquakes of m b ≧ 4.1 in the previous 6 yr. The concentration of moderate-sized earthquakes and low b -value may reflect a stress concentration at an asperity on the interface between the Pacific and North American plates. The recent activation of this asperity may indicate preparation for a larger earthquake. A change of local ( SV/P ) z amplitude ratios of small earthquakes before two earthquakes of m b ≧ 4.5 may indicate a change of focal mechanism reflecting a reorientation of stress around the asperity prior to larger earthquakes.


The article examines some intercohort changes in the passage from adolescence to adulthood. Data [are] from the 1991 Spanish Sociodemographic survey.... Results show an increase in the age at finishing school and first job through cohorts accompanied by a trend towards convergence in behaviour of males and females. Family transitions show an earlier timing and a more heterogeneous sequencing among 1940 and 1950 cohorts while a postponement and more uniformity in the order of transitions is observed in the 1960 cohort. These differentials between birth-cohorts are interpreted as forming part of a process of individualization. (EXCERPT) (SUMMARY IN ENG AND ITA)


The sampling tube, an open-ended polyethylene feeding catheter sterilised by the manufacturer, is filled with sterile distilled water. A 2.0% suspension of agar in distilled water is prepared and enough cochineal to colour the solution is added. This is autoclaved at 44N/10 min to dissolve and sterilise the agar. When the solution has cooled to 60°C an 8 cm length of the coloured agar solution is aspirated into the distal end of the tube. The colouring reagent helps when filling the tube. The tube is left for an hour at room temperature for the agar to gel and it can then be passed into the duodenum where its position is confirmed radiographically. The agar plug is then expelled by flushing the tube through with sterile distilled water using hydraulic pressure to dislodge the plug. This technique has been successfully used by us on many occasions to obtain samples of small intestinal juice for microbiological study from patients with gastrointestinal disorders.


PurposeThe current evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) practices and applications is creating a disconnection between modern-day information system (IS) research and practices. The purpose of this study is to propose a classification framework that connects the IS discipline to contemporary AI practices.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted a review of practitioner literature to derive our framework's key dimensions. We reviewed 103 documents on AI published by 25 leading technology companies ranked in the 2019 list of Fortune 500 companies. After that, we reviewed and classified 110 information system (IS) publications on AI using our proposed framework to demonstrate its ability to classify IS research on AI and reveal relevant research gaps.FindingsPractitioners have adopted different definitional perspectives of AI (field of study, concept, ability, system), explaining the differences in the development, implementation and expectations from AI experienced today. All these perspectives suggest that perception, comprehension, action and learning are the four capabilities AI artifacts must possess. However, leading IS journals have mostly published research adopting the "AI as an ability" perspective of AI with limited theoretical and empirical studies on AI adoption, use and impact.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, the framework is based on the perceptions of AI by a limited number of companies, although it includes all the companies leading current AI practices. Secondly, the IS literature reviewed is limited to a handful of journals. Thus, the conclusions may not be generalizable. However, they remain true for the articles reviewed, and they all come from well-respected IS journals.Originality/valueThis is the first study to consider the practitioner's AI perspective in designing a conceptual framework for AI research classification. The proposed framework and research agenda are used to show how IS could become a reference discipline in contemporary AI research.


Summary Frontal meningioma may present solely withpsychological symptoms that resemble dementia. We present the case of a 42-year-old man who initially was thought to have dementia, but he was eventually diagnosed with dementia caused by a sphenoid wing meningioma. Diagnosis of this illness is often delayed due to the insidious nature of the symptoms, which may be mistaken as symptoms of dementia. As cognitive impairment is complex and easily overlooked, it is important to accurately assess neuropsychological function in patients with large brain tumors.


The paper estimates the effect of NAFTA's rules of origin (ROO) on Mexican access to the US market treating explicitly the endogenous determination of ROOs. The first equation determines Mexico's NAFTA (preferential) exports to the US as a function of tariff preference and Estevadeordal's qualitative ROO index. The second equation determines ROO strictness on the basis of a Grossman-Helpman model identifying channels through which lobbying by US intermediate-good producers leads to deep preferences and stiff rules of origin in downstream sectors. The estimates suggest that the creation of a captive market for upstream intermediate-good producers is indeed one of their political determinants.


In this paper, we took the sociotechnical theoretical lens to identify the human and the technology factors that affect the accuracy of the Active Medication List (AML). We conducted a survey of nurses, physicians, and pharmacists in three hospitals. The preliminary results suggest both human factors - list taker and list source have significant effects on AML. Regarding the two information technology factors, user interface design is significant but system connectivity is not. List taker and list source explain 17.3% of the variation in AML, and user interface design and system connectivity explain 29.5% of the variation in AML.


Bathymetry is of vital importance in river studies but obtaining full-scale riverbed maps often requires considerable resources. Remote sensing imagery can be used for efficient depth mapping in both space and time. Multispectral image depth retrieval requires imagery with a certain level of quality and local in-situ depth observations for the calculation and verification of models. To assess the potential of providing extensive depth maps in rivers lacking local bathymetry, we tested the application of three platform-specific, regionalized linear models for depth retrieval across four Norwegian rivers. We used imagery from satellite platforms Worldview-2 and Sentinel-2, along with local aerial images to calculate the intercept and slope vectors. Bathymetric input was provided using green Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data augmented by sonar measurements. By averaging platform-specific intercept and slope values, we calculated regionalized linear models and tested model performance in each of the four rivers. While the performance of the basic regional models was comparable to local river-specific models, regional models were improved by including the estimated average depth and a brightness variable. Our results show that regionalized linear models for depth retrieval can potentially be applied for extensive spatial and temporal mapping of bathymetry in water bodies where local in-situ depth measurements are lacking.


Fluorescence sensing is one of the proximal sensor techniques which use instruments operating very close to or in contact with the object of inquiry. It is an emerging approach in assessing and monitoring crop yield and quality. At present, ineffective Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) maturity assessment and untimely harvesting are problematic to the Malaysian oil palm industry. The current method of FFB assessment is extremely tedious and a time-consuming process that is destructive, prone to errors and inconsistent. Thus, implementation of an oil palm harvesting protocol that deploys a nondestructive sensor-based approach to assess FFB ripening is highly desirable. The objectives of this study were: i) to quantify the relationship between palm oil quality (DOBI) and fluorescence-sensed anthocyanin and flavonol contents across different palm ages, ii) to quantify the relationship between palm oil yield (OER) and fluorescence-sensed anthocyanin and flavonol contents across different palm ages, and iii) to identify the best-fitted model and validate the spatial distribution of palm oil quality, yield and fluorescence-sensed anthocyanin and flavonol contents across different palm ages. In this study, three 2-ha plots were demarcated based on different year of planting; 2002 (12 year old palms), 2005 (9 year old palms) and 2008 (6 year old palms). Sixty FFBs and their corresponding loose fruits were scanned for each plots using fluorescence sensor (Multiplex®). Overall, secondary metabolites such as anthocyanin and flavonol are proven to be a reliable indicator of palm oil quality and yield (r=0.6 of anthocyanin and r=0.8 of flavonol). However, fluorescence indices (Anth_B, Flav_B and NBI) show mixed correlation strengths with DOBI and OER across different palm ages. For the first objective, the secondary metabolites; anthocyanin and flavonol, were analysed to determine the relationship between Deterioration of Bleacheability Index (DOBI) and secondary metabolites content. Results showed that the estimated strength of secondary metabolites was more pronounced toward oil quality in 6 and 9 year old palms (younger palms). For the second objective, the secondary were analyzed to determine the relationship between Oil Extraction Rate (OER) and secondary metabolites content. Results showed that the estimated strength of secondary metabolites was more pronounced toward oil yield in 9 and 12 year old palms (older palms). As a conclusion, both palm oil quality and oil yield determinations using fluorescence indices are most applicable in matured 9 year palms (r=0.63 and 0.52 with DOBI; r=0.65 and 0.53 with OER, respectively). This indicates that palm oil quality and yield, particularly of 9 year old palms, are highly related to fluctuations in anthocyanin and flavonol contents in the fruit. According to Corley and Tinker 2003, oil palm has reached its maturity and their growth becomes more stable at 9-10 years after planting which is when their productivity is at its maximum. This could also infer that anthocyanin and flavonol contents in the 6 and 12 year old palms are more indicative of their metabolic process rather than their oil quality or oil yield. This observation is in agreement with Muller et al. (2013) who reported that during plant growth (particularly in 6 and 12 year palms), higher accumulation of anthocyanin and flavonol contents will act as a trade-off between the plant's primary and secondary metabolic system, which are not stable as compared in 9 year old palms. For the third objective, ten variables of spatial distribution of palm oil quality, palm oil yield and fluorescence-sensed secondary metabolites were modeled and validated for each age group. Majority of variables for all three age groups have a short effective range ( 99.7%) except for OER of 2008. Most of the tested variables could be had 99% variability that is explainable. Across different age groups, TFC was recorded with lowest R2 values ranging between 0.03-0.07 which due to secondary metabolism of flavonoid in palm oil meanwhile majority of the variables showing a moderate R2 with value ranging between 0.5-0.7 (Anth_B, Flav_B, Anth_Lf, Flav_Lf and TAC). CV values of variables in all age groups can be divided into two groups; low and moderate variability (CV=7-49% in 2002; 13-41% in 2005; and 7.7-37.8% and 52.7-73.4% in 2008, respectively). This indicates that all variables are greatly being influenced and significantly associated with secondary metabolite concentrations in oil palm compared to spatial regularity. Fluorescence sensor has a promising potential in determining secondary metabolites in oil palm, however more research and future findings are needed to support and compliment this work.


PURPOSE
To test the correlation between optic disc topography (as measured by confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy [CSLO]) and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) measurements (as measured by scanning laser polarimetry [SLP]) in glaucoma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
A total of 112 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and 88 normal individuals were enrolled in the study. All individuals underwent a thorough ophthalmic evaluation, a 24-2 full threshold Humphrey visual field, SLP with the GDx (Version 1.0.12) and CSLO with the TOPSS. Receiver operator characteristic curves were created for each individual CSLO and SLP parameter. Linear correlations between the four best parameters from each device were calculated. Finally, linear correlations between the same variables, controlled for the severity of visual field damage, were calculated.

RESULTS
The best individual parameters in the diagnosis of glaucoma for each device were cup area, vertical cup : disc ratio, cup : disc area ratio and average cup depth for CSLO, and the Number, maximum modulation, ellipse modulation and superior nasal for SLP. Moderate to strong correlations were observed in 62% of the pairs. However, only 6% and 12% of the correlations remained moderate when we controlled for the visual field mean deviation and correct pattern standard deviation, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
The correlation between optic disc topography and RNFL measurements in glaucoma patients is moderate and highly dependent on the level of visual field loss.


There are only few states in the United States where state income relies heavily on tourism industry, and Vermont is one of them. Vermont has the advantage in possessing spectacular landscape, clean environment, and attractive agriculturally based rural community, which provide an excellent opportunity for tourism industry development. Vermont economy also benefits from the tourists' activities because: (1) tourists contribute significant amount of income to Vermont economy, especially from ski business; (2) tourists' expenditures in Vermont become a significant source of state tax income; and (3) to sustain tourism industry in Vermont helps to preserve rural community environment as well as nature beauty in Vermont. Although tourism industry is very important to Vermont, there is limited information associated with the economic impacts from the tourism industry to Vermont economy. The objectives of this article include: (1) to quantify the economic activities of tourism-related sectors in Vermont in order to create a tourism industry; and (2) to estimate the economic impacts of the tourism industry on Vermont economy in terms of total output, Gross State Product (GSP), employment, and dependency and inter-industry linkages between tourism industry and other industries in Vermont. Three surveys have been designed to gather data for tourists' activities and expenditures: (1) a nation-wide visitor survey in order to understand the profiles and expenditures of Vermont tourists; (1) a lodging business survey to estimate total revenue and cost structures for three sizes of the lodging businesses - small, medium, and large; and (3) a ski resort survey to estimate ski total revenue and cost structure and its contribution to recreation industry in Vermont. Further analysis in tourism impacts on Vermont economy is carried out by running a input-output model using Impact analysis for PLANing (IMPLAN) software. Several interesting results are concluded from this study. For the profile of the visitors, the majority tourists coming to Vermont are domestic pleasure travelers, every visiting domestic household spends approximately $323.66 for every trip to Vermont, and 75% of the domestic pleasure travelers stay over night with either lodging businesses or private residents. For lodging businesses, Bed and Breakfast counts for 36% in Vermont lodging industry, more than 50% lodging businesses in Vermont has 10 rooms or less (defined as small), annual average occupancy rate is 38%, different sizes of the lodging businesses has significantly different revenue and cost structures, and finally but not the least - higher percentages of the total inputs purchased by small lodging businesses are from local market relative to large lodging businesses. For ski businesses in Vermont, 34% of the skiers come from Vermont and 69% of the skiers come from New England region, ski area on average hire 130 full time year-round employees with average salary of $29,000, and finally winter average revenue for a ski area is $19 millions of dollars ($4.3 millions of dollars in summer/fall). The impacts of tourism industry on Vermont economy include: (1) tourism industry counts for 15% of the total state output value, 22% of the state employment, and 26% of the indirect business tax; (2) for every million dollars spent by tourists in Vermont - 35 jobs are created, additional 690 thousands of dollars worth output will be generated, employment compensation will increase by $540,546 dollars, and indirect business tax will increase by $127,807 dollars. It has been shown that Tourism industry contributes significantly to Vermont economy relative to Agriculture and Manufacturing industries.


An X-ray biprism has been constructed from a pair of rectangular-section polished diamond bars meeting edge-to-edge, and rotatable about the prism axis so as to vary the convergence of the refracted beams. Interference patterns have been recorded at wavelengths of 0.08, 0.096 and 0.11 nm with good agreement between calculated and observed fringe spacings. Application of the fringe-observing arrangement employed in this work to the assessment of X-ray source characteristics is proposed.


We propose experimental schemes to create and probe minimum forms of different topologically ordered states in a plaquette of an optical lattice: resonating valence bond, and Laughlin and string-net-condensed states. We show how to create anyonic excitations on top of these liquids and detect their fractional statistics. In addition, we propose a way to design a plaquette ring-exchange interaction, the building block Hamiltonian of a lattice topological theory. Our preparation and detection schemes combine different techniques already demonstrated in experiments with atoms in optical superlattices.


The aim of this study is to examine what's difference of repentance between Adam and Eve and Satan in the falling and how the salvation can be achieved God creates man that he should not be fallen, but could be fallen on his free-will. Man, the result of disobedience, gets faced with crisis of eternal death through abusing his free-will. The salvation of this kind should be considered in connection with Milton's view of religion and his theological thoughts. Milton's epic, Paradise Lost, retells the story of the fall of Adam and Eve and Satan as told in the beginning of the book Genesis and Ezekiel in the Bible. After falling, Adam and Eve had a repentance that was conviction of sin, contrition, confession and departure from evil, however, Satan never turn to the repentance though he recognized his sin to God. Book 9 is the retelling of the fall and, by many accounts, the climax of the epic and of Milton's poetic corpus. Book 10, God sends the Son to earth to temper justice with mercy. Book 11 and 12 include Adam's repentance, dream and a vision of the future, as narrated by the angel Michael. In the end, the completion of salvation in Milton is not the lost of paradise for the disobedience of Adam and Eve, but regaining renovation, the better paradise through the His son, the Meidator of Christ.


Gallium nitrate, a group IIIa metal salt, has been found to be clinically effective for the treatment of accelerated bone resorption in cancer‐related hypercalcemia and Paget's disease. Here we report the effects of gallium nitrate on osteocalcin mRNA and protein levels on the rat osteoblast‐like cell line ROS 17/2.8. Gallium nitrate reduced both constitutive and vitamin D3‐stimulated osteocalcin protein levels in culture medium by one‐half and osteocalcin mRNA levels to one‐third to one‐tenth of control. Gallium nitrate also inhibited vitamin D3 stimulation of osteocalcin and osteopontin mRNA levels but did not affect constitutive osteopontin mRNA levels. Among several different metals examined, gallium was unique in its ability to reduce osteocalcin mRNA levels without decreasing levels of other mRNAs synthesized by ROS 17/2.8 cells. The effects of gallium nitrate on osteocalcin mRNA and protein synthesis mimic those seen when ROS 17/2.8 cells are exposed to transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1); however, TGF‐β1 was not detected in gallium nitratetreated ROS 17/2.8 cell media. Use of the RNA polymerase II inhibitor 5,6‐dichloro‐1‐β‐D‐ribofuranosylbenzimidazole demonstrated that gallium nitrate did not alter the stability of osteocalcin mRNA. Transient transfection assays using the rat osteocalcin promoter linked to the bacterial reporter gene chloramphenicol acetyltransferase indicated that gallium nitrate blocked reporter gene expression stimulated by the osteocalcin promoter. This is the first reported effect of gallium nitrate on isolated osteoblast cells.


The main parameter that influences the bending strength of timber from tropical hardwood is the slope of grain. Although in the grading rules a specific threshold value is given, in these hardwoods the global slope of grain is very difficult to quantify by a visual assessment. The slope of grain measured after testing gives a better indication, but still it can only poorly describe the Hankinson relations. By rewriting the Hankinson relations, the slope of grain can be determined from the bending strength test values and from the MOE test value, both in combination with the density values and constants derived by non-linear regression analysis. These two values correlate very well and the average value is designated as the theoretical slope of grain. With the theoretical slope of grain 5 test samples of tropical wood species were evaluated and slope of grain values of 0.3 were observed where 0.1 is the limit value. Because all pieces passed the normal visual grading method in practice, slope of grain values should be incorporated in the strength class assignment test program, when these qualities cannot be ruled out for coming on the market. The (dynamic) modulus of elasticity can be used to evaluate the occurrence of desired range of slope of grain values in the test samples.


The present paper investigates the utilization of the magnetic hysteresis loops for the nondestructive characterization of annealed axis shaft samples. The resulting magnetic properties were further evaluated by examining the microstructure of the annealed samples by using scanning electron microscopy.


The present study deals with the investigation of the genus Anabaena and Nostoc of the rice field of Jorhat district. Cyanobacteria are one of the major components of the nitrogen fixing biomass in paddy fields which provides a potential source of nitrogen fixation at no cost. Due to the important characteristic of nitrogen fixation, cyanobacteria have a unique potential to contribute to enhance productivity in a variety of agricultural and ecological situations. The present work 14 species of Anabaena and 8 species of Nostoc had been isolated from Jorhat district of Assam.


Martian chaotic terrains are characterized by deeply depressed intensively fractured areas that contain a large number of low‐strain tilted blocks. Stronger deformation (e.g., higher number of fractures) is generally observed in the rims when compared to the middle regions of the terrains. The distribution and number of fractures and tilted blocks are correlated with the size of the chaotic terrains. Smaller chaotic terrains are characterized by few fractures between undeformed blocks. Larger terrains show an elevated number of fractures uniformly distributed with single blocks. We investigate whether this surface morphology may be a consequence of the collapse of the infill of a crater. We perform numerical simulations with the Discrete Element Method and we evaluate the distribution of fractures within the crater and the influence of the crater size, infill thickness, and collapsing depth on the final morphology. The comparison between model predictions and the morphology of the Martian chaotic terrains shows strong statistical similarities in terms of both number of fractures and correlation between fractures and crater diameters. No or very weak correlation is observed between fractures and the infill thickness or collapsing depth. The strong correspondence between model results and observations suggests that the collapse of an infill layer within a crater is a viable mechanism for the peculiar morphology of the Martian chaotic terrains.


Electrical resistivity changes, ground potentials, electromagnetic (EM), and luminous signals preceding or accompanying earthquakes have been reported many times, in addition to ground uplift and tilt and other parameters. However, no concept exists that would tie these diverse phenomena together into a physically coherent model. Using low-to medium-velocity impacts to measure electrical signals with microsecond time resolution, it is observed that when gabbro and diorite cores are impacted at relatively low velocities, ≈ 100 m/s, highly mobile charge carriers are generated in a small volume near the impact point. They spread through the rocks, causing electric potentials exceeding +400 mV, EM, and light emission. As the charge cloud spreads, the rock becomes momentarily conductive. When a granite block is impacted at higher velocity, ≈ 1.5 km/s, the propagation of the P and S waves is registered through the transient piezoelectric response of quartz. After the sound waves have passed, the surface of the granite block becomes positively charged, suggesting the same charge carriers as observed during the low-velocity impact experiments, expanding from within the bulk. During the next 2–3 ms the surface potential oscillates, indicating pulses of electrons injected from ground and contact electrodes. The observations are consistent with positive holes, e.g., defect electrons in the O2- sublattice, traveling via the O 2p-dominated valence band of the silicate minerals. The positive holes propagate as charge clouds rather than as classical EM waves. Before activation, they lay dormant in form of electrically inactive positive hole pairs, PHP, chemically equivalent to peroxy links, O3X/OO//XO3 with X = Si4+, Al3+, etc. PHPs are introduced into the minerals by way of hydroxyl, O3X-OH, which all nominally anhydrous minerals incorporate when crystallizing in H2O-laden environments. The fact that positive holes can be activated by low-energy impacts, and their attendant sound waves, suggests that they can also be activated in the crust by microfractures during the dilatancy phase. Depending on where in the stressed rock volume the charge carriers are activated, they will form rapidly moving or fluctuating charge clouds that can account for earthquake-related electrical signals and EM emission. Wherever such charge clouds intersect the surface, high fields are expected, causing electric discharges and earthquake lights.


Malaria presents a diagnostic challenge in most developing countries due to their financial status. In the year 2017, there were approximately 219 million new cases of malaria with more than 435 000 deaths globally. Children(70%) under five years were the most affected. In some African countries where transmission rates were high, a large population was infected but remained asymptomatic. Such patients had developed sufficient immunity to protect them from malarial illness but not from the infection. In these countries, cost and ease of performances are major considerations. Whereas microscopy and other contemporary methods for malaria diagnosis are available, development of an accurate, sensitive and cost-effective rapid diagnostic tool would go a long way in alleviating those challenges.
Objectives : This study tested a portable real time PCR (smartphone-based real-time) assay method tool from Biomeme Inc. in order to assess its ability in providing better diagnostic capability compared to existing methods.
Materials and Methodology: From April 2016 to February 2018 a study was carried out in Western Kenya. Nyando River basin which covers an area of 3517 km2. In five administrative wards; Ahero, Kabura, Kabonyo, East Kano and Awasi. Two and above years old patients who presented with malaria symptoms including axillary temperature of 37.50C or history of fever 48 hours prior to the mentioned ward's health facilities were recruitment. Consent of the 315 respondents including children whose parents or legal guardians signing for them was mandatory. Urine test for the presence of chloroquine, quinine or sulphonamides to confirm they had not taken anti -malaria drugs within the previous month was done. The initial parasitemia had to be between 1,000 to <200,000 parasites per μL of blood. Exempted were patients showing signs of severe anemia and malaria; those with a hemoglobin level of <5 g/d; presence of other diseases that causes febrile conditions; presence of any other Plasmodium species other than falciparum; and patients with a history of adverse events against ACT and sulphonamide drugs.
DNA was extracted using the Biomeme sample preparation kit and compared to that of the Chelex method. A NanoDrop spectrophotometer was used to measure the concentration, purity and turbidity of the DNA obtained using the two extraction methods. Limits of detection of the DNA obtained from Biomeme and Chelex were determined by amplification of two Plasmodium falciparum gene markers, MSP1 and 18S rRNA. Student's t-test was used to compare the means of the two methods and a Kappa statistic value used to determine the level of agreement. Viral screening was performed before the actual blood collection.
During all surveys, nurses collected ~500μl of blood onto slides as thick and thin smears for microscopy onto filter paper for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and into a HemoCue for immediate testing of hemoglobin levels (densities). Filter papers were dried at ambient temperature in the field, shipped to KEMRI and stored in plastic bags at -20°C containing silicate as desiccant. The samples were spun (350g, 10 min) and the pellets containing packed red blood cells (RBC), and white blood cells (WBC) were frozen with an equal volume of cryopreservation solution (0.9% NaCl, 4.2% sorbitol and 28% glycerol) and transported in liquid nitrogen container to KEMRI.
Results: The Biomeme sample preparation kit recorded the highest yields and concentrations compared to the Chelex method. Biomeme DNA quantification method gave scores as yield of (33.39mg±8.36) while Chelex had yield of (7.6mg±2.48). The 18S rRNA amplification detection results on Biomeme and Chelex amplicons respectively were as follows; sensitivity (97.44±0.71%, 94.44±0.53%), specificity (50±0.71, 60±0.53%) with Kappa value (0.473, 0.544) while for MSP1, the respective results were as; sensitivity (97.37±0.49%, 91.67±0.43%), specificity (67±0.49%, 60±0.43%) and Kappa value (0.6401, 0.4755) p=0.05.
Evaluating the limits of detection, molecular marker in both gels was of 100 base pairs lane 1 and 2. That was representing positive control (3D7) and negative control (free DNAse water) respectively. It was evident that the amplicons intensities of Biomeme were much higher than those of Chelex. The gene fragment sizes were 200 bp on both gels, while serial dilution did not affect the intensities significantly across each gel using the 18S RNA as the gene marker.
Conclusion: These results suggest that, Biomeme was a rapid and accurate diagnostic technique for malaria that can be used at point of care despite the turbidity ratio which showed it had some chaoatrophic salts. Concentrations and the yields of the DNA depend on the platform method used for the extraction.
Recommendations: Biomeme could be an alternative method for resource-strained environments. It is portable and highly connected via web portal system for the transfer of data from one point to another. DNA extracted for molecular biological research work should be pure, free from contamination and toxicity leading to minimal DNA fragmentation.
Keywords: Biomeme, Malaria-diagnosis, Smartphone-based, Plasmodium Falciparum, Point-of-Care, Resource-Strained.


Background: Treatment options for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M-negative patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and acquired resistance (AR) to EGFR–tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR–TKI) are limited. The efficacy of EGFR–TKI and anti-angiogenic drug combination therapy in these patients is known. We investigated the effectiveness of EGFR–TKI+anlotinib combination therapy in patients with T790M-negative NSCLC. Method: We evaluated the antitumor effects of gefitinib combined with anlotinib in gefitinib-resistant lung adenocarcinoma cells. We also investigated the treatment effect and absence of adverse events of EGFR–TKI+anlotinib therapy in 22 T790M-negative patients after EGFR–TKI treatment failure between January 2018 and August 2020. Results: Anlotinib reversed gefitinib resistance in the gefitinib-resistant cell line, PC9/GR, by enhancing anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of gefitinib. The gefitinib+anlotinib treatment exerted a synergistic antitumor effect by downregulating the activation of VEGFR2 and downstream effectors, Akt and ERK. The EGFR–TKI+anlotinib therapy exhibited an objective response rate of 18.2% and a disease control rate of 95.5%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 11.53 ± 1.94 months, whereas the median overall survival was not reached. The median PFS was longer in patients exhibiting gradual progression (13.30 ± 1.69 months) than in patients with dramatic progression (8.60 ± 5.39 months, p = 0.041). One Grade 3 adverse event was noted (diarrhea, n = 2, 9.1%), and Grade 4 or 5 adverse events were absent.Conclusion: EGFR–TKI combined with anlotinib demonstrated powerful antitumor activity in vitro and excellent treatment effect in T790M-negative NSCLC patients after AR.


The aim of this research was to determine the influence of addition of bacteriocin as the preservation of beef to extend storage at 4°C. 500 grams of fresh beef from Karangmenjangan market and 500 gramsfresh beef from Pucang market were used and divided into two groups for each market, after dipped inbacteriocin for 10 minutes and stored in refrigerator with temperature of 4°C. Every beef sample dividedinto two group, first was control group and the other was treatment group with the addition of bacteriocin.The replication for each sample has been done for 5 times in 5 days consecutively. Eber test was used todetermine the early spoilage process in beef. The result showed that dipping in bacteriocin for 10 minuteswas effective to extend the storage span of beef up to the minimum day of day 4 for samples from bothmarket.


The high–grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC), the most aggressive ovarian cancer subtype, accounts for two–thirds of ovarian cancer deaths. It is a poorly understood disease with high therapeutic resistance and extremely poor prognosis. The current study is an attempt to analyze molecular mechanisms underlying HGSOC and to identify new therapeutic targets. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analysis of ovarian carcinoma demonstrated that p53 mutations are near universal (>90%) in HGSOC and forkhead box M1 protein (FOXM1) network is significantly altered in about 87% of HGSOC leading to transcriptional upregulation of proliferation–related target genes. Moreover, mutant p53 and FOXM1 have important roles in resistance to chemotherapy. In the present study, we have used various experimental procedures such as RNAi technology, immunoprecipitation, quantitative real–time PCR, immunoblot analysis, proximity ligation assay (PLA) (to determine protein–protein interaction in situ) and assays for cell cycle, apoptosis and proliferation to analyze estrogen receptor beta (ER–beta) – mutant p53 –FOXM1 signaling crosstalk in OVCAR3 (HGSOC) cells. Knocking down ER–beta resulted in increased mut–p53 transcript levels suggesting transcription of mut–p53 is repressed by ER–beta in OVCAR cells. Similarly, mut–p53 represses transcription of ER–beta gene. We show that not only mut–p53 and ER–beta physically interact, but also they mutually regulate each other9s expression at the gene transcriptional level leading to changes in expression of FOXM1 and its downstream signaling targets such as . We show that when ER–beta was knocked down, FOXM1 levels were decreased and resistance to cisplatin and carboplatin, major therapeutic agents currently in use for ovarian cancer, was decreased as evidenced by increased apoptosis and decreased colony formation. Surprisingly, ER–beta binds to both p53 and FOXM1. Our data provides new insight into the mechanisms underlying HGSOC by illustrating how signaling crosstalk between ER–beta and mut–p53 leads to increased expression of pro–proliferative and pro–tumorigenic downstream targets such as FOXM1, overexpression of which has been associated with resistance to therapeutic agents.in HGSOC patients. Our study will be the first, to the best of our knowledge, to investigate whether the crosstalk between ER–beta and mut–p53 along with FOXM1 plays an important role in the onset and progression of HGSOC. We have identified ER–beta–mutant p53–FOXM1 signaling axis as a novel therapeutic target in HGSOC. Correlation between ER–beta, mut–p53, and FOXM1 expression, their interaction, and disease characteristics are being analyzed in HGSOC patient tissue microarrays (TMAs). This study was supported by a Pilot Study Award from the Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer. Citation Format: Chetan Oturkar and Gokul M. Das. ESTROGEN RECEPTOR BETA – P53 – FOXM1 SIGNALING AXIS AS A NOVEL MOLECULAR TARGET TO OVERCOME THERAPEUTIC RESISTANCE IN HIGH–GRADE SEROUS OVARIAN CANCER [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 11th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium; Sep 12-13, 2016; Seattle, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2017;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr MIP-054.


Recent technological progress on high-throughput measurements for gene expression such as microarray analysis enables us to collect time-series gene expression data for each of tens of thousands of genes. Although a genomic analysis with those data has identified key genes relating to various diseases, few results on estimation of gene regulatory networks with real microarray data are available so far. Recently, the immediately early response (1ER) genes upon epidermal growth factor stimulation in a human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7, have been identified in which time-course microarray data were measured during 90 minutes and 63 1ER genes were chosen from tens of thousands of genes by using statistical analysis. In this paper, we estimate the gene regulatory networks among the 63 1ER genes. To this end, we apply an estimation method based on a mixed logic dynamical modeling developed in an earlier study to the microarray data. However, the original method is executable for continuous gene expression time-series data whereas the real microarray time-course data have very few time points. In addition, some presetting parameters in the model are critical for a successful result on a network estimation. Then, we add a preprocessing and Monte Carlo-based calculation for die original method.


In this paper, we propose a method to integrate data from Inertial Navigation System (INS), Magnetic Pose Estimation System (MPS), and Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) using a Federated Kalman Filter (FKF). We adaptively adjusted the information sharing factor using the Mahalanobis distance to maintain navigation performance in indoor environments with mirrors that contaminate LiDAR measurements. By adaptively adjusting the information sharing factor, we can adjust the weight of each local filter. To validate navigation performance, we conducted UGV driving tests in various indoor environments. We conducted experiments by driving a UGV on a course with a diameter of 3.6 meters. UGVs are equipped with LiDAR, MPS receivers, and IMUs to measure data. We used four 1-meter diameter MPS coils. An optical motion capture device, the Optitrack, was used as reference data.


The conceptualization of leaders as reinforcement mediators is a relatively recent development, which has generated substantial interest in leadership research. Accompanying this new approach has been the development and use of perceived leader reinforcement questionnaires; a rapidly growing literature has developed as a result. This article reports a factor analytic investigation of what is probably the most commonly used and reliable measure in this domain - the Leader Reward and Punishment Questionnaire (LRPQ: Podsakoff, Todor, Grover & Huber, 1984). Using samples of hospital employees (N = 375) and bankers (N = 297), with principal axes factor extraction and varimax rotation, the results show relatively good discriminant validity when the LRPQ is factored with the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire's 'satisfaction with supervision' items (MSQ: Weiss, Dawis, England & Lofquist, 1967). A consistent pattern of weak to moderate cross-loadings does exist, however, suggesting that research which employs affective dependent variables may need to interpret cautiously some of the relationships obtained. Avenues for future research are briefly discussed.


Purpose: The present study was aimed at preparing and evaluating biodegradable nanoparticles of docetaxel (DTX). Method: Nanoparticles were prepared by emulsification solvent evaporation technique using polylactic-co-glycolide (PLGA) as biodegradable matrix. The formulations were then characterized with respect to size and its surface morphology, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency in vitro drug release profile, stability studies and in vivo tissue distribution study.
Results: The formulated DTX-PLGA nanoparticles were oval with diameter ranging from 200 nm to 400 nm. The entrapment efficiency was found to be in the range 51.07% to 62.16%. Highest cumulative percent drug release was observed F-1 (49.24 %) and lowest F-4 (36.25%) in 48 h. Based on the highest regression values (R), all four formulations followed Peppas Korsmeyer model. Formulation F-4 with optimal particle size, high entrapment efficiency and satisfactory in vitro release was selected for in vivo studies. The average targeting efficiency of drug loaded nanoparticles was found to be 11.23±0.126% of the injected dose in liver, 27.72±0.415% in lungs, 10.63±0.269% in kidney and 13.24±0.572% in spleen whereas accumulation of pure drug in liver was 7.93±.2.104%, in lungs it was 8.57±1.724%, in kidney it was 08.10±0.827% and spleen 11.35±0.503% of the injected dose.
Conclusion: The results revealed that, the drug loaded nanoparticles showed preferential drug targeting to lungs followed by liver, kidney and spleen. Stability studies indicated that 4? is the most suitable temperature for storage of PLGA nanoparticles. This drug delivery is endowed with several exclusive advantages and hence holds potential for further research and clinical application.


Surveys of the Milky Way (MW) and M31 enable detailed studies of stellar populations across ages and metallicities, with the goal of reconstructing formation histories across cosmic time. These surveys motivate key questions for galactic archaeology in a cosmological context: When did the main progenitor of an MW/M31-mass galaxy form, and what were the galactic building blocks that formed it? We investigate the formation times and progenitor galaxies of MW/M31-mass galaxies using the Feedback In Realistic Environments-2 cosmological simulations, including six isolated MW/M31-mass galaxies and six galaxies in Local Group (LG)-like pairs at z = 0. We examine main progenitor 'formation' based on two metrics: (1) transition from primarily ex-situ to in-situ stellar mass growth and (2) mass dominance compared to other progenitors. We find that the main progenitor of an MW/M31-mass galaxy emerged typically at z ∼ 3–4 ($11.6\!\!-\!\!12.2\, \rm {Gyr}$ ago), while stars in the bulge region (inner 2 kpc) at z = 0 formed primarily in a single main progenitor at z ≲ 5 (${\lesssim} \!12.6\, \rm {Gyr}$ ago). Compared with isolated hosts, the main progenitors of LG-like paired hosts emerged significantly earlier (Δz ∼ 2, $\Delta t\!\sim \!1.6\, \rm {Gyr}$), with ∼4× higher stellar mass at all z ≳ 4 (${\gtrsim} \!12.2\, \rm {Gyr}$ ago). This highlights the importance of environment in MW/M31-mass galaxy formation, especially at early times. On average, about 100 galaxies with $\rm {\it{ M}}_\rm {star}\!\gtrsim \!10^5\, \rm {M}_\odot$ went into building a typical MW/M31-mass system. Thus, surviving satellites represent a highly incomplete census (by ∼5×) of the progenitor population.


This paper proposes a novel optimization-based power sharing control strategy to moderate PV power intermittency and increase its penetration. Such a control strategy aims to minimize the total PV power sensitivity to the light change by re-distributing the demand power among available PV units such that the demanding power is met with minimal variation. PV plant is coupled with the grid utility, and it should maintain a specific amount of power determined by the grid operator. However, due to the PV power sensitivity to the light, the delivered power at the coupling point fluctuates and leads to undesirable responses such as grid frequency excursion, stability problems, and unoptimized power generation. To address such issues, we formulate an optimization problem to reduce the total PV power sensitivity by selecting the optimal reference voltage for each PV panel. We define the power sensitivity as the rate of power change to light fluctuation to be the objective function of the proposed optimization problem, and the selected reference voltages for all PV panels are the decision variables. Compared to other conventional power-sharing techniques such as the same utilization level, droop control, and lookup table, MATLAB simulation results verify the contribution of the proposed algorithm's performance superiority in PV power sensitivity reduction, grid stability assurance, and power generation enhancement. Moreover, when there is insufficient PV power to meet the grid operator's demand, the proposed algorithm automatically sets the entire PV plant to work at its MPP without switching circuits.


Since the emergence of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear risks, significant efforts have been made to create efficient personal protection equipment. Recently, metal-organic framework (MOF) materials have emerged as new promising candidates for the capture and degradation of various threats, like chemical warfare agents (CWAs) or radioactive species. Herein, we report a new synthesis method of MOF-textile composites by microwave irradiation, with direct anchoring of MOFs on textiles. The resistance of the composite has been tested using normed abrasion measurements, and non-stable samples were optimized. The protection capacity of the MOF-textile composite has been tested against dimethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate, a common CWA simulant, showing short degradation half-life (30 min). Radiological/nuclear protection has also been tested through uranium uptake (up to 15 mg g-1 adsorbent) and the capture of Kr or Xe gas at 0.9 and 2.9 cm3/g, respectively.


Application development engine in the heavy equipment is currently lead to the development of environmentally friendly technologies but with a better performance without changing the size or dimensions of the engine. Performance comparison analysis between Cummins engine applications which use single and double turbocharger to the performance, efficiency and fuel comsumtion required to provide a reference for users of heavy equipment unit (customer). This research was conducted at PT. Altrak Balikpapan branch in 1978 as a distributor of Cummins engines Indonesia. The research object is the Cummins engine type "K50" series with KTA-50 engine models and KTTA-50. Achievement of maximum engine power in the can with the provision of 100% load at 1900 rpm engine speed, which amounted to 1798 HP at KTA-50 and 1993 HP at KTTA-50. The increase in the value of the torque which can be different from the values ??of engine power, because the maximum torque is not in a position rated speed but at 100% load at 1500 rpm engine speed. This position is often referred to as the peak torque and the maximum torque values ??in may of 1487 lb.ft at KTA-50 and 1656 lb.ft at KTTA-50. The result of the calculation is theoretically found also that with the increase in engine power then an increase in fuel consumption linearly. The thermal efficiency of the engine KTTA-50 amounted to 42.29% larger than the engine-50 summit that only 42.23%.


The paper presents the design and implementation of a switching-mode power amplifier for shaker armature excitation. First, the dynamic model of a current-source-driven shaker system is derived. Then a novel current-controlled PWM scheme is proposed for performing the switching control of inverter. To obtain good reference-current tracking-control characteristics over a wide frequency range, the feedback-current controller is augmented with a command-feedforward controller and a robust disturbance-feedforward controller. In the design of the disturbance-feedforward controller, the disturbance observer and robust-control technique are developed to make it practically feasible and have robust control performance. The design of the proposed controller is described in detail and practical limitations and the implementation of the current controller are discussed. Some measured results are provided to demonstrate the performance of the developed switching-mode power amplifier.


Author(s): Wu, Bin | Advisor(s): Smedley, Keyue | Abstract: Voltage boosting is required in many energy conversion applications, ranging from front-end solar energy system to Medium-Voltage DC (MVDC)-grid system, and from headlamp ballast of automobile to fuel cell powered system. This dissertation is dedicated to the development of voltage boosting technology. New circuits were found both in switched capacitor converters and inductor-based power converters. The former has the potential of full integration while the latter has combined the merits of conventional magnetic components and switched capacitor stages, leading to a new hybrid converter category. These contributions are captured in two major parts respectively: The first part discusses the switched capacitor converters and new discovery in voltage boosting technology as well as modeling technique. The second part introduces a number of new topologies and extensions in hybrid boosting converters.Part I Switched Capacitor Converter (SCC) is a special branch of power electronics converters which is composed of capacitors and switches without the participation of inductors/transformers. It potentially has lower electromagnetic interference (EMI), lighter weight, lower cost, higher energy density, and the promise for full integration. In this part, a family of "Two-switch Boosting Switched-capacitor Converters (TBSC)" is introduced, which distinguishes itself from the prior arts by its symmetrical interleaved operation, reduced output ripple, low yet even voltage stress on components, and systematic expandability. Along with the topologies, a modeling technique based on charge-balance transient-calculation is formulated, which provokes the converter regulation method through duty cycle and frequency adjustment. The design guideline for high efficient TBSC is provided and regulation under high power condition is explored. In addition, an enhanced accurate modeling technique considering the output capacitor effect is developed for simple two-phase SC converters.Part II Built upon the momentum of the "Two-switch Boosting Switched-capacitor Converters (TBSC)" circuit structure, another family of Hybrid Boosting Converters (HBC) is developed, featuring wide regulation range, symmetrical configuration, low component voltage stress, small output voltage ripple, and expandable structure. It integrates the inductive switching cores of various functionalities and control strategies with Bipolar Voltage Multiplier (BVM), resulting in the new breed of hybrid converters: Hybrid Boosting Converters (HBC). The proposed HBC family includes the basic HBC, symmetrical HBC, Isolated HBC, and tapped inductor HBC, all of which are analyzed in details and design considerations are provided. In addition, the 3D DC-DC converter concept for high power application, inverter configuration and DC micro-grid based on HBC converters are developed. The proposed HBCs are applicable in many areas such HID lamp driver, X-ray system, ion pumps, front-end photovoltaic energy system, and energy storage systems.


BACKGROUND
Arterial ocular occlusions in apparently healthy young men are unusual. Because of inconsistent study results there is a great amount of insecurity with respect to the reasonable diagnostic approach in such a scenario. We report on the process of diagnostic steps in two young men with arterial ocular occlusion such as non-arteritic optic neuropathy (NAION) and branch retinal arterial occlusion (BRAO).

CASE REPORT
Here, we report on two hitherto healthy young men who suffered from ocular arterial occlusions. Because of the apparent arterial perfusion deficit at first thrombocyte aggregation-inhibiting substances were recommended. On searching for the underlying embolic source in both men a significant arterial-venous cardiac and pulmonary shunt volume was identified. Additional screening for risk factors for venous thrombosis resulted in the identification of Factor V Leiden as well as hyperhomocysteinemia.

CONCLUSION
These two cases stress the importance to exclude possible arterial-venous shunts and, if identified, the need to search for additional risk factors for venous thrombosis in patients with arterial embolic ocular disease.


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The United States is among the world leaders in both exports and imports of processed foods and beverages. U.S. processed food firms buy and sell in a near trillion-dollar worldwide market for all goods. The appeal of U.S. brand names, influence of U.S. multinational firms abroad, and leading role played by the United States in global commerce suggest a major role for the United States in processed food trade for years to come. In 1994, the United States exported $25.8 billion worth of processed foods. Five industries have accounted for half of these exports in recent years. Most produce minimally processed products, such as fresh and frozen meats, frozen fish, soybean oil, and canned fruits and vegetables. The dominance of these industries reflects U.S. efficiency in field crops and meat and poultry production. The fastest growing processed food and beverage exports over the past few years have been in industries with relatively low trade volumes. Many of these exports are highly processed, brand-name prod-ucts, such as frozen bakery products, chewing gum, and soft drinks. Their growth reflects rising incomes, changing demographics, and the westernization of eating habits in many developing countries. These factors have led to increases in demand for U.S. foods and beverages


This essay attempts to include the South African research of the German philologist W.H.I. Bleek within the issues raised by volume 1 of Martin Bernal's Black Athena: the Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilization. In addition we offer for the first time a translation of supplementary passages that appeared in Bleek's Reinecke Fuchs in Afrika. Fabeln und Mrchen der Eingebornen (Weimar 1870), the German version of his earlier Reynard the Fox in South Africa: or Hottentot fables and tales (London 1864). In these passages Bleek addresses his German readers on the topic of the linkage between African languages and Egyptian languages - the very subject of Bernal's provocative thesis.


The subject of this paper is the modelling of a wall-stabilized cylinder symmetric cascaded arc which is to be used as a high-density plasma source. To enhance the ion flux emerging from cascaded arc argon plasmas the confining wall can be changed into a nozzle geometry. Such pinched geometries increase the degree of ionization and convert the subsonic flow to supersonic. To study arcs with a varying cross section we introduce a one-dimensional non-local thermal equilibrium hydrodynamical model. In this model the various contributions in the momentum and energy balance are integrated over the plasma cross section. The radial profiles of the axial velocity and the electron and heavy particle temperatures are prescribed. The influence of the radial profiles on the flow and on the degree of ionization is studied for various arc geometries. The model is validated against experimental data and previous results.


In August 1880, having been led to choose Ballater as summer quarters, I found that the surrounding district was one possessing very interesting geological features. On studying my geological map, I found that it contained the serpentine formation, and not having met with it before elsewhere, I took it up as one of my studies, not from its being of very great interest in itself from the authorities I had then read on the subject, but from its novelty, which has its pleasure and profit when no other special formation is to be found on the spot. In Juke's and Geikie's Manual, serpentine is described as ‶a rock intimately associated with altered limestone, and is itself, probably, in many cases a further stage of metamorphism of magnesian limestone.″ ‶But it may be the result of metamorphism of augitic, hornblende, or olivine bearing rocks. It is compact, dull, usually of some shade of dirty green, with a splintery fracture and easily scratched. It occurs sometimes in small veins, layers associated with limestones, and sometimes in large masses, and forms ranges of hills.″ The formula according to the same authority appears to be 44.14 of silica, 42.97 of magnesia, and 12.89 of water. In the section attached to Knipe's map of the general formation of the earth's crust, I see that the serpentine is placed next to the gneiss and mica. I have found no special work on serpentine, but have consulted De la Beche, Bonney, and others who have treated of


Over recent years temporomandibular disorders (TMD) have been reported to increase in numbers. The TMD is a condition that causes the temporomandibular joint and or chewing muscles not to function normally and is often observed in combinations; covers a large area and has major symptoms like pain, followed by limitations in the mandibular movement, and other clinical problems. If the disorder is not treated immediately, it will cause pathological changes and create more complex conditions. Although the risk factors of the TMD are still debated, they nonetheless have been found to be in the development of the disorders. In short, identifying, understanding, and controlling the risk factors may help to prevent the TMD, and more benefits lead to a successful treatment.


In recent years, we have faced an increasing incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), especially among young people, affecting them during their reproductive years. The paucity of data and reduced knowledge regarding the evolution of the disease during pregnancy and the adverse effects of the therapy on the mother and infant increase voluntary childlessness in this group of patients. Depending on the type of IBD, severity and surgical or medical management, this can negatively affect the pregnancy. C-sections and the risk of low-birth-weight babies are higher in women with IBD, independent of active/inactive disease, while preterm birth, stillbirth and miscarriage are associated with disease activity. In the last period, medicinal therapy has evolved, and new molecules have been developed for better control of the lesions, but the effect on pregnancy and breastfeeding is still controversial. We conducted this review by studying the literature and recent research in order to have a better image of the practical management of IBD during pregnancy.


The association between municipal fragmentation and suburban sprawl is examined, based on a cross-sectional analysis of all U.S. and Canadian metropolitan areas with more than 500,000 residents in the 1990s. Results reveal that this association is rather weak but significant and is sustained even when the less fragmented and more compact Canadian metropolitan areas are excluded from the analysis. The impact of residential sprawl on fragmentation is significant, but fragmentation does not predict sprawl. Low levels of fragmentation do not guarantee compact development, but lack of excessive fragmentation might be a precondition for compact development in North America.


MDVP and Praat are measured by nine variables in common; F0, jitter local, jitter absolute, jitter relative average perturbation, jitter period perturbation quotient, shimmer local, shimmer dB, shimmer amplitude perturbation quotient, and NHR. In the present study, 30 female subjects were divided by their disorders(control group, vocal nodule group), ages(from 18 to 50 years old), gender(women), and severities of voice disorder(GRBAS-G0, G1, G2). Then, the subjects" vowel /a/ was evaluated by MDVP and Praat. First, jitter and shimmer variables of the MDVP were significantly different by severities. Praat showed different jitter, shimmer, and NHR parameters by severities. Second, jitter and NHR levels of MDVP were meaningfully higher than Praat regardless their severities. The result of the research confirms the relationships among GRBAS, MDVP and Praat as well as the differences in acoustic variables between MDVP and Praat.


Spike is the only television network in North America "for men." Its motto, "Get more action," is suggestive of pursuits of various forms of violence. We conceptualize Spike not as trivial entertainment, but rather as a form of pop culture that erodes the gains of feminists who have challenged the prevalence of normalized hegemonic masculinity (HM). Our paper highlights themes of Spike content, and connects those themes to the literature on HM. Moreover, we validate the identities and lives of men who cannot or refuse to subscribe to the pressures of hegemonic masculinity.


In the recent context of student-centered learning, they are more involved in the whole learning process, while the teacher is only a guide through their learning. This implies that students must be also involved in the assessment process. Following this idea, the peer assessment tries to give the students the opportunity to be in the evaluator position and maybe experience a reflexion about the criteria, what an external person sees in what he/she has to assess. When students have the role of assessing their classmates work, they pay more attention to the content and formal details of the presentation; therefore they can easily identify key points involved in an academic dissertation. This is a good opportunity to actively learn some basic transversal skills for any kind of presentation. Under this context, we present in this paper a comparison of the marks given by both students and teachers, to the same academic dissertation. In addition, we provide the rubric provided to students as a guide for the assessment. As results show, the students' final decision to assess their peers' work is quite close to the teacher's decision. Only light differences were identified, on average, students gave a slightly higher mark to their classmates than the teacher did. However, a correlation on students and teacher marks was found.